Scruggin it out

[1SE]

and 2-0 in  games we should have zero chance to win.  I also hope we improve the record in what you call toss-up (we were underdogs in 3 of those)

Sure and we're also 3-0 in game we absolutely should have won.

But that's my point with Wojo's teams. It's like winning a couple we weren't supposed to gives us license to disproportionately lose the "toss ups".

That's why Buzz's teams always over achieved. They could steal a few they weren't expected to win, but then could also take care of business against the middle of the road teams. I'm not saying it was realistic to expect 9-0, but if we were sitting at 7-2 (with the wins against UW and Creighton) this would be an exciting start to the year. Instead it's another hum-hum stroll through mediocrity, the bubble, and a first-round exit. 

[shoothoops]

2-3 is more accurate.  The OK State game was not a toss-up.  We were down 8 with 8 minutes left and never got closer then 7 after that.  MU was not competitive in that game.

"Toss up" games can mean a few different things. It can mean winnable games against good teams. Or it can mean an actual individual game down to the wire. I gave the benefit of the doubt of either one the poster wanted.

The Oklahoma St. Game was a winnable game vs a good team. It was one that was disappointing to lose, especially in the way it happened, and, especially catching them earlier in the season. But I agree that was not a down to the wire game.

So I look at it as six MU games vs good teams. MU has won two of those games. Long way to go, but I expected slightly better than that at this time. Others may disagree, and that's fine. We're here to win games.

I do see some referencing the schedule often, but things can and do change during seasons. New and unexpected challenges often present themselves as seasons progress. Closing out, and winning games when you can, helps.

Right now MU is good enough to be in most of the good games. They have won a few, and have lost a few more. And it changes game to game. Get a win over Villanova next game, and the results change again.

[StillWarriors]

In his first year at Marquette, at age 20, Buycks averaged 23mpg and 6ppg for Marquette.  Rowsey, in his first year at MU, averaged 20mpg and 12ppg.  And he would’ve been a big contributor the moment he stepped on campus if he hadn’t had to sit out a year after his transfer.  Kunkel was playing his first Big East game for Xavier and torched us for 22 points in 17 minutes.  Even Koby clearly belonged from the get go, and again, would’ve been a big contributor right away if he hadn’t had to sit out a year.

There’s a big difference between those guys and Perez, who is not even able to get off the bench for MU.  This whole “he needs a year to get used to the higher level” thing is a myth.  This isn’t minor league baseball where you draft an 18 year old kid and hope in five years he’s ready to contribute at a high level.

In addition to Kunkel, Nate Johnson is another instant contributor for X. Ironically, also a transfer from Gardner Webb. Perez averaged 15.2 ppg and 6.5 rpg, while Johnson was at 13.5 and 4.7, though Perez shot 34% FG and 25% from 3. Johnson was 44% FG and 41%. Both played heavy minutes. Johnson is at 59% on 3s so far on 44 attempts. Have to think he comes back to earth at some point.

[1SE]

"Toss up" games can mean a few different things. It can mean winnable games against good teams. Or it can mean an actual individual game down to the wire. I gave the benefit of the doubt of either one the poster wanted.

The Oklahoma St. Game was a winnable game vs a good team. It was one that was disappointing to lose, especially in the way it happened, and, especially catching them earlier in the season. But I agree that was not a down to the wire game.

So I look at it as six MU games vs good teams. MU has won two of those games. Long way to go, but I expected slightly better than that at this time. Others may disagree, and that's fine. We're here to win games.

I do see some referencing the schedule often, but things can and do change during seasons. New and unexpected challenges often present themselves as seasons progress. Closing out, and winning games when you can, helps.

Right now MU is good enough to be in most of the good games. They have won a few, and have lost a few more. And it changes game to game. Get a win over Villanova next game, and the results change again.

Yeah, I meant teams "in our ballpark" (kenpom wise or whatever)

So 4 "toss-ups"

Ok St 44
Xavier 48
UCLA 29
SH 52

[shoothoops]

Yeah, I meant teams "in our ballpark" (kenpom wise or whatever)

So 4 "toss-ups"

Ok St 44
Xavier 48
UCLA 29
SH 52

And those numbers can and do change. I just look at it simply, and say six "good" teams, some better than others. One could say MU has two stronger KenPom wins and goose eggs in the other four good team games thus far. It's all the same thing as long as you count both the wins and the losses. Only mentioning the losses isn't fair of course because those bigger wins count too. Fair is fair. 👍

[CTWarrior]

Kunkel the new JP Macura.  22 points in like 17 minutes, 90% from field, perfect from line, two steals.  Quite a performance.

