Aaric Murray

[mikem91288]

I like this idea. Wow would this be quite the rotation of big men in 2 years (Murray and Otule as Seniors, and Gardner as a Junior).

[Shaka Shart]

He would make a great addition to the crushingly vacated 2 spot last year.

[downtown85]

I like this idea. Wow would this be quite the rotation of big men in 2 years (Murray and Otule as Seniors, and Gardner as a Junior).

Murray would be a redshirt junior in 2 years.  He has 2 years of eligibility still.  He would need to sit out next year and would have eligibility for 12-13 and 13-14 seasons. 

[willie warrior]

Murray would be a redshirt junior in 2 years.  He has 2 years of eligibility still.  He would need to sit out next year and would have eligibility for 12-13 and 13-14 seasons. 

Don't know much about Murray other than he has good numbers for a soph big guy.
I would think hard about the logjam he would create at the 5 however, unless one of those guys move to PF. Then that would be awesome, having all those guys there.

[brewcity77]

Don't know much about Murray other than he has good numbers for a soph big guy.
I would think hard about the logjam he would create at the 5 however, unless one of those guys move to PF. Then that would be awesome, having all those guys there.

I've thought about this too. However, Aaric Murray is pretty much Marquette's dream come true. A 6'10", top-40 big man. He's already considered an NBA prospect and two solid years in the Big East would probably ensure we put a legitimate 5 into the league, something we've been dreaming about for years, if only to get future 5-star big men to look at us as a springboard to the next level.

Would it be worth sacrificing the minutes of Otule and Gardner in exchange for having a legitimate 30 mpg dominant big man? If it meant that in 2012-13 Murray saw 28 mpg while both Otule and Gardner saw 8 mpg (occasional overlap) would it be worth it? Or if Gardner only played 10-12 mpg as a senior backing up a 32 mpg Murray? I love both Otule and DG, but the idea of that dream center, especially with 2 years of eligibility (instead of the one we got from R-Jax) and a stacked roster around him sounds like the kind of thing that could propel us from high-major to perennial top-20 team.

[bilsu]

I think if Gardner conditioning improves, he will be a power forward.

[MUMac]

I think if Gardner conditioning improves, he will be a power forward.

He is not quick or fast enough to be a forward.  He is a back to the basket player. 

[pillardean]

I think if Gardner conditioning improves, he will be a power forward.

Agreed.  I have always thought that.

I initially wondered why Buzz wouldn't try to play them both at the same time until I saw how quickly they both liked to pick up fouls.  I think Gardner could be an extremely muscular and powerful PF if he works hard enough and has the idea to be that.  It would be his best bet if he wanted to take his game to the next level.

Power forwards don't need to be quick or fast.  He takes up space, he doesn't need that speed if you other guys that have that speed.  There may be match-up problems but I don't think the problem would be MU's. 

[4everwarriors]

Gardner is not a 4.

[Skatastrophy]

Gardner is not a 4.

Gardner drove the entire floor, did a spin-move in the lane to shake a defender and dunked the ball in the Pro-Am.

That being said, he has a long way to go before he can move enough off the ball to be an effective 4.

[brewcity77]

Gardner drove the entire floor, did a spin-move in the lane to shake a defender and dunked the ball in the Pro-Am.

That being said, he has a long way to go before he can move enough off the ball to be an effective 4.

Certainly not suited for the 4, but maybe he can solve our point guard depth issues.

Agreed that he has a long way to go. As Mac mentioned, he's a back-to-the-basket player. He doesn't have the game of a face-up player, which is why Crowder or Williams are still better suited to play the 4. Even if he drops 50 pounds of fat and adds 20 pounds of muscle, will a 6'9", 260-pound Gardner be suited to play power forward? It's probably beyond the best-case scenario, and my guess is that he's still more suited for the center role than he is for the 4.

Quite simply, if we bring in Murray, Otule and Gardner are pretty much relegated to bench roles from the moments Murray steps on the court, unless Murray can play the face-up role. I think Murray makes us a better team, but he doesn't end our need for a face-up power forward, because neither Otule nor Gardner have shown any acumen for playing that role.

