Haunted Hoops report
Coach Buzz Williams received a treat on Friday night, just prior to the start of the team's open scrimmage, in the form of good news on the Youssoupha Mbao front.
The 7-foot-2 freshman center, who had been undergoing additional NCAA scrutiny for playing on a team overseas prior to arriving at MU that included a professional player, wound up being suspended for the first two games of the season.
The belief was he would be suspended for anywhere from two to eight games, but there was always the possibility it could have been longer based on the NCAA's findings. Now, he'll have to sit out MU's opener Nov. 13 against Centenary, and also Nov. 17 against Maryland-Eastern Shore, and be eligible to return Nov. 21 against Grambling.
http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/67864992.html
Can anyone who was at the scrimmage comment on Erik Williams performance? He is not mentioned by Rosiak and is 0-2 in the box score in 13 minutesand 1 rebound. Did he have the flu?
Notice how he did mention a possible starting lineup:
"While plenty can change between now and MU's exhibition game next Saturday against MSOE, here's a guess as to the possible starting lineup: PG -- Acker; SG -- Buycks; SF -- Maymon; PF -- Butler; C -- Hayward; Fulce first big guy off the bench; Johnson-Odom first perimeter guy off the bench."
Notice no Cubillan...no Otule...no Erik Williams.
we are hurting big time if that is the starting lineup. Hayward is not a center and is least effective at that position. Butler is not a PF. And finally, Acker is definitely not the answer ay PG. Too small, can't shoot or penetrate and will be eaten alive in the BEast.
Quote from: downtown85 on October 31, 2009, 03:06:44 AM
Can anyone who was at the scrimmage comment on Erik Williams performance? He is not mentioned by Rosiak and is 0-2 in the box score in 13 minutesand 1 rebound. Did he have the flu?
Someone said that Erik Williams was coming off the flu-----but having seen him twice now----he plays soft and has a significant flaw in his jump shooting in that he gets side spin on the ball instead of backsipin-----he flips his wrist sideways upon delivery.
Quote from: willie warrior on October 31, 2009, 06:48:18 AM
we are hurting big time if that is the starting lineup. Hayward is not a center and is least effective at that position. Butler is not a PF. And finally, Acker is definitely not the answer ay PG. Too small, can't shoot or penetrate and will be eaten alive in the BEast.
Agreed. This lineup will get be demoralized by the BE teams and the teams in the Spiece Tournament. You have a 6ft 10 and 7ft 2 guy and they can't even start?? Hayward at center, come on please. Put Hayward at PF, play the projects at center and have Butler come off bench like at end of last year where he got his minutes and was effective. I hope this is just an initial, speculative pre-season lineup.
I think Buzz will play the best players regardless of their size. His experience last year shows he isn't afraid of "small ball." It makes the other team adjust to what we are doing as much as the other way around. If you have 5 threats it is better than having a 3 threats and a couple of stiffs who are big.
I am worried that Erik Williams doesn't seemed to be mentioned as one of the threats, at least from off the bench. I have high hopes for Erik.
Erik Williams barely played. He subbed in when the blue team brought Frozena in. Really not sure what's going on with him. Buycks looks good. Although, as Rosiak said, he played no point. I didn't think Mbao looked awful. Just his presence altered shots. The team, as a whole, looked surprisingly solid. The one-on-one matchups were entertaining: DJO-Buycks, Fulce-Maymon, Butler-Hayward. I think if Buzz thought it was an awful scrimmage, he'd say so.
Williams didn't play much because he is sick.
I heard that EW was sick and just getting back from it.
Quote from: willie warrior on October 31, 2009, 06:48:18 AM
we are hurting big time if that is the starting lineup. Hayward is not a center and is least effective at that position. Butler is not a PF. And finally, Acker is definitely not the answer ay PG. Too small, can't shoot or penetrate and will be eaten alive in the BEast.
