Game 13: Presbyterian
Dec. 27, 2008
MU got back to work on Friday after getting just under three days off for Christmas, and coach Buzz Williams couldn't have been happier with how things went.
"Unbelievable," said Williams. "Everybody was on time. We met at 11 o'clock (on Thursday night) and had the best first practice following Christmas in my 15 years of Division I (Friday) afternoon. Guys were locked in. Obviously they're a little rusty and they need to burn themselves out cardiovascular-wise, but we accomplished that.
"They were really sharp, and I anticipate we'll have another really good day (Saturday). And I told them such. It was the best I've ever seen."
MU on Sunday hosts the Presbyterian Blue Hose in its final non-conference tuneup prior to the open of Big East play, which comes on New Year's Day with a 1 p.m. matinee against Villanova at the Bradley Center.
Presbyterian, which is located in Clinton, S.C., ran into a bit of a travel snafu when its flight was cancelled in Detroit on Friday night, presumably due to the dense fog in Milwaukee. The team was expected to bus over to Milwaukee instead.
The Blue Hose enter Sunday with a 5-7 record, having lost to the likes of Duke, Georgia, Clemson and South Carolina.
"I have great respect for their coach (Gregg Nibert), who's won over 300 games," said Williams. "They play the game the right way. Because they're in the transition from Division II to Division I they have to play on the road as much as they have. But they're 3-6 on the road, played half of the SEC and played really well."
The Blue Hose are led by Al'Lonzo Coleman, who's averaging 15.8 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Coleman must have a unique skill set, because he also leads the team in steals at 2.1.
Bryan Bostic chips in with 12.1 points and Josh Johnson 10.8 points per game.
"Their best player is (Coleman)," Williams said. "In a lot of ways our preparation will be the same as it was for North Carolina State. They don't have as many good post players, but they want to touch the post every time. And it's almost like their offense to an extent runs through (Coleman). He's got to get a touch because he's their best player.
"Again, they're similar to North Carolina State in that they're selective in transition; if they can capitalize they'll push," said Williams. "If they can't, they're going to run some sort of entry to get the ball to the post."
-- I bumped into Liam McMorrow, who said he ran on Friday for the first time since undergoing surgery in mid-November for a stress fracture in his right foot.
McMorrow reported no pain and no issues other than being out of shape, which is of course to be expected. Williams, meanwhile, said he's hopeful the 7-foot Canadian will be able to return at some point this season to at least get a few practices under his belt during his redshirt year.
"His run and yours and my run are completely different," joked Williams. "He ran maybe two times up and down the court with his dad, Ernest (Eugene, who's actually the team's trainer).
"I would say that he may be able to potentially be a part of practice in some sort of way in February, would be my guess. I hope that he can. Not so much for our team, because our team's learned to function without him.
"But I think it'd be really healthy for him if he could participate in the last 50 days of practice, just so he can be a part of it, so he can feel it, so he knows how far he's got to go, because he hasn't practiced. I think his body's gotten a lot better. Todd Smith has done an incredible job with those three guys that have been hurt, in regards to changing their bodies. But when you only have one foot to work with, there's a limit to what you can change."
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http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/36774149.html
Did we know that McMorrow's father was our trainer? Am I reading that correctly?
Quote from: RedWebster on December 27, 2008, 03:50:09 PM
Did we know that McMorrow's father was our trainer? Am I reading that correctly?
SCANDAL!!
Quote from: RedWebster on December 27, 2008, 03:50:09 PM
Did we know that McMorrow's father was our trainer? Am I reading that correctly?
This is correct. Ernest Eugene is the only eight year old in human history to have conceived a child.
LOL Red, not everything is a scandal.
http://www.muscoop.com/wiki/doku.php/men_s_basketball/ernest_eugene
Abe, in your desperation to look for everything negative about MU, you missed that fact that Buzz was making a joke. Sad, really.