Trent Lockett

[GGGG]

Oh that's convenient. I didn't say that, but nice aversion. Let me post again so you can read carefully.

If Juan or Jake went 0-7 but had 1 block in overtime people would be going nuts? What are you talking about? Juan played 14 minutes to Lockett's 34 and had 1 more rebound and same amount of assists. It's not about expectations, it's about results. Lockett has not been delivering results, he's shooting 36% from the field this year. His defense has been pretty bad as well.

I don't see threads about how great Juan is....Sorry you can't see that.

Edit:  Not going to argue with someone who simply wants to argue.

[honkytonk]

I will say that if we play that hard every game, we will beat half the teams in the conference and at least give ourselves a chance against the better teams. Goes without saying we have to shoot better, but I actually was quite encouraged by the effort.

We outrebounded UConn by 10, only committed 9 turnovers after some horrific games in which our guys acted like the ball was covered in margarine, got 18 pts, 5 assts and only 1 TO from our PG and made most of our FTs down the stretch.

Those are all things that lead to success.

Definitely encouraged by the effort. However, keeping things in perspective - UConn is not very good. Their front court is perhaps the worst it has been since we joined the BE. Their zone was strange to say the least as they dont have the tall, rangy athletes all over the court. Plus, this was a home game. Even if they were eligible, Im not sure UConn is a tournament team.

[MerrittsMustache]

I have not heard from one fan who's "clamoring for more Jake Thomas". You might need new seats.

You might need to read this board more.

[MarquetteDano]

Juan played 14 minutes to Lockett's 34

This is the key stat not the others than everyone else is posting.  Why would Lockett, who according to some played terrible defense, play 34 minutes, the second most on the team?

Yes Vander was in foul trouble but Mayo was not.  Why would Mayo and Anderson not get substantially more minutes I wonder?

[MU82]

Definitely encouraged by the effort. However, keeping things in perspective - UConn is not very good. Their front court is perhaps the worst it has been since we joined the BE. Their zone was strange to say the least as they dont have the tall, rangy athletes all over the court. Plus, this was a home game. Even if they were eligible, Im not sure UConn is a tournament team.

Fair enough, honky. I just want to see this "want-to" every game, and I'll take whatever results we get. (As if I have the option to not take the results I don't want!!)

[ATWizJr]

For those who doubt what he does, watch that overtime a few times.  Seriously, Junior is STOG, but Trent did things in OT that were essential to the victory.

Many contributed too the victory and maybe this will get Trent going, but, 0-7 and 5 points in 34 minutes is not very exciting.  OTOH, 4-5, 9 points, 3 rebs in 12 minutes for Taylor is damned exciting!!

[dwaderoy2004]

Lockett's problem is that he makes his jumpers more difficult than they need to be.  He fades away, or drifts sideways on shots too often...and misses.  When his feet are set, the jumpers go in.  Go back and watch the game last night; he's fading/drifting on every shot, even though most of them were wide open.  What Buzz needs to do is show him tape of Jimmy Butler Soph and Junior year.  Lockett's job should be to rebound, play defense, and score on putbacks and open jumpers.  Heck, he even draws fouls at a pretty good rate, like Butler did.  In general, he should not be putting the ball on the floor or taking contested shots, and he needs to play more like a 4 than a 2 from the 3 spot.

[GGGG]

Many contributed too the victory and maybe this will get Trent going, but, 0-7 and 5 points in 34 minutes is not very exciting.  OTOH, 4-5, 9 points, 3 rebs in 12 minutes for Taylor is damned exciting!!

It's exciting, but his effort on the defensive end is poor at times.  I really, really like his upside though.  Really has great touch on the offensive end. 

[Niv Berkowitz]

Taylor was pulled after he gave up a pretty bad weak side offensive rebound and put back.  I love the way he plays on the offensive end, but he still has some work to do on the other end.  He'll get there.

LOVE Taylor. He's going to be a great one at MU. Shades of Trend Blackledge's athleticism and quickness, mixed with Lazar-as-a-freshman. Just really like his qualities.

