Positives- Juan Anderson was a star. After a shaky start, he settled in and was a force. His work on the glass was fantastic. Him and Lockett were both very good at rebounding in traffic.
- Jake Thomas looks like he can play at this level. Of course, Colgate isn't Georgetown, but he was a scrappy defender and very willing to go to the floor for a ball. He has the chance to contribute some significant minutes.
- Offense at the 5. It isn't fair some of the shots DG can get to fall, but Otule was incredibly impressive, going 5/5 for 11 points.
- Junior can hit outside shots when he's open. That's an improvement. And DW got on the scoresheet.
- Our depth is excellent, especially if Mayo can come back in January. While there were some shaky starts (Steve Taylor looked a bit awestruck) Thomas, Anderson, Gardner, and DW all looked good off the bench. This team could go 9-10 deep well into March.
.
Negatives- Defending the paint. Twice Colgate had what looked like a 4-lane paved highway in the middle of a possession. That stuff happens on the break, but should never happen that blatantly when you're 15-25 seconds into the shot clock.
- Slow coming off double-teams. Too many open threes given up. Glad Burnatowski's shot wasn't falling from outside, but at some point, you have to stick with #5.
- General lack of focus, we would put together a run and let them right back in the game. While we were always fairly comfortable, we never put the hammer down against what will likely be one of the worst teams in Division I.
- This will take time, but we need a leader. It could be Jamil, Junior, Vander, or Trent, but when times are tough, someone will have to step up.
I really love the balance we have on offense this year. I can see 5 guys averaging 10 points a game. This helps us cause the teams we play cant focus on just our 2 studs. Also, I know there was some concern about our 3 points shooting if teams decided to play zone but we have "zone breaker" Jake Thomas, Jamil and Junior looked solid behind the arc and even Juan put up a smooth looking shot. This looks to be one of our better front courts ever as well.
speaking of mayo...didn't see it discussed on this board as someone said it was unlikely that the suspension came from the NCAA...but Buzz stated it was an NCAA suspension...how does that effect his ability to return?
was impressed with the way otule put the ball in the hoop...agree that they could go 9-10 deep...i didn't listen to buzz after the game, but i'm thinking anderson earned a second look at a more serious role today than what buzz was saying about him in recent weeks.
Negatives: Vander's play, too many open 3's and free throws 16 for 24.
Positives: Gardner and Otule.
Anderson and his hustle
Agree on Juan and Jake.
Jake deserves a special mention .. he looks to pass first .. had 4 assists in 18 minutes. Had moments of being a pesky defender, including a sweet pick-pocket of a Colgate player that should have led to his 5th assist, but instead Davante (?) was fouled.
Trent was solid, he's a BE quality starter, no doubt.
Love to see Jamil hit 2 threes. Might have had 3 except he was tackled and got 3 FTs.
Another positive .. looks like Vander won't be bolting for the NBA this year.
Negatives .. how many times did we blow the rebound on a Colgate missed free throw? 3? 4? WTF.
Quote from: avid1010 on November 11, 2012, 06:53:35 PM
speaking of mayo...didn't see it discussed on this board as someone said it was unlikely that the suspension came from the NCAA...but Buzz stated it was an NCAA suspension...how does that effect his ability to return?
He apparently isn't taking enough credits because he dropped a class. Next semester he will be fine, if he survives this semester academically, as long as he is up to 12 credits. But from what I am hearing I am not going to count on it.
Post game notes without mentioning that Wilson is the best player on the team, Gardner has moves that are unstoppable, and Otule has flashes that make him look like a first rounder. JC and Blue are disappointments.
I can see why Blue was a disappointment, but I thought Junior looked pretty decent.
Quote from: The Sultan of South Wayne on November 11, 2012, 07:54:40 PM
I can see why Blue was a disappointment, but I thought Junior looked pretty decent.
A Senior PG at MU should be more than decent. Agreed he didn't make the turnovers like he did last year but showed little offensively and defensively....ESP for a senior.
Quote from: Knight Commission on November 11, 2012, 07:59:29 PM
A Senior PG at MU should be more than decent. Agreed he didn't make the turnovers like he did last year but showed little offensively and defensively....ESP for a senior.
