Marquette University Athletics
Coach Crean Answers Questions For GoMarquette.Com
10/24/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Oct. 24, 2001
From Coach Crean
In response to an overwhelming number of e-mails, we have tried to take questions and answer them in the time allotted. We appreciate the support of the fans and truly understand that this program is going nowhere without that support. Whether you're a young person, a student at Marquette, one of the many loyal alumni, or just a basketball fan looking for a team to call your own, we think that we have something for everybody in this program. We hope that you will continue to participate in helping us build this program with the diligent support that we are receiving at our games. I look forward to answering your questions throughout the year. Thank you
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FROM: Joe
CITY: Merrick, NY
Question: The NCAA allows college basketball teams to travel during the summer to sharpen their skills as a unit. Do you have any plans to take the team overseas anytime soon? If so, where do you plan to go and what level of competition do you anticipate playing?
Coach Crean: We don't have an overseas trip scheduled at the time of this question and answer session, but we do plan on making a trip in the near future. I think that it is a great opportunity to develop your team and bond them during the summer months, and give them the opportunity to play outstanding competition. I would want our team to play against people and teams who were considered the best in the area we choose to go to.
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FROM: Donald
CITY: Racine, WI
Question: Hi coach. My question is, how do you rate this coming team vs. last year in terms of athleticism and speed? Keep up the good work. I hope that you have fallen in love with MU, and our state, and are with us for many years to come. I'm a big fan, a Blue and Gold member, and a class of 1955.
Coach Crean: This year's team will be different in terms of athleticism and speed as our depth, combined with an influx of young players, has made this possible. We will miss from last year the inner toughness that our seniors had along with the understanding of their roles, and acceptance of them on a day-in, day-out basis. I do believe that this group of seniors will get better and will continue to help make our younger players better. Our leadership will be a key as this team continues to grow.
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FROM: Greg
CITY: Wilmington, DE
Question: Not so much a question as just a comment or two. First, I want to mention the appreciation of your mentioning getting more East Coast games for the Marquette alumni in that part of the country. Out here in Delaware, it can be tough to see games. Second, since you mentioned getting scheduling advice from fans, I'd love to see Marquette get more rivalries going with other Catholic/Jesuit schools. I'm originally from the Northwest, so Gonzaga jumps out at me (I see that they are in the Great Alaska Shootout, so I'm hoping we meet up with them). Thanks, and the recruiting classes are looking good. Keep up the good work
Coach Crean: We are happy to be coming to the East Coast area next year when we play Fordham in Madison Square Garden. I appreciate your advice about scheduling and we certainly do try to play other Catholic and Jesuit schools. We have Loyola on the schedule this year, and I also hope that we have the opportunity to play a team like Gonzaga in the Alaska Shootout because that would mean that we are both playing pretty well. They have an outstanding program and I have a lot of respect for them. We'll continue to try to make the schedule something that is exciting for everyone as we go down the line.
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FROM: John
CITY: Muskego, WI
Question: You are doing an outstanding job! You represent the university and community extremely well. Your recruiting is going to pay off this upcoming season, but especially the following year. In addition, your coaching style is much like a teacher. My question is very simple. What can we do to make sure Tom Crean has a long and successful career at MU?
Coach Crean: I appreciate your comments. It is really nice to hear that. As far as me being at Marquette, we certainly have no thoughts, whatsoever, about not being here. We just continue to try to build this program one day at a time, and having fans like you help make it possible.
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FROM: Ron
CITY: Tustin, CA
Question: Why did you not recruit another point guard to pair with Travis Diener when Cordell Henry graduates in 2002? Can Dwyane Wade, or someone else, give Diener a blow if needed? Last season, we had a good situation with Cordell and Brian Barone. Keep up the great recruiting. Thank you, and continue to build the MU program. We appreciate everything you do for our university.
Coach Crean: As it looks right now, we are comfortable going into the season with Travis Diener as a point guard, and I do believe that we have others who can play the position in a back-up and need role. With the 5/8 rule in recruiting, it makes it almost impossible to fill every position that you may want to, but I am comfortable with what we have recruited and look forward to the challenge of the season.
