Storm thoughts.

[tower912]

1.   I counted 7 fouls on SJU, two travels, one over and back, all not called in the first half.   Not to mention that Sam finally drew a charge and got called for a foul.    First half only.    It evened out somewhat in the second.   
2.   Weak with the ball, less aggressive, less athletic, slower, softer.     Other than that.....
3.   HC turning his back to a defender at mid-court.   What could possibly go wrong?   Missing that sure FT stroke.   
4.  Duane, quit making dumb fouls.   There are minutes to be had.   
5.  Poor Sam.  That looked brutal. 
6.  Consistently, SJU drove, got foul calls.   MU drove, pump faked, got hit, nothing.  SJU just attacked everybody on every play and dared the refs to call it.   It worked for them. 
7.  MU's defense on many of those threes wasn't that bad.   SJU just raining.   
8.  Markus showing he is not yet ready for the NBA.  Maybe in 3 years.   Scouting report is out on you young man.  Better team with Rowsey in the game today.   He has already made the adjustments necessary when you are 5'10 and playing high major basketball.
9.  Down 17, they finally played with anger and passion.  Matt, Sam, HC, Duane suddenly start flinging themselves around.   Sadly, Rowsey picked that stretch to go cold. 
10.  HC was sooooo close and yet sooooo snakebit trying to bring the team back.    At least he was playing without fear.    Sadly, also without a FT touch or hands. 
11.  One more loss where an inability to secure a late game rebound is a dagger.   Sure, it would have taken an amazing comeback to win, but that defensive stand leading to an offensive rebound for SJU was the final nail.   But this team is what it is.   

12.  Any team that makes it a point of emphasis to attack the rim will beat MU, unless MU is shooting very well.    No getting around it. 
13.  Wojo called the losing streak after the great win.   Players gotta make plays. 

[GoldenZebra]

The door keeps closing with every game MU has played since Nova. Another bad loss. Looks like Nova was the climax of the season. Its a dang shame, because this team is sure fun to watch when its racking up the points.

[ecompt]

We do one thing very, very well: Shoot threes. But we are incredibly weak on the boards and an absolutely horrid defensive team. Harry and the two big freshmen better be ready to play 30 minutes every game next year.

[JD]

Tower, not sure why the majority of your points seem to be blaming refs, but I didn't find that to be the major problem at all.

HC literally stopped us from coming back numerous times. Couldn't rebound, turnovers, horrific ft shooting, list goes on. 

He seemed scared to go up to the rim with authority. He was hoping to get fouled and we all saw what happened once at the line.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

All I will say is that sucked. I'm pissed. We need to win 4 of our next 5 now. Get us to 9-7 with 3 to go.

Was getting comfortable, and it appears the team was too. We're now back to a legitimate bubble team, but the Nova win can still do us wonders. Need to get to 10 to feel safe.

[Johnny B]

Anyone defending this loss can go f themselves. this is a an absoulute joke. this team is SCARED. we are NOT a tournament team. I'm sorry,, I guess on to next year

[tower912]

The first half officiating was brutal.   I was watching it on DVR and literally stopped it and made a check after every bad call.   HC was trying so hard to be the hero tonight and it kept not working.   His results sucked, but at least he was screwing up with energy and passion.    As opposed to others. 

[Smokin' Jae]

You went way too easy on Cheatham. Even when he had a decent stretch it was head down out of control drives trying to finish with his left hand. First two possessions of the second half, HC gave up two 3's on defense. His defense is not what you and some others seem to think it is.
His turnovers killed the team tonight. Hope is not lost for the kid as it seems more mental than anything but Duane should be getting his minutes for the foreseeable future.

[JD]

The first half officiating was brutal.   I was watching it on DVR and literally stopped it and made a check after every bad call.   HC was trying so hard to be the hero tonight and it kept not working.   His results sucked, but at least he was screwing up with energy and passion.    As opposed to others.

Agree HC was trying, but he was brutal.

Then again, if you ask me "who else should have taken over?" I would have said "no clue"

[GoldenZebra]

At this point its near impossible to predict what will happen, and even more of a futile attempt to even say how many wins MU needs to get into the tournament. The last two games have been atrocious.

[tower912]

Anyone defending this loss can go f themselves. this is a an absoulute joke. this team is SCARED. we are NOT a tournament team. I'm sorry,, I guess on to next year

It was a bad game.   MU played soft, slow, passion-free until it was too late.     When the 3's stop falling and the live ball turnovers start, it sure isn't good. 

[forgetful]

I'm going to avoid the boards for a bit as people go crazy. 

After we beat Nova' and Creighton, people were going crazy saying we were going to win at least 12 conference games.  I had cautioned that we are a team that steals a game or two and will give a game or two back. 

We stole two and then gave two back.  This is a team that is somewhere between a 9-9 and 11-7 team, with 10-8 most likely.  We are still on pace. 

Win @ Depaul
Win home against Butler
likely lose @ Georgetown
Win home against Xavier
Win home against St. Johns

We are then 9-6, going into the last 3.  Win at least 1 of them and we go dancing.  Try not to give more than 1 of the above wins away.

[rocky_warrior]

Anyone defending this loss can go f themselves. this is a an absoulute joke. this team is SCARED. we are NOT a tournament team. I'm sorry,, I guess on to next year

Not sure if it counts as defending (I really am pissed MU lost), but I was worried about SJU more than the other bottom dwellers of the BE.

