What is everyone expecting from the howard-less Warriors? Will we stay afloat?
I will start this off with a bold prediction: Jamal Cain will turn himself into a prospect, career year next season
I'm assuming that we will have continued quarantines, and the 2020-2021 season will be played by the Marquette E-Sports team.
Sadly they'll have to play in EA Sport's NCAA Basketball 2010 game, since EA hasn't released a new college bball game due to a decade of legal disputes.
Quote from: GoldenEagles32 on March 12, 2020, 08:37:57 PM
What is everyone expecting from the howard-less Warriors? Will we stay afloat?
I will start this off with a bold prediction: Jamal Cain will turn himself into a prospect, career year next season
How do we know Markus won't be playing for Santa Cruz?
Quote from: Skatastrophy on March 12, 2020, 08:45:01 PM
I'm assuming that we will have continued quarantines, and the 2020-2021 season will be played by the Marquette E-Sports team.
Sadly they'll have to play in EA Sport's NCAA Basketball 2010 game, since EA hasn't released a new college bball game due to a decade of legal disputes.
College hoops 2k8 is far superior
Will MU's e-sports fold down the stretch like wojo's teams?
Quote from: Skatastrophy on March 12, 2020, 08:45:01 PM
I'm assuming that we will have continued quarantines, and the 2020-2021 season will be played by the Marquette E-Sports team.
Sadly they'll have to play in EA Sport's NCAA Basketball 2010 game, since EA hasn't released a new college bball game due to a decade of legal disputes.
What excites you about the six returnees? Add to that 4 freshman (one a RS) and I think it's a long season without 2 more high level additions.
What in the world have you seen from Cain in 3 seasons that leads to a break-out senior year? He continues to project as a 8-10 minute role player, just my opinion.
Quote from: PointWarrior on March 12, 2020, 09:01:28 PM
Will MU's e-sports fold down the stretch like wojo's teams?
lmao
Quote from: PointWarrior on March 12, 2020, 09:01:28 PM
Will MU's e-sports fold down the stretch like wojo's teams?
Nah they'll just hit reset
Itll be another year of ups and downs. I think at the end of Jan/Feb the team will be pretty solid actually.
I'm quite curious as to the production of all 4 freshmen. I thought Dawson would be immediately seeing minutes, Justin would be somewhat like freshmen Jamal, and Oso would be more of a project/redshirt candidate (no idea what Dex will do). But now I think all 3 bigs will see lots of time.
Quote from: MU24 on March 12, 2020, 10:57:20 PM
Itll be another year of ups and downs. I think at the end of Jan/Feb the team will be pretty solid actually.
What does "pretty sold" mean? I know Wojo has a great track record of getting his teams to play better as the seasons go along 😔 I think .500 record and 8th. place in the Big East would be very solid next year.
Nobody knows yet. We can't. What we get next year depends on the following factors:
1) Who Comes -- We have a good recruiting class, no doubt. But until we fill out the last few slots in this class, who the heck knows what we're getting. Does Karim Mane come? Who else is being recruited by Wojo and Stan? That's going to become clearer in the weeks ahead. Besides Mane, we sure could use a center and maybe another guard.
2) Who Goes -- Given the last few years, we should expect some roster shrinkage. Best guess is Theo, Symir, Jamal and Koby are all locks. Not sure about Brendan and Dexter. Gotta believe both will be back but you never know until you know. Big question is whether we get a Koby who lights the world up or do we get a Koby who starts poorly and his self-confidence is shattered?
3) What Offense? -- Big issue is our offense next year. If Coach Wojo goes out and recruits a CarRowMar kind of guard, nothing will change and we'll be a .500 team. We'll be a less than .500 team if we go back to the "Let Henry Do It" offense of Coach Wojo's second year. The team has to gel and the offense has to be an inside-out, outside-in style of play. Hero ball won't work next year and I suspect Coach Wojo knows it.
Let's ask this question again in June and see what happens.
Can't see Dexter leaving and sitting out 2 straight years. Brendan leaving would make him sit a year and be 24 or 25 when he's done so that seems unlikely too.
Koby as a grad transfer (if eligible) would be the only one I could see
We'll lose at DePaul to lock up the 10 seed in the Big East tournament.
Everybody coming back are basically role players, can somebody step up and be the man, not sure. They for sure need a top end grad transfer that can score otherwise it might be a long year, maybe even last in Big East. Have to rely on freshman to step up, lots of question marks. Is it possible, yes
Starting lineup:
Sy
Greg
Brendan
Dawson
Theo
Cain splitting minutes with Bailey. Lewis backing up Dawson. Osa getting minutes when we go more athletic.
We still need a guard.
Quote from: lawdog77 on March 13, 2020, 08:39:10 AM
Starting lineup:
Sy
Greg
Brendan
Dawson
Theo
Cain splitting minutes with Bailey. Lewis backing up Dawson. Osa getting minutes when we go more athletic.
We still need a guard.
(https://media0.giphy.com/media/AjkUQrzvs5OCc/source.gif)
Quote from: BCHoopster on March 13, 2020, 08:30:58 AM
Everybody coming back are basically role players, can somebody step up and be the man, not sure. They for sure need a top end grad transfer that can score otherwise it might be a long year, maybe even last in Big East. Have to rely on freshman to step up, lots of question marks. Is it possible, yes
Agreed but same could be said about the 2017 season, we didn't return a go to guy and got really balanced scoring from everyone including two freshmen. That is my hope for next year.
Quote from: lawdog77 on March 13, 2020, 08:39:10 AM
Starting lineup:
Sy
Greg
Brendan
Dawson
Theo
Cain splitting minutes with Bailey. Lewis backing up Dawson. Osa getting minutes when we go more athletic.
We still need a guard.
That starting 5 will beat nobody. Guards will not be able to defend anybody, both to slow. Bailey brings nothing to the table offensively as well as Theo. How you going to score? I can see Dawson or another frosh starting right away. Will need scoring from the center position, Theo is not the answer. I can see Lewis starting
right away, and depending on the match ups Garcia and Lewis will defend the player they match up best in the post. Another guard has to show up, a couple scoring
guards from the Ivy League are leaving, can they move up to the next level?
With the tourney cancelled, it will be interesting to see how it impacts the calendar for transfers, etc.
Quote from: BCHoopster on March 13, 2020, 08:57:10 AM
That starting 5 will beat nobody. Guards will not be able to defend anybody, both to slow. Bailey brings nothing to the table offensively as well as Theo. How you going to score? I can see Dawson or another frosh starting right away. Will need scoring from the center position, Theo is not the answer. I can see Lewis starting
right away, and depending on the match ups Garcia and Lewis will defend the player they match up best in the post. Another guard has to show up, a couple scoring
guards from the Ivy League are leaving, can they move up to the next level?
I really think Sy is going to make the big leap. In limited minutes, he shot 40% from 3 in Big East play. If he does that next year in extended minutes, it will open up his driving/dishing. If neither Bailey or Cain step up, the position is open for Lewis.
Quote from: lawdog77 on March 13, 2020, 10:09:59 AM
I really think Sy is going to make the big leap. In limited minutes, he shot 40% from 3 in Big East play. If he does that next year in extended minutes, it will open up his driving/dishing. If neither Bailey or Cain step up, the position is open for Lewis.
He only shot 10 3s during BE play
Quote from: GoldenEagles32 on March 13, 2020, 10:21:51 AM
He only shot 10 3s during BE play
He played less than 200 minutes in Big East play. I could see him averaging 10 and 6 next year.
Quote from: dgies9156 on March 13, 2020, 07:51:18 AM
Nobody knows yet. We can't. What we get next year depends on the following factors:
1) Who Comes -- We have a good recruiting class, no doubt. But until we fill out the last few slots in this class, who the heck knows what we're getting. Does Karim Mane come? Who else is being recruited by Wojo and Stan? That's going to become clearer in the weeks ahead. Besides Mane, we sure could use a center and maybe another guard.
2) Who Goes -- Given the last few years, we should expect some roster shrinkage. Best guess is Theo, Symir, Jamal and Koby are all locks. Not sure about Brendan and Dexter. Gotta believe both will be back but you never know until you know. Big question is whether we get a Koby who lights the world up or do we get a Koby who starts poorly and his self-confidence is shattered?
3) What Offense? -- Big issue is our offense next year. If Coach Wojo goes out and recruits a CarRowMar kind of guard, nothing will change and we'll be a .500 team. We'll be a less than .500 team if we go back to the "Let Henry Do It" offense of Coach Wojo's second year. The team has to gel and the offense has to be an inside-out, outside-in style of play. Hero ball won't work next year and I suspect Coach Wojo knows it.
Let's ask this question again in June and see what happen.
Knowing it is one thing. Trying it anyway is another. If nothing else, Wojo has proven to be very predictable, the main reason he has been so thoroughly out coached many times.
Agree it is too early to predict right now. Although I know Wojo's chances of being fired are about zero, there is still a slight chance he will find another gig. If so, which recruits would go with him or elsewhere?
So....revisiting in June sounds like a solid plan to me.
Quote from: lawdog77 on March 13, 2020, 08:39:10 AM
Starting lineup:
Sy
Greg
Brendan
Dawson
Theo
Cain splitting minutes with Bailey. Lewis backing up Dawson. Osa getting minutes when we go more athletic.
We still need a guard.
I'm intrigued by that lineup. There were times recently when Greg, Cain, and Theo had great passing and easy buckets. Lights out shooting won't be there obviously but with Sy, it seems we got a pass-first point. I worry about the center position big time as Jayce was a rebounding machine towards the end.
Who is Torrence going to defend? He had trouble guarding anybody this year and Wojo had to take him out, secondly did you ever see him make a move to the hoop? Sure he will make a few threes when open but can he create his own shot, not sure yet
None of the returnees were on an All Big East team or all freshman team.
My expectations will be low pending on who fills the open roster spots.
When I return for next years tournament, I will expect to attend the Wednesday session.
