May I suggest a new starting 5?

[willie warrior]

Buzz always installs it late, always spends the first few weeks teaching defense.    The defensive rotations early were very good.   And, as bad as it was, tOSU was held in the 50's. 

Yeah--everybody knows you do not install an offense by the first month of practice. You wait until Feb.

[tower912]

Yeah you are right-he was aggressive on his 3 for 16 shooting and 5 TO's.

When nobody else steps up, the shots go to the one working the hardest.    DG didn't play every possession like he wanted the ball.  Otule didn't post every possession like he wanted the ball.   Jamil was passive.   So, if everyone is passive, and, if it is as I suspect and the freshmen don't know the offense yet, and nobody else is willing to attack...then, hell yes, let Todd make aggressive mistakes.   Nobody complained when he did the exact same thing against Southern but the shots fell.   Today, when everybody else was tentative, he at least tried to be 'the man'.   It didn't work.   What's worse, to try and fail or to not try?

[Dreadman24]

If im in High School and was recruited my Marquette... After seeing how many minutes their freshmen are getting... I would go as far away from Wisconsin as I could get.....

TOP 10 RECRUITING CLASS......... BOTTOM 10 IN MINUTES PLAYED..... HORRIBLE

+1000

[tower912]

Yeah--everybody knows you do not install an offense by the first month of practice. You wait until Feb.

It sure has worked well the last 3 years, wouldn't you agree?   Look, Buzz does what Buzz does.    His results speak for themselves.   There is always a clunker early.     Florida.   Dayton.  Norfolk.  UWGB.    Pretty sure we looked bad last year twice early and somehow recovered for 14-4 conference record, share of the Big East regular season title, and a trip to the elite 8.   I saw nothing today that told me that a repeat of that is impossible.  

[MattyWarrior]

The shot DG took out from the free throw line is about as deep as any of these guys should have shot today!

[lab_warrior]

Yeah--everybody knows you do not install an offense by the first month of practice. You wait until Feb.

Jesus, I can't believe I'm here responding to incessant pessimist
trolls after game 4 of the season...


IT'S A MOTION OFFENSE.  There's nothing to "install." 

It works well when players (and combinations of certain players)
get comfortable finding pick-and-roll and areas of the floor where
they can score the ball. 

It takes some time to develop.  Calm down.

[DavidBoone2inchesTaller]

Jesus, I can't believe I'm here responding to incessant pessimist
trolls after game 4 of the season...


IT'S A MOTION OFFENSE.  There's nothing to "install."  

Not true. There's several sets that start the motion offense that are different from one another. This includes a group of traditional sets and a group of contemporary sets. For example, you can start a traditional set by having two big men start on each side of the free throw line and drop to the blocks and set picks to free the wings down below to start the offense. Then yes, you pass and cut. Or you could run a rotation set were the big men flash to the post or set picks for each other as the guards rotate the ball. You could run a rotation set were the guards are rotating and passing and one big man or shooter runs the base line. You can invert the guards to start the offense, like in the swing. You can run a triangle where you always put pressure on the strong side, but ultimately have a weak side shooter, which was a staple of Tex Winter's offense. You can have the wings set picks to free players starting on the down on the blocks. There are 4 guard sets, and 3 guard sets. Sometimes, the method in which you start the motion is critical in finding a weakness to exploit. In addition, there are actual plays that are run out of these sets when needed. Continuity among players and understanding the strategy on offense in critical. Everyone needs to be on the same page. Practice is critical.

Keep in mind the above sets only apply to a man to man defense. If a team plays a zone like Syracuse, there are actual offensive packages designed for that defense as well. Those types of packages fall into two categories...Inside-out packages and outside-in packages.

What I've touched on is only a few things off the top of my helmet. There's many more.  

[tower912]

And all of them are rendered moot when nobody moves. 

[DavidBoone2inchesTaller]

And all of them are rendered moot when nobody moves. 

Bingo!!!!!!

[Freeport Warrior]

Any recruits brought in for the game today?

Diamond Stone was there as always.

[WarriorFan]

MU held Ohio State to 52 points.  That's excellent defense.  Only one other team has done that in the last year, and they're known as a pretty strong defensive team as well. (Wisconsin - twice last year).

Yes, the offense was crap.  No time to panic.  Not yet, and not for a while.

[willie warrior]

Prediction: Buzz does not have the gonads to shake up the starting line-up

[GGGG]

Prediction: Buzz does not have the gonads to shake up the starting line-up

Where were you last year when Buzz shook up the starting line up and went on to win a conference title and got to the E8. 

Oh yeah....you were gone from here.

Funny how you only seem to show up when there is something to bitch about.  Or maybe you're just bad luck.  Perhaps you should go on vacation again.

[willie warrior]

I trust who Buzz starts

many do not.

[MU82]

Prediction: Buzz does not have the gonads to shake up the starting line-up

You don't have the gonads to tell Buzz this to his face.

[willie warrior]

When nobody else steps up, the shots go to the one working the hardest.    DG didn't play every possession like he wanted the ball.  Otule didn't post every possession like he wanted the ball.   Jamil was passive.   So, if everyone is passive, and, if it is as I suspect and the freshmen don't know the offense yet, and nobody else is willing to attack...then, hell yes, let Todd make aggressive mistakes.   Nobody complained when he did the exact same thing against Southern but the shots fell.   Today, when everybody else was tentative, he at least tried to be 'the man'.   It didn't work.   What's worse, to try and fail or to not try?

Try something else. Mayo, first, last and always is a shoot first Gunner. If he is off, then he stinks it up, plays out of control, as he did yesterday. 5 TO's. When the rest of the team is also blowing it, except Gardner--get the ball to Gardner, High or Low. He was the only offense we had yesterday-same as Syracuse. What did he have yesterday, 5 shots? C'mon man!

