Michael Hunt: Buzz Williams on NCAA chances

[Tugg Speedman]

Buzz Williams on NCAA chances

Jan. 23, 2014 6:55 p.m

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/241745271.html

The Golden Eagles have made the NCAA tournament all five of Buzz Williams' seasons.

The last three years they have gone Sweet 16, Sweet 16, Elite Eight.

With 12 games left this season, they're on the outside looking in at 11-8 and 3-3 in the Big East.

On Monday, they won a huge road game at Georgetown to regain some confidence. On Saturday, they play No. 4 Villanova at home, a game that could be a springboard to the run they've yet to have.

Marquette has not lost a home conference game since 2011.

"It’s a long time to go," Williams said. "We’ve played 33% of our conference season. You can get lost in the numbers, how many do we need to win, all of those things. I’ve always felt if you win your home games and you win half your road games and you’re in a BCS league, you’re an NCAA tournament team, unless you just absolutely play nobody in the non-conference.

"We played a lot of somebodys, but we didn't have success. Those numbers, we'll see how they play out. If you don't win your conference games, your non-conference schedule matters none. A couple of years ago Cincinnati bought a lot of games but then they had an unbelievable run in conference. Everybody was saying they didn't play anybody. We played a lot of people. We didn't win. Now in conference play we've won our home games and won one road game. That's not enough. With 12 more games, seven at home, five on the road, can you win all of them?"

That's a good question for Marquette, which got big games from bench guys John Dawson and Steve Taylor Jr. against the Hoyas. Does that mean they'll get more minutes for the big finish?

"I think there’s still a long time to play," Williams said. "We don’t have the rotation you’d want to have in regards to everybody knows what everybody’s doing. If John and Steve play the same minutes they did against Georgetown, can they produce the same way against Villanova? I don’t know. It’s not like we anticipated they’d do what they did Monday. It’s got to be the guys who produce and our guys understand that."

[Coleman]

Minor complaint: BCS is a college football term, and the Big East no longer has football. BCS is actually obsolete as of next season..

Power conference maybe?

[Newsdreams]

It is used in basketball too. They do not include the Big East here and include AAC.

"So-called major (BCS) basketball programs generally belong to one of the following six conferences:
American Athletic Conference (The American)
Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)
Big 12 Conference
Big Ten Conference
Pacific-12 Conference (Pac-12)
Southeastern Conference (SEC)"

[Coleman]

It is used in basketball too. They do not include the Big East here and include AAC.

"So-called major (BCS) basketball programs generally belong to one of the following six conferences:
American Athletic Conference (The American)
Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)
Big 12 Conference
Big Ten Conference
Pacific-12 Conference (Pac-12)
Southeastern Conference (SEC)"

I know its used. I guess my point is that it shouldn't be. Especially now that the BCS has ceased to exist, even in football.

[jsheim]

I know its used. I guess my point is that it shouldn't be. Especially now that the BCS has ceased to exist, even in football.

stream of thought...not to be analyzed. will go away soon enough. 
Buzz has let go "stream of thought" a lot crazier than that!

[PGsHeroes32]

So basically he's saying 13-5 in conference to feel safe.