Louisville Cyborg Luke Hancock - Almost a Wolverine
I will admit when I was reviewing Louisville the guy who got hot the Witchita game was an afterthought but of course last night he was the difference maker especially in the first half when we were out front by a ton and he single handidly brought back Louisville with a 4-4 3 pt barrage.
I looked him up during the game and saw he was at George Mason despite making it into the NCAA tournament with the team transferred to Louisville. At that moment someone in liveblog mentioned he was a Michigan recruit post transfer. I was a bit shocked.
But here is the post
http://mgoblog.com/content/george-masons-luke-hancock-possibly-michigans-luke-hancock
How a small twist in fate could change things so much eh? If he had come to be Blue, not only would he have not been there to be a cyborg to destroy our lead (and not get a 4th foul called on him and instead draw a 4th foul on Mitch - not that I'm bitter), but he would have been on our side hitting some 3s. Could see him as Stauskas backup (or starter while Stausksas came off bench as a freshman) and you know how lethal the 3 point shot is in our offense with the dish and drive by Burke.
Anyhow its another feather in Beilen's cap of "identifiying talent" in my eyes. A lot like Burke - someone who was a decent player who Beilen saw something in, but then again so did Rick Pintino.
But who knew back then this would be one of the biggest decisions in the fates of the two teams! Wow.
theory wants a word with you. That is as close to "if I would not have watched the game maybe we would have won" that you can come.
Hancock was special last night but they can have him. I'll take our guys.
I hope I never see that bearded dragon again. Ever.
F that guy.
because he should have fouled out. Actually, he did foul out. But the refs goofed it and he scored 5 or 6 more points and drew McGarys 4th foul. I dont think it can be understated what a huge mistake that was by the refs
The fact that Hancock wracked up more than the margin of victory after he fouled out is reason enough to believe that the refs threw this game; even without the two illegitimate Burke fouls (the three pointer that should've been a no-call, though may've technically been, and the sparkling clean dunk block)... I'm not saying there was any intentional bias, just that those were terrible calls and that they should be calling into question the methods with which college basketball is officiated.
Boy, this makes me feel better.
in the game for Louisville. Happening right before the half with Burke on the bench couldn't have been worse timing. As a result, Louisville came out much more confident in the 2nd half and never seemed to look back. Hancock seemed to be the edge for Louisville in both Final Four games unfortunately. That and the f-in refs. Although they screwed up calls on both sides, those two blown calls (missing the foul on Hancock and the missing the goaltending) really hurt Michigan. Oh well. Time to move on.
I think the 2nd foul on Burke was a bitch play and he was bailed out. It's one thing to get a guy in the air and draw a foul...that's Reggie Miller, Kobe Bryant and Ray Allen. It's another to have him 4 feet by you and dive your shoulder into him. That's a bitch move.
All the crying every time he did get a foul called on him. Again, that's weak stuff.
Crazy shooter, nice beard, but he'll be a legend and it won't be deserving. At least Christian Laettner was good. Hancock didn't impress me with anything other than his confidence to take and make shots in a big game. Everything else he did last night was overrated, IMO.
6 fouls. He committed 6 fouls and they only gave him 4.
Intentionally jumping into a defenseless defender who's not in the play is an offensive foul. Also, he tripped, but he rolled under Morgan and they called the foul on the wrong person.
He got 6 fouls last night. Burke committed 2. The Hancock play and the Siva block. Yet the both finished the game with 4.
It's was a cheap play by a cheap player. He's a great shooter, but he's a cheap as shit player. I would never want anyone like that on a team I rooted for. He's the guy at the gym that no one wants to ever play with. You don't want to play against him because he's so cheap, and you don't want him on your team because you know you're going to end up in a fight over a cheap-ass foul call that he makes.
And he gets more fouls than everyone so he never fouls out! Pretty sweet deal.
Not to mention Pitino was headed to UM before his wife called him a balless wonder, this was in 2001ish.
Stauskus would be his backup.
Kid has game and has struggled with injuries.
He can't play a possession on D though without an off the ball foul. He grabs and pulls every time including when he is on the ball. Officials just accepted it.
LOL - yep cause Stausk is a great defender ;) Nik had a lot of difficulty defending even average players. I imagine if the bearded one has been an established player here Nik would have pushed him - remember he sat behind Vogrich to begin the year. Both players would play based on how they were doing - when Nik is hot you want him in, when he is not - he is a liability on the floor. Same with the bearded one.
It annoys me whenever Trey tries to initiate contact with a dude 10 feet away since he never gets that call, but first time he's on the court with a dude taking a 3 and they whistle him for that.
However many fouls you think Hancock got he had one more:
That was an offensive rebound and probably an easy putback. (Well, no such thing as an easy put back when Hancock can just take your elbow out instead.) Instead it led directly to McGary picking up a questionable foul.
granted, I've never paid attention to him in a game before this weekend+monday, but based on the level-of-incredulity-when-obvious-calls-go-against-him/smarmy/cheap factor, he seems like he should have ended up at duke. not a fan; glad he's not on our roster.
I hate that bearded bastard