Quote from: BCHoopster on March 13, 2020, 11:41:08 AM
Who is Torrence going to defend? He had trouble guarding anybody this year and Wojo had to take him out, secondly did you ever see him make a move to the hoop? Sure he will make a few threes when open but can he create his own shot, not sure yet
Pretty sure he made a move to the hoop and finished in the last game. Not that he's going to be some offensive threat, but with Markus' departure, there are a lot of uncertainties both bad and good. Guys have to step up and some will. Time will tell who makes the leap or what newcomers make a big difference immediately.
I don't think it's farfetched to see Garcia as the best player on the team quickly into the season. Or to see Oso + Lewis have important roles to start. This team needs another PG badly.
Theo, Jamal, and Greg will all be in their 4th years in the program. I expect them to all play like Seniors.
I'm looking for more consistency from Brendan - he needs to play at a consistently high level, and next year he'll be a pretty experienced and mature Junior, so I don't think that's an unrealistic expectation.
Symir will no longer be a Freshman, so there's that. He could make a notable jump.
Then there's Koby. As a few have said above, he's going to be a key to the season. We need him to get comfortable and play with confidence. If he can do that, it'll help A LOT.
Who knows what the Freshmen will contribute? Dawson should get lots of minutes, and we'll need him to score. Beyond that, there's a good amount of talent and potential, but I don't really know how much to expect from them right away.
I'm probably overly optimistic, but I'm looking for a Top 50-type team that finishes smack-dab in the middle of the Big East.
X, Butler, Hall and Providence will be missing key players as well as MU. Right now MU has the best freshman class in the conference so middle of the Pack is possible.
Middle of the pack. Need Mane and a grad transfer big.
If we can't get Mane, need a grad transfer PG.
Quote from: JamilJaeJamailJrJuan on March 13, 2020, 12:11:56 PM
Middle of the pack. Need Mane and a grad transfer big.
If we can't get Mane, need a grad transfer PG.
Agreed. My forecast was based on what we have on the roster now. If we get some impactful additions, that will move us to higher ground.
IMO if we land Mane, i think we should be top 25 to start the season, at least close to the top 25 if not ranked
Quote from: lawdog77 on March 13, 2020, 10:40:16 AM
He played less than 200 minutes in Big East play. I could see him averaging 10 and 6 next year.
I love Symir. The only hope we have next year is if he makes a big step up to being a 30+ mpg player. Gotta ride or die with him.
Quote from: GoldenEagles32 on March 13, 2020, 12:14:47 PM
IMO if we land Mane, i think we should be top 25 to start the season, at least close to the top 25 if not ranked
What's the reason? We'd have two recruits that are in that "ready right away area" and have lost by far our two best players. Not screaming top 25 to me
Quote from: Boozemon Barro on March 13, 2020, 08:29:55 AM
We'll lose at DePaul to lock up the 10 seed in the Big East tournament.
At least its not last place
Quote from: Galway Eagle on March 13, 2020, 12:19:33 PM
What's the reason? We'd have two recruits that are in that "ready right away area" and have lost by far our two best players. Not screaming top 25 to me
Memphis this past season had one of the top ranked recruiting classes, no one that was a huge impact player on the team returning, so i think we could be ranked just based off how high our recruiting class could be if we get KM
Quote from: Johnny B on March 13, 2020, 12:23:04 PM
At least its not last place
DePaul will be very good next year, all the players are back unless Reed goes pro
Quote from: GoldenEagles32 on March 13, 2020, 12:23:31 PM
Memphis this past season had one of the top ranked recruiting classes, no one that was a huge impact player on the team returning, so i think we could be ranked just based off how high our recruiting class could be if we get KM
Yeah that's apples to oranges Memphis had two guys are were sure fire first rounders plus a guy ranked about where Dawson is. Dawson might get there and if we get Mane great but that's still not even close to the class Memphis pulled in.
https://247sports.com/college/memphis/Season/2019-Basketball/Commits/
https://247sports.com/college/marquette/Season/2020-Basketball/Commits/
Quote from: BCHoopster on March 13, 2020, 12:24:58 PM
DePaul will be very good next year, all the players are back unless Reed goes pro
Johnny B was making a joke because there will be 11 teams in the Big East next year. I don't think it was a comment on how good or bad DePaul will be.
This what I believe could happen, not will.
The last two end of seasons have been brutal and Wojo probably has next year to produce something beneficial. His staff knows the same and jobs would more than likely be in jeopardy if similar results occur. That being said:
Wojo, having to shake things up in a dramatic fashion, may have a sit down with one or two players and say something to the effect, "Thanks, but its not working out and you may want to head in a new direction moving forward". I would say one player leaves, as in past years.
The team gets a big man grad transfer to either back up Theo or start. A mandatory pickup for the team. Many will have the take that Garcia could employ the backup role, but he is a #3 or #4 and they must use those skills in that capacity. Theo is at times a foul machine and usually gets two by the five minute mark.
I am anticipating and optimistic Mane commits to MU. The opening is there to immediately take Howard's role and all indications from recruiting sites are MU is still one of favorites. He is an instant starter.
If Mane doesn't commit and if Dexter has not shown any ability to get minutes on the floor and none of us have no clue as to what his abilities are, then another grad transfer guard would be a possibility. Who knows, maybe Dexter has been great in practice, etc. but again, unknown to all.
Guaranteed starters: Garcia, Mane and probably Theo. All other slots up for grabs. It will depend upon if a player leaves, if grad transfers arrive and if Mane commits. A lot of ifs, but that is the current reality as of today. More should be known in a month.
Fairly certain Reed will be going pro.
Quote from: BCHoopster on March 13, 2020, 12:24:58 PM
DePaul will be very good next year, all the players are back unless Reed goes pro
Quote from: BCHoopster on March 13, 2020, 12:24:58 PM
DePaul will be very good next year, all the players are back unless Reed goes pro
90% chance Reed goes. Mock drafts have him going is round one in some and others have him in second.
Coleman-Lands and DJ Williams also seniors and are gone.
Quote from: nyg on March 13, 2020, 12:54:05 PM
90% chance Reed goes. Mock drafts have him going is round one in some and others have him in second.
Coleman-Lands and DJ Williams also seniors and are gone.
I think JCL is applying for a 6th year.
Quote from: nyg on March 13, 2020, 12:44:29 PM
Guaranteed starters: Garcia, Mane and probably Theo. All other slots up for grabs. It will depend upon if a player leaves, if grad transfers arrive and if Mane commits. A lot of ifs, but that is the current reality as of today. More should be known in a month.
I'd add Bailey to that list of starters.
Unless Koby isn't part of the team I see him as a starter too
Quote from: nyg on March 13, 2020, 12:44:29 PM
If Mane doesn't commit and if Dexter has not shown any ability to get minutes on the floor and none of us have no clue as to what his abilities are, then another grad transfer guard would be a possibility. Who knows, maybe Dexter has been great in practice, etc. but again, unknown to all.
I saw a few game video's from his Blair Academy year and in preseason practice last fall and I think he can help some on and off the ball. Handles the ball pretty well and was a decent three pointer shooter.
As the roster stands now I see a starting lineup of:
Koby
Greg
Brendan
Dawson
Theo
With Cain, Symir, and the two frosh getting a lot of minutes. Dexter is a question mark, if he is ready to play then one of the two non-Garcia frosh get redshirtted.
Still lots of questions with this roster. Do we land Mane? Do we go after another Jayce Johnson type to back up Theo? Can Koby get his head on straight? Will Brendan become consistent? Can Theo and Greg get/stay healthy? How big of a freshman to sophomore jump will Symir have? What does Dexter bring to the table? Could Cain have a JJJ like senior year? Are the frosh ready? How much if any Ewing theory will play into this team?
I think next season has the widest range of possibilities of any Wojo team to date. I can see the pieces coming together for a high seed in the NCAAs and I can see an absolute trainwreck that finishes below .500. This is the first season where Wojo's seat has any legitimate warmth. He'll need to show a lot more than he did to end this last season.
The 2020-2021 season will be like the previous 6 seasons. Same old just one more year! I am not buying into this narrative.
Quote from: curbina on March 13, 2020, 02:49:27 PM
The 2020-2021 season will be like the previous 6 seasons. Same old just one more year! I am not buying into this narrative.
Thanks Lovell!
Quote from: ManeCity83 on March 13, 2020, 12:01:04 PM
Theo, Jamal, and Greg will all be in their 4th years in the program. I expect them to all play like Seniors.
I'm looking for more consistency from Brendan - he needs to play at a consistently high level, and next year he'll be a pretty experienced and mature Junior, so I don't think that's an unrealistic expectation.
Symir will no longer be a Freshman, so there's that. He could make a notable jump.
Then there's Koby. As a few have said above, he's going to be a key to the season. We need him to get comfortable and play with confidence. If he can do that, it'll help A LOT.
Who knows what the Freshmen will contribute? Dawson should get lots of minutes, and we'll need him to score. Beyond that, there's a good amount of talent and potential, but I don't really know how much to expect from them right away.
I'm probably overly optimistic, but I'm looking for a Top 50-type team that finishes smack-dab in the middle of the Big East.
Yup. More mediocrity from Wojo
Is there a single player on next year's team that projects to the NBA at this time?
That most certainly can change, but seeing that in the current roster.
I see a lot of nice role players but no go to options who can carry a team. MileHope I am wrong.
Quote from: Badgerhater on March 13, 2020, 06:23:41 PM
Is there a single player on next year's team that projects to the NBA at this time?
That most certainly can change, but seeing that in the current roster.
I see a lot of nice role players but no go to options who can carry a team. MileHope I am wrong.
I could see Garcia appearing on some draft boards but other than him no. I do think Cain and Bailey are both the kind of players that could pull a Juan Anderson or Dwight Buycks and shock us all by getting a cup of coffee a few years after graduating. If we land Mane, he is already on draft boards.
Garcia will get there at some point. Wouldn't be surprised to see either of the other freshman make the NBA either.
