Revenge is a grind

[MuggsyB]

This team is obviously really good offensively.  We can boast a line-up with no ball stoppers and have multiple guys that can attack the rim.  There are times where we stagnate a bit in the h-c but all in all this is a tremendously versatile group on par with any team in the country.  In transition Marquette is a nightmare problem and can inflict relentless damage

When I look forward my concerns are of course rebounding and our overall defense.  If we are not forcing turns, and have to guard primarily in the half-court, we are vulnerable.  It also puts a ton of pressure on our offense.  Is there anything the Scoop experts see that can we tweak defensively that might kick us up a step or two?  I think our help D needs to react more quickly and our guards have to mix it up a bit on tbe switches.  I've been pleading that we should make an effort to pick up a few charges every game.  I know I'm nitpicking a bit but I feel pretty strongly we aren't close to our ceiling.  I also think we'll see Ross in particular make a jump with his overall consistency.  I absolutely love that kid. 

[tower912]

Trap more in the half court.  Double team the post more.   
Play the bench more

MU is going to be susceptible to big team pounding the offensive boards.   Avoid getting blown out there and the defense improves.

The other teams are good, too.

[Goose]

I agree on the half court trap and playing the bench more. Also, I hope teams stop making hard shots with one second on the shot clock.

[MuggsyB]

I agree on the half court trap and playing the bench more. Also, I hope teams stop making hard shots with one second on the shot clock.

Can't we push these guys a few steps away from the rim Goose?  Or front a bit more?

[MuggsyB]

Off the subject I can't wait to see Ighodaro's game the next few years.

[Goose]

Muggsy

That would be a tougher ask. I think the trap causes more issues and forces more perimeter shots.

[tower912]

Can't we push these guys a few steps away from the rim Goose?  Or front a bit more?

We were trying and failing to front the post in the zone.     

And physics says moving big players away from the basket is difficult.  How many players posting you up were you able to move away from the basket, Muggsy?

[Miss Katie’s]

Can't believe DWade thought he could out-slam Diener.  Fool!

Right?  Dude is from Fondy 😂

[MUfan12]

I'm actually of the mind we need to show more and switch less. If the guard truly gets caught in the screen, then switch it. But MU lately has been switching even before contact and it has bitten them a bunch.

[PointWarrior]

Between teams making last second shots and Marquette missing two-footers, there is a lot of upside on scoring differential. 

I agree on the half court trap and playing the bench more. Also, I hope teams stop making hard shots with one second on the shot clock.

[wadesworld]

Again, you don't need to "save" your main guys by playing your bench to succeed.  If you look at the national champions over the last decade plus, they by and large have 7 or 8 man rotations.  UNC is really the only exception.

These are 18-22 year old guys that are the absolute peak in terms of physical fitness.  They play 2 games a week.  I'm not at all worried about conditioning.  The "February fades" have been more about teams adjusting to what we've been doing, and Marquette not having an answer to those.  There are more pieces to this team to make those needed adjustments.  I hope we do that.

[MU82]

Again, you don't need to "save" your main guys by playing your bench to succeed.  If you look at the national champions over the last decade plus, they by and large have 7 or 8 man rotations.  UNC is really the only exception.

These are 18-22 year old guys that are the absolute peak in terms of physical fitness.  They play 2 games a week.  I'm not at all worried about conditioning.  The "February fades" have been more about teams adjusting to what we've been doing, and Marquette not having an answer to those.  There are more pieces to this team to make those needed adjustments.  I hope we do that.

Agree with all of this.

Plus, there are SO many time-outs in games, and the time-outs are SO long.

The part of the game where guys would figure to be most exhausted -- the last couple minutes -- often include 20+ minutes of time-outs -- those that coaches call, those coaches steal every time the refs take 2-4 minutes to look at replays of the basketball going out of bounds, and those that coaches steal when someone fouls out. If you are 20 years old and you can't catch your breath during 3 minutes of dead time while the refs look at replays, then you should be playing e-sports instead of college basketball.

[79Warrior]

When it comes to Gold's playing time, I'm gonna trust the coach who sees him for multiple hours every single day.

Agree. Ben is a project.

[79Warrior]

Again, you don't need to "save" your main guys by playing your bench to succeed.  If you look at the national champions over the last decade plus, they by and large have 7 or 8 man rotations.  UNC is really the only exception.

