College Basketball 2011-2012

[jjfanec]

I really like Marquette's team this year. I think there are a couple factors into their overall success. 1. DJO has been tremendous and Crowder compliments him well. 2. They are very athletic and can over come their own lack of size. 3. The Big East is way down this year. In normal years it is a dogfight every night. This year is much different. Marquette has only played 4 teams who were ranked at the time they played. That is unheard of for the BE. ND is ranked now so they have 5 games against ranked teams. They are 2-3 in those games.

 

That last point is not meant to diminish Marquette's success because I think they are an elite 8 type team but I wonder what their record would be in a typical BE year

[thebruce44]

That last point is not meant to diminish Marquette's success because I think they are an elite 8 type team but I wonder what their record would be in a typical BE year

 

Well, if we are going to do the what if's, how about if Otule hadn't gotten hurt.

 

In a typical Big East Year MU probably does what they almost always do. Get picked to finish 8th or so, lose a bunch of 1 point games to top 10 teams, knock one or two off, then finish 5th and be 5 points away from finishing second or third.

[brwrsfan]

And that's about what's happening this year. They barely lost to Georgetown in a game they should have won, the lost to Syracuse by 7 (though this was a blowout), and ND hammered them. Win that GU game, and they are right there for the conference title. Still with an outside shot I guess, but nothing wrong with a top 3-4 finish in the BE. Yeah, it's a little down, but that can also just be that there are a lot of good, strong teams, as opposed to the 2-3 great teams the conference usually has.

[fondybrewfan]

Every year I am in an March Madness Auction draft; Marquette is going to at the top of my list for 3-5 seeds with the potential to make a Final 4. However given that they are a local team; somebody will pay way more for them than I would be willing to. I am definitely on the Marquette bandwagon even though I have always been a UW fan first.

[jjfanec]

That last point is not meant to diminish Marquette's success because I think they are an elite 8 type team but I wonder what their record would be in a typical BE year

 

Well, if we are going to do the what if's, how about if Otule hadn't gotten hurt.

 

In a typical Big East Year MU probably does what they almost always do. Get picked to finish 8th or so, lose a bunch of 1 point games to top 10 teams, knock one or two off, then finish 5th and be 5 points away from finishing second or third.

 

I agree the injuries have hurt and I said I think Marquette is an elite 8 type team so I hope you didnt think I was trying to diminish what they have done. I just think think it is an interesting question to ask because at this point in a typical BE year they would have probably played 8-10 games against ranked teams not 4-5.

[brwrsfan]

Every year I am in an March Madness Auction draft; Marquette is going to at the top of my list for 3-5 seeds with the potential to make a Final 4. However given that they are a local team; somebody will pay way more for them than I would be willing to. I am definitely on the Marquette bandwagon even though I have always been a UW fan first.

 

It doesn't have to be in this thread, but I would really like to hear more about this. I'm always looking for ways to do more than just the traditional bracket challenge.

 

My buddy operates what he calls a "spread pool" but that's just more luck than anything else. You get 4 random teams, one in each bracket. Pretty simple. Let' say I get MU. First round spread is 20. If they cover, I move on with MU. If the other team covers (or wins), the person with that team then moves on, only instead they get MU. Basically you're in it until all 4 of your teams fail to cover the spread. He only pays out the top 2 teams. I did win both one year amazingly, but again, just entirely pure luck and it's fun and all but not that interesting since you can't pick teams, he just draws them from a hat. The year I won, I got UNC and they covered every game the whole tournament.

[Glennron]

I might have to hop on the Marquette bandwagon this year

 

 

I've always been a big fan of both, but UW is definitely #1 for me. That said, I think I have to agree with you. It's heartbreaking watch Wisconsin play offense. There are multiple laugh out loud worthy offensive possessions every game, it just gets hard to take when you follow a team so closely.

 

As far as Marquette goes, all I'm hoping for is a top 4 finish and a double bye into the Big East quarterfinals. Honestly, pretty much every remaining game for them seems to be a coin flip, except for Rutgers at home. I really wouldn't be surprised with anything from 11-7 to 14-4 in conference. 12 or 13 wins is probably the most realistic, though. It'd be nice if Gardner could play at all the rest of the way.