Quote from: pettyworld on March 13, 2020, 06:42:48 PM
Garcia will get there at some point. Wouldn't be surprised to see either of the other freshman make the NBA either.
How many of their games have you seen?
The last two years MU basketball ended with a regular season collapse. Furthermore, Wojo has yet to record a victory in the NCAA Tournament. I find it difficult to understand why any good high school player would want to commit to the MU basketball program with Wojo as head coach.
Quote from: curbina on March 13, 2020, 09:21:13 PM
The last two years MU basketball ended with a regular season collapse. Furthermore, Wojo has yet to record a victory in the NCAA Tournament. I find it difficult to understand why any good high school player would want to commit to the MU basketball program with Wojo as head coach.
It's mostly about how the athlete connects with the coach and other players on the team.
Quote from: curbina on March 13, 2020, 09:21:13 PM
The last two years MU basketball ended with a regular season collapse. Furthermore, Wojo has yet to record a victory in the NCAA Tournament. I find it difficult to understand why any good high school player would want to commit to the MU basketball program with Wojo as head coach.
Perhaps some good high school players feel that they could be a piece of the puzzle that brings things together for getting some wins in the NCAA tournament.
Quote from: mug644 on March 14, 2020, 08:17:05 AM
Perhaps some good high school players feel that they could be a piece of the puzzle that brings things together for getting some wins in the NCAA tournament.
Perhaps, but then we host several recruits on our senior day. And do we show well, maybe even win? No, we get humiliated by a team that was generally mediocre down the stretch, yet lit us up.
Quote from: TAMU Garcia on March 13, 2020, 02:12:27 PM
As the roster stands now I see a starting lineup of:
Koby
Greg
Brendan
Dawson
Theo
With Cain, Symir, and the two frosh getting a lot of minutes. Dexter is a question mark, if he is ready to play then one of the two non-Garcia frosh get redshirtted.
Still lots of questions with this roster. Do we land Mane? Do we go after another Jayce Johnson type to back up Theo? Can Koby get his head on straight? Will Brendan become consistent? Can Theo and Greg get/stay healthy? How big of a freshman to sophomore jump will Symir have? What does Dexter bring to the table? Could Cain have a JJJ like senior year? Are the frosh ready? How much if any Ewing theory will play into this team?
I think next season has the widest range of possibilities of any Wojo team to date. I can see the pieces coming together for a high seed in the NCAAs and I can see an absolute trainwreck that finishes below .500. This is the first season where Wojo's seat has any legitimate warmth. He'll need to show a lot more than he did to end this last season.
So you can see a high seed in the NCAA's or train wreck sub .500 team next year. Bold prediction cotton.
Let's get more specific. What KenPom ranking do you expect next years team to finish within 10 spots.
I'll project 50-60.
I think any notion of a high NCAA seed is pure fantasy. If we couldn't achieve that with Markus Howard, not sure how you see that being a possibility next season?
Ners, that wasn't a prediction, it was a general statement about the question marks surrounding next season's roster. Part of those question marks are about adding more pieces to the roster, so I'll chime in with a predication once those specific questions are answered. I've made preseason predictions every year of the Wojo era, until this year I was within two seed lines every time....and tourney got cancelled this year so my streak continues! ;D
If I had to make a prediction now, the high seed would not be the one I go with. That depends on a couple of things happening including landing Mane, another Jayce Johnson type, and some significant Ewing theory developments from the returning players. Certainly not probable, but in the realm of possibility.
The other thing I would point out is the composition of the Big East will be different. As things stand now, we will be very top heavy with Villanova and Creighton set to dominate the rest of the league. I see Georgetown, St. John's, and DePaul returning to the basement with Providence (mass graduations/no recruiting class) and UConn (not very good in worse conference) joining them. That leaves Butler, Marquette, Seton Hall, and Xavier to fight it out in the upper middle. I think the two that rise to the top of that group will end being solid tourney teams and the other teams will be living that bubble life. Each group is experiencing significant losses (Baldwin/McDermott, Howard/Anim, Powell/Gill/McKnight, Goodin/Jones) and is bringing in unknowns to replace them (#29 class, #14 class, Takal Molson, #17 class).
Quote from: BCHoopster on March 13, 2020, 11:41:08 AM
Who is Torrence going to defend? He had trouble guarding anybody this year and Wojo had to take him out, secondly did you ever see him make a move to the hoop? Sure he will make a few threes when open but can he create his own shot, not sure yet
Often times the largest improvement time for college players is between year one and year two. Symir was also supposed to be a high school Senior this past year.
I would agree that MU needs more and better guards for next year in addition to Symir. I believe Symir will be much improved.
Quote from: Elonsmusk on March 14, 2020, 08:43:54 AM
So you can see a high seed in the NCAA's or train wreck sub .500 team next year. Bold prediction cotton.
Let's get more specific. What KenPom ranking do you expect next years team to finish within 10 spots.
I'll project 50-60.
I think any notion of a high NCAA seed is pure fantasy. If we couldn't achieve that with Markus Howard, not sure how you see that being a possibility next season?
It's great that some fans think we could make the NCAA (agreed that a high seed is pure folly). Most fans over rate their team, but that's part of being a fan. I think it is fair to say that there are about 150 fan boards that are predicting their team will be in the NCAA next year. We all know how that will work out.
Depending on transfers, in and out, and additional recruits, I put MU's ceiling at the NIT and the floor below .500 (maybe 3 BE wins). Without adding a good PG, I think it will be a trainwreck.
Quote from: shoothoops on March 14, 2020, 09:25:35 AM
Often times the largest improvement time for college players is between year one and year two. Symir was also supposed to be a high school Senior this past year.
I would agree that MU needs more and better guards for next year in addition to Symir. I believe Symir wilp be much improved.
Symir is very talented. Without a doubt, I think he can and will be a very good PG. He had many good flashes in very limited chances. And excellent point he wasn't even supposed to be at MU this season. He made freshman mistakes that Wojo wasn't patient enough to let him play through, while more experienced guys made the same or worse mistakes, or just plain showed zero ability (Cain, McEwen prime examples). But Symir brought things to table, like playmaking and setting up others, that no one else was capable of doing.
It was a generally wasted year for him, which is too bad, but he will be very good.
Quote from: GoldenEagles32 on March 13, 2020, 12:14:47 PM
IMO if we land Mane, i think we should be top 25 to start the season, at least close to the top 25 if not ranked
Highly unlikely this is a Top 25 team preseason. A bunch of heralded but unproven Freshmen players does not scream Top 25.
Quote from: 79Warrior on March 14, 2020, 09:50:14 AM
Highly unlikely this is a Top 25 team preseason. A bunch of heralded but unproven Freshmen players does not scream Top 25.
Projecting MU in the Top 25 anytime next year seems to be laying the foundation for firing Wojo since MU will not sniff the Top 25 and you can justify firing him for underachieving.
No unbiased basketball expert can argue MU will be better next year than it was this year. Anyone who predicts this is either a crazy MU fan or has alternate agenda.
So far very few here expecting a really good season. Too many "IF's" regarding returning players and additional new guys.
TAMU's comments about Marquette possibly being in the top half due to other teams he listed as losing a lot of talent may well be true but I really wish that Marquette's possible relative success was not so dependent upon other teams being down.
I admire Cooley and Ewing. Cooley turned around a team with a terrible start and got them to believe in themselves. Ewing took a severely crippled team that never, ever gave up under his leadership. And then there was Wojo.
I simply have no faith in his leadership or decision making skills and will be happily surprised if Marquette has a good season. I really love when I am wrong about my criticisms. All coaches need really good players to be successful but their coaching skills make the difference. Wojo needs a Dawson or a Mane or another Markus or rejuvenated returning players to bail him out. And there is the heart of the problem.
Quote from: GoldenEagles32 on March 12, 2020, 08:37:57 PM
I will start this off with a bold prediction: Jamal Cain will turn himself into a prospect, career year next season
Yeah, you need to stay away from the bold prediction business as far as his prospect potential. And you didn't specify a prospect for what, NBA?
Given his MU career through three seasons, a career year is a very very low bar to clear.
Path to .500 in the BE includes Koby improving as a leader, Theo getting healthy, and BB becoming the 8th or 9th man. I have no idea what the coaches see in BB that warrants such minutes. I'd rather develop young players for 2021-22 than give him more time.
Quote from: Warrior of Law on March 14, 2020, 10:53:42 AM
Path to .500 in the BE includes Koby improving as a leader, Theo getting healthy, and BB becoming the 8th or 9th man. I have no idea what the coaches see in BB that warrants such minutes. I'd rather develop young players for 2021-22 than give him more time.
Brendan Bailey may have played more than he deserved, but he will only be a junior next year. Plenty of room for growth.
Jamal Cain moments this year that say it all:
1) at Providence, 2nd half- wide open corner three, passes up shot. Two or three dribbles, wide open again for 16 footer, passes up shot. Passes to McEwen, stolen and dunk on other end.
2). at DePaul, twice with the ball as shot clock expires. Clueless both times as he made no attempt at getting a shot up. First time, he ever so calmly through an entry pass into Jayce.
These are just two examples of many of his total cluelessness out there.
Quote from: HutchwasClutch on March 14, 2020, 10:58:54 AM
Jamal Cain moments this year that say it all:
1) at Providence, 2nd half- wide open corner three, passes up shot. Two or three dribbles, wide open again for 16 footer, passes up shot. Passes to McEwen, stolen and dunk on other end.
2). at DePaul, twice with the ball as shot clock expires. Clueless both times as he made no attempt at getting a shot up. First time, he ever so calmly through an entry pass into Jayce.
These are just two examples of many of his total cluelessness out there.
Totally agree, clueless when he puts the ball on the deck, no instincts, can shoot, did improve from last year, great athlete, role player at best.
Quote from: Warrior of Law on March 14, 2020, 10:53:42 AM
Path to .500 in the BE includes Koby improving as a leader, Theo getting healthy, and BB becoming the 8th or 9th man. I have no idea what the coaches see in BB that warrants such minutes. I'd rather develop young players for 2021-22 than give him more time.
