Need Malek H.

[brewcity77]

The front court should be our strength this year but it has been disappointing. When we had JUCOs like Jae, Lazar and Butler they had that edge and toughness that is missing this year. I think Deonte is that kind of person but at 6"4" there is only so much he can do. We have the talent to be really good but for some reason its been a struggle.  I hope we don't get or butts kicked by UW.

Oh the irony... 

[4everwarriors]

Didn't know Lazar was a JUCO. No wonder the cat talked to the departed, hey?

[MUHoopsFan2]

If you don't want to see "cheap shots" taken at HS players perhaps you should stop setting them up as saviors.

And while I'm on the subject of setting up HS players as saviors, is it really your opinion, Raul, that a 6'7", 200 pound recruit is what MU needs to stop its upperclassmen from getting bullied in the paint?

What are you typing about? What upperclassmen get bullied in the paint? Devante was sick...Chris doesn't get bullied.
I assume you mean Taylor but he is not an upperclass men and they have Jamil at PG or Point Forward now. 

They are not getting bullied, it is just that the rule change where you can't touch anybody anymore has hurt MU a bit.

MU is going to have to adapt and take advantage of that and have their guys attack the basket and push the tempo more or throw it down low.

They are not being bullied, they just can't shoot with any confidence and hit shots to make it easier for teams to play them honestly and double down on the Bigs. 

[Brewtown Andy]

Lets keep taking cheap shots on high school players.

Boy, I hope this wasn't directed at pointing out things like "Malek Harris verbally committed but didn't sign" and "Malek Harris isn't playing high school basketball."

[NavinRJohnson]

The front court should be our strength this year but it has been disappointing. When we had JUCOs like Jae, Lazar and Butler they had that edge and toughness that is missing this year.

So last year, when MU went to the Elite 8, who was that guy? Front line is almost identical this year.

[MU82]

So last year, when MU went to the Elite 8, who was that guy? Front line is almost identical this year.

Hmmm ...

The frontcourt personnel is the exact same this season but the group has been less effective.

There are 3 possible explanations for this:

1. The forwards have underperformed.

2. The significantly lower skill level in the backcourt has made it more difficult for the frontcourt to excel.

3. Some combination of both 1 and 2.

I opt for 3, but others might disagree.

[NavinRJohnson]

Hmmm ...

The frontcourt personnel is the exact same this season but the group has been less effective.

There are 3 possible explanations for this:

1. The forwards have underperformed.

2. The significantly lower skill level in the backcourt has made it more difficult for the frontcourt to excel.

3. Some combination of both 1 and 2.

I opt for 3, but others might disagree.

Or, they've played a grand total of 8 games, have looked good in some, and not so good in others, and its just too soon to judge. I'm gonna go that route.

[Newsdreams]

Still say Davante being very sick on Sunday lowered his game enough to affect the result of the game.

[MUSF]

As far as his game goes I agree he is obviously not the most athletically gifted player in the world, but he is a very polished offensive player.  While he is obviously nowhere near as good nor will he ever be near as good, he plays much like a much shorter Doug McDermett (spelling).  He scores the ball in every way, from 5 feet behind the 3 point line to posting up, can hit a step back fadaway mid range jumper, etc.  What he lacks in athleticism he makes up for in court vision and IQ.  Completely opposite of his father (which who knows, maybe that's part of why Buzz and Bo didn't go all in), he seems to have his head on very straight.

Have you watched McDermott play? If so, how can you seriously be comparing him, a 6'8 225 lb forward, to a 6'2 160 lb guard? McDermott regularly posts up using his big body and IQ to get position and easy points. There is no way in hell that Riley LaChance could do the same at the high D1 level.

[MUSF]

Still say Davante being very sick on Sunday lowered his game enough to affect the result of the game.

Agreed. Not many acknowledging this point here. I'm not saying we definitely would have won with DG healthy, but it would have been a much different game.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Agreed. Not many acknowledging this point here. I'm not saying we definitely would have won with DG healthy, but it would have been a much different game.

Big SHEESH is no Joe Chapman when it comes to puking and playing.

[MUSF]

Big SHEESH is no Joe Chapman when it comes to puking and playing.

BTW, is anybody else surprised that officials let ill players participate? Doesn't seem very safe IMO.

[MU82]

BTW, is anybody else surprised that officials let ill players participate? Doesn't seem very safe IMO.

Yeah, I never thought of that.

A guy gets a teeny, tiny cut that drips one drop of blood and they make him leave the court lest everybody gets AIDS. But a guy can have freakin' TB and be coughing and sweating all over people and it's A-OK.

[Dr. Blackheart]

BTW, is anybody else surprised that officials let ill players participate? Doesn't seem very safe IMO.