These are 18-22 year old guys that are the absolute peak in terms of physical fitness.  They play 2 games a week.  I'm not at all worried about conditioning.  The "February fades" have been more about teams adjusting to what we've been doing, and Marquette not having an answer to those.  There are more pieces to this team to make those needed adjustments.  I hope we do that.

That was always the annual Dodds excuse. Tired legs etc..

[TSmith34, Inc.]

One way to avoid a late season swoon is to have your best players fresh.   The best way to keep your players fresh is to play the bench.  I get that team has very little experience coming off the bench and that the starters are phenomenal together.   Everyone is getting excited about MSG and the tournament.    What kind of legs will the team have left with 4 starters playing 30 minutes per game?

Counter argument: Playing the bench more results in more L's, lowering seeding in the BET and more importantly in the NCAA, making post-season success that much more difficult.

[Lennys Tap]

Again, you don't need to "save" your main guys by playing your bench to succeed.  If you look at the national champions over the last decade plus, they by and large have 7 or 8 man rotations.  UNC is really the only exception.

These are 18-22 year old guys that are the absolute peak in terms of physical fitness.  They play 2 games a week.  I'm not at all worried about conditioning.  The "February fades" have been more about teams adjusting to what we've been doing, and Marquette not having an answer to those.  There are more pieces to this team to make those needed adjustments.  I hope we do that.

Agree. I think Duke won one with basically a 6 man rotation.

[The Lens]

Wade no match for Diener in the beer chugging contest.

Wade = Aaron Rodgers
Diener = David Bakhtiari

[Silkk the Shaka]

Highlight for me was seeing DWade rubbing elbows with Dick and Donna Strong. They could play a big role in keeping the band together next year.

You thinking a large NIL influx plus a big bonus for Shaka & assistants?

[Jockey]

Again, you don't need to "save" your main guys by playing your bench to succeed.  If you look at the national champions over the last decade plus, they by and large have 7 or 8 man rotations.  UNC is really the only exception.

These are 18-22 year old guys that are the absolute peak in terms of physical fitness.  They play 2 games a week.  I'm not at all worried about conditioning.  The "February fades" have been more about teams adjusting to what we've been doing, and Marquette not having an answer to those.  There are more pieces to this team to make those needed adjustments.  I hope we do that.

Yup.

Kemba Walker didn't look tired to me in the BE tourney a few years back.

[goldeneagle91114]

I agree on the half court trap and playing the bench more. Also, I hope teams stop making hard shots with one second on the shot clock.

This, the number of times Providence hit contested shots, hand in their face, late in the shot clock was nauseating.

[wadesworld]

Didn't know where to put this so I'm putting it in the postgame thread.  Unfortunately couldn't be back in Milwaukee for the game, but was looking at the pictures MU's social media posted from the game.  Is it me, or does current day Robert Jackson look more like what Terry Sanders looked like at Marquette than current day Terry Sanders looks like he looked like at MU?  I actually thought they had tagged the wrong person at first until I saw a different picture with Terry in it.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I don't believe you need to rest your starters for fear of them getting tired as the season goes on. I do think there can be value in reducing risk of injury.  Staying healthy is a factor in winning any sort of playoff.

Play whatever rotation gives you the best chance to win tonight. If the game is in hand early, maybe play the bench a little more than usual

[Nukem2]

Didn't know where to put this so I'm putting it in the postgame thread.  Unfortunately couldn't be back in Milwaukee for the game, but was looking at the pictures MU's social media posted from the game.  Is it me, or does current day Robert Jackson look more like what Terry Sanders looked like at Marquette than current day Terry Sanders looks like what Terry Sanders looked like at MU?  I actually thought they had tagged the wrong person at first until I saw a different picture with Terry in it.

Yep RJax looks chiseled compared to his playing days and Sanders is chunky.  Also, Karon Bradley looks like a blimp.

[bradforster]

This ^^^

Shut it down.

It wasn’t pretty, and everyone felt that.

The fact that this team still did this offensively on one of its off nights says everything.

Tidy up the boards, lock in on D, and take down Shaneen

How is 52.7% shooting from the field - including 8 of 19 from three - considered an off night?  Throw in 85% from the line and moving from third to second in KenPom adjusted offense and I'm perplexed that anyone could call yesterday's performance an "off night."  Every time Providence made a run, Marquette parried the blow.  What am I missing?

[MuggsyB]

We were trying and failing to front the post in the zone.     

And physics says moving big players away from the basket is difficult.  How many players posting you up were you able to move away from the basket, Muggsy?

The only guy who could consistently post me up was Gary Payton.