Traci Carter

[HoopsterBC]

I for one have not been a Traci Carter fan until what happened today.  Am I wrong or is this a one game wonder?  I hope not.  Maybe this game will give him some
needed confidence.  Scoring point guards are really important in college, today as much as I like how Henry played, played like a lottery pick,  Carter was the difference.
Good looks that he knocked down.  Keep it up, and MU might be OK down the stretch.  Now Luke has to play with more passion.  Not sure how a big like him did not
score a point.  Shows you how much Carters 3's made the difference.  Good going.  Seton Hall and Creighton twice will either make or break the season.

[NotAnAlum]

I would not expect that kind of shooting out of Traci the rest of the season.  He was really hot.  And I don't think he has to shoot like that.  He just has to be a threat and hit wide open 3s.  That will keep the defense from sagging.  The part of his game that he now must develop is his ability to get in the lane and finish when its there.  Junior wasn't a great shooter but he could shoot when he needed to.  However he could beat his man off he dribble and finish at the rim.  Then the help has to come over and that will leave HE and Fish open for easy slams.  MU shot the lights out today and Butler didn't BUT Butler was in the game because of all the "and ones" they made off drives.  3 point shooting goes hot and cold but a 1 footer with a guy fouling you from behind NEVER goes cold.
I think Traci will be a good BE starting point guard.  The problem is we needed him to be Dominic James from day one and that was asking a lot.  Today he played like DJ as a freshman but you certainly can't expect that.

[Jay Bee]

5/7 3FG isn't normal for anyone.

[1SE]

I would not expect that kind of shooting out of Traci the rest of the season.  He was really hot.  And I don't think he has to shoot like that.  He just has to be a threat and hit wide open 3s.  That will keep the defense from sagging.  The part of his game that he now must develop is his ability to get in the lane and finish when its there.  Junior wasn't a great shooter but he could shoot when he needed to.  However he could beat his man off he dribble and finish at the rim.  Then the help has to come over and that will leave HE and Fish open for easy slams.  MU shot the lights out today and Butler didn't BUT Butler was in the game because of all the "and ones" they made off drives.  3 point shooting goes hot and cold but a 1 footer with a guy fouling you from behind NEVER goes cold.
I think Traci will be a good BE starting point guard.  The problem is we needed him to be Dominic James from day one and that was asking a lot.  Today he played like DJ as a freshman but you certainly can't expect that.

That.  O needs space.  Gotta have 3pt respect for the pg - do we forget DW so easily?

[bilsu]

Blue had a 25 point game as a freshmen and average less than 6 points for the whole season. The definition of a freshmen should be inconsistant player. Look at Ellenson. Stetson was probably his worst game and Butler was his best. I also think it is more likely that Ellenson scores 32 again than Carter hitting 5 threes again.

[jsglow]

Traci doesn't need to be a dead-eye 3 point shooter.  He just needs to be a threat.  He's already a greater threat than DW ever was.  Once that's established it improves floor spacing and his ability to penetrate creating offensive opportunities for both himself and his teammates.

Traci's greatest challenge right now isn't his shooting.  It's his continuing to slow the game down and his decreasing his unforced errors.  Those 2 right at the end of his run in the second half was indicative of a Frosh getting too high and it was a good decision for Wojo to give him a seat.  I was a bit surprised that Wojo didn't go back to him when DU got his 4th.  But I suppose in an offensive/defensive situation going with Sandy makes sense.

[brewcity77]

Traci's shooting was frosting on what was an excellent day for him. What I was really encouraged with was that he played great defense without fouling, he provided assists for his teammates, and he only turned it over one time. His shot selection was a plus, but I would never expect him to make all those and would have been equally happy with him had he gone 3/7 beyond the arc.

That said, he definitely got away with two turnovers yesterday.He had two soft lobs in to Luke that could have been picked off had Butler been aware of it. Similar to the forced entry that he turned it over against St. John's except up in the air instead of on a bounce. He needs to be better at creating angles on those entry passes.

But overall he did what we needed him to do. His best game against real competition.

[mileskishnish72]

Let's hope yesterday wasn't just Traci channeling Dawson vs. GTown.

