UCONN

[Fullodds]

Never realized it but UCONN starts 3 freshman, 1 soph and Kemba. Wow. Shows how good the youth is and how great Walker has played.

[Tugg Speedman]

Imagine if Kemba came back next year (I don't he will).  They would be preseason top 5.

Actually they might be anyway.

[MUMac]

And one of those Freshman wanted to come to Marquette. 

[mugrad2006]

And one of those Freshman wanted to come to Marquette. 

Which one of those three wanted to come to MU?  Or was that supposed to be in teal?

[MUMac]

Which one of those three wanted to come to MU?  Or was that supposed to be in teal?

Nope, not teal.  Lamb wanted to come to MU.  He visited a couple of times on his own, including the Elite Camp two years ago.  Unfortunately, he did not play well or look good.  From the people who I know were there, they said they would not have taken him.  If only he had a better camp and played well when MU was watching.

[El Duderino]

This Big East Tournament run by UCONN shows the importance of having a special player once we get to this point in the college basketball season.

There isn't a huge difference that separates many of these college teams, but if you can have a special player to help your team avoid scoring droughts, draw double teams, and make plays late in close games, it's a big advantage.

[PGsHeroes32]

Lamb is definitely a player I wish we had.

[NickelDimer]

Lamb is a difference maker.  Man could we use him.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Never realized it but UCONN starts 3 freshman, 1 soph and Kemba. Wow. Shows how good the youth is and how great Walker has played.

Starting freshmen never works

[willie warrior]

And UCONN is really tired, playing 5 games in 5 days, Nobody should be expected to win a game when playing 3 straight days, people on this board have offered so.

Especially when a year before playing AAU Ball those kids play 6 games on a weekend.

[MUMac]

And UCONN is really tired, playing 5 games in 5 days, Nobody should be expected to win a game when playing 3 straight days, people on this board have offered so.

Especially when a year before playing AAU Ball those kids play 6 games on a weekend.

Willie, your posts are as tired as MU was on Thursday. 

[willie wampum]

Seeing what Lamb can do makes you shake your head when you watch Blue and his complete inability to have any offensive game whatsoever.  

And to think he WANTED to come to MU...ugh.

Does anyone on MU's roster have the potential that Lamb does?

[MUMac]

From what I have been told, Blue COMPLETELY dominated Lamb, and on more than one occassion.  It was not even close.  Blue was lights out the better player.

He has struggled this year, but it's good to see that you have written him off already.  I guess then, with your weak posts, we should just write you off as well.   

[mugrad2006]

UCONN just did the unthinkable.  Five wins in the Big East in five days.  I can't believe they didn't fade, that was just unbelievable!

[karavotsos]

Thank you, UConn.  I f'ing hate f'ing Louisville.  Also, Kemba did not foul Marra.  Unbelievable that you would make that call against a player of the year candidate for a jag role player who hadn't made a shot all game and was begging for the call.

[Silkk the Shaka]

Starting freshmen never works

Had we finished 9-9 with the 9th seed in the Big East as they did, you would have claimed we regressed, no?

[mugrad2006]

Also, Kemba did not foul Marra.  Unbelievable that you would make that call against a player of the year candidate for a jag role player who hadn't made a shot all game and was begging for the call.

Kemba did foul Marra.  You may not agree with the rule that allows a player to jump into another who's left the ground and draw contact, but it's the correct call.

[Rollout-the-Barrel]

Truly impressive run by Uconn. I thought Louisville would take over in the second half.
I thought marra was fouled however.

[wesmat23]

Congrats to UCONN! That was a hell of a win lead by Kemba. He is fun to watch.
F%#*  Loserville, their fans, and their coach.

[NCAARules]

I've got to think the fade is coming. I will not be surprised if they can't make it through the first weekend.

That said, incredible performance. Awesome ending. Congrats to them.

[karavotsos]

Kemba did foul Marra.  You may not agree with the rule that allows a player to jump into another who's left the ground and draw contact, but it's the correct call.

?  What rule is that?  Please provide a citation to an NCAA rule or I will not believe you.  Also, I don't think that you're correctly stating what happened on the play.  Kemba jumped.  He's down, or almost down, and Marra jumps sideways into him.  Kemba is straight up and down.  Similar calls go uncalled all the time.  I really don't know what you're talking about. 

I understand that Kemba opened himself up to a risk of a foul call against him by leaving his feet.  However, not a foul.  Marra didn't deserve the call.  The advantage he got from his fake is he could have had an open 3.  Had no confidence in himself to be able to make the shot, so he jumped into Kemba to attempt to draw the foul.  Refs refuse to award that type of move all the time.  They rewarded him for it.  He missed anyways.  Really don't think it was a foul.  Especially the way the game was being called.  In any case, Marra got an extra chance and failed anyway.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Had we finished 9-9 with the 9th seed in the Big East as they did, you would have claimed we regressed, no?

It would be a lot easier to explain finishing 9th and an 11 seed starting 3 freshmen.

[mugrad2006]

?  What rule is that?  Please provide a citation to an NCAA rule or I will not believe you.  Also, I don't think that you're correctly stating what happened on the play.  Kemba jumped.  He's down, or almost down, and Marra jumps sideways into him.  Kemba is straight up and down.  Similar calls go uncalled all the time.  I really don't know what you're talking about. 

I understand that Kemba opened himself up to a risk of a foul call against him by leaving his feet.  However, not a foul.  Marra didn't deserve the call.  The advantage he got from his fake is he could have had an open 3.  Had no confidence in himself to be able to make the shot, so he jumped into Kemba to attempt to draw the foul.  Refs refuse to award that type of move all the time.  They rewarded him for it.  He missed anyways.  Really don't think it was a foul.  Especially the way the game was being called.  In any case, Marra got an extra chance and failed anyway.

From the NCAA rulebook

Art. 4. To establish an initial legal guarding position on the player with the
ball:
a.   The  guard  shall  have  both  feet  touching  the  playing  court.  When
the  guard  jumps  into  position  initially,  both  feet  must  return  to
the playing court after the jump, for the guard to attain a guarding
position.
b.  The guard’s torso shall face the opponent.
c.   No time and distance shall be required.
d.  When  the  opponent  with  the  ball  is  airborne,  the  guard  shall  have
attained  legal  position  before  the  opponent  left  the  playing  court.


Since Kemba contacted Marra while not in a legal guarding position (he wasn't on the ground, for one), it's a foul.  You can watch the video again, Kemba was not up and down, he jumped towards Marra. 

Now, did Marra sell it well by jumping into Kemba?  Yeah, he did. But I think Kemba would have contacted Marra regardless of whether or not Marra jumped into him.

[karavotsos]

The way I read your response is Marra jumped into Kemba, therefore no foul.  If you watch Kemba throughout the game, he is double and triple teamed and has a concept of where everybody is.  He played great defense against Knowles without fouling.  He did not jump into Marra.  He is more disciplined than that.  He jumped straight up.  Marra simply jumped into him and created a foul that wasn't there.  Walker was pissed because he knew he opened himself up to a call that wasn't a foul.  Obviously all foul calls are judgment calls, but it was bad judgment.

[mugrad2006]

Guess we'll just agree to disagree on this one, I didn't think Kemba went straight up.