Some could argue that that is the path to .500 overall.
I can't see any path to .500 in the BE after this years team failed to do so.
Quote from: Scoop Snoop on March 14, 2020, 10:23:55 AM
So far very few here expecting a really good season. Too many "IF's" regarding returning players and additional new guys.
TAMU's comments about Marquette possibly being in the top half due to other teams he listed as losing a lot of talent may well be true but I really wish that Marquette's possible relative success was not so dependent upon other teams being down.
I admire Cooley and Ewing. Cooley turned around a team with a terrible start and got them to believe in themselves. Ewing took a severely crippled team that never, ever gave up under his leadership. And then there was Wojo.
I simply have no faith in his leadership or decision making skills and will be happily surprised if Marquette has a good season. I really love when I am wrong about my criticisms. All coaches need really good players to be successful but their coaching skills make the difference. Wojo needs a Dawson or a Mane or another Markus or rejuvenated returning players to bail him out. And there is the heart of the problem.
Wojo's teams never, ever gave up.
Quote from: WhiteTrash on March 14, 2020, 11:15:34 AM
Teal?
I hope.
Hell no. Our team may have been talent deficient or lacked coaching but they did not give up. In the late season skid alone they staged rallies late against SJU, Nova, CU and SHU. They made a late rally to beat Davidson as well and that's just off the top of my head.
Marquette's issues were lack of preparation/execution at times. Not lack of effort.
Quote from: WhiteTrash on March 14, 2020, 11:06:57 AM
Some could argue that that is the path to .500 overall.
I can't see any path to .500 in the BE after this years team failed to do so.
With 20 BE games (adding UCONN), there will be two factors at play for scheduling:
1) MU needn't worry so much about non-conference SOS as they'll make up for it with the 20 league games vs top 100 teams, and
2) with 11 home dates spoken for (10 BE home games along with UW), I see Broeker scheduling the five-six cheapest and lowest-ranked buy games to round out the home schedule, particularly if they have a 2-3 game commitment in a pre-season tourney and a road Big Ten Gavitt game.
With that background, I see MU heading to BE play with a little cushion over .500.
Quote from: jesmu84 on March 14, 2020, 11:10:41 AM
Wojo's teams never, ever gave up.
My point was to contrast Cooley's and Ewing's leadership in adversity vs. Wojo, but it is easy to understand why it appears that I as saying Marquette's team gave up with my wording. I agree with you that they did not give up... until the DePaul game. I DO think they gave up in that one. Ewing's team could have easily given up but his strong leadership kept his team fighting like tigers.
Honest question- if we could have swapped coaches mid season, would you passed on Cooley or Ewing?
Cooley is a better coach than Wojo.
Not all that impressed with Ewing.
Quote from: Warrior of Law on March 14, 2020, 11:39:32 AM
With 20 BE games (adding UCONN), there will be two factors at play for scheduling:
1) MU needn't worry so much about non-conference SOS as they'll make up for it with the 20 league games vs top 100 teams, and
2) with 11 home dates spoken for (10 BE home games along with UW), I see Broeker scheduling the five-six cheapest and lowest-ranked buy games to round out the home schedule, particularly if they have a 2-3 game commitment in a pre-season tourney and a road Big Ten Gavitt game.
With that background, I see MU heading to BE play with a little cushion over .500.
Makes sense. My prediction is for a .500 season, 8th or 9th in the BE. With MU schedule, that could be enough for a 60-70 NET.
Quote from: PointWarrior on March 12, 2020, 09:01:28 PM
Will MU's e-sports fold down the stretch like wojo's teams?
Perfect.
Looking out of our place on Westlake is like a post-apocalyptic movie. Papers blowing, the odd stray dog, and not a soul in sight.
If anything, this could devastate the downtown homeless population.
MU has not had an immediate impact Freshman class since the Three Amigos. Individual players yes, but not a whole class that contributed at a high level from Day 1.
This board consistently overrates our incoming Freshman.
Wojo is not a calm under pressure coach and he has not shown an ability to change course when other teams have figured MU out.
Wojo is the worst type of coach. Not bad enough to fire, not good enough to keep. A recipe to mire the program in mediocrity.
Worst coach in basketball history + terrible returning players who simply can't play + incredibly overrated recruiting class = 0-30.
Unless we play 31 games.
Wojo still gets 4-year extension because idiotic administration loves losing.
Doesn't even matter, because we're all dead anyway.
Next topic, please. Nothing else to see here.
Hey Badgerhater. Markus and Sam were immediate impact players from the same class.Any team in the Country would have taken those two games on there team
Quote from: HutchwasClutch on March 14, 2020, 10:58:54 AM
Jamal Cain moments this year that say it all:
1) at Providence, 2nd half- wide open corner three, passes up shot. Two or three dribbles, wide open again for 16 footer, passes up shot. Passes to McEwen, stolen and dunk on other end.
2). at DePaul, twice with the ball as shot clock expires. Clueless both times as he made no attempt at getting a shot up. First time, he ever so calmly through an entry pass into Jayce.
These are just two examples of many of his total cluelessness out there.
You know why? Because Jamal was tentative to shoot because many times if he missed his first shot, he'd get subbed out.
I think Jamal is the PERFECT example of a player who embodies underachievement due to the way Wojo coaches.
Jamal does not have a great handle, however, I think he's a guy that has played tighter and less confident as a result of frequent quick hooks - particular during his sophomore season.
Koby became a basket case. Ed Morrow did. Cheatham did. Duane Wilson did. JJJ did. Brendan on his way too. How many guys do we need to see regress or have wild swings in performance before we realize something else is at play?
Not directed at you Hutch - I'm usually always in agreement with your takes. Just a general commentary.
Quote from: Aircraftcarrier on March 14, 2020, 01:53:51 PM
Hey Badgerhater. Markus and Sam were immediate impact players from the same class.Any team in the Country would have taken those two games on there team
What part of my recruiting class vs individual players comment did you not understand?
Hey badgerhater. I understood completely.Maybe you should check your facts before you post. Markus and Sam were the entire freshman class that enrolled.I believe Dwight Burke was in the 3 amigos class and he was not an impact player,so your statement is wrong to begin with
Quote from: Aircraftcarrier on March 14, 2020, 01:53:51 PM
Hey Badgerhater. Markus and Sam were immediate impact players from the same class.Any team in the Country would have taken those two games on there team
You should have stopped typing after your first sentence.
Quote from: Aircraftcarrier on March 14, 2020, 03:15:09 PM
Hey badgerhater. I understood completely.Maybe you should check your facts before you post. Markus and Sam were the entire freshman class that enrolled.I believe Dwight Burke was in the 3 amigos class and he was not an impact player,so your statement is wrong to begin with
[/]
Dwight Burke gave everything he had to MU. And you forgot about Harry Froling in the Howard/Hauser class.
The Three Amigos plus DB carried MU much farther then did the recent class. While no deep tourney runs stopped by heartbreaking losses, they paved the first years for MU in the Big East with 10-6, 10-6, 11-7, 12-6 records. Establishing the currently unmet expectations many of us have today.
Quote from: Elonsmusk on March 14, 2020, 02:10:50 PM
You know why? Because Jamal was tentative to shoot because many times if he missed his first shot, he'd get subbed out.
Simply didn't happen the second half of this season. Wojo gave Cain a lot of rope, often played him more minutes than Bailey. Cain averaged 18 mpg and averaged nearly 21 the last 5 games, roughly the same as Bailey.
So while your assertion might have had merit the previous two seasons, it did not this season. Cain took plenty of bad shots and/or had plenty of ugly TOs without being pulled from games.
Plenty of stuff to rip Wojo about, and you've done so. Don't make crap up.
Quote from: MU82 on March 14, 2020, 04:23:18 PM
Simply didn't happen the second half of this season. Wojo gave Cain a lot of rope, often played him more minutes than Bailey. Cain averaged 18 mpg and averaged nearly 21 the last 5 games, roughly the same as Bailey.
So while your assertion might have had merit the previous two seasons, it did not this season. Cain took plenty of bad shots and/or had plenty of ugly TOs without being pulled from games.
Plenty of stuff to rip Wojo about, and you've done so. Don't make crap up.
5 games averaging 21 minutes to close the season! Awesomely long leash while Brendan was bricking.
I will say Wojo did give a slightly longer leash this year (as opposed to his historic one missed shot or turnover hook with Jamal), but it is what it is: The way he coaches kills confidence and limits potential.
Player development under him has sucked. Either results in transfer, regression, or stagnation.
Quote from: Elonsmusk on March 14, 2020, 04:49:02 PM
5 games averaging 21 minutes to close the season! Awesomely long leash while Brendan was bricking.
I will say Wojo did give a slightly longer leash this year (as opposed to his historic one missed shot or turnover hook with Jamal), but it is what it is: The way he coaches kills confidence and limits potential.
Player development under him has sucked. Either results in transfer, regression, or stagnation.
You were wrong about Cain getting pulled this season. If Cain played poorly the last few games because he was worried about being pulled, he is mentally weak and should move on to another team, because it simply wasn't the case.
But carry on.
Quote from: MU82 on March 14, 2020, 05:53:16 PM
You were wrong about Cain getting pulled this season. If Cain played poorly the last few games because he was worried about being pulled, he is mentally weak and should move on to another team, because it simply wasn't the case.
But carry on.
Cain was on a short leash early this year. Wojo slightly improved. It's like going from an F to a D. Still crapty.
As for being mentally weak? Perhaps thin skinned Steve should take a look in the mirror.
Jamal has had a kick a$$ attitude his whole time at MU despite some really questionable coaching. He, and Theo will be just the 4th and 5th players under Wojo in 7 years to play for him their entire college career.
The leash doesnt matter.
Cain et al can't focus on playing to their full potential if all they hear in the back of their head is "get Markus the ball."
Froling did not come in with Howard or Hauser. He signed with SMU .Nice try though.