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FROM: Bryan
CITY: Franklin, WI
Question: As an alum and current law school student at MU, I just want to congratulate you on bringing excitement back to MU hoops. Most important of all, you're bringing in great kids to the school (good students, players, and role models), and you yourself are a great representative of Marquette.
Now to my question. With Scott Merritt as the only player above 6-8 this upcoming season, and many players in the 6-6 to 6-8 range, how are you planning to minimize the potential height disadvantage in the paint and maximize your advantages with quickness -- full-court press, pushing the ball up the floor?
Lastly, it is too bad we didn't get South Florida or Memphis on the schedule, but its only an additional reason to do some damage in the C-USA Tournament.
Coach Crean: Thank you for your kind comments. As far as our height disadvantage this year, we are going to do our best to make it an advantage. Our low-post defense has to improve, but I do think that we have more quickness and speed which will help us get to ball better. The best low-post defense is to have great ball pressure on the perimeter player and that is something, at this point in time, that we need to improve on greatly. We will continue to try to change and adjust our style to our personnel but never get away from having a very good defensive team as well as a very good rebounding team.
As for the scheduling, there wasn't anything we could do about the Conference USA schedule. I would have liked our fans to have had the opportunity to see the Memphis team come into the Bradley Center. Hopefully, we will have a year that allows us to play those teams down the road.
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FROM: John
CITY: Ridgewood, NJ
Question: Do you envision the more athletic tandem of (Todd) Townsend and (Terry) Sanders getting the bulk of their playing time this season at backup PF, and (Jon) Harris all of his time filling in for (Scott) Merritt at center?
Also, congratulations on sewing up commitments from your next class of recruits! I know you can't comment on them, but every Marquette fan I know is ecstatic with the quality of athlete you are bringing to Marquette -- a caliber we haven't seen in many years!
Unfortunately, I live out east and can't attend as many games as I'd like to, but I can't wait to make my annual trip out for a game this season. Keep up the great work!
Coach Crean: I do see Todd and Terry getting playing time this year, but at this juncture it will be interesting and a challenge to see where they fit in to the scheme of things when it comes to playing different positions. As far as the backup power forward position, there is opportunity there and at the small forward spot. As far as Jon Harris goes, I see it being very competitive between him and Jon Harris at the five spot. I don't like the term, center.
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FROM: Michael
CITY: Sammamish, WA
Question: I am very impressed with the addition of Wake Forest, along with an appearance in the Great Alaska Shootout, this season. As our young players mature, do you see our non-conference schedule becoming even more difficult?
Coach Crean: Thanks for you comments about the schedule. I do see our non-conference schedule becoming more difficult, and I almost wish it wasn't as much this year. We have a young team and to be playing some of the quality opponents that we are could make for a difficult non-conference schedule. We just want to get good enough to be successful in our league and our non-conference schedule is a great way to do that.
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FROM: Dan
CITY: Brookfield, WI
Question: Coach, I have been a Marquette fan since I was six years old watching it win the NCAAs. I think that you are doing a great job, and that we are back on the road to being a power again.
My question. How do you think Dwyane Wade will play this year, and what kind of numbers do you think he is capable of putting up. Also, does he have a fairly reliable three-point shot?
Coach Crean: I'm glad that you have been a fan for such a long time. It's fans like you that make this job a lot of fun. I hope that you will continue to feel that way about our program.
As for Dwyane, it's hard to tell what type of numbers he will put up. I think that there will be some great nights and I think that there will be some less than average nights. He is a first-year player and people will be concentrating some defensive effort on stopping him. He's become a much better three-point shooter and it's only a matter of time before that becomes a strength in his game.
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FROM: Bob
CITY: Greenville, SC
Question: What are your expectations (goals) for this year's team? Would they include won/loss record, C-USA standing, national ranking, and/or post-season tournament play?
Coach Crean: I don't put numerical goals on our season. I don't that is fair to do to the players. We really are trying to take an approach of going one day at a time when it comes to practice, weight lifting, film sessions and conditioning, and certainly one game at a time when the season starts. I think that this is the only way you can develop a team, especially one that is young. We look forward to the challenge. Thanks for you question.
