what UCONN fans are saying about the upcoming MU game

[downtown85]

I was lurking around one of their boards and found this:

http://www.the-boneyard.com/threads/wil-the-next-2-games-determine-their-post-season-fate.13472/


Here are a couple of quotes (some good praise of Buzz in the thread):

"Johnson Odom and Crowder are better college players than anyone on UConn. Marquette is a very good team that has a tendency to stay in games they should win easily because of Buzz Williams."

"Marquette is beatable by UConn. Drummond needs to be healthy and win the boards. I hate to say the game will be won beyond the arc but it could be. When Marquette craps out on the road and misses the tres they lose. Let them get into a groove from the perimeter and its over."

"Williams clearly is not a great "game" coach. Far too many bonehead plays. A couple of years ago they blew a game against a team in the tourney (Missouri) all based on strange calls and poor game management.
I like Buzz. You can get to a Final Four with Buzz perhaps. I don't think you're winning a title with him without a lot more talent."

[injuryBug]

Some good praise for Buzz?  Those comments basically say we win despite Buzz.  So Buzz will not win a title unless we get more talent.  Seems to me like almost every team that has won a title has multiple 5 star recruits.  Makes coaching a lot easier with a few studs on the roster.

[tower912]

It's a good thing he is bringing in more talent, then.    Next year, and the year after that, when MU has multiple upperclassmen who have experience and have bought into Buzz's system, MU is going to be scary. 

[CTWarrior]

Well, Buzz/MU did muck up that end-game against Missouri, although the refs did miss an obvious intentional foul when JFB's uni was pulled from behind while going up for a big rebound at end of game.  But I think he keeps getting better and is having his best season on the bench this year, especially if you only count what happens after the first media timeout.

[MUMac]

Well, Buzz/MU did muck up that end-game against Missouri, although the refs did miss an obvious intentional foul when JFB's uni was pulled from behind while going up for a big rebound at end of game.  But I think he keeps getting better and is having his best season on the bench this year, especially if you only count what happens after the first media timeout.

I don't recall what Buzz did to cost the Missouri game.  I thought he got MU in position to win.  The obvious foul with the crippling injury, followed by Zar's botched inbounds.  How, though, were those tied to Buzz?

[reinko]

Didn't they hear, Buzz is at the top of UT's list.

[GGGG]

I thought Buzz made great in-game adjustments against Mizzou that got us back into the game in the first place.  And somehow Marquette beat UConn in there building in each of the past two years???

[Warriors10]

Because it's Buzz's fault that Lazar stepped 5 feet over the baseline.

[CTWarrior]

I don't recall what Buzz did to cost the Missouri game.  I thought he got MU in position to win.  The obvious foul with the crippling injury, followed by Zar's botched inbounds.  How, though, were those tied to Buzz?

Probably unfair to blame Buzz, but we had a 4 point lead under 2 minutes to go and were outscored 9-1 because we fouled early in the shot clock (even with the lead) and ran shot clock on offense to end up with desperation 3s.  Basically he hadn't wiped away the last remnants of his predecessor, for whom such tactics (particularly running the shot clock and taking a terrible shot) were the norm in end-game scenarios.

[Dawson Rental]

I was lurking around one of their boards and found this:

http://www.the-boneyard.com/threads/wil-the-next-2-games-determine-their-post-season-fate.13472/


Here are a couple of quotes (some good praise of Buzz in the thread):

"Johnson Odom and Crowder are better college players than anyone on UConn. Marquette is a very good team that has a tendency to stay in games they should win easily because of Buzz Williams."

"Marquette is beatable by UConn. Drummond needs to be healthy and win the boards. I hate to say the game will be won beyond the arc but it could be. When Marquette craps out on the road and misses the tres they lose. Let them get into a groove from the perimeter and its over."

"Williams clearly is not a great "game" coach. Far too many bonehead plays. A couple of years ago they blew a game against a team in the tourney (Missouri) all based on strange calls and poor game management.
I like Buzz. You can get to a Final Four with Buzz perhaps. I don't think you're winning a title with him without a lot more talent."

We can stay in games we should win easily.  Umm, not exactly high praise.

Let's see, we've beaten them two years in a row at their arena when they have superior talent, and Buz is not a good game coach.  They must really not like Blaney's game coaching.

[tower912]

Not exactly coherent either.   There have been very few games (DePaul) that we should have "won easily".    The fact that they think MU is so good that it should win easily means Buzz must be doing something right.   He certainly has not UNDER-achieved his talent.

[MUMac]

We can stay in games we should win easily.  Umm, not exactly high praise.

