St John's thoughts

[tower912]

MU got outworked today.
 They played like they expected it to be easy.
 SJU played harder. 
 As opposed to Rutgers, who deserved their fate, SJU probably deserved this game.   
 Gardner played like his girlfriend just dumped him.
FT shooting is like a norovirus, for better or worse. 
 STjr is going to be really good by the end of his MU career.
 I thought Lavin outcoached Buzz. 
 Buzz went man when the zone was working. 
 Buzz had his players attacking the shotblocker without getting into his body.   
*Take the road win, enjoy the BEast championship.* 

[4everwarriors]

Ox has a broad? Love to be a fly on the wall.

[dinger]

Lavin is a good coach with good talent
The young guys on his team stepped up to the occasion after the others were disciplined
Buzz did a hell of a job too, but that has been the case all season.
Vander...clutch.
I honestly am not surprised by how close the game was.
I am not sure if these Zubaz pants I just bought are why it was so close or why we won
Savor it.

[GGGG]

More Steve Taylor....less Todd Mayo.

[tominsalem]

Good win for you guys.
Great to see  C-7 on top of the BE.
We'll be very competitive next year.
Hope to join you guys near the top.


We ARE........................................St. John's

[tower912]

tominsalem, you guys played a heckuva game.   Not many teams have outworked MU this year, but you certainly did.  Let's have some fun next year. 

[wadesworld]

My St. John's thoughts...

BIG EAST CHAMPIONS!

[PGsHeroes32]

St. Johns will be unnatural carnal knowledgeing tough next year.

Sampson and Harrison are great. Obpeka even if he doesn't learn offense is a game changer. Greene and Pointer are solid. Athletic squad.

That white boy should permanently ride the pine though.

[tominsalem]

St. Johns will be fracking tough next year.

Sampson and Harrison are great. Obpeka even if he doesn't learn offense is a game changer. Greene and Pointer are solid. Athletic squad.

That white boy should permanently ride the pine though.

That white boy is our best 3 point shooter.
Not his day today.

[warriorstrack]

Wickett,  I have suffered through all of your MU pseudo bashing/not giving them their due attitude.  And yet with few options available to me in the Milwaukee market for sports reporting, have given your AM station a chance to objectively, give credit where credit is due, specifically in regard to the MU basketball team. I am pretty sure I am in your station's demographic, 41, male, Etc... This is your chance to have an authentic discussion of a legitimate basketball storyline, Big East regular season champion Marquette University Basketball team.  Hopefully your professional acumen to such matters will shine as you have an opportunity to give credit to an MU team that has a season to remember and a first time Big East  regular title.  You were wrong when you said MU would lose one of their last two games, please acknowledge as such.

Sent to 1250 AM, probably won't do much

[nyg]

Take the win and get out of dodge.  Congrats to the MU players.

Almost a choke job of ages, but they came through.  Cannot play like this against what looks like the CUSE next week. 

Have a great flight back and enjoy.  Awesome season in the BE.

[PGsHeroes32]

We can't play Cuse can we? They have the Tiebreaker over ND giving them the 5. If ND wins....we get the 2 seed over UL

[Golden Avalanche]

Greene and Sampson were ridiculous from the elbow. So impressive.

Branch abused Cadougan and got to rim at will late second half.

Not sure what will happen with the Johnnies. Got to think Sampson will get ROY and some looks at the league. Harrison is a 50/50. Good of him to be there today but not sure he's totally bought in. God's Gift is on redshirt and returns. Could be an active summer.

Either way, it's a program you want to be affiliated with and happy for that to continue.

[PGsHeroes32]

Totally forgot about Gods Gift as well. Wow.

[nyg]

We can't play Cuse can we? They have the Tiebreaker over ND giving them the 5. If ND wins....we get the 2 seed over UL

ND getting spanked now.  Bracket on TV displayed MU against CUSE if Cuse wins first BE game.  Then Loserville as two seed.

[PGsHeroes32]

ND getting spanked now.  Bracket on TV displayed MU against CUSE if Cuse wins first BE game.  Then Loserville as two seed.

Yeah but that was because ND is 11-6 currently and Cuse is 11-7. That was as of right now. If both go 11-7, Cuse beat them so they should own the tiebreaker.

