[Cracked Sidewalks] UCLA Preview

[brewcity77]

Mick Cronin is brewin' up a resurgence at Pauley Pavilion. After a disappointing start, he had UCLA playing like a top-20 team at the end of last year that thrived when they played his slow-down style. So what's in store for Marquette when they travel West? Here's the Cracked Sidewalks preview:

http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2020/11/ucla-preview-2020-21.html

[Uncle Rico]

Mick Cronin is brewin' up a resurgence at Pauley Pavilion. After a disappointing start, he had UCLA playing like a top-20 team at the end of last year that thrived when they played his slow-down style. So what's in store for Marquette when they travel West? Here's the Cracked Sidewalks preview:

http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2020/11/ucla-preview-2020-21.html

Mick Cronin is always angry because someone stole his Lucky Charms

[Slim]

Excellent review Brew.

Hopefully, Tyger will get into foul trouble - and not Theo.

Interesting UCLA's 1970 winning % was after Alcindor had already left.

[Dr. Blackheart]

As always, excellent Brew. Cronin's style of play is more like Ben Holland's. Ben didn't go over too well with the Pauley loyalists in the end, granted there were other issues.

But, Cronin's teams always play great paint defense. MU will have a tough time in this early match-up. MU could have used Jayce in this one.

[bilsu]

Just my opinion, but I believe defense improves more than offense as the season goes on.
Offensive teams fare better early and defensive teams fare better later.
That is one of the reasons that MU has faded the last two years. Nobody could stop Markus in November.
Teams were able to make Markus less effective further in the season.

[mumi27]

But, Cronin's teams always play great paint defense. MU will have a tough time in this early match-up. MU could have used Jayce in this one.

Very much agreed. Would have loved to have Jayce for another season and this is one of those games why. He could have ended up being a big factor against a Cronin team

[The Big East]

MU was the number 2 program after the great UCLA teams. Glad we are finally getting our chance to play the Bruins.

Should be a typical Cronin led team and a hard fought physical game As a result.

[dgies9156]

Excellent review Brew.

Hopefully, Tyger will get into foul trouble - and not Theo.

Interesting UCLA's 1970 winning % was after Alcindor had already left.

During that time, they had Bill Walton, who was one of the most dominating college basketball players I ever saw (next to Kareem).

We never played each other because few people wanted a home/home with Marquette. In the 1970s, we rarely lost at home (1977 excluded).

[Galway Eagle]

During that time, they had Bill Walton, who was one of the most dominating college basketball players I ever saw (next to Kareem).

We never played each other because few people wanted a home/home with Marquette. In the 1970s, we rarely lost at home (1977 excluded).

Out of curiosity did we bring in any legit teams during those years? Loyola and Dayton had fallen off, WI was trash, Xavier was trash, ND had some punch and Depaul really didn't takeoff till after McGuire.

I'm not too familiar with who would've been good teams we were playing on the regular.

[The Sultan]

Out of curiosity did we bring in any legit teams during those years? Loyola and Dayton had fallen off, WI was trash, Xavier was trash, ND had some punch and Depaul really didn't takeoff till after McGuire.

I'm not too familiar with who would've been good teams we were playing on the regular.

They usually played fellow independents, like South Carolina and a bunch of Catholic schools, a couple Big Ten teams, etc.  Strength of schedule wasn't really a thing back then, and made for TV intersectional match ups didn't happen all that often.  But there were always a few ranked teams on the schedule.  I would say it was usually average - not as good as the ACC or Big Ten, but better than a bunch.

[The Big East]

Out of curiosity did we bring in any legit teams during those years? Loyola and Dayton had fallen off, WI was trash, Xavier was trash, ND had some punch and Depaul really didn't takeoff till after McGuire.

I'm not too familiar with who would've been good teams we were playing on the regular.

The series we had with University of Detroit was competitive. Dick Vitale had some decent talent on his teams .

[muwarrior69]

The series we had with University of Detroit was competitive. Dick Vitale had some decent talent on his teams .

We also played San Diego State when Tark was coach, not sure if we played UNLV when Tark went there. I think we played Cinci and L'ville as well as Memphis State.

[The Sultan]

We also played San Diego State when Tark was coach, not sure if we played UNLV when Tark went there. I think we played Cinci and L'ville as well as Memphis State.

Tark was at Long Beach not SDSU.

[79Warrior]

We also played San Diego State when Tark was coach, not sure if we played UNLV when Tark went there. I think we played Cinci and L'ville as well as Memphis State.

Played ND and Louisville every year I was there.

[muwarrior69]

Tark was at Long Beach not SDSU.

