Buzz isnt coaching

[Knight Commission]

I see a talented team with little structure, including defense. Buzz needs to step it up. Its fine to let this team go on their own but he needs to assert some discipline and demonstrate that his team can play with more intensity on defense.  I worry about our teams in the future that need his guidance.

It looks like a summer rec league team.

[avid1010]

I see a talented team with little structure, including defense. Buzz needs to step it up. Its fine to let this team go on their own but he needs to assert some discipline and demonstrate that his team can play with more intensity on defense.  I worry about our teams in the future that need his guidance.

It looks like a summer rec league team.

Looked fine to me.  If he isn't coaching he sure is good at wasting 100 hours a week pretending to, and whoever is making the halftime adjustments should take his place 

[77ncaachamps]

I hear ya Knight...but I'm wondering - at this very moment - if I should be complaining when we're averaging over 100 points a game?

But I am concerned when: 1) the run-and-gun is missing the "gun" and 2) it comes Tourney time and MU is just fatigued.

[denverMU]

Maybe he has decided we can't play half court sets with the big bodies of the BEAST

[NCMUFan]

Hmm, I guess Buzz is always open to criticism, but winning by 20 and scoring a 100 sounds pretty good to me.

[Mayor McCheese]

No... he is coaching, you just aren't use to it because you are use to watching Tom Crean control EVERYTHING on the floor... which handcuffs players like James, Matthews and McNeal.

Buzz from what I watched tonight on offense runs sort of what my team I coach runs.

It is an open offense designed to let the players read and react off of each other.   Instead of having a set play where you go from point A to point B you are given options to move around in the offense, so long as you keep spacing.  This offense works with guards who can create their own shots (like James, Matthews, McNeal).  The offense is based off of many off the ball screens, cuts, all starting from outside the perimeter.  As we tell our girls, just play basketball.

Other teams that run this type of offense is a team like UMASS, who title it the "dribble-drive motion"

When we started running this offense for the girls team I coach, I right away thought it would be perfect for Marquette, and I see it a bit in the offense they are running this year.

Just because he doesn't have 1000 set plays like Tom Crean doesn't mean he doesn't have control. 

[mviale]

I am starting to understand why wesley matthews was Mr Basketball. 

Keep it up Buzz and let them play. 

[bilsu]

It takes time to learn a new system. Buzz wants the ball to go into the paint and come back out if there is not a shot. Crean had the guards dribble on top and drive off of picks. On defense Buzz is emphasizing playing without fouling. More of keeping your man in front of you instead of reaching for steals. Again a totally different concept then Crean's. even if the defense is as good as last year's the other team will score more points, because MU takes less time on each offensive possession resulting in more possessions for each team.

[MUshrooms]

I see a talented team with little structure, including defense. Buzz needs to step it up. Its fine to let this team go on their own but he needs to assert some discipline and demonstrate that his team can play with more intensity on defense.  I worry about our teams in the future that need his guidance.

It looks like a summer rec league team.

You're a moron.  This is the best we've looked in the beginning of the season in the past 4 years.  Buzz is doing nothing wrong.

[ErickJD08]

Agreed.. MU is scoring a ton.  Against bad teams but still scoring.  I am happy.  I want to see what happens when MU plays stiff competition.  Matthews is really loving this set. 

I just think the offense spaces well and lets our players work in open space.  Good stuff.

[Norm]

Have other assistant coaches taking over teams from the previous head coahces changed things as dramatically as Buzz? I'm not trying to be a smart ass, just don't know the answer. I have not been able to watch a game yet this year, but I've been reading this board and read a whole lot of posts worried about our defense. Is McNeal getting steals like in the past? Is James locking down his guy? Is the style of play really so different from last year as everyone seems to be saying?

[Pardner]

I see a talented team with little structure, including defense. Buzz needs to step it up. Its fine to let this team go on their own but he needs to assert some discipline and demonstrate that his team can play with more intensity on defense.  I worry about our teams in the future that need his guidance.

It looks like a summer rec league team.

My advice is to hold on to your horses this year...this is like the hurry up offense in football..trying to get as many possessions as possible.  In every game, we came out to establish the momentum...and his half time adjustments have been outstanding.  The Gang of Four were unbelievable tonight.  Buzz seems to keep adding little things on O.  The way JM, Lazar and Wes were hooking their man on the dribble drive tonight is NBA.  We won't know about D or in game coaching until Wis, but we are really short off the bench right now.  We desperately need Otule and Fulce for the BE--but this is going to be a special year as this team is rocking on O.

[mosarsour]

I am starting to understand why wesley matthews was Mr Basketball. 

Keep it up Buzz and let them play. 

+100000000000

Wes is really stepping it up this year and it's really look like this offense is built for his and Hayward's strengths. I'm honestly predicting a Tony Smith like Senior year for Wesley Matthews. He's been consistent on offense and has been automatic from the line ALA Steve Novak. If he can keep it up, I see no reason why Wes can't make it to the NBA. He's got the size, the strength and the IQ to make it to the next level. I know it's early and the competition has not been that great, but I really like what I see from him as well as Lazar.

