Marquette Hangs On, 74-63

[DegenerateDish]

Shoots an awful, 2-16 from beyond the arc.

[rocky_warrior]

We get the late game tomorrow - that's the most important part.  Whew.

30 fast break points?  Cool. 

[rocky_warrior]

Boxscore here

http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=273232124

[DegenerateDish]

I'm hoping maybe the 9:30 am local time start was a big contribution to our shooting woes today. Agreed that the late game start tomorrow is going to be a benefit.

[mumike22]

any ideas as to why mcneal didnt start?

[rocky_warrior]

Oh - I just meant we get the late game - as in - the semifinal playing for the championship.

But yes, a later start time may help the team too.

[Knights04]

I believe the starters are listed incorrectly in the box score as jerel got the start and dwight and lazar started as well.

[Ahoya06]

Yeah, Jerel did start. Classic MU playing to the level of their opponents, had me nervous at the end, when the neutral fans started getting loud for the upset...

Hopefully we'll turn it around tomorrow!

[murocky01]

Good game for McNeal, although he missed some big free throws (front end of a 1 and 1 when we were only up by a few points). Hayward looks strong again too, but needs to stay in the key (took a really bad 3-pointer from waaaay downtown).  

I was very disappointed with Fitzgerald, he played some really bad defense and I don't think he even attempted a shot.  We need his shooting touch in these games where we struggle from the perimeter.  

I agreed with the announcers that James needs to focus on the mid-range shot instead of forcing 3-pointers when they are not falling for him.

I didn't think that we would blow Chaminade out, since we played at 9:30am and they had a solid fan base supporting their team.  Hopefully we can come out and play a better game tomorrow.

[spiral97]

how's that for a birthday present muarmy?

[downtown85]

Kolaric beasted us.  19 points, 14 rebounds.  How many times will the opposing team's go-to big man have games like that this year?

[spiral97]

probably frequently... but I expect that.. I just expect that we hold the rest of the opponent's team down to sub-par performances and counter with our own excellent performances by our guards.. that's the part that's got me queasy.

[drewm88]

Not sure exactly what you mean by the later game tomorrow, but we have the 6:00 central game, which is the earlier of the 2 semis.

[muwarrior87]

They dominated on the glass.  Cubillan was our only player to hit a 3.  We still do not move the ball well enough against a zone. They had us in a zone of one form or another almost the whole game and we dribbled way too much. Lazar did a good job around the free throw line to break it down and moved the ball very well.  Our guards did little to try and break down the zone, settling for swinging the ball around the arc or trying to drive and then dump to Ous on a couple of occasions when he was standing right next to them.  We still need to move the ball better and get it in and out but I'm happy with the W.  Let's play to the level Jay Bilas thinks we can these next two games.

On a few occasions Bilas said that if our shot selection was as good as our intensity, we would be unstoppable.  I would tend to agree as long as those shots we select actually find the bottom of the net.

[spiral97]

Not sure exactly what you mean by the later game tomorrow, but we have the 6:00 central game, which is the earlier of the 2 semis.

but later than:
a.) today's game
b.) the loser semi's

[drewm88]

Gotcha. I figured that was the intended meaning, but better safe than sorry to make sure everyone's tuning in!

[CWSKeith]

I'm rather tired of the drooling over our defense.  Yes, we get a lot of steals, but we're also a team that's waaaaay too overaggressive and, making matters worse, a team that doesn't rebound extremely well.  We just gave up 60+ points to a D2 team -- that's not a strong defensive effort, regardless of how many turnovers we had.

Also, when is Matthews going to get going?  It seems like several times a game, he has an untimely 'slip' on the floor or a fumble of the basketball.  He looks good on the defensive end, but I keep waiting for him to have that breakout game where he takes control.  I can't be the only one, right?  I don't mean to single him out -- he wasn't the only one who couldn't do a whole lot offensively -- but it's getting frustrating. 

Today was extremely dissappointing and rather embarrassing.  Maybe I'm overreacting but I fear tomorrow's matchup. 

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

I agree with you regarding our defense. We reward deflections way too much and the gambling style creates far too many easy baskets for the opposition.

Matthews is somebody that looks like a basketball player, but he has never proven to be the player that he was billed to be. He hasn't done much of anything in our first three games and has rarely, if ever, stood out like McNeal did in today's second half.

This idea that we have a "Big Three" is completely misguided. As some discussed on the chat during the game, Hayward appears to be one of our best offensive players, but he doesn't have the slack that the three juniors have -- for whatever reason. And frankly, if James doesn't pick it up he should be benched. We can't have a point guard that throws up airballs from 3 and is afraid to go to the basket because he doesn't want to shoot free throws. I think Crean is slightly wary of James sulking and sticks with him longer than he should.