I think we are getting ND.

[MarquetteDano]

Greene and Sampson were ridiculous from the elbow. So impressive.

Branch abused Cadougan and got to rim at will late second half.

Not sure what will happen with the Johnnies. Got to think Sampson will get ROY and some looks at the league. Harrison is a 50/50. Good of him to be there today but not sure he's totally bought in. God's Gift is on redshirt and returns. Could be an active summer.

Either way, it's a program you want to be affiliated with and happy for that to continue.

Great points.  Assuming Harrison returns St John's should be a tourney team next season.  Could very well vie for a Big East title.

[nyg]

Yeah but that was because ND is 11-6 currently and Cuse is 11-7. That was as of right now. If both go 11-7, Cuse beat them so they should own the tiebreaker.

I think we are getting ND.

OK, we'll see.  ND better than CUSE for me. 

[Montana Warrior]

Gardner played like his girlfriend just dumped him.

Gardner played like he wolfed down a family-sized pizza before the game.  Has he put on weight?  He's too fat!  Played in slow motion today.

[nyg]

Gardner played like he wolfed down a family-sized pizza before the game.  Has he put on weight?  He's too fat!  Played in slow motion today.

DG had five turnovers and four fouls today.  Not a good day for the young fella. 

[keefe]

Yeah but that was because ND is 11-6 currently and Cuse is 11-7. That was as of right now. If both go 11-7, Cuse beat them so they should own the tiebreaker.

I think we are getting ND.

Does Cooley still have the drizzle sh1ts?

[keefe]

Gardner played like he wolfed down a family-sized pizza before the game.  Has he put on weight?  He's too fat!  Played in slow motion today.

Funny you say that. I read he went to a NY Deli yesterday and pounded down two of those monster reuben sandwiches. One is enough to put a man down for days.

[muwarrior69]

The whole team appeared to be playing in slow motion. Both Rutgers and St. Johns out hustled us the last two games. Our weakness is pressure defense. So far it has not caught up with us.

[Montana Warrior]

Gardner played like his girlfriend just dumped him.

Gardner played like he wolfed down a family-sized pizza before the game.  Has he put on weight?  He's too fat!  Played in slow motion today.

[tower912]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/gameflash/2013/03/09/79515/?sct=uk_t2_a5#boxscore

[brandx]

MU got outworked today.
 They played like they expected it to be easy.
 SJU played harder. 
 As opposed to Rutgers, who deserved their fate, SJU probably deserved this game.   
 Gardner played like his girlfriend just dumped him.
FT shooting is like a norovirus, for better or worse. 
 STjr is going to be really good by the end of his MU career.
 I thought Lavin outcoached Buzz. 
 Buzz went man when the zone was working. 
 Buzz had his players attacking the shotblocker without getting into his body.   
*Take the road win, enjoy the BEast championship.* 

Don't you think that is a characteristic of most of the guys on the team - except DV who initiates contact and maybe Lockett.

Looks like the rest of the guys try to avoid the contact which plays directly into the hands of a shotblocker.

[GGGG]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/gameflash/2013/03/09/79515/?sct=uk_t2_a5#boxscore

Steve Taylor had 7 rebounds and six points in only 12 minutes.  He needs to play more.

[connie]

Steve Taylor had 7 rebounds and six points in only 12 minutes.  He needs to play more.

Agree strongly.

[RushmoreAcademy]

A really awful final two minutes in which nobody seemed to want to stop the ball, but they did what they have been doing all season and found a way to win.  You can find fault in the team sure, but they are a special team and they've accomplished a ton this season!  Congratulations boys!!! Now let's go get in the BE Tourney.

[mr.MUskie]

That white boy is our best 3 point shooter.
Not his day today.

We have one of those, too.

[ChicosBailBonds]

MU got outworked today.
 They played like they expected it to be easy.
 SJU played harder. 
 As opposed to Rutgers, who deserved their fate, SJU probably deserved this game.   
 Gardner played like his girlfriend just dumped him.
FT shooting is like a norovirus, for better or worse. 
 STjr is going to be really good by the end of his MU career.
 I thought Lavin outcoached Buzz. 
 Buzz went man when the zone was working. 
 Buzz had his players attacking the shotblocker without getting into his body.   
*Take the road win, enjoy the BEast championship.* 

I didn't get to see game until about an hour ago.  Couldn't believe the last few minutes, our defense was so poor.  No one was taking ball.  Very frustrating.  Glad we got the win, super glad we won the championship.....however, wished we performed better the last two games against subpar opponents.  Hopefully we get that straightened out quickly.

