We are ridiculously weak under the hoop

[MU Avenue]

The loss to Notre Dame is further example of the enormous price that Marquette plays because it lacks even one big man who brings anything to the court.

With just one pretty good big man, this team would be much closer to complete and be a true force. As is, this team plays a lot of four-on-five basketball.

[chren21]

Anyone else think Fulce should be getting more time?  Maybe even start for Otule? 

Buycks
DJO
Jae
Jimmy
Fulce

with Junior getting plenty of time too

[MU Avenue]

Anyone else think Fulce should be getting more time?  Maybe even start for Otule? 

Buycks
DJO
Jae
Jimmy
Fulce

with Junior getting plenty of time too

Chris Otule has had moments this season when he showed some "stuff" offensively. But those moments have been too far and too few between.

He is simply not a Big East starter. Perhaps a starting five that includes Joseph Fulce would help.

[WarriorHal]

Yep. Either go with 2 small forwards and three guards or three small forwards with Fulce joining Bulter and Crowder and two guards.
Otule was rated a 2-star by Rivals coming out of high school and he plays like it. Way over his head at this level of competition.

[nyg]

In seven BE games Otule has:

Scored six field goals
Grabbed 11 rebounds
Made 22 personal fouls

[Jacks DC]

Anyone else think Fulce should be getting more time?  Maybe even start for Otule? 

Buycks
DJO
Jae
Jimmy
Fulce

with Junior getting plenty of time too

Fulce is way better than Otule, but its hard to see where he fits in since he won't play ahead of Jimmy or Crowder.  I think Otule starts simply for jump ball purposes but Fulce got more time tonight and played one of his best games.

[WellsstreetWanderer]

agreed... Fulce has given us some nice minutes when he is out there. He had a nice putback  tonight that I  particularly recall

[Boone]

Fulce should definitely see more time. Aside from being unable to rebound or score, Otule's great. 

[MerrittsMustache]

Sounds good in theory but I don't think Fulce's knees have 20+ minutes a night in them.

[willie warrior]

Fulce is way better than Otule, but its hard to see where he fits in since he won't play ahead of Jimmy or Crowder.  I think Otule starts simply for jump ball purposes but Fulce got more time tonight and played one of his best games.

Problem is that Fulce with his height and frame is not a post player either.

[willie warrior]

In seven BE games Otule has:

Scored six field goals
Grabbed 11 rebounds
Made 22 personal fouls

I think we need to wait until Sultan weighs in in this issue.

[4everwarriors]

Who cares if we're weak around the hoop, it's a guard's game.

[GGGG]

I think we need to wait until Sultan weighs in in this issue.

Otule is our best big man.  (If by "big man" you include him and Gardner.)  I think going small would be great but I don't think Fulce can go big minutes and EWill is completely undependable.  I don't see many solid choices right now.  (And frankly next year's front line scares the sh*t out of me.)

You seem to think that when I say "our best big man," I mean "a great big man."  I never said that.  He is serviceable at best.

[4everwarriors]

Would help if Buzz could recruit some dudes who aren't switchables.

[GGGG]

Agreed.  Tired of hearing that this is the most talented team we've had in awhile.  Sorry we are talented, but we are not big enough.

[willie warrior]

Otule is our best big man.  (If by "big man" you include him and Gardner.)  I think going small would be great but I don't think Fulce can go big minutes and EWill is completely undependable.  I don't see many solid choices right now.  (And frankly next year's front line scares the sh*t out of me.)

You seem to think that when I say "our best big man," I mean "a great big man."  I never said that.  He is serviceable at best.

And you also said that he is 10x better than Ox is. Haven't seen that yet.

[GGGG]

And you also said that he is 10x better than Ox is. Haven't seen that yet.

He is.  (Let's just say I'm a little down on Ox.)

[MikeyT42]

You don't start a guy for the opening tip. Thats crazy talk.

[mviale]

Heres the thing - we were almost up 2:1 in rebounds when up 12, then Jae and Otule were hit with some fouls.  Every time down in the 2nd half, ND was fouled or they made a hoop. 

[willie warrior]

Heres the thing - we were almost up 2:1 in rebounds when up 12, then Jae and Otule were hit with some fouls.  Every time down in the 2nd half, ND was fouled or they made a hoop. 

Are you implying that Otule is a rebound threat?

[mviale]

seemed to be working while he was in there.

[willie warrior]

seemed to be working while he was in there.

Yeah--he ZERO, repeat ZERO rebounds when he was in there.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Who cares if we're weak around the hoop, it's a guard's game.

Villanova agrees with you

[mviale]

Yeah--he ZERO, repeat ZERO rebounds when he was in there.

I agree 13 min and 5 fouls sort of hurts your play.  Game changes when Jae and Butler have to play center. Or Jimmy for that matter.

[Marquette84]

If you look at the +/- for Fulce and Otule last night, there are some pretty dramatic differences--and probably not in the direction that people here would assume.

On-court +/-
Otule  +6
Fulce  -16


Off-court:
With Otule on the bench, Notre Dame outscored MU by 11
With Fulce on the bench, MU outscored ND by 11

Roland Rating (combination of the 2):
Otule +17
Fulce -27

Whats amazing is that despite the litany of complaints against Otule, his Roland Rating from last night was the best from any player on either team.  Fulce was the worst of any player on either team.  

I'm not going to say this is decisive proof that Otule is more important than Fulce.  However, I think people have gone overboard on the "Otule Sucks" argument.  He may not be the best center in the Big East, and he's certainly not a stat-stuffer, but he's at least serviceable and didn't hurt the team effort last night.