Bucking fadgers thoughts

[Loose Cannon]

Where (Who) is missing the communication with Cheatham... he ran into a standing block, 3 straight times.

[keefe]

I woke up next to a gorgeous blond 21 years my junior and squeezed in a zesty session before my morning coffee. Today was a great day as I look back.

[GGGG]

I woke up next to a gorgeous blond 21 years my junior and squeezed in a zesty session before my morning coffee. Today was a great day as I look back.

I hope you tipped her well.

[wadesworld]

How do you explain Butlers success???? a bunch of 3 and boarder line 4 star recruits. not very athletic but still they are pretty damn good.

Can you imagine what this board would look like if our loss today hadn't been to Becky but instead the almighty Sycamores of Indiana...State? And no, not with 60 year old Larry Bird either.

Yeesh.

[MerrittsMustache]

Looking only at MU's offensive stats, you'd think it'd be a comfortable double-digit win.

Unfortunately, the D is absolutely horrid. There are slow rotations, no help, constant confusion on screens, finger-pointing, etc. It's literally high school JV level defense. That has to get corrected but I don't have a whole lot of confidence that it will be.

The outcome wasn't really a surprise but the continued terrible defense is what I fear is going to hold this team back all season.

[MU82]

How do you explain Butlers success???? a bunch of 3 and boarder line 4 star recruits.

Were they paying to rent space at Hinkle Fieldhouse? Or were they dogs whose owners were boarding them at the kennel?

[lohaus]

Dumping to Luke was not the solution.  Happ stoned him and just waited on the hook into the lane to challenge and make him miss.  KR defense poor and guys got around him quite easily.  HC could not guard Bronson.  Good plan by Bucky to not lose Sammy in the pick and roll and close out on him quick every time.

Vito Brown showed up to be the x factor.  Howard looked fantastic! Last, freshmen vs seniors.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Ran the numbers. We lost all four factors this game. First time all season, didn't even happen during the Michigan debacle.

eFG%: 65.5% UW 55.2% MU
TO%: 12.9% UW 16.5% MU
OR%: 29.6% UW, 24.2% MU
FTR: 52.7% UW, 39.7% MU

UW is one of the best rebounding teams in the country so the OR% differential is a lot better than I would have expected. The FTR doesn't bother me either. UW's was inflated due to all the intentional fouls at the end.

Having an eFG% of 55.2% against one of the best defenses in the country is not too shabby. But allowing a 65.5% eFG% is going to lose you most games. To nobody's surprise, defense is an issue.

The one that concerns me the most is the TO%. We had won that factor in every game until the Fresno State game. We've now lost it twice in a row. We've seen more unforced errors and we've been forcing less turnovers. I'm hoping its just the result of a trap game and playing a very disciplined opponent. I think its fair to guess that this is also affecting our eFG differential as well. Losing that factor means less easy buckets in transition for us and more for our opponents. Gotta bring the disruption back. JJJ may make some of the most boneheaded plays but that is one area that he can help in.

[Lennys Tap]

Depends on whether or not you know how to read. To someone who doesn't know how to read and comprehend the written word, yes, I said exactly that.

You're exact quote: "He might be the third best offensive point guard on the current roster" In another post: "As of now, he's the third best offensive point guard on our roster"

We have 3 PGs on the current roster. Third "best" = worst. So yeah, you said exactly that.

[keefe]

I hope you tipped her well.

Hardly. She is tracking to be the next Mrs Crash

[muwarrior69]

My understanding is that a player is allowed to move within their cylinder and any contact is the fault of the defender. I would blame the rule. Not the ref.

Who defines the cylinder? Is that like the ump defining the strike zone? If the defender can't violate the cylinder while the offensive player is moving then the ref always has to call a blocking foul and there is no such thing as a charging foul; but I guess the rule leaves it up to the ref.

[Goose]

Keefe

Sounds like life is treating you well. I am very happy to hear that, my friend.

[vogue65]

This was what?  Game number 10 and we still have huge defensive issues. On top of defensive issues that we have had the last 2 years. They exploited the pick and roll over and over again.  And when they didn't, they just took it right by the defender.  Way too many layups.  Way to many open shots.   

Either (1) Wojo doesn't know how to coach defense
         (2) Wojo's defensive message to the players is not getting through
         (3) Wojo's defensive schemes are just bad

Don't know but that is all on coaching.  Why not pack it in defensively, go into a zone or some other defensive scheme?  There was like 2 plays that the Badgers were running all game long and we were unable to stop them.

Besides that, Howard is a stud.  He will be viewed as one of the best players ever to wear a MU uniform.

What am I  missing?  Why not a zone or switch back aund forth? I  know,  because what is not what Duke does.

