MU is playing their best basketball in years

[mviale]

Thank goodness that Crean playbook bible is history.

[Tulsa Warrior]

Pat Hazel looks like a Big East player.  Otule keeps showing signs of what can be.  The three Amigos look like they have been playing together for four years ;-).  Hayward has become an Amigo.  Butler is contirbuting.  I just hope we see Joe Fulce contributing.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Thank goodness that Crean playbook bible is history.

Because of one game?      


Today was a lights out game, but let's not get weepy.  We played ok against Nova, not great and that was a mere 4 days ago.


If next week we lose or get blown out, will you say something different?   

[mviale]

My statement is based on the last 4-5 games.  I have not seen MU play this well in years.  Feels like a fine tuned O'neill team. 

[ecompt]

Today was beautiful, but if I were Buzz I'd warn them they can't expect to hit 16 three-pointers every night. Rutgers will be tough.
I loved seeing some of the flashes Otule showed. He looked strong on defense and wasn't bad on offense, even if the first shot from the lane was awkward.

[ErickJD08]

I agree.  The offense looks better but lets not get all juiced up yet.  McNeal went 7 for 7 from 3.  I wish we were playing Pitt today the way we were shooting

[mviale]

Teams are giving is the outside shot.  Lets take it

[Mufflers]

At a certain point just past the half way point of the second half, it seems as though Buzz told the players to not shoot threes unless they needed to.  I'm thinking that even though they were hot, Buzz didn't want them to feel too good about success with threes.

[mviale]

MU slowed down as they didnt want to embarrass Cinci - oops.

[chapman]

It only gets tougher for us.  Playing at Rutgers won't be easy, West Virginia is playing as well as we are, and Providence will be an even tougher road game.  The good news is we're playing well, and a blowout gives the starters rest and the bench some needed minutes.  Otule first came in when the game was close early in the first half.  We're going to need him in the regular rotation against teams with great inside play, considering we were within one foul of losing both Burke and Hazel against Nova.

[strobl2]

I really liked how otule played, and I hope he gets more time. Hazel played another good game in my opinion, and burke was decent. If they can come in and contribute I think we will be fine.

[avid1010]

Because of one game?      


Today was a lights out game, but let's not get weepy.  We played ok against Nova, not great and that was a mere 4 days ago.


If next week we lose or get blown out, will you say something different?   

No, because that offense often drove me nuts over the span of 9 years.  As far as us playing the best basketball we have in years...I'm not sure that's true, but we should be playing the best basketball we have played in the last 4 years.  I wouldn't get too high or too low at this point of the season.

[Badgerhater]

I do like the flow of Buzz's offense, but its an offense that is tailor made for very experience players like our Big 4 who can make good decisions and have a great amount of confidence.  It would be a trainwreck with less experienced players.

Any offense looks great when the shots are falling.

[Badgerhater]

What I really liked was after McNeal made a few 3s in a row, Cincy put a double team on him on the perimeter and he then passed to an open Mathews who popped a nice 3 of his own.

For MU to be successful, they have to continue to find a way to make teams pay dearly for double teaming one of the Big 4.

[MR.HAYWARD]

no kidding about 9 years of frustration, myself and anyone that knows anything about BBAll knew this team was aperfect fit for a motion offense.  the fans knew it the payers knew it the assistant coaches knew it, but Tommy Naismith knew better that is why we averaged 11 losses ayear with this group over the last 3 years.

[jmayer1]

no kidding about 9 years of frustration, myself and anyone that knows anything about BBAll knew this team was aperfect fit for a motion offense.  the fans knew it the payers knew it the assistant coaches knew it, but Tommy Naismith knew better that is why we averaged 11 losses ayear with this group over the last 3 years.

Will you ever stfu about Crean?  He's gone, get over it!!

[TallTitan34]

Remember the doom and gloom after the Dayton loss?

[bs4173]

Remember the doom and gloom after the Dayton loss?

[tower912]

I think we can safely say that Dayton was due to two games in two days with no bench and too many fouls called too early.    We are looking good, probably the best since March of 03, but it will only take one unexpected loss to turn this board ugly again.

[Daniel]

Great game to be at.  Otule was fun to watch - he has some potential inside adn will get better - good D and no fouls for him.  Hazel with the slam - wow!  And Butler played great D and pulled down more rebounds.  Fulce looked ok - will get more into the flow when he plays more.

Great team effort, great ball movement, good free throw shooting, and unreal 3 point shooting (hope we don;t fall in love with it too much ha).

