Dead Horse, But...

[4everwarriors]

appropriate to revisit due to the castration of the past 2 hours. Raise your hands if you still believe it's a guard's game. Then, take a double dose of Ex Lax and tell everyone around you to "take safety."

[goodgreatgrand]

It's a guards game in the NBA (at least according to Shaq).

In college, I think the most important players are the 6'7" - 6'10" forwards.

[The Pickle]

It's a guards game in the NBA (at least according to Shaq).

In college, I think the most important players are the 6'7" - 6'10" forwards.

If height has everything to do with it, let's start Mbao...

[GOMU1104]

Why do we have to go through this again?

College basketball is a guard game...anyone who says otherwise is a moron.

[goodgreatgrand]

Why do we have to go through this again?

College basketball is a guard game...anyone who says otherwise is a moron.

So you are obviously the expert.

[ecompt]

I think the fact that MU and Nova combined to win 46 games this season pretty much backs up 1104's point.

[chapman]

I still don't see the point of debating a stupid cliche.  All I care about is college basketball is a basketball game.  The rest is all details.

[GOMU1104]

So you are obviously the expert.

Compared to anyone who says "college basketball is a big mans game"...yes I am.

[goodgreatgrand]

I think the fact that MU and Nova combined to win 46 games this season pretty much backs up 1104's point.

And Syracuse won the conference....

[GOMU1104]

And Syracuse won the conference....

And UNC is 16-16...because their guards had a terrible year.

Georgia Tech has two of the best big men in college basketball...and are barely going to make the tournament.

Next year, UW will have 4 guys in the 6'10" to 7'1" range...Surely you are picking them to win the National Title?

[jmayer1]

appropriate to revisit due to the castration of the past 2 hours. Raise your hands if you still believe it's a guard's game. Then, take a double dose of Ex Lax and tell everyone around you to "take safety."

Look to your left. 

See the standings.

See the teams in 3rd and 5th,

See that neither of them have a single decent true big man.

Remove head from ass.

The best teams have both.

The worst teams have neither.

You can be mediocre with solid bigs, but no guards (see UNC).

You can be good with solid guards, but no bigs (see MU).

I am utterly amazed that GU found some big men in that last 2 months, because there is surely no way a team without a low post presence could beat a team with an All-American big man.

[mu_hilltopper]

It's a shooters' game.  I don't care how tall you are.   MU shot 37% .. 30% from 3 land -- far below our season averages.  Sure, crashing the lane amongst trees will lower your fg% .. but our 3s were open looks that didn't drop.

Might not have won, but we shoot closer to our average, and this is a 2-3 possession game at the end, just like every game this year.

[ChicosBailBonds]

4ever....did we beat Georgetown this year?

Did we finish ahead of them in the Big East?

How is North Carolina doing with their all-world bigs sans any guards?


I could go on and on

[Niv Berkowitz]

Talk to us when West Virginia loses by the round of 16 at the latest. They have garbage guards and will go down in the tourney.

[79Warrior]

Why do we have to go through this again?

College basketball is a guard game...anyone who says otherwise is a moron.

Yes, it is a guards game. But, you have to have a big body or two. Tonight was a perfect example of that. And if you dont think so, you may want to rethink who is the moron.

[GOMU1104]

Yes, it is a guards game. But, you have to have a big body or two. Tonight was a perfect example of that. And if you dont think so, you may want to rethink who is the moron.

Of course you need some size, thats not the issue.

Some people think that having good bigs is more important than having good guards...a premise that is so unbelievably false, it makes my head want to explode.

[Doctor V]

I thought we were revisiting the "fouling at the end of the game situation"...

You cant blame Buzz for having Junior foul here, give them the free throws, stop the clock, and try to get back into it

[Dr. Blackheart]

44-24 total rebounds
11-5 offensive rebounds
60-33 PIP+FTM
54%-37% FG%
4-1 Blocks

[flash]

It may be a "guard's game" but I don't recall many NCAA tournament champions with out dominant big men.  Good guard play in the tournament is essential, but when paired with poor interior play (like MU), it will be very difficult to make a deep run. 

[GregClausenForever]

It's an inside-outside game.  The key is to have at least two strong guards, one slasher, and one versatile big guy. 

[willie warrior]

It's an inside-outside game.  The key is to have at least two strong guards, one slasher, and one versatile big guy. 

Absolutely--you must have one rweliable big to score about 12+points and 9 rebounds. You have to have a low block presence--and that does not mean double down with your 5'8" guard to help your 6'6" center.
The last time we had two good bigs (Jackson and Merrit)--bingo--final 4.

[ChicosBailBonds]

It may be a "guard's game" but I don't recall many NCAA tournament champions with out dominant big men.  Good guard play in the tournament is essential, but when paired with poor interior play (like MU), it will be very difficult to make a deep run. 

No one has said differently.  The issue is that you cannot win with good bigs alone.  You can win with good guards sans good bigs.  To win it all, you need both....no one has ever said that's not case.  The problem is that MU has had that type of player in the last 25 years about 2 times.  They are incredibly difficult to get

[karavotsos]

How is North Carolina doing with their all-world bigs sans any guards?

So when the All-American team is announced and none of the UNC bigs are on it, the reason will be because they're on the all-world team?  Who fills out the all-world team with Ed Davis and Tyler Zeller?  Christian Salecich, Scott Christopherson, and Oscar Schmidt's son, who is currently attending the Universidade de Brazil.

[Husker4MU]

Blah, blah, blah.  Balance is key, always will be, doesn't matter what sport you are playing.  Look at the '03 team.  Of course Wade & Diener were great, but R-Jax and Merritt were huge contributors on that team.  If forced to choose, I would rather have stellar guards than posts, but balance is needed to make a great run in the tournament.  Otherwise, you are at the mercy of favorable matchups.  Remember Stanford?

[ChicosBailBonds]

So when the All-American team is announced and none of the UNC bigs are on it, the reason will be because they're on the all-world team?  Who fills out the all-world team with Ed Davis and Tyler Zeller?  Christian Salecich, Scott Christopherson, and Oscar Schmidt's son, who is currently attending the Universidade de Brazil.

My point is that they have McDonald's All Americans and 5 star players at their bigs and it got them nowhere.  In order for bigs to do well, they need guards to open up the lanes (i.e. shoot well from the perimeter) and deliver the ball to them in positions to score.  Since UNC doesn't have good guards, their bigs (despite their pedigree) have no chance to excel.  So you're right, they won't be making any All-American team because they don't get the chance to shine.

Think of it this way, if a football team had the best wide receiver in America but a quarterback that couldn't get him the ball, how good is that Wide Receiver going to look?