What is the new ceiling for this team? I think 21-9, 12-6 is now on the table. Yes, this is the optimism of beating Creighton and Villanova back to back talking. But still, time to recalculate.
Amazing last few games, for different reasons.
Amazing that we could achieve the last two, specifically, with a coach who plays mind games, who can't make adjustments, who demotivates his team, etc. etc. etc.
Suck it.
Tower - sorry to go off tangent. Needed to vent.
I agree with your new ceiling assessment though. But i have a tough time still disbelieving that we'll lose one we should win against a lower team.
Quote from: tower912 on January 24, 2017, 09:52:52 PM
What is the new ceiling for this team? I think 21-9, 12-6 is now on the table. Yes, this is the optimism of beating Creighton and Villanova back to back talking. But still, time to recalculate.
That sounds right. 12-6 is the new ceiling. I think 11-7 now sounds probable. 10-8 the next most probable.
I had them at 13-5 before Beast play started.
I know ... overly optimistic ... but just maybe.
Quote from: jesmu84 on January 24, 2017, 09:54:28 PM
Amazing last few games, for different reasons.
Amazing that we could achieve the last two, specifically, with a coach who plays mind games, who can't make adjustments, who demotivates his team, etc. etc. etc.
Suck it.
Tower - sorry to go off tangent. Needed to vent.
There have been a whole lot of people saying a whole lot of negative stuff who are going to be awfully quiet going forward. Stretching now for the leap onto the bandwagon.
For me.. very pleased.. but.. just make the tourney. We'll analyze our opponent(s) when known.
The only road game left against a likely tourney team is Xavier. 11 or 12 wins is definitely possible.
I'll admit, I was quite down on this team after the Butler game. It was frustrating seeing the team be so close at breaking through, only to blow it. Big-time credit to Wojo & co for finding the way to get it done.
Gosh, 21-9 puts us in the "this team developed into a monster throughout the year after a few early losses" 3-6 seed consideration. Crazy to think about.
Still think we slip up at SJU or DePaul(hope not Saturday vs Prov)
But I'm just glad we are 5 wins away from being a 100% lock for tourney.
Let's get em
I wanna go back to preseason predictions and see how many people had this ;D
Looking ahead at the possibilities brings out the pessimist in me, especially after the last few seasons. So, tonight I only wallow in victory!!
After tonight, none of the remaining games scare me. Maybe X in Cinncy, but we match up fairly well. Have a good shot to run the table if the boys keep their heads on straight and play like they did tonight.
This definitely changes the calculation and not only by the numbers. This team didn't rely on luck to beat Creighton and Villanova. MU outplayed and *outcoached* them both.
Quote from: lurch91 on January 24, 2017, 10:13:05 PM
Have a good shot to run the table
Stop that ridiculous talk right now. Actually. Really do stop it. If #1, 2, & 4 can lose in one night, MU will lose at least a couple more.
Will we be favored in all of the remaining regular season games with the exception of at X and maybe butler at home?
Quote from: rocky_warrior on January 24, 2017, 10:21:16 PM
Stop that ridiculous talk right now. Actually. Really do stop it. If #1, 2, & 4 can lose in one night, MU will lose at least a couple more.
This, many of us thought to start the season that we'd lose a few we shouldn't and win a couple that we shouldn't. That will continue. The good thing, we are now in great position to finish 10-8 and punch our ticket.
Quote from: rocky_warrior on January 24, 2017, 10:21:16 PM
Stop that ridiculous talk right now. Actually. Really do stop it. If #1, 2, & 4 can lose in one night, MU will lose at least a couple more.
You're telling me with our remaining schedule that everyone that thinks we'll end up 10 - 8 in conference is being realistic? There's a lot of people expecting us to go .500 the rest of the season? Really? Marquette is 5 - 3 as of tonight in the Big East, we may lose a couple of games (say @ X, and a couple of dumb ones - @ Providence and home v. Butler), but FIVE more?
