Mbakwe = Blake Griffin?

[Mikie S]

I know this is getting a bit off today's topic, but Tubby likens Trevor Mbakwe to Blake Griffin (per Sid's column yesterday):
"Marquette is having an excellent year. I can't imagine what they'd be like with him," Smith said. "He's a guy, we really don't have anybody in our program like Trevor. He plays a lot like ... Blake Griffin. I was watching him diving yesterday in the game and they had highlights on him. He's probably the No. 1 player in the country, from Oklahoma. He plays with such a passion. And Trevor does the same thing. He plays with that type of toughness. And that's [something] that we like right now. He's a special player. Again, he's very mature, a very serious-minded player."

And on toughness:
"That's one of the things that we were hoping, that we would grow and get better," Smith said. "Being tougher. Being men. I said that from last year to this year, you've got to keep getting better. Ralph [Sampson III] is getting there. Colton is there. Colton is as tough as there is. Travis Busch is there. Knowing how to be tough.
"Setting a good, solid screen, to me, is being tough. Being in the right spot. Making the right decisions. Fighting through fatigue. Busch? He's a guy that gives you that hustle. He can raise the level of intensity on the court, because he plays with such reckless abandon."

 

[MRJ]

Not sure if Mbakwe is as talented offensively as Griffin is, but he does go extremely hard when he's on the floor. That alone will make him a welcome addition in my eyes. He's extremely intense and is quite a physical specimen. When you have that combination of factors working for you, it makes a huge difference not only on the individual's game, but also on how their teammates respond to them.

Having Mbakwe, White and Williams coming in next year will help give us dimensions that we've been lacking for a long time.

 

[GVBadger]

I would compare him more to Karl Malone or Charles Barkley.

 

[Anderson8284]

Hey GV - query for you

Actually a sries of related queries. Were you happy with the Badger match-up against Florida State? Do you think there is a reasonable chance for the upset? Is there a match-up that Bo can exploit?

Mercantile motivation. It's NCAA pool time. I think Bucky might be in position for an upset. By and large, I cheer for *any* B10 team in post season. However, it feels *odd* to cheer for Bucky very hard. One of my co-workers who is an avid Northern Iowa and Iowa fan said he would be cheering hard for Minny to beat both Texas and especially Duke, but that it would feel a little odd to be a temporary Gopher fan. My take on all of this is "I don't necessarily wish Bucky poor success in post season, I just get a little ambivalent......"

 

[bga1]

I'm guessing that Tubby was claiming that Mbakwe plays with the physical tenacity of Griffen. I doubt anybody is going to be mistaking his offensive game for Griffen's. I think so far this year Tubby has compared Damien Johnson to Tayshon Prince and Nolen to Rondo as a frame of reference....

 

[GVBadger]

Actually a sries of related queries. Were you happy with the Badger match-up against Florida State? Do you think there is a reasonable chance for the upset? Is there a match-up that Bo can exploit?

Mercantile motivation. It's NCAA pool time. I think Bucky might be in position for an upset. By and large, I cheer for *any* B10 team in post season. However, it feels *odd* to cheer for Bucky very hard. One of my co-workers who is an avid Northern Iowa and Iowa fan said he would be cheering hard for Minny to beat both Texas and especially Duke, but that it would feel a little odd to be a temporary Gopher fan. My take on all of this is "I don't necessarily wish Bucky poor success in post season, I just get a little ambivalent......"

I am happy we made the tournament. I don't think as a 12 seed you can really argue with who you get the play. As we have shown all year, we can beat just about anyone for 35 minutes. It is the last 5 that is the problem. If you follow Pomeroy at all, he thinks we are a slight favorite, so obviously we are not outclassed. I would expect a very tight game that we blow in the last couple minutes and we call it a year.

I think Minnesota can beat Texas. I love the draw for Purdue. I think OSU if they beat Siena can give UCONN a game. I would love to see the Big Ten teams shove it up the ass of all the so called "experts".

 

[oleboy41]

The whole toughness angle is why I've thought this team will be much better next year. RSIII has begun playing more physical but I think Trevor and also Royce will be an attitude that we don't have right now. We have a pretty quiet, passive team in terms of personality. Only Carter and Joseph show emotion or are talkative out there. Royce and Trevor will bring that cocky aggresiveness that great teams have. Royce moreso on offense and Trevor on D.

