2nd place in the Big East

[Dr. Blackheart]

Thank God they are loaded for bear.   We’re Eagles. Golden Eagles.  Go Marquette! 

Booooo

[Shooter McGavin]

MU is suppose to lose Wednesday so the team can play loose and have fun, pressure is on Villy.  Villy is good but very beatable.

Yep, this is an example of a game that is not a “must win game” but it would be nice to get.  Would help signal a special run coming.  House money baby!

[Miss Katie’s]

WWWW

We Will Win Wednesday!

W4!

[TSmith34, Inc.]

Tower,

Question for you: you expressed the opinion multiple times in the past that Wojo hadn't yet shown the ability to coach at a level where his teams were more than the sum of the parts (a point of view I largely agree with).  Does this year's success to date, along with perhaps the run last year before the collapse, begin to show that ability to some degree? 

I'm also wondering how much the results are a factor of Marquette simply getting old with starting a 5th year Sr, Sr, RS Jr, Jr, and 22 year old Soph.

[tower912]

A fair question.   On paper, the team is actually behind my expectations of having a record similar to last season.  Oops.    Need to finish strong.    I think, considering Ed's departure and the injuries to Theo, Koby, Greg, and Markus, Wojo has gotten the maximum reasonably expected production from this roster.
    Magic would be to continue this recent tear for another 6 weeks into the second weekend of the tourney.    So, good.   Not yet magic.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Not Tower but agree with his Wojo assessment. For me,  no. I expected a four seed this season.  KenPom projected us to be a top 15 team preseason. Where we are currently at is below what I consider the sum of this team's parts.

Season is still going. Keep playing the way we have and maybe I change that tune by the end of the year. I'd say we'd need to either get a three seed or higher and/or make the elite 8 for me to think that way so it's a tall order

[JakeBarnes]

Not Tower but agree with his Wojo assessment. For me,  no. I expected a four seed this season.  KenPom projected us to be a top 15 team preseason. Where we are currently at is below what I consider the sum of this team's parts.

Season is still going. Keep playing the way we have and maybe I change that tune by the end of the year. I'd say we'd need to either get a three seed or higher and/or make the elite 8 for me to think that way so it's a tall order

[/b]

I find this interesting. While I understand where you are coming from given your citation of the kenpom projection, I am a little surprised on the 3 seed or elite 8 standard. If they get a 4 seed and a sweet sixteen, would that be considered a lost season to you? Or at least an underachieving one?

I am genuinely curious and not trying to incite things on this board (as it seems a lot of threads devolve into).

[Nukem2]

Not Tower but agree with his Wojo assessment. For me,  no. I expected a four seed this season.  KenPom projected us to be a top 15 team preseason. Where we are currently at is below what I consider the sum of this team's parts.

Season is still going. Keep playing the way we have and maybe I change that tune by the end of the year. I'd say we'd need to either get a three seed or higher and/or make the elite 8 for me to think that way so it's a tall order

But the preseason KPom numbers are skewed by last years numbers which included the Hausers contributions.  I think a top 15 preseason expectation was not reasonable.  Most pundits agreed with that as well.

[MU82]

TAMU seems to be being consistent. When the Hauser rumors were swirling, I remember him writing a post in which he said he was sticking to his projection for 2019-2020 -- something along the lines of he expects Wojo to deliver, no matter what happens. It's Year 6 and it's time.

I'm sure TAMU will discuss that.

I'm quite satisfied with what's gone on so far this season, but I also think it's time for some postseason success. Having said that, I'm well aware that what I think (or you think or any of us think) doesn't really matter because Wojo's seat isn't even close to lukewarm.

[tower912]

Jake, I think the current NET rankings are fair and accurate in regards to MU.   Assuming there is not a repeat of last year, after the Big East tourney, MU will have 22-23 wins and be a 4-5 seed.  To me, that was the high end of expectations.   I would consider it Wojo's finest coaching job so far, bringing the program through last spring's unexpected departures.   It would give me more hope and confidence that he can get the job done long term.   
   But the make or break for many would be what happens in the tourney.   Win a couple, peace.   Lose in the first round, and all that was accomplished to get the team that far is erased in some fans' minds.   I disagree with that, but I know by now I can't change that.   

[StillWarriors]

But the preseason KPom numbers are skewed by last years numbers which included the Hausers contributions.  I think a top 15 preseason expectation was not reasonable.  Most pundits agreed with that as well.

Thank you for this explanation. I can't imagine anyone would have expected this team to be top 15 post-defectors. I get it some don't believe the standard changes because they blame Wojo for their exit. Setting all that aside and purely looking at this year's team coming in, 15 seems a lofty expectation to me. Not a ton of games, but long way to go in terms of how all this shakes out. We learned that last year.

[Pakuni]

But the preseason KPom numbers are skewed by last years numbers which included the Hausers contributions.  I think a top 15 preseason expectation was not reasonable.  Most pundits agreed with that as well.

I'm a fan of KenPom and think his evaluations are useful and interesting, but his preseason rankings are often far from reality.
His preseason top 10 this year included:
1. Michigan State
2. Kentucky
5. Virginia
6. North Carolina
7. Purdue

In other words, half of his top 10 aren't close to living up to his preseason billing. I think judging the success/failure of a team's season based on where KenPom ranked them in the preseason is silly.

[MU82]

I'm a fan of KenPom and think his evaluations are useful and interesting, but his preseason rankings are often far from reality.
His preseason top 10 this year included:
1. Michigan State
2. Kentucky
5. Virginia
6. North Carolina
7. Purdue

In other words, half of his top 10 aren't close to living up to his preseason billing. I think judging the success/failure of a team's season based on where KenPom ranked them in the preseason is silly.