Don't forget... more likely than not someone gets hurt and someone transfers out. That means at least one more slot to fill (assuming an injury redshirt) which should be viewed as an opportunity to get a real contributor.
If Wojo is going to continue the same offensive style (double meaning intended) without the star player, then the team needs slashers and switchables who play solid D. No-one under 6'5. Also need an elite positional rebounder to replace Jayce. In the NCAA nobody boxes out any more... having one guy who does on your team can be a huge advantage.
At the same time:
Fix everyone's confidence
Teach Koby how to finish a drive
Teach Symir how to play D
Teach Jamal how to dribble
Keep Greg healthy
Quote from: Aircraftcarrier on March 14, 2020, 08:09:49 PM
Froling did not come in with Howard or Hauser. He signed with SMU .Nice try though.
Schollie table. Utter recruiting failure.
Quote from: WarriorFan on March 14, 2020, 08:32:33 PM
At the same time:
Fix everyone's confidence
Teach Koby how to finish a drive
Teach Symir how to play D
Teach Jamal how to dribble
Keep Greg healthy
Might as well add winning the Powerball.
Quote from: Elonsmusk on March 14, 2020, 06:34:33 PM
Cain was on a short leash early this year. Wojo slightly improved. It's like going from an F to a D. Still crapty.
As for being mentally weak? Perhaps thin skinned Steve should take a look in the mirror.
Jamal has had a kick a$$ attitude his whole time at MU despite some really questionable coaching. He, and Theo will be just the 4th and 5th players under Wojo in 7 years to play for him their entire college career.
The game in question, in which Cain repeatedly looked lost, was late in the season. As I said in my first line about your erroneous claim, "Simply didn't happen the second half of this season."
Ever since, you've been trying to claim you weren't wrong even though you clearly were.
It is classic Nrs - beat the dead horse until even the blood has worn away ... and until you get banned again.
But sure, carry on.
Quote from: MU82 on March 14, 2020, 11:21:31 PM
The game in question, in which Cain repeatedly looked lost, was late in the season. As I said in my first line about your erroneous claim, "Simply didn't happen the second half of this season."
Ever since, you've been trying to claim you weren't wrong even though you clearly were.
It is classic Nrs - beat the dead horse until even the blood has worn away ... and until you get banned again.
But sure, carry on.
Coming from the guy who has been a top 5 ProJo, I could give a F how you perceive right and wrong.
But. I will tell you. Your perception of being right or wrong is virtually always wrong.
What's really fantastic? Despite being presented with a mountain of evidence that Wojo is a failure, you still can't bring yourself after 5+ years of banging the drum for Wojo - preaching for patience - to admit you were and are wrong.
And you post the above crap? Gimme a break.
However, you were a sports journalist and do coach middle school girls basketball. So. There's that.
Quote from: Elonsmusk on March 14, 2020, 04:49:02 PM
5 games averaging 21 minutes to close the season! Awesomely long leash while Brendan was bricking.
I will say Wojo did give a slightly longer leash this year (as opposed to his historic one missed shot or turnover hook with Jamal), but it is what it is: The way he coaches kills confidence and limits potential.
Player development under him has sucked. Either results in transfer, regression, or stagnation.
Eh, I don't think player development under Wojo has been that much different than his predecessors. Buzz had a bunch of guys that never really developed and/or transferred. I just think he found better players.
Your obsession with some players and your insistance that the coach messing with their minds when they don't meet your expectations is really strange. This is big boy basketball. When you play well, you get to play more.
Quote from: Fluffy Blue Monster on March 15, 2020, 08:04:41 AM
Eh, I don't think player development under Wojo has been that much different than his predecessors. Buzz had a bunch of guys that never really developed and/or transferred. I just think he found better players.
Agree to an extent, Buzz certainly did have misses, especially with several from high school, but the following:
Jimmy Butler went from a timid looking JC transfer who almost no one else recruited, to an absolute stud and leader by his senior season. Rest is history of course his post MU career.
Vander was highly touted and very athletic out of hs, but had a broken shot and flaws in his game. Then by junior season, took off and one of leaders, go to guy in clutch, and arguably our best player on elite 8 team.
Wes Matthews absolutely took off his senior season under Buzz after looking pretty ordinary his first 3 years. Wes wasn't shy in crediting Buzz publicly.
Now name a Wojo success in development that even approaches any of these three. I know you're not a Wojo guy either, but huge difference in player development.
I'll give you Vander...and Davante too. But look at Sacar and Markus.
I think Butler and Jae would have been Butler and Jae had they gone somewhere other than Marquette. I think the idea that Butler was "timid" as a sophomore is one of the most overblown ideas here. He deferred offensively and didn't play huge minutes because he the Amigos and Lazar ahead of him, but when he was on the floor he was clearly a kick-ass, athletic defender.
But I also look at players like Cadougan, Anderson, Derrick and the mutitude of transfers like Jamail Jones, Erik Williams and Jamal Ferguson and don't think his record is that much different.
Quote from: Fluffy Blue Monster on March 15, 2020, 08:51:37 AM
I'll give you Vander...and Davante too. But look at Sacar and Markus.
I think Butler and Jae would have been Butler and Jae had they gone somewhere other than Marquette. I think the idea that Butler was "timid" as a sophomore is one of the most overblown ideas here. He deferred offensively and didn't play huge minutes because he the Amigos and Lazar ahead of him, but when he was on the floor he was clearly a kick-ass, athletic defender.
But I also look at players like Cadougan, Anderson, Derrick and the mutitude of transfers like Jamail Jones, Erik Williams and Jamal Ferguson and don't think his record is that much different.
I didn't name Davante, but ok.
I didn't name Jae either and why I didn't was that you got right.
Markus?!? He wasn't a playmaker, couldn't defend, and had at best a mediocre handle when he got to MU and left with all the same deficiencies. Wojo hardly had anything to do with his crazy shooting ability. It's what got attention of high majors.
Sacar, some improvement at MU, yes, but I asked for anything approaching three examples I actually named. He clearly isn't. One of worst senior season stretch chokes season in recent MU memory. He essentially came into MU as a role player and left the same. He was a core guy this year by default, thanks largely to Hauser transfers. He had to fill a role of points and production he wasn't up to.
Butler is the poster child of great player development as I explained already. Taking a guy hardly anyone wanted and left MU as a star and drafted player.
Markus TO rate went down...his assist rate went up. You are right that Wojo didn't have much to do with his shooting ability, but did you foresee him becoming an All American and BEPOY even after his freshman year?
Quote from: Fluffy Blue Monster on March 15, 2020, 09:55:35 AM
Markus TO rate went down...his assist rate went up. You are right that Wojo didn't have much to do with his shooting ability, but did you foresee him becoming an All American and BEPOY even after his freshman year?
Wojo did.
It's not fair IMHO to make this about Markus. Markus developed Markus. Wojo hasn't developed much at all. Buzz had a couple successes and he certainly knew how to make guys confident on game day. No excuses... Wojo needs to do better.
Why can't Jamal dribble as a Junior?
Why is he developing Theo as a two move "big" in the era of stretch guys who must be able to shoot?
Why can't BB make the impact that his size, length, sweet stroke and pedigree should have?
Why did he and/or Ed give up on Ed?
why does Koby throw 2 balls per game into the audience after 2 years in the program?
Wojo either needs to upgrade to Kentucky level talent and do what Calipari does... (don't coach them at all) or get a group of assistants that can make 3* freshmen into 5* seniors.
Quote from: Fluffy Blue Monster on March 15, 2020, 08:04:41 AM
Eh, I don't think player development under Wojo has been that much different than his predecessors. Buzz had a bunch of guys that never really developed and/or transferred. I just think he found better players.
Your obsession with some players and your insistance that the coach messing with their minds when they don't meet your expectations is really strange. This is big boy basketball. When you play well, you get to play more.
The results speak for themselves. As I've said perhaps 100 times - just because a guy comes in a game and has a turnover or misses his first couple of shots doesn't mean he's going to have a crappy game.
My issue with Wojo? He has routinely gotten it wrong as to who his best players were, and who had highest potential. And most notably who he's extended the longest leash to once past the clear cut top two players on his teams.
Again. The "results" speak for themselves.
We clearly agree that Buzz was a better coach. Yet Wojo's decision-making has really hamstrung his ability to be successful. He's just not very sharp.
Quote from: Elonsmusk on March 15, 2020, 07:46:56 AM
Coming from the guy who has been a top 5 ProJo, I could give a F how you perceive right and wrong.
But. I will tell you. Your perception of being right or wrong is virtually always wrong.
What's really fantastic? Despite being presented with a mountain of evidence that Wojo is a failure, you still can't bring yourself after 5+ years of banging the drum for Wojo - preaching for patience - to admit you were and are wrong.
And you post the above crap? Gimme a break.
However, you were a sports journalist and do coach middle school girls basketball. So. There's that.
You were wrong about Cain. Simply can't admit it, because that's you. So, so, so many things to legitimately rip Wojo for, but you have some weird Wojo-messes-with-Cain obsession, despite the data.
Congrats on the "you were a sports journalist" and "girls basketball" mentions - hoopaloop also likes to trot those out when facts let him down. Well done.
As to the Projo/Nojo thing ...
On 1/28/20, I started a thread titled "Bottom Line on Wojo."
https://www.muscoop.com/index.php?topic=59855.msg1200555#msg1200555
Among the things I said:
++ Get into the NCAA tournament this season, advance to the Sweet 16 or beyond, and come back with that fine recruiting class (one that has a realistic chance to get even better), and I will upgrade to full-on Projo.
++ Get into the tourney and win one NCAA game, and I will remain "leaning Projo," which is where I think I have been for awhile now (though I did waver in the wake of Hausershima because I was worried about how it would affect recruiting).
++ Get into the tourney but again fail to advance - or fail to reach the tourney entirely - and I'll be in Wojo's Gotta ShoMo mode (or "leaning Nojo," for folks who prefer that term). For the first time, he will officially be "on the clock" for me.
