Buzz about to get a signature win

[mu03eng]

Totally disagree. I think Buzz's strongest quality as a coach was the ability to adapt year to year ("Build a new house" as he would say). When he had good handlers/shooters and no size he milked the clock and shot a lot of 3s. When he had slashers he took it hard to the basket and shot a ton of free throws. At various times he had a center who played at the top of the key and scored, played down low and scored and played down low and walled guys off or got out of the way. He was at the cutting edge when good teams were turning to switchables and now his teams shot a lot of 3s and they shoot them well.

I guess I'm not going to get in a big argument over Buzz, but A) this years team has one player that can shoot well AND at volume B) they are shooting close to average number of 3s, certainly wouldn't describe it as a lot C) it's probably fair that I understate Buzz's ability to adapt, but if you look at his offenses it is not a evolutionary change from one to another, it's probably within the margin of change most coaches have so its probably an average capability.

Buzz's best strength, that sometimes get interpreted as adapting IMO, is really his ability to recognize "market inefficiencies". Finding talent in places where people weren't looking(JuCo), correcting defensive inefficiencies(Paint Touches/Turkeys), and positionless basketball (switchables). As far as adapting his basketball strategies, I really don't see it.

[WarriorDad]

North Carolina lost again today at home.  Not a special group of Tarheels this season. 

[GooooMarquette]

North Carolina lost again today at home.  Not a special group of Tarheels this season.

Yep. It's still a good win for Buzz, but not quite as "signature" as it seemed.

[4everwarriors]

Dook gettin' der collective asses handed to 'em bye da coach wee wooda had a shot at if Cords hadn't pissed off his old man, hey?

[tower912]

Dook gettin' der collective asses handed to 'em bye da coach wee wooda had a shot at if Cords hadn't pissed off his old man, hey?

MU chose Buzz.   It worked for a while.   Bennett was not available when MU got Wojo.   

[MU82]

Yep. It's still a good win for Buzz, but not quite as "signature" as it seemed.

It was about as "signature" as our win against Seton Hall. UNC was ranked No. 10 when VTI beat 'em; SH was ranked No. 13 when we crushed them. UNC has since lost. SH has since lost.

Neither was close in the signature-win dept to Wojo's win over the No. 1 team in the nation last season.

[brewcity77]

Dook gettin' der collective asses handed to 'em bye da coach wee wooda had a shot at if Cords hadn't pissed off his old man, hey?

That's not the reason Bennett didn't end up here whatsoever. That was more timing than anything.

That said, anyone that cheers for Marquette must be REALLY happy Buzz is gone right about now. 2011 would be coming back into focus faster than you can say Michigan State.

[Dr. Blackheart]

MU chose Buzz.   It worked for a while.   Bennett was not available when MU got Wojo.

What's the story about Cords?  The story I heard was that Old Man Bennett wanted the job that went to the Piano Man--pre-Cords.  That's Hank and the Athletic Board.

The story also goes that TB came back to Cottingham with a yes after an initial no, but Buzz already was hired but not announced by then. This is why Chicos always maintained MU should have waited as they still could have got Buzz a week later.

[dgies9156]

I agree that the Hillbilly was a good coach. I think of things like the West Virginia dance move and realize he was more like Al than we want to admit. That Davidson game was pure magic and the Hillbilly was the one that recruited the players and had the team ready at the end.

My Warrior blood boils though when I recount how the Hillbilly left us. The last year he was here, he mailed it in.  And the shots he took at us and the Big East on leaving were juvenile.  I can't forgive that so I hope in time  that he becomes like Tom Crean -- calling it rather than doing it. And, that we never see him doing an MU game during our next four championship runs under Coach Wojo.

[Bad_Reporter]

I agree that the Hillbilly was a good coach. I think of things like the West Virginia dance move and realize he was more like Al than we want to admit. That Davidson game was pure magic and the Hillbilly was the one that recruited the players and had the team ready at the end.

My Warrior blood boils though when I recount how the Hillbilly left us. The last year he was here, he mailed it in.  And the shots he took at us and the Big East on leaving were juvenile.  I can't forgive that so I hope in time  that he becomes like Tom Crean -- calling it rather than doing it. And, that we never see him doing an MU game during our next four championship runs under Coach Wojo.

Absolutely agree

There's more then enough hate for crean (which I don't agree with) and a lot of love for buzz.