Yeah just like Acker was eaten alive those 7 games James missed last year. He only averaged 5 assists per game with a 3-1 assist-turnover ratio and something like 7ppg. Whether James or Acker was our PG we still lose all of the games we did down the stretch with the exception of maybe Syracuse. He also really got eaten alive when he was subbed in solely for defensive purposes to guard McLarney at Notre Dame last year and absolutely shut down one of the best shooters in the NCAA. I hate when people say That we're screwed if Acker's oir starting point guard the only time he has been he was very efficient at it. Let's give him a chance and see what he can do.
Quote from: wadesworld on October 31, 2009, 10:51:06 AM
Yeah just like Acker was eaten alive those 7 games James missed last year. He only averaged 5 assists per game with a 3-1 assist-turnover ratio and something like 7ppg. Whether James or Acker was our PG we still lose all of the games we did down the stretch with the exception of maybe Syracuse. He also really got eaten alive when he was subbed in solely for defensive purposes to guard McLarney at Notre Dame last year and absolutely shut down one of the best shooters in the NCAA. I hate when people say That we're screwed if Acker's oir starting point guard the only time he has been he was very efficient at it. Let's give him a chance and see what he can do.
I'm all for giving him a chance, but let's get real...in those games you speak of least year, he was sharing the court with MU's all time leading scorer, and senior Jerel McNeal, current NBA player and Senior Wes Matthews, as well as Junior Lazar Hayward. Gonna be a very different and much less experienced crew this year, and to read too much into those games, and assume that the diminutive Acker is not going to much more exposed is probably wishful thinking.
He may be able to do the job, but it is going to require guys like Buycks and DJO to step up and produce very quickly.
If Junior was healthy, the questions around Acker would be relevant.
With Junior sidelined, Mo taking a lot of minutes at the point is a mandatory so the questions be come moot.
The new juco dynamic duo need to give us options for scoring.
We're lucky he came back. What would the predictions be with no Mo?
Quote from: The Sultan of South Wayne on October 31, 2009, 06:42:58 AM
Notice how he did mention a possible starting lineup:
"While plenty can change between now and MU's exhibition game next Saturday against MSOE, here's a guess as to the possible starting lineup: PG -- Acker; SG -- Buycks; SF -- Maymon; PF -- Butler; C -- Hayward; Fulce first big guy off the bench; Johnson-Odom first perimeter guy off the bench."
Notice no Cubillan...no Otule...no Erik Williams.
Does not bode well for otule if he cannot start by now. That lineup is way to small to compete effectively in BE.
Quote from: NavinRJohnson on October 31, 2009, 11:05:32 AM
I'm all for giving him a chance, but let's get real...in those games you speak of least year, he was sharing the court with MU's all time leading scorer, and senior Jerel McNeal, current NBA player and Senior Wes Matthews, as well as Junior Lazar Hayward. Gonna be a very different and much less experienced crew this year, and to read too much into those games, and assume that the diminutive Acker is not going to much more exposed is probably wishful thinking.
He may be able to do the job, but it is going to require guys like Buycks and DJO to step up and produce very quickly.
I'm with WadesWorld on this...everyone is so quick to label Acker as a horsesh*t PG, but the reality is that he is actually a VERY GOOD, TRUE PG. I know everyone fell in love with a player like Dominic James, but guess what, his athleticism was very rare as PG's go in the NCAA. James was a very atypical PG in that he possessed enough athleticism to get to the rim at will...for that reason, the drive and kick was very effective.
But I'd venture a guess that at least 80% of teams in the NCAA don't have a PG with that kind of skill set and, therefore, have to run an ACTUAL offense...something Acker does very effectively.
Give the kid a break...will he be an all-american, no...but he'll be just fine running this offense efficiently...just like he did when everyone doubted him last season.
Quote from: 79Warrior on October 31, 2009, 12:12:24 PM
Does not bode well for otule if he cannot start by now. That lineup is way to small to compete effectively in BE.
I DEFINITELY SECOND THAT!
