As trivial as this may seem - UNC serves as the perfect opponent for this MU team and Buzz. There may not be a better coach out there who can put a chip on his guy's shoulder's than Buzz. All weekend long in Cleveland Buzz talked about the "burger game" players -aka -McDonald's All Americans - and how his guys have had to ride in 15 passenger vans, order meals with a "number," - as in I'll have the Number 2 combo meal. Our kids are happy with a free T-shirt, even if it isn't "Dri-Fit." The JUCO route.
We know JP Tokoto has been around the MU program and players a lot...we know he just shot MU down for UNC. UNC is the privileged, the McDonald's All Americans - MU is the have nots, just as Buzz himself isn't a product of the right athletic background or family roots to get him in the college basketball coaching game.
I'm convinced this will be played up to the 1,000th%
It is time for our Junkyard Dogs to take their Pugnacity to the UNC pretty boys...and I'm pretty sure we will give them a true WARRIOR PERFORMANCE.
I love the optimism. I agree though, we'll have to turn the game into a fight to have a chance. Hopefully some physical play will fluster their youngsters.
+! Ners!
Reading your article even gave me a kick in my ass about this friday!
Hopefully they are a perfect match up becuase we are do for an unconcious shooting game
We havnt had a game even close to the ND game since it happend. We are due and running out of time
lets do it
Quote from: HaywardsHeroes32 on March 21, 2011, 07:51:23 PM
Hopefully they are a perfect match up becuase we are do for an unconcious shooting game
We havnt had a game even close to the ND game since it happend. We are due and running out of time
lets do it
We did shoot 50+% against Xavier (53 I think)
Your post had a real deep effect on me.
I swung over to McDonalds and grabbed a supersized double 1/4 lbr w/cheese meal, coke as my drink, ...and no I dont want an apple pie today...drive to next window, please
Quote from: houwarrior on March 21, 2011, 08:01:55 PM
Your post had a real deep effect on me.
I swung over to McDonalds and grabbed a supersized double 1/4 lbr w/cheese meal, coke as my drink, ...and no I dont want an apple pie today...drive to next window, please
Nice! Hope that hit the spot. Sounds like you were hungry....just like our players.
Quote from: Victor McCormick on March 21, 2011, 07:56:40 PM
We did shoot 50+% against Xavier (53 I think)
Yeah but we were nailing 3s like it was our job vs ND. Xavier wasnt the offensive beatdown like Nd. Need that Friday.
I have two thoughts about all this talk of JUCO / junkyard dogs versus college basketball's bluebloods or privileged.
1. Does anyone else think Buzz is doing himself a bit of disservice by acting like top-notch high school kids don't fit in at Marquette? Sure it's great that we have good JUCOs who weren't highly recruited, but I think we would all be happy to get one of UNC's studs (see Tokoto, JP).
2. We have been playing against longer, more athletic, more talented teams all year. What was it, like 18 games against the RPI top 25? UNC is not the best team we've seen.
I don't know if we will win, but I expect a good game.
north carolina is bad at hitting the three. i think that is more of why unc is a good matchup
and i also agree that buzz is doing this team a disservice by talking up the JUCO, unrecruited players angle. I think its pretty disingenuous. I mean we have some thing like 3 all american JUCOs on the team, these players aren't as scrappy as hes making them out to be.
He said that exact thought in his press after the Cuse game. He didn't want that to be the story, that these were some how no-name underprivileged kids. He stated that it was just a road less traveled they took to get to this point.
Quote from: boyonthedock on March 21, 2011, 09:57:52 PM
north carolina is bad at hitting the three. i think that is more of why unc is a good matchup
and i also agree that buzz is doing this team a disservice by talking up the JUCO, unrecruited players angle. I think its pretty disingenuous. I mean we have some thing like 3 all american JUCOs on the team, these players aren't as scrappy as hes making them out to be.
He's talking more about the route they took to get to MU, saying they didn't have anything handed to them. That's why I love those 5 so much. They're the classic cracked sidewalks type players, and they absolutely DO play like junkyard dogs.
He also said in the press conference that he thinks long term that JUCO isn't the preferred recruiting route, but if he can get a great player of course he'd go the JUCO route. I see absolutely nothing wrong with that and I don't see how anyone else could either. Who wouldn't want a Butler/DJO/Crowder clone in the program for 2-3 years?
Moving along, I agree that the UNC match up is a good one when you take into account that Washington would have been a far worse match up for us in my opinion. They board like crazy and rain threes. The game could have gotten away from us quickly. They looked awesome against UNC. If we can hold the Heels to their season average from three, rebound effectively and get them in foul trouble (a near impossible task, the disparity was something like 10-2 in the first half of the Huskies game) I think we can take them out. Cautiously optimistic!
Quote from: boyonthedock on March 21, 2011, 09:57:52 PM
north carolina is bad at hitting the three. i think that is more of why unc is a good matchup
They have a guy named Leslie who comes off the bench (i.e., doesn't see much playing time) who hits something like 44% from beyond the arc. That is the player I fear the most on NC. He might become the next member of the list of unknowns who have their moment of fame at MU's expense at tourney time.
