Exactly Where We Should Be from Joe Streator

I hope everyone had a very nice Thanksgiving and, among other things, enjoyed the Warriors winning the Paradise Jam.  Nothing wrong with winning a tournament in a warm climate but I will be more impressed by winning in Maui next year after losing Crowder and Johnson-Odom.  I will also be more impressed with a solid performance against Madison, currently ranked 9 and 7, on Saturday.  We never seem to come out on top when both teams are in the top 20.  We better do well because UW has only one senior of any consequence so next year's game in Milwaukee certainly will not be a cake walk. 

 

I counted five very solid performances against Jacksonville.  What can you say about Crowder and Johnson-Odom?  For the season both are shooting over 40% from beyond the arc and over 75% from the FT line.  Vander Blue gets a nice grade for his nine rebounds, seven assists and four steals and, if last year is any indication of the immediate future it is good he took only two shots.  His four steals are consistent with his team leading fifteen for the year and his assists consistent with his two rank on the team there.  I think I heard Buzz say he is not a good shooter so that pretty much confirms what the numbers said last year and what we should expect this year, but his all around game is good if not a bit careless with the ball once in awhile.  Freshman Todd Mayo also continues to do well.  Looks like he will have the best freshman year since Dominic James' peak year....what a shame his peak was his freshman year.  Averaging over sixteen minutes a game and just under nine points a game while shooting 50% from the floor and 80% from the line, it looks like he is the real deal.  His one turnover a game/16 minutes isn't a bad start.  Last but not least, even Junior Cadougan played well with six assists, 4-6 from the floor and one turnover.  While not a bad performance at all, we consistently need better than that as the competition gets tougher.

 

Freshman Derrick Wilson is getting almost fifteen minutes a game in, against Jacksonville anyhow, mostly a defensive role.  Buzz swapped him and Cadougan every opportunity he had with Cadougan in for offense and Wilson for defense.  I don't particularly care for that style of coaching but have to give Buzz credit for doing it to get them used to what may happen against UW in a close game.

 

Otule and Gardner were basically non factors against Jacksonville with Gardner not getting in until less than ten minutes left in the first half.  Not sure what the story is there.  Not to worry though, I think it will be rare when both are non factors.  I think both match up well against UW.  Otule is working on his baby sky hook, making one.  He should make more against those lead footed guys from UW but we'll see.

 

Juan Anderson played a few minutes in his second game back after a three game suspension.  He hustled nicely and came up with a very nice steal right in front of us but I guess the official scorer was blocked out as he did not get credit for it.  He could use a little more weight.  His contribution may not be much this year but no reason to think he will not develop nicely.

 

I can't figure out Jamil Wilson.  I was hoping he would be as outstanding in his second year of college ball, relatively speaking, as Mayo has been in his first year.  We could really use consistent very solid performances from him.

 

And bringing up the rear is Jamail Jones.  He came last year with the reputation of being a good shooter but is under 25% this year from beyond the arc.  He looked lost a bit vs. Jacksonville.  He doesn't get twelve minutes a game against the puppies so watch him carefully against teams like UWGB, Northern Colorado and UWM because you won't see him much in other games.

 

No complaints for the team so far.  Crowder and Johnson-Odom appear to be twenty point per game performers with good all around games, Blue looks like a reliable very solid performer but not a scoring threat and get excited when Todd Mayo enters the game.  With more improvement from a couple of these:  Otule, Gardner, Jamil Wilson and Cadougan we will be battling for the Big East title.  Let's hope we enter the Big East season with no more than one loss.

 

Joe