Agree 100%. It's like going back to recruiting rankings of 7 years ago. Dopey and irrelevant.

[muwarrior69]

I am in the camp that will just have to see how the season plays out. I have no idea if were 3 or 4 seed or we just flame out the rest of the season. That is why we play the games and makes college basketball so exciting.

[Boston Warrior]

I think Marquette is set up for big East and ncaa post season success...

Older line up
Star quality
Good consistent rotation
Good health, knock on wood...
Length and quickness
A defense

Years past...

We did not have most of the above
We didn’t have

[TSmith34, Inc.]

But the preseason KPom numbers are skewed by last years numbers which included the Hausers contributions.  I think a top 15 preseason expectation was not reasonable.  Most pundits agreed with that as well.

I thought post-Hausers we were more like number 30?

[TSmith34, Inc.]

To me, that was the high end of expectations.   I would consider it Wojo's finest coaching job so far, bringing the program through last spring's unexpected departures. 

Doesn't this contradict your previous statement of the team being behind where you expected?

[tower912]

The team has performed well.   My peak expectations were 23 wins going into the Big East tourney.   A couple of OT losses means the record isn't going to reach my peak expectations.   The play, however, has been what I hoped for.

[JakeBarnes]

Jake, I think the current NET rankings are fair and accurate in regards to MU.   Assuming there is not a repeat of last year, after the Big East tourney, MU will have 22-23 wins and be a 4-5 seed.  To me, that was the high end of expectations.   I would consider it Wojo's finest coaching job so far, bringing the program through last spring's unexpected departures.   It would give me more hope and confidence that he can get the job done long term.   
   But the make or break for many would be what happens in the tourney.   Win a couple, peace.   Lose in the first round, and all that was accomplished to get the team that far is erased in some fans' minds.   I disagree with that, but I know by now I can't change that.

I definitely get that the postseason is always the barometer for "success" whether or not it shows you the true colors of a coach/system. I think I have a pretty low bar of "win one" to see some progress. 10-8 was the hope for conference play and Sweet Sixteen is the ceiling I had for this team post-Hauser departure--and that was with everything clicking. Past three games have clicked nicely.

Right now it feels a lot like they have played exactly to where I thought they'd be. Get to 11-7 or 12-6 and color me impressed with how the team played. But for now, just beat Nova for the season sweep and keep 2nd place.

[brewcity77]

I thought post-Hausers we were more like number 30?

No, that was on T-Rank (barttorvik.com). Pomeroy had us higher, partially because of old data but his model also liked our defense more.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

[/b]

I find this interesting. While I understand where you are coming from given your citation of the kenpom projection, I am a little surprised on the 3 seed or elite 8 standard. If they get a 4 seed and a sweet sixteen, would that be considered a lost season to you? Or at least an underachieving one?

I am genuinely curious and not trying to incite things on this board (as it seems a lot of threads devolve into).

The question was "does Wojo make a team more than the sum of its parts" not "what do we need to do for a successful season." Preseason I expected a 4 seed which means we are favored to make the Sweet 16. That would be meeting my preseason expectations. In order for me to say that Wojo made the team more than the sum of its parts I would need to see more than that, i.e. 3 seed and/or Elite Eight.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

But the preseason KPom numbers are skewed by last years numbers which included the Hausers contributions.  I think a top 15 preseason expectation was not reasonable.  Most pundits agreed with that as well.

While not perfect, Kenpom adjusts for transfers as did I. Pre-Hausergate I expected a top 8 team and a 2 seed. Post-Hausergate and addition of Symir and Jayce I expected a top 15 team and a 4 seed.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

The question was "does Wojo make a team more than the sum of its parts" not "what do we need to do for a successful season." Preseason I expected a 4 seed which means we are favored to make the Sweet 16. That would be meeting my preseason expectations. In order for me to say that Wojo made the team more than the sum of its parts I would need to see more than that, i.e. 3 seed and/or Elite Eight.

Yes, you are correct that that was the question I posed.

You've also been consistent in saying you still had the same expectations for the team even after the Hausers left.  I am curious as to that line of thought--it seems either you didn't think the Hausers added anything, or you were expecting the team to essentially outperform the remaining talent level.  Is that a fair understanding, or did you see it a different way?

[Mr. Sand-Knit]

I find it completely laughable that people still hang onto the notion that losing the defectors made the team worse and that what has been achieved could possibly be achieved without the white turnstyles.
Sad group

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

TAMU seems to be being consistent. When the Hauser rumors were swirling, I remember him writing a post in which he said he was sticking to his projection for 2019-2020 -- something along the lines of he expects Wojo to deliver, no matter what happens. It's Year 6 and it's time.

I'm sure TAMU will discuss that.

I'm quite satisfied with what's gone on so far this season, but I also think it's time for some postseason success. Having said that, I'm well aware that what I think (or you think or any of us think) doesn't really matter because Wojo's seat isn't even close to lukewarm.

I did say that, but that's not why my preseason expectations were a top 15 team. I looked at the roster, I looked at the rest of the rosters around D1 and when I put them onto an S-Curve I though Marquette was the 14th best team in the nation.

I could go deeper into the math but put simply my belief was (Addition of Jayce + addition of Symir + addition of Dexter (pre-redshirt) + addition of Koby + addition of Greg + average improvement from Markus/Sacar/Theo/Brendan/Ed/Jamal) > (Loss of Sam + Loss of Joey + Loss of Joe + Loss of Matt). I've always though this year would be better than last year.