[HoopsMalone]

If Murray comes, Buzz should consider redshirting Gardner.  It would be odd to sit after Freshman and Sophomore year.  But, another year to get in shape would be very, very good for him. 

[4everwarriors]

Where does it say this cat has the hots for MU?
I'm figurin' that last schollie will go to some dude that Buzz pulls out his ass.

[Marquette84]

Where does it say this cat has the hots for MU?
I'm figurin' that last schollie will go to some dude that Buzz pulls out his ass.

MU was one of his finalists before he chose LaSalle the first time around--and Marquette was included in the story linked in the first post:

"The source said Murray is likely to make his first official recruiting visit to Oklahoma State when the recruiting period opens next week. The source also said Oklahoma State, Marquette, DePaul and West Virginia have been Murray's most aggressive suitors so far, but that calls have also come from Kansas, St. John's and West Virginia, among others."

[4everwarriors]

Again, where does it say he now is showing interest in Marquette?

[warriors1991]

If Murray comes, Buzz should consider redshirting Gardner.  It would be odd to sit after Freshman and Sophomore year.  But, another year to get in shape would be very, very good for him.  

1)If Murray does come, it would mean he would have to sit out this coming year, which would be Gardner's Sophomore year, so DG wouldn't sit on the bench in street clothes next to Murray.....in street clothes.

2)There is NO way on God's green earth that Davante is red-shirting this coming season. No offense but that's the silliest thing I've heard yet. Getting in shape is something he needs to do during the summer, not taking an entire season off. He was one of our most effective inside men THIS season, as a FRESHMAN. You want him to ride the pines and watch the 2011-12 season in street clothes?!?!

[brewcity77]

Again, where does it say he now is showing interest in Marquette?

It's in the opening post, which links to an article dated April 1, 2011.

The source said Murray is likely to make his first official recruiting visit to Oklahoma State when the recruiting period opens next week. The source also said Oklahoma State, Marquette, DePaul and West Virginia have been Murray's most aggressive suitors so far, but that calls have also come from Kansas, St. John's and West Virginia, among others.

Here's a link to the article: http://articles.philly.com/2011-04-01/news/29370778_1_explorers-coach-john-giannini-source-aaric-murray

[4everwarriors]

Right, MU has interest. That is well understood.

[Stretchdeltsig]

Why is Murray leaving LaSalle?

[Jay Bee]

Why is Murray leaving LaSalle?

They're not using him the way he needs to be used, so he's moving on.  La Salle didn't want to play the game right, so now he's going to watch them lose every game.  That's just how it works. 

[HoopsMalone]

1)If Murray does come, it would mean he would have to sit out this coming year, which would be Gardner's Sophomore year, so DG wouldn't sit on the bench in street clothes next to Murray.....in street clothes.

2)There is NO way on God's green earth that Davante is red-shirting this coming season. No offense but that's the silliest thing I've heard yet. Getting in shape is something he needs to do during the summer, not taking an entire season off. He was one of our most effective inside men THIS season, as a FRESHMAN. You want him to ride the pines and watch the 2011-12 season in street clothes?!?!

I didn't say he should red shirt next to Murray this season.  I said after his freshman and soph year if Murray is really this good.  Otule as a senior and this kid Murray would get all the time at the 5.  It sounds like Murray is a 30 min player and give Otule the other 10 mins.  Develop Gardner another year and have 2 more years with him.  

[mviale]

Looks like a Robert Jackson type. 

[marquette99]

No, jackson was a stud underneath but hardly ever blocked a shot.  Murray blocks 3 a game, and blocked 9 in one game - so he almost topped jackson's whole seasonin one night.

I LOVE jackson, but really not the same type of big man.

[marquette99]

On why he is leaving, actually they were hyped for him to be joined by nebraskas big forward to have a dominate big duo. The nebraska guy got an indecent exposure arrest though and lasalle wouldn't take him.  I think that made murray think he was looking at 15-18 again.

[rocky_warrior]

Again, where does it say he now is showing interest in Marquette?

You could have asked the same for the recruitment of Butler, DJO, and Crowder...