JS Sunday Preview

[Nukem2]

This is a little harsh but what evidence is there really to suggest any different?  He made one basket all of the BE season last year...the shot against Syracuse.

I too am dumbfounded by this belief that he has more ability than he has shown.

Yes, his role should be limited to being a potential zone buster off the bench.  Defensively, he struggles to stay with the opponent ( showed that again in the recent scrimmage ) and really provides little help defense.  If he starts, it will be an Erik Williams / Reggie Smith type situation. 

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

This is a little harsh but what evidence is there really to suggest any different?  He made one basket all of the BE season last year...the shot against Syracuse.

I too am dumbfounded by this belief that he has more ability than he has shown.

Jake in 2012-13:
I thought Jake would get minutes. I was wrong.

I thought that Jake did 1 thing better than anybody else: Shoot. MU didn't have anybody who could shoot last year (remember the Syracuse game??)

Now, I realize that shots in the Big East aren't as easy to come by as they were at South Dakota, but the 3pt line is the same distance, and nobody was asking Jake to get his own shot. Just stand at the arc and be ready for a kick-out.

Jake in 2013-14:
For this season, I assume Jake is the same player he was last season. Probably a better athlete than some expected, but limited.

With this said, MU still could use some shooting, so if Jake can somehow take (and make) a couple of shots per game, it wouldn't be surprising to see him get up to 10min. MU doesn't have a lot of shooters, so Buzz will take the production where he can get it.

I don't expect Jake to play much this year... but I think he does have a legit opportunity to earn minutes if he shoots well in his limited opportunities. He isn't purely roster-filler like other walk-ons.

[brewcity77]

Does anybody else think Jake just had a bad year last year and can be a solid player for the Warriors? I do.  He can shoot and he is mobile. I think he can be a poor man's Anthony Pieper if he gets off to a good start.

It's truly a rarity when PRN and I are on the same page

I do think Jake could be a solid player, largely for some of the reasons Guns laid out. He's had a couple years now to adjust to the speed of the game and as mentioned, the 3-point line is the same distance. I think he was forcing it a lot last year, trying to prove he belonged. This year expectations are tempered, which should allow him to simply play his game.

I still don't see him as a major player, probably at most 8-12 mpg as a shooting specialist, but I do think he could step in and make a positive difference from time to time.

[MerrittsMustache]

Jake's biggest contribution this season will be portraying the opposing team's top shooter in practice.

[GGGG]

Jake in 2012-13:
I thought Jake would get minutes. I was wrong.

I thought that Jake did 1 thing better than anybody else: Shoot. MU didn't have anybody who could shoot last year (remember the Syracuse game??)

Now, I realize that shots in the Big East aren't as easy to come by as they were at South Dakota, but the 3pt line is the same distance, and nobody was asking Jake to get his own shot. Just stand at the arc and be ready for a kick-out.

Jake in 2013-14:
For this season, I assume Jake is the same player he was last season. Probably a better athlete than some expected, but limited.

With this said, MU still could use some shooting, so if Jake can somehow take (and make) a couple of shots per game, it wouldn't be surprising to see him get up to 10min. MU doesn't have a lot of shooters, so Buzz will take the production where he can get it.

I don't expect Jake to play much this year... but I think he does have a legit opportunity to earn minutes if he shoots well in his limited opportunities. He isn't purely roster-filler like other walk-ons.

I don't disagree with anything you have said here.

[94Warrior]

Jake also hit the game winning shot in the first Butler game last year, until Rotnei Clarke wiped it out.  He will contribute,  but I don't see him starting just cause Mike Hunt said so.

[Litehouse]

Thomas is a much better player than people are giving him credit for. He also is not going to pout, if you take the starting job away from him. I am not so sure you can say the same thing about Mayo. Safer not to start Mayo in the first place, than to get mad at him and take the starting job away from him.

This is a good point.  A starting spot might be a nice carrot Buzz can use to motivate Mayo as the season goes on.  He can always give the starting job to Mayo after he earns it.

[MerrittsMustache]

For whatever reason, some guys play better off the bench. Mayo has started just 2 of the 58 games he's played at MU, both times when DJO was suspended (N. Colorado and at WV). Maybe he prefers entering the game 3-5 minutes into it. Maybe Buzz thinks he's better against the opposing team's winded first unit. Maybe Buzz wants more scoring on the second unit. Maybe Buzz thinks Mayo plays well with Gardner. Maybe the JS just threw that in there to send Scoopers into a tizzy.

[Brewtown Andy]

Jake also hit the game winning shot in the first Butler game last year, until Rotnei Clarke wiped it out.  He will contribute,  but I don't see him starting just cause Mike Hunt said so.

Based on the fact that this info came from a blog post where Hunt talked to Buzz after a practice, pretty sure "Jake is the starter" is right out of Buzz's mouth.

[Bocephys]

Based on the fact that this info came from a blog post where Hunt talked to Buzz after a practice, pretty sure "Jake is the starter" is right out of Buzz's mouth.

Well sure, but that was before Scoop gave their opinion.  Surely we've changed his mind by now.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Well sure, but that was before Scoop gave their opinion.  Surely we've changed his mind by now.

+1

[94Warrior]

Based on the fact that this info came from a blog post where Hunt talked to Buzz after a practice, pretty sure "Jake is the starter" is right out of Buzz's mouth.

Considering the source, I would like to see the direct quote before I assume anything out of Mike Hunt's mouth is factual.
He has never written a blog or article about MU that is not filled with inaccuracies.  Like I said earlier, everyone on Scoop is infinitely more knowledgeable about Marquette than Hunt.

"Todd and Jujuan have not done enough to earn a starting spot", does not equate to  "Jake is the starter".   

Perhaps Hunt can enlighten me more about "Devonte" Burton's role with the team.

[94Warrior]

Waddaya know?  Today Hunt writes Buzz has 'no idea' who is starting, outside of Chris of course.

Perhaps that was Hunt's uneducated guess, when he wrote Jake Thomas was a starter.  (Just as I said it was.)

Total hack of a "reporter".

[brandx]

Considering the source, I would like to see the direct quote before I assume anything out of Mike Hunt's mouth is factual.
He has never written a blog or article about MU that is not filled with inaccuracies.  Like I said earlier, everyone on Scoop is infinitely more knowledgeable about Marquette than Hunt.

Hard to be correct when you use "never" and "everyone".

I will be bold enough to say "Everyone" knows your statements are not accurate.

I think it will suffice to say that there is more factual information to be gleaned from MUScoop than from Hunt's columns (as well as a lot more crap).

[94Warrior]

If you can find an article from Hunt pertaining to MU, without inaccuracies, I'd like to see it.  And, I am sure there are some on Scoop with less MU knowledge than Hunt, but they are few and far between.  Hunt either doesn't care, doesn't try, or is completely incompetent.  That was my point, sorry I wasn't more clear.

[94Warrior]

Hard for Hunt to be right about Jake being a starter, when Buzz himself doesn't know.  Same logic holds true for those claiming they know Diamond is coming, when Diamond himself does't know.