The SDSU guy had a hard hand cast on for goodness sake.  Gardner got elbowed under the chin in full view of everybody without a review. You want Tom Eades deciding the medical health of each player on the floor?  He couldn't even get the basketball calls right he was supposed to make.

[MUSF]

The SDSU guy had a hard hand cast on for goodness sake.  Gardner got elbowed under the chin in full view of everybody without a review. You want Tom Eades deciding the medical health of each player on the floor?  He couldn't even get the basketball calls right he was supposed to make.

I'm not asking the officials to do medical checkups at half court, but if a guy is puking on the bench, I think they could determine that he is sick.

There was a guy with a hand cast?!? I'm surprised that didn't get mentioned during the broadcast.

[Dr. Blackheart]

I'm not asking the officials to do medical checkups at half court, but if a guy is puking on the bench, I think they could determine that he is sick.

There was a guy with a hand cast?!? I'm surprised that didn't get mentioned during the broadcast.

I was at the game...I didn't see the broadcast...but each team has a trainer and team doctor on its bench...what qualifies a referee to make medical judgments?  With blood, it is to stop play, get it cleaned up, and have the player checked out by the same medical professionals before returning. If Gardner was puking on the court, it would be the same procedure. Stop play, clean it up, have the medical professionals tend to him. Once he was cleared by them, he is free to return.

So again, why would a referee be qualified to make that medical call?  Theoretically, if Gardner was not allowed to play again by a basketball referee, MU could claim it is unfair he was being excluded as their medical professionals said he was okay..and Buzz would point out the Cast Man and say you favoring one team over the other in a health matter you know nothing about.

Would I let Tim Higgins pick out my scotch?  Yes.  Would I let him determine if I had the flu or food poisoning?  No.

[MUSF]

I was at the game...I didn't see the broadcast...but each team has a trainer and team doctor on its bench...what qualifies a referee to make medical judgments?  With blood, it is to stop play, get it cleaned up, and have the player checked out by the same medical professionals before returning. If Gardner was puking on the court, it would be the same procedure. Stop play, clean it up, have the medical professionals tend to him. Once he was cleared by them, he is free to return.

So again, why would a referee be qualified to make that medical call?  Theoretically, if Gardner was not allowed to play again by a basketball referee, MU could claim it is unfair he was being excluded as their medical professionals said he was okay..and Buzz would point out the Cast Man and say you favoring one team over the other in a health matter you know nothing about.

Would I let Tim Higgins pick out my scotch?  Yes.  Would I let him determine if I had the flu or food poisoning?  No.

I don't know... just an observation. I haven't spent more than 2 minutes thinking about this, so I am not exactly sure how it would work. I'm just a little surprised that the NCAA doesn't have some sort of rule on this.

Also, I'm assuming cast man's broken hand isn't contagious. I do know that he wouldn't be allowed to play without padding on it, and hitting someone in the face with your hand is supposed to be a foul anyway.

[brewcity77]

Didn't know Lazar was a JUCO. No wonder the cat talked to the departed, hey?

Not only that, but he mentions Burton being only 6'4", and both Jae and Lazar were both 6'4" when measured at the combine.

[raul]

Lets not get caught up in the details and miss the spirit(like Jae was measured at 6'4" at the combine ) well he was listed at 6"6" or 6'7" by MU and who knows what Deonte gets listed at the combine in a few years?  Yes it's almost the same front line as last year but they have not improved in fact I think they took a step backwards, but it is still early and they can improve. My point is that the front line is not playing like they should and that's the plain truth. If you don't see that then you will not expect the players to live up their potential.

[Dawson Rental]

BTW, is anybody else surprised that officials let ill players participate? Doesn't seem very safe IMO.

Referees (in almost every case) are not physicians while teams have physicians working for them.  In such circumstances, leaving that decision to the teams would seem to be the way to go.  Let refs concentrate on the job they're there to do which is hard enough in itself.

It makes sense for the officials to get involved in the blood thing, because its been determined before hand by the NCAA that there is a risk involved in that and the officials-owing to their proximity to the players-are in the best position to see blood the earliest.

A guy throwing up on the sideline is sick, but is he contagious so as to be a risk to others or too sick to play?  Those are a questions for a doctor.

[moomoo]

Verbalcommits.com is a good source of offers and updates.  When you click on a prospect, it also shows you his most recent tweets.  Looks like Juan Anderson thinks Malek Harris is coming to Milwaukee next year:

Juan Anderson ‏@juanonjuan10  15h 
@24_MoneyTeam_10 enjoy it young bro. See you in a few months. Keep grinding

[raul]

This team is too soft when it comes to their bigs. Outrebounded 39-20 is a shame.