 

[MilesTones]

I think Minnesota can beat Texas. I love the draw for Purdue. I think OSU if they beat Siena can give UCONN a game. I would love to see the Big Ten teams shove it up the ass of all the so called "experts".

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend". The jackasses at SI think Purdue and Illinois are obvious 1st round upset picks and that Minnesota and Wisconsin shouldn't even be in the tournament -- we robbed "deserving" mid-major teams of a chance. What a bunch of BS.

During the season, I root hard against Wisconsin, but in the tournament, I want to see the Big Ten go 7-0 in the first round, and send 4+ teams to the Sweet Sixteen. All seven Big Ten entrants belong. Period.

FSU is a pretty athletic team, but they lost to Northwestern early in the season. I think a team like the Badgers poses a bit of a matchup problem for FSU -- there's really no one in the ACC that plays like Wisconsin. FSU will be favored, but Wisconsin can definitely pull the upset -- especially if Landry and Bohannon are hitting from deep.

Texas reloads -- they don't rebuild -- but this is one of the weaker Texas teams of the past decade, IMO. It should be a close game, regardless of who wins -- but if our shooting isn't ice cold, we can certainly win. I think the Gophers are the most underrated teams in the tourney. Everyone thinks it's a joke we're even in it, yet our "worst" loss on the season was on the road to a bubble team (Northwestern). We're not that bad, folks. If we keep the turnovers low and shoot a reasonable percentage, we can play with a LOT of teams.

 

[JohnnyGopher]

I would compare Trevor to a more athletic Courtney James

 

[jamiche]

I would compare Trevor to a more athletic Courtney James

I would take that anytime!

 

[jags1998]

Everyone thinks it's a joke we're even in it, yet our "worst" loss on the season was on the road to a bubble team (Northwestern). We're not that bad, folks. If we keep the turnovers low and shoot a reasonable percentage, we can play with a LOT of teams.

Kudos - good point!

 

[Roy Christensen]

I would compare Trevor to a more athletic Courtney James

Wow

 

[MRJ]

I am happy we made the tournament. I don't think as a 12 seed you can really argue with who you get the play. As we have shown all year, we can beat just about anyone for 35 minutes. It is the last 5 that is the problem. If you follow Pomeroy at all, he thinks we are a slight favorite, so obviously we are not outclassed. I would expect a very tight game that we blow in the last couple minutes and we call it a year.

I think Minnesota can beat Texas. I love the draw for Purdue. I thhttp://www.forums.gopherhole.com/boards/images/smilies/pig.gifink OSU if they beat Siena can give UCONN a game. I would love to see the Big Ten teams shove it up the ass of all the so called "experts".

First off, YIKES!!!! Personally, I think the Badgers will win against Florida State. Maybe I'm being overly optimistic, but I like the way they match up from a personnel stand point.

Second, I am also hoping the Big Ten rails some people this tournament. Like you, I'm sick and tired of the talking heads bashing the Big Ten at every turn. We need to shut them up!!!!

 

[RW+RW=Our W's]

Do the Badgers have anyone that can match up with Toney Douglas? My opinion, no, Seminoles win in a close game.

 

[figi]

I am sure that Trevor will have the most immediate impact on this team next year. His aggressive play should light a fire under all our players. Ofcourse, last fall I was sure that Bostick would have the same effect on this years team.

 

[MRJ]

Do the Badgers have anyone that can match up with Toney Douglas? My opinion, no, Seminoles win in a close game.

To me, he's kind of the x-factor. And this seems to be the consensus of the national media as well. I like him as a player and I agree that he presents certain matchup issues for the Badgers. Having said that, Wisconsin has a habit of controlling tempo and in that case, I think the Badgers can win a close game.

Agree that Florida State is more athletic, but the style Wisconsin plays is meant to overcome that deficiency. For me, it all comes down to playing good, disciplined basketball. The Badgers play that kind of style and usually force their opponents to do the same. I'm not sure how disciplined a game Florida State plays. One thing is for sure, it will certainly be an interesting contrast in styles....