Hey, We Won the Game

[willie warrior]

Cannot say much about this except we escaped with a win, and DJO proved to the many posters who were writing him off, that he is the man.

A few other things:
Once again we were killed on the glass. When, oh when will we get some people that can rebound and block out?

Desparately need Gardner

Crowder should start, and is not a Center. Get off that kick Buzz.

The line up should be:
PG Cadougan
2G DJO
Forwards Butler and Crowder
Ceneter Otule/Gardner
Bring the others off the bench if needed.

With Crowder and Otule/Gardner in there at same time, we should do better on the glass.

[warriors1991]

Few observations from the Mecca tonight other than fond old MU memories:

DJO clearly got his stroke and confidence back, but just like last year he kind of stopped shooting in the 2nd half, passing up a few open looks.

Buycks' decision-making is really poor. He's a good athlete, can get out and run, and hit an open 3, but he's a SENIOR and is making freshman mistakes.

Rebounding is going to kill us until this team learns to box out. Especially from the guard position; NO excuse for their 1s and 2s to ever get offensive boards other than a rare odd bounce.

Cadougan is clearly the more natural PG than Buycks.

Our young/new players are still learning the game at this level, no need to jump off the top of a tall building. This team and these players have lots of big games and big wins in their future.


Buzz's in-game coaching off timeouts is very suspect (and I'm a huge Buzz fan, not I4). Not even mentioning the end of the Zags game, to come out of a timeout and watch DB launch a 25-footer is terribly frustrating.


Comically small crowd tonight. Shameful that MU didn't have 7000 of the 11,000 seats filled.  UWM's student section was half empty.

[RubyWiscy]

Buzz's in-game coaching off timeouts is very suspect (and I'm a huge Buzz fan, not I4). Not even mentioning the end of the Zags game, to come out of a timeout and watch DB launch a 25-footer is terribly frustrating.


Comically small crowd tonight. Shameful that MU didn't have 7000 of the 11,000 seats filled.  UWM's student section was half empty.

Maybe Buzz is drawing up good plays, but the young players just aren't executing?  Just a thought.

Don't mean to split hairs, but the student section was not half empty. The whole area behind the basket was reserved for students.  It was like 90% empty.  And that is comical.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Few observations from the Mecca tonight other than fond old MU memories:

DJO clearly got his stroke and confidence back, but just like last year he kind of stopped shooting in the 2nd half, passing up a few open looks.

Buycks' decision-making is really poor. He's a good athlete, can get out and run, and hit an open 3, but he's a SENIOR and is making freshman mistakes.

Rebounding is going to kill us until this team learns to box out. Especially from the guard position; NO excuse for their 1s and 2s to ever get offensive boards other than a rare odd bounce.

Cadougan is clearly the more natural PG than Buycks.

Our young/new players are still learning the game at this level, no need to jump off the top of a tall building. This team and these players have lots of big games and big wins in their future.


Buzz's in-game coaching off timeouts is very suspect (and I'm a huge Buzz fan, not I4). Not even mentioning the end of the Zags game, to come out of a timeout and watch DB launch a 25-footer is terribly frustrating.


Comically small crowd tonight. Shameful that MU didn't have 7000 of the 11,000 seats filled.  UWM's student section was half empty.

Agree with just about everything you said.  I do think this team has a lot of wins in it, that's also what makes them frustrating to watch with some of the dumb mistakes.  Ugh, so frustrating.

The DB shot out of the timeout, my God.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Butt ugly but it was a win when others couldn't pull it out (Butler, Purdue).  Fourth game in a week with a disruptive week of travel, holiday and with practice time focused on opponents.  Buzz even wanted to treat the UWM game as a travel game to prepare the team for the quick turnarounds of the BE.  A week of "just MU" practice lays ahead and I suspect we will see a different team next Saturday.  

The time-out plays were brutal.  Junior passing the ball to Crowder who was more intent on setting a pick.  DB chucking a trey at the end of a shot clock.  When struggling, get the ball into JFB's or DJO's hands and let them get fouled taking it to the hoop.  Finally, Buzz did this and then it was game over.  We will learn in situations like this to close.

We missed Fulce and Gardner for depth and spacing.  Joe gives us a seal and some quick energy points--really hope we don't lose him.  Gardner can be a match-up advantage on offense that causes all sorts of positives for the other four players on the floor.  For the 2nd game in a row, Buzz went very small to guard the perimeter and give up the OReb. Not liking it. Crowder, Ewill, and Junior were beat off the dribble or ball numerous times.  I thought there was confusion with too many smalls on the floor. The team just hasn't settled into a rotation yet with roles, energy, communication. It will come. Longwood will be a test of this actually.  

Won 3 of the 4 factors (except OReb), were up 18 in the 2nd half, just tired and gave it away at the end with a bunch of bad possessions.  Fixable and can be shored up. That said, with all the newcomers adjusting to D1 hoops, I fully expect an up and down year.  

[dw3dw3dw3]

The turnover timeout play with Junior trying to pass to Jae got screwed up when Jae didn't set the screen and DJO didn't setup the screen well. The defense just slid through it and everyone panicked.  Junior has to see that and bring the ball out and either try to break down his man or get the ball to Jimmy immediately for him to iso. Frustrating, but I'm sure they will address how to deal with busted plays.  I do like just setting up Jimmy 1 on 1 with shooters on the wings.

[mikem91288]

As for Buzz's coaching, that play you are talking about looked to be a play designed to get the ball to DJO. The screen was kind of botched, then we had to see DB launch up a prayer.

[jeffreyweee]

The time-out play seems to always be dwight launching a long three. I think he draws that up. He wants buycks to shoot a three. If it goes in great, if not Otule knows it's coming and is fighting for position. He had pretty good position but it bounced the wrong way. I think this because he never looks upset when dwight shoots that three and he subbed otule in just for that play. He also seems to clear the paint so it's just otule down there 1 on 1 rebounding.

[Mr. Nielsen]

Marquette made free-throws when the game was on the line!