[GGGG]

Yeah I didn't think the refs were a problem either.

Intensity was.  As Wojo said in one of his patented "inside the huddles," they were playing scared.

And I'm sorry but Sand-Knit is right about one thing.  The lack of consistent leadership from our seniors is a problem.  JJJ goes out and plays completely out of control.  Luke is soft as a jello mold on the inside.  Step up.  Play fearless, yet within yourself.

Instead JJJ gets glued to the bench again.  Very disappointing.

[tower912]

Agree HC was trying, but he was brutal.

Then again, if you ask me "who else should have taken over?" I would have said "no clue"

Exactly.   KR was bad tonight.   JjJ was brutal tonight.   Duane had two early fouls but got extended run in the second.   Sam had to take a few minutes to gather himself.    HC played as hard as he could but is so freaking snakebit right now that it is painful to watch.   But he hasn't quit.   

[nyg]

-Marcus to NBA, not.  Maybe Ponds/Lovett to NBA, much better freshmen.
-Howard/Cheatham turnovers in backcourt just killed them, lead to layups.  Howard with 6, Cheatham with 5.  11 total for starting backcourt is just ridiculous.
-JJJ was 1-6 from field and sat last 18 minutes of game.  mmm.........
-KR was 1 for 7
-MU took 32 three point shots
- 7 blocked shots for SJU, along with 9 steals.

Didn't see a ref problem, but saw a dribbling, lazy passing problem based on aggressive defense by SJU


Backcourt turnovers, blocked shots on constant drives, steals and jacking up threes, recipe for disaster. 
One good week, then a brutal second week. 

[tower912]

Yeah I didn't think the refs were a problem either.

Intensity was.  As Wojo said in one of his patented "inside the huddles," they were playing scared.

And I'm sorry but Sand-Knit is right about one thing.  The lack of consistent leadership from our seniors is a problem.  JJJ goes out and plays completely out of control.  Luke is soft as a jello mold on the inside.  Step up.  Play fearless, yet within yourself.

Instead JJJ gets glued to the bench again.  Very disappointing.

HC got glued to the bench for an extended period, until JjJ was worse.   KR never got going.   Luke played slow against faster players.   Tonight was bad from the seniors.    It was Rowsey, Sam, and........ ummmmmmm.

[CTWarrior]

We miss Traci Carter.  No true PG.  We lost this game because their guards kept our guards from getting us into our offense.

[JD]

Yeah I didn't think the refs were a problem either.

Intensity was.  As Wojo said in one of his patented "inside the huddles," they were playing scared.

And I'm sorry but Sand-Knit is right about one thing.  The lack of consistent leadership from our seniors is a problem.  JJJ goes out and plays completely out of control.  Luke is soft as a jello mold on the inside.  Step up.  Play fearless, yet within yourself.

Instead JJJ gets glued to the bench again.  Very disappointing.

Knit is right about JJ, but if you were wojo, what would you do? Serious question.  What is the best way to handle that situation?

We know wojo wants JJ to slash to the basket, but when he does I hold my breath everytime. He's so out of control, and more times then not, it seems like it will be a turnover, or a bad out of control shot.

So how do you fix it? He's a senior, do you make him come in off the bench? Do you just chalk it up to "it is what it is" and wait until next year? Wojo is in a tough spot

[warriorstrack]

At least no one got hurt tonight

[tower912]

Knit is right about JJ, but if you were wojo, what would you do? Serious question.  What is the best way to handle that situation?

We know wojo wants JJ to slash to the basket, but when he does I hold my breath everytime. He's so out of control, and more times then not, it seems like it will be a turnover, or a bad out of control shot.

So how do you fix it? He's a senior, do you make him come in off the bench? Do you just chalk it up to "it is what it is" and wait until next year? Wojo is in a tough spot

And there is the rub.   What are the options if you cut into KR, Luke, and JjJ's minutes?    More time for HC.   Yeah.   More time for Sam?   How much more can he handle? More of Markus and Rowsey playing together with Matt in the middle?    Ummmmm.... Burn Sacar's redshirt for the last few games and let HIM start?  I would love to see Duane play more minutes and perhaps even start, but 3 minutes in, he will have 2 fouls and the other guys will get the last 17 minutes of the half.   

[nyg]

Even more interesting was the fact SJU had not won a conference game at the Garden in two full years, well until tonight. 

[Mr. Sand-Knit]

I too will give HC a pass, due to his effort.  Hauser, Rowsey, Heldt, HC, and Wilson 5 toughest guys on the team and was happy to see they got the majority of the second half time.  We had a nice run and Wojo brought Kaitin n luke back in... Game over

[GGGG]

Knit is right about JJ, but if you were wojo, what would you do? Serious question.  What is the best way to handle that situation?

We know wojo wants JJ to slash to the basket, but when he does I hold my breath everytime. He's so out of control, and more times then not, it seems like it will be a turnover, or a bad out of control shot.

So how do you fix it? He's a senior, do you make him come in off the bench? Do you just chalk it up to "it is what it is" and wait until next year? Wojo is in a tough spot

Well yeah that's the issue.  Everyone plays.  Everyone has a chance every game to see what they can do so there really is no untested option to go to. 

[Johnny B]

I guess DePaul is kind of a 50-50 chance now.. hello NIT