[Herman Cain]

Traci is a young player who will steadily improve each year .   He was doing well from 3 Point range yesterday so he got a few more minutes. I am still most comfortable with him at 10-15 minutes of energy at this stage. I think he gets overly excited and I don't want him in at the end of games. 

Reality is we have to deal with his ups and downs for the rest of the year. I think the general trend for him is up though.

[GB Warrior]

We saw a glimpse of this Traci in the first haof of the Nova game. This was a complete game. For me, it is less about him shooting like that (unlikely) than him playing with confidence and being willing to take the open shot. Brew is right - I'd feel just as encouraged with a 3-7 outing. 

[Dr. Blackheart]

In conference play, with a minimum of 40% of minutes played with at least two trey attempts per game, Traci (47.4%) is second only to Dunham (52.0%) from beyond. Now, that was helped by yesterday, but even earlier in the season, he led MU. He has worked on his shot as has JJJ. Turnovers has been his biggest issue staying on the floor.

[brewcity77]

Let's hope yesterday wasn't just Traci channeling Dawson vs. GTown.

LOL

I totally thought of that game yesterday too. I think we're safe from that being a one-time occurrence though the way it was with Dawson. If you look back at John, he played as many minutes against GT as he had in the past 7 games combined, which included 3 DNPs. He was a bit player who scored almost as many points against GT (12) as he had in the entire 18-game season to that point (14) and dished out a career high* in assists (4).

Traci has played double-digit minutes in every game except one this season, hit double-digit scoring three other times (including against ASU and 'Nova), and equaled or exceeded his assist total (4) from yesterday in 14 of our previous 21 games. He was also a respectable 12/41 (29.3%) three point shooter coming in, so he had proven he could hit those shots and was doing so at a higher clip than Jajuan (29.0%), Vander (25.0%), Lazar (20.8%), or Jerel (28.3%) did as freshmen, all of whom developed into fairly reliable three-point threats.



* Not including the 6 against Grambling, because for the love of god, no stats in that game should have been counted. I mean, Chris Otule scored 17 in that game and Steve Taylor had a double-double (16/11). It was like Marquette was playing 5-on-me all game long.

[MU82]

He was also a respectable 12/41 (29.3%) three point shooter coming in, so he had proven he could hit those shots and was doing so at a higher clip than Jajuan (29.0%), Vander (25.0%), Lazar (20.8%), or Jerel (28.3%) did as freshmen, all of whom developed into fairly reliable three-point threats.

Thanks for those interesting stats from past MU stars.

I think some folks here forget that Lazar and Jerel were freshmen, too.

[GGGG]

* Not including the 6 against Grambling, because for the love of god, no stats in that game should have been counted. I mean, Chris Otule scored 17 in that game and Steve Taylor had a double-double (16/11). It was like Marquette was playing 5-on-me all game long.

Or, as otherwise known, the infamous "Magic Dawson Game."

[bilsu]

Or, as otherwise known, the infamous "Magic Dawson Game."

I still cannot figure out why the coaches did not like Dawson. I do not believe he should of started ahead of Derrick, but it is really odd that Buzz did not play him the next game after Georgetown and Wojo, with a shortage of players, refused to play him at all. From my perspective he seemed like a really good kid who could of helped both years he was here.

[brewcity77]

I still cannot figure out why the coaches did not like Dawson. I do not believe he should of started ahead of Derrick, but it is really odd that Buzz did not play him the next game after Georgetown and Wojo, with a shortage of players, refused to play him at all. From my perspective he seemed like a really good kid who could of helped both years he was here.

He did play the game after Georgetown, he played in the next 5 games, averaging 9 mpg. His big game was on January 20, he didn't have a DNP until Xavier on February 15. He was 2/10 (1/4 from 3) in that span with 3 rebounds and 0 assists.

Buzz always used him sparingly, and as I recall, the only reason he got as much run as he did in that Georgetown game was because Derrick told Buzz that JD was hot and to stick with him. After that game, his production and minute levels went back to where they were at before GT.

