Word out of the Dieng/Noreen Scrimmage

[MarkCharles]

I have it from a pretty reliable source who was at the scrimmage when Dieng and Noreen were visiting this weekend that Otule has made major improvements.  He also says that both Noreen and Otule outplayed Dieng. I must say though, this was in the wake of Dieng signing for UL and he loves to put a positive spin on things, so take it with a grain of salt.  Still, he said Otule has been playing like a "beast" at spring workouts and should be able to contribute more than we expect this year. DJO also recently made similar comments about Otule.
Otule certainly has the body the be a force. Maybe we don't need a new recruit as bad as we think...

[Hards Alumni]

This just reinforces my opinion that Otule will be our starting 5, will be very good, and people gave up on him way too early.

[M@RQUETTEW@RRIORS]

Early on last year Chris looked to be making progress.  So hearing he is continuing to improve is not that big of a shock.  The first step for him however, will be playing an entire season...

[GGGG]

Yes, and the fact that he will very likely have three more years makes it very exciting for us.  That is why I really like the idea of Noreen.  Size and length that can put the ball in the basket can be hard to match up against.  Otule's primary role will be defense and rebounds.

[ErickJD08]

I have it from a pretty reliable source who was at the scrimmage when Dieng and Noreen were visiting this weekend that Otule has made major improvements.  He also says that both Noreen and Otule outplayed Dieng. I must say though, this was in the wake of Dieng signing for UL and he loves to put a positive spin on things, so take it with a grain of salt.  Still, he said Otule has been playing like a "beast" at spring workouts and should be able to contribute more than we expect this year. DJO also recently made similar comments about Otule.
Otule certainly has the body the be a force. Maybe we don't need a new recruit as bad as we think...

I don't want to pee on the parade because I want to believe Otule is our starting center.  Who is he playing against?  

I am a Notre Dame football fan and last weekend was the Blue and Gold game.  There were highlights of 44 yard TD runs.  So is the running game that good or the defense that bad?

So Otule is playing to a equal level of some HS seniors?  In Spring, who is guarding him?  Butler?

[wyoMUfan]

i dont think i ever posted it on this board
but I've been tellin people for weeks that OTULE is a beast in a cage.
I can't wait to let him loose

[HoopsMalone]

Great to hear.  Otule is in a great spot.  There is literally no pressure on him to create his own shot.  All he has to do it catch passes when he is open under the hoop and dunk the ball.  He needs to be a presence in the paint enough that other teams have to focus on blocking him out.  Once other teams have to worry about him on the boards, our athletic swingmen can pick up the rebounds.  If he can do these simple things for 20 mins/game, it changes our team.

[MerrittsMustache]

Great to hear.  Otule is in a great spot.  There is literally no pressure on him to create his own shot.  All he has to do it catch passes when he is open under the hoop and dunk the ball.   He needs to be a presence in the paint enough that other teams have to focus on blocking him out.  Once other teams have to worry about him on the boards, our athletic swingmen can pick up the rebounds.  If he can do these simple things for 20 mins/game, it changes our team.

Personally, I'd like to see him do those things AND have a post move or two. I'd love to see MU have a post player who can occasionally draw a double-team and kick it out. I'm tired of seeing the ball go into the post and the big man holding it and waiting for someone else to get open. A decent baby hook or even a simple drop-stop would be enough to keep defenses more off balance.

In other words, I'd like to see Otule be more than just the next Ousmane Barro. Don't get me wrong, I liked Ouse as a player at MU, but I would have liked him even more if he had some semblance of a post game.

[NotAnAlum]

This really wouldn't surprise me much.  I've never been concerned that Chris wouldn't develop.  My concern was that he can't stay healthy.  When a guy has had the same injury end his season 2 years in a row that is a concern.
It also points out how important it is for a team at our level to DEVELOP big men.  We need to be developing guys behind other guys not asking a freshman to start day 1 at the 5.

[Big Papi]

Buzz has also mentioned that Otule is a lot stronger and a lot more mobile which is great to hear consider all of the injuries and missed time. 

Regardless of who he has played against on the courts over the last month or so, by all accounts he is our best option down low.  So if anyone is excited at the possibility of adding Noreen, Dieng, Gardner, etc., they should be really excited that Otule at this point in time is better than any potential new incoming 2010 recruit.   