Think about it guys, we've got 3 players averaging over 20 a game so far. I know it may not last, but so far, I'm impressed with what Buzz has done with the offense.

[4everwarriors]

Its refreshing to see an offense like this from MU. Today's athlete wants to get out and run. I, too, think you need to score "easy" baskets in the modern game. If Buzz' transition game is successful, no doubt elite recruits will want to be here. The game will be fun for them and give them a prelude for the Association similar to what Memphis and Calipari does.

[avid1010]

I thought Buzz's comments after the game were interesting.  He's not happy with the deffense, but said they need to take the first good shot as soon as they can get it.  He's so different from TC, and it's nice to see a smart player like Mathews be able to use his understanding of the game and his game, rather than having to run set after set. 

Recruits are going to like the thought of playing for Buzz and MU if he's going to play that style.

[MUfan12]

I'd be interested to see the numbers on all of this, but it seems that there are just so many more possessions with their style of play that the opponent is bound to score more. Especially the last two games were more uptempo teams as well.

Also, playing with 9 guys and a walk-on has made it very difficult to defend the way they are accustomed to. That's not an easy transition, going from aggressive all the time to having to be much more wary of fouls. I think they're still trying to learn how to pick their spots.

They do need to play some zone however, just to limit the temptation to reach in.

[Daniel]

I think the offense is exciting - posting up guards, quick open shots, everyone involved int he offense is fun to watch, and has worked well so far.

Defense is an issue, but I asked in another threas, as was stated above here, that out uptempo may be giving many more possessions to our opponents - just because we are shooting/scroing much quicker than we did under Crean.  So our opponetns get the ball back quicker - is this why we ar egiving up so many points per game, or are we wewaker on defense htis year, or both, or neither?  I really would like to understand this, as to me, we seem not as effective on defense.  Thanks

[MarquetteDano]

I agree with everyone saying that giving up more points is not necessarily the problem since we are giving opponents more possessions.  According to Pomeroy, we have the 8th fatest pace in college basketball.  We were 110th last year.

I must say giving up 80+ points to non-major teams is a concern, but we need a little more information before saying Buzz is not teaching good defense.  It will be really interesting when we play the Badgers, giving the contrasting styles now.  They are 163th in pace and we are 8th.  Who will be able to dictate the pace?

[OneMadWarrior]

If this is how they pan on playing under Buzz I couldn't be more pleased, its a system more recruits want to play in. It utilizes great athletes and to a point eliminates the need for defined positions sure the defense looks like its giving up more points, but I'd like to see cracked sidewalks change of pace calculations so we can learn if the defense and offense really are better/worse

[79Warrior]

I see a talented team with little structure, including defense. Buzz needs to step it up. Its fine to let this team go on their own but he needs to assert some discipline and demonstrate that his team can play with more intensity on defense.  I worry about our teams in the future that need his guidance.

It looks like a summer rec league team.

It is very difficult to make that type of judgement this early. I think you ought to wait until the competitiion gets a little tougher to really make a statement like that. He seems to have a pretty good handlt to me, but this will be a whole different situation once we play some real teams.

[denverMU]

OK, before anyone says it, I know we are not North Carolina, but a liken our offense to what they have been running lately.  They gave up 71 pts. to Penn and 67 to UCSB.  The good thing is we are averaging 100 pts. and they are averaging 82 pts.

[JSwarriors08]

I don't understand this thread...

Our team is 3-0 and has averaged OVER 95 PPG.  What is the stinkin' problem?

Some people just need something to complain about.  Buzz is doing a great job of creating a system that allows the players to utilize their strengths.  Our players are thriving and really starting to come into their own.  They look comfortable out there.

Buzz is a maniac when it comes to coaching.  He knows what he's doing and I like where he is taking out program.

I am ashamed that this is even a discussion right now.

[MuMark]

Actually our team is averaging 100 points a game......

As far as the defense is concerned looking at the stats the only real areas of concern so far are opponent 3 point percentage(.364) and opponent free throw attempts(75).

As a whole teams are only shooting 40 percent against us which is ok but not great considering who we have played.

If we had won this game 80-60 nobody would be concerned.

I don't think anyone is kidding themselves. There are some teams in the BE that will give us problems. No doubt about it. If we played slower they would still give us problems and we would have more trouble scoring.

Such is life for an undersized team.

[Ahoya06]

I don't understand this thread...

Our team is 3-0 and has averaged OVER 95 PPG.  What is the stinkin' problem?

Some people just need something to complain about.  Buzz is doing a great job of creating a system that allows the players to utilize their strengths.  Our players are thriving and really starting to come into their own.  They look comfortable out there.

Buzz is a maniac when it comes to coaching.  He knows what he's doing and I like where he is taking out program.

I am ashamed that this is even a discussion right now.

+1

[lurch91]

If we get into a plodding game with most teams, our height disadvantage will KILL us.  Running negates most height advantages (how many 6'10"+ aircraft carriers can run the floor for an entire game?).

If we can hold opponents to less then .400% shooting, while scoring 100+ each game, I'll take it.