Nigel is a fking stud. Make sure the young man is back next season. Just saying. Call Lemonis if necessary.
He gets all the money.
This is Mr James' team now.
Feels like if Nigel is here 4 years we'll have some pretty special moments
He's an absolute stud.
I like how aggressive Royce has been offensively as well.
He really is improving, shooting with confidence and his passing is much improved. Maybe he can help in recruiting!
Quote from: MuggsyB on January 19, 2026, 07:30:47 PMNigel is a fking stud. Make sure the young man is back next season. Just saying. Call Lemonis if necessary.
Don't think you can count on Marcus for this....
Quote from: wadesworld on January 19, 2026, 07:43:11 PMHe's an absolute stud.
I like how aggressive Royce has been offensively as well.
Took his time around the basket getting the defender in the air for easy layups. Nice playing.
Quote from: MuggsyB on January 19, 2026, 07:30:47 PMNigel is a fking stud. Make sure the young man is back next season. Just saying. Call Lemonis if necessary.
Yes he us. Yet Shaka at start of year figured Sean was the guy over Nigel.
Parham and Owens are also both keepers
One thing for sure GoolllddBrick is not a stud.
We're moving without the ball and good performances from everyone tonight
Gold gives what he can. His hustle pickup of the loose ball sealed the W with his FT. I would check his vision. Or maybe he start moving in a couple feet until he can consistently hit his shot.
Want to celebrate the win of course, but the biggest win for me today was some unplayable guys actually not playing. Crazy to think where wed be if we played the right players starting 2-3 weeks ago. I mean, still bad but not nearly as bad.
Quote from: wadesworld on January 19, 2026, 07:43:11 PMHe's an absolute stud.
I like how aggressive Royce has been offensively as well.
Nigel has been better dimeing and taking care of the rock.
Huge minutes from Damarius btw. If he comes around the future start looking brighter
Chase needs to play OFF THE BALL to close games. We've known this for quite some time. Make the change, Shaka.
Quote from: Tha Hound on January 19, 2026, 07:53:08 PMWant to celebrate the win of course, but the biggest win for me today was some unplayable guys actually not playing. Crazy to think where wed be if we played the right players starting 2-3 weeks ago. I mean, still bad but not nearly as bad.
Hound,
If Ben and Chase came back as most of us projected, this team would be exponentially better. I'm not saying world beaters, but probably somewhere around a bubble team. I also expected Zaide to be a key contributor.
Quote from: pbiflyer on January 19, 2026, 07:46:17 PMDon't think you can count on Marcus for this....
Why not?
Quote from: MuggsyB on January 19, 2026, 07:58:30 PMHound,
If Ben and Chase came back as most of us projected, this team would be exponentially better. I'm not saying world beaters, but probably somewhere around a bubble team. I also expected Zaide to be a key contributor.
I'd say Ben has been extremely disappointing. Chase certainly didn't make the jump many projected, but still a solid player. It's been Shaka's insistence on playing some mid major talent that has cost us a few games this year, in my opinion. Not surprising to me that once he stops, we've started playing (very slightly) better.
Quote from: WellsstreetWanderer on January 19, 2026, 07:48:16 PMWe're moving without the ball and good performances from everyone tonight
Yes moving without the ball produces much better results. We didn't do that a lot in previous games. Glad to see it. Go Marquette!
Quote from: MuggsyB on January 19, 2026, 07:30:47 PMNigel is a fking stud. Make sure the young man is back next season. Just saying. Call Lemonis if necessary.
Need D Wade for this one.
Quote from: Tha Hound on January 19, 2026, 08:03:46 PMI'd say Ben has been extremely disappointing. Chase certainly didn't make the jump many projected, but still a solid player. It's been Shaka's insistence on playing some mid major talent that has cost us a few games this year, in my opinion. Not surprising to me that once he stops, we've started playing (very slightly) better.
Ben is 6 for 42 (14%) from three in last ten games. Almost Tre Norman's stats. Tonight he made almost every layup, yet continues too miss the wide open threes and under 70% free throw shooter. Maybe keep the inside game going.
On defense, why is he 35 feet from the basket guarding a guard and then fouling with two seconds on shot clock by bumping the player. No wonder MU has issues with opponent's office rebounds, we have our bigmen too far from basket. No foul, then opponents have a dunk fest by guard throwing ball over the top.
Bottomline, maybe keep Gold closer to the basket.
Nigel and DO were great tonight. Chase is a train wreck in the closing minutes of games. Bad shots, missed lay-ups, dumb fouls and TOs. Had he not fouled out we would have lost which would have been sad considering how awesome Nigel played.
