tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post116576625811158825..comments2023-10-20T04:16:20.694-05:00Comments on Cracked Sidewalks: OffensiveUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-1165983764657131502006-12-12T22:22:00.000-06:002006-12-12T22:22:00.000-06:00http://www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/...http://www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/9867098<BR/><BR/>Found that article interesting by Clark Kellogg. For winning come Big East time, he says the following are necessary:<BR/><BR/>1. A 60/40 blend of experience and talent. <BR/>MU seems to be around 30/70...<BR/><BR/>2. Toughness -mental and physical.<BR/>We're pretty strong there for the most part.<BR/><BR/>3. A go-to player.<BR/>If Crean would play James at the point in the first half of games we would have one for more than 16 minutes in the second half of every game.<BR/><BR/>4. Winning on the road<BR/>The one road game was a struggle. Against the Big East we might have some problems. I'd probably be satisfied with 3 conference road wins.<BR/><BR/>5. Make shots<BR/>We're in deep trouble.<BR/><BR/>6. Balance and versatility<BR/>There are a lot of players who can play multiple positions, not hurting here.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-1165864676821622042006-12-11T13:17:00.000-06:002006-12-11T13:17:00.000-06:00Regarding MU's lack of a scoring threat down low.I...Regarding MU's lack of a scoring threat down low.<BR/><BR/>I don't think that bothered Villanova much last year. And, if the team is running and gunning and moving when they don't have the ball on offense, they can find someone open. <BR/><BR/>Ousmane is a pretty good guy to have down low and I think he's more than adequate if the "big three" are playing to their potential. <BR/><BR/>One point that hasn't been mentioned is Matthews terrible defense the other day. Not that the fouls are the reason they lost, but not having McNeal in to defend Tucker was brutal. He absolutely abused Matthews.Gene Frenklehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04219722201995664841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-1165856069175216482006-12-11T10:54:00.000-06:002006-12-11T10:54:00.000-06:00the wheels haven't fallen off yet, people. Remembe...the wheels haven't fallen off yet, people. Remember, the Badgers are a legitimate top 10 team and MU is probably more of a top 35 team at this point. <BR/><BR/>If you live by the three, you die by the three, and I expect to see nothing but packed in zones the rest of the year. <BR/><BR/>Duke was way overrated, and TT will probably finish 4-5 in the Big 12....MU is probably a 4-5 finisher again in the Big East....and that will be very good year with this team.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-1165850885904454312006-12-11T09:28:00.000-06:002006-12-11T09:28:00.000-06:00What about the fact that D James is touted as one ...What about the fact that D James is touted as one of the top two point guards in the country but Tom Crean refuses to play him at point. If you watch the games, DJ is playing the two guard and Matthews is playing the point. We push the ball a lot less when Matthews takes the ball up. Crean needs to get back to basics and play D James where he belongs - at the point.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-1165847272332121972006-12-11T08:27:00.000-06:002006-12-11T08:27:00.000-06:00The biggest problem is that we have no serious ins...The biggest problem is that we have no serious inside scoring presense. We haven't really had one since Robert Jackson. Good defenses play the guards up tight at the free throw line and collapse on any drive. TC's main strategy seems to be to score off of turnovers because the half court game is severely lacking. Watching Wisconsin, and how they move the ball and score on the inside, was really an eye-opener.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-1165847118446043802006-12-11T08:25:00.000-06:002006-12-11T08:25:00.000-06:00I think the biggest problem we have is that we hav...I think the biggest problem we have is that we have *no* interior offensive presense. We haven't had a good interior scorer since Robert Jackson. Good defenses play our guards tight at the three point line and quickly collapse on any drives because they know there is no one really difficult to stop on the inside. Watching how Wisconsin uses their interior guys and how they pass the ball was really an eye-opener. It almost looks as though TC has one option - to use the defense to force a turnover because their half-court game is severely lacking.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-1165846696545357282006-12-11T08:18:00.000-06:002006-12-11T08:18:00.000-06:00This team is really starting to make me pull my ha...This team is really starting to make me pull my hair out. <BR/><BR/>1.) We can't shoot from the perimeter at all...it's pathetic<BR/><BR/>2.) We can't hit free throws<BR/><BR/>3.) D. James IS NOT going pro anytime soon, if at all. He's been a non-factor in alot of games (Valpo excluded)<BR/><BR/>We're in for a VERY long season if MU can't start hitting perimeter shots & knocking down free throws. They can drive & draw the foul...but if you can't convert those talents are WORTHLESS.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-1165846103418039422006-12-11T08:08:00.000-06:002006-12-11T08:08:00.000-06:00Could not agree with that assessment more. I too h...Could not agree with that assessment more. I too have wondered since the fourth game why they aren't running any plays for Fitzgerald on the offense. Is he a world beater? No. But d@mnit, he can knock down an open three better than the majority of this team. <BR/><BR/>McNeal is turns the ball over way too much. And, although I'll commend his fearlessness at times to go to the rim, he never learns from his mistakes. <BR/><BR/>"o.k., last time I drove the shot was blocked...this time....ah what the heck, let's do it again." That's what it seemed on Saturday. In fact, it was the Cincinnati game of last year all over again.<BR/><BR/>Matthews struggles are also painful to watch. One other thing for Matthews is, even when he does score, he usually does it within the first five minutes of a game. Then, the opposing coach switches up the D on him, and he's relatively harmless the rest of the game. Bad trends.<BR/><BR/>And I'll keep harping on Crean running James at the 2. This team looked much better with him at the point. <BR/><BR/>Hayward has potential, but for him to be labeled a "shooter" in h.school and to come in and lay the foundation for a house with all his bricks...I don't know. But, he is a freshman and only 19 years old. <BR/><BR/>Lastly, if you told me last year that Jamil Lott would bring less to the table than Marcus Jackson, I would have told you you were crazy.Gene Frenklehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04219722201995664841noreply@blogger.com