Shakahowski

[willie warrior]

Those are my sentiments exactly. I was not that excited when he was hired based on his years at Texas. I wasn't too excited about the talent he brought in, but I hoped for the best and di enjoy the 7 game gauntlet. The team definitely regressed the final 10 games of the season and I'm not so sure we don't take a step back next year too. I hope I am wrong, but our talent level just does not compare well to other BE and NCAA tourney teams.

fiasco.
Clear the decks and get studs. That is Shaka job.

[MUfan12]

Think so. But that did not happen, did it? So that is a hypothetical, but we know what did happen. Including the last 2 games fiascos.

What did happen is MU beat a bunch of ranked teams, had a winning BE record, and made the tournament.

Still preferable to a .500 record with "improvement" at the end of the year.

[willie warrior]

What did happen is MU beat a bunch of ranked teams, had a winning BE record, and made the tournament.

Still preferable to a .500 record with "improvement" at the end of the year.

What did happen is that the team regressed as year went on including 3 losses to Creighton and a 32 point ass kicking to an 8 seed in dance. Sounds like selective memory by you.

[Uncle Rico]

What did happen is that the team regressed as year went on including 3 losses to Creighton and a 32 point ass kicking to an 8 seed in dance. Sounds like selective memory by you.

“Ass” 🤔

[GBPhoenix1993]

Count me as one that was happy with the job Shaka did this year even though he and his team certainly failed miserably in this last game. I thought this was a very flawed team that overachieved, and unfortunately all those flaws showed up on Thursday.  It sort of reminded me of the 2017 team that made the tourney and probably had no business being there had they not had some lucky breaks along the way. 

They took advantage of some good luck (i.e. playing Illinois without Cockburn and squeaking out a 1 point win, beating Seton Hall without Aiken, K State missing key player, etc. etc.).  Their record probably was better than the team's actual quality truly was, but for a team coming off a disastrous 2020-2021 and getting a new coach, this was a pretty surprising and positive result to make the NCAA Tournament. 

I will say this, Shaka will have to step up his player recruiting to play that pressure high tempo style he really wants to play.  When your starting PG shoots 32% from the field and below 30% from 3, that created a huge hole for the offense when he was forced to be more than a passer.  I'd be interested to see if "Cracked Sidewalks" can go through MU history and find a starting guard for the Warriors that shot and scored at a percentage more poorly than that. To me, he has to vastly improve his FG% to hold onto that starting job despite his tremendous passing skills. 

Add to that PG efficiency issue, the fact that they did not have a Big East starting caliber 5 man on their team, that was a couple of huge holes to overcome.  What carried Marquette this year was the incredible improvement of Lewis and Morsell.  Morsell played better at MU than at any time at Maryland where he never averaged double figures in scoring in his 4 years there but upped his average to over 13 PPG with MU.  Crazy that Shaka was able to make this team as good as they were with all the real flaws it had.  I think towards the end of the year, the flaws were evident for every coaching staff to see and there was just no way MU was going to be able to overcome it against the stronger teams.

The key going forward, Shaka is going to have to continue to build on the young core of Prosper, Mitchell, Joplin, and Jones. Those guys I believe have a bright future and a couple of years down the road will be key pieces on some stronger teams assuming Shaka can find more guys like them and keep that core from transferring out which is always a possibility these days.  He's going to have to fix the PG and C spots as well, hopefully the recruits coming in can plug those holes or at least have the potential to plug them in a couple years. 

[Shooter McGavin]

Agreed 100% GBP93

[Golden Avalanche]

Speaking with another alum at lunch and we agreed Shaka was our 3rd or 4th choice.  His time at Texas did not inspire confidence.  The team's play down the stretch was a red flag.

I still believe it takes 3 years to get a fully informed opinion.  At this point, my admittedly half-assed opinion is not positive.  I sincerely hope I am wrong.

Who were the three ahead of Shaka?

[Uncle Rico]

Who were the three ahead of Shaka?

Tony Bennett, Erik Spolestra and Brian Wardle

[mubb3434]

Who were the three ahead of Shaka?

I'd love to hear this too. Porter Moser? What's funny is we probably would be celebrating a game or 2 in the NIT and calling it progress if we didn't go on that conference winning streak. Yes, we got blown out of the water on Thursday, but we weren't even supposed to be there. I bet 90%+ of MU fans would have chosen "make NCAA tournament and lose" over "Make NIT" at the beginning of the year. Was the expectation really for Shaka to take a brand new roster in a brand new system to the round of 32 or sweet 16 in year one? I don't care if expectations changed throughout the year, he was still playing with the same cards.

