SOTG?

[brewcity77]

Lots of candidates, with no one really standing out in such a well-balanced win.

• Junior: 10 points and 10 dimes, with a 5:1 A:T ratio. Played as many minutes as anyone.
  
• DJO: 16 points led the team, chipped in 4 assists, 3 steals, and 2 boards, while going 2/3 from three.
  
• Otule: 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Also 4/4 from the FT line.
  
• Crowder: 14 points, led team with 6 rebounds, 3 offensive rebounds, and 4 steals. 2/6 from three.
  
• Blue: 10 points, 4 assists, 4 steals, 2 rebounds.
  
• Mellow: 10 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals off the bench.

.
I think I'd lean towards Otule or Cadougan. DJO was fine, but will get plenty of chances for this. Same for Crowder, though he did have a very nice three-goggle salute to the student section. Blue had an all-around good game that was very reminiscent of what we saw in the non-conference last year (how does no one remember that?) and Mellow was good off the bench, one of his best games at Marquette, but probably not to the level of the starters.

Otule was the guy that keyed the defense, Junior keyed the offense. I'd say our defense was more impressive, so my vote goes to Otule. As good as Junior was, I'd actually say our offense didn't look all that great for much of the game. I know we ran them out of the building, but our offense will have to be better than that if we want to succeed in the Paradise Jam, much less against the likes of Bucky, Washington, and Vandy.

[tower912]

Junior.     But he needs to keep working on D. 

[Slim]

CO.

Key stat for me was Points off turnovers. We outscored them 45-2 on turnovers. I felt CO was the star of the D. I also felt he was more aggressive on offense. I think that big man camp he went to this summer showed in his attack of the basket. Last year he often relied on his jump hook (unfortunately). IMO we learned almost nothing last night because MSM was so bad.

[Skatastrophy]

I was thinking about it because I walked away really impressed with Otule and last night I thought he deserved SotG.

This morning I think Otule was by far the most improved player out there and really knocked my socks off, but Cadougan was SotG by picking it up right where he left off last year.

[ATL MU Warrior]

I didn't get to watch much of the game due to work travel. 

Did the other team have anybody nearly the same size as Chris or was he guarded by a smaller guy?

[NersEllenson]

I didn't get to watch much of the game due to work travel. 

Did the other team have anybody nearly the same size as Chris or was he guarded by a smaller guy?

Chris was definitely the biggest guy out there - my guess is that his defender was 6'7"??  Nonetheless, I'd still give Chris SOTG - thought he looked really good.  Thought his hands were a lot better.  Thought he was very quick with the ball in his hands in scoring position.  Free Throw stroke looked REALLY good - his 4 makes were practically all swishes....

[ATL MU Warrior]

Chris was definitely the biggest guy out there - my guess is that his defender was 6'7"??  Nonetheless, I'd still give Chris SOTG - thought he looked really good.  Thought his hands were a lot better.  Thought he was very quick with the ball in his hands in scoring position.  Free Throw stroke looked REALLY good - his 4 makes were practically all swishes....

good to hear.

[Skatastrophy]

I didn't get to watch much of the game due to work travel.  

Did the other team have anybody nearly the same size as Chris or was he guarded by a smaller guy?

Not really a true center.  The guys that were down-low most of the time were:

6'8" 220lb Jr, Raven Barber (8pts, 4-7, 2 Reb, 4 PF)

6'7" 230lb Sr, Danny Thompson (6pts, 3-9, 11 Reb, 3 PF)

I don't know how good those guys actually were, but when CO wasn't in the game they were having their way with DG on offense.
http://jsonline.sportsdirectinc.com/basketball/ncaab-players.aspx?page=/data/ncaab/players/player737037.html

[bilsu]

I would give it to Crowder, who made several great plays on defense end. My second choice would be Otule. My third choice would be Jones, because he exceded my expations of him by a country mile.

[4everwarriors]

SOTG, really? And MU charged folks money for those mouse droppings. It was like a Sat. morning pick up game at the Y. I'm figurin' the student trainers were sotg for the superb ankle taping jobs. At least no one got hurt.

[avid1010]

I was thinking about it because I walked away really impressed with Otule and last night I thought he deserved SotG.

This morning I think Otule was by far the most improved player out there and really knocked my socks off, but Cadougan was SotG by picking it up right where he left off last year.

Agreed.  When Chris is in the game he clogs the lane so well because of his shot blocking abilities...very different when Davante is in...especially with the way MU pressures the ball.

[brewcity77]

SOTG, really? And MU charged folks money for those mouse droppings. It was like a Sat. morning pick up game at the Y. I'm figurin' the student trainers were sotg for the superb ankle taping jobs. At least no one got hurt.

This wasn't nearly the MSM team we were expecting. Two starters suspended, they should be much better when they have their full team. Hopefully that's soon, the better they play the better this win looks.

[T-Bone]

I'm happy we have a lot of good reasoning for a lot of different players.  Hopefully that will continue.

I'd go Otule.  He played his position.  No errors that I recall. 
DJO makes a good case, he seemed to quietly get his points.
I would say no to Cadougan.  He looked bad on a couple of defensive plays and took a couple of weird shots (that's not much to bitch about though).

[jsglow]

CO was very solid.  Perhaps he could have controlled the glass a bit better but overall had an excellent game.  He gets my vote.

[mileskishnish72]

Junior. But (as per Tower) he needs to keep working on his defense.

[ATL MU Warrior]

Junior. But (as per Tower) he needs to keep working on his defense.

I'm thinking Otule to make up for "Co-STOG" he received last year (with Frozena) when he clearly deserved it after a great game. 

[Dr. Blackheart]

The awarding process of the MUSMU SoG has taken longer than any other in Scoops' recorded history.  Is Rocky watching too much CFB?  WTF?   

[romey]

The awarding process of the MUSMU SoG has taken longer than any other in Scoops' recorded history.  Is Rocky watching too much CFB?  WTF?   

Perhaps there are hanging chads that need to be recounted

[romey]

This wasn't nearly the MSM team we were expecting. Two starters suspended, they should be much better when they have their full team. Hopefully that's soon, the better they play the better this win looks.

When "strength of schedule" is determined, does the fact that their leading returning scorer was not playing get factored in?  Not that it matters in the big picture, because this team's ranking is pretty far down the list (I assume) anyway.  But theortically, if we played Bucky and Taylor happened to be out that game, what happens?

[tower912]

But theortically, if we played Bucky and Taylor happened to be out that game, what happens?

We win by 20.

[brewcity77]

When "strength of schedule" is determined, does the fact that their leading returning scorer was not playing get factored in?  Not that it matters in the big picture, because this team's ranking is pretty far down the list (I assume) anyway.  But theortically, if we played Bucky and Taylor happened to be out that game, what happens?

Doesn't impact it at all that I am aware of. If Taylor was out for just that one game, we'd get the benefit of beating them. At the end of the year, SOS and RPI are based on what the teams you played (and the teams they played) did on average throughout the year. You don't get bonus points for beating a team when they are on a hot streak and you don't get penalized for beating a team missing a star. If you beat them, you beat them.

So is there going to be a stud of the game? 

[rocky_warrior]

Usually Spiral has taken care of the SOTG, but clearly he's slacking, I'll put that on his performance review.

Anyhow, my vote was for Junior, but it looks like even with my vote, Otule was the winner in this thread, so I gave it to him.

I'll check with Spiral to see if he wants to keep the SOTG decision, if not, I'll likely open it up to a Poll after each game.