Terrible game management

[classof70]

I know, I know, we're all suppose to be positive about MU and not criticize lest we be criticized, but that is some of the worse end game management I've seen in a while.  Did James lose his brain at the end of the game?  Some stupid fouls, stupid ball handling.  Just stupid. 

[ecompt]

We weren't exactly awe-inspiring down the stretch. Stupid, ugly.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Yeah, not great but that happens.  Hard to keep your edge all the time, especially when you're pounding a team.

Need to take care of Rutgers...notch win number 20 and win number 10 in the conference, guaranteeing ourselves of 3 straight years with a winning record in the conference.

Bring on the Knights

[Big Papi]

We were very sloppy the last 8 minutes of the game.  Some stupid fouls but those refs were a bit whistle happy.

[Pago Warrior]

More than time management, I think we just let up on the gas a little too early with 8+ minutes left in the game for the sake of experimenting.  Some unusual rotations in the game which made me think TC may have been tinkering too much too soon.  SJU got some momentum and it made us look pretty sloppy attempting to regain control.  Never really seemed in doubt though.

[pwh00]

Surely Ed Hightower wasn't part of tonight's "whistle-happy" referee crew, was he?   

[Pardner]

Surely Ed Hightower wasn't part of tonight's "whistle-happy" referee crew, was he?   

And he was the "quiet" one tonight.  SJU took 3 less FT attempts than FG's attempted (40 vs. 43).  A total of 53 PF's and 66 FT's makes for great viewing.  Does anyone know what the FT violation was in the second half (I think Lazar was shooting)...was that because TC called LH over a the ref gave him a 10 second delay call at the line?  My goodness, that last 10 min. was torture.

[Big Papi]

Surely Ed Hightower wasn't part of tonight's "whistle-happy" referee crew, was he?   

And he was the "quiet" one tonight.  SJU took 3 less FT attempts than FG's attempted (40 vs. 43).  A total of 53 PF's and 66 FT's makes for great viewing.  Does anyone know what the FT violation was in the second half (I think Lazar was shooting)...was that because TC called LH over a the ref gave him a 10 second delay call at the line?  My goodness, that last 10 min. was torture.

Homer said that Burke was going towards TC after Hayward received the ball so that was a lane violation.

[classof70]

Not the refs, though they were a little trigger happy.  It was US.  Not a smart team for more than 8 minutes.  Disturbing for a very very very veteran team. 

[Pardner]

Not the refs, though they were a little trigger happy.  It was US.  Not a smart team for more than 8 minutes.  Disturbing for a very very very veteran team. 

Thanks mufanatic for clarifying.  And yes 70, it was US at the end...we had a big lead and we kept fouling.  And yes refs, keep the whistles in your pocket on the touch fouls during garbage time.  37 TO's between both teams too.  Brutal but a nice road win.  Subs got some reps.  We'll take it--and on top of a WVU loss.

[DonCornholeone]

Gotta like the 80.1% we shot of FTs.  Dom 9-9!  We only hit 4-18 3s (disgusting, yes), but this team knows how to win!  Like Crean said, Marquette's philosophy is "desperate blue collar".  If we can keep that, or get that attitude in any game we are playing, we can find a way to win.  Gotta love Mbaks 7 boards in 14 minutes!

[MUFanInGreenBay]

Shooting 3's at a 22% clip won't get it done against top caliber teams. We're going to have to shoot it much better obviously to win some games in the NCAA and BE tourney. St. Johns is terrible. I don't know how they're not in last place. I've watched them play 5 or 5 times this year and they've been awful every single time.

[rocky_warrior]

I've watched them play 5 or 5 times this year and they've been awful every single time.

That's nearly 100% awfulness 

[1990Warrior]

The biggest negative to me was that the offense imploded when Acker entered the game.  I know he wasnt surrounded by starters but I would hope to get more from him at this point of the season.  It would be nice to get more minutes from him especially in situations like we will face with the upcoming Sat/ travel to Nova and play Monday we are facing.  If we can blow out Rutgers, I would hope that the starters could get some rest on Sat.

[tower912]

The first 30 minutes were superb, with the exception of the 3 pt shooting.    It looked like a switch went off in our heads and their heads, SJU started playing with desperation and purpose, MU started nursing it home. Not pretty, but we are hardly the first or only team to ever do something that dumb and ugly.    Are we seriously complaining about a 9 pt road win?   We covered the spread.    The last 10 minutes were not our finest hour.   Must every minute of every game be perfection?

[ATWizJr]

no, not perfect, but better than 1 FG the final 10 minutes against a terrible team allowing a 23 point lead to melt away to 9.  Thank God that SJU can't shoot FT's.

[NavinRJohnson]

Definitely put it on cruise control and lost focus toward the end.

I will also second the comment about how we play with Acker in the game - that is in my opinion, whenever James is not in the game...we look like a different team. Been that way for the past several game since we have been playing better, or since he has been healthier, whichever came first. Curious if those who have claimed we'd be better off without James have been watching.

[CTWarrior]

The biggest negative to me was that the offense imploded when Acker entered the game.  I know he wasnt surrounded by starters but I would hope to get more from him at this point of the season.  It would be nice to get more minutes from him especially in situations like we will face with the upcoming Sat/ travel to Nova and play Monday we are facing.  If we can blow out Rutgers, I would hope that the starters could get some rest on Sat.

Agree 100%.  When Acker came in in the first half SJU made a little run and when he came in in the second half they made a big run.  Cubillan needs to spell James in any game where the outcome is in doubt at this point.  We go to pieces when he runs things.

[augoman]

actually, Cubs is a 2, forced to play point last year.  Acker is the natural sub for DJ, and, if not surrounded by 4 other fresh subs, can do a decent job.  The idea of 'platoon substituting' is bad, unless it's time for 'scrambled eggs'.  What caused our collapse last nite was the decision to do mass subbing, and to eat clock at the cost of our 'MO'.  Had we stayed in the attack mode, with the original team, we would have blown them out.