State of the Program Now, now

[The Lens]

Just checking.

[Small Orange Soda]

No Bueno.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Same as it was before the Creighton game. Same as it was before the Providence game honestly.

[Goose]

Was reflecting back on the last rebuilding era we had and progress that was visible. I remember vividly being at Cameron and watching the big three that KO brought and knowing we were going the right direction. We got drilled by Duke that night and three weeks later by Kansas but there was feel that something good was starting to happen.

The positive juice that KO brought in to the program was seen by everyone. To be honest, there have been some positive moments this year and cannot dismiss that. I am just not sure enough of them to get overly jacked up about the near term future. I really believe that next year we are bringing back 4-5 mid to upper level D1 players and beyond that not much in the cupboard.

To sum it up, losing three years in year sucks. Losing best player after one season sucks. I think Wojo has a much bigger challenge ahead of him than he probably thought coming in. Hopefully he has it in him to get it done and only time will tell.

[Dr. Blackheart]

I think the season still has to play out in order to give definitive grades as the team is inexperienced so we should see the most improvement at the end of the year.

>Have the players and the team progressed?
>What is the team identity and how has it evolved? Do players play as a team?  How do they respond to coaching? Losses? Do they defend home court?
>Does the offensive system match the talent in place?  Do we match up well?  Is space being created?  Shots being made in the flow?
>Does the defensive system allow for stops? Limit match up disadvantages?
>Are players improving? Put in a position to succeed and in their proper positions to succeed? Does talent reach their potential?  Exceed it?
>Are mistakes repeated?  Are match ups exploited? Is the team finishing?
>Does the team take care of teams they should beat or are at parity with? Play above their stripes against top tier teams?
>Is the coaching staff putting together good game plans? Are they pantsed or doing the pantsing coming out of breaks? Timeouts? Getting calls? Winning or losing situational match ups?  Finishing games with good execution, strategy? Teaching? Or looking for excuses?

Lots of question marks yet.  But lots of answers.  Many of which are not favorable, many of which are.  That said, at this point, MU at 8th place is not even an NIT team.  Got to earn it.

[dgies9156]

I stand by what I said before -- we're improving. Wojo has shown he can recruit. Now he has to show he can develop and build.

This year has been maddening. For those of us from my era -- and probably Goose's as well -- we think we have a God-given right to a tournament berth and should be in the running to be national champions. We're better off than we were a year ago, but tournament teams and championship contenders win games like Creighton. If we were a tournament team, last night should have required our Warriors to break a sweat, play some defense, hit some shots and be at the bars by 11:00 p.m. (OK, I am dating myself).

Instead we lost again in a season so madly inconsistent that even Jesus would lose patience with us. We've lost to Depaul but somehow we'll find a way to beat Villanova at home! We defeated Providence twice but lost to Creighton? C'mon!

It has been said many times in here that there will be bumps along the way. I agree but I'd like to see the beginning of more consistent play. Henry or no Henry, we're a tournament team next year if we are consistent in our play and view it as a business -- we're businesslike in how we handle ourselves on the court.

[Goose]

dgies9156

I am far from giving up, I love MU ball way too much. My frustration comes from the lack of consistent improvement. JJJ has been the bright light of the season for me. I can live without the NCAA for a few years if the end game is being a top tier program.

We are from a great era and remember when Xavier was a cupcake on our schedule. They are now so far beyond our program that it makes cringe. There is a tremendous amount of work ahead for this program.

[tower912]

Unchanged.   Young players take time to learn and mature.    So do young coaches.   

[Herman Cain]

The biggest thing for the program now is to get that 17th win on the board against DePaul. Guarantees a winning season. Wojo can make the case to recruits we briefly hit bottom and are back on the way up. Each additional win reinforces that notion.

I haven't lost hope yet. There are still several paths to the tournament. Have to either win out regular season or win Big East Tournament.  This team has enough talent to do both.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Was reflecting back on the last rebuilding era we had and progress that was visible. I remember vividly being at Cameron and watching the big three that KO brought and knowing we were going the right direction. We got drilled by Duke that night and three weeks later by Kansas but there was feel that something good was starting to happen.

The positive juice that KO brought in to the program was seen by everyone. To be honest, there have been some positive moments this year and cannot dismiss that. I am just not sure enough of them to get overly jacked up about the near term future. I really believe that next year we are bringing back 4-5 mid to upper level D1 players and beyond that not much in the cupboard.

To sum it up, losing three years in year sucks. Losing best player after one season sucks. I think Wojo has a much bigger challenge ahead of him than he probably thought coming in. Hopefully he has it in him to get it done and only time will tell.

I think he knows exactly the challenge he has.  He's a very good recruiter, I'm not worried about that part.