Again, the rest of the schedule isn't scary. There isn't a "gaunlet". Doesn't mean we won't lose, but I don't see why people are saying 10 - 8 is our ceiling.
The thing that is different about this win is that they won with defense. If they can be effective on both ends of the floor then they will be a team no one wants to play.
Quote from: RJax55 on January 24, 2017, 10:05:20 PM
I'll admit, I was quite down on this team after the Butler game. It was frustrating seeing the team be so close at breaking through, only to blow it. Big-time credit to Wojo & co for finding the way to get it done.
I actually was encouraged after the Butler game. We played great for an extended stretch against an outstanding team on their home court. It's such a cliche ... but it really is a process. Katin said after tonight's game that the Butler loss helped motivate the team. Maybe this win doesn't happen if we had beaten Butler.
As for the long view ... as good as these last two wins are, it still wouldn't stun me to see us lose to a Providence or St. John's. I'm one of this board's big optimists and Wojo backers, but I'm also a realist. We have shortcomings that have been exposed and will continue to be exposed.
Having said that - we'll be dancin' in '17, baby!
I expect MU to go undefeated at home the rest of the way. 5 more home wins gets us to 10. Winning two more road a games does not seem unreasonable. 12-6 very possible.
Quote from: lurch91 on January 24, 2017, 10:34:56 PM
There's a lot of people expecting us to go .500 the rest of the season? Really? Marquette is 5 - 3 as of tonight in the Big East, we may lose a couple of games (say @ X, and a couple of dumb ones - @ Providence and home v. Butler), but FIVE more?
Maybe they are a lot of people. I'm not one of them. I'm just saying to expect a couple losses. Five would shock me, and this place would going nuts (in a bad way) again.
Quote from: TheGym on January 24, 2017, 10:35:55 PM
The thing that is different about this win is that they won with defense. If they can be effective on both ends of the floor then they will be a team no one wants to play.
+1
Quote from: rocky_warrior on January 24, 2017, 10:50:57 PM
Maybe they are a lot of people. I'm not one of them. I'm just saying to expect a couple losses. Five would shock me, and this place would going nuts (in a bad way) again.
Amen, No "Roll the Ball on the Court" thinking. Stay Focus.
We are 5-3. Preseason, I expected us to be 2-6 at this point. I also expected us to finish 10-8. Accordingly, I'm now expecting 13-5. Might end up lower, but the tourney looks very reachable now.
Wojo has finally shown that in the last 3 games he can now make coaching decisions (Even against the butler collapse) he has been better in this gauntlet then he has ever been. Benching fischer the last two games, giving Rienhart extended minutes the last two + duane tonight. Great coaching. The 1-3-1 trap was working almost all night.
I'm certainly going to recalibrate my expectations. At the start of BE play it was win against the poor teams, split with the mediocre wanna-bes and maybe steal 1 from a good team...,implication we were a mediocre wannabe.
That's all gone now! It's like the good ole days where we expect to win all our home games and figure to take a few away games. 12-6 is the new normal.
Who said 13-5.....you're not crazy now. 11-7 on the downside but ok. 10-8 so disappointing.
If anyone had told me 2-1 from that gauntlet, I'd have said they're crazy, and I'm a cockeyed optimist. What a finish. (Just home from the bar)
I think 11-7 seems about right but one game either way wouldn't surprise me. I am very hopeful that these guys are learning what it takes to win. I hope there is no let down in the next couple of days. Wojo did a great job tonight.
NCAA bid is completely ours to lose at this point - which is a phenomenal achievement for a team that was picked 7th in the preseason BE coaches poll, but that being said, maybe we all hold off on speculating on seed until we get to 10 BE wins?
Just consolidate the win by taking care of business against Providence. No idea what our record will be but man, this one feels good.
Quote from: ChitownSpaceForRent on January 25, 2017, 02:03:39 AM
Just consolidate the win by taking care of business against Providence. No idea what our record will be but man, this one feels good.
You make your luck and he seems to be pulling more strings at this point of the season. No way we run the table but happy to feel like we have a chance to win each game left on the the table.
