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--- men_s_basketball:nf_12_19_09 [2009/12/20 03:57]
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+++ men_s_basketball:nf_12_19_09 [2020/12/07 16:49] (current)
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-===== Wisconsin Holds Off Marquette, 72-63, In Non-Conference Action =====
-{{  men_s_basketball:12_12_09_hayward.jpeg|}}
+===== Fulce Finds His Way To Play =====
+{{  men_s_basketball:12_19_09_butler.jpeg|}}Prior to Saturday, [[Joseph Fulce]] might have been better known for his spot-on impressions of Marquette Golden Eagles coach [[Buzz Williams]] than he was for his contributions on the floor.
+That could be about to change, however.
+Playing an expanded role in the wake of [[Jeronne Maymon]]'s unexpected departure from the team earlier in the week, the junior forward made the most of his opportunity, putting up career highs of 13 points and 10 rebounds in 23 minutes to lead MU past North Florida, 78-51, at the Bradley Center.
+"Just doing what I do every day - working hard, and eventually, piece by piece, everything starts to come into play with my role," he said shortly after making his seventh start of the season for MU (8-3). "More rebounds, points wherever I can, try not to take as many bad shots."
+For a while it appeared as though the 6-foot-7, 205-pounder out of Tyler (Texas) Junior College might never get a shot at becoming a significant contributor at MU, as he played just 11 games last season and ultimately battled through a pair of surgeries aimed at repairing his right kneecap.
+But Fulce bounced back strong from the second procedure, which took place in early June, and entered the season solidly in the mix. His minutes and production fluctuated while Williams determined his rotation, but with center [[Chris Otule]] out for the season with a broken foot and Maymon now gone, the second-year coach has no choice but to rely much more heavily upon Fulce.
+Fulce, who averaged 16.6 points and 13.2 rebounds per game en route to being named a second-team All-American at Tyler in 2007-'08, entered the North Florida game with career highs of six points and seven rebounds. He bested his scoring mark by a point by the first media timeout, however, and by halftime had already put up 11 points and eight boards in helping stake MU to a 39-28 lead.
+And typical of the type of player he is, almost all of his production in his 16 minutes came off his own hard work - put-backs, layups off hard cuts and even the occasional face-up jumper from 18 feet.
+"Joe doesn't really know the difference between zone and man; he's just kind of out there playing," Williams said. "He knows that he'll shoot an open shot when he has 10 toes to the rim, and when the ball goes up he'll chase after it.
+"As I told him earlier this morning, when he's able to get traffic rebounds he typically shoots a higher percentage, and he's able to typically shoot more shots because he's getting more rebounds."
+Fulce cooled off considerably in the second half, but much of that had to do with Williams' more sparing use of him as well as the disjointed nature of the game. Officials whistled the two teams for 46 fouls in all - including 24 on the Golden Eagles - and there were 53 free throws attempted.
+All told, Fulce connected on 6 of 9 shots while also picking up two blocked shots, two steals and an assist to go along with a turnover against the Ospreys (1-7). It was the type of well-rounded performance on both ends of the floor that Maymon hadn't come close to posting in his nine games at MU.
+Whether Fulce can maintain that kind of production once Big East play begins is the question.
+"This is my first year really getting minutes," Fulce said. "(My teammates have) been helping me a lot on staying more positive and staying as sharp as I can in what I do."
+[[Jimmy Butler]] led all scorers with 21 points, and Lazar Hayward added 13 for MU, which limited North Florida to 36.5% shooting.
 ===== Box Score =====

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