[Matt Velazquez] Shorter Golden Eagles team to emphasize shooting skills

[MattVelazquez]

Shorter Golden Eagles team to emphasize shooting skills

Next season, the Golden Eagles look primed to have shooting depth at multiple positions and a new-found ability to space the floor.
Source: Shorter Golden Eagles team to emphasize shooting skills

[KampusFoods]

#GuardsGame

[RushmoreAcademy]

#bombsaway
#donedeal

[Jay Bee]

OK; this one kind of bothered me because Wojo knows better.

""We knew it was going to be a year where we had to teach and grow and get better, and I think we did that," Wojciechowski said Thursday. "There's only been 36 20-win teams in Marquette history; next year will be the 100th anniversary."

It's kind of difficult to be a 20-win team in the many years when you DIDN'T EVEN PLAY 20 GAMES, TOTAL.

C'mon, bud.

[Taint]

OK; this one kind of bothered me because Wojo knows better.

""We knew it was going to be a year where we had to teach and grow and get better, and I think we did that," Wojciechowski said Thursday. "There's only been 36 20-win teams in Marquette history; next year will be the 100th anniversary."

It's kind of difficult to be a 20-win team in the many years when you DIDN'T EVEN PLAY 20 GAMES, TOTAL.

C'mon, bud.

Plus tax.  Furthermore, 10 of the wins came against Sub 225 teams, 4 of which were sub 330 teams.  "Achieved" ZERO wins against any Ken Pom Top 25 team.

[Marcus92]

Not the most insightful article.  But I am glad to see Matt still posting articles on Marquette — and that Wojo contributed. It at least helps keep us in the Milwaukee sports picture. The closing comment about recruiting is intriguing.

[naginiF]

OK; this one kind of bothered me because Wojo knows better.

""We knew it was going to be a year where we had to teach and grow and get better, and I think we did that," Wojciechowski said Thursday. "There's only been 36 20-win teams in Marquette history; next year will be the 100th anniversary."

It's kind of difficult to be a 20-win team in the many years when you DIDN'T EVEN PLAY 20 GAMES, TOTAL.

C'mon, bud.

I'd imagine that the "there's ONLY been..."  is in comparison to Duke which has 50 seasons with 20+ wins.  He's not shy about embracing and praising our history and achievements so i don't think it is a slight, i take it as his expectations that every year should be 20+ wins. 

[Knight Commission]

Not the most insightful article.  But I am glad to see Matt still posting articles on Marquette — and that Wojo contributed. It at least helps keep us in the Milwaukee sports picture. The closing comment about recruiting is intriguing.

Actually I think it was.   I think one of the key points (in addition to the reason for the guards) was to confirm that someone (Wally) is transferring since we are bringing in the Duquense grad, and Young.

[GGGG]

Plus tax.  Furthermore, 10 of the wins came against Sub 225 teams, 4 of which were sub 330 teams.  "Achieved" ZERO wins against any Ken Pom Top 25 team.

Ners I know you are trying to be transparent and not really show who you are.  But you aren't fooling anyone.

[Dawson Rental]

"We're always recruiting," Wojciechowski said. "In today's day and age you have to. We'll get to what we're doing in the future at another time."

In the meantime, check in at MUScoop for speculation, wild and otherwise.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Plus tax.  Furthermore, 10 of the wins came against Sub 225 teams, 4 of which were sub 330 teams.  "Achieved" ZERO wins against any Ken Pom Top 25 team.

Yes, but go back the last 50 years, there are probably 7 to 10 wins every year against cupcakes.

As for Wojo's claim, I don't find much wrong with it.  Yes, Jay Bee is right there were many years that not many games were played.  I assume he is just using context to show how long MU hoops has been played.  Yes, he would have been more precise to say in the "modern era" of MU basketball, 20 wins has only happened X times.  Of course then folks would want to define when the modern era starts.

[ChicosBailBonds]

#GuardsGame

Absolutely


So glad to hear him say this

"In college basketball, and basketball in general, guards are incredibly important," Wojciechowski said. "I think we have some real good ones. You can win a lot of different ways in college."

and this

"I think shooting in today's day and age is key," Wojciechowski said after a season in which Marquette was the seventh-best three-point shooting team in the Big East.

[Jay Bee]

As for Wojo's claim, I don't find much wrong with it.  Yes, Jay Bee is right there were many years that not many games were played.  I assume he is just using context to show how long MU hoops has been played.  Yes, he would have been more precise to say in the "modern era" of MU basketball, 20 wins has only happened X times.  Of course then folks would want to define when the modern era starts.

Talking about 20-wins in the current day, where the norm for a big program is to have at least 31 to 32 games played in a year (30 or 31 scheduled + 1 conf tourney game).. and comparing the 20-wins metric to the past 100 years is silly. It just is.

The first 37 years of the 99 Wojo refers to, MU had exactly 0 20-win seasons.

In the past 15 years, we've had less than 19 wins just twice - Buzz's last year & Wojo's first. We've averaged more than 22 wins per season in that time frame.

The 20-win metric is stupid when measuring team success today -- and most certainly when comparing it to, say the first 37 years, when the average GAMES PLAYED were 18.6.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Thank god Broeker added Stetson...

[Daniel]

Actually I think it was.   I think one of the key points (in addition to the reason for the guards) was to confirm that someone (Wally) is transferring since we are bringing in the Duquense grad, and Young.

Last statement sounds to me like Wojo has something already worked out, and it's somehow without really hurting anyone  - so maybe with Wally.  We will see.

