I'm looking at my Rochester team prior to recruiting and I'm not quite sure how I want to structure the lineup.  I have no issues with the depth chart behind the starting lineup, but the starters I'm not quite sure on.  My first thought was:

PG - Benson
SG - Montgomery
SF - Rast
PF - Pederson
C - Brooks

But now looking at the team I'm considering:

PG - Benson
SG - Montgomery
SF - Knepper
PF - Rast
C - Pederson

I think lineup #2 clearly improves my team's overall offense, is at least a wash in defense (Knepper is a STUD defender, but I do like to have at least 2 shot blockers in the middle of a zone, and have had the most defensive success with 2 elite shotblockers in the post positions).  On the other hand, I give up a lot of rebounding in a defense that could use the rebounding help.  I also might give up a little personal scoring ability dropping from Brooks to Knepper, and given that I only have Rast and Pederson as top-tier D3 scorers supportive scoring might be important even though Knepper clearly contributes more to the team offensive scheme.  As I mentioned above, I tend to think the overall BH/P ability of lineup #2 would easily overcome the slight dropoff.  I think Knepper, Benson, and Montgomery can all put up 8-10 PPG, Pederson 12-14, and Rast got 14.7 last year and should be able to increase that by at least 2 or 3 PPG this season.  That should be more than enough scoring, and I could have Brooks carry most of the scoring load for the 2nd team.  So the real question is, what's more valuable - the offense and speed from lineup #2, or the rebounding from #1?

you could just run a base 3-2 this upcoming season with lineup 2...and lineup 1 on 2-3 zone nights

Except against NC Wesleyan when I should probably start some totally different guys, right?

Anyone else have a thought on this?

I want to bring this back up and see if anyone has thoughts.  I find it to be an interesting question because the basic question of Knepper vs. Brooks is going to have some people picking one for defense and the other for offense and others reversing them.  For me Brooks is the defensive pick.  His rebounding helps a lot, and I'll take the guy with some shot blocking ability in the middle of the zone over the 85 defense with no blocking talent.  I also think that in spite of the fact that Brooks is a better scorer Knepper adds more to the team offense as a whole by pushing Rast to PF and significantly improving the team BH and Pass.  I've used both lineups a few times and the closest I've come to beating an elite team (I have 4 losses, all to the current RPI top 6) was with Brooks starting.  So what do people think of this?

As an aside, if starting Brooks would you put him at PF or C?  Pederson is faster, but neither is fast, and Brooks is a much better passer and slightly better ball handler.  Pederson is also the better shot blocker, and I tend to put the best shot blocker at C when possible.

For easy reference, here is the team:

Name	Yr.	Pos.	A	SPD	REB	DE	BLK	LP	PE	BH	P	WE	ST	DU	FT	TOT
Anthony Taylor	Sr.	PG	46	60	5	48	9	8	30	48	69	2	65	40	C+	430
Kenneth Benson	Jr.	PG	47	87	11	62	16	3	71	64	70	70	89	46	C-	636
Oscar Montgomery	Jr.	PG	81	78	1	78	3	24	33	79	50	59	77	58	B+	621
Luis Hahn	So.	PG	46	71	1	39	1	1	55	61	47	38	81	83	B	524
Douglas Knepper	Jr.	SG	62	46	30	85	2	57	53	60	41	67	88	56	B-	647
Joseph Jackson	Fr.	SG	44	60	14	33	8	15	42	63	44	41	68	45	B	477
Willie Rast	Sr.	SF	67	49	58	62	40	65	77	56	44	70	77	94	B-	759
Korey Hopkins	So.	PF	38	28	61	45	46	55	49	28	18	34	61	52	C-	515
Howard Brooks	Sr.	C	53	15	88	63	60	75	1	20	34	48	63	57	C+	577
Bryon Maine	Jr.	C	40	29	94	36	90	54	10	15	22	25	68	52	C	535
James Pederson	So.	C	61	26	93	57	90	75	1	22	9	49	64	64	C-	611

I will say that I've been disappointed so far with my team's performance.  I would have hoped I'd be able to win at least one of the elite team matchups.  Unless I'm missing something this team should be very competitive with top teams.  Benson's not an elite PG, but he's good.  I've looked at the top 50 or so teams and Montgomery is the 2nd-best defensive guard I've found and can score some too.  Rast, wherever I play him, is the highest overall rated player in Knight D3 (he would be 10th in Knight D2) (this does NOT mean I think he's the best player in Knight D3, but he's up there).  Pederson is one of the studliest sophomores I've ever had, an elite rebounder and interior defender with enough LP skills to consistently give me 8-10 points per game.  I really felt coming into the season that this was the best team I've ever put on the floor, with the very good across-the-board defense giving it an edge over the Final Four team from 4 seasons ago which was undeniably more offensively gifted (that team had the top 2 scorers in school history and the top assists guy as well starting).

As a default, I would probably go:

PG Benson
SG Montgomery
SF Rast
PF Pederson
C Maine

But I also tend to mix lineups, so I'd be open to change based on matchups.

I hadn't given any serious consideration to starting Maine.  Why him over Brooks?  For the shot blocking?

I'd go Maine over Brooks for a few reasons/justifications.

1) He's at least equal in rebounding and I'd expect significant'y better at blocking shots. Paired with Pederson, the interior zone D would be very effective and pick up a lot of blocks, even against other people's starting lineups.

2) You don't need any additional offense with the lineup I suggested. Rast, Pederson, and Benson can carry the load there. As a starter, Brooks wouldn't see a ton of shots (for me). As a reserve, however, he could be a legit scoring option off the bench, especially when matched up against most backup centers.

3) Defensively, you're also less likely to see anyone running out a "fast" 35+ center as  backup, so Brooks' main defensive hole, as it were, wouldn't be exploited. And yes, I realize it is a zone, but I'm of the belief speed still matters for zone D and foul allocation.

4) Maine could use the Work Ethic boost of starting.