It's more fun this way!
I thought we'd be lucky to win 2 or 3 games vs. Nova, But, CRT, SHU and X. We've already won 3! This is good stuff, guys.
Quote from: ChitownSpaceForRent on January 25, 2017, 02:03:39 AM
Just consolidate the win by taking care of business against Providence. No idea what our record will be but man, this one feels good.
I would love to see them come out against Providence, take a 13 point lead into the locker room at the half, not falter in the second half and win by 25. Show they can stay focused, hold a lead and finish.
Quote from: 1SE on January 25, 2017, 01:49:16 AM
NCAA bid is completely ours to lose at this point - which is a phenomenal achievement for a team that was picked 7th in the preseason BE coaches poll, but that being said, maybe we all hold off on speculating on seed until we get to 10 BE wins?
Yep
Quote from: StillAWarrior on January 25, 2017, 06:46:25 AM
I would love to see them come out against Providence, take a 13 point lead into the locker room at the half, not falter in the second half and win by 25. Show they can stay focused, hold a lead and finish.
big job for wojo now is keeping the team playing at the "nova" level, no let down and keep our boot on the neck of the beast. stay hungry
Quote from: rocket surgeon on January 25, 2017, 07:01:51 AM
big job for wojo now is keeping the team playing at the "nova" level, no let down and keep our walking boot on the neck of the beast. stay hungry
FIFY
Quote from: mileskishnish72 on January 25, 2017, 04:54:58 AM
I thought we'd be lucky to win 2 or 3 games vs. Nova, But, CRT, SHU and X. We've already won 3! This is good stuff, guys.
Crazy part is that we aren't far off from having 5 of those wins already.
I think 11 or 12 wins is probable, but to Rocky's point, do you not think all the Nova Scoopers were sitting around looking at the schedule and thinking last night would be a definite "W" in their favor? Hopefully, the players can understand the need to keep the foot on the gas at all times in the coming games.
Quote from: lurch91 on January 24, 2017, 10:34:56 PM
Doesn't mean we won't lose, but I don't see why people are saying 10 - 8 is our ceiling.
I don't think people are saying that's the ceiling but the floor at this point. Its pretty safe to say, baring injury, we will go minimum 10-8.
The Providence game on Saturday will be very telling. We are coming off the two biggest wins of the Wojo era and could be looking past the Friars. Wojo just needs to keep these guys focused on the next game and the W's will come.
Im feeling real good about this team. We just have to stay focused and keep playing some tough defense
Quote from: Lighthouse 84 on January 25, 2017, 07:54:15 AM
do you not think all the Nova Scoopers were sitting around looking at the schedule and thinking last night would be a definite "W" in their favor?
Reading through the game comments at the Villanova site, no. They said they believed there were only two conference games remaining that they could lose, and this was one of them.
My expectations have changed a bit but I'm keeping them relatively modest.
I still think we'll lose a game we shouldn't and hopefully everyone can keep things in perspective if that happens.
Quote from: Vander Blue Man Group on January 25, 2017, 08:48:51 AM
My expectations have changed a bit but I'm keeping them relatively modest.
I still think we'll lose a game we shouldn't and hopefully everyone can keep things in perspective if that happens.
This is still a volatile team by its construct. But having that first (and second) huge win helps a ton. Proverbial monkey off the back for fans.
I thought 10-8 was a stretch but we are now two games ahead of that pace. I don't think we will get 12-6 as I expect a loss against someone we shouldn't also we now have a target on our back so we will get the opponent's best. I think we go 6-4 the rest of the way and we land at 11-7.
I also think we'll lose a game we shouldn't, but as the only game left on the schedule that we shouldn't win is at Xavier, I'm saying 8-2 down the stretch and 13-5 overall.
Let's not get to having a Run Away Train expecting all these future wins. "Respect the Process"
For the eternal pessimist in me - Would our RPI be decent enough now that a 9-9 finish with 1-2 wins in the BEast tourney be enough to keep us in the conversation for the tourney?
