It Looks Like We Need Some Size if We Want to Compete With the Big Boys

[willie warrior]

That is a no brainer. We better have a center next year and not try to compete in the BEast with 4 guards and a forward.

[nyg]

That is a no brainer. We better have a center next year and not try to compete in the BEast with 4 guards and a forward.

Final rebounds 41 to 18
Blocks 4 to 0

Don't know about a Center, but a big PF beast would be nice. 

[Bling]

That is an understatement.  We need some mfing size.  We had 18 rebounds.  18!!!!!! They had 38.  Too many second chance points you give up having no big men to protect the paint.  We finally got blown out, and nobody should be surprised.  I'm surprised we haven't been blown out all year because of our inferior height.  

Time to put this behind us, rest, and get ready to battle another tough game out......

[JakeBarnes]

Clearly Buzz has failed and should recruit a Big before the tourney

[96warrior]

I"m not going to say we don't need a big, of course we do. But we beat this very same Georgetown team in January and it's not like they sprouted 6 inches each in the past couple of months. We had an off night. It happens. Maybe in the bigger picture it's good news (avoid the 8 seed, get some rest before the tourney).

That said, losing like this sucks. I'm glad we have only had this one blow out all season long.

ONE BLOW OUT ALL SEASON! As said in another post, perspective. This is still an amazing team. Loved how Zar was still in it on the sidelines after fouling out and it was clear we were not going to win, still cheering his teammates on.

[wadesworld]

Huh?  5th place in the best conference in the nation and a semi-finals appearance in the BET isn't competing?  Really?  We might need size to WIN the conference, but we're definitely competing with "the big boys."  Not to mention we beat this same Georgetown team earlier this year (I'm assuming that's who you're referring to as "the big boys").  How many Big East teams did we not beat this year?  West Virginia, Syracuse, Pitt, and Notre Dame.  And this is the first time we've lost by double digits.

I get your point.  We need a big.  But to say we can't compete without one?  Please.  We have all year.

[Bling]

Huh?  5th place in the best conference in the nation and a semi-finals appearance in the BET isn't competing?  Really?  We might need size to WIN the conference, but we're definitely competing with "the big boys."  Not to mention we beat this same Georgetown team earlier this year (I'm assuming that's who you're referring to as "the big boys").  How many Big East teams did we not beat this year?  West Virginia, Syracuse, Pitt, and Notre Dame.  And this is the first time we've lost by double digits.

I get your point.  We need a big.  But to say we can't compete without one?  Please.  We have all year.

Maybe he was meaning to say that in order to get to that next level, we need some big dudes.  We've been pretty consistent winning at least 10 Big East games the last 5 seasons or whatever.  But I agree that to avoid these early exits from the NCAA and get a Sweet Sixteen, we need to start recruiting some big brawling bulky dudes. 

[downtown85]

I have never seen this topic on this board before.  Honestly, I am tired of this topic.  I am more concerned about what we will be seeded and who is in our bracket.  

Perhaps we will have some recruiting news (regarding a big) after the NCAAs.  

[goodgreatgrand]

That is a no brainer. We better have a center next year and not try to compete in the BEast with 4 guards and a forward.

I love how people on here like to always downplay the significance of losing out on a big man recruit. WHen Deshontey Riley decided not to come to MU, everyone was happy because he's "lazy" and "doesnt play hard." Apparently, everyone things Buzz is simply capable of recruiting a top-flight big man out of h.s. at some point. It doesnt happen. MU needs a track record of developing successful bigs to land bigs and we gotta start somewhere.

[WxWarrior]

MU needs a track record of developing successful bigs to land bigs and we gotta start somewhere.

We certainly have the projects, Otule & Yous... I guess time will tell.

We simply ran out of gas tonight and GU is playing incredible ball.

[buckchuckler]

Haven't we had this thread like 50000000000000000000000 times already.  Get over it.

[MU_83_florida]

I am sure Syracuse is asking for some more height since they also lost to Georgetown

[The Pickle]

North Carolina has incredible height and 8 McDonalds All Americans and they suck balls...

[Tom Crean's Tanning Bed]

That is a no brainer. We better have a center next year and not try to compete in the BEast with 4 guards and a forward.

