Who would win a Tournament of MU Greats?

[Buzz Williams' Spillproof Chiclets Cup]

Here in the dog days of summer, there isn't much basketball to discuss, and Midnight Madness is still a month and a half away.

To kill the time, I've assembled three rosters of MUBB greats, based on their high school or place of birth. If those teams could play each other, despite being from different eras, which team of MU greats would prevail in a round robin tournament: MUBB Chicagoland, MUBB Wisconsin, or MUBB Everywhere Else?*

* = Feel free to tell me my player selections are lousy. I simply tried to get the best 11 or 12 players available from each region, looking at MU's All-Americans, Championship teams, and Career Stat Leaders. I attempted to put together a balanced roster positionally, but this was not always possible. Full disclosure, I'm a 2006 MU Grad, so there may be some recency bias.


MUBB Chicagoland

Starters

PG: Doc Rivers (Maywood)
SG: Dwyane Wade (Robbins)
SF: Jerel McNeal (Country Club Hills)
PF: Bo Ellis (Chicago)
C: Jerome Whitehead (Waukegan)

Reserves

PG: Lloyd Walton (Chicago)
PG: William Gates (Chicago)
G: Bob Lackey (Evanston)
G: Amal McKaskill (Maywood)
G: Cordell Henry (Chicago)
G: Brian Wardle (Clarendon Hills)
G: Joe Chapman (Sauk Village)

MUBB Chicago was the hardest roster to construct. It was also the smallest team. While the other two teams had a pretty even positional distribution, Chicagoland sends MU guards, guards, and more guards.

This team would be quick, score a lot of points, and be defensively stingy. However, they may struggle with turnovers, and if shots weren't falling, their lack of height could be a problem.


MUBB Wisconsin

Starters
PG: Travis Diener (Fond du Lac)
SG: Wes Matthews (Madison)
SF: Steve Novak (Brown Deer)
PF: Jim Chones (Racine)
C: Jim McIlvaine (Racine)

Reserves
PG: Vander Blue (Madison)
SG: Tony Smith (Wauwatosa)
SF: Don Kojis (Milwaukee)
PF: Scott Merritt (Wauwatosa)
PF/C: Damon Key (Milwaukee)
C: Henry Ellenson (Rice Lake)
C: Terry Rand (Green Bay)

Where MUBB Chicagoland lacked height, MUBB Wisconsin has it in spades. 5 or 6 different players could play Center. However, MUBB Wisconsin would also have several credible perimeter threats in Diener, Novak, Matthews, and Smith.

MUBB Everywhere Else

Starters
PG: George Thompson (New York)
SG: Butch Lee (New York)
SF: Jimmy Butler (Texas)
PF: Maurice Lucas (Pennsylvania)
C: Jae Crowder (Georgia)

Reserves
PG: Dominic James (Indiana)
PG: Dean Meminger (New York)
SG: Darius Johnson-Odom (North Carolina)
SG: Earl Tatum (New York)
SF: Roney Eford (New York)
SF: Lazar Hayward (New York)
PF/C: Bernard Toone (New York)

Possibly the most well-balanced team. MUBB Everywhere Else boasts depth at every position. Butler and Lucas would be defensive pit bulls, and there is plenty of explosive offensive firepower coming off the bench with Johnson-Odom and James.

[warriorchick]

So who gets the Bye game?

[wadesworld]

Where's it played and what channel is it broadcast on?  Who's wearing the baby blues?

[tower912]

Who is coaching which team?    Al>Buzz>Hank>Majerus>Crean>Deane>Dukiet.     Wojo still grades out as Inc.

[PBRme]

I'd start Toone at center over Crowder

[MuMark]

Lucas would be the center on that team

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Who is coaching which team?    Al>Buzz>Hank>Majerus>Crean>Deane>Dukiet.     Wojo still grades out as Inc.

That begs the question, is this based on MU career or total career? Because Majerus would be #2 if it was whole career and close to last if it was just MU career.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Who is coaching which team?    Al>Buzz>Hank>Majerus>Crean>Deane>Dukiet.     Wojo still grades out as Inc.

Forgot KO, who id probably put right behind Al.

[Dawson Rental]

Jim McIlvaine starting at center for Wisconsin Warriors?  No.
Jim Chones at center, Henry Ellenson at PF with Damon Key backing them both up.  Mac fourth in the rotation.

George Thompson a PG?  Really?  I wasn't around then, but this is the first time I've heard him called that.  Dean Meminger is the everywhere else PG, better yet the just plain everywhere PG.