Let's see, we've beaten them two years in a row at their arena when they have superior talent, and Buz is not a good game coach.  They must really not like Blaney's game coaching.

Yeah, that was a strange thread to make when MU has beaten them at their place. 

I suspect, though, if we go through some of Calhoun's losses, we can pull out a nugget or two of questionable decisions, blame them on him and then use that as evidence he is a poor game coach that can only win with superior talent.  Probably shouldn't be too hard to do, either.   

[Buzz Williams' Spillproof Chiclets Cup]

It's a good thing he is bringing in more talent, then.    Next year, and the year after that, when MU has multiple upperclassmen who have experience and have bought into Buzz's system, MU is going to be scary. 

Rampaging past SMU en route to a Rivalry Week showdown with UCF.

[Tugg Speedman]

Uconn is 15-9 (5 - 7).  Unless they repeat their BE conference run from last year, are they even making the tourney?

[77ncaachamps]

Can you imagine Buzz if he had Crean's recruits?

Can you ever dare imagine Crean with Buzz's recruits?

[TallTitan34]

Uconn is 15-9 (5 - 7).  Unless they repeat their BE conference run from last year, are they even making the tourney?

Next year they aren't. 

[only a warrior]

Yeah, that was a strange thread to make when MU has beaten them at their place. 

What do you expect?  A bunch of fans from UConn that are just talking.  Be the same as you just talking about UConn.  Be careful what you lurk for, you just may find it!

[MU_LOL]

Because it's Buzz's fault that Lazar stepped 5 feet over the baseline.

Has anyone else noticed that we're getting awefully close to stepping over the line still? Especially with Jae. It's kind of a douche call to make anyways, but, you know, still against the rules.

[brewcity77]

Uconn is 15-9 (5 - 7).  Unless they repeat their BE conference run from last year, are they even making the tourney?

UConn's not a lock yet, but they are still in decent shape. Their RPI is a monstrous 20, and they have played the toughest schedule in the country so far. If they get to 9-9, they're in. That would likely mean wins against DePaul and Pitt at home, and Villanova and Providence on the road. Even if they go 8-10 in league play, a win or two in the Big East tourney would easily get them in. The bubble this year will be just as soft as last year's, and when you compare UConn's resume to teams like Minnesota, Colorado State, Illinois, Dayton, Miami, Mississippi, and Texas that are sitting squarely on the bubble, there's no real comparison.

What will be interesting is what happens if UConn goes 8-10 but manages to win 2 Big East tourney games and USF goes 11-7 (very possible) and gets at least one in MSG. Personally, I still think UConn in and USF out would be a no-brainer, but finishing 3 games better in conference is a pretty noticeable metric.

[tower912]

Has anyone else noticed that we're getting awefully close to stepping over the line still? Especially with Jae. It's kind of a douche call to make anyways, but, you know, still against the rules.

After makes, when the other team is pressuring, it appears that MU is trying to get the ball in ASAP to keep the other team from setting up.    I've thought a couple of times that it looks like we are trying to repeat that particular mistake.   

[77ncaachamps]

Has anyone else noticed that we're getting awefully close to stepping over the line still? Especially with Jae. It's kind of a douche call to make anyways, but, you know, still against the rules.

McIlvaine brought that up during the DePaul or Prov game.

That many players got away with that in the NBA, Jimmy included.

[Hoopaloop]

I don't recall what Buzz did to cost the Missouri game.  I thought he got MU in position to win.  The obvious foul with the crippling injury, followed by Zar's botched inbounds.  How, though, were those tied to Buzz?

I was not happy with Buzz's coaching in the Washington NCAA game.  The Missouri game, thought he did a good job.

[CTWarrior]

What worries me about the UConn game is that they may very well look at it as a must win game to shore up their NCAA resume.  We'll be in the same boat for all three of our remaining road games.  UConn, Cincy and WV are all likely NCAA participants but none of them are locks and a win over us would be big for them and a loss cuts deeply into their margin for error.

[tower912]

I was not happy with Buzz's coaching in the Washington NCAA game.  The Missouri game, thought he did a good job.

The Washington game was frustrating, but it highlighted the two weaknesses we all knew that team had; depth and interior defense.     MU wasn't deep enough to hold that lead and wasn't tall enough to send a help defender to challenge Poindexter's layup.     We need DG back for depth, even though he won't help much on defense. 
    As with everyone, Buzz is a work in progress.   He has room to grow and learn.   But he is still the best thing that Crean ever did for MU. 

[Lennys Tap]

I was not happy with Buzz's coaching in the Washington NCAA game. 

I'm sure when he sees this he'll want to personally apologize. Check your inbox.