SportsCenter this morning: "Maurice Acker...it's up to you."

[romey]

That works both ways.  Other teams will now be prepping for our team sans James.  Lou will be pressing every time up the court.

In most sports, if a key player goes down, it changes the gameplan, chemistry ets.  Teams prep and practice the game plan leading up to the game with the "pieces" they have.  certainly, Acker was one of those pieces before the UConn game.  But we all know his role changed dramatically when Dom went down.  So, neither UConn nor MU had "gameplanned" for Dom playing 4 minutes and Mo playing 33 - or whatever he played.

So, thinking "we hung in there until the last 5 minutes with the #2 team in the country without our point guard" can be dangerous.  That is a true statement, no doubt.  But, what does that mean?  We had emotion on our side during the game (although some could argue Stanley Robinson had a little emotion of his own).  What this may mean is that UConn was less prepared to deal with the change in circumstances than we were.

Louisville, Pitt and Syracuse will be watching the last 36 minutes of game film while prepping for us.  There were some things that I saw with mo in there, that they will see and try to exploit.  Those things have been pointed out already on this board (height disadvantage, defensive shortcomings, inexperience, etc.)

Love MU!  Optimistic about our chances at every tip off. Let's raise some eyebrows tomorrow!

[4everwarriors]

I'm so tired of statements like this.  "we will survive" "the world isn't over", "we still have a chance"  Can you people put some thoughts into actual basketball language? 
I don't even know if i disagree.  Yes we won't all be dead.  Yes the sun will rise.  Yes we aren't mathematically eliminated.  BUT we aren't making a final 4 with a 5'7 pg and no frontcourt. 
What the hell does "We can survive" mean in actual literal basketball speak.  That we will win one of our final 3 regular season games?  That we will win 1-2 in march?  Or are you just letting us know there is a chance that most or all of the team will not be dead by next fall?

Couldn't agree more. This team was limited at full strength. But now, though DJ had many basketball flaws, don't expect more than 1 win in the Tourney. Basically, in basketball terms, this season is over.

[RawdogDX]

That's funny, because I'm getting tired of statements that say we can't win this year anymore.  There's plenty of talent on this team to continue winning games.

you just responded with the same kind of statement.  Sure we have talent to 'continue winning games' but not the next two games.  Possibly cuse.  Possibly 1 or 2 in the BE tourny.  Possibly 1 or 2 in the 64.  That is this teams ceiling, and that's not so bad, it's a pretty good team.  

With james you can add 4 to 6 wins on to that because we'd be a really good team.  And i'm bummed abot not getting a chance to see that happen. And I morn the loss of not getting to rub it in bilu's face.

I don't think that is being overly negative, and i don't know why people respond with: 'don't say the world is going to end, we're not dead. sure the sky is falling to right?'  statments like that aren't constructive.

[PE8983]

"2) Can we PLEASE stop with the Cubillan nonsense?  He's not a PG, and he will NOT see any time there.  Honestly, we would be much better off with Butler at the point.  Cubillan is not the same player he was 2 years ago, meaning that he can't shoot anymore and can't really play defense, despite his "pesky" demeanor.  His contributions are not going to change just because James went down.  I wish Cubillan nothing but the best, but that's reality."

Could not agree more.  His defense drives me nuts - hyper, robotic, slow, can't stay between his man and the basket, constantly beat off the dribble, others have to constantly provide help defense for his shortcomings.  Just because you jump up and down, slap the floor, wave your arms around - doesn't mean you play good "D".  Some fans seem to be fooled by this "matador" style of defense.  If he can't drain an open 3 (which he can't), he has no business playing in the Big East.  I understand his injuries may be a cause of this, and he appears to be a great teammate.  But, the reality is that he is not going to win us any games.

[TJ]

you just responded with the same kind of statement.  Sure we have talent to 'continue winning games' but not the next two games.  Possibly cuse.  Possibly 1 or 2 in the BE tourny.  Possibly 1 or 2 in the 64.  That is this teams ceiling, and that's not so bad, it's a pretty good team.  

With james you can add 4 to 6 wins on to that because we'd be a really good team.  And i'm bummed abot not getting a chance to see that happen. And I morn the loss of not getting to rub it in bilu's face.

I don't think that is being overly negative, and i don't know why people respond with: 'don't say the world is going to end, we're not dead. sure the sky is falling to right?'  statments like that aren't constructive.

I guess we'll just have to play the games and find out who's right.  I just don't see how switching from James to Acker on this team changes it from a team that can win 3-4 games in the NCAA tournament to a team that might win 1.  I mean to take nothing away from James, but this team was not a 1 person show.  There are still 3 very talented players on the court 35+ minutes a game.  Certainly Acker has to perform better than he has most of this season so far, but I am willing to hope he can do it rather than just assume on March 1st that we're 1 and done in the NCAA tournament.

