Senior Leadership wins games. Jerel McNeal, Matthews, James, and Burke were not to be denied tonight, giving Buzz Williams his first marquee victory in a 61-58 victory over the hated Badgers.
Jerel McNeal was superlative, going 10-18, pouring in 26 points and 7 boards in 39 minutes. Thirty Nine Minutes.
Wes Matthews clocked 39 as well, followed by Lazar's 35, in which, he grabbed 13 rebounds and two steals. Buzz in the post game said Dwight Burke "had the game of his life" and played extraordinary defense.
18,895 fans watched the Badgers hold a consistent 7-10 point lead over Marquette for the first 30 minutes of play, until Marquette put together some defensive stops and tied the game with 6 to go.
After MU went up by 9, UW chipped away at that lead, but their offense just isn't designed to score quickly and Marquette managed the clock well down the stretch.
Warrior Nation will sleep well tonight.
Check back later for more...
Does anyone know why Buzz has Fulce, Otule, and McMorrow dressing for games? Especially McMorrow?
ReplyDeleteWell first off yesterday was one of the most exciting games I have been to next to the first Big East game against UConn. Also, Fulce and Otule have been practicing intensely as I saw yesterday way before the game. It seems like they should be back soon.
ReplyDeleteWow. That was nice. Although I wish they would have started better (like just about every game in the first half this year), they came on strong and took down Buck in the end. Very solid.
ReplyDeleteMcNeal was ridiculous. While I'm concerned that the bench isn't scoring at all (what's the deal with Cube's?), MU has four starters that are capable of taking over any game.
I like what Buzz did with Acker. He, unlike Crean, has realized that Acker cannot play man defense without fouling. So, he put him on the baseline in the 1-3-1. Not only does that allow Acker to spell James occasionally, it also gives them another defensive look. Marquette is not great at it yet, and that defense is better with long players, but it can be a good tool for them.
ReplyDeleteKudos to Buzz for adjusting the system to match the player skill.
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ReplyDeleteROAD KILL AGAIN!!!!
ReplyDeleteBadger hunting is almost too easy. Kinda like shooting dodos years ago. Big question is will we make Badgers extinct in the world of big time basketball?
While I was in Europe and missed the game, it's nice to see red and white drowning in a sea of blue and gold.
Good luck in the Big Ten Bucky -- you'll need it. Maybe, just maybe, Indiana might be a win you'll get. Then again, Traitor Tommy has to win sometime.