He drained 2 threes, which was one of the most criticized areas of his game, and went 3/4 from the line, very solid, and most important didn't turn the ball over once. He'll average more assists as the season goes on. Not everyone is going to have a crazy good statline every game.
Here I thought I was being critical of this performance, the way people are deconstructing every player's line is nuts. It's a season, a long haul.
Quote from: brewcity77 on November 11, 2012, 08:30:11 PM
He drained 2 threes, which was one of the most criticized areas of his game, and went 3/4 from the line, very solid, and most important didn't turn the ball over once. He'll average more assists as the season goes on. Not everyone is going to have a crazy good statline every game.
Here I thought I was being critical of this performance, the way people are deconstructing every player's line is nuts. It's a season, a long haul.
Cubes and Acker both scored 20 plus on Nov 7 2009. I have waited three years to have more than a pass first PG.
Quote from: Knight Commission on November 11, 2012, 08:37:18 PM
Cubes and Acker both scored 20 plus on Nov 7 2009. I have waited three years to have more than a pass first PG.
You're hoping Cadougan can improve to the point where he's "Cubes" or Acker? Really??? Hilarious.
Quote from: Knight Commission on November 11, 2012, 08:37:18 PM
Cubes and Acker both scored 20 plus on Nov 7 2009. I have waited three years to have more than a pass first PG.
Shouldn't we want our PG to be pass first? Steve Nash is pass first PG and he's pretty freaking good.
Quote from: Lennys Tap on November 11, 2012, 08:56:06 PM
You're hoping Cadougan can improve to the point where he's "Cubes" or Acker? Really??? Hilarious.
Uh.....yes.
Quote from: spartan3186 on November 11, 2012, 08:57:06 PM
Shouldn't we want our PG to be pass first? Steve Nash is pass first PG and he's pretty freaking good.
Are you comparing JC to Nash?
Quote from: Knight Commission on November 11, 2012, 09:00:03 PM
Are you comparing JC to Nash?
Absolutely not, just saying, I want my PG to be pass first a la Nash.
Very efficient offensive game. Eight turnovers for a first game against a cupcake was outstanding. Love the energy, especially on defense and from Juan. Not worried about the defensive rebounds from our frontcourt as over half of Colgate were from treyland. Lockett and Thomas were strong off the boards, and Lockett's five steals reminded me of Jae. MU was excellent in the paint
Crowd was fantastic. Students were there an hour before practicing with their leaders, who were very prepared and had everything printed out. Bandos have dumped the rugby jerseys. Halftime jump rope show got a standing ovation.
Offense struggled on the perimeter with the guard play against the zone. With Mayo out, it will be with MU all year. Thomas will be getting a lot of minutes. Taylor was very nervous and lost on defense in his first game. He will only be better. Jamal is an athlete. Vander is still Mr. Mo--if he has it, he is great...if not, well...
Quote from: Knight Commission on November 11, 2012, 08:37:18 PM
Cubes and Acker both scored 20 plus on Nov 7 2009. I have waited three years to have more than a pass first PG.
Junior shot 50% from three today. He had no turnover's, in a game where he wasn't supposed to try to score, but rather get everyone involved and let the new guys especially find their game and feel like they belong.
What I took from this game was that if Junior wanted to he could have put up 20, but that isn't his job.
Quote from: forgetful on November 11, 2012, 09:15:19 PM
Junior shot 50% from three today. He had no turnover's, in a game where he wasn't supposed to try to score, but rather get everyone involved and let the new guys especially find their game and feel like they belong.
What I took from this game was that if Junior wanted to he could have put up 20, but that isn't his job.
The guy he guarded scored more than he. He only had three assists and shot 2 Of 8 from the field. He played against Colgate and he is a Senior. He was a disappointment. Defensively he showed no quickness, no hands. He is a Big East PG but didn't play like one. Bring on Wilson.
