Seth Davis Article

[Carl Spackler]

Brutal assessment of UWMad.  Pretty generous to MU.  Supposedly from a coach from respective conference:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/seth_davis/02/29/scouting.reports/index.html

Marquette: Best transition team in Division I. The Golden Eagles' weakness is their lack of size, but I don't know that they're not better without Davante Gardner in there, because it slows them down at one position. Good luck with Darius Johnson-Odom. He's just so good at getting to your body with those shoulders. You can't help but go backward. And if Jae Crowder keeps doing what he's doing from the perimeter, he's a matchup nightmare because he can play the four or the five. All they scream on their bench is, "Paint!" They want paint touches, so you have to play shell defense and make them jump shooters. They could be a Final Four team, but I wish they had another 6-6, 6-7 muscle guy who could get some rebounds for them.

Wisconsin: I don't really respect the way they play. Jordan Taylor likes to run and grab you, and then throw his head back and try to get a call. If you set a pick, they take a dive. They cheat the game. Everybody raves about this defensive juggernaut, but that's bull. They dribble the clock out and mug you out of the building. Part of the reason they lost to Cornell and Davidson is because when you get into the tournament, refs outside the Big Ten don't fall for that. Taylor is kind of struggling, but they're always going to be in the game because they're not going to shoot until there are six seconds left on the shot clock. Then they give it to Taylor. That's their offense. They don't even run the swing as much as they used to. Taylor plays no defense because he's trying to save his energy. Jared Berggren, Josh Gasser and Mike Bruesewitz have all had fabulous seasons, and Ryan Evans has really taken his game to the next level. They're going to be in every game because of the way they play and the fact that they have a lot of weapons.

[GGGG]

Wow....that was brutal.  Furthermore, their game rests too much on 3 pointers for my sake.

As for MU, yeah we are slower with Gardner in there.  But I don't think we are better off without him.  We played very well with him in there as well.  At least it gives us another option.

[Silkk the Shaka]

Remember when all we heard last year was "why can't we be more like Wisconsin?"

Gross.

[cheebs09]

I think that is a pretty fair and accurate statement. I think the big loss would be Gardner in the tournament when the game slows down a bit (is this proven or just a general thought) and we lose a way to matchup with teams. With Gardner, we had another solid option in the half court and he could draw fouls.

Brutal on Madison. I think it was pretty harsh. One thing I will agree with is Taylor initiates a lot of contact. I noticed it when I went to the UW-MU game, especially when there is a screen on top. He initiates the contact going around the screen, but it looks like the guy is hanging on him.

[Silkk the Shaka]

Wow....that was brutal.  Furthermore, their game rests too much on 3 pointers for my sake.

As for MU, yeah we are slower with Gardner in there.  But I don't think we are better off without him.  We played very well with him in there as well.  At least it gives us another option.

No question about it, we're better off with Gardner. Gives us the ability to play more than one style and mitigates some weaknesses.

[PVMagic]

No question about it, we're better off with Gardner. Gives us the ability to play more than one style and mitigates some weaknesses.

Exactly.  That being said, I don't think we need him to play as many minutes as he was pre-injury.  I think even just 12-15 a game out of him to come in, give a few fouls, but mostly pound it inside on offense and change things up a bit would go a long, long way for us.

[Boone]

Brusewitz has had a "fabulous" season?! That's a stretch. The bar must be set really low on Mr. Perm's game, as he's shooting under 40% from the floor and under 30% on 3s.

[MarquetteDano]

I think that was the most brutal assessment of a Top 25 team I have ever seen.  Wow.  

I don't know about "cheating" the game.  That is a bit rough.  Almost gets too personal here.

Regarding the tourney, it is not like UW never wins in the tourney.  Their style may limit their ability to get to the Final Four (without a bunch more talent) but it does not limit them getting to the Sweet Sixteen.


p.s. oh, a Big Ten coach wrote that, not Davis.  Wow, wonder if that was Crean!  LOL.

[BrewCity83]

They cheat the game.  The tourney refs don't fall for it.  It's true, and now it's out in the open.

[cheebs09]

I think that was the most brutal assessment of a Top 25 team I have ever seen.  Wow.  

I don't know about "cheating" the game.  That is a bit rough.  Davis almost gets too personal here.

Regarding the tourney, it is not like UW never wins in the tourney.  Their style may limit their ability to get to the Final Four (without a bunch more talent) but it does not limit them getting to the Sweet Sixteen.