[96warrior]

Agree the last two games were UGLY. I like that we pulled this off on the road, though, having been criticized for not being able to win away from the BC this season. Had we played at home today, like Georgetown and Louisville, our final score would have been the same as theirs. Our challenge was tougher and we grinded it out. Pretty much the theme song of this team. So proud of what they've done!!

[NotAnAlum]

I thought the same thing.  Both the other Co-champs got to clinch on their home floor.  That is a big advantage so our win should be as impressive as theirs.  That said our inability to close the door is very concerning because it seems to be a tendancy.  From here on out the games are going to go down to the wire and if we don't have the ability to make free throws and tough it out away from the BC we won't last long.

[barfolomew]

BTW, what does ESPN have against Steve Taylor, Jr.?
For most of the year, his name and position in the box score have been "Steve, Jr. / NA". I'm sure Buzz, in his infinite quest for switchables, likes the "NA" part, but for the love of Pedro, give the kid a last name in the box score. He deserves it.

[MU82]

Gardner played like he wolfed down a family-sized pizza before the game.  Has he put on weight?  He's too fat!  Played in slow motion today.

My wife said the light blues make him look especially large.

And she's a girl, so she notices those kinds of things.

[GGGG]

BTW, what does ESPN have against Steve Taylor, Jr.?
For most of the year, his name and position in the box score have been "Steve, Jr. / NA". I'm sure Buzz, in his infinite quest for switchables, likes the "NA" part, but for the love of Pedro, give the kid a last name in the box score. He deserves it.

Noticed that all year.  Pretty sure its a data formatting issue.

[AZWarrior]

Yes - darker colors tend to be "slimming colors", or so I've been told.  

So the "baby blues" and whites should be worn often, as they make us look larger and more intimidating.

[CTWarrior]

The thing I noticed was that our press breaker line-up (Cadougan, Blue, Mayo, J Wilson, Gardner) isn't that adept at breaking presses and is a horrific defensive unit.  I don't know what to do about it, but I worry that someone will wise up and just pressure us for the better part of 40 minutes.

On the plus we continue to make plays when we absolutely have to. 

Was a great day in NY, very big MU crowd pre-game at Mustang Harry's and a good MU turnout at the game.

[ChicosBailBonds]

As mentioned earlier, I had to watch the game late due to kids sporting activities today so the game is very fresh in my mind.  Had two of my brother-in-laws over watching the game...one is the son of a Marquette grad...the other is an IU grad.

At any rate, when we pissed away the lead at the end of the game it was tough to be in the room. I was pissed, they were pissed.  We couldn't believe how horrible the defense was in the last 3 minutes, the last second shot attempt that we never even got off.  UGH.  I kept thinking, how can we be doing this?  They kept showing their two studs in street clothes on the bench.  @$#@#@$   As my one bro-in-laws said, you guys just choked away your first Big East title.  Couldn't help but think he was right.

In OT, much of the same feeling until VB hits the shot with under 1 second.  The line was so close today from being a very depressing day to one of a ton of joy.  A bunch of high fives in our family room when it went in, and a huge sense of relief.  Not a roller coaster ride was hoping for but thought it would go that way so no shock. We got two wins this week against two so so teams, but the team won.  They found a way.  There are no average teams left to play...need to really step it up a notch in the next 14 days.

[Lennys Tap]

I guess I could whine about our defense, ball handling and free throw shooting in the last three minutes. Or Davante and Todd having subpar games.

But I can't. I'm too freakin' excited about winning our first ever Big East championship. With a team that was supposed to finish in the middle of the pack. By winning our last 4 (last 2 on the road) and 6 of our last 7. With a schedule that was "easy" early but tough late. This was the second greatest accomplishment by an MU team in 36 years by a team that was all grit but nowhere near our second most talented over that period. Any Marquette fan who is "happy, but..." tonight is, in my opinion, full of it and can bite me.

