Hinkle Hankies

[tower912]

1.  The first half was as good as MU can play.    And yet, I always felt that it was due to good shooting, not running good sets.   
2.  Butler is a good team, a proud team.   There was no way they weren't going to come out intense.    MU failed to match it, particularly defensively.
3.   It didn't help that every time MU did play defense in the second half, it was called a foul.   Mmmmmmm, home cooking.
4.   Drive, kick, make the defense react.   It was what Butler did in the second half and what MU never really got consistently. 
5.  Needed Heldt.   Playing small is not good against a physical team like Butler.  They were already attacking the rim with abandon.   With MU going small and every touch being called a foul, it was like watching 'avante and 'eonte on the floor at the same time in 13-14.
6.  Fool's gold.   All it really took for the game to change is for MU to stop hitting 3's.   Need more driving to the rack and less stand still 3's.
7.  No lead is safe.   Until someone shows leadership when things go sideways, this will be the story of the season.   No avoiding, no hiding from it.    The 17 year old is the only one showing any right now.
8.   Wojo was shown flat out telling the team that the game would be won by hard work on the defensive end.  .The players did not execute.   If the players don't play hard and fast on defense, don't help, don't sack up and take it upon themselves to stop somebody, all of the cool schemes in the world don't matter.   
9.   At the end of the day, MU lost to a top 15 team on the road.  By approximately the Vegas line.   The excruciating part was the manner of the losing.    Coughing up big leads is ridiculously painful.   Vasectomy without anesthetic painful.   But MU's Achilles heels, help defense, defensive rebounding, lack of physicality, lack of upperclassman leadership,  and settling for 3's instead of running offense, all bit them in the ass in the second half.   
10.   The easiest of the gauntlet games ends in disappointment.    Get ready for two more painful losses before we get back to some winnable games. 
11.   Don't panic.   Come off of the ledge.   Breathe. 

[GGGG]

They had to play small.  The bigs were useless defensively.  At least when MU goes small they can get another scorer on the floor.

[fjm]

Shoulda been a W.
Could easily have 2 more wins on the record if we didn't blow games.
All in all, we were picked to lose, and we lost, but man it could have been soo much more.

[GGGG]

And one more thing.  I thought when we left ESPN behind we were done with Len Elmore.  Team him up with Brando and it makes Dickie Simpkins sound like Vin Scully.

[LloydsLegs]

Only quibble is on the 3's--we were up 12 (I think) when we were 3 for 9; tear drops and hard drives combined with good defense

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Pitt, Seton Hall, Butler.

Frustrating.

[Clam Crowder]

Too many 3's when cold today. On the road you can't expect to be able to just jack up 3's and keep a lead....

Refs sucked...Deflating to have 6 with 14 minutes left but they did it to both teams. All in all a loss to number 13 but 8 on the road...First half we showed how good we can be AGAIN....but need to put up 40 minutes.

FWIW I didnt think we had a good full 40 against Depaul either. Second half still sucked.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

Pitt, Seton Hall, Butler.

Frustrating.

Yep. Definitely frustrating.

[GoldenWarrior11]

There is no reason with the amount of resources, support and history that Marquette shouldn't be a top program in the Big East. Why, after four years now, the program is still middle of the pack at best, is frustrating and disappointing.

There's a lot of basketball left, but if the team cannot beat the top programs in the Big East, we aren't getting into the tournament, and if we aren't getting tournament appearances, there needs to be accountability and responsibility as to why we are going on four years without an appearance.

[GGGG]

There is no reason with the amount of resources, support and history that Marquette shouldn't be a top program in the Big East. Why, after four years now, the program is still middle of the pack at best, is frustrating and disappointing.

There's a lot of basketball left, but if the team cannot beat the top programs in the Big East, we aren't getting into the tournament, and if we aren't getting tournament appearances, there needs to be accountability and responsibility as to why we are going on four years without an appearance.

Here we go.

[tower912]

Blahblahblahbityblahbityblah.     MU will get back to the top tier of the Big East.   Just not this year. 

[brewcity77]

There is no reason with the amount of resources, support and history that Marquette shouldn't be a top program in the Big East. Why, after four years now, the program is still middle of the pack at best, is frustrating and disappointing.

There's a lot of basketball left, but if the team cannot beat the top programs in the Big East, we aren't getting into the tournament, and if we aren't getting tournament appearances, there needs to be accountability and responsibility as to why we are going on four years without an appearance.

Oh yay, let's strut out this misguided argument again!