++ Fail to reach the tourney this season and 2020-21, regardless of the inevitable "too young" excuse for next season, and I'll join those shouting for him to go. (Caveat: If there is some ridiculous injury wave that would prevent any coach from winning, I could cut him some slack. Unlikely to happen.)
Yes, it takes some good fortune to win in March. But to NEVER win in March ... that suggests something more than simply bad luck. Each of his four predecessors, guys of varying degrees of coaching/recruiting ability, managed to do it.
I cannot name a single guy I'd consider a "good" coach, current or past, who has failed to win a single NCAA tournament game in his first half-dozen years running a major program.So that brings me to now. We were officially in Collapse Mode again when the coronavirus ended the season. Very disappointing. It's likely that we still would have made the tournament but quite unlikely we would have won a game.
So I am now a "leaning Nojo," and I have put him on the clock.
Still, that doesn't mean I believe he is the worst coach ever, is to blame for the coronavirus and is guilty of every ill imaginable - such as freaking out Cain, when the evidence suggests otherwise.
Have a nice day.
Quote from: WarriorFan on March 15, 2020, 10:34:14 AM
Wojo did.
It's not fair IMHO to make this about Markus. Markus developed Markus. Wojo hasn't developed much at all.
Yeah this is just biased bullsh*t. You can't say the head coach can't develop someone, then point to a success, and say well that guy just made himself better.
Quote from: Elonsmusk on March 15, 2020, 01:04:23 PM
The results speak for themselves. As I've said perhaps 100 times - just because a guy comes in a game and has a turnover or misses his first couple of shots doesn't mean he's going to have a crappy game.
My issue with Wojo? He has routinely gotten it wrong as to who his best players were, and who had highest potential. And most notably who he's extended the longest leash to once past the clear cut top two players on his teams.
Again. The "results" speak for themselves.
We clearly agree that Buzz was a better coach. Yet Wojo's decision-making has really hamstrung his ability to be successful. He's just not very sharp.
I agree that Buzz is a better coach. But I don't think Wojo isn't playing his best players. I just don't think most of them are as good as we think they are.
Quote from: Fluffy Blue Monster on March 15, 2020, 03:17:37 PM
I agree that Buzz is a better coach. But I don't think Wojo isn't playing his best players. I just don't think most of them are as good as we think they are.
This usually shows itself when you notice players looking great against lesser competition. Then struggling in conference. Over generalization. But We have seen a lot of that in Wojos tenure.
Quote from: Frenns Liquor Depot on March 15, 2020, 03:20:38 PM
This usually shows itself when you notice players looking great against lesser competition. Then struggling in conference. Over generalization. But We have seen a lot of that in Wojos tenure.
Point in example: PR department and Jayce's rebounding. Meanwhile, he's an absolute liability on offense/defense. 1 trick pony that the Pro Wojers love, especially since he has the same haircut as when they were in school.
Quote from: MikeDeanesDarkGlasses on March 15, 2020, 06:48:13 PM
Point in example: PR department and Jayce's rebounding. Meanwhile, he's an absolute liability on offense/defense. 1 trick pony that the Pro Wojers love, especially since he has the same haircut as when they were in school.
Jayce was an absolute liability on both offense and defense? He only rebounded well against inferior opponents?
What are you even talking about?
Jayce Johnson averaged a rebound every 2.54 minutes this season. You'd have to go back 40-50 years to find something nearing that ratio.
In non-conference he had 1 every 2.45 minutes. In conference games, 1 every 2.60 minutes. Elite level rebounder.
Not really someone you'd want to run a lowpost offense through.
Quote from: MU82 on March 14, 2020, 04:23:18 PM
Simply didn't happen the second half of this season. Wojo gave Cain a lot of rope, often played him more minutes than Bailey. Cain averaged 18 mpg and averaged nearly 21 the last 5 games, roughly the same as Bailey.
So while your assertion might have had merit the previous two seasons, it did not this season. Cain took plenty of bad shots and/or had plenty of ugly TOs without being pulled from games.
Plenty of stuff to rip Wojo about, and you've done so. Don't make crap up.
Agree Jamal made tons of mistakes and didnt get pulled. In fact sometimes i think Jamal was too quick to shoot. I like to see a sub run up n down the court a few times and get into the game flow before shooting. Not Jamal, he would usually jack one the first time he touched it. The depaul game i believe he traveled 3 out of 4 possesions and remained in the game before Wojo simply had to take him out. Jamal took two very quick shots down the stretch versus SJU where i would gave like to seen Markus at least touch the ball. I disagree with elons premise, in fact, i would like to see Wojo be a little more restrictive on shooters. Oneil and famously Al McGuire gad players that he told then that they were not allowed to shoot. other coaches have done the same. My HS team which was coached by a legendary HOF coach n coached many D1 kids told two starters my senior year on numerous times in rather colorful language that if they shot they were coming out. Now i realize the shot clock and times have changed but wojo seems to tell them if its an open shot to take it. How else could Koby and others just keep jacking despite what the percentages said they should do
Quote from: Fluffy Blue Monster on March 15, 2020, 03:17:37 PM
I agree that Buzz is a better coach. But I don't think Wojo isn't playing his best players. I just don't think most of them are as good as we think they are.
Which of our starters start for any other BE team? Markus and........?
Thats on Wojo too, but Sacar n Theo and Koby dont start for any top 7 BE team. I will give bailey a bit of a pass as a sophomore and thought he played quite well the first 20 games. Wojo needs to recruit better. Sacar top 300 kid. Jamal, theo, koby top 150 kids. Need more top 100 kids in the program, two of them transferring didnt help
Quote from: Fluffy Blue Monster on March 15, 2020, 03:17:37 PM
I agree that Buzz is a better coach. But I don't think Wojo isn't playing his best players. I just don't think most of them are as good as we think they are.
I agree - actually think one of Wojo's strengths is in game player evaluation, which is important because with the exception of Markus there's little difference in this year's players talent levels.
I do, however, agree with Elon that Wojo screwed the pooch with Deonte. He was a big talent going through a difficult time. I know coaches routinely favor "their own guys" but I wish he would have gone the extra mile with Burton.
Quote from: Mr. Sand-Knit on March 15, 2020, 07:54:03 PM
Which of our starters start for any other BE team? Markus and........?
Thats on Wojo too, but Sacar n Theo and Koby dont start for any top 7 BE team. I will give bailey a bit of a pass as a sophomore and thought he played quite well the first 20 games. Wojo needs to recruit better. Sacar top 300 kid. Jamal, theo, koby top 150 kids. Need more top 100 kids in the program, two of them transferring didnt help
Wow. This is a long way from your previous position that we would be better team minus the 2 white stiffs. BTW, you're right that Sacar, Koby and Theo don't start on a top 7 BE team. Do they start on ANY other BE team? And you can add Bailey (the guy you thought would be better than Sam, lol) to that list.
Is guru banned? Feel bad for the dude. You ok guru
I sure hope he is banned ! ! ! A couple other ones too ! ! ! Thank God for IGNORE ! ! !8-)
Quote from: Lennys Tap on March 15, 2020, 08:14:23 PM
Wow. This is a long way from your previous position that we would be better team minus the 2 white stiffs. BTW, you're right that Sacar, Koby and Theo don't start on a top 7 BE team. Do they start on ANY other BE team? And you can add Bailey (the guy you thought would be better than Sam, lol) to that list.
Never said BB would be better than Sam, said if Bailey played well we didnt miss Sam.
Quote from: guzica on March 15, 2020, 10:21:17 PM
I sure hope he is banned ! ! ! A couple other ones too ! ! ! Thank God for IGNORE ! ! !8-)
Why? Guru can be a bit maddening, but he's always on topic at least.
Quote from: Fluffy Blue Monster on March 15, 2020, 03:15:53 PM
Yeah this is just biased bullsh*t. You can't say the head coach can't develop someone, then point to a success, and say well that guy just made himself better.
I respect your point of view. I was generally projo and a I really like the clean program. My view is that Markus has a strong structure back home with his parents and brother and that what he added to his game (mostly individual stuff) was his and from his dad/brother. Markus' team game didn't change much over the 4 years and that's where Wojo could have developed him more. I said at the beginning of the year that success for Markus would be 20 points and 8-10 assists per game - Ja Morant kind of numbers - because they would bring team success.
Quote from: WarriorFan on March 17, 2020, 05:35:09 AM
I respect your point of view. I was generally projo and a I really like the clean program. My view is that Markus has a strong structure back home with his parents and brother and that what he added to his game (mostly individual stuff) was his and from his dad/brother. Markus' team game didn't change much over the 4 years and that's where Wojo could have developed him more. I said at the beginning of the year that success for Markus would be 20 points and 8-10 assists per game - Ja Morant kind of numbers - because they would bring team success.
How many wide open passes did he make to theo, koby, sacar, and brendan. Wouldnt have gotten him to 9, but he was passing to some flat out brick layers
Quote from: Mr. Sand-Knit on March 17, 2020, 07:38:16 AM
How many wide open passes did he make to theo, koby, sacar, and brendan. Wouldnt have gotten him to 9, but he was passing to some flat out brick layers
Exactly. Markus was much better this year at ball distribution. If he had someone with the scoring caliber of Sam on the wings, his assist numbers would have been much better.
Let's talk basketball. UConn looking ahead to next year.
https://www.ctinsider.com/uconn/nhregister/article/An-early-look-ahead-to-what-will-be-awaiting-15141353.php?sid=5baaacf72ddf9c545d737065&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CT_NHR_Insider
An early look ahead to what will be awaiting UConn in the Big East
By David Borges March 18, 2020
In a college basketball world that is all about transfers these days, UConn enters the most exhilarating yet daunting transfer portal of all.
The Huskies will "transfer" from the American Athletic Conference to the Big East next season. Or return to the Big East, UConn's rightful home. Of course, UConn never really left the Big East — the conference left UConn seven years ago — but that's a whole 'nother story.
