Still a 4 seed

[dwaderoy2004]

Right, but it also doesn't mean that the team you lost to wasn't a matchup nightmare.  Whoever says winning the NCAA tourney isn't about matchups and draw is kidding themselves.  Obviously talent is important, and being a top 4 seed helps create your own luck in draws.  But VCU would be a bad matchup for us.  That's a fact.

[Eldon]

Right, but it also doesn't mean that the team you lost to wasn't a matchup nightmare.  Whoever says winning the NCAA tourney isn't about matchups and draw is kidding themselves.  Obviously talent is important, and being a top 4 seed helps create your own luck in draws.  But VCU would be a bad matchup for us.  That's a fact.

Ah yes VCU, and that "havoc" gimmick--they had it printed on their warm-up shirts for the Temple game, and by now, probably have a banner for it.

I watched the Temple game and their PG is 6'4" and he had almost no trouble--he used his body to help protect the ball and was able to turn and throw over the VCU guards.  Temple looked shook early, but they adjusted and routed them in the middle of the 2nd half by finding their 3point sharpshooter

How is Blue's handles?  If we were to to get a draw with VCU, I wonder if we could start Blue at PG and possibly have similar results (obviously Buzz knows best), just a thought (Cadougan turns it over way too much for VCU IMO).

[MerrittsMustache]

overreact much?

In what way did I overreact?

[MU82]

Ah yes VCU, and that "havoc" gimmick--they had it printed on their warm-up shirts for the Temple game, and by now, probably have a banner for it.

I watched the Temple game and their PG is 6'4" and he had almost no trouble--he used his body to help protect the ball and was able to turn and throw over the VCU guards.  Temple looked shook early, but they adjusted and routed them in the middle of the 2nd half by finding their 3point sharpshooter

How is Blue's handles?  If we were to to get a draw with VCU, I wonder if we could start Blue at PG and possibly have similar results (obviously Buzz knows best), just a thought (Cadougan turns it over way too much for VCU IMO).

Vander's handles wouldn't be my main concern. He simply isn't used to having to be the primary ballhandler/decision-maker at all, let alone against a fierce press at crunch time in an elimination game.

It's not something a player can learn in a day, a week or even a month. Hell, some might argue that the real good PGs are born with PG ability.

Buzz might eventually use Vander some at PG next season, but he's not going to experiment with it during the NCAA tournament after using him at nothing but the 2 this entire season.

As for my handles, I'd categorize them as "love."

[4th and State]

Ah yes VCU, and that "havoc" gimmick--they had it printed on their warm-up shirts for the Temple game, and by now, probably have a banner for it.

I watched the Temple game and their PG is 6'4" and he had almost no trouble--he used his body to help protect the ball and was able to turn and throw over the VCU guards.  Temple looked shook early, but they adjusted and routed them in the middle of the 2nd half by finding their 3point sharpshooter

How is Blue's handles?  If we were to to get a draw with VCU, I wonder if we could start Blue at PG and possibly have similar results (obviously Buzz knows best), just a thought (Cadougan turns it over way too much for VCU IMO).

I agree with MU82.  I think we saw in the Nova game that Blue isn't ready to be a PG, at least this year.  He can bring the ball up on occassion, but JR is still the best option.  Maybe I'm alone in this thought but I find JR fine at breaking the press.  His gets into trouble when he's forcing low percentage passes and leaving his feet before making a pass.

[tower912]

Heck, JWilson can bring the ball up as the relief valve if VCU is pressing man.   Beating a press is about moving the ball before the traps come and keeping it somewhat in the middle of the floor.   Junior gets in trouble when he tries to beat the trap with his high dribble, or picks it up in the wrong spots.     Keep a player who can dribble behind the ball as a relief valve for the first trap.    Pass it back to them in the middle, they can either take it up the middle themselves or pass opposite where there theoretically isn't going to be anybody.  Easy in theory, obviously sometimes difficult in execution.  Best thing Buzz can do is have the other 8-9 players all press at the same time.      Again, easier in theory than execution.

[ATL MU Warrior]

Heck, JWilson can bring the ball up as the relief valve if VCU is pressing man.   Beating a press is about moving the ball before the traps come and keeping it somewhat in the middle of the floor.   Junior gets in trouble when he tries to beat the trap with his high dribble, or picks it up in the wrong spots.     Keep a player who can dribble behind the ball as a relief valve for the first trap.    Pass it back to them in the middle, they can either take it up the middle themselves or pass opposite where there theoretically isn't going to be anybody.  Easy in theory, obviously sometimes difficult in execution.  Best thing Buzz can do is have the other 8-9 players all press at the same time.      Again, easier in theory than execution.

We make it awfully hard on ourselves when we inbound the ball to the corner (which we seem to do about 90% of the time).  That's an immediate trap with very few options for the guy with the ball.  We need to stop doing that and figure out how to inbound the ball anyplace else.

[ChicosBailBonds]

I really don't get why people put so much stock in these made up brackets by a single guy who, granted, has probably the best guesses out of anyone else out there but are still guesses regardless.

Consensus also has us a 4 seed...the good news is that we are the best 4 seed.  Four Big Ten teams ahead of us, two Big East Teams...you have to hope that basically 3 or 4 of those Big Ten teams crash and burn early, as well as G'Town and UL.  Same goes for Florida and Miami and Kansas.

http://www.bracketmatrix.com/

[Eldon]

Heck, JWilson can bring the ball up as the relief valve if VCU is pressing man.   Beating a press is about moving the ball before the traps come and keeping it somewhat in the middle of the floor.   Junior gets in trouble when he tries to beat the trap with his high dribble, or picks it up in the wrong spots.     Keep a player who can dribble behind the ball as a relief valve for the first trap.    Pass it back to them in the middle, they can either take it up the middle themselves or pass opposite where there theoretically isn't going to be anybody.  Easy in theory, obviously sometimes difficult in execution.  Best thing Buzz can do is have the other 8-9 players all press at the same time.      Again, easier in theory than execution.

Bingo! That's my biggest fear with him against an uptempo press

[bkooncy]

We make it awfully hard on ourselves when we inbound the ball to the corner (which we seem to do about 90% of the time).  That's an immediate trap with very few options for the guy with the ball.  We need to stop doing that and figure out how to inbound the ball anyplace else.

I have been saying this same thing every time I watch marquette try to break a press.  It seems like this is the only way I have seen them attack a 1-2-2 type press.  We never seem to find the middle of the court, and we always take close to 10 seconds.