UConn - L'Ville game on ESPN

[77ncaachamps]

Caracter not playing, not even with the team. A mentioning of a contract he has between himself and the coaching staff...don't know much more.

17-14 UConn, 6 min left

Question to all:

Who do you pull for?

I despise both ConnU and L'ville.

I can't choose. If I had to...it'd be UConn. I hate Card fans.

[rocky_warrior]

For the RPI numbers, I think L'Ville should be the choice - since we play them twice.

However, I don't think yelling at t a TV affects the outcome of a game, so feel free to pull for UConn, and be happy for MU if Louisville wins  8)

[77ncaachamps]

ESPN just said Digger is going to talk about BE surprises during the half-time show?

MU?

Anyone? Anyone? 

[77ncaachamps]

Digger - MU is that good because of DJ and their final FTs. Nova and MU are coming in at the right time.

Nothing much from the former Irish coach.

[nathanziarek]

I just watched that little segment. I know DJ is great, and deserves a lot of credit for our recent resurgence, but I hate the idea that he is the only one that seems to get credit for MU. The scoring is pretty balanced among the big three, and where would we be without Ooze and Fitz these past few?

As I figure it, Dj will go to the NBA and get plenty of praise. The other guys might not, so they are playing purely for the competition and enjoyment of the game. I just don't want them to get forgotten among the awesomeness of DJ.

[77ncaachamps]

I'm with you on this one.

DJ's getting the props because of his recent big games. But real cbb fans know if Fitz and Ooze didn't step up, we would have had an L on Sunday.

[MUCHI814]

I think Ooze in the last 4 games should be the talk of the team.  His development in the first 15 games of this year, alone has been more significant than the last two years and it kind of came out of nowhere and he has kept it up.  Right now, with our guards slashing and Ooze running the court he fits in perfectly to the offense.  All he has to do is make the baskets he is supposed to and he'll average 10ppg.  All in all, great to see success from Ooze.

[spiral97]

can't forget mcneal either.. no coincidence we lost those two big east games when he was missing or less than 100% percent.. what he provides surpasses the stats.. the team plays with 20 times more intensity when he's on the floor.

[77ncaachamps]

DJ...Ooze...Fitz...McNeal...All we're missing is Wes!

From the sounds of it, this team really needs to play well AS A TEAM for it go far.

There isn't one person that can carry this team...

[larrym]

I just watched that little segment. I know DJ is great, and deserves a lot of credit for our recent resurgence, but I hate the idea that he is the only one that seems to get credit for MU.

The other players are very good, but DJ is special when he wants to be.  It's no coincidence that he started playing well when we started the win streak.  He is responsible for half of Oozes points.  His probing of the defense opens up things for Cubillan and Fitz.  They are knocking things down to their credit, but in my opinion James is the difference maker.  I don't think anybody else could have salvaged that last play in overtime to draw a foul the way he did.  He's just a guy that can impose his will offensively like nobody else since Wade. 

Before the season, the consensus seemed to be that DJ would be gone after this year unless he had a bad season, and that if he had a bad season, we would have a bad season.  I think that was right on.  We got a glimpse of that when he wasn't playing well.  Hopefully he keeps this up and still decides to come back next year.  If he goes, I think we'll all see how important he was to the team.

[ozmetal71]

DJ is a good, sometimes great player, but he is not irreplaceable.  He certainly makes the team go, but McNeal is the heart and soul of the team.

The team as a whole grew up after the Syracuse and Providence losses and the coaching staff has adjusted finally after eight years and has started to figure out how to attack a zone.  The team is not taking stupid 3-point shots and is shooting FT's better, and that is making the offense run much more smoothly.

I am impressed at how the intensity level has been high for the past three weeks and hopefully they can play close to that level for the rest of the season.  If Marquette can avoid traps and let-downs, we should have a good shot at going 11-5 or possibly 12-4 in conference this year.