MUBB Chicagoland

Starters

PG: Doc Rivers (Maywood)
SG: Dwyane Wade (Robbins)
SF: Jerel McNeal (Country Club Hills)
PF: Bo Ellis (Chicago)
C: Jerome Whitehead (Waukegan)

Reserves

PG: Lloyd Walton (Chicago)
PG: William Gates (Chicago)
G: Bob Lackey (Evanston)
G: Amal McKaskill (Maywood)
G: Cordell Henry (Chicago)
G: Brian Wardle (Clarendon Hills)
G: Joe Chapman (Sauk Village)

MUBB Chicago was the hardest roster to construct. It was also the smallest team. While the other two teams had a pretty even positional distribution, Chicagoland sends MU guards, guards, and more guards.

Just call Chicagoland what it is: a three guard lineup, or if your stuck on traditional positions start Lackey (not a guard) or Wardle (also not really a guard) at SF, and put Jerel in a backup role.

Amal McCaskill was a center, not a guard, and despite his size, William Gates ended up playing SF because O'Neill liked his defensive skills there and he really didn't have PG skills.

[Dawson Rental]

I'd start Toone at center over Crowder

Lucas would be the center on that team

And I think that I'd take David Boone over Toone at PF.

[Marcus92]

I voted Chicago, but could have easily went with Everywhere Else. The idea of All Americans like Lloyd Walton and Dean Meminger coming off the bench is insane. Either would be an unbelievably talented roster.

[Dawson Rental]

I went with Wisconsin.  they have the best inside talent, and Novak and Diener would keep teams from packing it in to stop Chones, Ellenson, Key, et. al.

Both Chicagoland and Everywhere Else have better back courts, though.

[tower912]

That begs the question, is this based on MU career or total career? Because Majerus would be #2 if it was whole career and close to last if it was just MU career.

A fair point.   I was thinking of his time at MU. 

[tower912]

Forgot KO, who id probably put right behind Al.

Doh!

[brewcity77]

Who is coaching which team?    Al>Buzz>Hank>Majerus>Crean>Deane>Dukiet.     Wojo still grades out as Inc.

The "Everywhere Else" team would be coached by Al McGuire.

The "Wisconsin" team would be coached by Rick Majerus.

The "Chicagoland" team is the toughest. I would lean toward Brian Wardle, though Bill Chandler or Jerry Wainright would be decent arguments depending on your criteria.

[HouWarrior]

No Knit picking your effort here....thanks for the nice job of putting this together....
I was impressed that each "team" had some pretty solid stars...
This also recalls the strength of Al's ole NY pipeline....
good thread

[Galway Eagle]

The "Everywhere Else" team would be coached by Al McGuire.

The "Wisconsin" team would be coached by Rick Majerus.

The "Chicagoland" team is the toughest. I would lean toward Brian Wardle, though Bill Chandler or Jerry Wainright would be decent arguments depending on your criteria.

Might be worth it to consider Rivers at player/coach

[brewcity77]

Might be worth it to consider Rivers at player/coach

Suppose you could, though I tried for guys that coached at Marquette (though Wardle and Wainright were only here as assistants).

[Dr. Blackheart]

Goose Brell easily knocks off a few on the Wisconsin team.

How does MU not have a Chicago recruit make it to campus since Steve Taylor?

[Herman Cain]

.....How does MU not have a Chicago recruit make it to campus since Steve Taylor?

We don't pay enough

[Galway Eagle]

Suppose you could, though I tried for guys that coached at Marquette (though Wardle and Wainright were only here as assistants).

Well then you could include Jon Harris who's now head coach down at SIU-E or Jim Smith who's second all time in D3 wins.

[real chili 83]

You need to give some thought to Artie Green and Sam Worthen.  Sam was a damn good passer, and no Warrior jumped higher than Artie.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

We don't pay enough

I agree with this sarcastic analysis

[WarriorFan]

So as I'm reading the Chicago line-up I'm thinking no-one could beat those guys... then I see the Wisconsin line up and realize that in a best of 7 they would certainly test the Chicago guys, then I see the everywhere else group and realize that it's probably better than both!  Amazing!

[GooooMarquette]

Jim McIlvaine starting at center for Wisconsin Warriors?  No.
Jim Chones at center, Henry Ellenson at PF with Damon Key backing them both up.  Mac fourth in the rotation.

Agree starting Chones at C and Henry at PF, but while Key backs up Henry, Mac easily is the backup to Chones. 

Mac and Key were both seniors on the 1993-94 team...and it was Mac who won Great Midwest Player of the Year.