College Basketball Thread 2013-14

[adamb100]

aannnd thats game. Kentucky vs. Ucon

[fondybrewfan]

Kentucky has just hit every big shot that they needed the entire tournament. Props to them. The kid hit a deep three; what are you going to do?

 

Of course Jackson could have hit all 3 of those free throws. The way Kentucky has played this tourney you just knew that last possession they were going for the win.

 

Real tough loss but a darn good game

[DHonks]

wow....heartbreaking for Badgers fans. Two pet peeves from this tournament played out....

1) why not guard the backcourt even loosely? Wisconsin was allowing Kentucky to have about 32 secs of the ball in the frontcourt (didn't need it all) and this allowed them to be at ease.

2) why not have one of the best shooters have the ball? I know that guys can be well defended. Additionally I'm not a Badgers fan. But I've never seen Jackson make a shot (except free throws). I would have preferred Kaminsky or Dekker get the shot, with Gasser as the 3rd option.

 

Besides that, good effort.

[young guns]

Such a painful loss. Too many mistakes down the stretch and 1 hoerible call from the refs (when brust stole the ball).

 

Jackson has made a handfull of game winning shots the past 2 years, and we knew he wasn't gonna give the ball up cause he never doea in that situation.

 

GO UCONN!!!

[homer]

wow....heartbreaking for Badgers fans. Two pet peeves from this tournament played out....

1) why not guard the backcourt even loosely? Wisconsin was allowing Kentucky to have about 32 secs of the ball in the frontcourt (didn't need it all) and this allowed them to be at ease.

2) why not have one of the best shooters have the ball? I know that guys can be well defended. Additionally I'm not a Badgers fan. But I've never seen Jackson make a shot (except free throws). I would have preferred Kaminsky or Dekker get the shot, with Gasser as the 3rd option.

 

Besides that, good effort.

 

 

As for #2, there's not much you can do with 5.7 seconds left and the length of the floor to traverse. Maybe you get one pass if you're lucky. I have no problem with that final shot.

[brwrsfan]

I've watched the replay of Harrison's shot ten times now and there are two things bothering me:

 

1 - Gasser was WAY too far off of him. Harrison even hesitated for a full second before shooting, make him put the ball on the floor there. Don't let them take a three to beat you.

 

2 - I still can't for the life of me figure out how the shot went in. It was long and hit the back rim pretty square, 9 times out of 10, that's a huge brick. It somehow spins around the entire rim and in. Literally a millimeter further and it's a miss, and we had both KY guys boxed out. Likely get the board with less than 5 seconds left.

 

I can't fathom both of those things...it's heart breaking to say the least.

 

Also, anyone have a good luck on Jackson's last shot? Did he just lose control of the ball? Or did the KY guy hit his arm? Jackson definitely lost a grip on the all and it seems that the KY player pulled his hands back and put them up in the air, as if saying "I never touched him". But I can't find a good angle of it. Was that what led to the bank? I don't know why you try to bank it in from there...seems like a very odd time for that type of shot.

[LouisEly]

If Gasser was up on him he would have easily blown by him and gotten into the paint. Gasser played all 40 minutes - he didn't have the legs to stay with Harrison on a drive. And if Harrison had gotten into the lane it would have been a much higher percentage shot - either a layup, a lob to one of their forwards, a short jumper, or they way the refs were calling it a blocking foul even though Gasser or someone else was in position and a layup for a 3-point play.

 

Harrison shot 36% from 3 this year; he was a good 5 feet behind the line so that is more like a 30-33% shot; 66-70% chance if he takes that shot that he misses. I think those were the best odds the Badgers had.

[brwrsfan]

Getting into the paint results in a tie game at worse (assuming no foul), which is why Gasser needs to be up on him.

[Funketown]

Legend is Jim Valvano made a deal with the devil for NC State's 1983 title, and State has suffered over the past thirty years. Seems Calipari might have struck the same deal this season, and all I can hope for is that Kentucky goes into a similar 30-year stretch of irrelevance.

 

I'm not really a Wisconsin fan anymore (I'll cheer for them once Carolina loses), but I really think they're a significantly better team than Kentucky. I watched Kentucky a lot this season, especially as they struggled through a weak SEC this season, and I was never particularly impressed (like everybody who watched them this season). They're playing well right now, but if they win the title they will be one of the worst title teams ever (as a college team, not as NBA prospects go), and the same goes for UConn.

[homer]

Getting into the paint results in a tie game at worse (assuming no foul), which is why Gasser needs to be up on him.

 

 

So basically you're saying they should have been on him once he crossed half court.

[nate82]

Getting into the paint results in a tie game at worse (assuming no foul), which is why Gasser needs to be up on him.

 

 

So basically you're saying they should have been on him once he crossed half court.

 

They should have pressed before that allowing Kentucky to set up for their shot is the reason the Badgers lost. This was a coaching blunder made by Ryan that lost the Badgers the game.

[brwrsfan]

Getting into the paint results in a tie game at worse (assuming no foul), which is why Gasser needs to be up on him.

 

 

So basically you're saying they should have been on him once he crossed half court.

 

I'm not saying that at all. But when there is 8 seconds left, a guy is standing still with the ball (and within 3 point range), you should be up on the shooter, especially after he took almost an identical shot last week. When there is only ONE thing that can beat you in that situation, you take that away. If he drives past you, you possible have help or at worst the game is tied. It's not worth arguing about, but I think in that situation, we had a defensive breakdown, albeit a small one, but Gasser being up an extra foot and right in his face might have changed the game.

