Building an Elite program is hard work

[Goose]

First, I want to say that I am extremely disappointed in the loss last night. Disappointed because they put themselves in position for a deep run and fell short. One of my biggest disappointments is that this short era of MU basketball is coming to an end. We have seen some very good basketball over the last two years and extremely entertaining basketball which I have appreciated every minute of. My biggest disappointment is that I did not get a chance to give TK the three minute standing ovation he deserves for what he has done for the program.

In full disclosure, I think the last two years were the most unique in MU history and will not be repeated, which I believe is a good thing. Two players changed a program and they were both a blessing and a curse to some degree. Oso is a unicorn and found the right coach, system and PG. TK surpassed every wild expectation that I had for him by a very wide margin and made everyone better. IMO, it was a curse because you had to run with these two guys and not disrupt the chemistry. There will never be a duo like those two again.

Now, the following is why I believe MU is on their way to being elite:

Head Coach: We have a proven leader and a guy that wants to be here. I heard from a very reliable source (non scooper) that Shaka was offered BAGS from two programs with a rich history over the past two weeks and rejected both immediately. He wants to be the HC at MU and that is how you build elite.

Culture: CHECK, CHECK, CHECK

Fanbase: check

Facilities: check

NIL; check, check, check

Player development: check, check, check

Recruiting: Shaka has proven he can recruit international players, retain players (a must today), and will have two portal tranfers in the NBA in his first three years.

Guys to NBA: check, check, check

I have two have two concerns and they both come down to flexibility. I believe Shaka has to become more engaged in the portal and/or recruit better players that can be an impact from day one. Second concern is in regard to NIL, MU has bags to spread to around, but appear to have a set plan in place in how to use it. IMO, they need to be less rigid in how they spread the bags around. Fortunately for MU I have no say in the NIL space because I possibly could somehow find a way to violate NCAA rules in an era of no rules.

I will add, elite is not built in three years, but foundations are built in three years. IMO, the last two seasons were bonus runs because of TK and Oso. They might have derailed the process a bit because Shaka ran with them, which was the right call. I have said many times that best Shaka team is down the road and I believe that. I think it will be built around guys like Chase Ross, the incoming freshmen and will be a defense first program.

I might end up being flat out wrong, but I have put far too much time and energy into this program over the past three years and believe my points are well thought out. As Shaka has said, Marquette basketball is the place to be.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Good post - can't really disagree with anything here. 

I will be curious to see how Shaka and the program continue to handle the portal and NIL. 

[MuggsyB]

Goose,

We need the type of player that can put his head down and  get buckets when everything else fails.  At one point in the game I think Jop, Kam, and Stevie were like 3 for 25 while simultaneously Oso didn't look to score.  That's impossible to overcome.  We also need a deadeye shooter with decent size. 

[rgoode57]

I agree with you, Goose. I know most MU fans would like to see Tyler and Oso return for another year, but I am not one of those. You are correct that they are a unique duo that we will never see again, but it is time to move the program to the next phase. I don't know exactly what that phase looks like, but it's time - both for them and for the program. Shaka probably knows that too.

[T.V. Diener 34]

Oso scored 20 points the entire tournament..... we played 3 games

[DoctorV]

Nice post Goose.

Marquette is in the right hands, and has everything it needs to succeed going forward.

I trust Shaka with every aspect of this program- the culture, the recruiting, the handling of the players and their development as both men and athletes and how they represent MU.

He’s earned it, and he’s a great person in his own right.
It’ll take some patience now that he’s set such a high standard so quickly.

It’ll be fun to watch, and the FiServ will continue to rock.
As some have noted, as long as he continues to put the program in the right position that March madness breakthrough should hopefully eventually come.
He’s gotta tackle that aspect head on and learn from it, confront it rather than dodge it, and I’m hopeful that he will.

In all other aspects I’ve come to a point that whatever move he makes is the right move, until I’m proven otherwise.

[Goose]

Muggsy

This has been a feel good, entertaining two years, but tougher and better players are needed. I am not going to comment on any specific player because they all have played a great role over the past two years. That said, I expect better and tougher guys down the road.

[JakeBarnes]

Goose,

We need the type of player that can put his head down and  get buckets when everything else fails.  At one point in the game I think Jop, Kam, and Stevie were like 3 for 25 while simultaneously Oso didn't look to score.  That's impossible to overcome.  We also need a deadeye shooter with decent size.

Stevie has been that guy. Which is a great development for him.

More people need his run thru a wall approach for a bucket when we need to stop the bleeding.

[CountryRoads]

Muggsy

This has been a feel good, entertaining two years, but tougher and better players are needed. I am not going to comment on any specific player because they all have played a great role over the past two years. That said, I expect better and tougher guys down the road.

Great OP. We’ll be a different team next year, but not ready to concede just yet that there will necessarily be as much drop off as many assume regardless of who leaves.

[mileskishnish72]

Oso scored 20 points the entire tournament..... we played 3 games

Probably didn't help his draft position.

[JakeBarnes]

Great OP. We’ll be a different team next year, but not ready to concede just yet that there will necessarily be as much drop off as many assume regardless of who leaves.

I'm stil standing by my Tre Norman is the pg future prediction for next year. Gonna go down with that ship.

I think the incoming class (including Hamilton here) is going to surprise. Owens feels like the omax evolution on offense (slashes more violently, better handles...defense will hopefully come around). Parham has a nice spot shooting game and can make nice moves inside (in can see him on the floor with Ben and causingbsome havoc).

