Excited for next year

[HoopsMalone]

I know that there have been some mixed feelings about next season, some think good, others bad.  But I am very excited for the way the team looks on paper.

First, there is no way to replace what the seniors gave with freshman, but the team improves in so many ways.

Finally, I think we will have a center in Liam.  He is big and he is an athlete.  He has to give us at least what Barro gave us next year, which would be huge.  Monroe, Thabeet, and Blair might all be gone next year as well removing those matchup problems.  Hopefully Otule can give us a good backup.

Next, we have a true power forward in Maymon.  Every story about this kid's game sounds good.  He is the strong guy we need.

Then, Erik Williams gives us a long athletic guy.  Guys like Robinson at UConn had big games against us because we could not matchup athleticly or with size on guys like him.  Clark Williams have been hurting us with the same kind of players for a long time.

We have size at the point, and it looks like lots of it.  We can go thunder and lightning with Junior and Acker.

The big spot to fill is shooting guard, and some have Buyucks as a 3 star, while ESPN has him graded the highest of the recruits.

So, while interior defense gets better, perimeter defense is a definate question mark.

Lastly, I think that the veteran guys are itching to show what they can do again.  Acker and Cube are limited in their abilities, but they got stuck behind 3 studs so they would have to be excited to see their minutes increase.  Jimmy came in and played a big role, but should look to improve.  Fulce, who knows.

But, I don't think we have seen how good Lazar is.  He is borderline NBA talent like Steve Novak was, and Lazar will have the opportunity to show his stuff next year.  He needs to come out and be a leader at that tough Thanksgiving Tourney and at Wisco.

So, while we lose a lot, we gain a lot of balance.  We also probably not in a conference with 3 one seeds and 2 three seeds next year.

Lots to look forward to.

[RubyWiscy]

I am also excited about next year. Cannot really understand why people are so quick to write-off O'Tule and Fulce or assume they will transfer. O'Tule was rummored to be coming on strong until he got hurt. Fulce was considered to have greater potential than Butler until he got hurt. While both essentially redshirted this season, they had a full year of practice and learning under Buzz' system. The amazing thing is even if a freshman or sophomore look bad their first year, they have time to develop as a player. Not everyone is a superstar their first year.

As to Cubes and Acker, next year should be theirs. This year they were playing behind better players. Next year they will be the seniors with experience on their side. I would not be surprise to see Buzz showing respect for the seniors. He seemed to do that this year. Early in the season Hazel showed equal or maybe a bit more potential than Burke, but Burke was always the first option.

Anyway, the only player I definitely see going next year is Hazel. The rest, I am eager to see how they compete and fit in with the new class.  It will be a fun season for the true fans of MU bball.

[willie warrior]

i do not see the excitement about Acker. he is 5'6" and is slight. He will be eaten alive in the BEast when he tries to cover bigger and stronger PG's, and all of them are. His three point shooting is poor, and he cannot penetrate.

He is not a BEast PG. So please get over putting him out there that he will be some kind of stud, or even a good player. He is not BEast caliber--clear and simple.

[CAINMUTINY]

Acker more than has proved himself as being capable of running the point......is he not the tallest guy on the court? you bet, but he somewhat compensates for his height with all his other virtues

[Hards Alumni]

Acker is a career backup.

[HoopsMalone]

Acker has the same role as last year and the year before essentially.  He will be fine, and it will be nice to have some experience.

[mu-rara]

I am expecting next year to start slow and build.  Hoping for a last minute NCAA bid, but expecting NIT.  We will not be freshman / sophmore young, but will need time to learn how to play together.

Acker will start at the beginning of the season, but Junior will be starting at the end.  Buycks and Butler will have good years, as will Hayward.

Building year, not RE building

[Buzz Williams' Spillproof Chiclets Cup]

Took a two day vacation from Scoop.

Is it safe to emerge yet?

[MarquetteDano]

Count me as excited for the future, but not so much next year.  We are losing a tremendous amount of scoring (19 ppg, 18 ppg, & 11 ppg).  We are losing our best perimeter defenders.  We are losing our best ballhandlers outside of Acker.

We improve on the interior, no doubt.  But at center, McMorrow seems to have health issues and neither him nor Otule have much experience (key for the center position).

We still don't have a lights out outside shooter.  And that is scary given that we will not have the quality of penetrators that we did this year.

Don't get me wrong.  I think this recruiting class is excellent.  I think by the end of the season, we will be playing well.  But, I think we will be an NIT team next year.  I say we go 8-10 in the Big East.  I would be extremely surprised to make the tournament next season.

[HoopsMalone]

I understand the concerns, but the league is just not gonna be as good as it was this year.

[DomJamesToTheBasket]

I think we surprise just like we did when the Big 3 were Freshman. That class was special and everyone knew it before they arrived on campus. The incoming class is deeper and more highly regarded coming in. Cadougan has been rated higher than DJ. As more of a true point guard he should be pretty efficient from the start. Buycks has been called by some(incl. Buzz) the best guard in Juco. He's coming in as a junior with a lot of experience. Maymon comes in with credentials bigger than his frame. His all-around game will allow him to contribute right away with a chance of being a beast early in his career. Williams had a monster of a season. He has jaw-dropping potential and his defensive abilities alone will make him a difference maker on the floor. That's 4 recruits coming in who could be something really special. Throw in a Lazar Hayward, a healthy Fulce, a couple legit centers,  a couple senior guards, and you have a team with the cupboards stocked full.