I love this talk!
I am a super Wojo and Mu optimist as I've said multiple times. Having said that, I think we go 11-7. This win was huge, but I see an angry creighton team come in and give us an L.
4 losses: creighton, butler, X, and a surprise loss vs DePaul, sju, Georgetown or providence.
Another thing someone mentioned was how the team would respond.
I heard on an interview with a Wojo last night that today is just a stepping stone in the destination and also tweeted something to the effect that "if yesterday was the best thing you've done lately, you haven't done much today." --Wojo has already moved on and has the team thinking next. And apparently according to BD, some of our players were already in the gym last night after the game working on their shots.
WE ARE MARQUETTE.
https://www.yahoo.com/sports/news/five-takeaways-from-a-tumultuous-tuesday-night-in-college-hoops-163444539.html
Even Yahoo is impressed.
6-34 from 3 from Villanova on mostly open looks tempers my exuberance that many of you are letting get the best of you. This easily could of been a blow out but happy as heck that I was there to watch a great ending and the subsequent storming of the court.
Our defensive deficiencies make 11-7 conference record the likely outcome.
5 more wins.
I see Providence, SJU, DePaul, Georgetown and one of the X games.
(Minimum to make the tourney at 10-8)
Anything more is gravy. (Obviously I would love to go 11-7 or 12-6)
Also, I remember someone mentioning that Wojo had ruined our home court and blah blah and we can't protect the BC...
we are 11-1 at home. (Yes some easy games, but still keeping home court safe so far in the BEast.)
Quote from: 1SE on January 25, 2017, 01:49:16 AM
NCAA bid is completely ours to lose at this point - which is a phenomenal achievement for a team that was picked 7th in the preseason BE coaches poll, but that being said, maybe we all hold off on speculating on seed until we get to 10 BE wins?
Why?
Fans speculate. It's what we do.
Please show me an occasion in basketball history in which chit-chat by some anonymous fan directly affected the outcome of a sporting event?
Or maybe it's just OK to speculate about losses leading to some kind of cataclysmic event?
Silly.
Speculate away, folks! I know I will.
Quote from: mufanatic on January 25, 2017, 01:36:55 PM
6-34 from 3 from Villanova on mostly open looks tempers my exuberance that many of you are letting get the best of you. This easily could of been a blow out but happy as heck that I was there to watch a great ending and the subsequent storming of the court.
Our defensive deficiencies make 11-7 conference record the likely outcome.
6-34 is awful no doubt, but they went 14-23 in the first game. It evens out
6-34 + 14-23 = 20-57 = 35% Or roughly their norm.
What's interesting is that according to kenpom, MU is among the unluckier teams in all of college basketball. I'd say we're in a pretty excellent position in spite of that fact--and especially so if we expect to see some regression to the mean.
A link back to one of the many preseason prediction threads, just for grins.
http://www.muscoop.com/index.php?topic=52524.0 (http://www.muscoop.com/index.php?topic=52524.0)
Interesting that 23% of Scoopers who voted predicted the Villanova victory. B&G goggles or prescience? You decide.
Quote from: barfolomew on January 27, 2017, 11:41:57 AM
A link back to one of the many preseason prediction threads, just for grins.
http://www.muscoop.com/index.php?topic=52524.0 (http://www.muscoop.com/index.php?topic=52524.0)
Interesting that 23% of Scoopers who voted predicted the Villanova victory. B&G goggles or prescience? You decide.
From your link, 16% of Scoopers thought MU could win at Hall so near everyone was probably shocked they were in the lead with 30 seconds remaining.
And 96% predicted a win for tomorrow. Interestingly, after Tuesday, I bet that number would be less today then pre-season optimism.
Quote from: marquette09 on January 24, 2017, 10:28:03 PM
Will we be favored in all of the remaining regular season games with the exception of at X and maybe butler at home?
I think we'll be favored vs. Butler at home.
It would be close, if the game was tomorrow it would either be a PK or MU +1 at most. They're going to be tough even at BMO