Shaka is the right guy for the program. Let him get his guys and let's build this thing back to a power in CBB. Can't wait to invest more in the program. Upgrading my seats next year as I'm pumped for the future.

[MUfan12]

What did happen is that the team regressed as year went on including 3 losses to Creighton and a 32 point ass kicking to an 8 seed in dance. Sounds like selective memory by you.

Both things are true. But on the whole, give me the winning season with a tourney bid any day.

[willie warrior]

Both things are true. But on the whole, give me the winning season with a tourney bid any day.

Suit yourself. On the whole, give me some noise in the tourney instead of the boat race we became. On the whole give me some studs coming in for next year rather than the mid major 3 stars coming in.

[Daniel]

Shaka has not built his team yet.  This year’s team was pasted together quickly.   Some of the players have great potential.    Let’s see wha Shaka can do 8n evaluating talent and bringing in sad talent.   Stars schmars.   Let’s see the value of what he builds in nex two classes.   Looks like a couple good ones next year and hopefully Gold is golden.

[willie warrior]

“Ass” 🤔

So now you are reduced to name calling. Stay classy Pico

[willie warrior]

Tony Bennett, Erik Spolestra and Brian Wardle

Likely Pico was at top of list, given his superior knowledge and legend in his mind attitude.

[Uncle Rico]

Likely Pico was at top of list, given his superior knowledge and legend in his mind attitude.

I’d pay for players and hire top level assistants

[rocky_warrior]

Shaka has not built his team yet.  This year’s team was pasted together quickly.   Some of the players have great potential.   

This was mentioned elsewhere.  But he intentionally kept Elliott, Lewis, and Oso.  Re-recruited Kam and Stevie.  Brought Eliis, Joplin, and Itejere from his TX class, and got Morsell, Kur, Omax and Kolek from the portal.  And started on Mar 26, 2021.  1 year ago in 7 days. 

This was the team his choose.  Not some middle of the summer hire that had to throw things together.

I expect he'll get better rosters, but the narrative that he was forced to throw this one together is false.

[Pakuni]

Shaka has not built his team yet.  This year’s team was pasted together quickly.   Some of the players have great potential.    Let’s see wha Shaka can do 8n evaluating talent and bringing in sad talent.   Stars schmars.   Let’s see the value of what he builds in nex two classes.   Looks like a couple good ones next year and hopefully Gold is golden.

McDermott lost all five of his starters, added nine new players and is battling Kansas in the second round despite losing significant players to injury.

[Farley36]

Everyone please be patient.  Shaka needs 4 to 5 more years before we can judge how he’s doing.   If by then things haven’t turned around we will require 5 or 6 additional years to judge his replacement.  The fact that the team regressed the last third of the year and was embarrassed in the tourney is nothing to be concerned about.   We have a strong core of role players and an adequate group of freshman coming in.  We also have the portal where we can continue to add players that we pump up to be studs before they step on the court but who play like duds once the games start.   Nobody worry.  If we just keep saying it’s fine, then it has to turn out fine, right?

[Johnny B]

Everyone please be patient.  Shaka needs 4 to 5 more years before we can judge how he’s doing.   If by then things haven’t turned around we will require 5 or 6 additional years to judge his replacement.  The fact that the team regressed the last third of the year and was embarrassed in the tourney is nothing to be concerned about.   We have a strong core of role players and an adequate group of freshman coming in.  We also have the portal where we can continue to add players that we pump up to be studs before they step on the court but who play like duds once the games start.   Nobody worry.  If we just keep saying it’s fine, then it has to turn out fine, right?

you are obsessed

[Merit Matters]

Need 10 years at least to judge. I’m sure we will have won an NIT game by then.

[Uncle Rico]

Need 10 years at least to judge. I’m sure we will have won an NIT game by then.

Who said that?  What would you do today as Marquette AD or coach?  Please share your ideas. 

[Farley36]

Who said that?  What would you do today as Marquette AD or coach?  Please share your ideas.

If I was the AD I’d resign knowing I was a huge part of the problem.

[Tyler COLEk]

Incredible and depressingly predictable the whining in this thread and on the scoop as a whole. Marquette lost to a final four team after making the tournament unexpectedly in the new coach’s first year. I get it wasn’t fun to watch these past six weeks, but c’mon.

[Jockey]

The performance of most posters in this thread is way, way more embarrassing that that of the team on Thursday.

May I recommend that each of you losers find a different team to support. It will make Scoop a better place.

[Uncle Rico]

If I was the AD I’d resign knowing I was a huge part of the problem.

So, you don’t follow any other of the teams at Marquette?  Got it