Friar's club roast MU

[Elonsmusk]

I'm not one who immediately jumps on the refs, but the officiating was poor tonight. Many of the same kind of bumps Providence got away with were called fouls on Marquette. It's basically impossible that Hopkins didn't get called for a single foul.

However ...

We had SO many chances to win this game and to take it 100% out of the officials' hands.

From the 7:21 mark of regulation, when Kam scored to put us up 75-66, until 40 seconds remained, we were outscored 12-1. There were turnovers by Oso, Joplin and 2 bad ones by Kolek, we were 0-4 from the field, and we missed a FT.

Most of the offense during that stretch was unwatchable. The possession Dish talked about -- 5-point lead with 3 1/2 minutes to go, Kolek holds the ball for 25 seconds before passing to Kam for a little-chance 3 -- awful! That miss led directly to an open 3 that they drained, then Joplin turns it over, and Croswell makes a layup. Just like that, a minute later, it's tied. Can't blame the refs for any of that.

Frankly, we were so deer-in-headlights during that stretch it was amazing we still had a chance to win.

Then, in the OTs, we have FT misses by Joplin (front end of 1-and-1), Kolek and Kam. Providence has FT misses, too ... but they get 3 effen offensive rebounds on them. They had 5 rebounds of missed FTs during the game. It's hard to win a basketball game when you can't block out on an opponent's missed FT.

Watched the game at a bar with 3 fellow Warriors and was on a text chain with two others ... and all of us were begging Shaka to use a timeout down the stretch when we were falling apart. Also, I don't know about putting in a freshman at the end of regulation who had played only 1 bad minute in the second half and none after the 14:54 mark when Shaka benched him. Maybe Shaka just got his Joneses confused -- there was plenty of time for Kam to get the inbounds pass, dribble down and try a 3 that would have at least had a prayer.

So yes, I do think the refs blew. But one has to try really, really hard to ignore all of our alma mater's self-inflicted wounds and say the refs blew the game for us. Make an effen FT in OT. Grab an effen rebound off a missed Providence FT. Don't stand around playing effen clueless, almost motionless offense for 6+ minutes down the stretch. And so on and so on. Ugh.

Good post 82.

[Daniel]

Needed a transfer big last off-season and it’ll be a need this off-season. Dominated on the boards once again. 

Can’t close out a game, again.

The can’t close out a game again is what bothers me.  What, if anything, did they learn from the other three close games?  I don’t mean the players.  I mean the coaches.  They need to figure it out, create the game plan, monitor and respond yo in-game action and teach the players.   Maybe we get there.  Hoping so.  Go Marquette!

[Dr. Blackheart]

I'm not one who immediately jumps on the refs, but the officiating was poor tonight. Many of the same kind of bumps Providence got away with were called fouls on Marquette. It's basically impossible that Hopkins didn't get called for a single foul.

However ...

We had SO many chances to win this game and to take it 100% out of the officials' hands.

From the 7:21 mark of regulation, when Kam scored to put us up 75-66, until 40 seconds remained, we were outscored 12-1. There were turnovers by Oso, Joplin and 2 bad ones by Kolek, we were 0-4 from the field, and we missed a FT.

Most of the offense during that stretch was unwatchable. The possession Dish talked about -- 5-point lead with 3 1/2 minutes to go, Kolek holds the ball for 25 seconds before passing to Kam for a little-chance 3 -- awful! That miss led directly to an open 3 that they drained, then Joplin turns it over, and Croswell makes a layup. Just like that, a minute later, it's tied. Can't blame the refs for any of that.

Frankly, we were so deer-in-headlights during that stretch it was amazing we still had a chance to win.

Then, in the OTs, we have FT misses by Joplin (front end of 1-and-1), Kolek and Kam. Providence has FT misses, too ... but they get 3 effen offensive rebounds on them. They had 5 rebounds of missed FTs during the game. It's hard to win a basketball game when you can't block out on an opponent's missed FT.

Watched the game at a bar with 3 fellow Warriors and was on a text chain with two others ... and all of us were begging Shaka to use a timeout down the stretch when we were falling apart. Also, I don't know about putting in a freshman at the end of regulation who had played only 1 bad minute in the second half and none after the 14:54 mark when Shaka benched him. Maybe Shaka just got his Joneses confused -- there was plenty of time for Kam to get the inbounds pass, dribble down and try a 3 that would have at least had a prayer.

So yes, I do think the refs blew. But one has to try really, really hard to ignore all of our alma mater's self-inflicted wounds and say the refs blew the game for us. Make an effen FT in OT. Grab an effen rebound off a missed Providence FT. Don't stand around playing effen clueless, almost motionless offense for 6+ minutes down the stretch. And so on and so on. Ugh.

Great post and analysis. Says it all.

