tOSU thoughts

[Blackhat]

"Can we just all move on from Todd freaking Mayo?!?!   New season, new team.  I don't think many of us have many good memories of his MU days. "

Relax.  It's a message board, we talk.  

We need a JJJ shooting guard hitting shots and we can be real good.  

He is a guy who this season really hinges on.  We need him to step up big time.  Some pressure is on the kid.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

We have a team of x-factors.  (except Derrick Wilson)

I suppose that's fair.  I guess I feel like if anyone could put it all together and make an enormous impact it would be Deonte.  

[HutchwasClutch]

"Can we just all move on from Todd freaking Mayo?!?!   New season, new team.  I don't think many of us have many good memories of his MU days. "

Relax.  It's a message board, we talk.  

I know.  I just want to forget that last year ever happened and Mayo just personified in so many ways the flaws of last years team, and the flaws of guys Buzz brought in during his time at MU. 

[HutchwasClutch]

I suppose that's fair.  I guess I feel like if anyone could put it all together and make an enormous impact it would be Deonte.  

He could have a huge impact, he's such a natural scorer on a team that badly needs a go to guy.  If I had to pick one x-factor, it probably is him I suppose.   But he's got to get over this notion that every time he touches the ball he has to put it up.  That really seems to be his mentality right now.  Hopefully Wojo and staff will coach that out of him (I think they will).

[statnik]

Pretty soft.   In all facets. 

I agree, first half it was mostly OSU shooting the lights out, second half it was very poor defense.

[HutchwasClutch]

I agree, first half it was mostly OSU shooting the lights out, second half it was very poor defense.

That and OSU is just better than we are, especially right now.  People are confusing youth and inexperience with softness.  These guys are not soft.

[chapman]

One critique that I did have: Carlino needs to work on his flopping.  Like, either don't do it or be able to make it at least a little convincing. 

[Class71]

I'm no Duke apologist, but his comment about all the ex-Duke players on our staff when Duke is such a renowned academic institution was just stupid, unfunny, and a cheap shot, especially at Wojo, Carrawell, and Thornton.  Dakich is a jerk.  He wants to be bold and opinionated, and just comes off sounding like an idiot much of the time.  

Maybe Dakich would be better working in the back office. There should be a league fine for giving him a mike.

[tower912]

Tonight we saw the weakness of the extended pressure against a team that had quality guards, were bigger, and could shoot the 3.    MU wasn't able to turn them over enough and, in the second half when they decided to pound it inside, MU was basically powerless to stop them.   But IMO, it is the best defensive option for this team.

I thought MU did a decent job of attacking the zone, considering how good the zone was and how little experience MU has.   Good ball movement, got it to the foul line and down low fairly regularly, just not able to finish consistently enough or knock down enough jumpers.     I have been trying to remember the last team I saw pressure full court man and fall back into that kind of zone.   They slow you down and force you to finally get into your zone offense having already run 12-15 seconds off of the clock.   Really impressive.  

Wojo has done a nice job of getting MU to guard without fouling   Of course, IMO, it is going to take a long, quick, physical team to beat OSU, and the only thing MU has is quick.   My fears were apparently groundless.

MU was never going to win this game.   tOSU is better.   MU competed and didn't quit and didn't get rolled.   I am more hopeful after tonight's game than I was after the UTM game.  

[HutchwasClutch]

One critique that I did have: Carlino needs to work on his flopping.  Like, either don't do it or be able to make it at least a little convincing.  

I'm not a big fan of the flop anyway.  That's one thing about Crean's MU teams that grew very tiring.  Good refs almost never buy flopping.

[statnik]

We did look gassed - and although we only played 8 - I don't feel there is an excuse for the guys to be gassed (other than perhaps Steve/Juan).  Wojo may need to ratchet up the pre-season conditioning.  OSU played 10 guys...we played 8...and chose not to even play 1 of our guys for whatever reason.

To be fair, we played pretty intense on ball defense at times, while OSU generally sat back in their zone.  We hustled and expended more energy, but talent won this game (as well as size).

[jesmu84]

We have a team of x-factors.  (except Derrick Wilson)

Cool.

[HutchwasClutch]

I thought MU did a decent job of attacking the zone, considering how good the zone was and how little experience MU has.   Good ball movement, got it to the foul line and down low fairly regularly, just not able to finish consistently enough or knock down enough jumpers.    

Many possessions they were textbook on how to attack a zone.  Most of the time they executed everything except making the shot, especially from outside (JJJ).

[statnik]

That and OSU is just better than we are, especially right now.  People are confusing youth and inexperience with softness.  These guys are not soft.

Yeah, they looked soft in the second half and stopped playing hard on defense like they did in the first half.  Some of it was probably being gassed, but going eight deep is pretty typical for a team, so it's not like we had four starters playing 40 minutes or something like that.

[tower912]

Many possessions they were textbook on how to attack a zone.  Most of the time they executed everything except making the shot, especially from outside (JJJ).

MU had many good looks inside that they missed.   They had several opportunities for good looks that they didn't exploit.   And the good looks from 3 just weren't falling enough.    The process was spot on, the results were not.    Ah, well. 

