tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post1584501595976498091..comments2023-10-20T04:16:20.694-05:00Comments on Cracked Sidewalks: Big East Blogger: MU #3 in Big EastUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-9261291228034247282009-11-26T14:30:04.915-06:002009-11-26T14:30:04.915-06:00We have a few college students online from Marquet...We have a few college students online from Marquette University and we love your blog postings, so well add your rss or news feed for them, Thanks and please post us and leave a comment back and well link to you. Thanks Jen , Blog<br />www.universityloveconnection.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-35177421082283655232007-10-29T15:04:00.000-05:002007-10-29T15:04:00.000-05:00I think the Big East blogger hit the nail on the h...I think the Big East blogger hit the nail on the head. When he refers to MU struggling on the perimeter, he clearly means "from" the perimeter and you cannot argue that point. I don't care what McNeal and Matthews percentages are...every team we play will let MU shoot those again this year. <BR/><BR/>I also don't know how you argue that Hayward and Fitzgerald are not competing for minutes. If either are playing a position other than SF, they are playing out of position. <BR/><BR/>I don't agree that Fizgerald's minutes should decline, but I do think he's overvalued by a huge number of Marquette fans. He's simply too inconsistent and his high points are too few to see him as a threat. <BR/><BR/>I just don't see this team being much improved from a year ago. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to see him finish in the middle of the pack in the Big East.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-58122643340661755642007-10-29T13:04:00.000-05:002007-10-29T13:04:00.000-05:00Awesome posting and responses to clarify your posi...Awesome posting and responses to clarify your position. <BR/><BR/>I think Fitz is a huge cog in the offense and he has to do more this year, but only from a shooting standpoint. He obviously needs to rebound better, but his key is to cut down on the terrible fouls. If he can do that, he'll get more time, I think.<BR/><BR/>The player that I see losing time this season is actually Cubillan. He's too one dimensional offensively in that he can't get to the rim and free throw line. All of his buckets are threes or nothing. Fitz can at least fill in at three or four positions if you need him too. I can see Cubillan having the same role at most, and possibly having his role reduced this season. <BR/><BR/>I will admit, though, after reading your minutes breakdown, it does make sense that Fitz could play less if everything plays out like predicted.Gene Frenklehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04219722201995664841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-5364623272489748872007-10-29T08:08:00.000-05:002007-10-29T08:08:00.000-05:00NBE -- great points, all. Thx for chiming in........NBE -- great points, all. Thx for chiming in......looking forward to the rest of your preseason countdown and the commentary throughout the seasonTBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05897641917011759574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-51473263298955893052007-10-29T07:54:00.000-05:002007-10-29T07:54:00.000-05:00Thanks, as always for the link to our story.I gues...Thanks, as always for the link to our story.<BR/><BR/>I guess we could have done a better job on our wording of Marquette 'struggling on the perimeter'. We have always ascertained that Marquette has the best guard trio in the conference and have given heaps of praise towards the Eagles of their guard play. we felt, however, last year's decline at the end of the season was a large part due to their inability to have threats with the perimeter jumpshot. McNeal, Mathews and James combined to shoot less than 28% from 3-pt range in conference games. McNeal and mathews had respectable percentages from the field, but teams were able to defend Marquette more effectively sagging off them defensively and packing in a zone, if they chose. Their perimeter shooting was definitely something they struggled with, but they were still able to get to the rim and finish often.<BR/><BR/>In the games that McNeal played, Cubillan got the VAST majority of minutes as the third guard and Fitzgerald played the '4' position. In thr 14 games McNeal was healthy, Cubillan played all but 47 of the available minutes behind James, McNeal and Mathews in conference games. 15 of those minutes came available against Georgetown when Mathews got banged up and played little in the 2nd half (and was in foul trouble). So, in the 13 games that they were able to play their regular rotation, only 2 1/2 minutes were available at the wing position outside of the four guards, which no doubt Fitzgerald got.<BR/><BR/>This season, with Acker getting time as the back-up PG and Cubillan still in the mix, there may be no minutes for Fitzgerald at the 1, 2 or 3, we know how much the terrefic trip will play, usually 32 minutes each...leacing 24 minutes to be split with Acker and Cubillan (talking BE time). That means Fitzgerald and Hayward are likely to line up at the '4'. Marquette has shown the ability to be very good with this line-up, and with Barro at the '5'. I beleive, that if Hayward begins to reach his potential and Mbakwe also gets up to speed and can play WITH Barro on the floor, Marquette is a BETTER team. It might not happen, and, Marquette will still be VERY good, but if those two (Mbakwe and Hayward) begin realizing their upside, I think Fitzgerald might lose some time...and, that, in the end, might not be a bad thing. However, Mbakwe and Hayward my not and it could prove to be better to have Fitzgerald on the floor, but in terms of defense and rebounding, it is an area that other teams will exploit. I do believe Hayward could be a shooter as effective as Fitzgerald and more able to get the shot off. Seemed too many games (until McNeal's injury) that we hardly noticed Fitzgerald on the floor. Sure, he might have gone 2-4 or 2-3 on 3's, but in 25 minutes, those might have been the only things he did and, you have to aknowledge him as a threat, but if Hayward gets comfortable, he can really shoot it and Hayward and Mbakwe give more of a defensive and rebounding presence.<BR/><BR/>Surprised we did not mention McNeal as the #1 defensive perimeter player in the league...not really up for debate in our mind, we feel he is that good and that disruptive...and, we also REALLY like Mathews overall game...not to mention our ranking with James as our #1 PG. So, we do not think their perimeter players struggle, but meant it that they struggle shooting and it has made them easier to defend, negating, a bit, their other strengths offensively.NBE Bloggerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00131410270773415112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-25101241032225298592007-10-28T19:35:00.000-05:002007-10-28T19:35:00.000-05:00"How can you argue that the 3 guards struggled fro..."How can you argue that the 3 guards struggled from the perimeter"<BR/><BR/>McNeal (42%) and Matthews (44%) each shot effectively from the field -- better than Devendorf, Dyson, Nutter, or Harvey. Heck, a each had a better overall shooting% than Scottie Reynolds. <BR/><BR/>Were Jerel and Wesley deep threats? No, but I don't know any MU fan who expected either to be. Still, McNeal improved drastically from deep as the season wore on.<BR/><BR/>James is another issue but it looks like he adapted his game as the year went on.TBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05897641917011759574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-14155022862330302782007-10-28T19:22:00.000-05:002007-10-28T19:22:00.000-05:00How can you argue that the 3 guards struggled from...How can you argue that the 3 guards struggled from the perimeter. Your explanation gives no proof that they didn't as you talk about everything but their outside shooting. If James can't get his shot going from outside Acker's going to see serious minutes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-16186531733481458032007-10-28T16:30:00.000-05:002007-10-28T16:30:00.000-05:00I think you need to get Fitz at least 20 minutes a...I think you need to get Fitz at least 20 minutes a game because he's the team's best shooter and smartest offensive player. While he probably should be more aggressive, I love that he does not want to force things and often time will make that extra pass that gets an easy bucket.Zuchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09155975823397091461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10389503.post-3255899958962134792007-10-28T12:11:00.000-05:002007-10-28T12:11:00.000-05:00Don't be too dogmatic about Fitz's playing time. ...Don't be too dogmatic about Fitz's playing time. He's got potential, but he is way too reticent. Maybe that tendency is lessening, but that remains to be seen. At this time I'm not convinced--stupid fouls, weak rebounding are other issues.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com