Season outlook took a hit

[tower912]

There is no getting around the fact that Haanif's decision has negatively impacted the prospects for the rest of the year.   There wasn't enough size, depth or experience before.  This has exacerbated the problem.  I know longer think this is a bubble team.  Counting on 3 freshmen to make significant contributions is asking for disappointment. 

If Wojo somehow gets this team to the tourney, any questions about his ability will be put to rest.  And recruit more guards.

[esotericmindguy]

It's not a recruiting issue, it's a player management issue. If 2 of the recent transfers were still on the team (Duane, Cheatham, Carter) there would great depth. Marquette seems to be perpetually young. I'm sure it's an issue for many programs, but Marquette has a serious problem keeping roll players around for 4 years.  I think Cain, Eke & Elliot being 3 star kids should help buck the trend.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

It's not a recruiting issue, it's a player management issue. If 2 of the recent transfers were still on the team (Duane, Cheatham, Carter) there would great depth. Marquette seems to be perpetually young. I'm sure it's an issue for many programs, but Marquette has a serious problem keeping roll players around for 4 years.  I think Cain, Eke & Elliot being 3 star kids should help buck the trend.

I wonder how much of this is related to the lack of recent NCAA success.  It's one thing to find out your are a role player on a team that expects to go to the NCAA tourney every year -- completely another with our recent track record.

[Newsdreams]

There is no getting around the fact that Haanif's decision has negatively impacted the prospects for the rest of the year.   There wasn't enough size, depth or experience before.  This has exacerbated the problem.  I know longer think this is a bubble team.  Counting on 3 freshmen to make significant contributions is asking for disappointment. 

If Wojo somehow gets this team to the tourney, any questions about his ability will be put to rest.  And recruit more guards.

We looked terrible last night, but there was not enough time to adjust practice / strategy. I’m sure the announcement hurt team mood. Hope we can hold what’s left of OOC to 1 or 2 losses and then see what Froling brings. Unfortunately we took a big hit with HC’s transfer.

[tower912]

To borrow from Donald Rumsfeld, MU is going to do battle with the team we have, not the team we wish we had.   Take a long, objective look at the size, experience, and talent level of this team.    Adjust your expectations accordingly.   

[Goose]

Tower

It very likely will be a very long season. I look forward to reading about the starting lineups two years down the road. My favorite is when the projected depth charts by position get brought to our attention.

[Jay Bee]

Greg & Harry come through; Jamal & Sacar give more; Matt does more... and we can be in.

[Lacrosse218]

All good points, I just don't see us being a tourney team this year.  Consistently being young and typically short on role players is getting tiring. 

I expect big things next year with this roster and adding Froling, little Hauser, and Morrow...as in consistently a top 20 team and making it to the 2nd weekend of the tourney.  If we fall short of that it will be time to heat up Wojo's seat, will be year 5 by then and the mediocrity will start getting to me.  I really hope after this year the trajectory for Wojo and the program begins to go up.

[MUfan12]

Depth took a hit. Would Haanif have stopped that debacle last night? Who knows. But that's a steady guy, and another capable defender you could have thrown at Starks.

The staff also needs to scrap high ball pressure and blitzing the screens with the bigs. First, because it's not working, and second, because it expends a ton of energy with no return. With Elliott and Cain you have enough length to still be disruptive playing a more compact defense.

[skianth16]

The staff also needs to scrap high ball pressure and blitzing the screens with the bigs. First, because it's not working, and second, because it expends a ton of energy with no return. With Elliott and Cain you have enough length to still be disruptive playing a more compact defense.

I think this is a great point. We're running our bigs all over the place and not getting anything out of it, except for tired guys. I'd like to see some changes here too.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

My preseason pick for us was playing in Dayton as part of the last four in. Without HC it looks more like an NIT berth. We'll know a lot more after the OOC

[LAZER]

It's not a recruiting issue, it's a player management issue. If 2 of the recent transfers were still on the team (Duane, Cheatham, Carter) there would great depth. Marquette seems to be perpetually young. I'm sure it's an issue for many programs, but Marquette has a serious problem keeping roll players around for 4 years.  I think Cain, Eke & Elliot being 3 star kids should help buck the trend.

So you think Wojo has mismanaged Duane, Carter, and Cheatham? I don't think any of those guys did anything to secure a starting spot for MU.  Wojo better be recruiting guys to take minutes away from those types of players or else MU is in trouble.

[Boards]

No doubt about it, losing an upperclassmen wing that's shown well on the defensive side of the ball is a loss. BUT Sacar can play, he's definitely got the size and - yes Hannif was getting better at attacking early this year - I think Sacar is the more confident player. I'm rolling with Sacar in a dog fight over Hannif every day. I think the Sacar we're watching now will look worlds different in a month or two.