I'd like to see some inside out basketball with a good entry pass into the post and a kick out to Jake for a spot up 3. I thought Jake played an excellent game and I was pleased with his ability to guard both on and off the ball but I'd rather see him spot up on offense rather than be the cutter through the formation. Certainly Buzz continues to work on stuff and the question that needs answers is Jake's ability to guard at this level. They'll work in offense for him maximizing his skill set going forward if the D is good enough.
Quote from: Dr. Blackheart on November 11, 2012, 09:10:16 PM
Crowd was fantastic. Students were there an hour before practicing with their leaders, who were very prepared and had everything printed out. Bandos have dumped the rugby jerseys. Halftime jump rope show got a standing ovation.
I am so glad that we did!
Two other things to mention:
1. Jamal Ferguson's dunk to end the game will hopefully be a big boost to his confidence
2. I felt like every time Jake got the ball everyone wanted him to shoot. Glad he got a clean one off and it went down.
The main negative evident throughout the game, in my opinion, was occasional sloppiness on the block or around the rim due to nerves/rushing/lack of poise/whatever it is. I mainly saw it from Otule (early in the game), Steve Taylor (still adjusting, may take him a while), Vander with his alley-oop attempts (not completely his fault), and Junior as he was driving to the rim.
Overall, I like what I see so far, especially the hustle and classic marquette scrappiness. Chemistry will come with time and experience. Hopefully Mayo can get his act together. Once we play a formidable opponent, we will know where we stand a little better.
Quote from: Knight Commission on November 11, 2012, 08:37:18 PM
Cubes and Acker both scored 20 plus on Nov 7 2009. I have waited three years to have more than a pass first PG.
Really? Assist to TO ratio is how I'd judge our point guard.
Juan is like a sugared up 8 year old out there. He played with energy and did some really good things. He also made some terrible decisions offensively, and lost his man several times on defense. Once he harnesses that energy, he's gonna be a nice weapon off the bench.
Box score looked good, but the performance was a mixed bag. This team has miles to go defensively. OSU would have smoked 'em. Almost a blessing in disguise that the game was called.
Quote from: Knight Commission on November 11, 2012, 09:19:26 PM
The guy he guarded scored more than he. He only had three assists and shot 2 Of 8 from the field. He played against Colgate and he is a Senior. He was a disappointment. Defensively he showed no quickness, no hands. He is a Big East PG but didn't play like one. Bring on Wilson.
I'm really glad you're not the coach. Without Junior this would be a long long season. Wilson is improved, but he has a ways to go to be the type of player that Junior is.
Quote from: ATWizJr on November 11, 2012, 09:47:47 PM
Really? Assist to TO ratio is how I'd judge our point guard.
Acker had 9 assists, 24 points, and no turnovers. Most PGs in D1 could have had as good of a game as JC did today, playing for MU. JC is a Senior.
How did Jr. do against Isaiah Canaan?
Quote from: Knight Commission on November 11, 2012, 08:37:18 PM
Cubes and Acker both scored 20 plus on Nov 7 2009. I have waited three years to have more than a pass first PG.
So what? They didn't do it every game all year long. And they didn't play on a team with this many able scoring options. Idiotic to complain about this after one 20-point win.
Just caught the ESPN3 replay.
My Pros:
- Davante in great shape
- Jamil willing to shoot the ball more
- The starting five
- The bench
- transition D was good, not great. This was Colgate though...
- Lockett's seamless integration
- Watching the kids play some significant minutes at the end of the game; we're gonna need them big time down the stretch
- Taylor is big but needs to play bigger
- Jamal's got some acceleration
- Juan's rebounds though most were defensive and with a bunch of blue jerseys around him
- Thomas needs to hit the open three more
- Did I mention Davante's in great shape?
My Cons:
- Vander's not yet on the scene, but I don't want him to force it either.
- 3 point defense
- inexperience from the bench shows
- sloppy fast breaks and lack of transition baskets
- lack of a go-to scorer (I know it's only one game)
- shot selection
I'm worried that Florida is going to tattoo us. Our defense isn't were it should be and their offense seems to be clicking.
Let's hope Butler puts a scare into this team to reveal some weaknesses that could be shored up.
