I LIKE TOM CREAN but.......

[denverMU]

he has been outcoached by Pitino twice this year!!!  Louisville did the exact same thing tonight they did at home.  Zone press, we pass the ball around the outside for 25-30 seconds and then throw up a bad three point shot.  I can't even try to figure out that zone we tried to play early on.  I think it is called layup drills for Louisville.  I put this one on Crean.

[🏀]

Well, if Tom Crean could wear a jersey and make a couple three-pointers to bust the zone. I would blame it on Tom Crean.

If you are getting killed by a zone, you shoot the three. Apparently, we cannot do that.

[ecompt]

he can't make the players play if they don't want to. We showed ZERO desire tonight. But you're right, that defense he opened up in was a disgrace. We guarded no one and didn't seem to know where we were supposed to be.  

[marquette09]

The most effective way to beat a zone is by hitting 3's.  Tonigh we just didnt him them

[muhoosier260]

Well, if Tom Crean could wear a jersey and make a couple three-pointers to bust the zone. I would blame it on Tom Crean.

If you are getting killed by a zone, you shoot the three. Apparently, we cannot do that.

its apparent thats exactly what crean tells them to do, over and over. however, thats not how you BEAT a zone, just launching 3s. MU needs much more penetration and interior passing. there were a few instances where they showed that with barro, hayward and matthews, but it needs to happen every possession. how is crean not going ballistic on the sidelines when this team just has the same lackadaisical three pt. launching attitude against the zone? do they even practice against a zone? if i'm a big east coach and i see MU on the upcoming schedule, we're practicing zone and then playing it at least 30 minutes a game. crean is puzzled by the zone. my last rant is how are we having problems handling a press? i will credit louisville for setting it up well and having the personnel to do it, but a good college team (or a below average) should NOT have that many problems with a press. especially a team like MU that has guards a plenty. c'mon marquette, let's get our heads out of our asses and beat ND by 25 again. if we come out unenthusiastic one more time then it makes me wonder how much this team really 'wants it'.

[LastWarrior]

he has been outcoached by Pitino twice this year!!!

As much as I hate Pitino, he's a great coach.  He's outcoached coaches with much better resumes than Crean.

GOD... I HATE losing to Louisville.

[wheresthecake?]

I like Crean too, BUT the confidence of this team is incredibly low right now.  To me it looked like they came out expecting to get it killed again by loserville, this is TC's fault.  Also, I firmly believe that the reason we seem to fade at the end of the season is the result of TC's intense practices, we are always worn out well before the tournaments roll around.  This explains why we're so good in preseason tournaments: because the intense practices get the rust off fast, but wear us down quickly.

[Virginia Warrior 77]

I like Crean, too, but I was puzzled about the lack of any apparent adjustment in the 2nd half offense against the zone - especially since he faced the same thing at the Ville.  Seems like the offense wasn't designed to create open 3's against a zone that should not have been a surprise tonite.  No one could get free for an open 3, and no halftime adjustment to do so in the 2nd half. ??????

[🏀]

Well, if Tom Crean could wear a jersey and make a couple three-pointers to bust the zone. I would blame it on Tom Crean.

If you are getting killed by a zone, you shoot the three. Apparently, we cannot do that.

its apparent thats exactly what crean tells them to do, over and over. however, thats not how you BEAT a zone, just launching 3s. MU needs much more penetration and interior passing. there were a few instances where they showed that with barro, hayward and matthews, but it needs to happen every possession. how is crean not going ballistic on the sidelines when this team just has the same lackadaisical three pt. launching attitude against the zone? do they even practice against a zone? if i'm a big east coach and i see MU on the upcoming schedule, we're practicing zone and then playing it at least 30 minutes a game. crean is puzzled by the zone. my last rant is how are we having problems handling a press? i will credit louisville for setting it up well and having the personnel to do it, but a good college team (or a below average) should NOT have that many problems with a press. especially a team like MU that has guards a plenty. c'mon marquette, let's get our heads out of our asses and beat ND by 25 again. if we come out unenthusiastic one more time then it makes me wonder how much this team really 'wants it'.

The inside passes only play into the zone's strong points, being able to crowd the middle creating in the paint turnovers and tough contested interior shots. Wes needs to be getting those bunny lay-ups to justify an inside game. LH was also missing those bunnies tonight.

3-4 three point shots in 6-8 possessions will always bust that zone into man-to-man.

Different point, how lost did we look against the full court? Yikes.

[4everwarriors]

and I think his chump move of quickly shaking Pitino's hand and immediately walking off the court was total bush-league. Didn't even congratulate assistant coaches or Louisville players.

[denverMU]

Shooting 3's is not how you beat a zone!!!  You penetrate, reverse the ball, and pass in the middle.  Even the announcers were pointing out how open the middle of Louisville's zone was.