Thanks for the correction.

[Viper]

We also played San Diego State when Tark was coach, not sure if we played UNLV when Tark went there. I think we played Cinci and L'ville as well as Memphis State.

MU had some good games with Lville...always has. ND with Digger Phelps was tough.  As you mention, Cinci and MSU. RED was junk, but games were often competitive and played 2x's season.

[muwarrior69]

MU had some good games with Lville...always has. ND with Digger Phelps was tough.  As you mention, Cinci and MSU. RED was junk, but games were often competitive and played 2x's season.

I remember we played Fordham when Phelps coached them. Game was at the Garden, scalpers were asking $100 per ticket (this was in '71). We were #2 and Fordham was #4 in if remember correctly. They took us to double overtime, but did not have the depth to beat us. The place was electric; one of the best college games I attended.

[brewcity77]

Out of curiosity did we bring in any legit teams during those years? Loyola and Dayton had fallen off, WI was trash, Xavier was trash, ND had some punch and Depaul really didn't takeoff till after McGuire.

I'm not too familiar with who would've been good teams we were playing on the regular.

To take one season as an example, in 1976-77 Marquette played ranked Louisville, Minnesota, Clemson, Notre Dame, Cincinnati, Detroit, and Michigan. They also played Creighton and Virginia Tech, both of whom were NIT teams, which meant more then than it does now. Also had road trips to Florida, Northwestern, Air Force, Drake, DePaul, Wisconsin, and Tulane. I'm not sure how good al lof those programs were, but it looks like at least half the games were pretty solid.

[The Big East]

To take one season as an example, in 1976-77 Marquette played ranked Louisville, Minnesota, Clemson, Notre Dame, Cincinnati, Detroit, and Michigan. They also played Creighton and Virginia Tech, both of whom were NIT teams, which meant more then than it does now. Also had road trips to Florida, Northwestern, Air Force, Drake, DePaul, Wisconsin, and Tulane. I'm not sure how good al lof those programs were, but it looks like at least half the games were pretty solid.

Our schedule in the Al period was very competitive especially in comparison to the other top teams of the day. The conferences were not that strong top to bottom as they are today. Part of the reason was that recruiting was very inefficient in those days. A lot was done on word of mouth. For example, many Big Ten schools  had their rosters littered with what were effectively D-2 or even D-3 level players. Some of the schools that today we would call low or mid major had players who became All Time greats in the NBA. Calvin Murphy at Niagra, Bob Lanier and St . Bonnie,  many players at HBCU's. Part of UCLA's success was due to their conference being extremely weak so they made the tournament easily every year. In those days the conference winners got invites and a handful of independents got at large bids.

[The Sultan]

Not only that, but back in the day when the NCAA was set up on a true regional basis, UCLA usually had a cake walk to the Final Four.  Oftentimes playing the WAC and PCAA champions to get there. 

Don't get me wrong.  They had to win when they got there.  But the opportunities they had to get tripped up were a lot less back in the day.

[brewcity77]

Our schedule in the Al period was very competitive especially in comparison to the other top teams of the day. The conferences were not that strong top to bottom as they are today. Part of the reason was that recruiting was very inefficient in those days. A lot was done on word of mouth. For example, many Big Ten schools  had their rosters littered with what were effectively D-2 or even D-3 level players. Some of the schools that today we would call low or mid major had players who became All Time greats in the NBA. Calvin Murphy at Niagra, Bob Lanier and St . Bonnie,  many players at HBCU's. Part of UCLA's success was due to their conference being extremely weak so they made the tournament easily every year. In those days the conference winners got invites and a handful of independents got at large bids.

Compared to the gauntlet we run in the Big East today it wasn't quite there, but you're right about being quality for the time. And teams like Detroit, Jacksonville, DePaul, and others were a lot more difficult outs than they are today.

[bilsu]

Not only that, but back in the day when the NCAA was set up on a true regional basis, UCLA usually had a cake walk to the Final Four.  Oftentimes playing the WAC and PCAA champions to get there. 

Don't get me wrong.  They had to win when they got there.  But the opportunities they had to get tripped up were a lot less back in the day.

They also had a first round bye.

[Uncle Rico]

The tournament in 2021 is wildly different than what the tournament was in the 1970's. 

[brewcity77]

Game day bump! Here's your primer on UCLA, and my hopes that Wojo is bruin' up a road upset.

[muwarrior69]

The tournament in 2021 is wildly different than what the tournament was in the 1970's.

We had fans in the seats in the 70s! Perhaps we will in 2021, but I won't get my hopes up.