MU WINS. OOZE A STUD

[SoCalwarrior]

83-67.  nice job.  Barro 21 points (career high). 13 Boards. (matches career high).  Back to back double double.


19 for D. James
14 W. Mathews
13. McNeal

49% field
ft 14-21
23 turnovers (ouch)
12 steals
56 Rebounds 

[tweakers_suck]

Yes, that really was a monster game for Ooze.  He is performing above expectations lately.  Keep up the great work OOze!!

[NYWarrior]

OOOOOOOOOZEEEEEEEEEEE

outstanding!

[rocky_warrior]

And Cracked Sidewalks is the fastest to draw, with a recap up with 2 sec left in the game 

http://marquettebasketball.blogspot.com/2006/12/barro-leads-marquette-to-bg.html

[HoopDreams]

Ooze did impress tonite, and it seems like he is coming along..at least offensively. I just am not confident in his defensive skills. I also really wish that Ooze could become a little more versatile on offense. He struggles putting the ball on the floor and playing with his back to the basket. It seems like most of his scoring is done when open, under-the-hoop reverse, or follow-ups. Nice to seem him rebound more..I think he will continue to improve as the season goes on.

[SoCalstu09]

I think what Ooze really brings to this team is his defensive skills. His monstrous long arms really give average centers a tough time. I don't know how he'll do against Aaron Grays or Greg Odens who are huge, but against these little guys he is really dominating.

By the end of the game, I was confident that if Ooze got the ball, he would score. That is something I have never felt or thought possible before. He has really developed.

Just think if he had played organized ball before his soph. year in high school! He probably wouldn't be at MU if he had.

[State]

Still....

Over and over tonight I thought, "we are winning on hustle alone".  So many great moves to the rim resulted in a missed/blown shot.  Shouldn't complain with a win but I still haven't been impressed with the team (Yes...even I got amped about the Duke game).   I feel that a 'voice of reason' is needed for those that only listen/read about the games. 

We are getting close...but I would still challenge anyone to say that we are the #8 (or whatever the latest rating is) team in the nation.  (To negate the first response...yes I know all the BIGS have lost already and we haven't.)

"Outsiders"--do your best to get to a game to judge this team for yourself.  Individually there can't be a better team in the nation (seriously our 10 would destroy anyother 10 out there)...but team-wise it seems as guys are still trying to find themselves and their roles (ala Fitx is lost offensively...when did he become our defensive threat??....I could go on and on).

We will loose some games this year (huge shock!!)...but it will take a TEAM effort to realize that a Final 4 is not out of reach by any means.  I have great faith in Crean to motive and convince these young men that they are champions.



Anyone who thinks/post differently is flat out leading you on!!!

Great potential...but will they find it???

Let's all hope so!!

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

I would ecstatic to see Ooze follow that up with a solid game tonight and get named MVP. I'm betting the entire team would also like to see that happen.

[LastWarrior]

GREAT game for Ooze.  I really hope this builds his confidence and he can carry it into the rest of season.  He seems like a great young man and i'm very happy for him.  Just imagine... another big game tonight and he can be tourney MVP!!

[Big Papi]

Still....

Over and over tonight I thought, "we are winning on hustle alone".  So many great moves to the rim resulted in a missed/blown shot.  Shouldn't complain with a win but I still haven't been impressed with the team (Yes...even I got amped about the Duke game).   I feel that a 'voice of reason' is needed for those that only listen/read about the games. 

We are getting close...but I would still challenge anyone to say that we are the #8 (or whatever the latest rating is) team in the nation.  (To negate the first response...yes I know all the BIGS have lost already and we haven't.)

"Outsiders"--do your best to get to a game to judge this team for yourself.  Individually there can't be a better team in the nation (seriously our 10 would destroy anyother 10 out there)...but team-wise it seems as guys are still trying to find themselves and their roles (ala Fitx is lost offensively...when did he become our defensive threat??....I could go on and on).

We will loose some games this year (huge shock!!)...but it will take a TEAM effort to realize that a Final 4 is not out of reach by any means.  I have great faith in Crean to motive and convince these young men that they are champions.



Anyone who thinks/post differently is flat out leading you on!!!

Great potential...but will they find it???

Let's all hope so!!

I have to agree with you State on that I dont think we are a legit top 8 team at this point in time.  I am very happy with our record, our effort and our wins over Duke and Texas Tech but there are some glaring weaknesses that I think puts us a notch below some very good teams.  I did not see the game yesterday but it sounds like Barro scores a majority of his points off of penetration or rebounds.  He is an above average scorer around the rim but how many of his points come from outside of 5 feet?  I am really impressed with his rebounding totals and overall team rebounding but our 3 point shooting, free throws and lack of legit post scoring are going to be huge deficiencies to overcome consistently against the big boys.

[DoubleMU0609]

I did not see the game yesterday but it sounds like Barro scores a majority of his points off of penetration or rebounds.  He is an above average scorer around the rim but how many of his points come from outside of 5 feet? 

I don't know that Ooz's points need to come from more than 5 ft. away.  Even if he's just scoring on put-backs and easy dishes from our penetration he's making them.  The ones he's getting off offensive rebounds especially are points that we wouldn't have had otherwise.  Last year he wasn't making those plays.  Him stepping up has added a lot to this team and has allowed us on some nights of poor shooting to still win because he is taking those misses and turning them into 2 points.

[Big Papi]

Barro has made a huge improvement, no doubt about it. Balls that he fumbled away last year, he is now handling and scoring.  I just don't see a player on our team that can post up and make something happen inside on their own.  Again I have only seen a few games this year and yesterday was not one of them but it seems like Barro's productivity comes from guard penetration and putbacks against lessor competition and not from creating it on his own.  And I don't see anyone else on our roster who can.  I think you can get away with that if our guards could consistently hit their 3s but without either, I don't think we can matchup with the best of the best.

[DoubleMU0609]

I'm not trying to say that Ooze's stats don't come mostly from our guard play, but a defense would have to completely negate our guard play (shooting and penetration) to deny Ooze most of those baskets.  I just don't see that happening with the total number of guards that can shoot and get to the basket.  Obviously Ooze won't go for 20 and 10 against Pitt, but I think he's still capable of 12 and 8.

[Big Papi]

I'm not trying to say that Ooze's stats don't come mostly from our guard play, but a defense would have to completely negate our guard play (shooting and penetration) to deny Ooze most of those baskets.  I just don't see that happening with the total number of guards that can shoot and get to the basket.  Obviously Ooze won't go for 20 and 10 against Pitt, but I think he's still capable of 12 and 8.

Fair enough.  I actually have a bigger concern with our 3 point shooting.  Teams will zone and better teams will play off of our guards if we can't threaten them with our outside shooting.  That will make things a lot more difficult for Barro and everyone else.  I am hoping that Fitz, Matthews and Hayward start to become more assertive with their shots, Dom continues to work on his 3s and Cubillan's impressive play continues where he ends up forcing TC in giving him additional minutes.  Better outside shooting as a team will allow Barro to put up his numbers.  Otherwise I don't see it continuing.