These are statements of two coaches within the conference giving their assessment of those teams.

[Lennys Tap]

Remember when all we heard last year was "why can't we be more like Wisconsin?"

Gross.

I do indeed. Wonder how he'd feel about about his non juco, high IQ traditionals being called out for "cheating the game". Wouldn't it be hilarious/ironic if the source was TC?

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

I'd bet anything that the Wisconsin thing was expressed by Tubby Smith

[LAZER]

I hate Wisconsin's style of play as much as anyone around, but to call them cheating the game I think is a little ridiculous

[warriorchick]

I hate Wisconsin's style of play as much as anyone around, but to call them cheating the game I think is a little ridiculous

agree.  If the rulebook doesn't forbid it, it's fair game.

I am sure that back in the day, plenty of folks thought Marquette's famous four-corner stall was "cheating", too.

[wadesworld]

I'd bet anything that the Wisconsin thing was expressed by Tubby Smith

Probably a good bet.  Although I wouldn't be surprised if that was some type of assistant coach.  Maybe not though.

[Real Chilly Podcast]

HAHAHA ... the take on UW is one of the funniest things I've seen all week... right up there with that hack Matthew Berry ranking Joe Mauer 176th in his fantasy baseball rankings

[cj111]

agree.  If the rulebook doesn't forbid it, it's fair game.

True, but I think the implication is that the are bending the rules (grabbing and mugging) and only succeed because they aren't called for it. 

The flopping is annoying, as is the glacial pace, but those aren't violations of the rules; they're just violations of good taste and general aesthetic principles.

[Lennys Tap]

agree.  If the rulebook doesn't forbid it, it's fair game.

I am sure that back in the day, plenty of folks thought Marquette's famous four-corner stall was "cheating", too.

Actually the clutching and grabbing is forbidden by the rulebook and it was North Carolina's famous four corner stall.

[Wareagle]

Probably a good bet.  Although I wouldn't be surprised if that was some type of assistant coach.  Maybe not though.

If it was a head coach, my money is on Thad Matta. 

[lab_warrior]

I couldn't have summed up "Bucky-ball" any better.  Great hustle, Seth Davis.  He's come around, after not ranking us earlier in the season.  Better late than never.

[warriorchick]

Actually the clutching and grabbing is forbidden by the rulebook and it was North Carolina's famous four corner stall.

We used to stall, too...while the band played the Warrior battle song.

And if the clutching and grabbing aren't called by the refs, you can't blame them for trying to get away with it.

[MU82]

They could be a Final Four team, but I wish they had another 6-6, 6-7 muscle guy who could get some rebounds for them.


Me too!

As for the assessment on Bucky, I literally laughed out loud while I was reading it. Brutally honest.

[jsglow]

Actually the clutching and grabbing is forbidden by the rulebook and it was North Carolina's famous four corner stall.

Yep.  Our's was more a center weave off the top of key post.  My memory is very vague but it seems to me that Larry McNeill epitomised the wonderful passing out of that post position during his two years.

[MU_LOL]

I couldn't have summed up "Bucky-ball" any better.  Great hustle, Seth Davis.  He's come around, after not ranking us earlier in the season.  Better late than never.

Yep. He kept us off the polls for a couple of weeks, too. I'm a proponent of his assessment of UW ball. Love it.

[Golden Avalanche]

Wisconsin: I don't really respect the way they play. Jordan Taylor likes to run and grab you, and then throw his head back and try to get a call. If you set a pick, they take a dive. They cheat the game. Everybody raves about this defensive juggernaut, but that's bull. They dribble the clock out and mug you out of the building. Part of the reason they lost to Cornell and Davidson is because when you get into the tournament, refs outside the Big Ten don't fall for that. Taylor is kind of struggling, but they're always going to be in the game because they're not going to shoot until there are six seconds left on the shot clock. Then they give it to Taylor. That's their offense. They don't even run the swing as much as they used to. Taylor plays no defense because he's trying to save his energy. Jared Berggren, Josh Gasser and Mike Bruesewitz have all had fabulous seasons, and Ryan Evans has really taken his game to the next level. They're going to be in every game because of the way they play and the fact that they have a lot of weapons.

My friend who coaches HS ball in Jersey has consistently parroted the theory that Wisconsin "cheats" the game as well. Not too many people are fond of the bullcrap acting to get whistles.