[jesmu84]

i wish people wouldn't respond to willie's posts. which are almost always negative. and more often than not show up after a loss. are gumbynpokey and willie the same person?

[Ari Gold]

i wish people wouldn't respond to willie's posts. which are almost always negative. and more often than not show up after a loss. are gumbynpokey and willie the same person?

Only 18 ignores? He's an amateur

[wojosdojo]

96warrior said it pretty damn well.

Therefore, you honestly think we NEED a big to compete? Dude, this was our first blowout all year. WV is big. You probably missed that game along with X, L'ville, the first Gtown game and so on. Yes it'd be nice to get someone big, but the way MU plays and as freakin hard as they work, I think over the past 2 years we've learned how good we are with this four guard lineup. Don't let this loss effect what has happened all year.

[willie warrior]

I have never seen this topic on this board before.  Honestly, I am tired of this topic.  I am more concerned about what we will be seeded and who is in our bracket.  

Perhaps we will have some recruiting news (regarding a big) after the NCAAs.  

If you are tired of the topic--don't read it. Lots of us are tired of getting our asses handed to us down low. It is an important topic, and our recruiting efforts are lacking in this area.

[MUFC9295]

Big or small the basketball acumen has to be there.  Last night, GT left the paint wide open on more every possession in which we had a half-court set up.  Our boys could not, or would not, penetrate.   Bid or small, you have to have the players to recognize opportunities and adjust to them.  If we get the bigs we all know we need, I hope they know just as well when to pass to the perimeter as they likely do when to take it to the rim.

[CTWarrior]

I think the fatigue factor of three games in three days coupled with the lack of size was a big factor.  You can offset a size deficit with energy and effort to a degree, bet when your rotation is 7 and your undersized 4 and 5 are playing max minutes, it will catch up with you eventually if you play every day.  Anyway, sheer size comes to the front more as energy wanes.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Anyone think that the 3rd game in 3 days for a team already very short on reserves had anything to do with it?

Did we get smaller in March vs what our size was in January when we beat this same Georgetown team?  How did mighty Rutgers beat Georgetown (a team MU beat)?   How did Old Dominion?  How did South Florida (a team MU beat)?

Of course everyone wants a big, so do 346 other DI teams.  Doesn't mean we can't compete without them.  But rest assured, with only bigs and no good guards, you have ZERO chance.

[MUFC9295]

If there was fatigue, it looked to be mental and not physical.  To the last possession our boys played with everything they had and they didn't look like the tank was empty.  I offer in that the decisions made were more questionable and uncharacteristic, the mental game was on a downtick.  When the bounces didn't go our way and the shots wouldn't drop, the decision making wasn't there to compensate.  MU didn't make dumb decisions, just not the better or best ones.  That's a result of 3 games in 3 days versus very tough opponents.  Remember finals weeks?

[warriors1991]

I agree we've competed all year without a big. It's been a fantastic team effort all season.

That said, it certainly would have changed some games, though, to have a decent big man to eat up some minutes, play some interior defense (which may have kept Lazar/JB out of some foul trouble and on the floor more), snag some rebounds, create a little havoc on the offensive boards. 18 rebounds last night? Yeesh.

So yes, we've 'competed' all year without a big. But 1-2 decent bigger guys may be the difference between 4th-7th place in the BE every year vs. reaching that next level and having a team capable of making a really deep run.

I'm still hopeful Otule is going to be a decent player for us. The jury is undoubtedly out on Mbao.

I have faith in Buzz!

[ATWizJr]

If you are tired of the topic--don't read it. Lots of us are tired of getting our asses handed to us down low. It is an important topic, and our recruiting efforts are lacking in this area.

It's an important topic? Are you sure? Why? Because you posted it?  You have a keen sense of the obvious, chief.

[goodgreatgrand]

I think the fatigue factor of three games in three days coupled with the lack of size was a big factor.  You can offset a size deficit with energy and effort to a degree, bet when your rotation is 7 and your undersized 4 and 5 are playing max minutes, it will catch up with you eventually if you play every day.  Anyway, sheer size comes to the front more as energy wanes.

Fatigue is an excuse when you look at last year's tournament.

Syracuse had a single bye like we did. In four straight days, they played 4 games + 7 combined overtimes. Then, they made a run in the ncaa tourney and lost to Blake Griffin's team.