Should We Hope for a National Title?

[Boston Warrior]

Portal will be used in the future. Decision was made not to mess with team chemistry as nil money was blowing up. IMO, there will be a reset that will focus on development and portal. There will be a structure to work within the program.

[DoctorV]

CountryRoads

Don't feel bad about the time spent.

Marquette hoops is in a new place now.
Winning is the norm.

The ride is worth its weight in gold.

I have been lucky to have been dealt with an amazing wife but she said to me tonight "don't let yourself get too down, remember, you've only been truly upset a few times these past few years. Compare that to the Wojo years"

And both her and I were huge fans during those years and loved watching MU hoops, despite the middling results.

There are things that bring joy in life, and if following and enjoying this team gives you that don't feel bad about the time spent.
Passion makes you feel alive

[mu_hilltopper]

TBH, while winning a natty is a wonderful dream to have .. I fantasize about MU not losing to teams it shouldn't lose to ("9 of 10 times") and finishing a season with a hard-fought non-blowout loss to an equal or better team.

I'm a simple man.  Am I asking for too much?

[Uncle Rico]

TBH, while winning a natty is a wonderful dream to have .. I fantasize about MU not losing to teams it shouldn't lose to ("9 of 10 times") and finishing a season with a hard-fought non-blowout loss to an equal or better team.

I'm a simple man.  Am I asking for too much?

Should have hired Porter Moser

[Goose]

Doctor

I would have brought in a portal guy to replace Omax and it would have been a one year guy. I like Jop, but not building a team around him.

MU wins today and Shaka could run with all incoming recruits and returning guys and not get any heat.

[muhoops1]

It isn't easy winning a Natty.  Money or not.  It's hard.  If it wasn't MU would have had one again.

[wadesworld]

This. I saw that Zac Edey was making money based on commemorative cups being sold at Mackey Arena. Imagine if our guys could make $1-$2 per beer sold at Fiserv.

That'll happen as soon as we make our own on campus arena.

[Zog from Margo]

It's OK to hope as long as you recognize that it's really unlikely. MU has won only one and it was almost 50 years ago. Look at UW, they haven't won a title since the 1940s.

I will say Shaka gives them a better chance than any coach since Al.

[IL Warrior]

TBH, while winning a natty is a wonderful dream to have .. I fantasize about MU not losing to teams it shouldn't lose to ("9 of 10 times") and finishing a season with a hard-fought non-blowout loss to an equal or better team.

I'm a simple man.  Am I asking for too much?

This is where I stand. We were a 2 seed last year. Big East regular season champions. Big East Tournament champions. We returned everyone except O-Max. The preseason expectation was a top 5 team.

I'd kill for a Marquette championship.
A loss to UConn in the finals or Purdue/Tennessee in the Final Four would be a tough end to a great season.
An Elite Eight loss to Duke would be disappointing, but a Final Four is a lofty goal.
Even if we lost tonight in a close one against Kentucky, I would understand.

Getting boat raced by a 14-loss 11-seed is not what I was prepared for.

At the end of the day, this team didn't meet expectations. No Big East regular season title. No Big East Tournament title. Didn't perform up to expectations in the NCAA Tournament.

The last time Marquette outperformed their seed in the NCAA Tournament was 2013.
The last time Shaka outperformed his seed in the NCAA Tournament was 2012.

The hardest part is the feeling that the team was built for this season, and now they'll take a step back. We're not a mid-major. Spending 3 years building to get blown out in the Sweet Sixteen is not our goal. Let's hope that Kam Jones returns. Let's hope that David Joplin, Stevie Mitchell, Chase Ross, and Ben Gold continue to improve. Let's hope that the next batch of Warriors surprise us as much as Tyler Kolek and Oso Ighodaro. And finally, let's hope that we can be the team to get hot in March one of these years, because it's been too damn long since the ball bounced our way.

[tower912]

Always hope.   

[Viper]

Doctor

I would have brought in a portal guy to replace Omax and it would have been a one year guy. I like Jop, but not building a team around him.

MU wins today and Shaka could run with all incoming recruits and returning guys and not get any heat.

not building around Jop...or Gold, agreed on a portal Omax replacement, and next season Stevie is the glue-guy and Kam the go-to guy. I hate the thought of a step-back after over a decade to get to this point. Hopefully MU doesn't step-back. Elite 8 next season? Why not MU?

[Uncle Rico]

Programs go up and down in college basketball from year-to-year.  Unless you're Gonzaga

[willie warrior]

Topper

I would bring 2-3 top level portal guys and that is how I would reload. Let's see what happens, some on here might end being surprised.

Agree with that. You have to play the portal game. So fatten the bank account.

[Mu8891]

IL Warrior  ^

I agree completely.  I'm in my 50s ...
I'd kill for a NC. I'm hopeful I see another FF in my lifetime...

In my mind Shaka messed up badly by
Not adding one guy in the Portal to replace OMAX.   It was unrealistic to think this team would be better than last year's ... and they were not.

It would be nice some year not to lose to a lower seed

3 wins in 2 years as a 2 seed is really poor .  Really poor.  Sad.

[Goose]

If MU cannot win a NC, we all are wasting valuable time on this planet jaw jacking about nothing. I'm not here just to kill time.

[CaptainHavoc]

This. I saw that Zac Edey was making money based on commemorative cups being sold at Mackey Arena. Imagine if our guys could make $1-$2 per beer sold at Fiserv.

Were they Tallboys?

[GB Warrior]

Were they Tallboys?

Nope, Shaka doesn't recruit those

[willie warrior]

not building around Jop...or Gold, agreed on a portal Omax replacement, and next season Stevie is the glue-guy and Kam the go-to guy. I hate the thought of a step-back after over a decade to get to this point. Hopefully MU doesn't step-back. Elite 8 next season? Why not MU?

No elite 8 with the projected roster next year. Only way that happens is if Tyler and Oso comeback even more improved. Shaka, get your ass in the portal.