Know your opponent: Murray State

[MU82]

Ja Morant is the leading scorer but looks to only average 5 3 pt attempts per game. That must me he drives to the hoop for the majority of the shots. That also means that Theo John will most likely get in foul trouble. Maybe MU can attempt to play zone and see if they can beat them for the outside.

Good thing we have Morrow, who actually has played better than Theo the last month or more. And in a pinch, our third-string 5 has started dozens of games for us, including an NCAA tourney game.

[brewcity77]

This is good stuff, but my only question is on the 2PFG% and facing nothing like John and Morrow. Doesn't Auburn or Alabama have a couple of big, shot blocking type guys?

Not with the kind of block rate Theo has. And as a team, they don't come remotely close to Marquette's defensive efficiency inside the arc.

[NorthernDancerColt]

Ja Morant is the leading scorer but looks to only average 5 3 pt attempts per game. That must me he drives to the hoop for the majority of the shots. That also means that Theo John will most likely get in foul trouble. Maybe MU can attempt to play zone and see if they can beat them for the outside.

  Haven’t seen him play, but everything I’m reading defines him as playing with utter abandon and athleticism at all times. Averaging 10 assists as well!!  Markus is less frenetic, more surgical.

   I agree that this is the type of team that can get our bigs in foul trouble. I would love to see Matt start as the anchor in a zone. Ed then sets the tone inside for a few minutes. The game see-saws through the first 8 minutes, at which point Theo enters to permanently padlock the interior and sends a few souvenirs into the Connecticut twilight. The MU contingent roars to life as Sacar gathers the rock and windmills right in the face of a haplessly gelded Racer pony. A punter in the back of the nearest William Hill yells, “I’ll take it from here.”

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Any chance MU can get Ja Morant into foul trouble?  Who will he be defending?

Guessing it will be Sacar. Doubt they want to task him with chasing around Howard all day and risk him getting tired early, nowhere near big enough to guard the Hausers, they would post him up with that turnaround jumper all day.

Everyone is talking about Ja vs. Markus. I get it, dudes that can put up 40 in a hurry. But the Hausers should have a field day against Murray St.

[CountryRoads]

Ja Morant is the leading scorer but looks to only average 5 3 pt attempts per game. That must me he drives to the hoop for the majority of the shots. That also means that Theo John will most likely get in foul trouble. Maybe MU can attempt to play zone and see if they can beat them for the outside.

I was watching some of them in their tournament and I think he’s shot something like 300 free throws this year, which comes out to about 10 a game. Foul trouble could be an issue. 

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

I was watching some of them in their tournament and I think he’s shot something like 300 free throws this year, which comes out to about 10 a game. Foul trouble could be an issue.

Good thing we have Sacar, Bailey, Cain, Sam in a pinch, and Theo, Ed and Matt in the middle.

[CountryRoads]

Good thing we have Sacar, Bailey, Cain, Sam in a pinch, and Theo, Ed and Matt in the middle.

Yup. Don’t think it’s a bad matchup for us. Think it will be a tense game but have a good chance to advance at least.

[wade_county37]

Last time we faced them in the tourney we had BE POY Jae Crowder. This time we have BE POY Markus Howard... let's hope they've recovered from the SHU debacle.

Let's go Marquette!!!

[shoothoops]

Ja is even more of a one man team than Markus.   Over 80 ppg.   Some forwards with size.     

Morant is the first college player to average 20 points and 10 assists in a season, since assists became a stat in 1983-1984.

Scoring machine. Assist machine.

[NickelDimer]

If Morant is single handedly destroying our D ala Ponds and Powell, can we actually expect Wojo to double him and force the ball out of his hands?

[nyg]

Morant is the first college player to average 20 points and 10 assists in a season, since assists became a stat in 1983-1984.

Scoring machine. Assist machine.

Again, against the likes of UT-Martin, Austin Peay, Jacksonville St., Morehead St., SIU-Edwardsville, etc.  Not even close to BE teams.  Then again, he might dump 40 on MU.......  It will be interesting

[Cheeks]

If Morant is single handedly destroying our D ala Ponds and Powell, can we actually expect Wojo to double him and force the ball out of his hands?