Quote from: Jamailman on March 21, 2011, 10:15:10 PM
He's talking more about the route they took to get to MU, saying they didn't have anything handed to them. That's why I love those 5 so much. They're the classic cracked sidewalks type players, and they absolutely DO play like junkyard dogs.
He also said in the press conference that he thinks long term that JUCO isn't the preferred recruiting route, but if he can get a great player of course he'd go the JUCO route. I see absolutely nothing wrong with that and I don't see how anyone else could either. Who wouldn't want a Butler/DJO/Crowder clone in the program for 2-3 years?
I worry that Buzz is over-doing it too. After-all, one could argue we have a number of "blue-bloods" on he team in JJ, VB, JC and EW. They were all highly recruited top 100 guys coming out of high school. In fact we arguably have more top 100 guys now than ever before.
Quote from: AnotherMU84 on March 22, 2011, 03:09:54 AM
I worry that Buzz is over-doing it too. After-all, one could argue we have a number of "blue-bloods" on he team in JJ, VB, JC and EW. They were all highly recruited top 100 guys coming out of high school. In fact we arguably have more top 100 guys now than ever before.
I think Buzz agrees with you. He probably overdid it.
Look at Williams discusses sweet 16 here.
http://www.gomarquette.com/allaccess/
I also believe that 75% of the crowd will be cheering on the Warriors. The Marquette people, of course; the Kentucky and Ohio State fans, waiting for their game, who would much rather face MU in the next rourd than Carolina,; and probably most of the neutral New Jersey people who will take the side of the underdog. Then add in all of the Big East fans in the Jersey area, and I think the Tarheels will really feel like a road team in a hostile environment.
Quote from: BrewCity on March 22, 2011, 08:01:34 AM
I also believe that 75% of the crowd will be cheering on the Warriors. The Marquette people, of course; the Kentucky and Ohio State fans, waiting for their game, who would much rather face MU in the next rourd than Carolina,; and probably most of the neutral New Jersey people who will take the side of the underdog. Then add in all of the Big East fans in the Jersey area, and I think the Tarheels will really feel like a road team in a hostile environment.
This completely ignores the fact that UNC has a national following.
I like the premise. While the talent gap may not be massive, Mu will not win this game because of their talent, so I think the idea is the right one. Punch them in the mouth at some point, and see if they punch back. I actually don't mind if MU falls behind by a bit early. I think that will actually play to their favor. If UNC gets a modest lead, and gets a little comfortable, they're toast (Obviosuly if they go up by 20 in the first half, that's something else).
Certainly Roy Williams will take MU seriously and will warn his players to do the same, but you always have to wonder if they will, or will they act more like a lot of these national writers who see them as some upstart 11 seed who doesn't belong here.
Quote from: Hards_Alumni on March 22, 2011, 08:10:09 AM
This completely ignores the fact that UNC has a national following.
How does it do that? Do you think that national following will make up more than 20-25% of the arena? UK and OSU have huge national followings as well. Freakishly large in fact.
Quote from: NavinRJohnson on March 22, 2011, 08:15:28 AM
How does it do that? Do you think that national following will make up more than 20-25% of the arena? UK and OSU have huge national followings as well. Freakishly large in fact.
I think I heard the other day during the OSU game they have 465,000 alumni in the US...
I like it that Buzz is playing the under dog role. It shows respect and will fire up MU. I like Marquette's talent and think Buzz has done an outstanding recruiting job. I think we will out fight NC and win on our tenacity!!! Go Warriors!!!
Quote from: Hards_Alumni on March 22, 2011, 08:10:09 AM
This completely ignores the fact that UNC has a national following.
I'm sure they're be cheering loud from their sofas, but I'm certain that Marquette will get more cheers in Newark than UNC will - the underdogs (especially 10+ seeds) always get that benefit. Of course, to get the other teams fans on our side, we actually have to make a game of it...
Quote from: NavinRJohnson on March 22, 2011, 08:12:34 AM
I like the premise. While the talent gap may not be massive, Mu will not win this game because of their talent, so I think the idea is the right one. Punch them in the mouth at some point, and see if they punch back. I actually don't mind if MU falls behind by a bit early. I think that will actually play to their favor. If UNC gets a modest lead, and gets a little comfortable, they're toast (Obviosuly if they go up by 20 in the first half, that's something else).
Certainly Roy Williams will take MU seriously and will warn his players to do the same, but you always have to wonder if they will, or will they act more like a lot of these national writers who see them as some upstart 11 seed who doesn't belong here.
I am not dissing our players, but the alleged talent gap is massive. NC has 5 or 6 McDonald's all Americans, and none of our guys even sniffed that area. Look at our starting line-up: Williams, Otule, Butler, Buycks, and DJO. Some of those guys were probably not even recruited out of HS, or at a low level school.
All the more reason why we need to whup the Blue Bloods!