His schtick of "by golly, those kids don't know what love it until they met me, etc etc was really old". Not to mention the other off the court issues there was.

Give me wojo any day over that clown

[MU82]

I appreciate most of what both Crean and Buzz brought to our basketball program. I got a ton of enjoyment from watching all of Buzz's teams except for his final season (probably my most frustrating as an MU fan in the last 20 years), and most of Crean's, as well.

I did not like the way either left the university. Crean came off as a d-bag, and Buzz as a con man.

I don't actively root against either of them now, but I certainly don't care if they succeed or fail.

[Lennys Tap]

Misleading, yes they are hitting 40% as a team but it's low usage and largely driven by one shooter(Hill) which isn't dissimilar to the DJO teams. They are just above average in the amount of offense that is generated by 3pt shots (31.6%) this season. MU this year is generating 42% of it's offense via the 3(8th in the country) and the Buzzard's best MU year was 33.1% offense from 3s in 2010(Zar's senior year). Translation, they don't take a lot of 3s but when they do its usually Hill and they go in half the time.

Disagree. VT shoots 40.6% (MU 40.0%), 7 players have taken 20+ 3s (to MU's 4). They take 22.8 3s per game (#129, 35th percentile) while they rank #213 (60th percentile) in shots taken per game. Overall, 40% of their shots taken are 3s, well above average but at least somewhat balanced. Take Ahmed Hill out of the equation and they have 357 attempts. Take Markus out of our equation and we have 382 attempts. Remove Hill and they shoot 38.4%. Remove Sam and we shoot 37.3%.

Conclusion - two very good 3 point shooting teams. VT plays slower and is more balanced, but both are very good shooting teams skewed to the 3 ball.

[Herman Cain]

VPI with a signature road win over Notre Dame.  Any possibility Buzz could be matched up against Wojo in the first round of the tournament? Would be an interesting game .

[wadesworld]

VPI with a signature road win over Notre Dame.  Any possibility Buzz could be matched up against Wojo in the first round of the tournament? Would be an interesting game .

What is "signature" about that win?

[MU82]

VPI with a signature road win over Notre Dame.  Any possibility Buzz could be matched up against Wojo in the first round of the tournament? Would be an interesting game .

Notre Dame is injured and reeling.

Our win over Seton Hall was 10x more "signature" than VT's over ND.

IMHO, neither was "signature." Our win over Villanova last season was the definition of the term.

[dgies9156]

VPI with a signature road win over Notre Dame.  Any possibility Buzz could be matched up against Wojo in the first round of the tournament? Would be an interesting game .

The NCAA does not have that sick a sense of humor.

I know, I know. Years ago, the Tanned One was pitted against Michigan State (I was at that miserable game), when mentor coached against mentee. But I really don't think the NCAA wants to unleash in a tournament game with the kind of animosity that match-up would bring.

This is the NCAA's finest hour and the gutter in which this game would be played is inconsistent with what the NCAA is trying to present in its tournament.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Buzzy, buzz, buzz

https://youtube.com/v/ZYHK68-Pf2g

[Herman Cain]

The NCAA does not have that sick a sense of humor.

I know, I know. Years ago, the Tanned One was pitted against Michigan State (I was at that miserable game), when mentor coached against mentee. But I really don't think the NCAA wants to unleash in a tournament game with the kind of animosity that match-up would bring.

This is the NCAA's finest hour and the gutter in which this game would be played is inconsistent with what the NCAA is trying to present in its tournament.

Nonetheless, it would still be a fun game for all.

[Lennys Tap]

The NCAA does not have that sick a sense of humor.

I know, I know. Years ago, the Tanned One was pitted against Michigan State (I was at that miserable game), when mentor coached against mentee. But I really don't think the NCAA wants to unleash in a tournament game with the kind of animosity that match-up would bring.

This is the NCAA's finest hour and the gutter in which this game would be played is inconsistent with what the NCAA is trying to present in its tournament.

Sick sense of humor? Game played in the gutter? Unleashing animosity? Maybe for you. I think it would be an enteraining game, a very good  matchup. Great guards, great shooting, not much defense - I'd like our chances.

[Lennys Tap]

Another signature win for Buzz as V Tech takes down #2 Virginia on the road despite the fact that Ahmed Hill played only 8 minutes and didn't score (sick?).

(Sorry, didn't see the thread on the main board)