I agree on Wojo. Still don't get why on such a short-handed team Dawson couldn't get off the bench. What did he play, 1 or 2 minutes in one game against a cupcake? Unless he was terrible in practice or a complete malcontent (which I never heard) I just don't understand it. I don't think he'd ever have been a star here, but I think he could have contributed 5-10 useful mpg last year, especially once conference play started and we were running 6-7 guys out there on a nightly basis, and think it'd be nice to have another upperclassman on this team, especially since experience at the guards is one of our most notable deficits.

I have to think it was something about putting his stamp on the program. I don't think Mayo ever really had much of a chance to play under Wojo, Deonte and Dawson weren't given the roles they were envisioning, and Derrick and Juan were just seeing out their time. Clearly, Duane and Jajuan bought in, but still surprising that on our current roster, JJ is the only one who ever played a minute for Buzz.

[AZMarqfan]

Keep in mind that we're asking a lot from our Frosh. Remember when Dom James looked like our best frosh while McNeal and Matthews blossomed over the next 3 years.  Carter is doing fine.  He'll get better.  When he's helping break a press, he really gives the team a chance

[BM1090]

Traci's shooting was frosting on what was an excellent day for him. What I was really encouraged with was that he played great defense without fouling, he provided assists for his teammates, and he only turned it over one time. His shot selection was a plus, but I would never expect him to make all those and would have been equally happy with him had he gone 3/7 beyond the arc.

That said, he definitely got away with two turnovers yesterday.He had two soft lobs in to Luke that could have been picked off had Butler been aware of it. Similar to the forced entry that he turned it over against St. John's except up in the air instead of on a bounce. He needs to be better at creating angles on those entry passes.

But overall he did what we needed him to do. His best game against real competition.

I didn't read the whole thread so I apologize if this has been mentioned, but my favorite TC moments yesterday were when he wasn't even in the game.

When he got pulled for the last 5 minutes, we'd come out of every timeout with 6 guys on the court; the five that were playing, plus Traci. He was going around to all the other guards and motivating/coaching each guy. It looked like he was really taking it upon himself to be a vocal leader.

[Loose Cannon]

I didn't read the whole thread so I apologize if this has been mentioned, but my favorite TC moments yesterday were when he wasn't even in the game.

When he got pulled for the last 5 minutes, we'd come out of every timeout with 6 guys on the court; the five that were playing, plus Traci. He was going around to all the other guards and motivating/coaching each guy. It looked like he was really taking it upon himself to be a vocal leader.

He did that in a previous game if I remember correctly.

[brewcity77]

I didn't read the whole thread so I apologize if this has been mentioned, but my favorite TC moments yesterday were when he wasn't even in the game.

When he got pulled for the last 5 minutes, we'd come out of every timeout with 6 guys on the court; the five that were playing, plus Traci. He was going around to all the other guards and motivating/coaching each guy. It looked like he was really taking it upon himself to be a vocal leader.

Agreed, and a great point. As my signature indicates, I'm a huge fan of the kid. I think in 10-15 years, we'll remember him very fondly. Similar to how we think back to Diener and James.

[tower912]

Traci, like all freshmen, is going to have his ups and downs.    Yesterday, when he fouled Jones 40 ft from the basket in the first half, I thought 'here we go again'.    But he didn't commit any more dumb fouls, got to stay in the game, and made shots.    I know I yelled 'no' on his first 3 (a miss) and then on the next one, too, but he made that one.   I quit yelling after that.   

As to Dawson last year, Dodds tells the story that in the preseason while Derrick was out, Dawson could not bring the ball up effectively against Carlino, that that lock down defender from BYU completely stymied him and kept picking his pocket.    I remember shortly after that in one of his first radio shows Wojo saying that JD's time would be dictated by how well he took care of the ball.     

[GGGG]

I think Dawson is a poor man's off guard.  He's gonna have a nice career where he is right now.

[Nukem2]

I think Dawson is a poor man's off guard.  He's gonna have a nice career where he is right now.

He already is averaging 14ppg and 6rpg over 13 games while shooting 39.1% from 3 point country. 

[wadesworld]

He did that in a previous game if I remember correctly.

Providence.  Matty V made a note of him walking out of the huddle with Duane heading into the last play where we got the defensive stop.

[Loose Cannon]

Providence.  Matty V made a note of him walking out of the huddle with Duane heading into the last play where we got the defensive stop.

Thanks, He seem unafraid to take Leadership in some situations.