[Lennys Tap]

Second biggest day in Marquette basketball history in the last 36 years and all you want to talk about is how bad we sucked, how depleted St Johns was and how if we don't step it up we'll be toast. WTF is wrong with you?

[Warriors10]

Second biggest day in Marquette basketball history in the last 36 years and all you want to talk about is how bad we sucked, how depleted St Johns was and how if we don't step it up we'll be toast. WTF is wrong with you?

Keith Bogan's bum ankle is the only reason we made the Final Four.

[Scooter22]

Just watched the game on my computer...  SJU played well, our defense was a bit worrisome in that it seems we forgot the old adage about stopping the ball...  too many coast to coast layups!

[keefe]

As mentioned earlier, I had to watch the game late due to kids sporting activities today so the game is very fresh in my mind.  Had two of my brother-in-laws over watching the game...one is the son of a Marquette grad...the other is an IU grad.

At any rate, when we pissed away the lead at the end of the game it was tough to be in the room. I was pissed, they were pissed.  We couldn't believe how horrible the defense was in the last 3 minutes, the last second shot attempt that we never even got off.  UGH.  I kept thinking, how can we be doing this?  They kept showing their two studs in street clothes on the bench.  @$#@#@$   As my one bro-in-laws said, you guys just choked away your first Big East title.  Couldn't help but think he was right.

In OT, much of the same feeling until VB hits the shot with under 1 second.  The line was so close today from being a very depressing day to one of a ton of joy.  A bunch of high fives in our family room when it went in, and a huge sense of relief.  Not a roller coaster ride was hoping for but thought it would go that way so no shock. We got two wins this week against two so so teams, but the team won.  They found a way.  There are no average teams left to play...need to really step it up a notch in the next 14 days.

I am optimistic. As of tomorrow I can do that too.

2013 Men's Basketball Conference Champions

[muwarrior97]

First game all year I couldn't catch on TV, PC or radio.......man so glad, would have have a heart-attack and MF-droppin' fest that would have had my wife kicking me out to the garage BUT dang what a cool result, never pretty but getting it done and getting the W, thank you MUBB!! Keep it going for another month

[ChicosBailBonds]

Second biggest day in Marquette basketball history in the last 36 years and all you want to talk about is how bad we sucked, how depleted St Johns was and how if we don't step it up we'll be toast. WTF is wrong with you?

First off, it's not the second biggest day in MU basketball history the last 36 years by a long shot.

If you would have noticed the first messages I posted, were all in excitement about MU winning.  My concern, sorry if I'm unable to have any, is that we were up 9 points with 1:50 remaining and went to OT.  That should concern anyone.  We have no more games at the BC, they're all neutral or away at this point.  It was a little shocking to see what we did that last 1:50 against a team that was severely depleted knowing what was on the line.  Yes, concerning. 

My point was, if you had read it, is how thin the line is.  If we lose that game in OT how totally devastating it would have been to have had the game and lost in that manner.  The difference between total despair and joy literally changed in about 1 second of time.  I'm sorry that I pointed that out.

[ChicosBailBonds]

First game all year I couldn't catch on TV, PC or radio.......man so glad, would have have a heart-attack and MF-droppin' fest that would have had my wife kicking me out to the garage BUT dang what a cool result, never pretty but getting it done and getting the W, thank you MUBB!! Keep it going for another month

Yup, that's how I felt.  That last 2 minutes was surreal to say the least.

[Pakuni]

First off, it's not the second biggest day in MU basketball history the last 36 years by a long shot.

<gulp> I actually agree here.
Bigger days (in no particular order):
- Beating Kentucky to go to the Final Four
- Dwyane Wade signs to play for Marquette
- MU hires Buzz Williams
- MU hires Tom Crean
- MU hires Kevin O'Neill
- Appearing in the Final Four (despite the painful result)
- Beating Kentucky in 1994 to go to the Sweet 16 (MU becomes relevant again)
- Getting invited to the Big East
- Getting invited to C-USA
- Beating Syracuse in 2011 to make Sweet 16

I'm sure there are others.
Winning a share of the conference regular season title is a great accomplishment, but ultimately the BE deems its tournament winner as the "official" champion. MU has had, and will have, bigger and brighter days.