Hamilton already looks huge. Think he will be a post presence that can battle with Samson Johnson (and from warm-ups seems he can hit some spot 3s too).

Lots of positives. Still think we could use a combo guard to fill in. But then again, veel that could be Kam and Tre running the o

[HutchwasClutch]

I'm stil standing by my Tre Norman is the pg future prediction for next year. Gonna go down with that ship.

Hopefully I’ll be wrong but I see Norman going the way of Symir Torrence.  I think we pretty much found out the reason he did not hold many high major offers, with one of them being Georgetown who hasn’t resembled a high major program in about a decade. 

Remember what Hurley told his team about Norman during the BET championship game? 

[JakeBarnes]

Hopefully I’ll be wrong but I see Norman going the way of Symir Torrence.  I think we pretty much found out the reason he did not hold many high major offers, with one of them being Georgetown who hasn’t resembled a high major program in about a decade. 

Remember what Hurley told his team about Norman during the BET championship game?

I don't recall any quote so pardon my ignorance there

Norman a much more explosive player and better finisher than Symir could be. I expect a big leap from frosh to soph year. We already saw some of it in the second half of the year

[HutchwasClutch]

I don't recall any quote so pardon my ignorance there

Norman a much more explosive player and better finisher than Symir could be. I expect a big leap from frosh to soph year. We already saw some of it in the second half of the year

At the under 12 timeout of the 2nd half, right after Norman scored before the media timeout, he called out Norman by name in the huddle that guys like him can’t/ shouldn’t hurt us.  Raw and real commentary. 

[JakeBarnes]

At the under 12 timeout of the 2nd half, right after Norman scored before the media timeout, he called out Norman by name in the huddle that guys like him can’t/ shouldn’t hurt us.  Raw and real commentary.

I think that is more of an indictment of Norman being a little played frosh at the time and not about his career trajectory.

Also, he did score on that play, so he did hurt them. Raw and real...reality

[HutchwasClutch]

I think that is more of an indictment of Norman being a little played frosh at the time and not about his career trajectory.

Also, he did score on that play, so he did hurt them. Raw and real...reality

All we can go by is what he actually said.  And it wasn’t anything any player would want to hear, little used freshman or otherwise.  Sounds like Hurley at the least agrees the reason he wasn’t playing much.

[Mu8891]

Let’s face it …

MU got ZIP / nothing / nada from the three freshmen this year.   Which is why they were down to 7 guys …

I have no “ expectations “ for them next year

[JakeBarnes]

All we can go by is what he actually said.  And it wasn’t anything any player would want to hear, little used freshman or otherwise.  Sounds like Hurley at the least agrees the reason he wasn’t playing much.

If it fits your narrative, go for it.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

All we can go by is what he actually said.  And it wasn’t anything any player would want to hear, little used freshman or otherwise.  Sounds like Hurley at the least agrees the reason he wasn’t playing much.

You’re really stretching on this one.

[21Jumpstreet]

Rome wasn’t built in a day as it were. I’m super disappointed at yesterday’s loss, but we have improved the program, set backs are part of the journey, showing that an agile/quick/passing big can flourish at point guard U hopefully means we continue to bring in more of the same. My guess is that more of the same will also improve over time. It is so frustrating because they showed signed of elite basketball this year, another way to look at it is at times they were elite this year. My guess is we continue to improve, we continue to bring in quality young men, and we keep this train moving. I’d also like to see a knock down shooter or two and a forward who will scrap for rebounds, we saw signs, we need consistency. Good year, disappointing end like it normally is. We live to fight on next year!

[Dr. Blackheart]

Elite teams travel well. MU had the least amount of fans who travelled to Dallas. Not sure what was going on with tickets but NCST fans had blocks of sections in the secondary markets. Whether the school paid brokers or their fans just gobbled them up in blocks.  Weird

I thought MU had more fans in Indy even though the school allotment was bigger.

[JakeBarnes]

Elite teams travel well. MU had the least amount of fans who travelled to Dallas. Not sure what was going on with tickets but NCST fans had blocks of sections in the secondary markets. Whether the school paid brokers or their fans just gobbled them up in blocks.  Weird

I thought MU had more fans in Indy even though the school allotment was bigger.

I was stuck in one of the NC state blocks. It was rough.

[Dr. Blackheart]

I was stuck in one of the NC state blocks. It was rough.

Worst fan base I have encountered in years of travel to away games. That said, they were out in force.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Let’s face it …

MU got ZIP / nothing / nada from the three freshmen this year.   Which is why they were down to 7 guys …

I have no “ expectations “ for them next year

Tre and Zaide played about as many minutes as Gold and Joplin did as freshman.  Stevie played only slightly more as a frosh, but that was also a much worse team (9 seed compared to a 2 seed).

Let's see how they develop.  Too early to write them off.  Al Amadou looks like a Keeyan type project.  But even Keeyan stuck around for 2 years.   Let's see if Al develops more than Keeyan did.

I think every recruit needs two years to see if they crack the rotation.  Some freshmen will, being a year ahead of schedule.  Other players won't develop and probably transfer after two years.  Some frosh might transfer from time to time as well.

[JakeBarnes]

Worst fan base I have encountered in years of travel to away games. That said, they were out in force.

Yeah. I had a guy argue with me about the 5 second call and I was baffled a bit by the knowledge of the fanbase.

They did come away super impressed with Stevie though. Called him our second best player a lot and how they needed to shut him down