Maurice Acker !

[Murffieus]

Mo Acker doesn't get much respect on the MU boards eventhough against six of the best teams in the country last year (3 of them #1 seeds)-----he had a 2.4-1 assist to TO ratio, shot 44% on treys, and did an excellent job of bringing the ball up against pressure.

What we haven't examined is his sophomore year where in 13 mpg he averaged 44% on FGs (53 out of 120 attempts), 43% on treys (26 out of 61 attempts), and had 62 assists.

Furthermore in his Soph year he averaged approximately the same amount of assists per minute of play (62 assists in 13 mpg) that DJ did that year. DJ had 154 assists in 31 mpg.

My purpose here is not to start a DJ vs MA thread here-----but instead to use DJ's assist performance as a benchmark as to what standards are set by quality PGs.

IMO, MA will be our starting PG and all things considered do a better than adequate job there. Experience is the best teacher------successful prime time experience is hard to beat.

[strotty]

The hate on Acker has little to do with his offensive skillset.  While he isn't a scorer, he does a nice job running the offense and is an above average passer.  It never hurts to have a senior running the point, but where people run into problems with Mo is his defense.

He is a liability and definitely not cut out for the Big East in that sense.  His size does not allow him to play physical and any tall point guard (6'2" on up) is going to get just about any shot he wants, even if Mo closes out perfectly.

[Blackhat]

Not to mention the holes that will open up on your d when you need to bring help every time down. 

[GGGG]

Experience is important...but not as important as talent.

MA may start the season as the starter, but my guess is that Buycks is starting pretty quickly. 

[Nukem2]

Not to mention the holes that will open up on your d when you need to bring help every time down. 

Also, the offense is slowed down as well since he has difficulty getting into the lane on offense as his size limits his effectiveness.  Good open shooter and ball handler. Whether he starts or not, he will get solid minutes due to lack of depth at guard. 

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

I like Acker...always have. He's not the kind of point guard we're used to with Diener and James being primary scoring options. There is nothing wrong with that. As far as his defense, of course a guard could post up a guy smaller than him, but how many guards in the NCAA are offensive threats from the post? Not very many. The guy hustles and he played a great game against Syracuse...save for his final pass that Flynn picked off.

[The Lens]

If Acker is going to play, he needs to look for his shot and shoot without hesitation. 

I'm still not convinced he's the starter.  Even before Cadougan went down, I thought DJO & Buycks were our starters.   

[Boone]

Buycks ran the point all summer in pickup games and was his JC team's PG last year. He'll start at the point. It's a no brainer.

[Murffieus]

To you guys who think that MA can't play defense -----did you know that on a per minute played basis the past 2 seasons that Acker has as many steals as DJ and and in the ballpark with McNeal's steal per minute played totals the past two seasons? Now steals certainly aren't the sole gauge of good perimeter defense (although McNeal was BE defender of the year based on steals)----but there is no reason in the world with his quickness he can't be taught to stay in front of his man-----also as far as people shooting over him is concerned, he's about the same size as Cordell Henry who kept shooters at bay very well defensively.

BTW Boone----there is a huge difference between a rookie (Bucyks) playing PG in preseason scrimmages and in playing against some of the best PGs in the coutry as Acker has done successfully!

[4everwarriors]

If Acker is your starting 1 guard this season, we're in deep dung. Might be a nice guy, good dresser, cool with the ladies etc., but NOT a Big East talent. He's not a threat to score, can't check anyone, and doesn't direct the offense with authority. About the only thing Mo has going for himself is that he doesn't turn it over. IMO, should play a relief role of 8-10 minutes/game.

[bilsu]

I think people do not realize that it was Acker's job not to screw up the last six games. It was not his job to take over the game. Last year's team was not designed for him running the show. If he turns out to be the point guard this year, than Buzz will have to design the offense and defense to account for his strengths and weakness. He will have a more active roll in the offense. Having said that, I think we start 4 forwards and Buycks. Acker will not be the starter.

[Boone]

Why am I not surprised that Glaser can't grasp the concept of Buycks starting as a no brainer?

[mug644]

I sure hope Acker is a 'chip on his shoulder' kind of guy. People love to lambaste his size, his skills, his performance, his contributions...hell, even his presence on the team. I hope he reads all this and get driven to prove everyone wrong. For what it is worth, I think he did prove many naysayers wrong with how he stepped in at the end of last year, not that I believe he proved himself to be a high-level BE PG.

I think we know what we have and what we will get from Acker, and it is no longer necessary to debate his past performances. I'm guessing that however much playing time he gets this year tells us more about how Buzz feels about other players than how he feels about Acker. If younger players prove themselves ready, or if we are so out of the post season picture, Buzz will have Acker on the bench, with the desire to look ahead being most important.

