Jay Wright......Genius or Idiot???????

[Big Papi]

Since just about everyone here thinks McNeal should have waited and chucked up a shot with 6 seconds left on the game clock, in essence leaving Nova with no legit decent last second shot, is Jay Wright a genius for knowing MU was going to screw up the last possession or an idiot for not fouling???????

[Daniel]

Probably neither.  He was thinking if we scored a two even last second he has 5 seconds to bring the ball up a bit and host a 3 to tie; or there could have been a turnover; or a blocked shot; or a miss.  Game was ours.  We fought so hard to get back in

[rocky_warrior]

There's only 1 thing I'd call Jay Wright (and his team) today: lucky

If I weren't rooting for the losing team, it would have been a fun game to watch!

[MuMark]

I think Wright was an idiot for not fouling. Down 1 even if MU makes both Free throws they still have a chance to tie the game.

I think 90% of coaches would foul after trying for a steal to extend the game.

He was very fortunate they won the game or he would have been the subject of big time 2nd guessing by the Nova fan base.

[mu_hilltopper]

I don't see it.  Even if MU drained all 35, Nova would have had at least 5 seconds.  That's PLENTY of time to get off a shot.

I mean, maybe you foul at 9-10 seconds, but it didn't get that far (thanks to Jerel wanting to be the hero.)

[VegasWarrior77]

Jay Wright is an idiot because he used up all his timeouts.  You wouldn't see Buzz getting caught without any timeouts at the end of the game!

[nyg]

Agree, lucky.  But also winner.

[Joe Thompson]

I don't see it.  Even if MU drained all 35, Nova would have had at least 5 seconds.  That's PLENTY of time to get off a shot.

I mean, maybe you foul at 9-10 seconds, but it didn't get that far (thanks to Jerel wanting to be the hero.)

The reason that appeals to some people is that you don't have the frantic situation we saw at the end of the game. Yes, draining the 35 clock gives Nova the chance to set up a play. But it also allows MU to settle in and set up their defense. Perhaps the mindset of certain players is different without the bang/bang of a blocked shot turning into defense?

Add token pressure on the inbounds and dribbler up court and ask the help defender to cheat on the pass to create a "hurried" shot. Odds are that Nova misses and MU wins.

[NavinRJohnson]

I like Buzz, but if Wright wanted to come coach at MU, I'm sure Buzz could find another job.

[Big Papi]

The point of the topic was that it was not a slamdunk stragegy to run the shot clock all the way down to zero, chuck up a shot and we win the game.  Jay Wright the Big East coach of the year felt that his team would get a decent chance of putting up a shot to tie or win the game with a minimum of 5 seconds left on the clock.  Yet all of the non collegiate coaches on this board seem to have a better handle on what should have been done at the end of the game. 

I don't mind reading various posts on what each individual would have done under the circumstances thats whats fun about these boards but there is no 100% correct answer to this question.  To blast Buzz or McNeal for that one play is ridiculous.  Ask a hundred coaches what they would do under the circumstances if they were in Buzz's shoes or Wright's shoes and I don't you get an answer where 99 or 100 coaches would have done the exact same thing.   

[ecompt]

Wright should have fouled Jerel right after he got the ball from Mo. That would have given Nova 30 seconds to recover even if Jerel hit both FTs.
That aside, if McNeal doesn't drive, waits till the shot clock is down to 3 and fires the same stupid shot he took the previous trip, chances are we win. By the time Nova rebounds, they would have four seconds to grab the rebound and run upcourt. Then it wouldn't have mattered if Jerel wasn't guarding his man. It was a perfect storm of missed opportunities.

[Big Papi]

We are also expecting a non-point guard who is usually never put into the position of handling the ball at crunch time to make a pefect point guard play.  McNeal should not be put in the position that he was on the offensive end (ball handle and create from the top of the key with the clock winding down).  Not his strong suit.  Problem is our options are limited and a different strategy should probably be used going forward.   

[Pardner]

Stupid.  Down one no TO's you foul Mo in the backcourt to put a guy on the line who hasn't been in that pressure cooker all year.  You need to extend a game there.  Mo makes both free throws and it is still a one shot game with plenty of time to deal with contingencies.  If MU makes a three, Nova fans are calling for Wright's head for not fouling.

[79Warrior]

considering Jay won, he is a defacto genius.

[CTWarrior]

I don't see it.  Even if MU drained all 35, Nova would have had at least 5 seconds.  That's PLENTY of time to get off a shot.

I mean, maybe you foul at 9-10 seconds, but it didn't get that far (thanks to Jerel wanting to be the hero.)

Not with no timeouts.  You shoot at 33 seconds (7 seconds left in the game) as long as the ball finds rim by the time the rebound is gathered and the ball is given to a guard you have about 3-4 seconds to do something, you're talking about a 30 footer on the move at best at that point.  For example Jerel took the last shot with 11 seconds on the shot clock, 16 on the game clock, and it took 6 seconds after he released the shot for Nova to get it across half court.

I could not get out of work and I DVR'd and watched when I got home.  Jerel took the first three with 56 seconds left (not 40) and 12 on the shot clock.  I do not question the timing of that shot, just the difficulty of it.  We should have worked for a better shot.  He started his drive in our last possession with 15+ seconds to go, about 5 seconds too soon.

For those of you who are picking on Buzz, his end of the game strategy was classic Tom Crean.  Give the ball to one guy and have him run some clock and go one on five.  Dreadful strategy, I agree, but right from Buzz's predecessor's playbook.

[mugoose]

same scenairo with cuse at uconn right now

boeheim went for the foul. and it worked