Howard

[Big Papi]

I am so impressed by Howard.  He has all the tools, determination and leadership to be an elite college player.  When I think of great freshmen players over the recent history, I think of Hutch, Diener, Novak, Matthews, Dom and McNeal.  Where Hutch and Novak came on late their freshman year, the big 3 were impact starters from the get go.  I think Howard is right there with Dom.  Where Dom was a much better defensive player, Dom was no where near Howard is right now with his offensive shooting ability. 

Howard had the flu this past week and Wojo said he had about 5 or 6 bags of IV this past week and didn't really do anything between the Fresno game and Wisconsin.  Yet I thought from beginning to end, he was our best player.

[4everwarriors]

Dis team would suck major ass without him, hey?

[bilsu]

I have no doubt that he would of been a McDonald's all-american, if he would not of skipped his senior year.

[Jay Bee]

They are starting to understand!

[WarriorFan]

This is a nice bandwagon to be on... and his scoring offensive is very impressive... but his assist totals and the team assist totals do not fully support legend status just yet.  Like many of you, I've yearned for a scoring PG for many years... but the best scoring PG's also get others open and dish. 

[JWags85]

This is a nice bandwagon to be on... and his scoring offensive is very impressive... but his assist totals and the team assist totals do not fully support legend status just yet.  Like many of you, I've yearned for a scoring PG for many years... but the best scoring PG's also get others open and dish.

He's 17...how dare he not be a complete and finished scoring PG star yet

[Jay Bee]

This is a nice bandwagon to be on... and his scoring offensive is very impressive... but his assist totals and the team assist totals do not fully support legend status just yet.  Like many of you, I've yearned for a scoring PG for many years... but the best scoring PG's also get others open and dish.

What do heavy assists from the PG position? Answer: A style of play.

I'm concerned with excellence in efficiency; you're concerned with style of play.

Look at a Nova... low assists, great offense. Look at MU... medium assists, but from various players, great offense.

[Goose]

He is D1 PG and that is encouraging moving forward. He is a big improvement over last couple of years.

[tower912]

I have been pleasantly surprised by Markus.   Ultimately, his lack of size will keep him at MU for 4 years.   Hopefully, in that time, he can DJames-like on-ball defense to his many talents.   Right now, he is doing OK and getting rebounds, but he isn't really a shut down defender yet.    Of course, nobody else on the team is either.  One can hope. 

[ecompt]

The key for Markus is to keep improving. D-James was all-world as a freshman and regressed  to the point where he was a liability at both ends as a senior.

[GGGG]

The key for Markus is to keep improving. D-James was all-world as a freshman and regressed  to the point where he was a liability at both ends as a senior.

That is absolutely not true.  Not in the least.  He had the highest eFG% of his career, a nearly 3:1 A/T ratio and was MU's best on ball defender before he got injured.

[Jay Bee]

Little secret.... dom couldn't dream of shooting the ball like Markus

[GGGG]

Well I agree with that.  But Dom wasn't a liability either.

[MUfan12]

D-James was all-world as a freshman and regressed  to the point where he was a liability at both ends as a senior.

So much so that a top 10 team folded down the stretch after he broke his foot.

Good Lord.

[Lennys Tap]

That is absolutely not true.  Not in the least.  He had the highest eFG% of his career, a nearly 3:1 A/T ratio and was MU's best on ball defender before he got injured.

2.67/1 A:T, yes. Great on ball D, agree. But his senior year he shot it real bad - from 2, 3 and from the line.

[MU82]

Dom was a very good college player, but comparing him to Markus ... irrelevant.

We heard how good a shooter Markus was but I, for one, was a little skeptical because I had heard that Duane was an incredible shooter in HS. I actually like Duane as a player but he certainly hasn't shot as well as his HS numbers suggested he would. It's a difficult transition.

So Markus has exceeded my expectations in that regard, and then some. Plus, it is so comforting to have a ballhandler in at the end of a close game that you know is going to make his FTs.

I am confident that the set-up-others part of his game will develop. His defense, too. He has shown a willingness to draw charges and he certainly has the quickness and intelligence. All of that is a matter of gaining experience at the high D-1 level.

I agree with others that he would have been a high 4-star or even 5-star recruit had he stayed in HS another year. My gawd ... hard to believe he's only 17!

[Jay Bee]

Dom was a very good college player, but comparing him to Markus ... irrelevant.

