SOURCE: Jameel McKay's knee is structurally sound

The people who say this game doesn't matter kill me.

It doesn't matter if you don't care about national ranking and relavance as a whole in the entirety of Division I basketball........

Oh wait, do we think the same people who say this game doesn't matter also complain about team ranking in AP Poll week to week?
 
Nothing derails team momentum faster than telling yourself "Hey - this game isn't important. Let's sit all of our starters because we'd rather not risk them getting injured, and hey, they get some much-needed rest in the process."

I'm not opposed to sitting McKay if him taking a game off will help his knee. What I am opposed to is the attitude that throwing games is acceptable because a particular opponent isn't viewed as "important" - especially when that opponent would give your team yet another top 10 win, which looks even better with the fact that it would be a road win.
 
The people who say this game doesn't matter kill me.

Me too. A more accurate statement would be it doesn't matter if we lose. This game is going to be super fun. We have SO MUCH to gain with hardly anything to lose Saturday.
 
Hopefully the coaches' lack of enthusiasm about this B12-SEC thing isn't passed on to the players
 
Tommy BirchVerified account@TommyBirch 19h19 hours ago
Prohm reiterates for the 1,000,000 or so time that Simeon Carter is not ready to be worked into the rotation. #Cyclones


Alex Halsted@AlexHalsted 19h19 hours ago
People are obsessed with why Simeon Carter isn't playing yet. Good lord.

In this situation, I think it comes down to a tradeoff between his "readiness" for the regular rotation (which at this point appears to be "not ready") and the likelihood that he will have to play some minutes in a future game.

Carter isn't ready for minutes in a rotation when McKay can play. But does a rotation where McKay has to play reduced minutes, or can't play at all, require minutes from someone beyond the remaining 7 who play now? How likely is it that McKay will have to cut back minutes?

Generally, you don't design your plans around a key player getting injured. But McKay is hurting to the point that he had to miss most of the second half against KU, so that changes the dynamic. Playing Carter would be a "hedge", to get his feet wet in the event that the worst-case scenario plays out with McKay.

Lots of questions and crystal ball work. I think it is an interesting discussion.
 
Nothing derails team momentum faster than telling yourself "Hey - this game isn't important. Let's sit all of our starters because we'd rather not risk them getting injured, and hey, they get some much-needed rest in the process."

I'm not opposed to sitting McKay if him taking a game off will help his knee. What I am opposed to is the attitude that throwing games is acceptable because a particular opponent isn't viewed as "important" - especially when that opponent would give your team yet another top 10 win, which looks even better with the fact that it would be a road win.

Top 5 win. Just being picky.
For the game-throwers, you play to win the game.
 
In this situation, I think it comes down to a tradeoff between his "readiness" for the regular rotation (which at this point appears to be "not ready") and the likelihood that he will have to play some minutes in a future game.

Carter isn't ready for minutes in a rotation when McKay can play. But does a rotation where McKay has to play reduced minutes, or can't play at all, require minutes from someone beyond the remaining 7 who play now? How likely is it that McKay will have to cut back minutes?

Generally, you don't design your plans around a key player getting injured. But McKay is hurting to the point that he had to miss most of the second half against KU, so that changes the dynamic. Playing Carter would be a "hedge", to get his feet wet in the event that the worst-case scenario plays out with McKay.

Lots of questions and crystal ball work. I think it is an interesting discussion.

If there is ANY doubt in your mind that McKay will be limited then you get Carter some time. We need the size too much. Kid will have to learn the old fashion way, no better way to improve than against better competition.
 
If McKay doesn't go, you see more of Ashton and Hallice, with Nader, Georges and Burton rotating the 4 and 5. That's all. Definitely small ball.
 
If there is ANY doubt in your mind that McKay will be limited then you get Carter some time. We need the size too much. Kid will have to learn the old fashion way, no better way to improve than against better competition.

I dunno... Experience is the best experience but hard to justify getting the guy experience when real bullets are flying and the guy you are subbing for, even if not at 100%, is still that much better than the sub. We've been in conference nail-biters all season so the potential drop-off of Carter is too much risk.

The guy is going to play when he's closer to being ready to play. He's a big - he needs time to grow into it and it will have to happen largely at the pace he's able to progress.
 
I am actually shocked at some of the opinions on this thread. C'mon people! A few points and I will leave it.

1) If Carter enters any game the rest of the season in any capacity other than garbage time in a blowout, we are in some kind of trouble.

2) If McKay is healthy enough to play, he plays... PERIOD! Everyone is banged up to some extent.

3) This is a big game! Not only is it our coach's mentor on the other bench, it is a top 5 team on the road! Why would anyone even think to throw away such a great opportunity? We have the chance to beat (or be) the best team in 3 of the Power 5 conferences before February.
 
At the end of the day not one person on this thread knows Jameel McKay's status. 100 % speculation. Fans have a short memory when Naz Long was "day to day". It was only after he redshirted did we find out the team doctors expected the same as early as last August. Nobody is gonna tell us squat other than he is injured as evident by last game. Day to day can mean anything from he's out two days to his season is over period. All we can do is hope and pray he returns to finish out his senior year. When and only when McKay takes the court again will I believe his knee is "structurally sound".
 
At the end of the day not one person on this thread knows Jameel McKay's status. 100 % speculation. Fans have a short memory when Naz Long was "day to day". It was only after he redshirted did we find out the team doctors expected the same as early as last August. Nobody is gonna tell us squat other than he is injured as evident by last game. Day to day can mean anything from he's out two days to his season is over period. All we can do is hope and pray he returns to finish out his senior year. When and only when McKay takes the court again will I believe his knee is "structurally sound".

I'll take them at their word. If they knew it was season ending, they would announce that.
 
Work em all like rented mules, I must be entertained!

McKay will play. Do you think he would miss the opportunity to show his talent at the national stage? I think not. He wants to get drafted just like everyone else, and you can't get drafted sitting on the bench.
 
Exactly.......I take them for their word when they announce that.........until then his status remains speculation.
 
Nothing derails team momentum faster than telling yourself "Hey - this game isn't important. Let's sit all of our starters because we'd rather not risk them getting injured, and hey, they get some much-needed rest in the process." I'm not opposed to sitting McKay if him taking a game off will help his knee. What I am opposed to is the attitude that throwing games is acceptable because a particular opponent isn't viewed as "important" - especially when that opponent would give your team yet another top 10 win, which looks even better with the fact that it would be a road win.
Too many of these people are still living the fball season. Any loss makes a difference. Our biggest loss is only five points. 2,4,5,3 point losses. ........... Side note. Coppin State won another game and had a writeup! http://www.cbssports.com/collegebas...n-st-holds-off-north-carolina-at-in-73-68-win
 

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