[downtown85]

I disagree partially.  Transition D was a problem, but I think you are blaming him too much for some of the breakdowns in the halfcourt defense.  I think them playing zone for a good portion of the game was done because the entire half-court defense has been pretty poor against decent teams this year.  Simply put, if the defense isn't causing turnovers, the opposition generally gets a good look.  Lockett is only part of that problem, and there aren't ready alternatives that are any better IMO.

I re-watched the game.  I am more convinced than ever of my original comment.  I think other teams are starting to run plays to exploit number 22.  He is often out of position and he doesn't seem to know who he is supposed to be guarding.  I am not offering solutions or trying to argue, I am just saying that the two good plays in overtime hardly made up for the stinkfest he had in regulation.  I would really like him to be better and I hope he improves, I am just calling it like I saw it.  

[NersEllenson]

Oh that's convenient. I didn't say that, but nice aversion. Let me post again so you can read carefully.

If Juan or Jake went 0-7 but had 1 block in overtime people would be going nuts? What are you talking about? Juan played 14 minutes to Lockett's 34 and had 1 more rebound and same amount of assists. It's not about expectations, it's about results. Lockett has not been delivering results, he's shooting 36% from the field this year. His defense has been pretty bad as well.

I don't see threads about how great Juan is....Sorry you can't see that.

Enough said...

Edit:  Not going to argue with someone who simply wants to argue.

There really isn't an argument to be made...people wouldn't be clamoring if Juan or Jake Thomas went 0-7 from the field in 34 minutes, yet grabbed 5 rebounds and had 2 assists...while going 5 of 6 from the free throw line....in fact I'm sure you'd be beating the drum the loudest on how awful Jake Thomas was if he got 34 minutes and delivered the paltry stat line above.

[Aughnanure]

Confidence is maybe the most undervalued aspect of a player. Here's hoping Steve, Trent and Juan found their's last night.

[Lennys Tap]

If Juan or Jake has that stat line, people here would go nuts.

I thought Lockett came up big late last night. I'm hoping it's the beginning of  a turnaround for him.

That said, your statement is just plain wrong. An 0-7, 5 pts, 5 rb, 2 asst, 1 stl, 1 blk, 0 to in 34 minutes stat line is not one that would cause ANYONE hear to go nuts about ANYONE on our team.

[ATWizJr]

LOVE Taylor. He's going to be a great one at MU. Shades of Trend Blackledge's athleticism and quickness, mixed with Lazar-as-a-freshman. Just really like his qualities.

and, the kid seems hungry!

[NersEllenson]

In 34 minutes, Lockett had 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, no TOs, knocked down clutch FTs and had one of the biggest plays in OT. Despite that, fans (both on here and at the BC) rip him for anything and everything because his shots weren't falling. Honestly, the ignorance among MU fans is starting to get embarrassing.

Based on your above post, are you sure you aren't one of the ignorant MU fans?  When you are trying to champion a stat line of a starting guard who goes 0-7 from the field, but contributes 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 block in 34 minutes....that is a stretch to say the least, if not ignorant.  Perhaps if Lockett just made 2 of his 7 shots from the field in regulation, we don't need his overtime "heroics."

Not trying to pile on the kid, but let's get real, he played a poor game up to Overtime...and has struggled mightily thus far.  I give him credit for seemingly playing hard and giving max effort...but the results haven't been there yet.  I don't think Trent is as bad of player as he's been thus far, and expect he will get better...just needs a few more shots to fall...and hopefully this OT performance will be his springboard...but lets not live in a fantasy land and try to argue that his performance prior to overtime last night was even decent.  It was awful.

[esotericmindguy]

Edit:  Not going to argue a statement that has no validity.

Fixed.

[Lennys Tap]

This is the key stat not the others than everyone else is posting.  Why would Lockett, who according to some played terrible defense, play 34 minutes, the second most on the team?

Yes Vander was in foul trouble but Mayo was not.  Why would Mayo and Anderson not get substantially more minutes I wonder?

Juan had foul problems also.