Quote from: NCMUFan on January 19, 2026, 07:52:18 PMGold gives what he can. His hustle pickup of the loose ball sealed the W with his FT. I would check his vision. Or maybe he start moving in a couple feet until he can consistently hit his shot.
He missed a huge second free throw. Lucky we didn't lose because of that miss.
Quote from: wadesworld on January 19, 2026, 07:43:11 PMHe's an absolute stud.
I like how aggressive Royce has been offensively as well.
Thought Royce and NJJ played nicely off one another down the stretch. Encouraging to see.
Quote from: MuggsyB on January 19, 2026, 07:56:07 PMChase needs to play OFF THE BALL to close games. We've known this for quite some time. Make the change, Shaka.
Before he fouled out, he had an offensive possession that started in his hands in front of Shaka. Nigel came to get the ball. Chase ignored him. My whole family was yelling "no!" For the entire shot clock until it was a failed possession. Shaka needs to tell him to get the ball to Nigel. If Chase has a straight line drive or a wide open three he should be allowed to drive or shoot. He cannot create. And should not have the ball in his hands at crunch time as the primary play maker.
https://x.com/i/status/2013441909113434183
Quote from: jesmu84 on January 19, 2026, 08:45:15 PMhttps://x.com/i/status/2013441909113434183
This is kind of pathetic. We shouldn't be concerned about teams poaching our players, certainly not St. John's. It's like half of this fanbase is terrified of their own shadow.
Quote from: marqfan22 on January 19, 2026, 08:37:42 PMHe missed a huge second free throw. Lucky we didn't lose because of that miss.
The miss actually kind of helped MU. The miss took a second off the clock before they got their timeout. Took any chance of getting it all the way to the rim. So then at that point they're going to be shooting a 3 either way, so if they make the shot they win the game even if Ben had made his second free throw.
Quote from: marqfan22 on January 19, 2026, 08:37:42 PMHe missed a huge second free throw. Lucky we didn't lose because of that miss.
That was the least important FT miss of the night. At that point in the game PCs last shot was going to be a 3. Missing actually took a few tenths off the clock.
Quote from: marqfan22 on January 19, 2026, 08:37:42 PMHe missed a huge second free throw. Lucky we didn't lose because of that miss.
They shot a 3 to win....and they were down 1. He makes it....we are up 2 and they still shoot a 3 due to time remaining. That missed FT had no bearing.
Quote from: Tha Hound on January 19, 2026, 07:53:08 PMWant to celebrate the win of course, but the biggest win for me today was some unplayable guys actually not playing. Crazy to think where wed be if we played the right players starting 2-3 weeks ago. I mean, still bad but not nearly as bad.
We have 6 playable guys. Maybe 7 if you count Tre. Four of them are underclassmen. It's not feasible to do what they did tonight every game.
But yes it was great to see tonight and you can see how much better they are with those 6 getting the minutes.
Quote from: Shooter McGavin on January 19, 2026, 08:42:58 PMBefore he fouled out, he had an offensive possession that started in his hands in front of Shaka. Nigel came to get the ball. Chase ignored him. My whole family was yelling "no!" For the entire shot clock until it was a failed possession. Shaka needs to tell him to get the ball to Nigel. If Chase has a straight line drive or a wide open three he should be allowed to drive or shoot. He cannot create. And should not have the ball in his hands at crunch time as the primary play maker.
I couldn't agree more. I've had enough of this disastrous scenario. Chase is more effective off the ball. Cut, attack off of a reversal, even catch and shoot if it's wide open. What I don't want to see is Chase isoing and thinking he's SGA. Give Nigel the rock, with a high screen, and the young man the keys.
Quote from: marqfan22 on January 19, 2026, 08:37:42 PMHe missed a huge second free throw. Lucky we didn't lose because of that miss.
Literally could not have mattered less. They were never getting a two point shot in that situation.
Obviously he was trying to make it, but I thought the miss benefitted us. Took a second off the clock and they couldn't run the baseline.
Quote from: Tha Hound on January 19, 2026, 07:53:08 PMWant to celebrate the win of course, but the biggest win for me today was some unplayable guys actually not playing. Crazy to think where wed be if we played the right players starting 2-3 weeks ago. I mean, still bad but not nearly as bad.
Agree! Have said earlier we would be close to 500 if not 500 if we played the right players and not played the incorrect players.
Quote from: Tha Hound on January 19, 2026, 08:03:46 PMI'd say Ben has been extremely disappointing. Chase certainly didn't make the jump many projected, but still a solid player. It's been Shaka's insistence on playing some mid major talent that has cost us a few games this year, in my opinion. Not surprising to me that once he stops, we've started playing (very slightly) better.