[muwarrior87]

In game's like today, I would have no problem seeing James play less minutes. We were up against a zone and he does way too much dribbling and shoots way too low a percentage to be effective.  These are the types of games where Lazar can be our best player. He works well on offense against zones and is a solid defender. 

I did like that late in the game on one of the breakaways, McNeal took it right to the basket even though it looked like James was eying up receiving and alley-oop.  Jerel played solidly and shot a high percentage. James played fairly well on defense but took some bad shots.  He had a couple good looks from around the freethrow line and from 12-15 feet is his range right now.  He's not going to be a high percentage perimeter shooter and until he starts making those kind of shots consistently in practice, I would like to see him drive and dish before trying to get separation off the dribble and throwing up an arrant shot.

[77ncaachamps]

Some observations:

1) We can't move the ball against a zone because no one has the confidence to make a shot.
2) Crean must entertain the idea of benching DJ at some point. The offense was more effective with Cubillan in.
3) DJ's not going anywhere after this year: his shot hasn't improved, he still dribbles in place...if someone doesn't transfer, we're in another scholly logjam.
4) Hayward is still fighting through the bumps of a 2nd year and later jump in his first year, but he's showing more tenacity and shot than Wes did (at this stage of his game).
5) I love Acker, but the offensive and defensive sets sometimes made him seem out of place. At one point, I think he had Derrick Johnson to guard!
6) We will get outrebounded in every other Big East game and that's not a good sign. Trevor's injury, Saunders not on the team, slow development of the post players and the absence of a good frontcourt coach (since Dwayne Stephens), really have hurt MU up front. I feel like it's going to be a long season on the glass...
7) Really disappointed in Fitz's play. Keeping him on the bench is not going to up his confidence, but having him out on the floor is not the ideal situation either. So what do you do with him?

[rocky_warrior]

Not sure exactly what you mean by the later game tomorrow, but we have the 6:00 central game, which is the earlier of the 2 semis.

Right.  We have the 6pm game.  Out of our game, we had the chance at 11:30am (play for 5th place), or 6pm (play for champ).  I was happy with the 6pm game

Here's the complete bracket.
http://www.mauiinvitational.com/bracket/index.asp

[downtown85]

Some observations:

1) We can't move the ball against a zone because no one has the confidence to make a shot.
2) Crean must entertain the idea of benching DJ at some point. The offense was more effective with Cubillan in.
3) DJ's not going anywhere after this year: his shot hasn't improved, he still dribbles in place...if someone doesn't transfer, we're in another scholly logjam.
4) Hayward is still fighting through the bumps of a 2nd year and later jump in his first year, but he's showing more tenacity and shot than Wes did (at this stage of his game).
5) I love Acker, but the offensive and defensive sets sometimes made him seem out of place. At one point, I think he had Derrick Johnson to guard!
6) We will get outrebounded in every other Big East game and that's not a good sign. Trevor's injury, Saunders not on the team, slow development of the post players and the absence of a good frontcourt coach (since Dwayne Stephens), really have hurt MU up front. I feel like it's going to be a long season on the glass...
7) Really disappointed in Fitz's play. Keeping him on the bench is not going to up his confidence, but having him out on the floor is not the ideal situation either. So what do you do with him?

Regarding DJ, I predict he is gone to Europe next year after graduating in 3 years from MU.  If he wants to stay, let him pay (tuition that is).

Regarding Fitz, can we trade him to Duquesne for Saunders?

[tower912]

Every single 3 pt shot in the second half, the shooter looked like he was trying to steer/will it in.   We were getting good looks and taking the shots in rhythm, but the shooters all looked like they were hitching because they weren't confident.    Ooze cannot guard anyone off of the dribble.   DJ looked really good when he penetrated from the wing to the FT line.   Fitz was on the floor but his game was still in Milwaukee.   Nice to see Blackledge.

[Thomas' Danish Delight]

Either way, Marquette basketball is in trouble tomorrow. 

In all our games, including most of the exhibition game, we've only managed to "hang on" or "outlast" our opponents...and no one's ever heard of any of them!  They have had intangibles and fundamental skills and all that, but tomorrow we will have to against that AND athleticism.

We will have a big test tomorrow with either LSU or Oklahoma St, and we need to stop this playing down to our competition crap.  We need to play solid, consistent basketball, whether it's Chaminade, Utah Valley State, or frickin NCAA National Champs.

[🏀]

Either way, Marquette basketball is in trouble tomorrow. 

In all our games, including most of the exhibition game, we've only managed to "hang on" or "outlast" our opponents...and no one's ever heard of any of them!  They have had intangibles and fundamental skills and all that, but tomorrow we will have to against that AND athleticism.

We will have a big test tomorrow with either LSU or Oklahoma St, and we need to stop this playing down to our competition crap.  We need to play solid, consistent basketball, whether it's Chaminade, Utah Valley State, or frickin NCAA National Champs.

Same could have been said last year. Actually it was said last year.