I would think he has been doubled much of his conference games as they know him best, and based on his very high assist rate it has done very little good.

[Marcus92]

Morant can be neutralized.

In Murray State's 78-72 loss against Alabama (ranked #59 by KenPom), Morant scored 38 points on 16-29 shooting -- but he had 10 turnovers and the rest of the team shot just 13-35.

In the 93-88 loss to #13 Auburn, Morant and company put up 1.21 points per possession   -- but gave up 1.27 points per possession. That includes allowing 67.7% on two-point attempts and 13 threes.

In the 79-66 loss to #54 Belmont, Morant was just 5-19 from the field and nobody else could pick up the slack.

Morant's performance against teams like #309 ranked Southern Missouri state -- 23 points, 8-10 on 2-pointers, 12 assists, 3 blocks, 2 steals -- doesn't impress me much. 

[NickelDimer]

I would think he has been doubled much of his conference games as they know him best, and based on his very high assist rate it has done very little good.

I’d take my chances throwing multiple bodies at him and force his teammates to score. I think he’ll kill our m2m and to make it worse he’s likely to get the star treatment and I could see him quickly getting Sacar, Theo etc into foul trouble. I’d also like to see some zone against this team

[tower912]

I’d take my chances throwing multiple bodies at him and force his teammates to score. I think he’ll kill our m2m and to make it worse he’s likely to get the star treatment and I could see him quickly getting Sacar, Theo etc into foul trouble. I’d also like to see some zone against this team

Because MU has played 0 zone this year, so Murray State won't have a scouting report for it. 

[HowardsWorld]

I’d take my chances throwing multiple bodies at him and force his teammates to score. I think he’ll kill our m2m and to make it worse he’s likely to get the star treatment and I could see him quickly getting Sacar, Theo etc into foul trouble. I’d also like to see some zone against this team

Wojo will make adjustments to the D in the second half. If he is murdering them on layups and the bigs getting in foul trouble dont be surprised to see them switch to 3-2 zone to nutrilize him.

[MU82]

Morant can be neutralized.

In Murray State's 78-72 loss against Alabama (ranked #59 by KenPom), Morant scored 38 points on 16-29 shooting -- but he had 10 turnovers and the rest of the team shot just 13-35.

In the 93-88 loss to #13 Auburn, Morant and company put up 1.21 points per possession   -- but gave up 1.27 points per possession. That includes allowing 67.7% on two-point attempts and 13 threes.

In the 79-66 loss to #54 Belmont, Morant was just 5-19 from the field and nobody else could pick up the slack.

Morant's performance against teams like #309 ranked Southern Missouri state -- 23 points, 8-10 on 2-pointers, 12 assists, 3 blocks, 2 steals -- doesn't impress me much.

Yeah, on the one hand I don't want to disrespect him. NBA scouts see him as a future star, and they don't say that about guys who can't play. (Even if it turns out they can't play, as does happen sometimes with high draft picks.)

On the other hand, let's see how he and his teammates do against a good all-around team with a good defense, a rim protector, and several offensive weapons.

This is the kind of matchup that the NCAA tourney should be about. I'm excited about it!

[Its DJOver]

A lot of talk about trying a zone, and I just don't see it.  We've faced a lot of talented guards this season (Langford, Massinburg, Ponds, Powell, Booth) and haven't zoned any of them. I realize that Ja is in another category, but I don't think we can get a zone ready in three days.  Everybody may know the basics, but you get better by actually using it in the season, which we haven't.  Anything other than 40 minutes of mtm would be a major surprise IMO.

[mu03eng]

Morant turns the ball over at a higher rate than Markus and is by and large a one man wrecking crew, but he also has to guard someone. Logic says he has to guard Markus but then Markus can run him all over the court. If he guards Sacar, look for Sacar to drive and dish a lot to either get Morant in foul trouble and/or tired.