Well done, Marquette! 

[wheresthecake?]

I truly enjoy the huge ovation that Otule gets for making fundamental post moves.  Granted it is probably just because Chris and his rec specs are a fan favorite, but it just goes to show how much Marquette has been missing a true post presence.  He's really the only guy that the guards will give it to with his back to the basket, you hardly ever see them give it to Burke or Hazel when they have post position.  Gotta be excited about the potential Otule has.

[mviale]

Great game to be at.  Otule was fun to watch - he has some potential inside adn will get better - good D and no fouls for him.  Hazel with the slam - wow!  And Butler played great D and pulled down more rebounds.  Fulce looked ok - will get more into the flow when he plays more.

Great team effort, great ball movement, good free throw shooting, and unreal 3 point shooting (hope we don;t fall in love with it too much ha).

Well done, Marquette! 

Just a reminder that we lived and died by the 3 pt shot in 2003

[ChicosBailBonds]

It seems to me it's rather simple.  4 guys that are playing have been essentially starters or 6th men since day one of their careers.  Incredible leadership and experience.

That allows Buzz great latitude to do things with this team that he won't be able to do next year.

So as one poster said, throw out the play book.  Well, in a way, yes, but for this year only.  The players know where they are supposed to be, it's been ingrained in them for years at MU.   

I severely doubt next year he's going to throw the ball out on the court and say .... "have at it boys" considering how young and inexperienced we will be.

The team is playing well and hitting from the outside, which helps everything.  Long, long, long way to go.

[Kramerica]

I think we can safely say that Dayton was due to two games in two days with no bench and too many fouls called too early.    We are looking good, probably the best since March of 03, but it will only take one unexpected loss to turn this board ugly again.

Wait, did you just compare this team to the Final Four team?  I'd hold off on comparing this team to that one.  That team had three future NBA players and an interior post game.  We beat a not very good Cincinatti team and a good Villanova team at home.  We still have very real weaknesses and we will be in trouble when we play teams like Pitt and UConn because we won't have a way to stop their big men, much like when we played Tennessee. 

That being said, I am excited about the way we are playing, but lets hold off on the Final four comparisons just yet. 

[MR.HAYWARD]

It seems to me it's rather simple.  4 guys that are playing have been essentially starters or 6th men since day one of their careers.  Incredible leadership and experience.

That allows Buzz great latitude to do things with this team that he won't be able to do next year.

So as one poster said, throw out the play book.  Well, in a way, yes, but for this year only.  The players know where they are supposed to be, it's been ingrained in them for years at MU.   

I severely doubt next year he's going to throw the ball out on the court and say .... "have at it boys" considering how young and inexperienced we will be.

The team is playing well and hitting from the outside, which helps everything.  Long, long, long way to go.

Wow  that is a very ignorant basketball post there Chicos.  First of all Buzz is not just throwing the ball out there and saying " have at it boys".  They are running an offense by design that has been practiced.  It is a motion offense. In complete contrast to the sets that Mu ran under Crean where he would call a play and everyone would run the play in an effort to reulst with a particualr out come.  ie Lazar comes off a double scrren on the wing. 
The motion becomes an equal opportunity offense whereby the players will all touch the ball possibly and if someone gets open in a good position to shoot they can or they continue the offensive flow. Crean would often call a play and if the option did not result we would call another play in a rush, often times the result would be a bailout three attempt by DJ as the shot clock ran out.  This all your eggs in one basket approach often left us in a desparation situation.  additionally, when you have 4 tremendous scorers and athletes why would you force a set play.  Let them all cut, screen and move and which ever one gains an advantage during that motion has the opportunity to take the shot.  My goodness all your years and great realtionship you tout with Bob Knight I am sure you would have been a huge proponent of the motion offense.  or are you just defending our old offense becuase of the man who implemented it?  I will also say this ...I absolutely guarantee we run a motion offense next year.  it is a better offense period, it is not an all your eggs in one basket offense.  If you have a DWADE then you run sets for him, if you have equal and babalnced talent motion is by far the best, I have been screaming this for  years as i watch the ball being pounded at the top of the key by Cordell, then Diener, and then DJ.  I swear there has to be a depression at that post worn by the Tommy Naismith offense. 

LAstly, motion is a player friendly offense.  If you screen hard and cut hard and get open you will get shots.  it does not bury guess like a Wes becuase the coach is not calling his number.  Much more friendly offense for players keeps them happy and is much easier to recruit to.