Jake Thomas Transferring

[Otule's Glass Eye]

Best of luck to Jake wherever he goes. I think UWGB would be best fit. Program on the rise and still close to home.

[GGGG]

South Alabama?  Okay.  Yeah, guessing he's graduating and wants to play in his last year.  Could give GB a nice boost since they're already going into the year as likely Horizon favorite.

South Alabama just hired Butler's top assistant.  Probably a connection there somewhere.

He may be graduating this May and can get an immediate transfer to get more PT.  He's put four years of college in already considering the year he had to sit out at MU.

[Niv Berkowitz]

man, I can totally see him fitting in at UWGB w/Wardle.

[MerrittsMustache]

Kind of hard to see what motivates him based on his career path. He was ready to come here and pay while riding the pine, but now is transferring for more playing time? Maybe he felt he got the big time experience with two long NCAA trips and wants to add the experience of being a team leader before he goes out. That said you would think he should focus more on a school with a great masters program versus playing time at this point in his life.

It's possible that he wanted to be a part of a major basketball program even if it meant a major decrease in PT. He saw an opportunity close to home and took it. After 2 years, riding the pine got old and he realized he'd rather be on the court even if it was at a lesser program.

[MUfan12]

man, I can totally see him fitting in at UWGB w/Wardle.

They only lose Cougill. Sykes, Fouse, and Brown are back. Add a shooter to that mix and they could be really good next season.

[Silkk the Shaka]

Thanks for the Cuse shot heard round the world.

Echoing others, it seems like UWGB would be an excellent situation for him.  He has already experienced the NCAA tournament as a bit player.  With what they have coming back he would likely get back as a major player.  Not bad for him - he came in as a walk-on, lucked into a free degree from MU with 2 great tournament runs, then gets to head elsewhere for a major-role swan song.  Someone played his cards right.

[WarhawkWarrior]

My guess is that he will light it up in the Horizon.  Big East speed tends to cause major problems for pure shooters unless you are Steve Novak.

[mu-rara]

A  shooter that couldn't/ wouldn't/ didn't shoot.    Got tired  of watching him catch and fake as opposed to catch and shoot.    Especially  so against zones.   Good luck on where ever he lands.

Seemed to be slow on the draw.  Not a slam, and it will work out better @ a smaller school.  Good Luck Jake.

PS.  With Kam Ceroni leaving GB, there is an opening for a 3 pt bomber.

[MU B2002]

My guess is that he will light it up in the Horizon.  Big East speed tends to cause major problems for pure shooters unless you are Steve Novak.

And so the legend continues...

[Sunbelt15]

A  shooter that couldn't/ wouldn't/ didn't shoot.    Got tired  of watching him catch and fake as opposed to catch and shoot.    Especially  so against zones.   Good luck on where ever he lands.

I love the TRUTH!! On the nose!

[mu_hilltopper]

Slowly, the Brian Wardle empire grows, nabbing Jake Thomas .. all in preparation to be Marquette's next coach.

[MarquetteDano]

A shame losing Jake.  Some things we will miss:

• A zone buster to break zones when everyone else is not hitting
• Another practice player.  Especially a practice player who can play the role of gunner of the other team

Best of luck to Jake.

[GGGG]

A shame losing Jake.  Some things we will miss:

• A zone buster to break zones when everyone else is not hitting

He did that a grand total of once this past year.  [/list]

[Hards Alumni]

He did that a grand total of once this past year.  [/list]

Strange, I remember getting laid into by more than a few posters here when I said he would barely see the court.

[GGGG]

Strange, I remember getting laid into by more than a few posters here when I said he would barely see the court.

You and me both.

[Silkk the Shaka]

I was not on board the Jake Thomas kool-aid train, but in fairness he contributed a lot more than a typical walk-on (yes I know he was technically on scholarship).

[GGGG]

I was not on board the Jake Thomas kool-aid train, but in fairness he contributed a lot more than a typical walk-on (yes I know he was technically on scholarship).

After the BE season started on January 1, the only time he scored was the four point play v. Syracuse. 

23 games...32 total minutes....12 DNPs...one made basket.

[MerrittsMustache]

After the BE season started on January 1, the only time he scored was the four point play v. Syracuse. 

23 games...32 total minutes....12 DNPs...one made basket.

For perspective...

Rob Frozena's senior year from conference play on:

7 games...8 minutes...17 DNPs...one made basket.