Quote from: Knight Commission on November 11, 2012, 09:19:26 PM
The guy he guarded scored more than he. He only had three assists and shot 2 Of 8 from the field. He played against Colgate and he is a Senior. He was a disappointment. Defensively he showed no quickness, no hands. He is a Big East PG but didn't play like one. Bring on Wilson.
now i know you're joking...take a look at wilson's fouls per minute last year...the kid wouldn't make it past the first tv timeout.
on a more serious note...it's fun to debate on the internet, but i'll take buzz' words and actions over yours.
Pros:
Last year Juan showed energy to get to the ball on rebounds or steals when they gave him a chance even if he played no real defense. Last night Juan showed the same energy but the ability to score, rebound and play better defense.
Trent had a good first game debut. May not have scored all the points we expected but I will take 7 pts, 7 rebs (3 Off), 3 asts, and 5 steals anyday.
Cons:
It is the first game but Vander seemed to be non-existent until the 2nd half. I hope he steps it up because we need him.
I was expecting more from Steve Taylor. I know he is a freshman and it is the first game but I am hoping for good things in the near future.
JC sucks. Thats all I got. Take it to me guys...
Quote from: Dreadman24 on November 12, 2012, 07:27:49 AM
JC sucks. Thats all I got. Take it to me guys...
Why waste the time. It's pretty clear you have no other purpose than to try to get a rise out of people. You sure don't seem to know jack about basketball.
Quote from: Knight Commission on November 11, 2012, 10:00:40 PM
Acker had 9 assists, 24 points, and no turnovers. Most PGs in D1 could have had as good of a game as JC did today, playing for MU. JC is a Senior.
Really? We are cherry picking a good Mo Acker game now and wishing that Junior lived up to that level? Seriously I think half of this board needs to go to a basketball re-education camp.
Quote from: The Sultan of South Wayne on November 12, 2012, 07:51:50 AM
Really? We are cherry picking a good Mo Acker game now and wishing that Junior lived up to that level? Seriously I think half of this board needs to go to a basketball re-education camp.
through labor.
Otule looked good and I was impressed with Thomas and Juanderson.
Biggest negative in my view is that we need to get better on defense. Starting today.
Quote from: The Sultan of South Wayne on November 12, 2012, 07:51:50 AM
Really? We are cherry picking a good Mo Acker game now and wishing that Junior lived up to that level? Seriously I think half of this board needs to go to a basketball re-education camp.
But you don't have to cherry pick to make the point. Compare Acker's senior year to Junior last year. Acker averaged more points, had a better A/TO ratio and better FG, FT and 3P percentages. If Junior's senior year matched Acker's senior year I would take it right now and consider it a nice progression for JC, mostly because his shooting would be vastly improved.
Quote from: frozena pizza on November 12, 2012, 08:46:10 AM
But you don't have to cherry pick to make the point. Compare Acker's senior year to Junior last year. Acker averaged more points, had a better A/TO ratio and better FG, FT and 3P percentages. If Junior's senior year matched Acker's senior year I would take it right now and consider it a nice progression for JC, mostly because his shooting would be vastly improved.
Acker's senior year he had to be a scorer...who else was there after Lazar?
Junior does not have to be a scorer...we have lots of options now.
Simple as that.
Didn't see the game.
Single game comparisons between two players with different talent levels around them and playing different styles is stupid and troll-like.
Remember when we all ripped on Jae Crowder's defense during non-conference? Every single year, MU's defense seems to be off a bit in the non-conference as players learn rotations and figure out how to play defense in a real game. It is my impression, that it is much harder to learn how to play Buzz's defensive scheme than it is to play his offensive scheme. Let's give it 5 games before we have concrete opinions on anything regarding a team.
Winning is always good.
Quote from: frozena pizza on November 12, 2012, 08:46:10 AM
But you don't have to cherry pick to make the point. Compare Acker's senior year to Junior last year. Acker averaged more points, had a better A/TO ratio and better FG, FT and 3P percentages. If Junior's senior year matched Acker's senior year I would take it right now and consider it a nice progression for JC, mostly because his shooting would be vastly improved.