Anyway, I hope Acker hates reading all the hate, and turns that into motivation for a good season.

[madtownwarrior]

I think with proper ankle taping and a steady diet of listerine, Acker will be a starter...

[muPARTY]

I sure hope Acker is a 'chip on his shoulder' kind of guy. People love to lambaste his size, his skills, his performance, his contributions...hell, even his presence on the team. I hope he reads all this and get driven to prove everyone wrong....

i think he does other things to relieve that kinda stress, right?   

[willie warrior]

Acker cannot D anybody 6 feet or over, he cannot shoot and cannot penetrate. He is not BEast talent. If we are going to rely on him, we are in a world of hurt. Please stop deluding yourselves.

[Murffieus]

Acker cannot D anybody 6 feet or over, he cannot shoot and cannot penetrate. He is not BEast talent. If we are going to rely on him, we are in a world of hurt. Please stop deluding yourselves.

Not BE talent?----Looked to me like Acker he stood up very well against some of the best PG s in the nation those last 6 games vs top 10 teams.

Bilsu said it best when he said that it wasn't his job last year to take the initiative from Mathews/McNeal-----it was his job to not make mistakes and to hit catch & shoot treys when his guy sagged off on WM & JM-----which he did.

As far as "not being able to take it to penetrate"----that's bogus---he brokedown the CUSE zone better than anyone all year via penetration-----he's just not going to finish at the hoop----but he will draw bodies and kick the ball back out (a chance of 3 points vs 2).

Sitting a senior with successful BE & NCAA experience would be a mistake!

[pbiflyer]

Not BE talent?----Looked to me like Acker he stood up very well against some of the best PG s in the nation those last 6 games vs top 10 teams.

How many of those 6 games did we win??? I would think winning would be the true measure of a basketball player.

[IAmMarquette]

How many of those 6 games did we win??? I would think winning would be the true measure of a basketball player.

I'm not sure exactly how I feel about Mo as our starting PG, but looking at those games from last year, how many can you say we would have definitely won with James in the game? In which of those games did Acker's shortcomings as a player directly cause Marquette to lose?

[pillardean]

How many of those 6 games did we win??? I would think winning would be the true measure of a basketball player.

How many were we favored to win? (Being favored doesn't mean a whole lot, but as Chicos claimed with Super Bowls it matters to a small degree to show team expectations).

At Loiusville-No
At Pitt-No
Home Uconn-No
Neutral Villanova-I don't think so (lost on last second shot)
Neutral against Missouri-No-winning in last minute, however.
Home against the Cuse-Maybe, don't recall.  Lost in OT.

IMO, Acker played well enough in those games to give the team a chance to win the games.  They didn't.  A bounce here or there and the game would have been to MU.  You could make the claim that if he had more substantial minutes during the season he would have faired even better running the team down the stretch.

[Daniel]

We are better off having Mo on the team this year than not - that's for sure.  He has defensive issues, but was great at times, (like against ND), but he can't slash to the basket and score - not a threat there - so that limits getting a pass off to an open guy as a slasher can (like DJ).  Can't do much about that.... defense is what he should key on.

[Murffieus]

How many of those 6 games did we win??? I would think winning would be the true measure of a basketball player.

THERE ARE 5 PLAYERS ON THE FLOOR at a time----NOT JUST ONE.

[pbiflyer]

THERE ARE 5 PLAYERS ON THE FLOOR at a time----NOT JUST ONE.

Thought the sign of a good pg was to make those around him better.
I am happy to have Mo. Just don't think he is going to be our starting guard to get that 10-8 record you project for us.

[GOMU1104]

Murf...we get the point. You have been trying to make this argument for the last 8 months. You obviously believe in it, while others are skeptical. Both sides are entitled their opinion, and I do respect that, and I respect your passion.

However...give it a rest! We get it!!

You have called out Vander Blue and Brett Favre in the past for doing things to draw attention to themselves...yet you are doing the EXACT same thing.  Any time this years PG situation comes up, your shtick starts right back up again. It was old in April, and now its September...

We all know how you feel, give it a rest.

[Murffieus]

Thought the sign of a good pg was to make those around him better.
I am happy to have Mo. Just don't think he is going to be our starting guard to get that 10-8 record you project for us.

Depends on the system-----in Crean's system he put a lot of pressure on his PG to perform as the PG in that system
had more touches and spent more time with the ball (east/west dribbling)than any other guy on the floor. With 5 apg, I guess he did make it easier for others (but just 5 times a game).

However, if Buzz plays his passing/motion offense (which I think he will), the PG plays a relative passive role with no more touches or time with the ball than any other player on the floor. In that role all he has to be able to do on offense is bring the ball up against pressure, be able to shoot treys, and to be able to drive the seams of the defense and kick out-----all of which Acker does very well.