[MUCrew]

Blahblahblahbityblahbityblah.     MU will get back to the top tier of the Big East.   Just not this year.

This.

[UticaBusBarn]

Well, in one game we saw the best and the worst of the Warriors.

Allowing any opposing team to score 63 in a half is THE worst. Think about it. 63 points in 20 minutes.

OK. Moving on to the next game ...

[manny31]

At least they didn't roll over, I see some fight in them. I don't expect too much more from this group this year. They just don't have enough horses, yet. If MU is in the same spot this time next year I will start gathering my torch and pitchfork.

[jsglow]

I think I'll go watch a replay of the Packers.

[tower912]

Well, in one game we saw the best and the worst of the Warriors.

Allowing any opposing team to score 63 in a half is THE worst. Think about it. 63 points in 20 minutes.

OK. Moving on to the next game ...

Agreed.    The first half was the most complete half of basketball MU has played this year.     The second half was the worst.    Eventually, somebody has to step up and make a play.    Wojo used all 3 second half timeouts trying to get them to play defense.     

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

I think I'll go watch a replay of the Packers.

Ew, didnt need that pleasant reminder. What a terrible sports weekend. At least Northwestern took Iowa to the woodshed.

[dgies9156]

Vasectomy without anesthetic painful. 

That's kinda the feeling I have about the losses we have had this season.

[Aircraftcarrier]

MU is bankrupt inside.Until that changes they will not win against top Big East teams.NO Power forward and no rim protector at Center.Luke played 23 minutes and had 1 rebound.Can't win.

[Babybluejeans]

This game proved MU is what we thought they were. Great shooting at times, toothless defense, and bright young talent combined with frustratingly inconsistent upperclassmen. What it all adds up is a pretty decent team but one that's just shy of being a good team. Still, future looks really good and maybe we're still a tourney team this year during what is the last of the rebuilding years. Could be worse.

[Buzz Williams' Spillproof Chiclets Cup]

Pitt, Seton Hall, Butler.

Frustrating.

Not just Pitt, Seton Hall, and Butler. Wojo's Year 3 teams have blown double-digit leads in SIX different games. That's not a "ref show" (which seems to be the default term any time things are going poorly). That's a pattern.

Pittsburgh: MU led by 15 with 18:49 left in 2nd. 8 minutes and 46 seconds later, it was tied.

Fresno State: MU led by 20 with 18:52 left in 2nd. With 24 seconds left, the lead was two. At home. Against KenPom's 140th-ranked team.

Georgetown: MU led by 14 with 14:30 left in 1st. The game was tied 7 minutes and 8 seconds later.

@ Seton Hall: MU led by 10 with 10:54 left in the 1st. Less than 6 minutes later, Hall led by 1. To say nothing of the late-game collapse.

Seton Hall: Up 14 with 9:20 to go in the first half. They were losing by 4:47. Also blew a 10-point lead in the last 4 minutes, and a 7 point lead in the last 46 seconds.

@ Butler: MU had a 16-point lead at halftime and an 18-point lead early in the second half yet nearly lost by double digits.

[GGGG]

Not just Pitt, Seton Hall, and Butler. Wojo's Year 3 teams have blown double-digit leads in SIX different games. That's not a "ref show" (which seems to be the default term any time things are going poorly). That's a pattern.

Pittsburgh: MU led by 15 with 18:49 left in 2nd. 8 minutes and 46 seconds later, it was tied.

Fresno State: MU led by 20 with 18:52 left in 2nd. With 24 seconds left, the lead was two. At home. Against KenPom's 140th-ranked team.

Georgetown: MU led by 14 with 14:30 left in 1st. The game was tied 7 minutes and 8 seconds later.

@ Seton Hall: MU led by 10 with 10:54 left in the 1st. Less than 6 minutes later, Hall led by 1. To say nothing of the late-game collapse.

Seton Hall: Up 14 with 9:20 to go in the first half. They were losing by 4:47. Also blew a 10-point lead in the last 4 minutes, and a 7 point lead in the last 46 seconds.

@ Butler: MU had a 16-point lead at halftime and an 18-point lead early in the second half yet nearly lost by double digits.

So why does this happen?  Poor defense?  Passiveness on offense?

[tower912]

No senior leadership.

[Johnny B]

Program has just fallen so far. sad. No one expects to win or cares anymore. everyones like welp we lost, we were supposed to on to the next one. we used to not just accept and be ok with L after L. and people are even saying don't panic if we lose 3 staright? what kind of garbage is that. What even is Marquette basketball anymore. weve lost ourselves.