[TooLiveBrew]

I've always been a big fan of both, but UW is definitely #1 for me. That said, I think I have to agree with you. It's heartbreaking watch Wisconsin play offense. There are multiple laugh out loud worthy offensive possessions every game, it just gets hard to take when you follow a team so closely.

This nails it for me. Very well-said.

[bullox]

It's heartbreaking watch Wisconsin play offense. There are multiple laugh out loud worthy offensive possessions every game, it just gets hard to take when you follow a team so closely.

 

I definitely cringed on the possession where they did nothing but pass the ball around the 3 pt arc until about 5 secs on the clock, then passed back towards half court (!) and while trying to get it back towards the actual hoop, it was stolen and became a fast break layup for Appling.

 

It really is hard to watch, especially when they are down by a large margin yet continue to show zero urgency.

[fondybrewfan]

In the NCAA Auction Pool I am in there are approximately 8 teams that consist of anywhere from 1 guy to 5-6 guys that pool there money together. The Auction is exactly that, you pay money for each team. You obviously win a lot of money if you draft teams that make the Final 4; but there are a ton of other ways to make money as well; biggest loser; low seed to advance, Sweet 16, Elite 8, etc. So there is some potential to win money on virtually every team in the field. It really is a lot of fun and makes the tourney very fun to watch.

[Menotti80]

A good start for Marquette. That kind of makes me nervous!

[Glennron]

It's insane how well both DJO and Crowder are both playing. There's really no way they shouldn't both be first team Big East. I feel like you could make a case for either being POY as well, but that'll probably be Kevin Jones.

 

The fact that they outrebounded UConn just shows you how unbelievably hard they play too.

[brettac1]

MU was just fantastic today, for sure.

[brwrsfan]

If DJO and Crowder continue to play at this level and the rest of the guys chip in, hustle and continue to play with the heart and emotion they have in recent weeks, they are going to be a very, very tough out. I'm amazed that without any real size to speak of without Garnder again, that they outrebounded UConn. UConn appeared to quit in the second half, but some of that was MU's doing. They just flat outplayed them in pretty much every phase for the entire game.

[jjfanec]

I didnt see the game but Todd Mayo looked to find his shot again. He is the X-factor to Marquette for me. He can create his own shot and score in the half-court. If he finds his game again Marquette will be very dangerous (well even more than the already are)

[thebruce44]

I didnt see the game but Todd Mayo looked to find his shot again. He is the X-factor to Marquette for me. He can create his own shot and score in the half-court. If he finds his game again Marquette will be very dangerous (well even more than the already are)

 

I think Vander is the x-factor. He's the one NBA type talent that could take them from the two NBA prospects to 3 you typically need for a Final 4 run. With him playing like he is now, they are probably a Sweet 16-Elite 8 team depending on the match ups. If he gets hot, and Gardner gives you meaningful minutes I don't think any team in the country would want to face them.

 

I don't really think it will happen, but thats what I think it would take. And I know I've been more of a Vander fan on here than most.

[thebruce44]

Just to add more to the Vander discussion, I remember earlier someone called him out for disappearing once the Big East season started and not putting up double figures against the better teams. I'm paraphrasing that, and it was certainly a legitimate point that I am probably overstating here, so no offense to the previous poster.

 

In his last few games it was starting to look like he was taking that step:

 

@Vill - 9 pts, 7 reb

SetHall - 16/8

@ND - 12/7

@Dep - 16/3

Cinn - 14/7

@UCONN - 2/3

 

Before laying that egg during the Jae Crowder show it looked like he was getting on track to be that out of nowhere tourny player. I'm eagerly waiting to see which way he goes with 4 regular season games left.

[ilovebeer]

Marquette is #10 is both polls this week.

[jjfanec]

Just to add more to the Vander discussion, I remember earlier someone called him out for disappearing once the Big East season started and not putting up double figures against the better teams. I'm paraphrasing that, and it was certainly a legitimate point that I am probably overstating here, so no offense to the previous poster.