[Marcus92]

Until it's official, I don't think anything about a transfer or new roster addition is confirmed. The word "confirm" means "to acknowledge with definite assurance." Have we forgotten the lessons of #donedeal so soon?

[Knight Commission]

Fair point.  Let's go with strongly imply. 

[Taint]

Absolutely


So glad to hear him say this

"In college basketball, and basketball in general, guards are incredibly important," Wojciechowski said. "I think we have some real good ones. You can win a lot of different ways in college."

and this

"I think shooting in today's day and age is key," Wojciechowski said after a season in which Marquette was the seventh-best three-point shooting team in the Big East.

I largely agree and like these two statements.  However, you need to have PHYSICAL guards, and at least one physical post presence to win at an appreciable level.  Ochefu was a HUGE asset to Nova, and just as we had the benefit of Devante Gardner - a guy you could throw the ball to and who could almost always get you a bucket - when the perimeter shots aren't falling and in order to create good spacing for a guard oriented 4 out 1 in offense. 

[Marcus92]

Agreed. Very strongly implied. Wojo is very deliberate about what information he shares publicly. He's making a statement to MU fans, students, his team and future recruits.

To me, quotes like "shooting in today's day and age is key," "guards are incredibly important" or "you can win a lot of different ways in college" aren't very insightful. That's pretty much stating the obvious to anyone who follows college basketball. But it's clear he's focusing on the perimeter game. And it's interesting that's what he decided to comment on — not defense or rebounding (two other nearly universal subjects for Wojo).

Wojo has made statements similar to "we're always recruiting" in the past. No news there; that's the reality of college basketball. But the timing of this quote — along with apparent continued interest in 2016 recruits — is definitely worth following.

[WarriorHal]

Last statement sounds to me like Wojo has something already worked out, and it's somehow without really hurting anyone  - so maybe with Wally.  We will see.
[/quote

Can Wally switch to a track & field scholarship -- if Marquette even has those -- and still play basketball? Or maybe he would drop basketball and focus on high jumping.

[Dawson Rental]

Can Wally switch to a track & field scholarship -- if Marquette even has those -- and still play basketball? Or maybe he would drop basketball and focus on high jumping.

Wally won't be allowed to play on the basketball team if he is on an athletic scholarship for anything else. 

[muwarrior69]

Well I hope these guys can shoot; make their own shot. My fear is once they put on that MU uniform that ability is some how forgotten.

[jsglow]

Wojo doing a good job of channeling his inner Ted Thompson.  I love it when Ted speaks for 15 minutes and says nothing.  Then he just builds another winner that has a real shot in January every year.  I think we'd take that in Warrior nation.

[naginiF]

Wojo doing a good job of channeling his inner Ted Thompson.  I love it when Ted speaks for 15 minutes and says nothing.  Then he just builds another winner that has a real shot in January every year.  I think we'd take that in Warrior nation.

agree with the sentiment but i'm VERY satisfied that i had to google 'Ted Thompson'.  I know, shocking that someone doesn't care enough about the packers to have that info on the top of their head.

[4everwarriors]

Wouldn't a basketball team always emphasize shootin' skills, hey?

[ChicosBailBonds]

I largely agree and like these two statements.  However, you need to have PHYSICAL guards, and at least one physical post presence to win at an appreciable level.  Ochefu was a HUGE asset to Nova, and just as we had the benefit of Devante Gardner - a guy you could throw the ball to and who could almost always get you a bucket - when the perimeter shots aren't falling and in order to create good spacing for a guard oriented 4 out 1 in offense.

I wouldn't disagree with that all.  Need some bigs, no doubt....but my point over the years is that quality bigs are few and far between.  MU is rarely going to get those guys.  Even the NBA is a guard's game now.  So focus on what you can get at a high quality level, and build your team from the outside in, not the inside out.  It basically is a numbers game on what is available out there.  But I most definitely agree you can't have a roster of 12 guards, you need some size, but it doesn't have to be Shaq, Wilt, Kareem in there....because those guys aren't coming to MU.

[CTWarrior]

I largely agree and like these two statements.  However, you need to have PHYSICAL guards, and at least one physical post presence to win at an appreciable level.  Ochefu was a HUGE asset to Nova, and just as we had the benefit of Devante Gardner - a guy you could throw the ball to and who could almost always get you a bucket - when the perimeter shots aren't falling and in order to create good spacing for a guard oriented 4 out 1 in offense.

I actually think Fischer is a pretty good bet to score when he gets the ball down low with his hook shot, and will especially be so when the other four guys on the floor are threats to shoot.  I think the major difference between Ochefu and Luke is that Ochefu is much more of a space eater and rim protector on the other end.  That's my concern about the 4 out-1 in philosophy for us next year.  We are going to have a very tough time stopping people when we don't turn them over.

[BM1090]

I largely agree and like these two statements.  However, you need to have PHYSICAL guards, and at least one physical post presence to win at an appreciable level.  Ochefu was a HUGE asset to Nova, and just as we had the benefit of Devante Gardner - a guy you could throw the ball to and who could almost always get you a bucket - when the perimeter shots aren't falling and in order to create good spacing for a guard oriented 4 out 1 in offense.

What physical guards did Uconn have in 2013? Shabazz Napier? Ryan Boatright? Nope. Physical post presences? DeAndre Daniels? Nah. Tyler Olander? Lol. Phil Nolan? Nope.

[BM1090]

Plus tax.  Furthermore, 10 of the wins came against Sub 225 teams, 4 of which were sub 330 teams.  "Achieved" ZERO wins against any Ken Pom Top 25 team.

No top 25 wins but 3 top 40 wins and 5 top 50.