Where would we be without Acker?

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

He has had a really, really great year.

[21Jumpstreet]

Just had this same conversation.  I want him with the ball in crunch time.  He is solid and good from the line.  He is a big key to our chances of getting to/winning in the NCAA. 

[MauraDay]

He does a great job of handling the press, and can dribble through mutiple defenders w/out turning it over.
+free throws = clutch

[muballer10]

+1. Ice water, and from tip off to final horn, he does not make stupid plays. He understands his talent level and makes the most out of it.

[flash]

I want him shooting freethrows with the game on the line.  He played great today.. Nice job MO

[deep vacuum]

I'll take "5 Things I thought I'd never say or hear about Mo Acker for $500"

[GuyIncognito]

+1. Ice water, and from tip off to final horn, he does not make stupid plays. He understands his talent level and makes the most out of it.

Doesn't make stupid plays? Was this the first game you watched this year?

[marquetteff03]

in trouble

[MU gimp ONE]

someone correct me if i'm wrong, but didn't the announcer say before the game that Acker is #2 in the country in assist-to-turnover ratio?  plus he is shooting 47% behind the arc.  Thank you Mo for coming back to the team.

[IAmMarquette]

Doesn't make stupid plays? Was this the first game you watched this year?

I think you're confusing Acker for Cubillan.

[MarquetteDano]

Doesn't make stupid plays? Was this the first game you watched this year?

A little tough on a guy who is SECOND IN THE COUNTRY IN ASSIST-TO-TURNOVER RATIO.  Do you have someone else in mind at point guard who makes less mistakes on offense?

Yes, we all know his defense deficiencies.  On offense, though, I would like you to name a player who makes less mistakes at point?

[karavotsos]

It stinks that he got a turnover on the play where he grabbed the loose ball and got hit in the face, and the ref called a travel on him.  A little misleading to have that one count against him.

[MUFC9295]

Playing well within himself is the best comment regarding Mo.  Turnovers are, fortunately, unfamiliar this year (vis a vis steals).  And Mo has done a great job holding on to the ball to keep that statistic in our favor.  No way we win 3 on the road late in the season with a tourney bid on the line without his EXPERIENCE.  I personally thank you, Mr. Acker for your contribution and not letting Marquette drop off this year.

[NotAnAlum]

Never under estimate the value of seniors particularly at the point guard.  We will be taller next year, we'll probably be more talented but we may not be as consistent or as clutch.  Seniors just seem to play at a completely different level than they did the year before and Mo is the poster child.

[NersEllenson]

It won't be long before Chicos comes to this thread to tell us how so many people doubted Acker and that he, along with Cooby - the TC recruits - are an example as to how the cupboard wasn't left empty for Buzz. 

[4everwarriors]

Hey kudos to Lazar, Acker, and Cubillan. But, their success is due more to the fact they're seniors, than anything Crean could have predicted. Oh, but along the way, Buzz helped them out.

[Marquette84]

It won't be long before Chicos comes to this thread to tell us how so many people doubted Acker and that he, along with Cooby - the TC recruits - are an example as to how the cupboard wasn't left empty for Buzz.  

Looks like you just beat him to it!

Checking the box, Crean's recruits played 56% of the minutes today, scored 61% of the points, made 89% of our treys, grabbed 50% of the rebounds, dished 53% of the assists, and had 80% of the blocked shots.  Meanwhile, they were responsible for just 25% of the turnovers. (and that's not counting the contributions of Fulce and Williams, who committed to MU while Crean was still coach).

Not a bad day for the "empty cupboard."

[Daniel]

Without Acker, we would have lost another 5 games at least.  He has been a keystone on the team.  Thrilled that he came bacl.. TY Mo!

[4everwarriors]

Like I said, they are seniors. In Acker's case, a 5th year senior.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Crean didn't recruit Acker, you maroon. And kudos to him for giving a scholarship to St. Benedict's 5'10" 6th man, who is a poor ball handler and not quick enough to defend in the Big East. Cubillan was CLEARLY a bridge recruit...hoping to get others from teh Hurley family.

