Jajuan Johnson weighs in...

[GOMU1104]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/recruiting/blog/eye-on-college-basketball-recruiting/21401857/recruits-react-to-the-big-east-split-does-it-matter


No. 47-ranked Jajuan Johnson, who is headed to Marquette, on the changes to the Big East:

"I'm just finding out about it right now. The Big East was one of the reasons I went to Marquette but not really why I'm going there. I like the players I'm coming in with and want to be on a good team. It doesn't really matter what conference we are in."

[MKE_GoldenEagleFan]

Doesn't sound like a ringing endorsement, but it also doesn't sound like he is going to want to bolt.

[Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"]

This is just a stark reminder that we need to keep scheduling a tough non-conference, and honestly probably even tougher than we have been. The strength at the bottom is fine, but securing home-and-homes with schools like Notre Dame, Louisville, and maybe Memphis (at least for a couple years) would probably be a good idea.

[Goose85]

Memphis is a fun road trip game, and the area is loaded with basketball talent. I'd be happy to see a home and home with Memphis and Louisville.

[Markedman]

I think that is a great statement by Jajuan and bodes well for how Buzz is recruiting these young men. He liked the Big East but he realizes that his development as a player, student and person is the most important part of choosing a school/program to attend.

He likes the players he is coming in with, he likes the coaches and he believes he will be successful here no matter what conference we are in.......

Sounds like a kid who is handling this in a mature manner.

He might have just as well said...."Conference might be changing but the reasons I picked Marquette are still the same"

[MU/Panther]

Doesn't sound like a ringing endorsement, but it also doesn't sound like he is going to want to bolt.It's funny you read it that way. I read it the other way. (Not to say it's a right or wrong)

[Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"]

I posted roughly this over on Scoop, that there are 3 things this statement by Johnson says:

1) We need the best basketball schools possible. Recruits will be far more excited about a conference that promises VCU, Butler, and Gonzaga as opponents than they will Dayton, St. Louis, and Richmond.

2) Anyone joining needs to prove a firm financial commitment to their program. Top-notch practice and playing facilities are important, paying your young up-and-coming coach to stay is important, and making sure your boosters are on board with that plan are important. For any prospective members, joining this league isn't like getting a winning lottery ticket and all your problems are solved. It means you need to find the problems in your program and start fixing them so that we are all better going forward.

3) Non-conference scheduling is even more important. Home-and-homes with Notre Dame and Louisville should be top priorities. Also, I think all recruits not from Milwaukee should get "homecoming" games. Schedule a home-and-home with Memphis so Jajuan Johnson can play in front of his family. Do a 2-for-1 with Norfolk State or ODU so Davante and Jamal can show off in front of their friends. Set a road date with New Mexico or New Mexico State so John Dawson's loved ones can see him play. UNC does this, and I think it's a great idea. Yes, you lose some money you might make with a buy game, but I think it offers a legitimate recruiting boost and if it helps you bring in better players, isn't it worth sacrificing a little at the gate so you have better talent to draw for the games that matter?

[Goose85]

Non conference games will be important. Hopefully we can get Memphis, Louisville or both on a home and home deal.

Need some home games that will have some juice with the fans. Losing Syracuse / Louisville / Cincy / Pitt / UConn / ND will hurt as the more casual fan knows these teams.

There may be years when schools like VCU, Butler, Xavier or Creighton might be really good, but those schools won't fill up the BC like Syr / Lousiville / UConn / ND did. Those were anchor teams to any ticket package MU would sell. Need to try and get these games scheduled to help fight off attendance drop.

[GOMU1104]

I posted roughly this over on Scoop, that there are 3 things this statement by Johnson says:



3) Non-conference scheduling is even more important. Home-and-homes with Notre Dame and Louisville should be top priorities. Also, I think all recruits not from Milwaukee should get "homecoming" games. Schedule a home-and-home with Memphis so Jajuan Johnson can play in front of his family. Do a 2-for-1 with Norfolk State or ODU so Davante and Jamal can show off in front of their friends. Set a road date with New Mexico or New Mexico State so John Dawson's loved ones can see him play. UNC does this, and I think it's a great idea. Yes, you lose some money you might make with a buy game, but I think it offers a legitimate recruiting boost and if it helps you bring in better players, isn't it worth sacrificing a little at the gate so you have better talent to draw for the games that matter?

I dont think Davante will even be at Marquette when this new league begins play.

You schedule non conference, home and home series that make financial sense and get you on TV...not so your 9th player/your backup PG can play games in front of their friends/family. A 2-for-1 with Norfolk State? Cmon.

I hope we find a way to continue playing Louisville and Cincy...and I wouldn't mind us starting something up with a school like Memphis.

[Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"]

You schedule non conference, home and home series that make financial sense and get you on TV...not so your 9th player/your backup PG can play games in front of their friends/family. A 2-for-1 with Norfolk State? Cmon.

What an incredibly myopic view. Your 9th player and backup PG today could very well be your starting backcourt a year from now. Or 2 years from now. Buzz isn't bringing in anyone to be the 9th guy or the backup. He's bringing them in so they can develop into stars at Marquette. And if they don't, there's the door, best of luck at Marshall or Sam Houston or Florida Gulf Coast.

And you schedule games for a lot of reasons. Making financial sense and getting on TV are both important. But what makes more financial sense, a 2-for-1 with a 150-200 RPI team ensuring you don't have to pay for buy games against sub-250 teams while increasing your own RPI with an expected road win one year and higher quality home wins you aren't paying for the other two years or simply scheduling UMBC and NC-Central again? And it doesn't have to be Norfolk State, there are about 10-15 D1 programs in the state of Virginia. Start with the ACC schools and work your way down if you have to. Maybe a 2-for-1 with Norfolk State doesn't make sense, but against Richmond it certainly would. Same would go for St. Mary's and Juan Anderson, or even San Francisco who is regularly in the 100-150 RPI range.

Clearly you don't do this for everyone every year. And if you can tie it to other events, such as a game in the Jimmy V Classic for a recruit from NYC or the Anaheim Classic for a California native or the Old Spice for a kid from Florida, take advantage of that. But if it makes recruits happy and less homesick, why not try to find ways to make your schedule work for you both financially and from the RPI standpoint?

[MU/Panther]

Saturday games fills up the BC.

[Goose85]

Saturday games fills up the BC.

I guess we will find out tomorrow if Saturday games fill up the BC.

[MUMac]

It's funny you read it that way. I read it the other way. (Not to say it's a right or wrong)

+1 I read it the same as you.

[MU/Panther]

I guess we will find out tomorrow if Saturday games fill up the BC. I hope you know I'm talking about league games. Facts back that up, since MU has had only one sell-out during the work week in Bradley Center history.