 

In his last few games it was starting to look like he was taking that step:

 

@Vill - 9 pts, 7 reb

SetHall - 16/8

@ND - 12/7

@Dep - 16/3

Cinn - 14/7

@UCONN - 2/3

 

Before laying that egg during the Jae Crowder show it looked like he was getting on track to be that out of nowhere tourny player. I'm eagerly waiting to see which way he goes with 4 regular season games left.

 

I called Vander out for disappearing in Big East play because it had been true. He has had more 10 point games in BE play in the last 3 weeks than all the games combined before. Vander's issue is the lack of an outside game. He is very good in transition and can get to the rim (where he had been struggling to finish) but it is harder to get to the rim when teams dont let you get in transition and dont respect your jumper. He does have a ton of talent though

[Baldkin]

More and more I am worried the Badgers won't find that 4th scorer they need to win games. Right now, only 3 guys are really scoring (Taylor, Bergerren, Evans). I thought this would be Bruiser's year, but he hasn't been nearly as aggressive as last year. Gasser hasn't either. Brust can't seem to hit a lake with his 3-pointers lately (26% in big10 play, including 3 for his last 14).

 

Marquette looks really good, but I still worry if they can win a close game down the stretch against a similarly talented team.

[jjfanec]

More and more I am worried the Badgers won't find that 4th scorer they need to win games. Right now, only 3 guys are really scoring (Taylor, Bergerren, Evans). I thought this would be Bruiser's year, but he hasn't been nearly as aggressive as last year. Gasser hasn't either. Brust can't seem to hit a lake with his 3-pointers lately (26% in big10 play, including 3 for his last 14).

 

Bruiser has been the biggest disappointment on this years team. With how he finished last year I thought he would take a nice jump but that just hasn't happened. Gasser has had a couple nice games but not a ton. They both had nice games yesterday (Bruiser on the glass and Gasser from 3) but that hasnt happened very often.

[brwrsfan]

In the NCAA Auction Pool I am in there are approximately 8 teams that consist of anywhere from 1 guy to 5-6 guys that pool there money together. The Auction is exactly that, you pay money for each team. You obviously win a lot of money if you draft teams that make the Final 4; but there are a ton of other ways to make money as well; biggest loser; low seed to advance, Sweet 16, Elite 8, etc. So there is some potential to win money on virtually every team in the field. It really is a lot of fun and makes the tourney very fun to watch.

 

Do you put a limit on the number of teams any one person can buy? Or a cap on how much a team can cost or how much one "owner" can spend during the auction? Sounds kinda interesting.

[Baldkin]

At least, in the auctions I've done, people all put in the same amount of money, then get a certain "amount" to spend - so everyone pays $20, which is pro-rated to $200 auction dollars. No limit on the # of teams someone can buy (aside from there being a minimum cost).

[fondybrewfan]

Yeah we don't have a limit on how many teams you can buy or how much money you can spend. Sure a team could show up with $10,000 and buy every good team but what would be the point? They aren't going to win any money.

 

each team comes in with a budget; some will spend only a couple hundred bucks and look for upset specials; other teams will come in with $2-$3,000 and really try to get a couple #1,2, and 3 seeds. Its all a matter of strategy and funds available

 

Usually the top seed (Like Syracuse or Kentucky this year) would go for $1,200 or so in my auction or you can get a #8 seed for about $20 (Since they would have to beat a #1 seed in the 2nd round to make any money). But if you pay $1,200 for a team; that team has to make it to the Final 4 otherwise you are out a lot of money. Risk/Reward. The champion last year paid out like $3,300. Obviously the more money involved the more exciting it is (Although I enjoy being on a team that has a big budget but my contribution is manageable)

[Oldcity]

I thought Gasser would average 10 ppg this year. This is the guy who had a triple double in a conference game last year... as a Freshman? He had a nice game against Penn St. for sure, but he's disappeared quite often this year. I thought he looked aggressive offensively last year, and we've hardly seen that from him at all this season. Gasser, Bruesewitz, and Brust have all been disappointing this season.