[Goose]

Pakuni

Agree completely with your post and I guess Chico's as well. It was great and exciting day but not high on list. I have said the shot was high simply because you do not have many buzzer beaters to win championships or very big games. The shot goes in the history books higher than the conference regular season shared title to me.

[muwarrior69]

First off, it's not the second biggest day in MU basketball history the last 36 years by a long shot.

If you would have noticed the first messages I posted, were all in excitement about MU winning.  My concern, sorry if I'm unable to have any, is that we were up 9 points with 1:50 remaining and went to OT.  That should concern anyone.  We have no more games at the BC, they're all neutral or away at this point.  It was a little shocking to see what we did that last 1:50 against a team that was severely depleted knowing what was on the line.  Yes, concerning. 

My point was, if you had read it, is how thin the line is.  If we lose that game in OT how totally devastating it would have been to have had the game and lost in that manner.  The difference between total despair and joy literally changed in about 1 second of time.  I'm sorry that I pointed that out.

Joy? ....more like relief. Yes, I too am concerned. We have not handled the ball very well and where was our defense? Both Rutgers and St. Johns out hustled us. It will catch up with us at some point, but hope I am wrong.

[ChicosBailBonds]

I think some of you might want to read your own comments in the thread yesterday of the game to show exactly what I was talking about...the line is thin and the despair would have been tremendous.

Just read what was said

http://www.muscoop.com/index.php?topic=36822.125

http://www.muscoop.com/index.php?topic=36822.150

[denverMU]

...and just think what will be said if we lose our first game of the BEAST Tournament!  Let's keep supporting MU win or lose.

[mu03eng]

<gulp> I actually agree here.
Bigger days (in no particular order):
- Beating Kentucky to go to the Final Four
- Dwyane Wade signs to play for Marquette
- MU hires Buzz Williams
- MU hires Tom Crean
- MU hires Kevin O'Neill
- Appearing in the Final Four (despite the painful result)
- Beating Kentucky in 1994 to go to the Sweet 16 (MU becomes relevant again)
- Getting invited to the Big East
- Getting invited to C-USA
- Beating Syracuse in 2011 to make Sweet 16

I'm sure there are others.
Winning a share of the conference regular season title is a great accomplishment, but ultimately the BE deems its tournament winner as the "official" champion. MU has had, and will have, bigger and brighter days.

To be fair the bolded days are in hindsight not necessarily at the time.  I think you have to categories things like yesterday as an instant gradification moment with instant tangible results.  Yesterday was certainly a top 10 moment in MUBB history, winning a conference championship is a tough thing to do I don't care if we shared it with ~20% of the league 

[Pakuni]

To be fair the bolded days are in hindsight not necessarily at the time.  I think you have to categories things like yesterday as an instant gradification moment with instant tangible results.  Yesterday was certainly a top 10 moment in MUBB history, winning a conference championship is a tough thing to do I don't care if we shared it with ~20% of the league 

Are their occasions when one isn't using hindsight when reflecting on important occurrences in history?

I mean, sure, it's easy to say now that the election of Abraham Lincoln was an important event in American history, but that's just hindsight.

[mu03eng]

Are their occasions when one isn't using hindsight when reflecting on important occurrences in history?

I mean, sure, it's easy to say now that the election of Abraham Lincoln was an important event in American history, but that's just hindsight.

And what if Abraham Lincoln had lost the war?  Those events can be good or bad, sure they are turning points but in the context of the program they are inevitable.  Winning a conference championship has to have major significance in our history and count as something more than a footnote.  Otherwise conference championships don't matter, which would be a great thing because then we truly are a top 15 program which I was criticized for believing.

[Earl Tatum]

Where in the hell was "Ox"? The last 10 m inutes or so, that Obekpa ate him up around the boards.
He played like he wanted the game, as Ox was in a trance.
Hate to bring it up, When Newbill didn't come to MU, who took his schollie?

[AirPunches]

Jamil Wilson

[mu03eng]

Where in the hell was "Ox"? The last 10 m inutes or so, that Obekpa ate him up around the boards.
He played like he wanted the game, as Ox was in a trance.
Hate to bring it up, When Newbill didn't come to MU, who took his schollie?

