Thoughts from the game

[NotAnAlum]

Good to see that defensive intensity.  I think they took Houston Baptist seriously and it’s a good thing.  Otherwise this could easily have been a single digit win.

Wes set the tone from the 1st minute.  Seemed like he was everywhere.

For those of you who thought we could rely on Jerel as our new 3 point threat you better come up with plan B.  The 3s he missed (and he missed a number) were WIDE OPEN set up perfectly by draw and kick plays. 

On the plus side for Jerel he does very well driving the baseline.  They had a lot more success driving in from there than they have had higher up on the 3 point line.

Our depth a center is going to be a REAL PROBLEM.  Burke fouled out and Hazel ended with 4.  This is against a team that had no inside game at all and didn’t crash the boards well.  We played at one point with 5 guards (Lazar playing the 5).  It didn’t work very well and Buzz sub-ed out of it after a couple possessions.

Adding to that what was Buzz trying to prove by leaving Burke in after his 3rd foul early in the 2nd half?  Hazel jumped up to go in when the 3rd foul was called and was told to sit back down.  Houston promptly went right at Burke the next time down and got the 4th foul called.  Buzz still left Burke in for 2 more possessions.  He could easily have fouled out with more than 15 minutes left in the game.  It is sad that this team with what could be the most talented top 4 of any MU team in recent memory may fall short for want of one more 6’9”+ kid we can stick in the middle.  Chris Grimm were are you.   

[Daniel]

I was shocked too when Burke was left in with 4 fouls - never really recall that happening before with anyone.  But the guy next to me said he thought Buzz was just leaving him in for two reasons:
1) no geat loss if he fouls out (2 rebounds, no points)
2) let's see how he can play with 4 fouls because he will probably have to later in the season

Who knows.  But our inside game is weak - Hazel stepped it up and did well.  We need more from Burke on a regular basis - we need him tough inside.

And our outside shooting was scary cold.  That I think will fix itself.

[Murffieus]

I think one of our problems with trey shooting is there is too much emphasis on attacking the hoop.
We don't have one guy who as a role player is simply a catch and shoot specialist. We don't need 3 guards who's main strength and encouragement is penetration-----we need at least one of them to be a "catch & shoot" specialist ala Novak.

When you get the kick out from inside to the "catch & shoot" guy stepping in on the on the perimeter, there is a rythem that has to be developed----we don't have that----although Mathews had it against HB.

[ecompt]

Murff, wouldn't you consider Cubillan a catch-and-shoot guy?

[avid1010]

I'm feeling better about the outside shooting this year rather than last year for two reasons.

1.  Buzz obviously put a major emphasis on getting the ball in the paint (through a post up) and mentioned not how many points they scored in the paint, but how many points they scored once the ball got into the paint.  If we have to post a guard up to get our "shooters" good looks I'm happy with that.  If we can continue to score this year by posting up our guards, our overall shooting percentage will go up and guys like Lazar should find themselves open more often from the outside as their defenders are forced to help out on the post. 

2.  Houston Baptist tried to zone MU for a bit.  While it was a short lived and poor zone, MU attacked it very differently than they did under TC, and while I don't get kicks out of bashing TC anything has to be better against the zone than what he ran.  There were much fewer lateral passes.

That being said, we don't have a knock down shooter and I'm not sure we're going to see one for a while.  I believe Buzz talked about it in his post-game interview and basically said he wants scorers over shooters, and that they just need to be able to hit an open shot.

[Daniel]

Wouild be nice if Cubie can return to form - was great to see him hit that one three the other night (1 for 3) - and hoe that he continues to get his groove back!  He can help us a lot, given the guard post ups and all.  Come on Cubie!  We need ya man!

[ErickJD08]

We have been missing a three point shooter for a while.  I thought cubillian was going to be that guy but he isn't really.  I also wish a coach committed one of our guards to just shooting and from the little I see, I think Buzz creates more open jumpers but we shall see.

[Murffieus]

Murff, wouldn't you consider Cubillan a catch-and-shoot guy?

Potentially yes-----but he's in such a hurry to get it off----also he jumps sideways now on his release (balance a problem)----plus even if he would connect-----doesn't get enough minutes.

[DoubleMU0609]

So basically what everyone is saying is that we'd be a better team if Novak were still here. 

[Murffieus]

or even a Fitz!