It's a completely different team with a completely different role that the point guard is asked to play. That team rarely pushed tempo, and was way too dependent on the outside shot, which is eventually what killed them in the first round of the NCAA tournament that year. On this team, Junior is asked to break down defenses and create more for those around him. And he does that much better than Acker ever did.
I'm a die hard fan (no troll) but even I am extremely dissappointed in Junior. His offense was inconsistent and a liability last year and he started the year by going 1 for 5 and missing some easy lay ups against a subpar and unathletic defense yesterday. My fear is that he's a liability again this year.
Quote from: ATL MU Warrior on November 12, 2012, 09:01:35 AM
Acker's senior year he had to be a scorer...who else was there after Lazar?
Junior does not have to be a scorer...we have lots of options now.
Simple as that.
After Lazar there was Jimmy and DJO, so Acker was the fourth option behind 3 NBA draft picks. Pretty decent options in my opinion. Acker was a scorer because he shot 50% on 3 pointers, not because he had to be.
Simple as that.
Quote from: Bardo32486 on November 12, 2012, 09:20:10 AM
I'm a die hard fan (no troll) but even I am extremely dissappointed in Junior. His offense was inconsistent and a liability last year and he started the year by going 1 for 5 and missing some easy lay ups against a subpar and unathletic defense yesterday. My fear is that he's a liability again this year.
Do you think buzz would be playing him so much if he was a liability. You have to look at the whole game and what he does for the team.
Wow, the jc and vander bashing starting early this year.
Quote from: brewcity77 on November 11, 2012, 08:30:11 PM
He drained 2 threes, which was one of the most criticized areas of his game, and went 3/4 from the line, very solid, and most important didn't turn the ball over once. He'll average more assists as the season goes on. Not everyone is going to have a crazy good statline every game.
Here I thought I was being critical of this performance, the way people are deconstructing every player's line is nuts. It's a season, a long haul.
I agree Junior will be fine. The whole team was passing the ball around today and since all 11 players played, JC didn't have the ball to create as much as he normally would. I hope he can show some creativity with drives close to the basket, but other than that he played pretty well.
Quote from: frozena pizza on November 12, 2012, 08:38:51 AM
Otule looked good and I was impressed with Thomas and Juanderson.
Biggest negative in my view is that we need to get better on defense. Starting today.
and rebounding, we got outrebounded by a smaller team. It looks like we're still not boxing out as often as we should.
MU has gone to two sweet 16's and won 50 games with Blue starting and Junior both starting and getting significant minutes off of the bench. They clearly don't suck. Both have had subpar games. Both will again. The question is whether they can step up their games enough to compensate for the 35 PPG that went to the NBA. I predict that both will average double digit PPG this year. I don't expect either to be a scorer on the level of DJO. It isn't in either of their natures to be so.
Yeah, MU got out rebounded yesterday. Otule and DG have to get more defensive rebounds. But after rewatching part of the game, I have to somewhat agree with Jamil. There were several times when MU was in perfect position for a rebound and it just turned into such a clank and such a long rebound that it went to Colgate 15 ft from the hoop. And I will say again that with the amount of minutes that new guys played, there were issues with defensive rotations, which also factored into long rebounds going Colgate's way. But it was, after all, just the first game. They need to get better and I think they will.
Both Blue and Junior are disappointments based on pre-campus expectations. However, once you get past expectations they are both solid Big East rotational players. We just need Lockett, Wilson, and DG to really step up if we want to compete at a high level.
Quote from: Badgerhater on November 12, 2012, 09:08:15 AM
Didn't see the game.
Single game comparisons between two players with different talent levels around them and playing different styles is stupid and troll-like.
Remember when we all ripped on Jae Crowder's defense during non-conference? Every single year, MU's defense seems to be off a bit in the non-conference as players learn rotations and figure out how to play defense in a real game. It is my impression, that it is much harder to learn how to play Buzz's defensive scheme than it is to play his offensive scheme. Let's give it 5 games before we have concrete opinions on anything regarding a team.
Winning is always good.
Bingo. I think Buzz has earned a little equity that they will get the defensive rotations shored up. I agree this seems like an annual early season complaint that we give up too many open looks. The track record is that we will improve and be fine.