Hoya thoughts

[Lennys Tap]

1.  Quick question.   How many MU players had played meaningful minutes in a conference road game prior to tonight?   Before anybody starts screaming, contemplate that question. 
2.  Can't fault the effort.   Wojo is getting max effort out of his team.   MU played harder tonight. 
3.   Need to shoot better.
4.   Smith is a load.
5.   Beating G-town in DC is just more than this team has right now.    No shame in it.   
6.   A lot of good things, but not enough winning things. 
7.  All you can ever ask for in a conference road game is chance to win at the end.  MU got that tonight.   Couldn't quite get over the hump.
8.  Wojo went with Carlino, Duane, and JJJ down the stretch.   IMO, MU needed Derrick's leadership on the floor, even if he isn't going to hit a jumper.   Offense couldn't get synced.
9.   Learn, grow, next. 

10. Other than making their free throws, Georgetown played horribly in the second half. Game was ours for the taking. We couldn't get it done.

[wadesworld]

That's an understatement. Most of the players are increbibly weak relative to the competition. Big change from what we are used to from the last 5 years or so.

Steve, Derrick, Juan, Carlino, and Luke are all just fine in terms of physical strength. JJJ, Duane, and Cohen are all thin. Shocking that it's the underclassmen (outside of Luke) who need to add weight.

[ChicosBailBonds]

I watched with a G'Town alum.  As he said, the Hoyas were doing everything the could to give it away, but we refused to accept the gift.  It is hard for me to argue with his comments.

[tower912]

Other than Carlino, nobody on MU's team has ever, at the college level, been a go to guy at crunch time.  They were all clearly deferring to Matt.  
Every team is going to try to take Luke away.   Every game, it is going to be a new learning experience how to get him the ball.  

http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=400588404

[GGGG]

As much as Carlino can be frustrating, I really can't imagine how much worse MU would be without him. 

[tower912]

As much as Carlino can be frustrating, I really can't imagine how much worse MU would be without him. 

I completely agree.   His problem late last night was trying to do it all himself and not get his opportunities through the offense.   It isn't the first time.   Hopefully,  he can work through it. 

[hoyasincebirth]

Marquette did a great job with the zone defense. It's very active and clearly disrupted our offense. Not a good game by my Hoyas, but we made winning plays down the stretch.

[Henry Sugar]

MU won eFG% but lost the other four factors. Losing on OR% is not a surprise. However, just matching GU on turnovers isn't enough to win against a good team on the road.

[MU82]

That was just an incredible display of basketball suckitude.

I really can't think of any redeeming performances by any Warrior tonight.  

This is a surprisingly willie-like comment from you, Sultan; you generally are more optimistic.

Luke didn't miss a shot, and a few of them were difficult shots over big men. Jajuan, Juan, Derrick and even Carlino had some pretty good moments out there, too.

Georgetown didn't play its best game, but to have a legit chance in the final minutes on the road against a team that has been ranked this season ... this was nowhere near a "suckitude" game.

Omaha sucked. The last 5 minutes at DePaul sucked. NJIT sucked even in victory. I thought we made too many mistakes tonight, but I didn't think we "sucked."

Just my opinion, of course.

[GGGG]

Omaha sucked. The last 5 minutes at DePaul sucked. NJIT sucked even in victory. I thought we made too many mistakes tonight, but I didn't think we "sucked."

I didn't mean Marquette sucked.  I meant the game was just bad basketball.  Turnovers...bad shooting...ugly possession after ugly possession.  There really is no way I would have watched that game had I not had a rooting interest.  Most regular season college basketball has gotten depressingly poor.

[MUfan12]

There really is no way I would have watched that game had I not had a rooting interest.  Most regular season college basketball has gotten depressingly poor.

For the first time in my life, I've watched more NBA ball than college, and it's not close. College basketball is such a crap product.

[Golden Avalanche]

Marquette did a great job with the zone defense. It's very active and clearly disrupted our offense. Not a good game by my Hoyas, but we made winning plays down the stretch.

Not so hard to do when the opposition throws the ball straight to you.

[CTWarrior]

Cut it to one again and Duane travels.