[Silkk the Shaka]

After the BE season started on January 1, the only time he scored was the four point play v. Syracuse. 

23 games...32 total minutes....12 DNPs...one made basket.

Right, but when Mayo was out he got some good run.  Way more than any walk-on at MU I've ever seen.  Is he a Big East caliber player?  No.  Is he your typical walk-on human victory cigar?  No.

[GGGG]

Alright...so Thomas was better than a typical walk-on.  

[madtownwarrior]

yep, Jake Thomas has already become the next Scott Christopherson...

Hope we get the board posting every time he hits a three at UW-GB, UW-Milwaukee or South Alabama or anywhere he goes.   And then the magical comment, imagine if we had Jake on this years team comment.

Good times...  

and best of luck to Jake...

And so the legend continues...

[MU82]

I was not on board the Jake Thomas kool-aid train, but in fairness he contributed a lot more than a typical walk-on (yes I know he was technically on scholarship).

Not to be negative, but I'm searching for evidence of him contributing a lot.

He had a measurable impact in exact 4 games:

-- 3 treys in a decisive victory over a terrible Mississippi State team we would have crushed anyway.

-- 12 points in a rout over a UMBC team we would have routed anyway.

-- the missed 3-pointer against Green Bay. This marked the last time Jake played more than 10 minutes in any game, as Buzz realized exactly what role Jake should have (and, more importantly, shouldn't have).

-- the 4-point play against Syracuse, helping us halve an 8-point deficit and gain some momentum when we desperately needed it.

The latter was legitimately a huge contribution, and a major out-of-nowhere surprise given that he had barely played a lick during the entire Big East season. Still, some forget that Syracuse actually rebuilt its lead to 7 in the second half during another stretch when an overmatched Jake was in the game.

Syracuse still led by 7 with under 8 minutes to go until other bench players -- Gardner, Jamil, Taylor and Mayo -- put us in control. It's pretty easy to argue that Mayo's 3-pointer, coming during the decisive run, had at least as much impact as (or more than) Jake's.

He's a Horizon League player. I'm glad he'll be able to compete again at that level.

[4everwarriors]

Never stop recruitin'. I'm figurin' instead of currently bein' over signed by 1, Buzz will end up needin' to offer at least one more kid to fill his roster.

[MerrittsMustache]

Not to be negative, but I'm searching for evidence of him contributing a lot.

He had a measurable impact in exact 4 games:

-- 3 treys in a decisive victory over a terrible Mississippi State team we would have crushed anyway.

-- 12 points in a rout over a UMBC team we would have routed anyway.

-- the missed 3-pointer against Green Bay. This marked the last time Jake played more than 10 minutes in any game, as Buzz realized exactly what role Jake should have (and, more importantly, shouldn't have).

-- the 4-point play against Syracuse, helping us halve an 8-point deficit and gain some momentum when we desperately needed it.

The latter was legitimately a huge contribution, and a major out-of-nowhere surprise given that he had barely played a lick during the entire Big East season. Still, some forget that Syracuse actually rebuilt its lead to 7 in the second half during another stretch when an overmatched Jake was in the game.

Syracuse still led by 7 with under 8 minutes to go until other bench players -- Gardner, Jamil, Taylor and Mayo -- put us in control. It's pretty easy to argue that Mayo's 3-pointer, coming during the decisive run, had at least as much impact as (or more than) Jake's.

He's a Horizon League player. I'm glad he'll be able to compete again at that level.

The GB game was also the last game the team played before Mayo came back, which is why Jake's minutes decreased the rest of the way.

[MU82]

The GB game was also the last game the team played before Mayo came back, which is why Jake's minutes decreased the rest of the way.

With Mayo out, Jake had a great opportunity -- one he probably never expected -- to prove to Buzz that he merited a decent amount of playing time. Had Jake shown he warranted decent P.T., he still would have gotten some. There were many, many Big East games in which Mayo hardly played (or didn't play at all) in which Jake barely saw the court or didn't see it at all. Mayo didn't play in the resounding NCAA win over Miami; neither did Jake.

Look, Jake is what he is. I'm happy for him that he received a scholarship to a great school like Marquette after coming aboard as a walk-on. I had to laugh at some of the crazy expectations that some here had for him before the season. Now that it's over, as we wish him well, I suppose it's only appropriate that we can let the legend build a little again.