R-E-L-A-X

[GooooMarquette]

I get that the last four losses have been on the road in conference, and none is cause for alarm by itself. But I am a bit troubled by the pattern - that we lost all four, and that they were all the types of close games we were winning earlier.

We seem to have lost our ability to execute in tight late-game situations, and those are the exact kinds of situations you encounter in March....

[Goose]

I am far from being alarmed over the past stretch of games. I still believe there are few teams that would like to face us in the tourney. In addition, this team played an extremely tough stretch of games in January, and it is virtually impossible to play two plus months of high energy games. I would much rather have a bit of dip now and regroup for March.

[Daniel]

I think in the beginning of the season,  no one thought much of us heading to the ncaa tourney, we were mostly looking for improvement etc.  Including the team probably.

Then we win 7 straight against good opponents, the experts are saying we are one of the hottest teams in the country , we get ranked...... and then mindsets change - including the teams.   They start getting a bit more nervous after a loss - they are supposed to be hot.   The play a bit more tentatively instead of how they were playing.    I think this is a real possibility.

Need to get back to who we were in mid-season.   

[THEbig0]

I agree with this and the ability to play with expectations.  They grabbed the bull by the horns in January but are having trouble sustaining that as a quasi-favorite. Similar to how the pre-conference went, with some tight games against teams they should have whipped.  It seems to me the team plays best with the underdog mentality, which is on Shaka to cultivate through whatever means necessary. All that said, they have been in every game which is a great sign to me even if they haven't finished some.  Even playing "tighter" they aren't getting run off the floor.

[Dr. Blackheart]

MU's recent problems start and end in the paint. I have posted on the lack of a half court offense that is relying more and more on inefficient ISOs as things bog down. This isn't new and likely won't change much.

However, recently teams have learned just to attack the paint against us. The three worst defensive games of the season occurred in the last four games, with those three all being losses. Earlier in the year MU was winning those one and two possession games that we are now losing. Paint touches also have led to open threes.

Tired legs? Teams adjusting to how MU switches? Bad match-up line ups? February fade? Lack of rebounding? Pick your theory. Adjust to advance. This is what Shaka is paid to do. Let's see how the team responds.

[The Lens]

In Aaron Rodgers' lone Super Bowl victory, that post season his defense created 11 turnovers and scored 3 TDs. 

Also, Tom Bredy threw 3 picks at Lambeau last year in the NFC Title game and Regular Season Rodgers couldn't capitalize.  Never the less, I still think he's one of the top 3-4 QBs to ever play in Green Bay.

[bradforster]

Lens, this is true but if I'm a Packers fan I would say between Favre and Rodgers the team has greatly underachieved.  Two of the greatest QB's of all time have two Super Bowl titles between them.  How many games have the Packers lost in the playoffs when they were prohibitive favorites?  There was zero excuse not to be in the big game this year.  That loss to Jimmy G and company should sting for a long time - if anyone actually cares.

[GooooMarquette]

^^^^^^ I think these last two posts belong in the NM thread

[Goose]

Dr. B

Very insightful post. I could very well be wrong, but I think tired legs and mentally letting down a bit has hurt the team over the last couple of weeks. They played two tough games a week for the month of January and played them all like must win games and that takes a toll. I think the time off until NMB will do wonders for the team.

[MU82]

I could very well be wrong, but I think tired legs and mentally letting down a bit has hurt the team over the last couple of weeks.

Uh-oh ... be prepared for Doc Dribble to mock you for years for using "tired legs" as an excuse.

Seriously, like you I remain optimistic. I look forward to NMD and then a fun March run.

[DienerTime34]

I'm choosing to look at this through the brighest blue-and-gold glasses I can find. Better Greg step over the line now, so the whole team has it in the back of their minds, then to pull a Lazar Hayward in the NCAA tournament (a moment I'm still not over). Better for Morsell (and team) to have protecting the ball at the forefront of everything they do after losing control now, rather than the tournament.

Yeah, yeah, it would be WAY better if those guys made plays so they have the confidence, but I'm trying to be optimistic here!

[MU82]

One thing for sure: Nobody can accuse yesterday's FS1 analyst, Jess Settles, of having an anti-Marquette bias.

He said at least twice that he thought we could go to the Final Four, and he praised individual MU players all game long.

[GoldenEagles03]

18-13 or 17-14 doesn't sound like a tournament team.

Marquette better find a way to win 2 of the final 3 before the BET to finish 19-11 or 20-10 before the BET.

[GoldenEagles03]

A small baller that's who - check out tick pick. No fees

2 years ago NMD was against Butler and Marquette was ranked.  Tickets for a family of 5 was around $270.

Right now 5 seats in Section 104 is $1149.20 😂😂😂

No thanks.

[tower912]

But I thought that attendance is way down.   

[Boston Warrior]

Tickets in 104 are not the problem!

[Dr. Blackheart]

2 years ago NMD was against Butler and Marquette was ranked.  Tickets for a family of 5 was around $270.

Right now 5 seats in Section 104 is $1149.20 😂😂😂

No thanks.

That's a few hundred clams more than my season ticket at center court.  Who is selling those at that price?  Uncle Luigi?

[GoldenEagles03]

That's a few hundred clams more than my season ticket at center court.  Who is selling those at that price?  Uncle Luigi?

StubHub section 104.  Same section we sat in 2 years ago at about $70-$75 a piece.

[Dr. Blackheart]

StubHub section 104.  Same section we sat in 2 years ago at about $70-$75 a piece.

That's crazy

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

If Marquette wins one more regular season game, they are locked in for the tournament. They may be locked in already (but let's not test that theory). You simply can't move that much this late in the season.

[bilsu]

We will open the Big East tournament against either Creighton or Uconn. Both teams beat us twice. I am expecting a Wojo like performance in Big East tournament and NCAA tournament.

[Scoop Snoop]

We will open the Big East tournament against either Creighton or Uconn. Both teams beat us twice. I am expecting a Wojo like performance in Big East tournament and NCAA tournament.

I see no reason to expect a third loss vs. Creighton. We had the first game in hand and blew our chances to win the second one. That does not = a likely loss. Regarding UCONN- I do not want to see Marquette playing them a third time, but even then...a loss is not a foregone conclusion.

A "Wojo like performance"? If we finish in the BET and NCAAT with disappointing results, it will not a result of a clueless "coach" like Wojo.