tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post6592423818910310844..comments2023-10-20T04:16:20.694-05:00Comments on Cracked Sidewalks: Marquette aims to take the fight to the IrishUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-43116008683926958912008-01-11T23:03:00.000-06:002008-01-11T23:03:00.000-06:00Chicago Tribune story on the game:Small fries stap...Chicago Tribune story on the game:<BR/><BR/>Small fries staple of Marquette diet<BR/>But 4 solid guards in for a fight against Notre Dame's beef<BR/>By Brian Hamilton<BR/>Tribune staff reporter<BR/><BR/>January 11, 2008, 9:14 PM CST<BR/><BR/>On Sunday afternoon, Milwaukee's Bradley Center really goes small, what with a horde of diminutive, shrieking "tweens" arriving for a Hannah Montana concert.<BR/><BR/>Marquette's basketball team, then, offers a bit of an appetizer under the same roof Saturday.<BR/><BR/>The No. 15 Golden Eagles are not as pint-sized, at least on an inch-for-inch basis, as the next day's crowd. But they are relatively tiny at some spots, by Big East standards, and they compensate by moving faster than a Miley Cyrus devotee races to a mall clearance sale.<BR/><BR/>It's yet another version of a four-guard offense perpetrated most recently and effectively by Villanova, but it is a risk-reward proposition.<BR/><BR/>It's perfectly fine when the perimeter quartet performs with efficient haste, but some challenges arise when the other side can keep up.<BR/><BR/>"We did a lot with it in the preseason, and we want to do that right now," Marquette coach Tom Crean said as his team prepared to host streaking Notre Dame.<BR/><BR/>"More than anything, the defensive matchup is going to allow that to happen or not allow that to happen.<BR/><BR/>"Right now, especially early in the Big East, we're seeing so many good and big-sized 4 men. If the 4 man is going to be really good in the block, and you're not going to play a ton of zone, you've got to be very careful how you're going to do it."<BR/><BR/>Nevertheless, the Golden Eagles on offense are perimeter-oriented in the way Dubai is sand-oriented. The team's top five shot-takers are four guards and 6-foot-6-inch Lazar Hayward (speaking of 'tweeners).<BR/><BR/>So far, this has not been a detriment. The Golden Eagles' only losses have been to now-No. 9 Duke on Nov. 21 in Maui and Sunday at West Virginia.<BR/><BR/>"The reason they're so good, the three or four guys we're talking about, three of them are all-league players — Dominic James, Jerel McNeal and Wes Matthews," Seton Hall coach Bobby Gonzalez said. "It's not just the style and playing four quick guys. It's the actual players who are doing it.<BR/><BR/>"When [Villanova coach] Jay Wright had Randy Foye and those guys — those players, they're all in the NBA. Those kids at Marquette are special that way."<BR/><BR/>But the losses, and even a five-point home win against Gonzalez's team Tuesday night, reveal the one potential matchup issue: when there is no matchup issue.<BR/><BR/>Duke, Seton Hall and West Virginia can manage against a more athletic 4 man like Hayward. They also can run, and they have the wherewithal to assert a deliberate tempo.<BR/><BR/>Enter Notre Dame, its 10-game winning streak and its versatile 4 men. Forward Rob Kurz is a burly 6-9 but can run and step out to the perimeter. Reserve Zach Hillesland, at 6-8, can guard at least three spots.<BR/><BR/>"Even in last year's games, we've not been a team that's had to make crazy subs because maybe a team is smaller," Irish coach Mike Brey said. "Our big guys move pretty good. They're able to stay in front of guys. Certainly when Hillesland is playing as a big guy, it's like having another guard on floor. You don't want to overreact to a smaller lineup."<BR/><BR/>There is a reason Marquette is ranked and a winner of 12 games: Opponents' reactions to the mismatches often haven't been effective enough.<BR/><BR/>In a way, Marquette must let teams worry about any lineup contortions while the Golden Eagles worry about themselves.<BR/><BR/>"It's more approach than it is the toughness," Crean said. "What hurt us in West Virginia, our game plan wasn't executed. We had more missed assignments and mental errors than we've had in a long time.<BR/><BR/>"As far as toughness, as far as wanting to win, as far as desire to compete, I have no questions on that with our team at all."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-11793464315680817742008-01-11T20:41:00.000-06:002008-01-11T20:41:00.000-06:00thanks for the tip....we've added that link -- Spo...thanks for the tip....we've added that link -- SportsBubbler. Nice work, IWBTBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05897641917011759574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-52218761011828632522008-01-11T20:27:00.000-06:002008-01-11T20:27:00.000-06:00the video of Matthews & Crean over at IWB's sports...the video of Matthews & Crean over at IWB's sportsbubbler is pretty slick.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com