As for Kevin, it was easy to feel that way back then because we were an independent and then MCC, so doing well in that environment didn't take a huge jump to immediately get to the top of the conference.  Kevin also did it during a time where the program 75 miles west was a non NCAA participant for 54 straight years.

I'd remind people that Kevin was 11-18 his second year.  Yes, a brutal schedule but even in a weak MCC we were only 7-7.  In Kevin's third year, we were only 16-13 and only 5-5 in the GMC, certainly a better conference but not at the Big East level.

People can dismiss the youth (not you Goose, this is just a general statement) if they wish, but I'm not sure how they can with a straight face.   

[WarriorPride68]

I haven't lost hope yet. There are still several paths to the tournament. Have to either win out regular season or win Big East Tournament.  This team has enough talent to do both.

Is holding the NCAA headquarters hostage one of those scenarios  ? (J/k)

[ChicosBailBonds]

A little math here


98.29% of the rest of the NCAA men's basketball teams have more experience than MU. 

[naginiF]

Unchanged.   Young players take time to learn and mature.    So do young coaches.

Spot on. 

What i'm surprised at is the level of immaturity and entitlement in some of the fan base.  I get that it's a message board but if even 10% the level of immaturity and outrage is expressed in daily interactions these folks must be insufferable. 

Add in the neurotic obsession with the Badgers and it's disheartening - granted I don't live in Wisconsin but either nut up and be proud of your decision and the benefits of a Marquette education or don't, but stop the incessant whining.

[Jay Bee]

A little math here


98.29% of the rest of the NCAA men's basketball teams have more experience than MU.

I think your math is off. Knock down the numerator by 2, a'inal?

[MU82]

I'd remind people that Kevin was 11-18 his second year.  Yes, a brutal schedule but even in a weak MCC we were only 7-7.  In Kevin's third year, we were only 16-13 and only 5-5 in the GMC, certainly a better conference but not at the Big East level.

This.

I find it humorous that many of the same people who rip Wojo wax poetic about KO. If KO were here now and producing the same results he did in his own second season, he'd be placed on a "leash" by some of these same yahoos.

I appreciate how KO helped a program badly in need of helping, but KO was at best OK if analyzed objectively. I have high -- and I think realistic -- hopes that Wojo's tenure  will be better. Perhaps much better.

[WarriorPride68]

Add in the neurotic obsession with the Badgers and it's disheartening - granted I don't live in Wisconsin but either nut up and be proud of your decision and the benefits of a Marquette education or don't, but stop the incessant whining.

To be fair, we have a badgers hate week & love talking about Bo whenever we can find stuff out. It's what in state rivals do. Similar to how Kentucky & Lousiville aren't in same conference & loath each other.

But yes, comparing rosters & current squads are pointless

[ChicosBailBonds]

I think your math is off. Knock down the numerator by 2, a'inal?

98.58%

[naginiF]

To be fair, we have a badgers hate week & love talking about Bo whenever we can find stuff out. It's what in state rivals do. Similar to how Kentucky & Lousiville aren't in same conference & loath each other.

But yes, comparing rosters & current squads are pointless

Great point.  It's the ongoing comparisons, that some seem to translate to personal self worth, that confound me.

[KenoshaWarrior]

A little math here


98.29% of the rest of the NCAA men's basketball teams have more experience than MU.

And about 3 % have the budget and 4/5 star players we do

[GGGG]

Great point.  It's the ongoing comparisons, that some seem to translate to personal self worth, that confound me.

Exactly. 

[willie warrior]

And about 3 % have the budget and 4/5 star players we do

Bingo!!!

[79Warrior]

dgies9156

I am far from giving up, I love MU ball way too much. My frustration comes from the lack of consistent improvement. JJJ has been the bright light of the season for me. I can live without the NCAA for a few years if the end game is being a top tier program.

We are from a great era and remember when Xavier was a cupcake on our schedule. They are now so far beyond our program that it makes cringe. There is a tremendous amount of work ahead for this program.

I agree with both your posts. At the end of the day, this is three straight years at the lower end of the BE. We have a long way to go.

[Lennys Tap]

A little math here


98.29% of the rest of the NCAA men's basketball teams have more experience than MU.

Whose fault is that? We went after grad transfers and jucos but couldn't land them.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Whose fault is that? We went after grad transfers and jucos but couldn't land them.

The coaches. But given how successful they have been at recruiting outside of those few misses, I don't think its something to hold against them.

[Goose]

Chico's

My only mention of KO was based off there was high level of optimism that things were going the right way. We were losing with KO but anyone with ball knowledge KNEW that would change. Currently I THINK we have brighter future.

I have zero negative comments regarding Wojo at this point. Two years into KO a lot of us were thinking big things were ahead for the program. Different era now. For the record, this idiot is still dreaming big.