[DegenerateDish]

I’m probably belaboring a point already made, but I had zero confidence when MU got the ball, tied with 4.9 seconds left, and I saw Kolek taking the ball out of bounds, full court to go. I’d much rather see Oso be the inbounder, and have Kolek or Kam be the go getter, quick two dribble to mid court, and get a time out with half court side in bounds with about 2.8ish left, and run an inbounds play from there.

Shaka has shown multiple times now that he isn’t going to do that, and we now have three end of game instances with some really head scratching decisions. I get these are low probability chances, but the coaching strategies there leave a lot to be desired.

[MU82]

I’m probably belaboring a point already made, but I had zero confidence when MU got the ball, tied with 4.9 seconds left, and I saw Kolek taking the ball out of bounds, full court to go. I’d much rather see Oso be the inbounder, and have Kolek or Kam be the go getter, quick two dribble to mid court, and get a time out with half court side in bounds with about 2.8ish left, and run an inbounds play from there.

Shaka has shown multiple times now that he isn’t going to do that, and we now have three end of game instances with some really head scratching decisions. I get these are low probability chances, but the coaching strategies there leave a lot to be desired.

Yessir. When you save multiple time-outs for the end of a game, and you have nearly 5 seconds to go, what you describe is the very best use of them. Get the ball to the front of the bench with 2+ seconds or so to go, call time-out, and draw up an actual play that has an actual chance. It's not that uncommon -- North Carolina did exactly that just the other day -- and it makes so much sense.

Love Shaka and glad he's our coach ... and we were pretty darn good in close games last season. But this season, he and his team have struggled so far in those situations. Here's hoping things improve, Dish, because there WILL be lots of close BEast games for us.

[Herman Cain]

Cooley & Company always one of my favorite opponents for me. Good hard fought games. We came lost tonight but have to regroup quickly for The Hall.

[GoldenEagles03]

Yessir. When you save multiple time-outs for the end of a game, and you have nearly 5 seconds to go, what you describe is the very best use of them. Get the ball to the front of the bench with 2+ seconds or so to go, call time-out, and draw up an actual play that has an actual chance. It's not that uncommon -- North Carolina did exactly that just the other day -- and it makes so much sense.

Love Shaka and glad he's our coach ... and we were pretty darn good in close games last season. But this season, he and his team have struggled so far in those situations. Here's hoping things improve, Dish, because there WILL be lots of close BEast games for us.

I don't think you can ask for much more than we got out of the look.

Sean Jones is the fast and shiftiest guy on the floor at all times and he got a wide open look at the top of the key.  The shot attempt was just poor.  I had 0 issue with that look.  Ideally you maybe get 1 more dribble and a layup but with his size and the refs tonight he wasn't drawing a foul.  That look was really good.

[lawdog77]

All four ranked teams playing road games lost tonight. On to the next one. Happy Holidays everyone.

[rocket surgeon]

Actual number is 3.

  imaginary friends can be a sign of loneliness and social problems.  most outgrow this peculiar potential personality disorder as they grow unless they have difficulty connecting with the real world.  having 3 however is a call for help.

  probably time to put lil chucky back in the closet eyn'a?

[MuggsyB]

Going through the Gamecast did we score 2 pts the Final 7 mins of regulation?  Obviously the free throw disparity was horrific but WTF happened the final 7 mins?  I'm extremely unhappy. 

[wisblue]

I'm not one who immediately jumps on the refs, but the officiating was poor tonight. Many of the same kind of bumps Providence got away with were called fouls on Marquette. It's basically impossible that Hopkins didn't get called for a single foul.

However ...

We had SO many chances to win this game and to take it 100% out of the officials' hands.

From the 7:21 mark of regulation, when Kam scored to put us up 75-66, until 40 seconds remained, we were outscored 12-1. There were turnovers by Oso, Joplin and 2 bad ones by Kolek, we were 0-4 from the field, and we missed a FT.

Most of the offense during that stretch was unwatchable. The possession Dish talked about -- 5-point lead with 3 1/2 minutes to go, Kolek holds the ball for 25 seconds before passing to Kam for a little-chance 3 -- awful! That miss led directly to an open 3 that they drained, then Joplin turns it over, and Croswell makes a layup. Just like that, a minute later, it's tied. Can't blame the refs for any of that.

Frankly, we were so deer-in-headlights during that stretch it was amazing we still had a chance to win.

Then, in the OTs, we have FT misses by Joplin (front end of 1-and-1), Kolek and Kam. Providence has FT misses, too ... but they get 3 effen offensive rebounds on them. They had 5 rebounds of missed FTs during the game. It's hard to win a basketball game when you can't block out on an opponent's missed FT.

