Confidence Level MU will beat UW

[tower912]

After the last 10 minutes of the first half of the Norfolk game, seeing what we do against a team that takes away our transition game and doesn't let us penetrate at will, I stick by my assessment of our chances in Madison.   Would love to be proven wrong, but I'm not feeling it. 

[denverMU]

Why? WI does not play a zone, we'll be fine.

[boyonthedock]

i now have 0% confidence. maybe in a day or so it will go back up

[PGsHeroes32]

We are officially screwed at their place

[MUMac]

We are officially screwed at their place

Yeah, I heard Buzz was just going to forfeit instead of playing the game.

Man, the pulse of some on this board fluctuates with every possession, not just game.  Come to grips.  Early season losses occur in games like this.  We did not lose.  I expect our performance in Madison will be far different than it was tonight.

[PGsHeroes32]

Yeah, I heard Buzz was just going to forfeit instead of playing the game.

Man, the pulse of some on this board fluctuates with every possession, not just game.  Come to grips.  Early season losses occur in games like this.  We did not lose.  I expect our performance in Madison will be far different than it was tonight.

But what Norfolk did to us is EXACTLY what wisco does at home every game. Slow it down, make you shoot it and make 3s.

[MUMac]

But what Norfolk did to us is EXACTLY what wisco does at home every game. Slow it down, make you shoot it and make 3s.

Wisconsin will NEVER play zone under Bo.  NEVER.

[noblewarrior]

MU stock took a dive tonight!... Is everybody selling?... I'll stick with the upset at the hole.

[PGsHeroes32]

Wisconsin will NEVER play zone under Bo.  NEVER.

Don't matter. They still slow the game down and limit transition. Most of our problem came just trying to pass the ball over the freakin half court line.

[MUMac]

Don't matter. They still slow the game down and limit transition. Most of our problem came just trying to pass the ball over the freakin half court line.

UW will never pressure us.  Their slowing the game down is on the offensive end, not defensive end.  I do not see any similarities between NFSU and UW.  But, be concerned for a few more weeks. 

[chapman]

Don't matter. They still slow the game down and limit transition.

That's what I'm most afraid of and hope we use the opportunity to learn from after tonight...this team was forced to play at a speed other than mach 3 and they couldn't do it.  We might face less zone and less pressure, but UW doesn't have to send all 5 guys back to stop transition either, they have the ability to slow you down and get to the offensive glass instead of either or.

[THEultimateWARRIOR]

We just have to many offensive weapons for Wisconsin to control, yea they've been holding there opponents to 35 ppg  but with triad of DJO, Crowder, and Blue will over come the tough badger defense and force them to play at a fast paced game. Don't forget how Buzz has been drilling it into there heads to push the ball quick up court. Just a note

[brewcity77]

This might sound crazy, but I actually feel a bit better the morning after. We survived a game many teams might have lost. We survived a game past Marquette teams definitely would have lost. What better wake-up call is there than that?

We are still the more athletic and talented team. And now we've pulled out a tough win against a solid team (does anyone think NSU is a sub-250 anymore?) away from the Bradley Center. It wasn't pretty, but we handled some adversity. Here's hoping that plays in our favor in Madison.

[tower912]

I'm not angry about the game at all.   Norfolk made a couple of nice adjustments, Buzz hasn't practiced a zone offense very much, we faced adversity and won.   It does nothing to change my take on the Wisconsin game, other than to confirm that we may struggle playing at Wisconsin's pace.   I had <10% to begin with. 

[MUMac]

That's what I'm most afraid of and hope we use the opportunity to learn from after tonight...this team was forced to play at a speed other than mach 3 and they couldn't do it.  We might face less zone and less pressure, but UW doesn't have to send all 5 guys back to stop transition either, they have the ability to slow you down and get to the offensive glass instead of either or.

In the past, Bo did send everyone back.  Really stayed away from the offensive glass, he was more concerned with tempo and transition.

[GGGG]

This might sound crazy, but I actually feel a bit better the morning after. We survived a game many teams might have lost. We survived a game past Marquette teams definitely would have lost. What better wake-up call is there than that?

I agree with this completely.  Teachable moment with nothing but practice until next Monday. 