Bottom line: UConn is back in the Big East. Fans are ecstatic, as they should be. UConn is an original Big East member, and it's back in a league with historic rivals Georgetown, Villanova, St. John's and Providence. Syracuse, Pittsburgh and Louisville, of course, are no longer there. Been that way for a while now. The Big East isn't exactly the Big East of old. Patrick Ewing, Chris Mullin and Pearl Washington aren't walking through that door. Heck, neither are Roy Hibbert, Gerry McNamara or DeJuan Blair.
The league is no longer the monster it was 30, 20, even 10 years ago. But it is still a bear. The Big East was the No. 3 in the nation per kenpom.com this past season, largely because of its overall depth. Its last-place team (DePaul) won at Iowa and Minnesota and beat Texas Tech at home.
The Big East may not have the same overall depth next season, but should be strong again. The league will likely have two teams (Creighton and Villanova) among the top 10 in the preseason AP Top 25 and others (Xavier, Providence) that could easily be ranked at some point in the season. Could UConn be one of those latter teams? It's certainly possible.
For now, let's take an early look at the Huskies' competition next season in the Big East.
VILLANOVA
UConn is already all too familiar with the Wildcats after playing a three-game home-neutral-away series the past three seasons. Villanova won all three, the first two by 20-plus points. But the Huskies are getting closer. They led by four with five minutes left before falling 61-55 at Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 18. Afterwards, Dan Hurley proclaimed: "People better get us now. Because it's coming."
It won't get any easier next season. When Jay Wright was asked what he'd tell his seniors after the coronavirus canceled the NCAA tournament, he noted, "We don't have any seniors." Indeed, the Wildcats lose no one from a team that finished in a three-way tie for first (with Seton Hall and Creighton) atop the Big East standings at 13-5. Talented forward Saddiq Bey may go pro, but even if he does, Collin Gillespie, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Jermaine Samuels (who torched UConn for 19 points) form an impressive foundation. Wright has also been the Big East coach most enthusiastic about UConn's return to the league.
CREIGHTON
The Bluejays should be a preseason top 10 team, especially if leading scorers Ty-Shon Alexander and Marcus Zegarowski return. Alexander (16.9 points per game) is expected to at least go through the NBA Draft process. Zegarowski (16.1 ppg) may have done the same, but a torn meniscus in his right knee suffered in Creighton's final regular-season game will sideline him for 3-4 months and almost certainly pave the way for the point guard's return next season. If both are back, Creighton will boast perhaps the best backcourt in the country.
XAVIER
The Huskies dropped a double-overtime heartbreaker to Xavier back in November at the Charleston Classic. The Musketeers lose Bloomfield's Tyrique Jones (14 ppg, 11.1 rpg) to graduation, but if Naji Marshall (16.8 ppg) eschews going pro, he and Paul Scruggs (12.7 ppg) should lead a formidable lineup. Xavier also boasts the league's No. 2-rated recruiting class, led by four-star point guard Dwon Odom.
PROVIDENCE
The Friars were one of the hottest teams in the country down the stretch this season, making up for some puzzling early-season losses. They will lose two of their top players (Alpha Diallo and Luwane Pipkins) to graduation, but return perhaps their best all-around player in guard David Duke, who averaged 12 points per game while providing lockdown defense. Along with ultra-talented A.J. Reeves, 6-10 Nate Watson and some promising newcomers, most recently Syracuse transfer Brycen Goodine, PC should be up near the top of the league standings. Coach Ed Cooley and Hurley have had friction in the past when Hurley was at the helm at Rhode Island, and Cooley has expressed his displeasure with UConn returning to the league. So, this could turn into the sizzling border rivalry that Friar fans have always wanted and UConn fans have largely sneered at over the years.
SETON HALL
Tough to expect the Pirates to repeat this past season's magic, which had them ranked in the top 10 for four weeks and in position to win the league title outright before faltering down the stretch. Big East Player of the Year Myles Powell graduates, as does Bridgeport's Quincy McKnight, one of the nation's best defenders, and 7-footer Romaro Gill, who was named the Big East's Defensive Player of the Year. But Sandro Mamukelashvili, who missed part of this season with a broken wrist, is back, along with wing Jared Rhoden, and coach Kevin Willard is scouring the transfer market. And, of course, this is Dan Hurley's alma mater, which will make things interesting.
ST. JOHN'S
Mustapha Heron, the talented guard who grew up in Waterbury and West Haven, sadly had his career curtailed due to an ankle injury in early February, and the Red Storm never quite got going this season. But with leading scorer LJ Figueroa back, along with point guard Rasheem Dunn and forwards Julian Champagnie and Marecellus Earlington, better days could be ahead for coach Mike Anderson & Co.
MARQUETTE
No team suffers a bigger loss than the Golden Eagles. Markus Howard, the nation's leading scorer (27.8 ppg) and all-time leading scorer in Big East history, graduates — and can't really be replaced. Second-leading scorer Sacar Anim also graduates, though the future has promise: Marquette boasts the top-rated incoming recruiting class in the league, led by a trio of four-star recruits.
BUTLER
Butler did it this season with defense that had it ranked for much of the year and a lock for the NCAA tournament. Things could get trickier next season, as leading scorer and First Team All-Big East guard Kamar Baldwin graduates. Second-leading scorer Sean McDermott is also gone, though coach LaVell Jordan brings in a good recruiting class with five three-star players.
GEORGETOWN
It's been a tumultuous past couple of years under Patrick Ewing, with multiple players (including former UConn commit James Akinjo) leaving the program. The Hoyas actually played better for a while with a depleted roster, but wound up losing their final seven games to finish 15-17 overall and 5-13 in the Big East. If everyone returns, Mac McClung (15.7 ppg), Jahvon Blair and Jamorko Pickett is a nice foundation, but it could be do-or-die time for Ewing.
DEPAUL
At one point this season, the Blue Demons were 12-1, with wins at Iowa, at Minnesota and against Texas Tech, and were sitting just outside the AP Top 25. Soon after, the Big East happened, and DePaul lost 15 of its final 19 games. Stunningly, it was reported a week ago that athletic director Jean Lenti Ponsento was planning on offering coach Dave Leitao a contract extension. Not surprisingly, nothing's materialized yet, and it wouldn't be shocking to see a new coach at the helm at the start of next season.
LOCAL FLAVOR?
At the start of this past season, three of the top players in the Big East were Connecticut natives — Xavier's Tyrique Jones (Bloomfield), St. John's Mustapha Heron (Waterbury/West Haven) and Seton Hall's Quincy McKnight (Bridgeport). Jones and McKnight both had strong seasons, while Heron's was cut short by injury. All three will graduate this spring, and at the onset of next season, it appears there won't be a single scholarship player from Connecticut in the Big East. Sure, there could be a walk-on or two (like UConn's Matt Garry of Southington and Xavier's Zak Swetye, a Darien product), but at this point, no scholarship guys. Heck, even little ol' Rhode Island will have a couple of representatives (Providence's David Duke, Villanova's Cole Swider).
Expect that to change moving forward. As Jay Wright pointed out at Big East Media Day back in October, UConn's return to the Big East should lead to more Connecticut players committing locally — either to UConn or other Big East schools.
"There will be kids growing up in Connecticut, following the Big East, and they might wind up playing at Georgetown," Wright told Hearst Connecticut Media. "That's what happened in the old Big East, and I think the same thing's gonna happen."
FAMILIAR FACES
There may not be any Connecticut-born scholarship players on Big East rosters, but there will be some familiar faces and names. Cooley, of course, coached Fairfield for five seasons before leaving for his hometown school in Providence. Brian Blaney, son of former longtime UConn assistant George Blaney, is one of Cooley's assistants. Leitao, another former Jim Calhoun assistant at UConn, is still at DePaul (for now). Dwayne Killings, an assistant to Kevin Ollie for two seasons, is an assistant at Marquette. And, for those longing for the AAC days — former Memphis guard Antwann Jones is at Creighton, and former Tulane guard Caleb Daniels is at Villanova.
david.borges@hearstmediact.com
The incoming freshmen (along with hopefully two other contributors-to-be-determined) better be dynamite, otherwise 2020-21 will be a loooong season.
Quote from: Afroman on March 19, 2020, 10:17:04 AM
The incoming freshmen (along with hopefully two other contributors-to-be-determined) better be dynamite, otherwise 2020-21 will be a loooong season.
Butler, Hall and somewhat Providence might be in the same situation. Depaul may or may not be better if Reed leaves but they beat MU with him not playing so that
might be a problem. The conference overall will be weaker when you lose Howard, Powell and Baldwin, all will be tough to replace. Creighton loses both guards would
put them in the same category. Villy looks like an easy champ.
Quote from: BCHoopster on March 19, 2020, 10:38:43 AM
Butler, Hall and somewhat Providence might be in the same situation. Depaul may or may not be better if Reed leaves but they beat MU with him not playing so that
might be a problem. The conference overall will be weaker when you lose Howard, Powell and Baldwin, all will be tough to replace. Creighton loses both guards would
put them in the same category. Villy looks like an easy champ.
Dont be too surprised if a couple of Nova players go pro.
Quote from: lawdog77 on March 19, 2020, 10:57:32 AM
Dont be too surprised if a couple of Nova players go pro.
If Bey goes, just weakens the conference. Right now, the conference does not look to strong. MU could finish again in the middle of the pack if the Frosh play
bigger.
One question that is not discussed is Akanno. When I saw him in practice last fall, he had a Big East Body, nice looking shot, could he get more playing time at the
2 guard then we all think. Did he improve what ever weakness's he had? He might get more playing time then you think.
I was having this discussion on Twitter. I'd love for Akanno to be a positive player next year, but I'm withholding judgment until I see it. Guys like Sacar who go from redshirt & minimal contributor to high major starter are incredibly rare. Frankly, I'd be overjoyed if Dex could give us 10 reliable minutes as a RS freshman. That would exceed my expectations.