Watched the game at a bar with 3 fellow Warriors and was on a text chain with two others ... and all of us were begging Shaka to use a timeout down the stretch when we were falling apart. Also, I don't know about putting in a freshman at the end of regulation who had played only 1 bad minute in the second half and none after the 14:54 mark when Shaka benched him. Maybe Shaka just got his Joneses confused -- there was plenty of time for Kam to get the inbounds pass, dribble down and try a 3 that would have at least had a prayer.

So yes, I do think the refs blew. But one has to try really, really hard to ignore all of our alma mater's self-inflicted wounds and say the refs blew the game for us. Make an effen FT in OT. Grab an effen rebound off a missed Providence FT. Don't stand around playing effen clueless, almost motionless offense for 6+ minutes down the stretch. And so on and so on. Ugh.

My sentiments exactly. I’d invite anyone making the refs the main story of this game to watch starting with MU leading 75-66 and critique MU’s offensive possessions while they were outscored 12-1. The officials’ impact during that stretch was minimal to nonexistent and it was that stretch that caused the game to slip away.

The alarming thing is that stretches like that have become the norm for MU. Even in some of the buy games they let 20 point leads drizzle down to single digits by turning off the offense, and the execution at the end of the Purdue and Miss State game turned possible wins into losses.

[DoctorV]

Going through the Gamecast did we score 2 pts the Final 7 mins of regulation?  Obviously the free throw disparity was horrific but WTF happened the final 7 mins?  I'm extremely unhappy.

You’re up early.

Fire up a nice pour over and begin getting into the Holiday spirit.

Happier times will come

[nyg]

MU was up by 8 points with 6:48 to go in the game.

They scored two points in the final 6:48.  Two.  This has been an issue with scoring droughts over the past two years.  There were missed jacked up threes, stupid, stupid turnovers, got pummeled on the boards and missed free throws.  Ball game. 

[Uncle Rico]

Going through the Gamecast did we score 2 pts the Final 7 mins of regulation?  Obviously the free throw disparity was horrific but WTF happened the final 7 mins?  I'm extremely unhappy.

Smoke a bowl and relax

[wisblue]

Going through the Gamecast did we score 2 pts the Final 7 mins of regulation?  Obviously the free throw disparity was horrific but WTF happened the final 7 mins?  I'm extremely unhappy.

MU managed 6 or 7 consecutive possessions without getting a decent shot off, much less making one,  and the refs had nothing to do with it. 

[bilsu]

First game I thought we got the shaft by the refs.

Started and ended slow (in regulation). Defensive rebounding was an issue.

Providence is tough. The Big East is going to be a grind. We’re good enough to win most games, but not good enough to turn it over a bunch plus give up offensive rebounds and expect to win.

Providence definitely has a pro on their team. Marquette has guys who could develop into one, but nobody sure fire.

I thought the same thing.

[MuggsyB]

It sounds like we really kicked this game away which is incredibly disappointing.  It just cannot happen, simple as that.  And we are now 0-4 in close games which has been a concern I have raised a few times.

[tower912]

Muggsy, MU fell down by double digits in the first half, came back to make it a 1 point game at half.  They played very well for the first 12 minutes of the second half.  They stopped executing for the next 9 minutes of game play.  Stopped running the offense, stopped rebounding.   Righted the ship to force a second OT.  Ran out of gas and scorers in the second OT.

First conference road game against a Cooley coached team.  18 to go.

[bilsu]

Baylor says hello

We destroyed Providence last year too. Sometimes good teams have bad games. Pressure works well against teams that are not prepared for it. Pressure does not have a lot of impact on solid teams, which is what most teams that make the NCAA tournament are.

[MuggsyB]

Muggsy, MU fell down by double digits in the first half, came back to make it a 1 point game at half.  They played very well for the first 12 minutes of the second half.  They stopped executing for the next 9 minutes of game play.  Stopped running the offense, stopped rebounding.   Righted the ship to force a second OT.  Ran out of gas and scorers in the second OT.

First conference road game against a Cooley coached team.  18 to go.

Why did they stop running their offense?

[MuggsyB]

We destroyed Providence last year too. Sometimes good teams have bad games. Pressure works well against teams that are not prepared for it. Pressure does not have a lot of impact on solid teams, which is what most teams that make the NCAA tournament are.

We have to figure out how to win close games bilsu. 

[bilsu]

Curious question. Why does the OT period begin with a tip off rather than honoring the possession arrow?

Basically, it is the start of a new game.

[tower912]

Why did they stop running their offense?

A thousand reasons.   Providence stopped running their offense for a while.   Teams stop running their offenses.

Last night, it appeared that Providence dialed up their physicality and defense.  MU stood still and pounded the ball a little.

[Uncle Rico]

We have to figure out how to win close games bilsu.

We? 

[WarriorPride68]

I hope Carter gets reamed in the locker room by Cooley. The Gritty dribble out was classless.