Scruggs was too much for Koby, but at least Koby showed some grit in last five minutes.

MU shoots 55% and loses. 

Loose balls, not grabbing them and some dumb passes lead to too many points.  Hello Jamal and Symir tossing the inbound ball to X after timeout. 

Again, doubling on defense and kick out threes for X. And they made them. 

Tough loss.

This killed us.  Forgetting turnovers we fumble fingered several defensive rebounds where we had position (and a few on the offensive side, too) leading to extra opportunities and points for Xavier.  This team does that strangely often.

[DoctorV]

In addition to Kunkel, Nate Johnson is another instant contributor for X. Ironically, also a transfer from Gardner Webb. Perez averaged 15.2 ppg and 6.5 rpg, while Johnson was at 13.5 and 4.7, though Perez shot 34% FG and 25% from 3. Johnson was 44% FG and 41%. Both played heavy minutes. Johnson is at 59% on 3s so far on 44 attempts. Have to think he comes back to earth at some point.

Didn’t know that, good info.
Wonder where Nate Johnson was ranked on those offseason transfer lists compared to Jose Perez?

Imagine being Jose- your guy Nate, who you were less efficient but better than on the same team last year- is out there averaging 32 mpg and 14ppg on an undefeated Xavier team while you can’t log a single minute on a 5-4 MU team.
It must make you feel very badly, like you’ve made the wrong choice.

Jose also led the team in scoring in one of the pre-season scrimmages and looked good enough to play in many of the clips so it’s not like he hasn’t performed in a year or something.

I wonder if there’s something else there?
Complete conjecture, but I’m pretty sure that wojo didn’t like when Symir decided he didn’t want to redshirt and maybe felt the same when Jose didn’t want to as well? I mean it’s water under the bridge with everyone being eligible now and that would be pretty petty but who knows. Only other thing I can think of is a Todd Smith conditioning gripe or some odd off the court concern like social media.
I guess I just find it hard to believe he’s really not good enough to play at all

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Didn’t know that, good info.
Wonder where Nate Johnson was ranked on those offseason transfer lists compared to Jose Perez?

Imagine being Jose- your guy Nate, who you were less efficient but better than on the same team last year- is out there averaging 32 mpg and 14ppg on an undefeated Xavier team while you can’t log a single minute on a 5-4 MU team.
It must make you feel very badly, like you’ve made the wrong choice.

Jose also led the team in scoring in one of the pre-season scrimmages and looked good enough to play in many of the clips so it’s not like he hasn’t performed in a year or something.

I wonder if there’s something else there?
Complete conjecture, but I’m pretty sure that wojo didn’t like when Symir decided he didn’t want to redshirt and maybe felt the same when Jose didn’t want to as well? I mean it’s water under the bridge with everyone being eligible now and that would be pretty petty but who knows. Only other thing I can think of is a Todd Smith conditioning gripe or some odd off the court concern like social media.
I guess I just find it hard to believe he’s really not good enough to play at all

I don't think its a case of him not wanting to redshirt.  There is no reason to have him redshirt since everyone gets an extra year, and all transfers are immediately eligible anyway.

I do wonder if there is some reason why he isn't playing beyond his ability to play basketball however.  Especially when we were short handed without Symir.  Purely hypothetical, but remember that he left Gardner Webb about 2/3 the way through the season last year.  Did that impact his academics?  Did Marquette say "sure you can take him, but he has to sit this year?"

It's just really weird. 

[Hards Alumni]

Grabbing loose balls is more of a Brad Davidson thing, aina?



I think I'm getting this down, Doc.

[Nukem2]

This killed us.  Forgetting turnovers we fumble fingered several defensive rebounds where we had position (and a few on the offensive side, too) leading to extra opportunities and points for Xavier.  This team does that strangely often.

Yep, Theo and Jamal are frequent offenders here.