Quote from: brewcity77 on March 19, 2020, 01:02:16 PM
I was having this discussion on Twitter. I'd love for Akanno to be a positive player next year, but I'm withholding judgment until I see it. Guys like Sacar who go from redshirt & minimal contributor to high major starter are incredibly rare. Frankly, I'd be overjoyed if Dex could give us 10 reliable minutes as a RS freshman. That would exceed my expectations.
I'm always very curious about those people who put any sort of expectations on a guy like Dexter. The guy was a non prospect who has played zero minutes of collegiate basketball. Anything positive he contributes next season is a bonus.
Plenty of opportunity for one or more frosh to make the BE all-freshman team.
If the team does poorly and none of the newcomers demonstrates such promise then can we fire Wojo?
Wishing for a promising season, not the disappointment of the last two
Quote from: brewcity77 on March 19, 2020, 01:02:16 PM
I was having this discussion on Twitter. I'd love for Akanno to be a positive player next year, but I'm withholding judgment until I see it. Guys like Sacar who go from redshirt & minimal contributor to high major starter are incredibly rare. Frankly, I'd be overjoyed if Dex could give us 10 reliable minutes as a RS freshman. That would exceed my expectations.
Yup. Also, Sacar redshirted as a soph, so he was in his 3rd year in the program when he started to contribute.
Quote from: MU Fan in Connecticut on March 19, 2020, 08:54:11 AM
Let's talk basketball. UConn looking ahead to next year.
https://www.ctinsider.com/uconn/nhregister/article/An-early-look-ahead-to-what-will-be-awaiting-15141353.php?sid=5baaacf72ddf9c545d737065&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CT_NHR_Insider
An early look ahead to what will be awaiting UConn in the Big East
By David Borges March 18, 2020
In a college basketball world that is all about transfers these days, UConn enters the most exhilarating yet daunting transfer portal of all.
The Huskies will "transfer" from the American Athletic Conference to the Big East next season. Or return to the Big East, UConn's rightful home. Of course, UConn never really left the Big East — the conference left UConn seven years ago — but that's a whole 'nother story.
Bottom line: UConn is back in the Big East. Fans are ecstatic, as they should be. UConn is an original Big East member, and it's back in a league with historic rivals Georgetown, Villanova, St. John's and Providence. Syracuse, Pittsburgh and Louisville, of course, are no longer there. Been that way for a while now. The Big East isn't exactly the Big East of old. Patrick Ewing, Chris Mullin and Pearl Washington aren't walking through that door. Heck, neither are Roy Hibbert, Gerry McNamara or DeJuan Blair.
The league is no longer the monster it was 30, 20, even 10 years ago. But it is still a bear. The Big East was the No. 3 in the nation per kenpom.com this past season, largely because of its overall depth. Its last-place team (DePaul) won at Iowa and Minnesota and beat Texas Tech at home.
The Big East may not have the same overall depth next season, but should be strong again. The league will likely have two teams (Creighton and Villanova) among the top 10 in the preseason AP Top 25 and others (Xavier, Providence) that could easily be ranked at some point in the season. Could UConn be one of those latter teams? It's certainly possible.
For now, let's take an early look at the Huskies' competition next season in the Big East.
VILLANOVA
UConn is already all too familiar with the Wildcats after playing a three-game home-neutral-away series the past three seasons. Villanova won all three, the first two by 20-plus points. But the Huskies are getting closer. They led by four with five minutes left before falling 61-55 at Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 18. Afterwards, Dan Hurley proclaimed: "People better get us now. Because it's coming."
It won't get any easier next season. When Jay Wright was asked what he'd tell his seniors after the coronavirus canceled the NCAA tournament, he noted, "We don't have any seniors." Indeed, the Wildcats lose no one from a team that finished in a three-way tie for first (with Seton Hall and Creighton) atop the Big East standings at 13-5. Talented forward Saddiq Bey may go pro, but even if he does, Collin Gillespie, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Jermaine Samuels (who torched UConn for 19 points) form an impressive foundation. Wright has also been the Big East coach most enthusiastic about UConn's return to the league.
CREIGHTON
The Bluejays should be a preseason top 10 team, especially if leading scorers Ty-Shon Alexander and Marcus Zegarowski return. Alexander (16.9 points per game) is expected to at least go through the NBA Draft process. Zegarowski (16.1 ppg) may have done the same, but a torn meniscus in his right knee suffered in Creighton's final regular-season game will sideline him for 3-4 months and almost certainly pave the way for the point guard's return next season. If both are back, Creighton will boast perhaps the best backcourt in the country.
XAVIER
The Huskies dropped a double-overtime heartbreaker to Xavier back in November at the Charleston Classic. The Musketeers lose Bloomfield's Tyrique Jones (14 ppg, 11.1 rpg) to graduation, but if Naji Marshall (16.8 ppg) eschews going pro, he and Paul Scruggs (12.7 ppg) should lead a formidable lineup. Xavier also boasts the league's No. 2-rated recruiting class, led by four-star point guard Dwon Odom.
PROVIDENCE
The Friars were one of the hottest teams in the country down the stretch this season, making up for some puzzling early-season losses. They will lose two of their top players (Alpha Diallo and Luwane Pipkins) to graduation, but return perhaps their best all-around player in guard David Duke, who averaged 12 points per game while providing lockdown defense. Along with ultra-talented A.J. Reeves, 6-10 Nate Watson and some promising newcomers, most recently Syracuse transfer Brycen Goodine, PC should be up near the top of the league standings. Coach Ed Cooley and Hurley have had friction in the past when Hurley was at the helm at Rhode Island, and Cooley has expressed his displeasure with UConn returning to the league. So, this could turn into the sizzling border rivalry that Friar fans have always wanted and UConn fans have largely sneered at over the years.
SETON HALL
Tough to expect the Pirates to repeat this past season's magic, which had them ranked in the top 10 for four weeks and in position to win the league title outright before faltering down the stretch. Big East Player of the Year Myles Powell graduates, as does Bridgeport's Quincy McKnight, one of the nation's best defenders, and 7-footer Romaro Gill, who was named the Big East's Defensive Player of the Year. But Sandro Mamukelashvili, who missed part of this season with a broken wrist, is back, along with wing Jared Rhoden, and coach Kevin Willard is scouring the transfer market. And, of course, this is Dan Hurley's alma mater, which will make things interesting.
ST. JOHN'S
Mustapha Heron, the talented guard who grew up in Waterbury and West Haven, sadly had his career curtailed due to an ankle injury in early February, and the Red Storm never quite got going this season. But with leading scorer LJ Figueroa back, along with point guard Rasheem Dunn and forwards Julian Champagnie and Marecellus Earlington, better days could be ahead for coach Mike Anderson & Co.
MARQUETTE
No team suffers a bigger loss than the Golden Eagles. Markus Howard, the nation's leading scorer (27.8 ppg) and all-time leading scorer in Big East history, graduates — and can't really be replaced. Second-leading scorer Sacar Anim also graduates, though the future has promise: Marquette boasts the top-rated incoming recruiting class in the league, led by a trio of four-star recruits.
BUTLER
Butler did it this season with defense that had it ranked for much of the year and a lock for the NCAA tournament. Things could get trickier next season, as leading scorer and First Team All-Big East guard Kamar Baldwin graduates. Second-leading scorer Sean McDermott is also gone, though coach LaVell Jordan brings in a good recruiting class with five three-star players.
GEORGETOWN
It's been a tumultuous past couple of years under Patrick Ewing, with multiple players (including former UConn commit James Akinjo) leaving the program. The Hoyas actually played better for a while with a depleted roster, but wound up losing their final seven games to finish 15-17 overall and 5-13 in the Big East. If everyone returns, Mac McClung (15.7 ppg), Jahvon Blair and Jamorko Pickett is a nice foundation, but it could be do-or-die time for Ewing.
DEPAUL
At one point this season, the Blue Demons were 12-1, with wins at Iowa, at Minnesota and against Texas Tech, and were sitting just outside the AP Top 25. Soon after, the Big East happened, and DePaul lost 15 of its final 19 games. Stunningly, it was reported a week ago that athletic director Jean Lenti Ponsento was planning on offering coach Dave Leitao a contract extension. Not surprisingly, nothing's materialized yet, and it wouldn't be shocking to see a new coach at the helm at the start of next season.
LOCAL FLAVOR?
At the start of this past season, three of the top players in the Big East were Connecticut natives — Xavier's Tyrique Jones (Bloomfield), St. John's Mustapha Heron (Waterbury/West Haven) and Seton Hall's Quincy McKnight (Bridgeport). Jones and McKnight both had strong seasons, while Heron's was cut short by injury. All three will graduate this spring, and at the onset of next season, it appears there won't be a single scholarship player from Connecticut in the Big East. Sure, there could be a walk-on or two (like UConn's Matt Garry of Southington and Xavier's Zak Swetye, a Darien product), but at this point, no scholarship guys. Heck, even little ol' Rhode Island will have a couple of representatives (Providence's David Duke, Villanova's Cole Swider).
Expect that to change moving forward. As Jay Wright pointed out at Big East Media Day back in October, UConn's return to the Big East should lead to more Connecticut players committing locally — either to UConn or other Big East schools.
"There will be kids growing up in Connecticut, following the Big East, and they might wind up playing at Georgetown," Wright told Hearst Connecticut Media. "That's what happened in the old Big East, and I think the same thing's gonna happen."
FAMILIAR FACES
There may not be any Connecticut-born scholarship players on Big East rosters, but there will be some familiar faces and names. Cooley, of course, coached Fairfield for five seasons before leaving for his hometown school in Providence. Brian Blaney, son of former longtime UConn assistant George Blaney, is one of Cooley's assistants. Leitao, another former Jim Calhoun assistant at UConn, is still at DePaul (for now). Dwayne Killings, an assistant to Kevin Ollie for two seasons, is an assistant at Marquette. And, for those longing for the AAC days — former Memphis guard Antwann Jones is at Creighton, and former Tulane guard Caleb Daniels is at Villanova.
david.borges@hearstmediact.com
Interesting read. Thanks for posting, Nutmegger.