[Marquette84]

Crean didn't recruit Acker, you maroon.

You are mistaken.

Acker announced his transfer to in March of 2006.  Crean was still coach of MU then.  In fact, he actually played a year under Crean (2007-08). 

And kudos to him for giving a scholarship to St. Benedict's 5'10" 6th man, who is a poor ball handler and not quick enough to defend in the Big East.

Poor ball handler?  The guy is tied for SEVENTH in the entire NCAA for A/T ratio. SECOND in the Big East!

What is it going to take for you to give the guy the slightest bit of respect?  Is he destined for the NBA Lottery?  No.  But you make it sound like he's a turnover machine.  He's not--he's averaging less than one TO per game in about 30 minutes. 

As for defense, thanks to StatSheet, which has added Plus/Minus stats, we can finally put this one to rest.

Cubillan's Plus/Minus is plus 5.6.  For comparison, DJO is plus 5.7.  I know this isn't 100% infallible--but this notion that other teams are outscoring us significantly due to Cubillan's weak defense doesn't hold up. 

The point differential when Cuby is on the court is almost exactly the same as when DJO is on the court. 

Frankly, I find that amazing, considering that DJO is a more prodigious offensive player.  Even though he scores a lot more points--the Plus/Minus stats mean the other team is scoring a lot more when DJO is on the court as well.

Cubillan was CLEARLY a bridge recruit...hoping to get others from teh Hurley family.

Is that necessarily a bad thing?  It must have been a pretty good strategy, since we landed Tyshawn Taylor out of the Hurley family. 

Second, didn't Buzz do essentially the same thing with Maymon--putting up with him and his father hoping to land others out of the Madison Memorial family (specifically Blue)? 

Finally, if it was so obvious that Cubillan couldn't help a team win in the Big East, shouldn't Buzz have recruited a more able replacement sometime over the past year? 

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Acker transferred here to be near his buddy McNeal. There was no recruitment. It was a typical lazy way for Crean to fill out his roster...just as he gave a scholarship to Trend after Stemler rejected him.

[GOMU1104]

Acker has been phenominal this season. The only thing I could do without is him shooting anything inside the 3 point arc. He is terrible on his runners, he is terrible at layups in traffic...it is incredibly frustrating. Other than that...hes been great.


Oh, and PRN...is it really bad that Cubi was St. Benedicts 6th man? Do you realize how loaded that team was?

Along with Cubi they had...Harvey, Corey Stokes, Lance Thomas, Samardo Samuels and Greg Echinque

[GuyIncognito]

I will admit that the one thing Acker's got going for him are great ball handling skills, but this whole assist to turnover ratio thing is a bit of a farce if you ask me. The "stupid plays" I refer to consist of: poor quality 3's with lots of time on the shot clock, driving to the hoop and throwing up a brick to avoid getting rejected, and driving to the hoop and actually getting rejected.  Now, these plays, in my eyes, are turnovers, yet don't actually affect his ratio.

[NersEllenson]

Looks like you just beat him to it!

Checking the box, Crean's recruits played 56% of the minutes today, scored 61% of the points, made 89% of our treys, grabbed 50% of the rebounds, dished 53% of the assists, and had 80% of the blocked shots.  Meanwhile, they were responsible for just 25% of the turnovers. (and that's not counting the contributions of Fulce and Williams, who committed to MU while Crean was still coach).

Not a bad day for the "empty cupboard."

Surprise, Surprise..if its not Chicos its MU84 taking up for TC.  Thanks for crunching the numbers as to today's contributions by Acker, Cubiallian and Hayward.  Could you get back to all of us with what percentage of team points Jimmy Butler and DJO provide this season?  I suspect DJO and Jimmy Butler account for much more than MO and Cooby.  And did you really mention Erik Williams and Fulce?  We both know Buzz recruited and brought both of those guys here...yes Williams verbaled while Crean was still coach, but Buzz was his lead recruiter.  That said, Williams hasn't been much of a contributor.