Can we record this as the greatest overreaction in the history the internets overreactions ever times infinity?

And yes I'm being ironic.  However, Ox has one or two sub-par games and Newbill resurfaces?

[Dawson Rental]

<gulp> I actually agree here.
Bigger days (in no particular order):
- Beating Kentucky to go to the Final Four
- Dwyane Wade signs to play for Marquette
- MU hires Buzz Williams
- MU hires Tom Crean
- MU hires Kevin O'Neill
- Appearing in the Final Four (despite the painful result)
- Beating Kentucky in 1994 to go to the Sweet 16 (MU becomes relevant again)
- Getting invited to the Big East
- Getting invited to C-USA
- Beating Syracuse in 2011 to make Sweet 16

I'm sure there are others.
Winning a share of the conference regular season title is a great accomplishment, but ultimately the BE deems its tournament winner as the "official" champion. MU has had, and will have, bigger and brighter days.

I'd like to nominate Kevin O'Neill's first fall signing day.

[Dawson Rental]

Where in the hell was "Ox"? The last 10 m inutes or so, that Obekpa ate him up around the boards.
He played like he wanted the game, as Ox was in a trance.
Hate to bring it up, When Newbill didn't come to MU, who took his schollie?

MARQ_13 is correct, Jamil Wilson, not Davante.

[Pakuni]

And what if Abraham Lincoln had lost the war?  Those events can be good or bad, sure they are turning points but in the context of the program they are inevitable.

Yes. And that's exactly my point. When judging the historical importance of any event - whether it be in MU basketball or American history - it can only be done with the benefit of hindsight.
So to suggest the important events I listed don't really count because they're only important "in hindsight" kind of misses the entire point.

Winning a conference championship has to have major significance in our history and count as something more than a footnote.  

I think, then, that we're disagreeing over what makes something significant. You seem content to say an event is significant just because, in and of itself, regardless of what comes next, i.e. winning a conference championship is significant because it is.
I'm not saying that's entirely wrong, but suggesting that real significance is measured by not just the event, but its consequences. And those can only be judged in hindsight.
For example, hiring Kevin O'Neill was significant because he put MU back on the map and made the program relevant again. Without KO, there's no Great Midwest, no C-USA, no Big East. We're Detroit Mercy and Loyola. Tom Crean, Buzz Williams, Dwyane Wade, etc., don't come to Milwaukee.

A shared regular season conference title is a nice accomplishment, but it's not likely to alter much about MU basketball. Recruits won't come to Marquette because of it. Conference affiliation won't change because of it. TV deals won't change because of it. Buzz won't stay (or go) because of it. It's something really cool for the trophy case, but has no major consequence beyond that.
In fact, I'd argue that winning the conference title was the second most important event this week in the history of Marquette basketball.

[Goose]

Little Murs

KO's first recruiting class was a game changer and I agree. He signed a class few could have ever expected. They went from nowhere to S16 and put us back on the map.

[mu03eng]

Yes. And that's exactly my point. When judging the historical importance of any event - whether it be in MU basketball or American history - it can only be done with the benefit of hindsight.
So to suggest the important events I listed don't really count because they're only important "in hindsight" kind of misses the entire point.

I think, then, that we're disagreeing over what makes something significant. You seem content to say an event is significant just because, in and of itself, regardless of what comes next, i.e. winning a conference championship is significant because it is.
I'm not saying that's entirely wrong, but suggesting that real significance is measured by not just the event, but its consequences. And those can only be judged in hindsight.
For example, hiring Kevin O'Neill was significant because he put MU back on the map and made the program relevant again. Without KO, there's no Great Midwest, no C-USA, no Big East. We're Detroit Mercy and Loyola. Tom Crean, Buzz Williams, Dwyane Wade, etc., don't come to Milwaukee.

A shared regular season conference title is a nice accomplishment, but it's not likely to alter much about MU basketball. Recruits won't come to Marquette because of it. Conference affiliation won't change because of it. TV deals won't change because of it. Buzz won't stay (or go) because of it. It's something really cool for the trophy case, but has no major consequence beyond that.
In fact, I'd argue that winning the conference title was the second most important event this week in the history of Marquette basketball.