I have no idea why we are so obsessed with zone around here. Unless we get in very serious foul trouble there is no way we are going zone. Our M2M will be fine against Murray State, Morant will get his but as long as we play disciplined we can limit everyone else and going zone would negate our rebounding advantage on the defensive end. Biggest weakness we have in M2M is PnR and Murray State just isn't good at that, which means Morant is creating at the top for the most part and Murray State won't be pulling Theo/Ed out of the lane, should allow our shot blockers to feast. We should not adjust to Murray State unless they prove they can repeatedly beat our M2M....make them adjust to us.

[MarquetteDano]

A lot of talk about trying a zone, and I just don't see it.  We've faced a lot of talented guards this season (Langford, Massinburg, Ponds, Powell, Booth) and haven't zoned any of them. I realize that Ja is in another category, but I don't think we can get a zone ready in three days.  Everybody may know the basics, but you get better by actually using it in the season, which we haven't.  Anything other than 40 minutes of mtm would be a major surprise IMO.

And the other problem is that the Racers are a pretty good offensive rebounding team.  We play zone and we could give up a lot of offensive rebounds.  Maybe Wojo plays it as a surprise for a play or two but I don't expect to see zone a lot.

[HowardsWorld]

Morant turns the ball over at a higher rate than Markus and is by and large a one man wrecking crew, but he also has to guard someone. Logic says he has to guard Markus but then Markus can run him all over the court. If he guards Sacar, look for Sacar to drive and dish a lot to either get Morant in foul trouble and/or tired.

I have no idea why we are so obsessed with zone around here. Unless we get in very serious foul trouble there is no way we are going zone. Our M2M will be fine against Murray State, Morant will get his but as long as we play disciplined we can limit everyone else and going zone would negate our rebounding advantage on the defensive end. Biggest weakness we have in M2M is PnR and Murray State just isn't good at that, which means Morant is creating at the top for the most part and Murray State won't be pulling Theo/Ed out of the lane, should allow our shot blockers to feast. We should not adjust to Murray State unless they prove they can repeatedly beat our M2M....make them adjust to us.

I for one said zone because if Ja Morant does get into the lane and beat someone there will be another line of defense there to cover up quicker than. We all know how Theo plays defense and if he is not set and goes straight up he is going to be called for a foul every single time.

[fjm]

And the other problem is that the Racers are a pretty good offensive rebounding team.  We play zone and we could give up a lot of offensive rebounds.  Maybe Wojo plays it as a surprise for a play or two but I don't expect to see zone a lot.

I know VERY little about MS. But from what I’m reading, if I’m Wojo, (which I’m not thankfully cause MU would be 1-30).
Every 10-15 possessions I throw out zone and full court pressure.

Keep MS thinking and a bit off balance.

[mu03eng]

I for one said zone because if Ja Morant does get into the lane and beat someone there will be another line of defense there to cover up quicker than. We all know how Theo plays defense and if he is not set and goes straight up he is going to be called for a foul every single time.

A) playing man or zone that's going to be true so no difference
2) playing zone, especially when we aren't use to it, leaves seams that Morant can exploit with pull ups before he gets to the second line so it actually plays into his advantage
III) These aren't going to be Big East officials, we're going to be fine.

[muwarrior69]

A) playing man or zone that's going to be true so no difference
2) playing zone, especially when we aren't use to it, leaves seams that Morant can exploit with pull ups before he gets to the second line so it actually plays into his advantage
III) These aren't going to be Big East officials, we're going to be fine.

Are you sure about that?

[shoothoops]

Morant can be neutralized.

In Murray State's 78-72 loss against Alabama (ranked #59 by KenPom), Morant scored 38 points on 16-29 shooting -- but he had 10 turnovers and the rest of the team shot just 13-35.

In the 93-88 loss to #13 Auburn, Morant and company put up 1.21 points per possession   -- but gave up 1.27 points per possession. That includes allowing 67.7% on two-point attempts and 13 threes.

In the 79-66 loss to #54 Belmont, Morant was just 5-19 from the field and nobody else could pick up the slack.

Morant's performance against teams like #309 ranked Southern Missouri state -- 23 points, 8-10 on 2-pointers, 12 assists, 3 blocks, 2 steals -- doesn't impress me much.

Morant rolled his ankle in the opening minutes of the Belmont game. On the floor in pain, he sat a little while but played visibly injured the rest of the game.