[Badgerhater920]

i do not see the excitement about Acker. he is 5'6" and is slight. He will be eaten alive in the BEast when he tries to cover bigger and stronger PG's, and all of them are. His three point shooting is poor, and he cannot penetrate.

He is not a BEast PG. So please get over putting him out there that he will be some kind of stud, or even a good player. He is not BEast caliber--clear and simple.

You don't have to be excited about him. He's almost definitely going to be a back up who can hopefully step in a make a few plays or big threes. He had a huge second half against Nova and hit some big threes against UConn as well.

[IAmMarquette]

I think we surprise just like we did when the Big 3 were Freshman. That class was special and everyone knew it before they arrived on campus. The incoming class is deeper and more highly regarded coming in. Cadougan has been rated higher than DJ. As more of a true point guard he should be pretty efficient from the start. Buycks has been called by some(incl. Buzz) the best guard in Juco. He's coming in as a junior with a lot of experience. Maymon comes in with credentials bigger than his frame. His all-around game will allow him to contribute right away with a chance of being a beast early in his career. Williams had a monster of a season. He has jaw-dropping potential and his defensive abilities alone will make him a difference maker on the floor. That's 4 recruits coming in who could be something really special. Throw in a Lazar Hayward, a healthy Fulce, a couple legit centers,  a couple senior guards, and you have a team with the cupboards stocked full.

I like your optimism. And I like that word "surprise." I'd be lying if I told you that I thought next year's team would be as good as this year's, but I don't see the "fortunate to make the NIT"-type drop-off some are predicting. I could be absolutely wrong, but I think we might be the 6th or 7th BE team in next year's field of 64.

[HoopsMalone]

I think we might be the 6th or 7th BE team in next year's field of 64.

Maybe I have not researched the other teams in the conference, but it sounds like Villanova and Louisville are the two tough teams next year.  Syracuse will probably be number three, but after that I honestly think it is wide open. 

I would honestly put us and WVU as contending for the 4 and 5 spot in the conference next year.  UConn and Pitt lose a tremendous amount of talent.  Notre Dame stays the same or gets worse.  Georgetown loses a lot.  Providence loses almost everyone.  Seton Hall, Rutgers, and Cincy might be tougher next year I suppose. 

It's gonna be wide open to get the number four spot in conference again, and I like the talent that we have with some senior leadership.

[RawdogDX]

Acker more than has proved himself as being capable of running the point......is he not the tallest guy on the court? you bet, but he somewhat compensates for his height with all his other virtues

Just how many virtues can you name?  I have one: he doesn't turn the ball over. 
Which doesn't make up for his inability to drive, mediocre shooting, inability to stop the drive, inability to stop someone in the post, inability to run the fast break.
On the offencive side he doesn't hurt the team, he also doesn't help.  On defence he's a huge liability.

If he has the starting job come conference play next year it will be a disaster.  Let's pray that JC is good enough to take over.

[Badgerhater920]

I think WVU will contend for the Big East title of Ebanks comes back, which he should. In that case, they would only lose Ruoff, which, yes, is a big loss but they get Mazulla back and all three of their contributing Freshman (Ebanks, Jones, Bryant) should improve. Ebanks was spectacular at the end of the year and could be a Big East player of the year candidate. Also Georgetown returns everyone (I expect Monroe to return) besides Sapp, so watch out for the Hoyas.

[GooooMarquette]

Not sure I understand the hate for Acker on this board.  Does he have some limitations?  Sure. 

But for those who were paying attention on Sunday, many of our turnovers occurred in the first half occurred when Wes, Jerel and Dominic were helping to bring the ball upcourt.  In the second half, we started just giving the ball to Maurice and getting out of the way, and he had no problem with their pressure.  Note that this change coincided with our big comeback.  If we hadn't done this, we might never have made it a close game.

[GOMU1104]

Acker more than has proved himself as being capable of running the point......is he not the tallest guy on the court? you bet, but he somewhat compensates for his height with all his other virtues

Please explain yourself.


Acker is a backup PG in the Big East, and shouldnt play more than 10-15 mpg.  At that height, you have to do something special...what does Acker do?

[Nukem2]

Watch out for Seton Hall next year.  Transfers Herb Pope and Keon Lawrence as well as redshirt big man Melyn Oliver.  As long as Gonzalez can keep his emotions in line, this could be a scary good team.

[Tom Crean's Tanning Bed]

Please explain yourself.


Acker is a backup PG in the Big East, and shouldnt play more than 10-15 mpg.  At that height, you have to do something special...what does Acker do?

+1

As I pointed out on another thread, Acker shot less than 30% from 3 AND the field.  Unfortunately, he is also an offensive liability as well. 

[DaCoach]

Acker has the same role as last year and the year before essentially.  He will be fine, and it will be nice to have some experience.

Everyone in the BE knows Acker and his style. He seldom penetrates and when he does, he always dishes. Inside the 3 pt line, he's a liability. Defensively, he's at a great disadvantage when his man goes low. The bottom line is that we couldn't win with him starting after Dom went down. Why would I want him starting with a heavy freshman roster?