 

I agree on the pressing KY. Make them work a little bit, use some more clock and maybe disrupt their play. Though I don't really think they ran a set play. The set play was to drive to the hoop I think, which we took away. Once we did that, all the KY players were basically just standing around watching. They didn't isolate him or anything, it was a broken play IMO.

[fondybrewfan]

I think he could have pressed him a bit more but that also goes against conventional BBall wisdom. Despite his recent heroics you would still rather have Harrison hitting a 25 foot shot than have him driving right by you for an easier shot or kick out.

 

I knew he was going to make that. It just sucks that the Badgers were little within in inch of making the title game. Those opportunities just don't come around very often.

 

Hopefully Jackson is holding up OK; he had some screw ups in the last couple minutes and I hope he isn't taking it to hard.

[fondybrewfan]

Marquette officially has a defect; the #77 player in this year's class has decommitted. He still lists Marquette in his top 4 along with V Tech, Gonzaga, and Florida (What a weird 4 by the way)

[LouisEly]

I don't think Malek Harris is a huge loss. While Marquette could use his size, he was suspended for most if not all of this year IIRC and had not signed yet. Opens up a schollie for Legend Robertin, a 7' center from London, or Johnathon Wilkins, a 6'10" center from Indiana; Fischer isn't eligible until second semester, so Marquette could use the bigger Robertin or Wilkins more than Harris right away however they are probably much more raw than Harris. ESPN does have Robertin ranked ahead of Harris; can't find anything on Robertin on Scout.

 

I am concerned about Ahmed Hill. Good relationship with Buzz and VT is closer to home, even if a lesser program.

[FVBrewerFan]

Cohen is coming for sure, and it sounds like everyone on the current roster is coming back. That's apretty good start for Wojo. Ahmed Hill would be a big loss, but I expected more collateral damage than that, so I can live with it. And that's not even a done deal, he could still be coming to MU.

[patrickgpe]

i heard that taylor was considering not leaving. Harris may be very talented but he seems like a headcase, a player that Buzz had no problem bringing aboard, but doesn't seem like a wojo (duke) player.

[FVBrewerFan]

i heard that taylor was considering not leaving.

 

Sounds like Taylor will be back. His beef was with Buzz, and now that he's gone sounds like he's staying. Maybe there's a Plumley we don't know about that will land in Milwaukee next year ; )

[patrickgpe]

you knew that wojo was going to hire a former head coach to help him, so phelps makes sense.

 

This year was tough for taylor, he was buried for no good reason. Buzz had a lot of good qualities, but his rotations this year made me wonder what he as doing.

 

I think he instantly moves into the starting 4, so leaving makes little sense.

[fondybrewfan]

Well so far OSU is losing basically everyone; MSU is losing Payne, Harris, and Appling, Michigan is losing Robinson, and Stauskas. Not sure what Iowa is bringing back. I am pretty sure Nebraska is losing quite a bit too.

 

Wisconsin better just own the B10 next year; the conference looks like it is going to be down.

[stoutdude04]

Illinois should be a solid team next year if I remember.

[bani1717]

No doubt we should own the Big Ten. All early predictions have us in the preseason top 5 right now, and I just looked at one that shows us as the preseason #1. Kaminsky also has a shot at player of the year. It should be a really fun year.

[LouisEly]

Apparently Sandy Cohen is all that's left of Marquette's recruiting class. Williams apparently took Ahmed Hill and Satchel Pierce with him to VA Tech (per a Tweet from Pierce). Hill is a big loss, but it's not surprising that he chose to play somewhere closer to home and it may keep Johnson from transferring. If Pierce can be parlayed into Legend Robertin that likely is an upgrade. And if there is a graduating junior PF/C out there that would transfer to Marquette for a year that may not be a bad thing in that it will help address the lack of height, specifically experienced height.

[FVBrewerFan]

Yea, Hill is a loss but maybe a blessing in disguise. They have Wilson, Mayo, Dawson, Johnson, and Cohen at guard already. Plus Derek Wilson, who shouldn't be on the court but will be. That's 6 guards you have to find playing time for. I liked some of the things I saw from Dawson and Johnson, and one or both would probably be buried on the bench again if hill kept his commitment. Looks like they're also keeping the PG from Sun Prairie coming in the following year. So, like you said, they really need to focus on size now. Even 3 star guys that are 6'8", 6'9" that are either long or big.

 

It does seem wrong somehow for a HC to recruit kids to a school, then leave and bring them over to the new school. Not the kids fault, I get that. But while you're employed at one place, doesn't seem right to use that to benefit yourself at the new employer. Maybe have a one yr period where you can't sign anyone you recruited at your prior school? With all the petty stuff the NCAA concerns itself with, just odd this is allowed.

[patrickgpe]

Apparently Sandy Cohen is all that's left of Marquette's recruiting class. Williams apparently took Ahmed Hill and Satchel Pierce with him to VA Tech (per a Tweet from Pierce). Hill is a big loss, but it's not surprising that he chose to play somewhere closer to home and it may keep Johnson from transferring. If Pierce can be parlayed into Legend Robertin that likely is an upgrade. And if there is a graduating junior PF/C out there that would transfer to Marquette for a year that may not be a bad thing in that it will help address the lack of height, specifically experienced height.

 

This is typical when a new coach comes in, especially when trying to replace a charismatic coach like Buzz. Getting luke fisher is huge as well as keeping all of last years freshmen. Wojo needs to add atleast 1 player next season I believe, but could use the rest of the scholarships for the 2015-2016 school year. I think it is short sided to worry about next freshman class. although loosing Hill is not ideal. Their top freshman last season was red shirted.

 

As a Marquette fan I am not going to worry too much until I see Wojo's first class. Until then we don't really know what type of player Wojo is going to bring in and how well he can sell top players on Marquette.