Could not disagree more on Ben. He's playing really well outside shot making. If he was shooting his normal percentage from deep he'd be our clear second best player.
Quote from: marqfan22 on January 19, 2026, 08:37:42 PMHe missed a huge second free throw. Lucky we didn't lose because of that miss.
Looked from my angle like he missed it on purpose. Will have to rewatch but seemed intentional. I imagine the hope was that there would be more of a scrum and the time would've ran out before Providence got settled with the ball.
Quote from: wadesworld on January 19, 2026, 07:43:11 PMHe's an absolute stud.
I like how aggressive Royce has been offensively as well.
Couldn't agree more, wades.
Nigel will get all the pub and deservedly so, but man Royce has really turned a corner lately with his aggressiveness and finishing at the rim (something this team has stunk at haha). Last season he was a spot up 3-point shooter and that was it, but his strength and tenacity getting to the rim this season has been such a nice improvement to his game.
Add that to the strides Damarius is showing the past month and THAT is really encouraging moving forward. It looks like the game is slowing down for Damarius and the rebounds, blocks, steals (the game-saving steal when we were down 3 with 10 seconds left), and takes to the rim have been fantastic. That's as exciting to me as what Nigel is doing to be honest.
Nigel, Adrien, Chase, Damarius, and Royce lineups are so great to see, and I'm not sure the advanced stats for that 5 but I'd imagine it has to be one of our best from an efficiency standpoint. Really fun night for MUBB.
Shaka should take a page out of Buzz's book and stress: only take threes with a paint feed. We are not a naturally good 3 point shooting team. Our percentage would be much better imo if we stopped taking shots after a perimeter pass or a dribble to side. If we had discipline and only shot 3s when getting a pass from the paint our 3 and rim offense would be much better
At game tonight it was amazing.
Quote from: wadesworld on January 19, 2026, 08:52:50 PMThe miss actually kind of helped MU. The miss took a second off the clock before they got their timeout. Took any chance of getting it all the way to the rim. So then at that point they're going to be shooting a 3 either way, so if they make the shot they win the game even if Ben had made his second free throw.
I will have what you are smoking.
I turned 79 yesterday. Nice birthday present. Let's see what happens in the off season as I see hope of turning the program around for next season. However, if Shaka does not go to the portal this place will go ballistic.
This place goes ballistic and is a cesspool when things are going well. Do you honestly think you will be able to tell the difference?
Quote from: tower912 on January 20, 2026, 06:24:27 AMThis place goes ballistic and is a cesspool when things are going well. Do you honestly think you will be able to tell the difference?
Care to elaborate. The one thing we all agree on is we want a men's basketball program good enough to compete for a national championship. How we get there is where some of us disagree.
Quote from: willie warrior on January 20, 2026, 05:43:24 AMI will have what you are smoking.
You don't need to be smoking to understand the miss helped us. Not saying he meant to miss the free throw, just saying it helped.
I was pondering before Gold shot the second free throw whether he should miss it on purpose.
Quote from: tower912 on January 20, 2026, 07:24:30 AMI was pondering before Gold shot the second free throw whether he should miss it on purpose.
Interesting. Once he made the first, I told my wife that if he missed the second, at least a few fractions of a second would come off the clock and, with Providence likely planning a 3 as their best chance at a buzzer beater, making the second FT wouldn't matter anyway if they made the three. This would have been a case of (singular) "FT no matta."
I think trying to bounce it hard off the rim would have been a good gamble because we might have gotten the rebound and ....
game over.
Quote from: tower912 on January 20, 2026, 07:24:30 AMI was pondering before Gold shot the second free throw whether he should miss it on purpose.
Announcers said prior to shot that it might be better to miss it and take time off the clock.
Quote from: nyg on January 19, 2026, 08:28:37 PMBen is 6 for 42 (14%) from three in last ten games. Almost Tre Norman's stats. Tonight he made almost every layup, yet continues too miss the wide open threes and under 70% free throw shooter. Maybe keep the inside game going.
On defense, why is he 35 feet from the basket guarding a guard and then fouling with two seconds on shot clock by bumping the player. No wonder MU has issues with opponent's office rebounds, we have our bigmen too far from basket. No foul, then opponents have a dunk fest by guard throwing ball over the top.
Bottomline, maybe keep Gold closer to the basket.
Couldn't find opponents office rebounds stats. Sorry, couldn't resist
Quote from: willie warrior on January 20, 2026, 05:43:24 AMI will have what you are smoking.