That travel by Duane was a back-breaker, but on that play Anderson passed up a wide open 8-10 footer to kick it back to Duane.  Sometimes some of our guys forget to look at the friggin' hoop.  Taylor passed up a wide open 10 footer and tried to go one on three against bigger guys at the hoop and got stuffed earlier in the game.  Duane and JjJ often pass up open mid-range twos to careen into the lane.  We often take forced shots at the end of the shot clock when we had good opportunities during the possession.  I think some of our guys need to do a better job recognizing when they have a good shot.

[MerrittsMustache]

That travel by Duane was a back-breaker, but on that play Anderson passed up a wide open 8-10 footer to kick it back to Duane.  Sometimes some of our guys forget to look at the friggin' hoop.  Taylor passed up a wide open 10 footer and tried to go one on three against bigger guys at the hoop and got stuffed earlier in the game.  Duane and JjJ often pass up open mid-range twos to careen into the lane.  We often take forced shots at the end of the shot clock when we had good opportunities during the possession.  I think some of our guys need to do a better job recognizing when they have a good shot.

Ideally, that ability will come with experience. The mid-range game, itself comes with experience. Most perimeter players come out of HS scoring almost entirely 3s or drives. You rarely see pull-up jumpers or even 12-15 footers much. MU is not a great outside shooting team but another way to break a zone is by simply hitting shots from open areas inside the 3-point line - think back to Lazar working the high post.

[brandx]

For the first time in my life, I've watched more NBA ball than college, and it's not close. College basketball is such a crap product.

Lakers coach Byron Scott said college basketball is more aggressive and "much more physical" than the NBA.

The NBA is much more adaptable than the NCAA.

[JWags85]

Steve, Derrick, Juan, Carlino, and Luke are all just fine in terms of physical strength. JJJ, Duane, and Cohen are all thin. Shocking that it's the underclassmen (outside of Luke) who need to add weight.

I would even argue that Luke needs to put on some weight.  He's obviously not as skinny as Cohen or Duane, but seeing him in person on Saturday for the first time, I was kind of surprised how slender he is for his frame.  He doesn't need to be transformed, but I think a bit of bulk will make him even more of a beast inside.

[We R Final Four]

I would venture that 99% of 7' 20 year olds could put on some weight.

[wadesworld]

I would even argue that Luke needs to put on some weight.  He's obviously not as skinny as Cohen or Duane, but seeing him in person on Saturday for the first time, I was kind of surprised how slender he is for his frame.  He doesn't need to be transformed, but I think a bit of bulk will make him even more of a beast inside.

I don't disagree, adding some weight would be helpful, but he isn't too thin/weak to where he needs it, like Cohen, Duane, and JJJ.  Juan also could use a bit more, but he has filled out quite a bit and is now a solid build.

[WarriorInNYC]

Ideally, that ability will come with experience. The mid-range game, itself comes with experience. Most perimeter players come out of HS scoring almost entirely 3s or drives. You rarely see pull-up jumpers or even 12-15 footers much. MU is not a great outside shooting team but another way to break a zone is by simply hitting shots from open areas inside the 3-point line - think back to Lazar working the high post.

Agreed.  And hopefully this is something that Wojo and the coaching staff recognize and point out in film study.

[willie warrior]

I would even argue that Luke needs to put on some weight.  He's obviously not as skinny as Cohen or Duane, but seeing him in person on Saturday for the first time, I was kind of surprised how slender he is for his frame.  He doesn't need to be transformed, but I think a bit of bulk will make him even more of a beast inside.

I agree that Luke needs to put on some weight. I would also argue that some weight will come in a few years when he will be putting some NBA coin in his pocket.

[bilsu]

I was very happy with the way we played defense. Early in the season, we were horrible on defense, but now we seem to be very solid. Our young players JJJ, Wilson and Cohen are very quick. However, they need to learn how to utilize their quickness. Offensively we are taking too many threes and driving to the basket too much. We need to learn to take pull up jumpers. Right now the defense is just packing it in when we drive all the way to the hoop.

[connie]

As much as Carlino can be frustrating, I really can't imagine how much worse MU would be without him. 

My head tells me that this is true, especially with our lack of depth, but every time I have seen Carlino play frustration is my dominant take away.