[Cracked Sidewalks] MU hosts UConn

[CrackedSidewalksSays]

MU hosts UConn

Written by: noreply@blogger.com (Tim Blair)

I know we've been  dark here on Cracked Sidewalks for the last several days, thanks for bearing with us as we manage through busy times at the office and with work-related travel. Strangely enough -- via a quirk of unrelated developments -- four of us will be at the UConn game tonight on our blog's 6th birthday. (!!!)  Thanks so much for your  readership and for making our slice of the interwebs a part of your Marquette basketball experience.

Back to hoops.

So MU (13-7, 4-3) went into South Bend over the weekend and delivered another exquisite second half collapse --- offensively, defensively and Ed Hightowery*.   Hey Ed, MU does not need help blowing second half leads, it is something of a signature move.   Jimmy Butler summed things up pretty nicely when he said, "We've got to stop relying on our offense so much and guard on the defensive end, and I think everything will start to turn around if we do those things."

Co-sign.

Tonight it is time to get it right with fifth-ranked UConn (16-2, 4-2) in town.  With a win the Warriors would move to a comfortable 5-3 in league play but a loss would leave MU at 4-4 with back to back tilts against Syracuse and Villanova to follow.   NIT, hello.

Food for thought.   MU could not contain Ben Hansbrough off the dribble last weekend. Tonight the Warriors will have to contend with the nation's second-leading scorer, Kemba Walker (25ppg), who's signature move is the dribble drive.  Gulp.

Time to sack up, MU.  Ken Pomeroy thinks the Warriors have what it takes, predicting a 75-72 win for the good guys.

• Here's the MU podcast for the week.
• MU game notes.
• Rosiak on UConn's strong performance to date.
• Rosiak on Kemba's dominant play.
  

http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2011/01/mu-hosts-uconn.html

[jaybilaswho?]

Hansbrough did another good job off the dribble last night vs Pitt. So its not just MU that couldnt contain him.

[Stretchdeltsig]

It seemed like we were worn out in the second half against ND.  Our energy level was much lower.  We should be able to guard Hansbrough better than we did.  Thought we would have the depth this year to play harder the whole game.