[real chili 83]

many do not.

No, you don't.

It's ONE effing game.  It's essentially the same team as last year.  Too bad they didn't do anything good last year either.

[willie warrior]

Where were you last year when Buzz shook up the starting line up and went on to win a conference title and got to the E8. 

Oh yeah....you were gone from here.

Funny how you only seem to show up when there is something to bitch about.  Or maybe you're just bad luck.  Perhaps you should go on vacation again.

Here we go again with the great Sultan expounding? Bowing down and slurping at the altar of Buzz. I show up plenty Sultan. You continue to give all the passes you want, and when I see flaws I will call them out. Somebody should. And I submit to you that Buzz needs to shake up the starting lineup again, or there will be no Conference Title, and judging by yesterday, no NCAA tourney. And no, I do not mean starting Anderson for 3 minutes each half. Significant changes are in order.

[GGGG]

Let's see....I have five years of Buzz history of overcoming similar losses while at MU.

Or I have willie behind a keyboard.

Hmmm.......

[MU82]

It's essentially the same team as last year.  Too bad they didn't do anything good last year either.

Not to panic but, it's not essentially the same team as last year. In college hoops, it's all about how the guards set the offensive tone, and last year we had a respected pair of starting guards.

Now, I certainly will acknowledge that we might not have realized after three games that the Junior-Vander combo was going to be really good. But let's be honest: Derrick and Jake never have been, are not now and are not going to become anything close to Junior and Vander.

[ATL MU Warrior]

Not to panic but, it's not essentially the same team as last year. In college hoops, it's all about how the guards set the offensive tone, and last year we had a respected pair of starting guards.

Now, I certainly will acknowledge that we might not have realized after three games that the Junior-Vander combo was going to be really good. But let's be honest: Derrick and Jake never have been, are not now and are not going to become anything close to Junior and Vander.

Oh so now the story is that Junior was some fantastic point guard?  A little late for that, because as I seem to remember it, he was crucified game after game after game after game after game over the last 3 years.  And this by a fanbase that seemed to completely discount the fact that he, as our primary PG, led us to two sweet 16's and an Elite 8. 

Let's face it.  Most of the goofballs posting on here aren't going to be satisfied unless our PG comes down the court and chucks up 3's or drives to the rim on about 50% of our possessions, because, dang it, the PG needs to score for this team to win.  This despite the fact that clearly, Buzz has other things in mind from the PG position.  I'll trust him to run the team as he sees fit because the results so far have been pretty damn good, even with "offensively bankrupt" point guards. 

[DavidBoone2inchesTaller]

Oh so now the story is that Junior was some fantastic point guard?  A little late for that, because as I seem to remember it, he was crucified game after game after game after game after game over the last 3 years.  And this by a fanbase that seemed to completely discount the fact that he, as our primary PG, led us to two sweet 16's and an Elite 8. 

Let's face it.  Most of the goofballs posting on here aren't going to be satisfied unless our PG comes down the court and chucks up 3's or drives to the rim on about 50% of our possessions, because, dang it, the PG needs to score for this team to win.  This despite the fact that clearly, Buzz has other things in mind from the PG position.  I'll trust him to run the team as he sees fit because the results so far have been pretty damn good, even with "offensively bankrupt" point guards. 

Awesome post.

[willie warrior]

No, you don't.

It's ONE effing game.  It's essentially the same team as last year.  Too bad they didn't do anything good last year either.

this is this year.

[brewcity77]

Oh so now the story is that Junior was some fantastic point guard?  A little late for that, because as I seem to remember it, he was crucified game after game after game after game after game over the last 3 years.  And this by a fanbase that seemed to completely discount the fact that he, as our primary PG, led us to two sweet 16's and an Elite 8. 

Let's face it.  Most of the goofballs posting on here aren't going to be satisfied unless our PG comes down the court and chucks up 3's or drives to the rim on about 50% of our possessions, because, dang it, the PG needs to score for this team to win.  This despite the fact that clearly, Buzz has other things in mind from the PG position.  I'll trust him to run the team as he sees fit because the results so far have been pretty damn good, even with "offensively bankrupt" point guards. 

+1

I don't think anyone is completely satisfied with where things are. The simple truth is this is a flawed team, just like every other team Buzz has had. His first team didn't have any inside offensive presence and little depth. The next year we were undersized from 1-5. The first Sweet 16 year we had erratic PG play and trouble closing out close games. The second Sweet 16 year our offense played fast but was inefficient and we had little defense inside. Last year, we had no go-to scorer and a PG that ran hot and cold.

I'd love to have Shabazz Napier at the point. The simple truth is we don't. Buzz has overcome all of these issues over the years. As much-maligned as Derrick has been, no one has shown to be better. It wouldn't surprise me to see this team turn into more of a grind-it-out team than we are used to. The defense has been excellent so far. Championship level excellent. If the offense can get to the point of being respectable, this team has the potential to go far.

[connie]

+1

I don't think anyone is completely satisfied with where things are. The simple truth is this is a flawed team, just like every other team Buzz has had. His first team didn't have any inside offensive presence and little depth. The next year we were undersized from 1-5. The first Sweet 16 year we had erratic PG play and trouble closing out close games. The second Sweet 16 year our offense played fast but was inefficient and we had little defense inside. Last year, we had no go-to scorer and a PG that ran hot and cold.

I'd love to have Shabazz Napier at the point. The simple truth is we don't. Buzz has overcome all of these issues over the years. As much-maligned as Derrick has been, no one has shown to be better. It wouldn't surprise me to see this team turn into more of a grind-it-out team than we are used to. The defense has been excellent so far. Championship level excellent. If the offense can get to the point of being respectable, this team has the potential to go far.

Thank you!