The Basketball Tournament - Marquette Alumni Team

[MUwarrior1090]

Another thing last night showed was the importance of playing as a team. Hoopville was made up of guys that never played D1 ball. One guy who was drafted into the NBA out of D2. Also, their dominant big man, Rico Hill, was 39 years old. But they played as a team and were smart basketball players. Marquette was able to out-talent them in the end, using quickness to force turnovers and get to the rim, but on paper you'd have expected it to be a landslide in our favor, with three NBA players on the floor, all D1 players, and European pros.

Hope Jamil is able to play today, as Sparty has a size advantage. Neither Raymar Morgan nor Derrick Nix played yesterday for them, so their two main bigs may not be around today either. Both of those two play in Europe currently.

I completely agree. Illinois Hoopville clearly has been playing together for awhile and they made the Super 16 of TBT each of the past two years.

One small correction. Rico Hill was the best player on Illinois State for 2 years when they won back to back MVC championships and won an NCAA Tournament game in 97 and 98. He was drafted 31st but never played in the NBA. But he's 39 playing with guys mostly 10+ years younger than him, so it's a bit of a moot point.

I was really impressed with him last night so I looked up his career. Pretty impressive player.


http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/...co-hill-1.html

[Djgoldnboy]

Here are the boys cheering during the comeback. Hoopville had a loud contingency for one section of the gym but when MU made the MU crowd was louder. Players to the left in the vid around Fischer. https://youtu.be/O1GPZiCb9dI

[Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"]

I completely agree. Illinois Hoopville clearly has been playing together for awhile and they made the Super 16 of TBT each of the past two years.

One small correction. Rico Hill was the best player on Illinois State for 2 years when they won back to back MVC championships and won an NCAA Tournament game in 97 and 98. He was drafted 31st but never played in the NBA. But he's 39 playing with guys mostly 10+ years younger than him, so it's a bit of a moot point.

I was really impressed with him last night so I looked up his career. Pretty impressive player.


http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/...co-hill-1.html

Nice catch. I read a summary of them that said they had no D1 players and that Hill was drafted out of D2. Clearly that was incorrect. Really fun player to watch. May not have had the best statline, but I felt he was the best player on the floor. Not the most athletic, but in terms of knowing how to use his body and just how to make the smart plays, he was really good.

[mcwman]

Buycks still doesn't know how to use the clock to his advantage

[Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"]

Marquette up 51-27 on Spartan Heroes at the half. Were down 3-2 when I went on a run at work, came back to a 14 point lead and they stretched it to 24 before the half. Marquette now nearly doubling up Sparty, 60-31. Under 16 to play, but pretty sure this one is over.

[MKE_GoldenEagleFan]

Solid win for them today, will add Gardner next weekend which should help depth... We are incredibly reliant on 3 shooting, so that is a bit scary, but guard play is a huge advantage for us with all the depth we have there. This team has a very reasonable shot to win it all if they play as a team.

[Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"]

The next opponent has a lot of IU guys. Cody Zeller, Will Sheehey, Christian Watford, as well as recent Butler grad Roosevelt Jones. Will be another tough matchup, these guys knocked off Hoopville Warriors last year and made it to the last 8 of TBT.

[MU/Panther]

Just got watching the replay. Great beating up Sparty! Joe Chapman with 11 straight points in that 1st half was big. Buycks was outstanding!

[AbovetheRim]

How is Cody Zeller playing? He's NBA, no?

[Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"]

How is Cody Zeller playing? He's NBA, no?

That's my mistake, looked at just a roster list rather than the full page. He's listed as a booster, so similar to Steve Novak. Won't be playing.