{Game Thread} Bears at Redbirds 1-25-12 6:05 Start

Last game loss at Evansville:

http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools...o_pdf/2011-12/box_score/stats_20120121aaa.pdf

Maroon Bears comparison:

http://maroonbears.com/missouri-state-basketball/compare_stats/illinois-state

Much bigger test than the Bradley game.

Payback...

Why the heck the 6:05 start time. ILST isn't in the Eastern time zone. Hope all their fans can't make it to the game from work on time.

can anyone tell me why Patterson isn't starting

maybe he requested it?

I think it is for the best, spreads out the minutes on our offensive threats and he is still playing good minutes.

spreads out our offensive threats, but may have helped prevent us from not scoring for the first 5 minutes of a game

Great game plan!

Patty's been more effective lately off the bench so leave it as is. He seem;s to be enjoying the game more.

I thought that I saw him with a little swagger after he score the put back late in the game. So see what he would like playing a little pi--ed off?

Playing our best players fewers minutes is for the best?

In this case I think it is, just like with Weems in games he plays less minutes he seems to play better. Could be a stamina thing I don't know, I really like the starting lineup of MB, KP, JG, KW and CK with AD and CP as first replacements. I think it evens our the offense and strengthens our D at the start of games. I do see the issues on offense but I really hate coming out flat in games defensively.

We did not have to bad a record last year and the best players nearly played all the minutes. The cats from up state only plays 7 and they not doing to bad this year, like may be ranked third in the polls.

I agree with you for the most part but players are different and have different individual levels of stamina. For instance I just don't see Caleb having the same ability in that regard as Creek. And in the end last year I think our lack of depth worked against us. I think several of our players were exhausted in the conference tourney most notably Creek.

I don't think it's a bad strategy to start Kirk at this point.

On Ozarks CW, right?

I love Kirks play he will be a star for the future.

Yes I think Kirk has a great upside. He's already a pretty good defender and rebounder. Hopefully he'll expand his offensive game over the next 3 years. He's got a nice midrange jumper. I'd like to see him develop a post game. And extend the range on his shot.

Always a place for the 15 ft jump shooter and is nearly forgotten. I see him hitting the three by a junior. I see him as a 12-14 ppg then.

We have no idea what type of post game Kirk has because we've seen very little of it at this point in the season. He rarely catches the ball in a position to score down low, and as has previously been stated most of his points come from the 15ft jumper. I would like to see us start feeding him in the post like we do with Caleb.

We haven't seen Kirk with the ball in the post that often. But I do remember a few occasions where he got the ball down there in pretty good position and he passed it right back out. So I was just assuming that part of his game wasn't developed. Possibly a wrong assumption.

I do think a nice little jump hook (if he doesn't already have that) would be a nice addition to his game.