[mr.MUskie]

But lets get back on topic.  I am happy that Otule is better than a highly rated HS big.  That is why I don't care if Buzz signs another recruit or not.

We need to sign a big recruit for the future, so we don't end up having to depend on a freshman.

[ErickJD08]

We need to sign a big recruit for the future, so we don't end up having to depend on a freshman.

True, but if Otule is solid, this year isn't "critical".  Next year on the other hand....

[pillardean]

In Spring, who is guarding him?  Butler?

The same Butler who is used to guarding the likes of Greg Monroe, Hasheem Thabeet, etc. with some success (when not afraid and in foul trouble).  Don't completely discount Otule and what he is doing during the spring.  I'm sure he's gotten stronger, quicker and faster and that has to mean something-added skills or not.

[NersEllenson]

Why don't we talk about Otule and basketball instead of ND football 

Thank you.  I've heard from a number of reputable sources that Otule has made a lot of progress since we've last seen him play.  Keep in mind the feedback last fall on his performance was that he improved significantly and held his own in some scrimmages with Bucks players..then he led his team in scoring at the Midnight Madness scrimmage.  I don't think he's going to be a stiff next year - could see him giving us an Ousmane/Scott Merrit type of performance.

[rocky_warrior]

i dont think i ever posted it on this board
but I've been tellin people for weeks that OTULE is a beast in a cage.
I can't wait to let him loose

So you're the one responsible for keeping him in the cage!?  You're fired!

[nyg]

Otule will trip getting out of the cage and break his foot.

[NCMUFan]

Otule seems to be a smart player.  With a high level of confidence Otule can be a solid contributor.  Would be exciting to actually have a true center.  Seems like years, oh yea it has been years. 

[Golden Avalanche]

ND football sucks. That said, can we move on........

Dieng was never ours. And I don't see Noreen fitting in at MU.

My guess is Gardner is the call if Buzz really wants to add a player.

[Tugg Speedman]

Otule seems to be a smart player.  With a high level of confidence Otule can be a solid contributor.  Would be exciting to actually have a true center.  Seems like years, oh yea it has been years. 

The last true center was Dwight Burke the year before last.  Last year was the first in many years we did not have a true center.  Last year was the exception, not having a true center being the exception.

Was does everyone think we have had no players over 6 feet since the Clinton administration?

[brewcity77]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned any comparisons of Noreen and Steve Novak. Both 6'10", both can fill up the scoreboard, both sound like they are a bit underaccomplished in the post. But in his 4 years here, Novak improved immensely as a post player.

As a freshman on the Final Four team, he was pretty much just a big mismatch on the perimeter, but from the monster game he had in our first ever Big East game against UConn to carrying us back to the NCAA tournament after a 2 year absence (with the help of the Big 3) he constantly improved and became a legitimate inside/outside threat.

Considering we already have Otule and Mbao, who both would be expected to improve, and I'd imagine have better fortune with health (didn't they only play in 14 games combined?) I would rather see a big man prospect who can absolutely fill it up. Losing Cubillan, Acker, and Hayward will sap a lot of our outside scoring, leaving DJO a lot of slack to pick up. If he can come in, give us some minutes, and be that big mismatch on the perimeter, I'll happily take that. The post game can develop with time, we saw last year that Buzz's offense doesn't need the big banger as much as it does the combo player that can drift inside to out.

[MU B2002]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned any comparisons of Noreen and Steve Novak. Both 6'10", both can fill up the scoreboard, both sound like they are a bit underaccomplished in the post. But in his 4 years here, Novak improved immensely as a post player.

Why would anyone mention Novak or Noreen in a debate about ND football?

[GOO]

If Noreen can or is projected to shoot at 40% plus from 3 point range in the BE, let's get him.

[Lighthouse 84]

So, who impressed more at the scrimmage?  Dieng or Noreen?  I know it wasn't ND's crap football program so quit yappoing about it

[rocky_warrior]

The ND football talk was moved (to the best of my ability) here:

http://www.muscoop.com/index.php?topic=20352.msg209743;topicseen#new

Please keep this at least on the MU Hoops topic

[LastWarrior]

The ND football talk was moved (to the best of my ability) here:

http://www.muscoop.com/index.php?topic=20352.msg209743;topicseen#new

Please keep this at least on the MU Hoops topic

Nice work Rocky!