Always joyless / always clueless
English wanted PC to pass the ball to half court and call timeout after the make. By missing, team time off on the catch and they couldn't advance it to half court.
Quote from: cheebs09 on January 20, 2026, 01:05:03 PMEnglish wanted PC to pass the ball to half court and call timeout after the make. By missing, team time off on the catch and they couldn't advance it to half court.
Facts no matta here
Quote from: Newsdreams on January 20, 2026, 01:06:15 PMFacts no matta here
Or anywhere else in our country for the past year.
Quote from: BM1090 on January 19, 2026, 10:59:50 PMCould not disagree more on Ben. He's playing really well outside shot making. If he was shooting his normal percentage from deep he'd be our clear second best player.
He's taken the most 3's on the team and making them at a 24% clip. "He's playing really well outside the one thing he does the most and is absolutely terrible at." Sounds a bit silly, no?
Quote from: muwarrior69 on January 20, 2026, 06:48:23 AMCare to elaborate. The one thing we all agree on is we want a men's basketball program good enough to compete for a national championship. How we get there is where some of us disagree.
I'll elaborate... many people here and on social media platforms are just absolutely toxic and can't handle themselves with grace after a loss or during a bad season. This is especially true of those who never post unless we lose. Seems there's a group who only know how to exist if things are a disaster and thus get a chance to bitch and moan.
Don't even get me started on the people who can't even identify what is going wrong and simply take the easy road and scream "ThIs iS BeCaUsE He rEfuSeS tO uSe ThE PoRtAL!"
Quote from: muwarrior69 on January 20, 2026, 06:07:41 AMI turned 79 yesterday. Nice birthday present. Let's see what happens in the off season as I see hope of turning the program around for next season. However, if Shaka does not go to the portal this place will go ballistic.
Happy Birthday!
(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61jis05to2L.jpg)
Quote from: Scoop Snoop on January 20, 2026, 01:08:15 PMOr anywhere else in our country for the past year.
Don't be so critical of the MSM.
Lost in Nigel's drop the hammer performance yesterday, were the two critical trifectas he laced under extreme pressure. One in regulation and one in overtime. You add the three freebies, and that's incredibly impressive for any college player, let alone a Frosh. RP helped with a few rolls the rim, but let's face it, young Nigel didn't get much help.
Now, I fully expect good defensive teams to force another MU player to beat them. That said, NJ is starting to combine his blow by ability with far better decision making and footwork. He's keeping his dribble alive, planting and dimeing cutters, and using an array of tools around the rim. Perhaps he'll add a floater to his sweet little bank shot and stop and deke finger roll. My point is once he becomes consistent tickling the twine from downtown, it opens things up offensively like the Red Sea. No one can deal with his first step from what I've seen.
Obviously this is a very flawed basketball team. Our defense and rebounding is brutal to put it mildly and we all know certain guys have struggled. I'm not expecting miracles, but what this youngster showed us last night put a little pep in my step. We can without question build around Nigel. Back up the Brinks truck for him and find the right pieces. What I see is a potential superstar once he has more help around him and figures things out defensively. He will have more ups and downs, but you can't teach his electricity and athleticism.
A large part of the difference IMO is that he is playing at "Nigel speed" rather than trying to play at "Sean speed". When he tried the latter, the results were extremely inconsistent.
I don't know if the game itself has slowed down for him or the fact that Sean is hurt means he isn't practicing (and being influenced) by Sean's manic play style, but his pace is noticeably different than it was at the beginning of the season, with much better results.
Quote from: TSmith34, Inc. on January 21, 2026, 08:47:50 AMA large part of the difference IMO is that he is playing at "Nigel speed" rather than trying to play at "Sean speed".
Chase needs to learn that difference (not likely 88% through his college career). He needs to
learn to vary speeds and change timing. He is OFTEN basically out of control and moving too fast to put up a good shot. If he could add some finesse he'd be much more effective.
Quote from: mileskishnish72 on January 21, 2026, 01:59:49 PMChase needs to learn that difference (not likely 88% through his college career). He needs to
learn to vary speeds and change timing. He is OFTEN basically out of control and moving too fast to put up a good shot. If he could add some finesse he'd be much more effective.
Chase could still have a bright future as an NFL defensive back
Quote from: mileskishnish72 on January 21, 2026, 01:59:49 PMChase needs to learn that difference (not likely 88% through his college career). He needs to
learn to vary speeds and change timing. He is OFTEN basically out of control and moving too fast to put up a good shot. If he could add some finesse he'd be much more effective.
