How about we sit on our 1 point lead....

[ATWizJr]

run out the 35 second clock leaving Nova with 5 seconds and no time outs?  Infuriating.

[dwaderoy2004]

not only that but you just throw up a shot with 1 second left.  even if it doesn't hit rim, you take another 2 seconds off the clock.  buzz should have called a timeout as soon as jerel went towards the basket.

[NavinRJohnson]

Only problem is that Buzz just said that he told Jerel in the timeout, that as soon as he see's a chance to go. As with the previous possession, seems as though Buzz's thinking was to create as many opportunities as possible. If MU scores, the game is pretty much over anyway, if they don't they might get another shot.

[dwaderoy2004]

if buzz really said that, then i question HIS basketball IQ.  in that situation, you need to take the entire 35 seconds off the clock, even if you end up with a terrible shot, the other team has, at best, 4 seconds to go the length of teh floor for a desperation heave.

[ATWizJr]

ditto.  you tell your 4/17 shooter to take it at the first opportunity?  I don't think so.

McNeal 4/17
Wes 1/10
Zar 3/9

Hold the effin' ball!

[thatman32]

Play team basketball thats the easiest thing to do.  Play like you normally do and not like you have a 1 point lead.  Watching this last minute was like watching a TC coached team.  

Having 4 guys sit around while one guys dribbles is usually recipe for failure.  I thought we were over this but apparently not!!

[Tugg Speedman]

Didn't we also have two fouls to give?

If so, we could have chucked a trey with five seconds and fouled 'nova twice.  That would have chewed up even more time.  It would have left 'nova with a Christian Lettner type of play to win.  

[RJax55]

Didn't we also have two fouls to give?

If so, we could have chucked a trey with five seconds and fouled 'nova twice.  That would haev chewed up even more time.  It would have left 'nova with a Christian Lettner type of play to win.  

No, Nova was in the Bonus.

[Lighthouse 84]

give the ball to Wes or Jimmy.  Wes was 9-10 and Jimmy 13-16 from the line.  have one of them get down low and either get a bucket or a foul.  Make the free throws and game over.  Are you serious?  Buzz said drive with that much time?  To Jerel?

[Blackhat]

wasn't able to watch the second half but if we really could have taken it down to ONE SECOND but instead jacked up a shot without letting them foul us then someone should be shot.   Not saying who or where but somebody needs to take one.

[ATWizJr]

we had a fresh 35 on the shot clock and 40 secs left in the game and a 1 point lead.  yes, someone does need to be shot.

[Wade4Life]

I said it in another post but here it is again:

Mcneal should of waited for another 5 seconds and threw something up with 7 seconds left. If there is a rebound we have a slim chance at getting it, but 2 seconds come off the clock. I dont think any teams can go the entire floor with 3 or 4 seconds and make a game winning basket. And if they can, well they deserve to win.

[Blackhat]

we had a fresh 35 on the shot clock and 40 secs left in the game and a 1 point lead.  yes, someone does need to be shot.

that's just idiotic.   Hopefully Buzz learns from his losses that sometimes it is better to be common sensical and run clock rather than be aggressive.   We'll find out over the next 2 years.  

[WarriorHal]

I said it in another post but here it is again:

Mcneal should of waited for another 5 seconds and threw something up with 7 seconds left. If there is a rebound we have a slim chance at getting it, but 2 seconds come off the clock. I dont think any teams can go the entire floor with 3 or 4 seconds and make a game winning basket. And if they can, well they deserve to win.

Absolutely agree. It's hard not to have serious doubts about the competence of our new coach if that's what he wanted Jerel to do. One of the worse if not The worst defeat of the last 40 years!

[Blackhat]

Absolutely agree. It's hard not to have serious doubts about the competence of our new coach if that's what he wanted Jerel to do. One of the worse if not The worst defeat of the last 40 years!

Judging by our last second strategy throughout the year which has been textbook I'm guessing Buzz is just covering for Jerel.   We fans may never know the true story.

[jmayer1]

One of the worse if not The worst defeat of the last 40 years!

Let's not exaggerate here.  It was a game in the BET.  There were a lot of games that meant a lot more than this one in the last 40 years, heck even the last 10 years.

[ecompt]

If Buzz actually told Jerel to do everything he did in that final minute then something is wrong with out head coach. Every second of that final minute was sheer idiocy.

[WarriorHal]

Let's not exaggerate here.  It was a game in the BET.  There were a lot of games that meant a lot more than this one in the last 40 years, heck even the last 10 years.

I don't mean in terms of importance. Just pissing away a game that we had won, but lost because of unbelievable stupidity! Jerel made three horrendous plays/decisions in less than one minute. And the coach deserves a lot of the blame for at least one of those.

[ChicosBailBonds]

run out the 35 second clock leaving Nova with 5 seconds and no time outs?  Infuriating.

Yes, trying to guess if Crean was coach and this happened what the response would be.......definitely trying to guess.   

Unfortunate.  I had just got out of a meeting, walked in to see the last 2 seconds of the game and my boss said we absolutely choked the last 15 seconds.  Boy was he right.

[Brewtown Andy]

The fact of the matter is that they were down 16 at halftime and had no business having a chance to win, much less the lead and a chance to win that late.

[Lennys Tap]

Yes, trying to guess if Crean was coach and this happened what the response would be.......definitely trying to guess.   

Unfortunate.  I had just got out of a meeting, walked in to see the last 2 seconds of the game and my boss said we absolutely choked the last 15 seconds.  Boy was he right.



Chicos,

I don't know if you saw the entire game today but my summary would go something like this: Injured and outmanned, MU overcame a 16 point halftime deficit despite horrendus shooting by their two senior stars (combined 5-28 from the field, just shy of 18%) and led coach of the year Jay Wright and his Villanova Wildcats by one with less than a minute to play. They could not, however, overcome Jerel McNeal's 3rd major brain cramp in the final 45 seconds. He stood flatfooted, transfixed, his eyes on the dribbler as his man went to the hoop for an uncontested, last second, game winning layup.

I'm sure you're right that some posters would have blamed Crean if he had led a shorthanded team back from the abyss against a more talented team with a top coach while MU's stars were shooting 17.8% from the floor only to have his senior star screw the pooch 3 times inthe last minute.(though I don't ever recall MU overcoming as many obstacles in a game under TC) Regardless, anyone who would put a game like this on the coach (Crean, Buzz or anyone else) is a knownothing or has a serious ax to grind.

[JTBMU7]

The main difference i see with DJ out is our ability to close games out. We've been in every one of our last 5 losses up until the last few minutes, even seconds. If you look back at the NOVA, WVU, GTown and ND games, we played it close until the last 8 minutes, then you saw the experience take over; smart possessions, good shots, getting to the line, forcing quick shots on the other end etc. It's clear that MU struggles in the last 10 min of the game now without a true floor leader.

BUT, i still believe we'll make a good run in the NCAA's. Solid guard play, seniors, great free throw shooting team, can score in bunches and turn teams (even quick teams) over, sweet 16 or bust...