Dustin Maguire Drops 33 Against #3 Louisville In First Game at Northern Kentucky

[DerekMaguire]

Northern Kentucky and #3 Ranked Louisville just finished an exciting game in Dustin's debut for NKU. Louisville is truly top notch and pulled away at the end (84-69). While Coach Majerus didn't feel that Dustin could compete against the gruelling Billikens schedule that included national powerhouses such as Detroit Mercy, Liberty, Savanna State, North Carolina A&T, UMBC (whoever that is) and the always tough USC upstate, he just went for 30+ against one of the top teams in the country.

Just food for thought but perhaps the "experts" on here should not close the book on a kid just because fat man basketball didnt work for him.

Best of luck this season

The older Dmac

[3star_recruit]

Other than yourself, I was probably Dustin's biggest fan on this board. His detractors cited the fact that Brad didn't play him his freshman year so he couldn't be any good, ignoring the fact that Brad preferred to play the best defenders among his role players.

Dustin didn't get invited to those big shoe camps in high school and place among the leaders in scoring for nothing. But when you're not a high flyer and you don't produce right away, most people just aren't willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. Congrats to Dustin and I hope this translates into a great season for him.

[davidnark]

Northern Kentucky and #3 Ranked Louisville just finished an exciting game in Dustin's debut for NKU. Louisville is truly top notch and pulled away at the end (84-69). While Coach Majerus didn't feel that Dustin could compete against the gruelling Billikens schedule that included national powerhouses such as Detroit Mercy, Liberty, Savanna State, North Carolina A&T, UMBC (whoever that is) and the always tough USC upstate, he just went for 30+ against one of the top teams in the country.

Just food for thought but perhaps the "experts" on here should not close the book on a kid just because fat man basketball didnt work for him.

Best of luck this season

The older Dmac

Congrats to Dustin and good luck for him in the future. It sounds like the move to NKU is going to be a good one for Dustin.

[GoBills]

Northern Kentucky and #3 Ranked Louisville just finished an exciting game in Dustin's debut for NKU. Louisville is truly top notch and pulled away at the end (84-69). While Coach Majerus didn't feel that Dustin could compete against the gruelling Billikens schedule that included national powerhouses such as Detroit Mercy, Liberty, Savanna State, North Carolina A&T, UMBC (whoever that is) and the always tough USC upstate, he just went for 30+ against one of the top teams in the country.

Just food for thought but perhaps the "experts" on here should not close the book on a kid just because fat man basketball didnt work for him.

Best of luck this season

The older Dmac

Wow! Somebody sure is bitter. I think I'll go ahead and trust the judgement of "fat man basketball." I wonder why Dustin didn't wind up at another D1 program? Didn't coach Soderberg play a walk-on ahead of Dustin? The good news is he'll have his chance to prove his many critics wrong. Good luck to Dustin, but I think the Bills will be just fine without him.

[Clock_Tower]

Congratulations to you and your son!! If you are referring to me as one of the "experts", then fine, I'll wait to see the full season/career. In the meantime, please explain why your son didn't play much for Brad well as the "fatman." I am certainly no expert but I still trust the "fatman."

Hopefully (and if tonight's game is any indication), though, your son may be playing for the right coach in the right system for him. If so, then you make the point for us "experts" -- why make a good kid (and neither RM nor anyone on this Board ever indicated your son and the other 3 were not good kids) toil for the wrong coach and in a system that does not suit him. Let the kids loose not only for SLU's sake but also the kid's sake. Hope tonight is first of the many more peformances for Dustin.

[ECAREY]

Northern Kentucky and #3 Ranked Louisville just finished an exciting game in Dustin's debut for NKU. Louisville is truly top notch and pulled away at the end (84-69). While Coach Majerus didn't feel that Dustin could compete against the gruelling Billikens schedule that included national powerhouses such as Detroit Mercy, Liberty, Savanna State, North Carolina A&T, UMBC (whoever that is) and the always tough USC upstate, he just went for 30+ against one of the top teams in the country.

Just food for thought but perhaps the "experts" on here should not close the book on a kid just because fat man basketball didnt work for him.

Best of luck this season

The older Dmac

[kevinfootes]

Northern Kentucky and #3 Ranked Louisville just finished an exciting game in Dustin's debut for NKU. Louisville is truly top notch and pulled away at the end (84-69). While Coach Majerus didn't feel that Dustin could compete against the gruelling Billikens schedule that included national powerhouses such as Detroit Mercy, Liberty, Savanna State, North Carolina A&T, UMBC (whoever that is) and the always tough USC upstate, he just went for 30+ against one of the top teams in the country.

Just food for thought but perhaps the "experts" on here should not close the book on a kid just because fat man basketball didnt work for him.

Best of luck this season

The older Dmac

Thanks for the update. For the record, this was an EXHIBITION game. In fact, it was an EXHIBITION game that Kentucky graciously agreed to play on the ROAD to help open NKU's new arena.