[RawdogDX]

I guess we'll just have to play the games and find out who's right.  I just don't see how switching from James to Acker on this team changes it from a team that can win 3-4 games in the NCAA tournament to a team that might win 1.  I mean to take nothing away from James, but this team was not a 1 person show.  There are still 3 very talented players on the court 35+ minutes a game.  Certainly Acker has to perform better than he has most of this season so far, but I am willing to hope he can do it rather than just assume on March 1st that we're 1 and done in the NCAA tournament.

Have you figured out how replacing an all BE pg with a horizon league pg on a team with no inside game might have that effect yet?

[Boone]

Right. And yet there are those who think Acker should start next season. I don't get it. He's not capable of running an offense fulltime playing alongside Wesley and Jerel, so how could removing those two from the equation help his game or his ability to improve the flow of the offense? Cadougan can't enroll fast enough.

[TJ]

Have you figured out how replacing an all BE pg with a horizon league pg on a team with no inside game might have that effect yet?

What was DJ going to do last night to stop Blair?

[CTWarrior]

What was DJ going to do last night to stop Blair?

Make it more difficult to get the ball to him, for one.  Keep Fields under wraps better to allow the other guards to provide help, for another. 

But that's relatively small potatoes and you're right, he really wouldn't have made much difference last night.  Pitt overwhelmed us inside.  I was actually rooting for them to make their second free throws because I'd rather they score one than the inevitable two plus maybe a foul off the offensive rebound if they missed.

[jaygall31]

I don't think it's debatable that james is  needed in ever aspect of these games.

[RawdogDX]

What was DJ going to do last night to stop Blair?

Was he the guy who beat us all three of these games?  

You said you coldn't "see how switching from James to Acker on this team changes it from a team that can win 3-4 games in the NCAA tournament to a team that might win 1"

If you haven't figured that out yet i understand, somepeople take longer than others.  Let me know when you get here.

[HoopsMalone]

The team is fine with Acker out there.  He did do well in the Horizon League, and that could be who we play in the tourney the first game.  He is still better than a lot of Big Ten PGs too.  He knocked down some shot against Pitt and didn't really turn it over against L'Ville. 

Acker plays hard and plays good D.  Beats Joe Chapman or Fitz out there.

[CTWarrior]

Acker plays hard and plays good D.  Beats Joe Chapman or Fitz out there.

Huh?  Good D?  He cannot guard anyone unless they are 1) very short or 2) short and slow.  He does not do his job as well as either Chapman or Fitz did theirs. 

He is an acceptable backup PG for 6-8 minutes/game.  Anything more and he hurts a team that already has too many holes.  He seems like a good fellow and a good teammate and a hard worker and all that, but he just isn't a very good high D-1 PG. 

[IAmMarquette]

Huh?  Good D?  He cannot guard anyone unless they are 1) very short or 2) short and slow.  He does not do his job as well as either Chapman or Fitz did theirs. 

He is an acceptable backup PG for 6-8 minutes/game.  Anything more and he hurts a team that already has too many holes.  He seems like a good fellow and a good teammate and a hard worker and all that, but he just isn't a very good high D-1 PG. 

He did a hell of a job on McAlarney when we played ND, but aside from that, you're somewhat right. He's certainly not the defender that DJ is.

[TJ]

Was he the guy who beat us all three of these games?  

You said you coldn't "see how switching from James to Acker on this team changes it from a team that can win 3-4 games in the NCAA tournament to a team that might win 1"

If you haven't figured that out yet i understand, somepeople take longer than others.  Let me know when you get here.

We're not as good.  I get that.  I also underestimated the impact it would have on the other guys' minutes and fatigue factor - which I get now.  But you said we "might" win 1 game in the tournament, as opposed to 3-4 with James.  I still don't think that we lost so much that we can't beat a top 40 team (IF we drop to a 7 seed!).  I still don't see it and I won't until it doesn't happen.  More likely it's a top 44 team and then a top 12 team.  After playing 2 of 3 top 6 teams close given no prep time, you can say right now that we don't have any chance in round 2 and little chance in round 1?  How?

I may be overly optimistic, but there is far too much over-pessimism around here too.  The truth is somewhere in the middle.

[RawdogDX]

Ok, now you are just flat out miss-reading me.  I said "Possibly 1 or 2 in the BE tourny.  Possibly 1 or 2 in the 64" 
Not that we don't have a chance in round 2 and not that we have a little chance in round 1.  I think we'll probably win round 1 but there is a good chance we'll be up against a 2 or 3 seed in round 2.  It would take incredibly lucky match ups to take us deep.