We heard how good a shooter Markus was but I, for one, was a little skeptical because I had heard that Duane was an incredible shooter in HS. I actually like Duane as a player but he certainly hasn't shot as well as his HS numbers suggested he would. It's a difficult transition.

That's an issue of your sources.

[#UnleashSean]

was a little skeptical because I had heard that Duane was an incredible shooter in HS. I actually like Duane as a player but he certainly hasn't shot as well as his HS numbers suggested he would. It's a difficult transition.

It's almost like going from a Wisconsin catholic league with D7 schools filled with 6'2 white centers to the Big East is a step up. (Insane high school stats are usually irrelevant unless your at a top prep school)

[Lennys Tap]

Dom was a very good college player, but comparing him to Markus ... irrelevant.

We heard how good a shooter Markus was but I, for one, was a little skeptical because I had heard that Duane was an incredible shooter in HS. I actually like Duane as a player but he certainly hasn't shot as well as his HS numbers suggested he would. It's a difficult transition.

So Markus has exceeded my expectations in that regard, and then some. Plus, it is so comforting to have a ballhandler in at the end of a close game that you know is going to make his FTs.

I am confident that the set-up-others part of his game will develop. His defense, too. He has shown a willingness to draw charges and he certainly has the quickness and intelligence. All of that is a matter of gaining experience at the high D-1 level.

I agree with others that he would have been a high 4-star or even 5-star recruit had he stayed in HS another year. My gawd ... hard to believe he's only 17!

He's come a long way since last week when he was our 3rd best (read worst) offensive point guard! LOL

[wadesworld]

He's come a long way since last week when he was our 3rd best (read worst) offensive point guard! LOL

How long ago did you say you were going to give this up and let me fight someone else? You bring it up every thread.

And you continue to not know how to read. Oh well. *yawn*

[Stronghold]

I have no doubt that he would of been a McDonald's all-american, if he would not of skipped his senior year.

So did he graduate high school in 3 years or what? I know he's young but not the reason why.

[WarriorFan]

What do heavy assists from the PG position? Answer: A style of play.

I'm concerned with excellence in efficiency; you're concerned with style of play.

Look at a Nova... low assists, great offense. Look at MU... medium assists, but from various players, great offense.

JB  - I totally agree with your point of view and I'm not slagging the kid at all.  To further enhance my point:  Most BEAST teams will be able to key on 2 or 3 of our scoring threats.  Wisconsin keyed on JJJ and Hauser (hardly had to with Hauser) and Fish until Dickhead got 2 fouls and again when they needed to in the 2nd half.  They didn't have an answer for Howard and obviously hadn't game planned for his emergence.

Any good team can just as easily decide to game plan for Howard/Fish or Howard/JJJ and then Howard needs to dish better.  It will be easy to take Hauser out of games for the rest of the year.  He needs space to shoot, and is pretty much still only a catch and shoot threat.  A half decent well coached 3rd or 4th best defender on a BEAST team can shut down Hauser. 

[warriorchick]

So did he graduate high school in 3 years or what? I know he's young but not the reason why.

Yes, he graduated a year early.  And if I heard right,  he was also valedictorian of his class.

[jesmu84]

JB  - I totally agree with your point of view and I'm not slagging the kid at all.  To further enhance my point:  Most BEAST teams will be able to key on 2 or 3 of our scoring threats.  Wisconsin keyed on JJJ and Hauser (hardly had to with Hauser) and Fish until Dickhead got 2 fouls and again when they needed to in the 2nd half.  They didn't have an answer for Howard and obviously hadn't game planned for his emergence.

Any good team can just as easily decide to game plan for Howard/Fish or Howard/JJJ and then Howard needs to dish better.  It will be easy to take Hauser out of games for the rest of the year.  He needs space to shoot, and is pretty much still only a catch and shoot threat.  A half decent well coached 3rd or 4th best defender on a BEAST team can shut down Hauser.

I disagree with some of this. I don't believe WI took Hauser or JJJ out of the game. JJJ took himself out with poor decisions on drives, turnovers and horrible defense. I guess, technically, Wojo took JJJ out. Hauser took himself out with fouls.

[GGGG]

2.67/1 A:T, yes. Great on ball D, agree. But his senior year he shot it real bad - from 2, 3 and from the line.

Made up for stellar 2pt. FG%.  As I said, his eFG% was the best of his career.  As good as his freshman year.