Hate to say it, but I am a little worried

[muarmy81]

Watching the game last night I didn't understand our complacency on offense.  Not only did we revert back to standing around on the perimeter waiting to unload a three but we were also very careless with the ball.  Too many poor passes into the high post that were stolen away.  Once they began attacking the zone they did fine but there were definitely lapses in the offense where we looked like those kids from IU...lost and weak.

[79Warrior]

I realize it's early, and I know we out rebounded TexSo, but, having watched unranked Syracuse vs #22? Kansas (with the talented Tyshawn Taylor), I wonder as to the validity of our current # 15 ranking.  I, too, am worried.

Agreed. With the pathetic performance down low so far against bunnies, this could get very ugly in BE play.

[🏀]

What I am more worried about is that we seem to fall back on the three too much this year so far. We have always been a team that lived or died by the three ball, but maybe I was just hoping that Buzz would have changed it up.

One of my favorite piece of Marquette basketball was the great white hope raining it from the long range. We lost any hope of that when SC left. McNeal has overhauled his shot last night and was not elevating as much. He started hitting the balls last night when he did that. If McNeal can turn into a semi-decent threat his value will skyrocket.

[Marquette84]

What I am more worried about is that we seem to fall back on the three too much this year so far. We have always been a team that lived or died by the three ball, but maybe I was just hoping that Buzz would have changed it up.

So far this year, 31% of all attempts have been threes (82 of 265 total attempts).

Last year 33% of MU's shot attempts were threes.  Against the first 3 cupcakes (IUPUI, UVS, and Chaminade), 36% of all attempts were threes.

Comparing level of competition and point in the season, MU has decreased its reliance on 3 point shots considerably.

Couple that with the fact that fewer of this year's three attempts are late in the shot clock only to beat the buzzer, and I think there is a signficant shift in approach.

Its funny--last year the beef was that Crean was too controlling--that our guys were passing up open 3 point shots to run a set play.

This year, players have the ability to take an open three earlier in the shot clock--and despite the fact that they have that ability, the percentage of 3 point shots is down--yet there are still complaints that we're taking too many.

[MUSF]

Has there ever been a year that some early pre-conference game against an inferior opponent didn't get everyone, "a little worried?"

Do we have weaknesses?  You bet.  You can count the teams that don't have a noticeable weakness on one hand and still have fingers left over.  We were small up front last year and we struggled with the zone last year.  We will have the same problems this year but I still expect a successful season.

[ChicosBailBonds]

TS was a surprisingly decent team... their guys looked and played solidly, and had athleticism throughout.  They rebounded in their zone scheme pretty well and forced us into plenty of turnovers.
Was the closeness of the first 18:00 all contributed to them playing really well or being a decent team?  No.  All us playing below our abilities?  No.
I think it was a feeling out period in the season- learn something about yourselves... like every cupcake game really should be.  That's their value.

Maybe.  They lost to Cincinnati by 31 but gave Northern Iowa and UTEP decent games.  Hard to say.

[ErickJD08]

I hate to say I am right when it means we are not that good but I was right when someone was whining about how wrong I was.  We have no three point shooting and our FT% is terrible outside of Matthews.  I feel bad about our great seniors.  There is no way they have win games on their own without any help.  God help us in the Big East.

[77ncaachamps]

I'm not worried about talent. I'm worried about stamina.

Nola is spot on.

With some of the hardest non-conf games ahead, Otule and Fulce out, and Butler, Acker, Burke, et al not developing nor contributing as much as they can, the Big Three are logging in huge minutes.

Tonight,

Wes - 38 min.
DJ - 35 min.
Jerel - 33 min.

Then...

Lazar - 24 min. (fouled out)
Cubillan - 20 min.
Burke - 19 min.
Acker - 14 min.
Butler - 9 min.
Hazel - 8 min.

Knowing how important they are to the game, I can now see why Jerel, DJ, and Wes don't defend as aggressively as they want: MU cannot afford them - or Lazar - to foul out.