[muwarrior69]

I never had high expectations for this season. Three frosh, 4 sophs and only two upper classman do not make for a consistently winning team. Greg and Sacar are the only two players that are quick enough to play decent defense. I look forward to seeing them develop into very good players that will make Sam, Joey and Markus into great players. I am also sad to see Haanif leave, but just from the "eye test" when Sacar drives to the basket he gets above the rim and his shot has a good chance of going into the basket whereas Haani's drives were a source of much frustration. My "eye test" however may not match the stats. The loss of Haani may have affected the team last night; just have to wait and see.

[T-Bone]

Give it a few games.  They need to adjust.  They have the talent to do it, they just need the time. 

[Silkk the Shaka]

Greg & Harry come through; Jamal & Sacar give more; Matt does more... and we can be in.

This, plus I think we found a new offense last night.

Run it through Hauser on the high post. Get him a touch, or have him screen the ball and roll or pop out for 3 on nearly every possession. It will get him better shots, and will take some focus off Rowsey & Howard so they can get better shots.

[muwarrior69]

This, plus I think we found a new offense last night.

Run it through Hauser on the high post. Get him a touch, or have him screen the ball and roll or pop out for 3 on nearly every possession. It will get him better shots, and will take some focus off Rowsey & Howard so they can get better shots.

No to overstate the obvious, what we really need to find is a new defense.

[jonny09]

The waiting has been excruciating. It’s taking much longer than most had anticipated to get back to relevancy.  In regards to D, Wojo has talked about it since day 1.  At what point do we consider that he either can’t coach it or recruit the players who are willing to play it? 

[Silkk the Shaka]

No to overstate the obvious, what we really need to find is a new defense.

Ha true, but painful scoring droughts have hurt us this year as well. Plus it helps the D to play after a made basket, kinda symbiotic that way.

[GoldenDieners32]

If the freshman and froling can't step up we won't be playing postseason basketball

[goldeneagle91114]

All good points, I just don't see us being a tourney team this year.  Consistently being young and typically short on role players is getting tiring. 

I expect big things next year with this roster and adding Froling, little Hauser, and Morrow...as in consistently a top 20 team and making it to the 2nd weekend of the tourney.  If we fall short of that it will be time to heat up Wojo's seat, will be year 5 by then and the mediocrity will start getting to me.  I really hope after this year the trajectory for Wojo and the program begins to go up.

Completely agree. I get that most schools have transfers. But it seems like every year all we talk about is how good we will be when these guys get older, but it never seems to happen.

[Otule's Glass Eye]

You guys need to settle down lol we lost to .500 UW-Green Bay the year we made it to the Elite 8. Every team can have a bad game and we had our worst of the year last night and still won. We will probably struggle a bit for the next month but I am confident Froling will help the offensive/defensive paint presence issue. Greg Elliott stepped up across the board last night.

[Bad_Reporter]

Not sure where this is coming from?

Everyone seems to believe hanni was the savior of MU basketball or something.

Nice player, but by no means have my expectations of the NCAA tournament berth changed.  I won't miss Hanni continuously getting stuffed at the rim each game.  His offense was subpar. No right hand finish, and could hit the open 3 once in a while.

Elliot has shown me he's much better defensively and Anim can make up for the loss of Hanni's offensive production.

I hope we'll for the young man, but I think this could be a good thing.  Freshman getting a lot of run and contributing early.

[Mr. Sand-Knit]

There is no getting around the fact that Haanif's decision has negatively impacted the prospects for the rest of the year.   There wasn't enough size, depth or experience before.  This has exacerbated the problem.  I know longer think this is a bubble team.  Counting on 3 freshmen to make significant contributions is asking for disappointment. 

If Wojo somehow gets this team to the tourney, any questions about his ability will be put to rest.  And recruit more guards.

Qwit being a crybaby tower, we win a close game against a good mid major with a couple highmajor players after traveling multiple time zones and it was the same day a leader anniunced he was leaving tge program.  They showed great stones and won the game, collectively sacar and elliott played as well or better than cheatham has been playing and we won the game.  Anyone who felt this team wouldnt win some we shouldnt n lose some we shouldnt needs to have hus head examined.  Terrible post.

[esotericmindguy]

So you think Wojo has mismanaged Duane, Carter, and Cheatham? I don't think any of those guys did anything to secure a starting spot for MU.  Wojo better be recruiting guys to take minutes away from those types of players or else MU is in trouble.

Hard to say. I don't pay attention to other teams and their transfers, do players that are actually playing significant minutes transfer from Creighton, Butler, etc.? Maybe it's a matter of being featured, but Duane went to a better team in Texas and is playing similar minutes. Steve Taylor. Gabe Levin. Sandy Cohen. Traci Carter. Duane Wilson. Haanif Cheatham. First two guys had a coaching change so I can forgive that. But all these guys were, or would have gotten, major minutes. Would Cohen be ahead of Cain? I think so. Duane would have been ahead of Elliott. Part of the coach's job is to get kids to buy in, obviously the role players aren't.