Quote from: MU_Iceman on October 31, 2009, 12:15:46 PM
I'm with WadesWorld on this...everyone is so quick to label Acker as a horsesh*t PG, but the reality is that he is actually a VERY GOOD, TRUE PG. I know everyone fell in love with a player like Dominic James, but guess what, his athleticism was very rare as PG's go in the NCAA. James was a very atypical PG in that he possessed enough athleticism to get to the rim at will...for that reason, the drive and kick was very effective.
But I'd venture a guess that at least 80% of teams in the NCAA don't have a PG with that kind of skill set and, therefore, have to run an ACTUAL offense...something Acker does very effectively.
Give the kid a break...will he be an all-american, no...but he'll be just fine running this offense efficiently...just like he did when everyone doubted him last season.
It's not doubting how effective he is at running the offense. The issue is that he's a defensive liability.
Can't these guys stay low with the sickness until the Big East season and cough in the opposing team's star players face?
Quote from: Skatastrophy on October 31, 2009, 12:59:25 PM
It's not doubting how effective he is at running the offense. The issue is that he's a defensive liability.
Yep. Also why there is absolutely no way Hayward can be starting at the 5 or seeing much time there when we play decent teams. If tough defense is what's being preached, you don't throw that kind of lineup out there and expect success. I have a feeling Rosiak's "guess" is off anyway and that we'll see Otula starting with either Butler or Maymon being first off the bench.
By the sounds of it, Buzz is going to start the best 5 players. It's inevitable that we are going to most likely have a "down" year and a "small" team once again. But the consistent bashing of Acker is idiotic. First off, if he hadn't decided to come back to the program, we would really be screwed. Second off, his defense wasn't that terrible last year. Maybe he was a bit of a liability at times but who is to say that Junior would be better off right away with no experience. That leads to my third point, who on this forum has seen JC play against a big east team already? How do you know he is 'so" much better than Acker at this point even if he didn't get hurt. And lastly, I feel that Acker's on court experience will certainly help our team out tremendously throughout the year. Don't get me wrong, I surely hope that Junior is off the charts once he gets on the court but right now its all speculation as to how good or better our team would be anyways. Just deal with what we have in front of us. Thanks for letting me vent. I can't wait for the season. It sure will be interesting with lots of tough times but it will be exciting to see how it all unravels.
Quote from: Skatastrophy on October 31, 2009, 12:59:25 PM
It's not doubting how effective he is at running the offense. The issue is that he's a defensive liability.
Someone referenced it early, but have we forgotten about Acker's shut-down "d" on McAlarney? He only becomes a liability if he's forced to switch off of his man, or if he plays a bigger PG that has the ability to back him down...
But keep in mind, most PG's don't have a great deal of experience playing with their backs to the basket...so even that doesn't scare me all that much. If he can fight his way through or around screens, and limit the number of times he's forced to switch men, he'll be just fine...
I agree that Acker's size isn't much of a concern on defense. His size is a major detriment on offense, though. He can't get an open shot off penetration and somehow never countered his size with a sweet floater. He is also a below average shooter. He is an average passer for a PG, nothing special. While rebounding isn't very important at his position, he is clearly one of the worst rebounders in the Big East. He is a 5th year senior and his experience is often referenced. He had plenty of playing time at Ball State and played at the very end of last season. That's it......his only consistent playing time was 4 YEARS AGO and the MAC is not quite the same level as the BEAST. I don't think his experience should factor much in his minutes.
As a whole, he just doesn't bring much to the party. We need Buycks and DJO to play 30 minutes. These guys are extremely well conditioned athletes and could play 40 if needed (Jonny Flynn played a 67 min. game). The drop-off is enormous after them. Acker and Cubillan are pesky defenders, but that's it. They are below average in every other area. Buycks and DJO can also be pesky. They can also SCORE. Honestly, they are better than the senior guards in just about every facet of the game.
Most importantly, Buzz needs to think 2010 and beyond when it comes to backcourt minutes. If Buycks and DJO play 30+ minutes, they will improve BIG TIME. Extra minutes this year means they will be extra better in 2010.