Majerus' take on C-USA POY

49ers Basketball Forum 🏀
1

Rick Majerus is doing the color commentary for the Cinci - Marquette game and was talking about what a loss Diener is for Marquette. They then brought up the players in the running for C-USA Player of the Year and showed 3 names as “in the running”. Garcia, Basden & Diener. Majerus then said (I’m paraphrasing) “My personal preferences for Diener aside, I’ve got to give it to Eddie Basden from Charlotte” He then ran off his stats (8th in C-USA in scoring, #1 in steals, 5th in C-USA in rebounding, 10th in C-USA in assists, 15th in C-USA in field goal percentage, etc.). After that said “add to that this guy is a great defender both on and off the ball. What really clouds the issue is that he plays at Charlotte instead of a big name coach like Pitino or Huggins” and something about a bad media market. He then said he has “watched a lot of tape on Basden and he was just a great all around unselfish, team player.” Said “given all those stats he still doesn’t rush things, just plays within the flow of the game and makes the game come to him.”

Didn’t care much for the “instead of a big name coach” (or however he said it) - but I don’t think he meant it the way it came out. Still, you could tell Majerus was sincere in his comments and really has studied Basden’s game. I loved hearing it, man I’ve gotta get a freakin’ DVR.

2

I heard the same thing. I had the game on but was doing something else. I heard them talking about POY & ran over to see what they were saying. I was surprised to hear him run off those stats.

One question. What did he mean by “bad media market”? I’m pretty sure Charlotte’s market is larger than Louisville and Memphis. What did he mean?

3

might’ve been a crack at the whole “Shadow of the ACC” thing?

4

Heard it too. He’s right though…our fondness for Lutz aside,he’s not a “name” coach who’s known nationally like Pittino or Huggy.Maybe will be in the near future.

5

Coach Lutz is and will always be a Forty Niner " Big Time" and “Big name” Coach. I rather not for him to be a “Big Name” Coach for someone else. Unless that is his choice.

6

I wasn’t sure what he meant about the media market either. Maybe a “shadow” thing, maybe just not familiar with the area (or just assumes since not much is heard about Charlotte on a national scene). As far as Coach Lutz, he’s becoming big time - I don’t think Majerus meant it as a slam by any means but not one of the names to usually come up when you say C-USA.

7

With Diener out, Garcia and Basden seem to be the favorites for POY. I looked up their stats and how they rank in the conference on ESPN.com under the Conference USA statistics. Here we go;

Scoring
7 - Francisco Garcia - 16.0ppg
8 - Eddie Basden - 15.9ppg

Rebounds
5 - Eddie Basden - 8.5rpg
(Garcia not in top 25)

Assists
7 - Francisco Garcia - 4.0apg
10 - Eddie Basden - 3.7apg

Field Goal Percentage
17 - Eddie Basden - 51.2% 133 FGM/ 260 FGA
(Garcia not in top 25)

3 Point Shooting
12 - Eddie Basden - 41.7%
(Garcia not in top 25)

FT Percentage
9 - Francisco Garcia - 85.0% 108 FTM/ 127 FTA
(Basden not in top 25, 74.4% 96 FTM/ 129 FTA)

Blocks
T8 - Francisco Garcia - 1.4bpg
(Basden not in top 25 - 0.1bpg)

Steals
1 - Eddie Basden - 3.2spg
T5 - Francisco Garcia - 2.0spg

Turnovers
T7 - Francisco Garcia - 2.9 TOpg
T14 - Eddie Basden - 2.5 TOpg

Assist/TO ratio
T20 - Eddie Basden - 1.4
T20 - Francisco Garcia - 1.4

I think Eddie is looking pretty good. Next Thursday will probably decide it.

8

Are the conference awards given out before or after the tournament?

9

During.

10

if the 49ers win out (So.Miss, L’ville, USF), and assuming Eddie doesn’t tank any of the games, Eddie has this in the bag. If we do the above, and Eddie doesn’t win… the conference is rigged beyond belief.

That said, after Halton Arena fans say goodbye to Plav/Eddie/Sager by schooling the fubar out of So.Miss… Louisville is gonna be one hell of a game. Whoever wins, will have deserved it.

11

Fact: coaches that are perceived as “big time” are those whose teams go to the Sweet 16 and beyond on national TV a few times. What’s Calipari done? He took UMASS to the Final 4 once. Won an NIT. But these are national stage venues and alot of people see it. Voila! You become a “big time” coach and the program does too.

Just heard coach Doh on MSP say Eddie has All America talent and skills and if he played at a more nationally known school he would be an AA.

12

That whole “nationally known school” stuff can’t help out our recruiting too much.

13

I heard it last night but couldn’t remember Majerus’s wording. Apparently, he said Charlotte not having a “signature” coach. And I think he said “media obscurity”?

As probably included in the Lutz radio thread, Bobby brought up Majerus’s comment and said “I guess I need to work on my signature”. :lol:

14

He was probably thinking of something with the word signature in it down at IHOP.

15

I think he meant what you guys say everyday on this message board, for some reason the city and media do not prop up the program and take it as their own.

Having not lived in your city for a very long time, as an outsider, it seems that Charlotte wants to represent itself as a regional city. Not a stand alone, like other cities do. The 49ers suffer because of this.

16
[i]Originally posted by amnesiac[/i]@Feb 25 2005, 08:20 AM [b] I think he meant what you guys say everyday on this message board, for some reason the city and media do not prop up the program and take it as their own. [/b]
I think he was calling out Mike P. :o :D
17

Hey Over40, Majerus knows the Observer sucks too. He must know Billy Packer and figure his son is a pompous ass as well. :stuck_out_tongue:

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[i]Originally posted by hootie[/i]@Feb 25 2005, 09:58 AM [b] Hey Over40, Majerus knows the Observer sucks too. He must know Billy Packer and figure his son is a pompous ass as well. :P [/b]
The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
19

I didn’t hear the whole discussion, but late in the game he mentioned Eddie again… but he called him “Bozden.” :blink:

20

I didn’t know this until I watched video of the throwback game this year against TCU, but Majerus was an assistant for Marquette when we played them in the 1977 Final Four.