OK, I'm get where you are coming from and I guess I am on board.  I think I'm looking at things like this conference tourney in the sense of I remember where I was when MU won the CUSA conference tourney in 2003 or I remember being in the stadium for Novak's shot against ND.  Those are events within the life of a fan that have significace and can be recalled at reunions and bars years later.  The forming of the new Big East I think will be a top 10 event in Marquette history but it won't be "remembered".  I think maybe the distinction I'm searching for is this is a top 10 emotional event in Marquette history without being a top 10 event in total.  Or maybe I'm just the south end of a north bound horse.

[Lennys Tap]

<gulp> I actually agree here.
Bigger days (in no particular order):
- Beating Kentucky to go to the Final Four
- Dwyane Wade signs to play for Marquette
- MU hires Buzz Williams
- MU hires Tom Crean
- MU hires Kevin O'Neill
- Appearing in the Final Four (despite the painful result)
- Beating Kentucky in 1994 to go to the Sweet 16 (MU becomes relevant again)
- Getting invited to the Big East
- Getting invited to C-USA
- Beating Syracuse in 2011 to make Sweet 16

I'm sure there are others.
Winning a share of the conference regular season title is a great accomplishment, but ultimately the BE deems its tournament winner as the "official" champion. MU has had, and will have, bigger and brighter days.

Why not include the day Fr Wild bent our standards to let Wade in? Or the day Dwyane was conceived? Sorry, when it comes to accomplishments I'll stick to one's on the court. Winning the best basketball conference ever's (not this year but historically) regular season championship in its final year of existence (after never really coming close until last year and with a team picked to finish 7th) is an infinitely greater moment/accomplishment than being invited to play in a conference (wasn't DePaul invited also?) or the hiring of a coach.

[Blackhat]

Never in a million years thought this would be the team to win a championship.   Still can't believe it.  Buzz is doing something right to take these guys to this level!

[Pakuni]

Why not include the day Fr Wild bent our standards to let Wade in? Or the day Dwyane was conceived? Sorry, when it comes to accomplishments I'll stick to one's on the court.

Ummm, OK.
But my post was in response to "second biggest day," not accomplishment. Go back and read it again. More carefully, this time.

But, hey, if you believe that finishing in a three-way tie for an unofficial conference championship has more bearing on the history of Marquette basketball than the hiring of Buzz Williams or invite to the Big East, that's your prerogative.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Little Murs

KO's first recruiting class was a game changer and I agree. He signed a class few could have ever expected. They went from nowhere to S16 and put us back on the map.

Thank God Wisconsin sucked arse back then as it make it a lot easier.  History, as Pakuni and others have pointed out, is viewed in hindsight.  It was fortunate for us from a timing perspective that Wisconsin was still in their 54 year drought at the time.  If MU had to rebuild with Wisconsin playing at the level they have in the last 15 years, MU may not have gotten that class.  Timing worked out well for us.

[Lennys Tap]

Ummm, OK.
But my post was in response to "second biggest day," not accomplishment. Go back and read it again. More carefully, this time.

But, hey, if you believe that finishing in a three-way tie for an unofficial conference championship has more bearing on the history of Marquette basketball than the hiring of Buzz Williams or invite to the Big East, that's your prerogative.

What is unofficial about this conference championship? My original post said second biggest accomplishment, my second post said second biggest day. I understand your argument with the latter even if we disagree. As to the former, we'll be quite rightly hanging a banner to honor yesterday's accomplishment, and to me it's the 2nd most significant one we've hung in the last 36 years.

[Pakuni]

What is unofficial about this conference championship?

The official Big East Champion is the tourney winner.
That's not meant as a swipe at winning the regular season crown, but, to put it in hockey terms, it's the difference between winning the President's Trophy and the Stanley Cup.

and to me it's the 2nd most significant one we've hung in the last 36 years.

More significant than the 2005 Great Alaska Shootout? Surely you jest.

[CTWarrior]

As to the former, we'll be quite rightly hanging a banner to honor yesterday's accomplishment, and to me it's the 2nd most significant one we've hung in the last 36 years.

Does the last 36 years include or exclude the National Championship, which was 36 years ago?  Because I think this banner is behind 1977 and the 2003 Final Four.