[BCHoopster]

It is fairly obvious after 13 games that MU really does not have a shooting small forward.  Lockett and Anderson can not shot the 3, so I can see in some games that Mayo will get some
more minutes.  In saying that Todd is not that good a shooter as well, so MU will have to live with what they have.  They won a game with 2 threes out of 16, next game they better be
be closer to 8 out of 16 to beat Georgetown.  MU will have to give that effort  yesterday on the road,  have to get the majority of the lose balls and hit the boards.  Every game will be
a challenge.  Good victory, have to beat another bubble team, UConn is just OK, no inside presence, but two solid guards.  Put those guards on MU, you would have a really good team.

[MarquetteDano]

Juan had foul problems also.

Not enough to limit him to 14 minutes.  Sorry.  And Mayo?

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

0-7, 5 pts, 5 rb, 2 asst, 1 stl, 1 blk, 0 to in 34 minutes stat line is not one that would cause ANYONE hear to go nuts about ANYONE on our team.

You know, outside of knocking down a couple of open shots, that's a decent line.

If he can manage to knock down a few open looks per game and fill up the rest of the scoresheet, then I'll be satisfied.

If he can have similar numbers to Vander (last year), I think that would be pretty good.

With this said, MU needs to find some more defense (create turnovers) and offense (MAKE shots).

This team reminds me a little of the Cooby/Acker teams. Not in terms of style of play, but this team is going to have to win ugly in order to win. No more DJO and Jae to make everything look good. They are going to have to scrap, claw and dive to compete with the teams with more talent.

[GGGG]

Enough said...

There really isn't an argument to be made...people wouldn't be clamoring if Juan or Jake Thomas went 0-7 from the field in 34 minutes, yet grabbed 5 rebounds and had 2 assists...while going 5 of 6 from the free throw line....in fact I'm sure you'd be beating the drum the loudest on how awful Jake Thomas was if he got 34 minutes and delivered the paltry stat line above.

Well, we will never know that because Thomas will never get 34 minutes.

As I have said before with the whole Lockett issue, it's not as though I think he is some sort of world beater.  The fact is that MU doesn't have many alternatives.  Obviously the coaching staff saw something in his play that gave him those minutes, and in the end he played very well in overtime.

[GGGG]

Edit:  Not going to argue a statement that has no validity

Fixed.

If you are arguing that your own statement had validity, who am I to disagree?

[GGGG]

I thought Lockett came up big late last night. I'm hoping it's the beginning of  a turnaround for him.

That said, your statement is just plain wrong. An 0-7, 5 pts, 5 rb, 2 asst, 1 stl, 1 blk, 0 to in 34 minutes stat line is not one that would cause ANYONE hear to go nuts about ANYONE on our team.

Seriously, do I need to put something in teal that was obviously hyperbole?  Christ people....

[Lennys Tap]

In 34 minutes, Lockett had 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, no TOs, knocked down clutch FTs and had one of the biggest plays in OT. Despite that, fans (both on here and at the BC) rip him for anything and everything because his shots weren't falling. Honestly, the ignorance among MU fans is starting to get embarrassing.

Lockett was GREAT in the OT. Hope it's the start of something big and we very well might not have won without him. I'm hoping that's the real guy, the guy we'll see in the future.

That said, if Junior doesn't make the miracle shot, we lose in regulation and Lockett's 29 minute, 0-7, 1-2, 3rb, 2asst, 1pt stat line would have made him (fairly) the #1 goat of our rotation players.

[MerrittsMustache]

Based on your above post, are you sure you aren't one of the ignorant MU fans?  When you are trying to champion a stat line of a starting guard who goes 0-7 from the field, but contributes 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 block in 34 minutes....that is a stretch to say the least, if not ignorant.  Perhaps if Lockett just made 2 of his 7 shots from the field in regulation, we don't need his overtime "heroics."

Not trying to pile on the kid, but let's get real, he played a poor game up to Overtime...and has struggled mightily thus far.  I give him credit for seemingly playing hard and giving max effort...but the results haven't been there yet.  I don't think Trent is as bad of player as he's been thus far, and expect he will get better...just needs a few more shots to fall...and hopefully this OT performance will be his springboard...but lets not live in a fantasy land and try to argue that his performance prior to overtime last night was even decent.  It was awful.

Lockett has struggled with his shot thus far. He's not just a scorer. Unfortunately, far too many MU fans can only see points.