Talent

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

He ain't considered a backup getting 32 minutes like against NJIT. And don't use 25 minutes when he only played 10 minutes in one game because of an injury. Let me know when he has been relegated to Backup. Next game starting lineup will have Derrick, Carlino and Duane as the starters, That ain't backup.

I think his role @OSU will be the one we see more of as the season progresses. 13 minutes of backup duty for Carlino. Carlino struggled the last two games and it called for more Derrick. I think Carlino will right the ship and Derrick's minutes will regress. Just my prediction. I could definitely be wrong, Wojo will play whoever he thinks gives us the best chance of winning.

[willie warrior]

In the last 8 minutes of the game, NJIT's leading scorer, Damon Lynn, went 1/7 from the field. The only shot he hit was over Duane. In the other 6 instances, Derrick was on him. Not all of those defenses were Derrick, but he did a great job stopping their best offensive player. There was only one shot taken by Lynn where Derrick wasn't right on him, and that was because Derrick was on the floor fighting for a loose ball that squirted out of the pile right into Lynn's hands (took a 3, came up short with Juan's hand in his face).

As I said earlier, we essentially have three guys playing two point guard positions. Derrick is rarely out there without Carlino or Duane alongside him in a dual-point role. They provide the offense, he guards the opponent's best offensive guard. Neither Carlino nor Duane are going to play 40 mpg. Someone has to be in that other PG role when Carlino and Duane aren't out there together. There is no one else.

So in a tight game at the end, we should be relegated to hack a Derrick to put him at the FT line exchanging 3 points for 1 or 0. I guess that is why we both get the big bucks for our coaching acumen.

[willie warrior]

I think his role @OSU will be the one we see more of as the season progresses. 13 minutes of backup duty for Carlino. Carlino struggled the last two games and it called for more Derrick. I think Carlino will right the ship and Derrick's minutes will regress. Just my prediction. I could definitely be wrong, Wojo will play whoever he thinks gives us the best chance of winning.

Yeah back to the old Buzz slurp argument, except in this case I believe it.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

So in a tight game at the end, we should be relegated to hack a Derrick to put him at the FT line exchanging 3 points for 1 or 0. I guess that is why we both get the big bucks for our coaching acumen.

I haven't watched rewatched the end, but didn't Wojo pull Derrick after he missed the two FTs? I don't think he had a chance to pull Derrick before we got into hack a Derrick time.

[Texas Western]

I haven't watched rewatched the end, but didn't Wojo pull Derrick after he missed the two FTs? I don't think he had a chance to pull Derrick before we got into hack a Derrick time.

You are correct , and I think it will become abundantly clear to Wojo that we simply can't have Derrick in the game at crunch time. Gives the other team a very high probability strategy against us by fouling him. The 13 minute Ohio State game was optimal in my view. Unfortunately some of the other kids are going to have to step their defense up or we are going to see more of these big minute games from Derrick.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

I'm sure Wojo would love to bench Derrick if he has other options that are performing.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure that he does.

Derrick is like training wheels. Ultimately, they might limit us from reaching top speed, but they also keep us from toppling over.

If MU can learn to play without training wheels, then they have a higher top speed. But, there is also a risk that they free-fall and have a DePaul season.

[bilsu]

+1

I was wondering if maybe Buzz' aversion to set plays in the half court offense is bringing the team down now. Wojo runs a lot more set plays and they have seemed to work in most cases, but I don't think are guys are used to playing like that. It will take some time but they should get better as the year goes on.

I also think it makes a difference on defense. Buzz always played chase the ball defense. Now players are more expected to play positional defense. In the past they did not have to think, just look were the ball is. Therefore, they are not only learning new offensive scheme they are also learning a new defensive scheme.

[bilsu]

Everyone on the roster, outside of maybe Wilson and Dawson were HIGHLY recruited. I'm not accepting that. These guys are getting beat by 2 star kids. There is plenty of talent to whip teams like NJIT.

It depends on your definition of highly recruited. None of them were wanted by the Blue Bloods. JJJ was not even recruited by Memphis, his home team.

[MU82]

I haven't watched rewatched the end, but didn't Wojo pull Derrick after he missed the two FTs? I don't think he had a chance to pull Derrick before we got into hack a Derrick time.

Yes. Wojo has to continue doing everything he can to not have Derrick in at crunch time. Sad to say, it's like a turnover. Juan is enough of an adventure at the line!

[MU82]

Marquette has 7 guys ranked top 100.  With Fischer, there is 8.  The cupboard is not bare.  The talent is there.

I just love the narrative of guys being top-100 players 2 and 3 and 4 years ago and that somehow means we should be winning. Never mind our lack of height or experience or front-court players. Never mind that we have a brand new coach who also must learn, too.

Wade wasn't top 100. Neither was Gardner. Was Jae? Was Jimmy? Was Mayo? Erik Williams was, I know that.

I refuse to focus on this, but if others get some comfort out of knowing that Juan was a top 100 in 2011, go for it.

[jakeec]

It's because people are always bragging how good a player will be because of their ranking. 

How many years has Carlino played?  He has pretty good experience I would think.

[Galway Eagle]

I just love the narrative of guys being top-100 players 2 and 3 and 4 years ago and that somehow means we should be winning. Never mind our lack of height or experience or front-court players. Never mind that we have a brand new coach who also must learn, too.

Wade wasn't top 100. Neither was Gardner. Was Jae? Was Jimmy? Was Mayo? Erik Williams was, I know that.

I refuse to focus on this, but if others get some comfort out of knowing that Juan was a top 100 in 2011, go for it.

Stats mean nothing to the individual sure and it's great to look at those stories. But outside of MU Id be willing to bet that the majority of good players at top programs are former top 100 kids.

[MU82]

Stats mean nothing to the individual sure and it's great to look at those stories. But outside of MU Id be willing to bet that the majority of good players at top programs are former top 100 kids.

OK, but what does that mean for us in the here and now?

It's very early, but it appears that with his playing time having increased, that with his game having matured and that with his confidence having grown, Juan, as a senior, might finally be ready to play like a guy who once upon a time was a top-100 recruit.

Some players -- be they top-100 or not -- are ready to be impactful immediately. Others take several years. Others never live up to their rankings.

Plus, there's a big difference between, say, the No. 95 recruit and the No. 5 recruit.

I just don't see how the repeated mantra of "we have several top-100 recruits but aren't good" is useful.