[nycwarrior]

This poll is nose-diving like Herman Kane's numbers with middle aged white women.

I mean that in the least political way possible.

[WarhawkWarrior]

20% -- Bo will use every piece of film from last night to take us apart.  We overplay too often on defense, double-teaming is the norm which will result in way to many looks for a good shooting team. 

My only hope is that we can change our tempo throughout the game to throw off their rythem.

[MUMac]

20% -- Bo will use every piece of film from last night to take us apart.  We overplay too often on defense, double-teaming is the norm which will result in way to many looks for a good shooting team. 

My only hope is that we can change our tempo throughout the game to throw off their rythem.

I certainly hope Bo focuses on last nights tape and disregards the other body of work, just like our fans.  He will pay for it.

[bamamarquettefan]

Wow, a perfect bell curve with 50 percent in the middle

[bilsu]

Marquette is best in transition, which has three problems against UW. First, UW balances the floor on offense, which results in them getting back fairly quickly on defense. That will eliminate a lot of easy fast break points. Second, UW generally is a strong rebounding team, which also limits fast break opportunities. Third and maybe the most important UW rarely turns the ball over and turnovers our our best opportunity for fast breaks. In the end the game will depend on free throw shooting and three point shooting both of which favors UW.  You also have the Blue factor. Blue will receive a lot of razzing from Badger fans. We simply do not know if Blue will try to do to much.

[PGsHeroes32]

Let's hope the "Blue Factor" will be what carries us.

Maybe this will be the game where he shows he can be a legit 3rd option to win us a ballgame and shut many up for good.

[79Warrior]

30%. First true road game in a tough environment. Vander will be hearing it from the crowd.

[Big Papi]

Marquette is best in transition, which has three problems against UW. First, UW balances the floor on offense, which results in them getting back fairly quickly on defense. That will eliminate a lot of easy fast break points. Second, UW generally is a strong rebounding team, which also limits fast break opportunities. Third and maybe the most important UW rarely turns the ball over and turnovers our our best opportunity for fast breaks. In the end the game will depend on free throw shooting and three point shooting both of which favors UW.  You also have the Blue factor. Blue will receive a lot of razzing from Badger fans. We simply do not know if Blue will try to do to much.

I don't know a lot about the badgers this year but it sure looks like this badger team is not like most others.  First of all, they are not very tall this year.  Beggren is 6'10" and then they drop down to 6'6" in Evans and Bruesewitz.  Kaminsky is 6'11" but he is a freshmen and his minutes are severly limited.  Two, are they really a good rebounding team?  It seems like we have a height advantage and way more athleticism.  Not sole indicators of rebounding prowess but it certainly doesn't hurt.  I really think our rebounding problems stem from trying to block shots in the lane instead of just going after the ball.  I don't see the badgers going down low into the lane against us.  Three, free throw shooting is a non-issue.  They don't get to the line much as they rely primarily on their outside shooting and we generally don't foul much. 

The game will depend on UW 3 point shooting and the refs.  IF they make their perimeter shots, we are in trouble but if they miss it plays to our strengths which is apply pressure on the offensive end which leads to how close will the refs call the game.  The badgers are not a deep team and free throw shooting plays to our strength, not theirs.  And finally there is the Taylor factor.  We can run a lot of defenders at Taylor.  DJO, Mayo, DWil and JWil.  All good defenders with different defensive traits.  Taylor sometimes does the same as Blue and tries to force the issue and when he does, he struggles.  I watched him single handedly lose the Penn State game last year in the Big 10 tourny when he decided to chuck up every shot he could.

But in all seriousness, we have a good team and we have a chance to pull one out.
   

[NersEllenson]

Let's look at it another way - which of Wisconsin's starters would you rather have versus MU's starters?? 

Berggen vs Otule?
Bruesewitz vs Crowder?
Ryan Evans vs Vander Blue?
Josh Gasser vs DJO
Jordan Taylor vs Junior Cadougan

In my view, I'd take Crowder, DJO, Blue, Otule over the others and Jordan Taylor over Cadougan.  When it comes to bench play - I'll take our bench over their bench at almost every player numbered 6 through 10.

Still very bullish on MU winning even after last nights close call.