[Stretchdeltsig]

Awful game.  Hate losing, especially to the rodents.  Enjoyed the first half.  It seemed like we were clueless in the second half.  It was like a time warp.  What happened to JJJ.  He looked out of it, except for one good steal.  Howard tried to fill the senior lack of leadership role but it's hard for a freshman to lead a disjointed team. 

[GGGG]

Who defines the cylinder? Is that like the ump defining the strike zone? If the defender can't violate the cylinder while the offensive player is moving then the ref always has to call a blocking foul and there is no such thing as a charging foul; but I guess the rule leaves it up to the ref.

But that's the point right?  Bardo was going off on that during the game - how the rules and interpretations change every year and we expect the refs to make split second decisions.

[wadesworld]

You're exact quote: "He might be the third best offensive point guard on the current roster" In another post: "As of now, he's the third best offensive point guard on our roster"

We have 3 PGs on the current roster. Third "best" = worst. So yeah, you said exactly that.

Oh. So "might" and "as of now" are in there. Weird.

As I said, to someone who can't read, yes, I may have said exactly that. Thank you for furthering that exact point.

[wadesworld]

What am I  missing?  Why not a zone or switch back aund forth? I  know,  because what is not what Duke does.

Or because we're small enough as it is, would we ever get an offensive possession without the other team scoring? And would we ever get out in transition and create turnovers?

Has nothing to do with Duke and everything to do with the fact that this team would get smoked every game if they played a zone defense.

There's a reason when Wojo had a very offensively challenged team his first season he played a lot of zone. Guess what? Wojo had still had a Duke background that year! Zones slow the pace and turn games into half court games. With the personnel that season our only hope was to go Bad News Bears and ugly up games to win. This season slowing the tempo and turning it into half court games would be disastrous. Thankfully Wojo does have his Duke background and is a pretty smart guy and understands this.

[4everwarriors]

Hardly. She is tracking to be the next Mrs Crash

You go dude. Younger broads keep da heart healthy, ai na?

[WarriorFan]

He was "in the dribbler's sphere."

Problem is, let's pretend you can't call an offensive foul because he was so up in his grill. Fine. But that's simply not a blocking foul at all. The only contact on that entire play was an elbow to the face. That's not a blocking foul on the defender.

The foul that sent Hayes to the line under the hoop down 8 with just inside 2 minutes left was horrendous as well. They said he hit his elbow but there was no contact at all. Every time MU got it from down 17 to within striking distance the whistles came out.

The problem with the play was that the "sphere" moved because he dragged his pivot foot in order to reach Howard with the elbow.  This was a horrible call.  Refs should have reversed it, called a travel, and given the ball to MU.  Unfortunately it seems they can only review the specific call that was made... and this needs to be fixed.  if you're going to take the time to review a call, review the play.

[MUDPT]

Wisconsin- 1.53 point per possession in the 2nd half

Gasaway tweeted this this morning:

https://twitter.com/JohnGasaway/status/807954446990929921

[tower912]

Morning after thoughts.... we've lived through ass-kickings before and survived.  We'll survive this one, too.
 The offense looked really good for 30 minutes.    Scored >80 points with a 10 minute dry spell against Wisconsin.    Wow.   
 Two games in 18 days.   If ever there was a time for Wojo to change his defensive structure, this is it.   
It is time for the upperclassmen to step up and assume the mantle of leadership.   Channel their inner dirtbags. 

Accept that there are going to be more games where MU puts up a lot of points and loses.    The tourney is not out of reach.  It comes down to whether this team ever plays defense.   

[Marcus92]

Accept that there are going to be more games where MU puts up a lot of points and loses. The tourney is not out of reach. It comes down to whether this team ever plays defense.

Good points. Hate to lose to Wisconsin, but this game didn't end our tournament chances. We don't have a bad loss yet — with 8 conference games against Top 25 teams ahead to build our resume. Need the defense to start trending the other way.

[Lennys Tap]

Oh. So "might" and "as of now" are in there. Weird.

As I said, to someone who can't read, yes, I may have said exactly that. Thank you for furthering that exact point.

Sorry, but anyone who has seen these three guys play and has a good eye knows that "at this point Markus is our 3rd best (worst) offensive point guard" was wrong a week ago, is wrong today and will be wrong forever going forward.

I can read fine. You, however, evidently can't see.

[Big Papi]

The tourney is not out of reach.  It comes down to whether this team ever plays defense.   

No it comes down to can Wojo strategize and coach defense.

It's a consistent theme over his tenure so I won't hold my breathe.  While tourney is not out of reach, I don't see us being there as the defense is just that bad.

[BM1090]

No it comes down to can Wojo strategize and coach defense.

It's a consistent theme over his tenure so I won't hold my breathe.  While tourney is not out of reach, I don't see us being there as the defense is just that bad.

We were a solid defensive team his first year. We were a solid defensive team last year until the last 6 games or so. We have been bad all year this season. But it hasn't been a problem his whole tenure.