Matching up with Thabeet

[Skatastrophy]

Thabeet isn't very good at basketball, he's just unbelievably tall.  He's gotten better at moving his feet, but his main benefit is that he doesn't ever leave his feet.  Staying on the ground allows him to stay in position and get his hands up.  If he plays like he did last night it will be difficult to get him into foul trouble... of course L'ville was trying to post him up, which isn't something we'll bother with :p

He got called a number of times last night for goal tending and basket interference.  He also can't pass the ball to save his life, which led to at least one turnover last night.

Getting him away from the basket would be amazing, but getting him out of position with our great ball movement could be nearly as effective.  He's only been playing ball for 4 years and his height is a crutch (albeit a very effective crutch).  That crutch allows him to not have to be quick or terribly dexterous.

Hopefully we learned from last night that Thabeet loves to gobble up floaters that are tossed over him, so those mid-lane pull-up jumpers/floaters can't be part of our game if Thabeet is in 3-second land.

[IMind]

Key is to run Thabeet and tire him out.  Back up is out now for academic reasons.  UConn's guards are quick but are prone to get in a track meet.  We will need Fulce and Otule to mix it up and give us fouls as Adrien is key.  If anything, Buzz brought these two guys back just for this game.  If they can beat us at home, they deserve the crown....but they have to beat us at home.  If so, so be it!

Just a UConn fan adding in his two cents... you probably can tire Thabeet out by running him... but the guy who is out for academic reasons is not the primary backup. He was our third or forth big and would probably only have played if we had two or three F/C in foul trouble. Gavin Edwards is our primary backup at the 4/5. His game is actually more suited towards running though... he's good in transition... high energy backup. Can rebound, block shots, and has a good touch around the basket... but is the definition of inconsistent. He's had a couple of solid games for us. In Seattle he was a huge part of our win against Gonzaga for example.

[downtown85]

Not to change the thread topic, but I hope other boards are having the same debate in a couple of years regarding matching up with McMorrow.  I may be dreaming but a guy can dream right?  I would say McMorrow today = Thabeet a couple of years ago.   
both are:
7 footers
Foreigners who never really played basketball before
played other sports (soccer in Thabeets case, Hockey and lacrosse in McMorrow's case)
agile and coordinated

I hope Buzz and his staff can develop Liam into a monster. 

[Big Papi]

I think there are only two teams in the country this year that MU just matches up badly with and will struggle mightily.  One is NC and the other is UConn.  Just a bad, bad matchup for us.  Powerful frontline and quick guards that eliminates our pentration and ability to get teams in foul trouble and us to the line. 

Going small might be our best option but we will get killed off the boards.  Thabeet 7'3" and 263lbs going against Hayward at 6'6" and 225.  Than you have Adrien who is just as big or a tad bigger than Hayward with great ability around the hoop.  To go small, we need two things to happen, one is that we need to be nailing our 3 point shots and the other is that either Thabeet or Adrien need to somehow get into foul trouble.  Problem with that is we won't be able to get within 12 feet of the hoop to create foul opportunities. 

If we do go small, all UConn has to do is fall into a zone where they just jump on McNeal and Hayward on any potential 3 point threat.  Let DJ take all the open 3s he wants to take and to a lesser extent I would let Matthews bomb away too.  Leave Thabeet in the lane to cut off any drives off the overplays on McNeal and Hayward and allow him to clean up the boards.

I would go big with Otule where he can put a body on Thabeet with the idea of getting Thabeet in foul trouble.  On the defensive end, Otule can try to put a body on him and maybe get an over the back call on him.  On the offensive end, just try to get in the way of Thabeet so we drive to the paint.  Our other option would be to try to turn it into a track meet and pickup full court but Louisville couldn't do that to UConn and that is Louisville's bread and butter.

Very daunting task.  So how did UConn lose a game?   GT jumped UConn with an 18-3 start where they hit 4-5 3 point shots.  Monroe was effective against Thabeet.  And GT finished the game hitting 18 straight free throws.   

[GGGG]

Not to change the thread topic, but I hope other boards are having the same debate in a couple of years regarding matching up with McMorrow.  I may be dreaming but a guy can dream right?  I would say McMorrow today = Thabeet a couple of years ago.   
both are:
7 footers
Foreigners who never really played basketball before
played other sports (soccer in Thabeets case, Hockey and lacrosse in McMorrow's case)
agile and coordinated

I hope Buzz and his staff can develop Liam into a monster. 

I hope either Otule or McMorrow become at least a third option on offense....get a few rebounds...play some defense.  I've pretty much given up on any MU center being more than that.

[lab_warrior]

+1 to alot of these strategies.  We don't match up well AT ALL, in fact there isn't any team that can really match up with his size.  I think 2 approaches are best:

(1) use the mini-me lineup alot, with Acker and Butler, and/or Fulce

(2) run, run, run, and drive and kick for shots.  Thabeet has gotten alot better at blocking shots without fouling. 

UConn can be beaten...they're stacked, but they can be beaten.

[bilsu]

I think there are only two teams in the country this year that MU just matches up badly with and will struggle mightily.  One is NC and the other is UConn.  Just a bad, bad matchup for us. 

You should add wake forest to your list. I rather play North Carolina than Wake.

[thanooj]

From the little bit I watched UCONN did not respond well to Louisville's press.  It gave me hope that our guards with there quickness and length could really cause some problems.  Thabeet had trouble catching the ball in transition and when the ball was pressured.  He is a beast, no doubt, but we can win that game. 

Burke played respectably against monroe.  He looks so much bigger than the rest of the starting five.  IMO he should go and bang with thabeet allowing Lazar to remain an offensive threat.  If Lazar is matched up wth Thabeet he becomes a nonfactor.

[IAmMarquette]

For what it's worth, Bilas was on Mike & Mike this morning. Says that UCONN is "the real thing," but...

"Marquette, in my judgment, is the only team that can say 'we've got better guards than Connecticut' and say it with a straight face."

The question, once again, is: are our guards good enough to offset the disparity between our 4/5s and Adrian/Thabeet? Oughtta be fun to find out.

[Badgerhater]

James will have to deliver a similar performance he put up against Deonte Vaughn.  McNeal will have to hit at least 75 percent from 3.  Lazar will have to rebound like game one vs. Depaul.  Mathews will have to play the monster interior defense.  Burke can't have 3 fouls until 10 minutes left in the game.  And Butler will have to score at least 10.

Everyone is capable of doing those things because it has happened before.  The key is to have all of them happen in one game.