Quote from: rocky_warrior on March 22, 2011, 11:47:02 AM
I'm sure they're be cheering loud from their sofas, but I'm certain that Marquette will get more cheers in Newark than UNC will - the underdogs (especially 10+ seeds) always get that benefit. Of course, to get the other teams fans on our side, we actually have to make a game of it...
In addition, you have UNC, Kentucky and Ohio State... three of the most despised teams in all of college sports. Any "neutral" fan is a fan of Marquette this weekend in Newark.
Quote from: JDuquaine on March 21, 2011, 04:40:12 PM
+! Ners!
Reading your article even gave me a kick in my ass about this friday!
Me too! Why I'm even convinced that MU belongs in this tourney now! How about you, JDuquaine?
Me too! Why I'm even convinced that MU belongs in this tourney now! How about you, JDuquaine?
Yeah, yeah I really think so now...we'll maybe one more win!
Quote from: Ners on March 21, 2011, 04:33:44 PM
As trivial as this may seem - UNC serves as the perfect opponent for this MU team and Buzz. There may not be a better coach out there who can put a chip on his guy's shoulder's than Buzz. All weekend long in Cleveland Buzz talked about the "burger game" players -aka -McDonald's All Americans - and how his guys have had to ride in 15 passenger vans, order meals with a "number," - as in I'll have the Number 2 combo meal. Our kids are happy with a free T-shirt, even if it isn't "Dri-Fit." The JUCO route.
We know JP Tokoto has been around the MU program and players a lot...we know he just shot MU down for UNC. UNC is the privileged, the McDonald's All Americans - MU is the have nots, just as Buzz himself isn't a product of the right athletic background or family roots to get him in the college basketball coaching game.
I'm convinced this will be played up to the 1,000th%
It is time for our Junkyard Dogs to take their Pugnacity to the UNC pretty boys...and I'm pretty sure we will give them a true WARRIOR PERFORMANCE.
Playing hard is fine and dandy, but to beat a team like North Carolina, playing hard won't be enough.
1. We absolutely have to cut down on the turnovers. Xavier and Syracuse both possessed some ability to get out in transition, but nothing like Carolina can. They excel at getting out on the break and if MU turns it over as much as they have the first two games, they'll be toast as NC goes on the type of runs that Marquette won't be able to recover from.
2. Don't get crushed on the boards. Carolina likely will out-rebound MU, but we can't allow them a bevy of offensive boards.
3. Dictate tempo. Marquette generally prefers to play up tempo as does Carolina, but if the game ends up in the 80's, odds are that we'll lose. I think a game played in the high 60's or low 70's gives us the best chance to win. So definitely take some transition offense when it's there, but don't overly force it. Don't be afraid to at times use 25-30 seconds of the shot clock. Just don't allow the game to turn into an up and down the court track meet because we'll like lose in that scenario.
ohio state is not in the UNC Kentucky Duke Notre dame area of hatred. not really close, at least for college basketball
Quote from: El Duderino on March 23, 2011, 12:24:19 AM
Playing hard is fine and dandy, but to beat a team like North Carolina, playing hard won't be enough.
1. We absolutely have to cut down on the turnovers. Xavier and Syracuse both possessed some ability to get out in transition, but nothing like Carolina can. They excel at getting out on the break and if MU turns it over as much as they have the first two games, they'll be toast as NC goes on the type of runs that Marquette won't be able to recover from.
2. Don't get crushed on the boards. Carolina likely will out-rebound MU, but we can't allow them a bevy of offensive boards.
3. Dictate tempo. Marquette generally prefers to play up tempo as does Carolina, but if the game ends up in the 80's, odds are that we'll lose. I think a game played in the high 60's or low 70's gives us the best chance to win. So definitely take some transition offense when it's there, but don't overly force it. Don't be afraid to at times use 25-30 seconds of the shot clock. Just don't allow the game to turn into an up and down the court track meet because we'll like lose in that scenario.
Definitely agree with this. Buzz talked about their break on PTI, and for some reason everyone is underestimating the length of UNC, despite them having three guys at 7'0", 6'10", and 6'9" up front in Zellar, Henson, and Barnes. Scoring-wise, everyone who has beaten Carolina this year has done so with a score in the 70s. Play too fast and they'll outrun you. Play too slow and they'll clamp down with their top-10 in the country defense. Figuring out the speed of the game will be one of the most important keys to beating UNC.
One thing I notice about UNC in their lower-scoring wins, it seems they have a great knack for "figuring teams out" defensively. A number of games they won, such as BC, Clemson, Virginia, their opponent usually has a lead then goes through a massive drought in the last 5-7 minutes while the Heels claim the victory. Might be worth it for Buzz to have a few new wrinkles up his sleeve for that time, or maybe hold off with the full-court press until then just to ensure UNC doesn't have a big comeback in store at the end.
I worry that if we get into an extended scoring drought, as we've done in many games this year, we won't be able to catch back up. UNC has been scoring lots of points in the tourney so far and it'll be real tough to score 90 if we have a 5+ minute drought on Friday.
They've also been giving up a lot of points though, so I'm hoping we can put up enough to get the win.