[Lennys Tap]

Things I liked:

1. What I liked most (by a long shot) was the way we ran our zone offense. Taylor shot a ton of lay ups, mostly wide open ones on passes from the high post.
2. Sandy Cohen - held his own vs good competition. He's a keeper - when he gets stronger he'll have a solid inside game to go with his nice touch from the perimeter.
3. Matt Carlino - only guard who looks like a ready for prime time player.
4. Steve Taylor - his numbers are a bit deceiving as he shot lots of uncontested no footers, but he has good hands and catches it and rebounds it well.

Things I didn't like:
1. By far the most disappointing thing to me was our second half defense - dunk after lay up after lay up after dunk. Atrocious.
2. JJJ - the athletic freak who dominated against the cupcake looked very ordinary.
3. Juan - see #2, although he looked a little better in the second half.
4.Deonte - I'll cut him some slack due to his personal situation, but he was totally lost out there.

Derrick was Derrick, did very little either way, Duane looks good shooting it but he's very weak on D and with the ball.

Overall, at least as good as expected. They kept their poise and played hard. Thought Wojo coached a good game.

[Johnny B]

Things I liked:

1. What I liked most (by a long shot) was the way we ran our zone offense. Taylor shot a ton of lay ups, mostly wide open ones on passes from the high post.
2. Sandy Cohen - held his own vs good competition. He's a keeper - when he gets stronger he'll have a solid inside game to go with his nice touch from the perimeter.
3. Steve Carlino - only guard who looks like a ready for prime time player.
4. Steve Taylor - his numbers are a bit deceiving as he shot lots of uncontested no footers, but he has good hands and catches it and rebounds it well.

Things I didn't like:
1. By far the most disappointing thing to me was our second half defense - dunk after lay up after lay up after dunk. Atrocious.
2. JJJ - the athletic freak who dominated against the cupcake looked very ordinary.
3. Juan - see #2, although he looked a little better in the second half.
4.Deonte - I'll cut him some slack due to his personal situation, but he was totally lost out there.

Derrick was Derrick, did very little either way, Duane looks good shooting it but he's very weak on D and with the ball.

Overall, at least as good as expected. They kept their poise and played hard. Thought Wojo coached a good game.

Whos Steve Carlino?

[Lennys Tap]

Whos Steve Carlino?

Matt's much better brother

[JakeBarnes]

Overall, sloppy but not too shabby.

I am not a coach, but was a little disappointed that with 8 min ties left in 2nd half, Marquette got into the double bonus but did nothing to push the ball to draw fouls after that. The window to get back in it was slim, but that was their best option and no one really made an effort to take advantage of thr situation.

[77ncaachamps]

Just watched the replay.

JUAN holds onto the ball too long. Indecisiveness killed him. Driving into two players, caught in bad positions, picking up dribbles. Doesn't even have a two-point stroke outside the key. Doesn't have the jumps to even sky over people IN the key for dunks.

STEVE had some head shaking missed bunnies. But he'll be the most consistent defensive rebounder and interior post scorer on this team.

CARLINO has the green light from Wojo. But these long rebounds that lead to easy transition baskets are going to kill this team. That said, he's the best perimeter scoring threat we have. Also, it always looks like he's palming the ball.

COHEN is coming along well. This is going to be a great experience building year for him. He's going to get significant minutes this year.

DUANE was stroking it but the injury still has him playing catch up.

DERRICK will be a reliable floor general. But April can't come soon enough.

JJJ is an open court threat. He's silky smooth to the hoop.

DEONTE is gonna come around eventually. His team is going to need him to really step up in the future and I know he will.

TEAM's defense - switching and transition - has to improve drastically. Height is one thing, but position and assignments are others.

TEAM's offense saw less drawn foul calls on scoring attempts and settled for more jump shots. Nova with Lowry, Foye, Nardi and Sheridan we are not.

[Galway Eagle]

I know Derrick didn't put up great numbers but he made 2/4 shots and hit both his free throws. Not saying play him all game but I think a lot of our hate on him can be lessened for the time being. 

[Lennys Tap]

I know Derrick didn't put up great numbers but he made 2/4 shots and hit both his free throws. Not saying play him all game but I think a lot of our hate on him can be lessened for the time being. 

That was Duane who was 2-4 and 2-2. Derrick was 1-2 (both 3s) and 0-0

[River rat]

Yeah, what is up with Dawson?  We only have nine guys.  I hope we start seeing more of him.  He showed last year he can play at this level.

Aside from a
10 minute stretch at georgetown, where he had a one of those kids with autism type games , no he did not

[GGGG]

I know Derrick didn't put up great numbers but he made 2/4 shots and hit both his free throws. Not saying play him all game but I think a lot of our hate on him can be lessened for the time being. 

Everything seemed to bog down with Derrick running the point.  He is a better defender than Duane so he deserves minutes, but IMO he should be the third option at point.

[Lighthouse 84]

Everything seemed to bog down with Derrick running the point.  He is a better defender than Duane so he deserves minutes, but IMO he should be the third option at point.

Exactly what I thought while watching.  Derrick slows the game down so much.  Unless he's wide open in the corner with not much time on the shot clock, he's not going to shoot so he carefully looks around for someone to pass to.  Of course he doesn't have a lot of TOs because he moves the ball around so slowly.