Buzz's Pitt Gameplan

[downtown85]

If I were Buzz, what would I do?

Offense:
Use Matthews and McNeil to drive right at Blair.  Get the big fella in foul trouble early.  Force Young to guard the perimeter on Hayward.   This will open driving lanes to Blair for the others. 

Defense:
Use Burke on Blair.  Burke has done a good job at keeping opposing dominant big men to the season average or lower.  Use Mo to pester Fields all over the court.   Don't give him 2 inches to breath anywhere.  I am a little worried as to how we stop Young though. 

I predict the game will be won or lost on turnovers and at the free throw line.  This plays to MU strengths.  If the guys can execute, then we win! 

[ATWizJr]

Hayward on Young.

[gjreda]

Offense:
Use Matthews and McNeil to drive right at Blair.  Get the big fella in foul trouble early.  Force Young to guard the perimeter on Hayward.   This will open driving lanes to Blair for the others. 

That all depends on how the zebras want to call this one.  If they are going to allow Pitt to play physically, which I believe is going to be the case since it's at Pitt, then it's going to be very, very tough for MU to win this one.

[CTWarrior]

Hayward on Young.

In a vacuum, I'd prefer Matthews on Young.  He's a little more mobile.  We don't really have a good matchup against that kid, but that's no knock.  He's a heckuva player.

I think we should try to do what we always do.  Force them to player faster than they would like.  Expolit our quickness in transition.

I think the biggest key to this game will be if we can keep them from totally dominating the offensive glass.  They are tremendous offensive rebounders, particularly Blair. 

Downtown is also 100% correct.  In Pitt's losses, Blair has had to sit extended minutes due to foul difficulties.  Since Burke won't get him in foul trouble we need Matthews and McNeal to try to draw contact with him. 

[downtown85]

Another way to say it, if MU shoots more than 30 free throws, we win.

If we get a +10 turnover differential, that would help a lot also.  Especially since we are going to get smoked on the boards, most likely.   Our turnover advantage will counteract their offensive rebound advantage.  We just need to beat them at the free throw line. 

I agree, if the refs let them play (which they usually do at Pitt) it could be a tough night.  MU needs to be prepared to get physical.  Blair is going to try to make Burke his biatch.  Dwight, show him who's da man!

[lab_warrior]

I would also add in keeping their key bench players in check, Wannamaker and Biggs come inmmediately to mind.  I know Buzz hasn't used Fulce that much, but this kind of game really begs for him to play a decent amount of minutes.

[rocky_warrior]

Blair is going to try to make Burke his biatch.  Dwight, show him who's da man!

I would love for Burke to break out a little of his Taekwondo training and flip Blair over his back.  

[lab_warrior]

Would also love for Burke to knock down that 12 foot jumper like he did against Seton Hall, too.  Hey, I can HOPE, right?!

[MU B2002]

I would love for Burke to break out a little of his Taekwondo training and flip Blair over his back.  

That would be great, but it is one thing to flip Thabeet over your back since he weighs about 85 lbs, Blair would probably break Burke's back.


How 'bout we bring in Fulce for his signature "elbow" to the eye?

[CAINMUTINY]

Blair is going to get his, so I say we use Butler on Young as he's quicker laterally than Lazar. Keep Young & Fields to a relatively quiet night and we win.

BTW if we shoot 30+ FT we generally would beat ANYONE short of the 96 Bulls

[Big Papi]

If I were Buzz, what would I do?

Offense:
Use Matthews and McNeil to drive right at Blair.  Get the big fella in foul trouble early.  Force Young to guard the perimeter on Hayward.   This will open driving lanes to Blair for the others. 

Defense:
Use Burke on Blair.  Burke has done a good job at keeping opposing dominant big men to the season average or lower.  Use Mo to pester Fields all over the court.   Don't give him 2 inches to breath anywhere.  I am a little worried as to how we stop Young though. 

I predict the game will be won or lost on turnovers and at the free throw line.  This plays to MU strengths.  If the guys can execute, then we win! 

I agree on the offensive end.  If Pitt plays man to man, we should use the same strategy we used against UConn and go right at Blair and see if he gets himself into foul trouble.  Wether Blair gets into foul trouble or not, our forays into the paint will not be meet with a 7'3" shot blocker or tall athletic players with quick hops so we should be more productive in the paint tonight than against UConn and Louisville.

On the defensive end, Buzz has already stated that he plans on using more zone defense.  My guess is he is going to make Pitt try to beat us from the outside.  We will need to use our quickness to crash the boards and see if Pitt plays good transition defense. 

On another note, I don't know how badly Fulce would hurt us on the defensive end but I think his offensive skills around the hoop could cause Pitt some problems.  I will go out on a limb and say that he will get 3-4 minutes of game time tonight.  If he does, hopefully it will be due to strategy than foul trouble.

[Pardner]

This will be a physical game..Pitt almost always owns the boards unless Fields gets in foul trouble which he is prone to do.  It may help us his knee isn't 100%.  On offense they like to attack the rim and get the ball down low.  If you zero in on Blair, Young and crew will back pick.  They are steely tough. 

Here is one tidbit I noticed, they are a very right handed offensive team.  We need to over play here and force them left.  If they go right, that's when we double down on Blair...if they go left, they will try to swing it back so play the passing lanes on the perimeter.

MU offense?...do what we do best...north-south, paint touches, good shots with spacing so our guys are in position for boards.  Don't settle for threes which we are prone to do at the starts of games.  If it is just the two man game again early between Rel and Wes, we are in trouble.  The others need to step up early and take the open looks.  Rel will be out to prove something tonight.

Let's hope NYC Len isn't in the vicinity of a mic.