[tower912]

Grabbing loose balls is more of a Brad Davidson thing, aina?



I think I'm getting this down, Doc.

Nice.     

Seriously, we had several fumbled rebounds yesterday.    Including the one that ultimately led to the dagger through the heart.   Big pile of suck.   
   The solution is.... what exactly?    Put in Osa and Perez?    Running until they vomit?    Medicine balls?    If you find a sure fire method to insure that rebounders never fumble the ball or fight with a teammate leading to a turnover, do yourself a favor and patent it.    Basketball coaches the world over will pay you big money for your solution.   

[Dr. Blackheart]

Nice.     

Seriously, we had several fumbled rebounds yesterday.    Including the one that ultimately led to the dagger through the heart.   Big pile of suck.   
   The solution is.... what exactly?    Put in Osa and Perez?    Running until they vomit?    Medicine balls?    If you find a sure fire method to insure that rebounders never fumble the ball or fight with a teammate leading to a turnover, do yourself a favor and patent it.    Basketball coaches the world over will pay you big money for your solution.

[Shooter McGavin]

Nice.     

Seriously, we had several fumbled rebounds yesterday.    Including the one that ultimately led to the dagger through the heart.   Big pile of suck.   
   The solution is.... what exactly?    Put in Osa and Perez?    Running until they vomit?    Medicine balls?    If you find a sure fire method to insure that rebounders never fumble the ball or fight with a teammate leading to a turnover, do yourself a favor and patent it.    Basketball coaches the world over will pay you big money for your solution.

+1

[tower912]

Lester Hayes had the right of it.   It does, however, negatively effect your release and the other team might notice.   

[muwarrior69]

I'd have to rewatch to be sure, but I feel like the defense was actually better this game than the Seton Hall game....but Xavier's offense was way way better than Seton Hall's. Seton Hall it felt like they were getting a ton of shots with no one within 5 feet of them. Other than a handful, it felt like we were challenging every shot today but they were hitting everything.

Bad on the boards today. That's usually a strength and we couldn't hang onto anything. Was the difference in the game.

Is the ESPN box score correct? 12 turnovers but X had 10 steals? That doesn't seem right but maybe it was.

Lewis is not a good defender most nights. Late on rotations. Gives up  back door cuts and doesn't cut off passing lanes. Two of Carton's fouls were because he was trying to make up for Lewis being out of position.

We are going to win a lot of games in the last 16 games of the season (assuming we play all 16). After the Villanova game, we will have played 5/7 of our toughest games of the season with 16 games left to play. So far, we have won two and been competitive but lost the other two of the toughest games we've played so far. I still like the team and there is no quit in them. I think taking our lumps early will lead to a very good finish to the season.

Our turnover rate has cost us a few games. If we can reduce those we just might be on the winning side of a few games.

[muwarrior69]

I'd have to rewatch to be sure, but I feel like the defense was actually better this game than the Seton Hall game....but Xavier's offense was way way better than Seton Hall's. Seton Hall it felt like they were getting a ton of shots with no one within 5 feet of them. Other than a handful, it felt like we were challenging every shot today but they were hitting everything.

Bad on the boards today. That's usually a strength and we couldn't hang onto anything. Was the difference in the game.

Is the ESPN box score correct? 12 turnovers but X had 10 steals? That doesn't seem right but maybe it was.

Lewis is not a good defender most nights. Late on rotations. Gives up  back door cuts and doesn't cut off passing lanes. Two of Carton's fouls were because he was trying to make up for Lewis being out of position.

We are going to win a lot of games in the last 16 games of the season (assuming we play all 16). After the Villanova game, we will have played 5/7 of our toughest games of the season with 16 games left to play. So far, we have won two and been competitive but lost the other two of the toughest games we've played so far. I still like the team and there is no quit in them. I think taking our lumps early will lead to a very good finish to the season.

Well I think Seton Hall, X and UConn will be tough games.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Well I think Seton Hall, X and UConn will be tough games.

I didn't say they would be cakewalks. Just not as tough as vs. Wisconsin, at UCLA, at Creighton, at Xavier, vs. Villanova. I would rank at Hall and at UConn as the 8th and 9th toughest games on our schedule this season.