This game highlights

[Goose85]

Totally agree. He's been driving me nuts all year long.

That Davante three pointer with 8 seconds left in the first half drove me nuts. Call a time out to set up a play and Davante decides to take the opportunity to launch a 3. It would have been ok with 2 seconds left in the half, but there was time to get a better look and not allow Butler time for one last shot.

[TheSultan]

That Davante three pointer with 8 seconds left in the first half drove me nuts. Call a time out to set up a play and Davante decides to take the opportunity to launch a 3. It would have been ok with 2 seconds left in the half, but there was time to get a better look and not allow Butler time for one last shot.

Raftery said he thought it was drawn up that way. I didn't see it for some reason, just the aftermath, but could that have been the case?

[Goose85]

Raftery said he thought it was drawn up that way. I didn't see it for some reason, just the aftermath, but could that have been the case?

When Butler called time out Davante was about as far away from Buzz as he could get. I would think the idea would be to take the last shot, and not set up Davante for a long 3 with that much time. Possible, but not sure Buzz would set up a play for a Davante 3.

[Nukem2]

How Chris and Davante are used really depends upon the opponent and the flow of the game. As for Davante's facial expressions and body language...well, that's Davante. I think everyone on the team and staff realizes that and they just ignore it. Don't think it has been or is a real negative in terms of team chemistry.

[Orlando]

How Chris and Davante are used really depends upon the opponent and the flow of the game. As for Davante's facial expressions and body language...well, that's Davante. I think everyone on the team and staff realizes that and they just ignore it. Don't think it has been or is a real negative in terms of team chemistry.

Bad body language and facial expressions are very easy to ignore when things are going well. Not so easy to do so in tough times. They become tiresome and annoying for everybody. Since we are just speculating and giving our personal opinions, I would side with the people who say that his teammates and coaches are probably getting a little sick of him.

[Nukem2]

Bad body language and facial expressions are very easy to ignore when things are going well. Not so easy to do so in tough times. They become tiresome and annoying for everybody. Since we are just speculating and giving our personal opinions, I would side with the people who say that his teammates and coaches are probably getting a little sick of him.

Watching games at the BC and seeing Davante shuffle to the bench, I really don't see any of that. I think they just ignore it. He is what he is and they are not going to change him with a month and a half left in his career. The real issue on this team is the lack of consistent and solid guard play on both ends of the court. Davante was the same in last year's BE Championship and Elite 8 run. Davante ain't the problem. Now, I do wish he would stop taking those threes.

[MU88]

This game highlights what I believe and have been saying for last 10 or so games, the team is better offensively with Davante on the bench.

Completely unfair statement. Buzz changed the offense in the last 10 minutes of the game. As he indicated in his postgame show, MU played a style they haven't played all year. As a sidenote, it was refreshing to see. He went back to the system the used with the three amigos and with Cubby and Acker. In any event, Otule did a great job of sealing the lane and allowing Mayo (and Burton) to get penetration. The team finally got the movement they have been struggling to get with DW at point. Now, it is fair to ask if Gardner would have been as effective as Otule in this system? Maybe. We don't really know. He hasn't been asked to perform this way.

Since MU doesn't have a competent point on the offensive end, the motion seems to be a better fit for the talent. I think Johnson and Dawson would thrive in this kind of constant motion system. Mayo obviously looked good. So did Burton. Wilson looked comfortable too. Plus, the constant weave at the top of the key allows MU to hide DW on offense since the defense has to guard him. Granted, the offensive really doesn't suit Gardner, but there still would be opportunities for him. Gardner is a great offensive player with great hands, but his height is a limiting factor at times. Without any consistent outside shooters and the fact that defenses have simply stopped guarding DW, Gardner (and Taylor for that matter) has been getting triple teamed in the post. This movement will free the post players up for easier attempts.

Will MU continue to play this way? I don't know. But for the first time in a long time, it looked like we had some energy and hope. In the first 30 minutes, we were the worst MU team since KO's second season. I don't want to see that again.

[bleedbluegold03]

Completely unfair statement. Buzz changed the offense in the last 10 minutes of the game. As he indicated in his postgame show, MU played a style they haven't played all year. As a sidenote, it was refreshing to see. He went back to the system the used with the three amigos and with Cubby and Acker. In any event, Otule did a great job of sealing the lane and allowing Mayo (and Burton) to get penetration. The team finally got the movement they have been struggling to get with DW at point. Now, it is fair to ask if Gardner would have been as effective as Otule in this system? Maybe. We don't really know. He hasn't been asked to perform this way.

Since MU doesn't have a competent point on the offensive end, the motion seems to be a better fit for the talent. I think Johnson and Dawson would thrive in this kind of constant motion system. Mayo obviously looked good. So did Burton. Wilson looked comfortable too. Plus, the constant weave at the top of the key allows MU to hide DW on offense since the defense has to guard him. Granted, the offensive really doesn't suit Gardner, but there still would be opportunities for him. Gardner is a great offensive player with great hands, but his height is a limiting factor at times. Without any consistent outside shooters and the fact that defenses have simply stopped guarding DW, Gardner (and Taylor for that matter) has been getting triple teamed in the post. This movement will free the post players up for easier attempts.

Will MU continue to play this way? I don't know. But for the first time in a long time, it looked like we had some energy and hope. In the first 30 minutes, we were the worst MU team since KO's second season. I don't want to see that again.

By your own statement (that the motion offense was the most fluid play we've seen all season) aren't you agreeing with him?

we should play this system more + Davante doesn't work well in that system = we should play Davante less?

[MU88]

Not really. We don't really know if Gardner's talents will translate to the system. Otule is a bigger, less talented Barro. He can seal, but he is limited otherwise. This system could be great for Gardner if he can learn to seal the lane like Otule and take a less centric role on offense. He could get a lot of garbage buckets with his hands and offensive ability.

[WarriorOMalley82]

Not really. We don't really know if Gardner's talents will translate to the system. Otule is a bigger, less talented Barro. He can seal, but he is limited otherwise. This system could be great for Gardner if he can learn to seal the lane like Otule and take a less centric role on offense. He could get a lot of garbage buckets with his hands and offensive ability.

I never bash any players here, but for you to say it is a "completely unfair statement" is ridiculous, it is my opinion and I can back it up to my satisfaction. Forgetting D completely for a moment If Otule played the 35+ minutes that Davante played in last 12 games I think it is safe to say that he would avg 8-9 pts a game(he is averaging 6 pts a game now in less than 15 minutes), Davante is averaging 14.6 so Chris must make up 5-6 pts elsewhere. I believe he will create scoring lanes that are not there now at least 3 times a game more than Davente that is 6 pts I believe he will keep offensive rebounds alive or keep other bigs occupied that will create at least 4 more possessions a game than Davante lets say we avg 3 pts on those possessions there is a total of 16-19 pts a game. I believe that will offset the pts Davante scores. So all this just on the offensive side of the ball, when you add in the defensive side I believe you can easily say another 5-8 pts difference. I believe a total difference somewhere 8-13 pts a game. Now I am not really advocating a 35- 5 split in minutes but I do believe a 24 min for CO and 16 min for DG will help the team and give more energy to Davante in the time he is out there.