I'm happy for Dustin. Nice job tonight. Let's hope he can keep it up.

As far as you go, this is pretty pathetic. Everyone on here knows SLU doesn't play a tough schedule this year. Who does NKU play beyond practice games? If you are truly Dustin's brother...quit sniffing his jock. If you're just trolling...get a life.

[kevinfootes]

Thanks for the update. For the record, this was an EXHIBITION game. In fact, it was an EXHIBITION game that Kentucky graciously agreed to play on the ROAD to help open NKU's new arena.

I'm happy for Dustin. Nice job tonight. Let's hope he can keep it up.

As far as you go, this is pretty pathetic. Everyone on here knows SLU doesn't play a tough schedule this year. Who does NKU play beyond practice games? If you are truly Dustin's brother (or whatever)...quit sniffing his jock. If you're just trolling...get a life.

[davidnark]

It really is ashame SLU let him go. He could have done work there. Better for him to be at NKU with basketball that "works for him" where he is given an acutal shot. Dustin is a main reason they are ranked #4 preseason. Majerus along with his staff obvisouly do not know talent when they see it. Maybe now he wont blame all of his losses on the practice team not preparing the players hard enough when the practice players he let go are putting up 33 points against the #3 team in the country.

It sounds like he is doing well at NKU, and SLU is apparently on the right track without him, so it sounds like it worked out well for everyone involved. Hardly ashame.

[kevinfootes]

It really is ashame SLU let him go. He could have done work there. Better for him to be at NKU with basketball that "works for him" where he is given an acutal shot. Dustin is a main reason they are ranked #4 preseason. Majerus along with his staff obvisouly do not know talent when they see it. Maybe now he wont blame all of his losses on the practice team not preparing the players hard enough when the practice players he let go are putting up 33 points against the #3 team in the country.

You are correct. Majerus obviously doesn't know how to evaluate talent. That's why his career record is so bad!

[Box and Won]

Stay classy, DMac.

[GoBills]

It really is ashame SLU let him go. He could have done work there. Better for him to be at NKU with basketball that "works for him" where he is given an acutal shot. Dustin is a main reason they are ranked #4 preseason. Majerus along with his staff obvisouly do not know talent when they see it. Maybe now he wont blame all of his losses on the practice team not preparing the players hard enough when the practice players he let go are putting up 33 points against the #3 team in the country.

Did you ever consider that maybe that one year of practicing under Majerus really helped Dustin? Based on the talent that's rolling into the program, this was a good move for Dustin. Majerus doesn't know talent when he sees it???????????????????????? Even his harshest critics wouldn't say that.

[brianstl]

I am glad to see Dustin had a great game. Good for him. He would probably appreciate it if his brother and this chick wouldn't come on here making an ass out of him when he should be enjoying a great game against one of the best programs in te country.

I hope Dustin continues to have a great year. I hope the people that should be acting in his best intrest will realize to enjoy that success instead of looking like asses and by extension making Dustin look like an ass.

[jjray]

My congrats to Dustin on finding a program he is happy with and being given a chance to contribute there. Best wishes for Dustin's future at NKU.

[Pistol]

I'm not just impressed with the amount Dustin scored, but how he scored. He hit 9 of 12 three-pointers and 12 of 16 overall. I still think he and Rick did the right thing and that he would have struggled for minutes at SLU, but it looks like he's making the most of his new opportunity.

Another interesting story about this game is that it wasn't at Louisville, as one would expect for an exhibition, but at NKU's brand new Bank of Kentucky Center. The arena seats about 9,400 for basketball, about a thousand more for concerts, and cost $64 million.

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/B2/...0733/1063/SPT01

[Guest BillikenReport]

I posted this on the message board at my site, but I'll add it here as well:

Maguire made 12 of 16 shots from the field, including nine of 12 3-point attempts, in 32 minutes.

I went back to look at his stats from his freshman year at SLU. He played 70 minutes and scored 13 points on four-of-17 shooting, including one of eight from behind the 3-point line.

He didn't play as a sophomore last year and was redshirted.

Maguire was recruited to be a shooter, and even offered an early scholarship by former SLU coach Brad Soderberg. But Soderberg didn't show much confidence to use Maguire during his freshman season and played him in less than half of the Billikens' games that season.

Maybe Maguire has become the shooter that people thought he would.

Here is some info from the Louisville Courier-Journal story on the game:

One of his three-pointers -- from about 25 feet -- was a bank shot with Jerry Smith coming at him as the shot clock expired.

"He had one of those Reggie Miller nights," Andre McGee said. "He was insanely hot tonight."

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Also... Louisville's two players from Missouri — George Goode from out of the Kansas City area and Jared Swopshire from St. Louis — combined for two points in 16 minutes. Freshman Kyle Kuric, who was a SLU recruiting target, did not play because of an ankle injury.

