After the defensive catastrophe against Michigan State, everyone knew changes were coming. But when the ball went up against Loyola (MD) on Friday night, the changes were drastic.
With Mo Dioubate sidelined due to injury, Mark Pope didn’t just plug in a replacement; he overhauled the frontcourt. Freshman Malachi Moreno got the nod at center, sending Brandon Garrison, who had started the first five games, to the bench.
In modern college basketball, a demotion like that can sometimes lose a player. We've all seen it: the body language dips, the effort wanes, and the Transfer Portal rumors start swirling.