[Doctor V]

he can't make the players play if they don't want to. We showed ZERO desire tonight. But you're right, that defense he opened up in was a disgrace. We guarded no one and didn't seem to know where we were supposed to be.  

a team showing zero desire is a direct result of the coach. how can this team get blown out at louisville and come home on a nationally televised game and perform like this? it was gutless and embarassing. i respect crean for the things he does, but getting the team up for must win games and in-game coaching adjustments dont seem to be his cup of tea...one of the worst performances ive ever seen at home from an MU team in the past 6 years

[MUFanInGreenBay]

It's not Crean's coaching, it's his lack of recruiting tall, athletic, strong frontline players. Not that he hasn't tried too, but just hasn't landed any real talent. Guys like Dwight Burke would only make a team like Louisville as a walk-on, yet, that's what were stuck with as one of our main frontline players. You just can't compete with the best of the best with what were running out there. I think it will be better starting next year though. Let's hope.

[wheresthecake?]

and I think his chump move of quickly shaking Pitino's hand and immediately walking off the court was total bush-league. Didn't even congratulate assistant coaches or Louisville players.

Completely classless to not shake any of the assistants or players hands, I understand he's pissed but they are the better team and should be respected by everyone, including TC

[🏀]

Penetrate, pass, middle shot does open up the zone.

However, for a guard orientated team. Being able to shoot from beyond the arc SHOULD be much easier and more effective.

[AlumKCof93]

I'm a supporter of Crean, but this one falls squarely on his shoulders.  The team looked uninspired and worn down.  I wish this one weren't on TV, the lack of energy by the team lead to this looking more like a scrimmage than a huge rivalry game worthy of being televised.

[MUFanInGreenBay]

Crean not shaking hands just sends off a bad vibe. Especially considering the game was on national t.v. Who knos what the circumstances are to why he didn't shake the rest of the players and coaches hands, but you still should at least not make yourself look like a sore loser like Crean did tonight. Crean embarassed himself and the rest of the MU program tonight.

[mwbauer7]

Crean's not the one who can't hit a jumper to save his life.

[muhoosier260]

as far as the zone goes.... you can only shoot the three so much. obviously, if you're making it, then your opponent probably comes out of the zone. if you're not making the three and thats all you're taking, then you're screwed. thats why you must be able to get into the middle. i'm a firm believer that hayward is absolutely instrumental to beating a zone, flashing in the middle. part of the blame goes on crean for not making it clear that you can't just keep shooting threes. part of the blame goes on the players for not executing and not taking good shots/not making shots. i can only go so many games and say, 'eh, they just weren't making them today', that seems to be the story game after game.

[🏀]

as far as the zone goes.... you can only shoot the three so much. obviously, if you're making it, then your opponent probably comes out of the zone. if you're not making the three and thats all you're taking, then you're screwed. thats why you must be able to get into the middle. i'm a firm believer that hayward is absolutely instrumental to beating a zone, flashing in the middle. part of the blame goes on crean for not making it clear that you can't just keep shooting threes. part of the blame goes on the players for not executing and not taking good shots/not making shots. i can only go so many games and say, 'eh, they just weren't making them today', that seems to be the story game after game.

I'm not saying the three is the only way. But let's be honest here, we are running with a four guard lineup. LH is a NBA three. We should be knocking down outside shots.

[CTWarrior]

It's not Crean's coaching, it's his lack of recruiting tall, athletic, strong frontline players. Not that he hasn't tried too, but just hasn't landed any real talent. Guys like Dwight Burke would only make a team like Louisville as a walk-on, yet, that's what were stuck with as one of our main frontline players. You just can't compete with the best of the best with what were running out there. I think it will be better starting next year though. Let's hope.

Ding ding ding!  Right you are, GB.  Watching that game, I was at a loss to figure out what we could do to score points.  We don't have 3 point shooters or solid big men.  We could've played better defense, but we are very limited in what can do on the offensive end.

[muwarrior87]

When the opponent has a shooting percentage 20% higher than your team, it's hard to win. Somehow we outrebouned them and were basically even on steals, blocks, and assists.  If ya cant shoot, ya cant win. When we did get the ball inside and it came back out, it seemed like everyone pump faked on pretty good looks. Cant hit a shot if you don't take it!

[ecompt]

One of the problems tonight was that he had Lazar playing the foul line in the middle of the zone. The first two times we threw the ball into the middle resulted in turnovers.

[CTWarrior]

While we did turn the ball over ecompt, I liked attacking the zone way.  If he gets the ball and draws defenders, that opens the rest of the floor.  We didn't execute, but that is a perfectly good way to attack that zone.

[muhoosier260]

YA! we should be knocking down threes!!!! but we're not!!! and haven't been since the big east season started!!!
So when do you say enough is enough? its just stupid to keep doing the same thing that obviously is not working.