[TheA_Bomb]

Wow! Our players must be really good if Majerus ran off Dustin for them. I'm guessing Cotto would've lit em' up for 50, Kobe style.

I don't know all the ins and outs of the story. Perhaps Maguire didn't have the all around game Majerus wants, perhaps he didn't fit the Rick system, perhaps his attitude didn't match with the Rickster. I don't know, but Majerus took UTAH to the NCAA finals, UTAH and that wasn't just a one year fluke the dude has Basketball skillz. So I will defer to him in this matter.

Good luck to Maguire. Let go of your anger. Anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.

[Taj79]

Best of luck to Dustin. I never had a knock on that kid over anyone else --- my knock was on the coach that would recruits these kids and then banish them to the bench never to be seen from again. Dustin appeared to be headed more into the "Justin Johnson" realm than anywhere else. And he wasn't a Rick recruit so off he goes. Too bad, so sad. Look at it this way, at least he's playing so he's got to be happier. I don't think the "experts" on here were down on Dustin, hell, I for one never knew what he was supposed to be to begin with.

However, opening a brand new arena, against the #3 team in the country, don't you think the high was with NKU last night? Like I said, great for Dustin but one game does not a season make. We'll watch how this plays out I'm sure. I hope he pops in 33 ppg a night. Make sure the degree is worthwhile, of course.

NKU has a 9,400 seat arena? For what?

[NashvilleBilliken]

Northern Kentucky and #3 Ranked Louisville just finished an exciting game in Dustin's debut for NKU. Louisville is truly top notch and pulled away at the end (84-69). While Coach Majerus didn't feel that Dustin could compete against the gruelling Billikens schedule that included national powerhouses such as Detroit Mercy, Liberty, Savanna State, North Carolina A&T, UMBC (whoever that is) and the always tough USC upstate, he just went for 30+ against one of the top teams in the country.

Just food for thought but perhaps the "experts" on here should not close the book on a kid just because fat man basketball didnt work for him.

Best of luck this season

The older Dmac

Congrats to Dustin. It sounds like he's in a great situation up at WKU and he's taking advantage of it. For his sake, I hope he's not as bitter as you are.

[billiken_roy]

some of you that expressed negative shots at dustin's brother ought to consider that it is natural for the mcguire's to feel some anger toward's slu since dustin didnt want to leave and then goes off on a top 10 team like that. if any one needs to stay classy it is us billiken fans towards a kid and his family and friends that did nothing wrong to earn dustin's trip out of slu.

good luck dustin. i hope you have a fabulous remaining college career.

[brianstl]

some of you that expressed negative shots at dustin's brother ought to consider that it is natural for the mcguire's to feel some anger toward's slu since dustin didnt want to leave and then goes off on a top 10 team like that. if any one needs to stay classy it is us billiken fans towards a kid and his family and friends that did nothing wrong to earn dustin's trip out of slu.

good luck dustin. i hope you have a fabulous remaining college career.

The point could have been made by just saying he scored 33. There was no need to piss off a whole fan base that wants nothing but the best for the kid. I thought it was amazing that it came from his older brother. You would think he would know better.

Roy, we did stay classy in this thread. Nobody took a shot at Dustin. Everybody in fact seemed happy for him and most wished him the best for the rest of career. What people did do was stick up for our coach and our program. That is what most fans will do.

[Guest BillikenReport]

Roy, we did stay classy in this thread. Nobody took a shot at Dustin. Everybody in fact seemed happy for him and most wished him the best for the rest of career. What people did do was stick up for our coach and our program. That is what most fans will do.

It should also be stated, again, that the former coach who recruited Maguire didn't play him much either. Remember when he played a walk-on in an important spot instead of Maguire? You could make a make a case that at least Majerus saved a year of Maguire's eligibility, so he'll now have three years left at NKU rather than two.

The plan, when Maguire committed to Soderberg, was for him to basically serve as Luke Meyer's backup for two seasons and then take over that role after Meyer graduated.

[billiken_roy]

all i am saying brian is that i would excuse a family member from lashing out at saint louis u when the kid did nothing wrong to be ousted from the team other than not be recruited by rickma. either let it pass or just congratulate dustin for a great night against one of the best teams in the country. no need to lash out at any of the mcguire's.

[moytoy12]

DM couldn't cut it for either Sodie or Majerus, end of story. I wish the best for DM. However, I also will not feel bad for a kid that gets a free education for playing a game he loves.

DM's relative came on here and gave the SLU fanbase a virtual middle finger; he knew the responses that would follow. I wonder if he'll come back here and say "you were right" when DM has a poor night?

[JMM28]

all i am saying brian is that i would excuse a family member from lashing out at saint louis u when the kid did nothing wrong to be ousted from the team other than not be recruited by rickma. either let it pass or just congratulate dustin for a great night against one of the best teams in the country. no need to lash out at any of the mcguire's.

wow, shut up. really. this is pathetic.