Sometimes guys just never develop that feel. You can already see the strides Nigel has made in that area.
Quote from: mileskishnish72 on January 21, 2026, 01:59:49 PMChase needs to learn that difference (not likely 88% through his college career). He needs to
learn to vary speeds and change timing. He is OFTEN basically out of control and moving too fast to put up a good shot. If he could add some finesse he'd be much more effective.
Very good points by you and TSmith. I have mentioned the importance of speed control if you are blessed with tier 1 quicks. As well as using change of pace and direction. Chase hasn't figured that out at all.
Tomy Parker is the guy I most often think of as a wizard at these attributes. Insane quickness, but totally understood how to maximize his zoomability. And he had that wicked floater of course.
Quote from: muwarrior69 on January 20, 2026, 06:48:23 AMCare to elaborate. The one thing we all agree on is we want a men's basketball program good enough to compete for a national championship. How we get there is where some of us disagree.
...but, we'll get there!!!
Quote from: MuggsyB on January 21, 2026, 05:10:32 PMVery good points by you and TSmith. I have mentioned the importance of speed control if you are blessed with tier 1 quicks. As well as using change of pace and direction. Chase hasn't figured that out at all.
Sorry, I always played at one speed, full out! Although my full out could best be described as glacially slow.
Seriously though, I remember long ago Glenn Rivers describing his court vision and how everything slowed down and he adjusted his speed accordingly.
Quote from: Tha Hound on January 20, 2026, 02:52:32 PMHe's taken the most 3's on the team and making them at a 24% clip. "He's playing really well outside the one thing he does the most and is absolutely terrible at." Sounds a bit silly, no?
He screens more than he shoots. He plays perimeter defense and post defense more than he shoots. He is used to connect the offense more than he shoots. He boxes out and rebounds more than he shoots.
Shooting threes is about 4% of what he does on the basketball court. Unfortunately for him, it's the part that gets noticed the most and he's really struggling with it. But his growth in other areas is clear and obvious. I hope he starts knocking them down because if he does it could really change the team.
Quote from: pbiflyer on January 23, 2026, 11:36:54 AMSorry, I always played at one speed, full out! Although my full out could best be described as glacially slow.
Seriously though, I remember long ago Glenn Rivers describing his court vision and how everything slowed down and he adjusted his speed accordingly.
Doc Rivers was also scared to death of bringing the ball up the court vs Muggsy. :)
Quote from: BM1090 on January 23, 2026, 01:19:05 PMHe screens more than he shoots. He plays perimeter defense and post defense more than he shoots. He is used to connect the offense more than he shoots. He boxes out and rebounds more than he shoots.
Shooting threes is about 4% of what he does on the basketball court. Unfortunately for him, it's the part that gets noticed the most and he's really struggling with it. But his growth in other areas is clear and obvious. I hope he starts knocking them down because if he does it could really change the team.
Pure BS
Quote from: willie warrior on January 24, 2026, 05:36:32 AMPure BS
Honestly impressive that you've been a member for 18 years and have never been right about anything
Quote from: BM1090 on January 23, 2026, 01:19:05 PMHe screens more than he shoots. He plays perimeter defense and post defense more than he shoots. He is used to connect the offense more than he shoots. He boxes out and rebounds more than he shoots.
Shooting threes is about 4% of what he does on the basketball court. Unfortunately for him, it's the part that gets noticed the most and he's really struggling with it. But his growth in other areas is clear and obvious. I hope he starts knocking them down because if he does it could really change the team.
I too would love Ben to magically turn into a great player, and have been hoping for that for years. Unfortunately we have all the data we need on him.
Leading 2 pt shooting% in the Big East in conference games. 73% All of those drives to the basket and cutting to the basket when others drive is paying off at the rim.
Worst 3 pt shooter. But hey, 4 for his last 13.
Quote from: tower912 on January 25, 2026, 02:47:16 PMLeading 2 pt shooting% in the Big East in conference games. 73% All of those drives to the basket and cutting to the basket when others drive is paying off at the rim.
Worst 3 pt shooter. But hey, 4 for his last 13.
Also, 4 of his last 23.
And 5 of his last 36.
All are true.
Quote from: tower912 on January 25, 2026, 04:32:15 PMAll are true.
Some here only take the Willie perspective
Quote from: MarquetteMike1977 on January 19, 2026, 10:58:30 PMAgree! Have said earlier we would be close to 500 if not 500 if we played the right players and not played the incorrect players.
What a sad state of affairs when we are opining how we could "be close to 500". MU BB has really sunk to low low levels.