NY Post picks WVU to win BET, quotes Buzz

[The Man in Gold]

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/college/basketball/west_va_the_pick_to_emerge_from_IxmPkMydHXbrHI9dT0NBsN

Marquette coach Buzz Williams, whose aw-shucks persona cloaks his remarkable basketball IQ and big-picture vision, uttered the quote that should be embraced by every team in March.
"Fortune favors the brave," he said.
How true. The Big East Tournament is not for the faint of heart.

Possibly the best line in the article is when it mentions WVU's 5 starters from NYC.  Somewhere Len Elmore is very impressed by their grit and determination, not to mention the fact that Huggy Bear out "Pitt'd" Pitt for these kids.

So whose turn is it to reap the fortune of bravery in this year's Big East tournament, which begins tomorrow at Madison Square Garden? How about the team whose starting unit is composed of five fearless metropolitan warriors? How about the Mountaineers?

Devin Ebanks of Long Island City, Truck Bryant of Brooklyn, Da'Sean Butler of Newark, Wellington Smith of Summit, N.J., and Kevin Jones of Mount Vernon have transformed Morgantown, W. Va., into a long-distance New York suburb.

Forget New Yorkers, The Post predicts the MetroNeers will claim their first Big East crown.

[HoopsMalone]

haha.  We have been in more tough spots than Tiger Woods.  I like the media story line on us this year.  In the beginning of the year it was how small we are, but now it is how close all of our games are.  Gotta love that.

I like the Buzz shout out too regarding his bball IQ.  Very well deserved in my opinion.  Not many coaches know the stats like he does or could have found a way to win 11 games this year.  I never thought of his personality as "aw-shucks" though.  He comes across as kind of Southern tough guy to me most of the time.  He is humble, but doesn't really blush or get nervous when he talks or is complemented to deserve the "aw-shucks."  Positive comment overall though.

Glad that Buzz is the attention grabber above all.

[Niv Berkowitz]

Slight left turn from the interview, but I think Buzz' obvious hoops IQ is one thing that frustrates(ed) everyone over his theory to not foul anyone the other day at the end of the game. For a guy who has so much knowledge, why wouldn't he fould someone when up three. That's one of the reasons for all the anger/frustration post-ND.

And back to the thread...

[augoman]

interesting in the 'handicapping section' that MU is 15/1, ND is 50/1, and no one would take the DePaul action!!

[MU B2002]

Slight left turn from the interview, but I think Buzz' obvious hoops IQ is one thing that frustrates(ed) everyone over his theory to not foul anyone the other day at the end of the game. For a guy who has so much knowledge, why wouldn't he fould someone when up three. That's one of the reasons for all the anger/frustration post-ND.

And back to the thread...

Isn't the "not to foul" mentality the majority opinion amongst coaches? 

[Niv Berkowitz]

Exactly! Most coaches DON'T do it, but they know more about the game than fans...and most of us say foul.

[jt92]

ND missed the three and got the "look what I found" rebound.  That rebound took no talent at all.  If MU fouls then they the first get the rebound and hit a miracle shot to win.  Then everyone on the board will be why didn't they wait to foul. 

[GGGG]

ND missed the three and got the "look what I found" rebound.  That rebound took no talent at all.  If MU fouls then they the first get the rebound and hit a miracle shot to win.  Then everyone on the board will be why didn't they wait to foul. 

I came out on the initial thread wondering why he didn't foul.  (I didn't see the game.)  But after I saw the replay, it was pretty hard to criticize the "not-fouling decision."  They defended ND into a poor shot...that happened to bounce weakly off the front rim to a guy who gets a gift. 

[babytownfrolics]

Slight left turn from the interview, but I think Buzz' obvious hoops IQ is one thing that frustrates(ed) everyone over his theory to not foul anyone the other day at the end of the game. For a guy who has so much knowledge, why wouldn't he fould someone when up three. That's one of the reasons for all the anger/frustration post-ND.

And back to the thread...

If anything, this is why the constant harping on the issue on this message board is borderline obnoxious.  Buzz isn't stupid, he's thought through all these issues, he just disagrees with that strategy.  Same goes for many other strategic issues he is criticized for (e.g., "learning when to call timeouts").  No offense, but I'll take Buzz's well-thought out decision over my anger and frustration as a semi-drunk alumni screaming my lungs out during the game.

[mugrad99]

Listen to his press conference. He says he would foul if its 9 seconds or under, the opponent is not in the double bonus, and something about our rebounders being taller than the opponent.

[bilsu]

All I know is that a couple of years ago at Pittsburg we were up three and fouled. Pitt made the first and got the reobund on the second free throw and missed a shot that would have tied the game. The other problem with fouling is that you will have to inbound the the ball after the free throws. Remember the Providence game where we were up 8. They scored and we fouled them. The missed the free throw got the rebound and hit the three. They then stole the inbounds and scored. They scored 7 points in about 5 or 6 seconds. I know I would not foul, especially since you can try to foul a player like DJO who will get a shot off somehow. Remember when Lousiville had their run against us the game before, we were not very good at getting the ball in against them either.
Sure it is easy to say after the game that we should have fouled, but overall if I am the coach I am not fouling.