Expectations versus reality

[tower912]

Silver Warrior had a nice post about along these lines on the other board.  I worried about the high expectations on this team with nothing guaranteed from the backcourt.
1.  Expected Duane Wilson to be starting at the point by now.
2.  Expected STjr and Juan to build on last year and have taken steps forward.
3.  Expected that with the weight loss, Gardner would be a better defender and more complete player.
4.  Expected that with all of the seniors, leadership would not be an issue.
5.  Expected Todd or JJJ to have stepped up and taken the 2g position
6.  Expected Jake to be a 15 mpg 3 pt sniper.
7.  Expected McKay to be a Rodman-like rebounder, giving the team big minutes at the 4 and enabling the team to extend its defense.
8.  Expected Buzz to be able to spin gold out of straw.
9.  Expected Vander's absence to not have a long, deep impact on the season.
10. Expected Jamil to emerge as a more talented Lazar/JFB/Jae.

I expected that this was going to be a deep, versatile team that could play several different styles.   I assumed that Duane would be dealing by now and that a consistent scorer would have emerged at the starting 2g.   Instead, this team is down to 11 scholarship players, injuries have impacted it, and scoring and leadership have not emerged.    I haven't given up yet.  

[connie]

While obviously some amount of picking and choosing goes into the list the fact that not one of nine expectations (of which I shared) has come close to being met is pretty depressing.

[tower912]

Derek is exactly what I expected him to be.   The problem is that a consistent scorer has not emerged at SG.
Otule is exactly what I expected him to be.  I didn't expect that he would be outplaying Gardner.
Jake is exactly what I expected him to be.  I just expected him to be getting 4th guard minutes. 

[Dreadman24]

We are not who we thought we were. Plain and simple.

[Sunbelt15]

We are not who we thought we were. Plain and simple.

+1

[Jay Bee]

I expected Buzz wouldn't put out a starting lineup and the player groupings that he is... and would have at least thought he'd change them when it was absolutely needed. Still holding out hope.

[Norm]

I expected Buzz wouldn't put out a starting lineup and the player groupings that he is... and would have at least thought he'd change them when it was absolutely needed. Still holding out hope.

Yeah, the current starting five definitely does not get MU off to good starts.

Another weird stat is that Gardner, who has scored 990 points in his career, has only started 12 of the 109 games he has played in, and none as a upperclassman.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Yeah, the current starting five definitely does not get MU off to good starts.

Another weird stat is that Gardner, who has scored 990 points in his career, has only started 12 of the 109 games he has played in, and none as a upperclassman.

Can't jump for the tip

[tower912]

Defense has gotten worse. 

[ATL MU Warrior]

Defense has gotten worse. 

I have said this in multiple threads, but he really feeds off of his offense.  If he's not scoring, the rest of his game suffers and he just completely disappears. 

[CTWarrior]

Can't jump for the tip

Jamil Wilson would do just fine on the opening tip.  Frankly, with this roster it could be argued that Otule is more effective than Gardner.

[NotAnAlum]

For years we were weaker in the front court and we found a way to win.  Now its the back court that is weak and we can't seem to overcome it.  Looks like they were right when they said college is a "guards game".  Still I can't help but think that while there are many things that seem lacking just one thing turning around could have changed everything.  The player I had the highest expectation for was Duane Wilson.  I saw him in his prep videos and just felt like this guy could be the return of D. James.  Had that happened the 2G doesn't have to be as much a play maker.  Gardner gets post feeds with the defense out of position, hence more layups and and-1s.  One change could cause a huge ripple effect.
That's why I'm prepared to just make the best of this season and have hope for the next.

[shoothoops]

Expectations vs Reality.

Okay, reality is that only FIVE schools have made the NCAA tourney EVERY year since 1999.

Those schools are Gonzaga, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Duke, Kansas.

Only THREE schools have made the NCAA tourney EVERY year since 1998, and those schools are Michigan St., Duke, Kansas.

Only one of those schools goes back to prior to 1996.

The expectation is that Marquette makes the NCAA's most/almost all years. It is one of many annual expectations. But every once in a while, it isn't going to happen.

One can take the long view while also grinding it out game by game. One of the hopes and expectations for this year is to still find a way to make the NCAA's among other things. Regardless of that, the program is doing very well, and will do so for the forseeable future.

[bilsu]

Defense has gotten worse. 

We did hold Creighton about 15 points below their season average.

[willie warrior]

We did hold Creighton about 15 points below their season average.

...and were still blown out by 18 points!!!!!

[tower912]

We did hold Creighton about 15 points below their season average.

Was referring to Gardner. 

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Silver Warrior had a nice post about along these lines on the other board.  I worried about the high expectations on this team with nothing guaranteed from the backcourt.
1.  Expected Duane Wilson to be starting at the point by now.
2.  Expected STjr and Juan to build on last year and have taken steps forward.
3.  Expected that with the weight loss, Gardner would be a better defender and more complete player.
4.  Expected that with all of the seniors, leadership would not be an issue.
5.  Expected Todd or JJJ to have stepped up and taken the 2g position
6.  Expected Jake to be a 15 mpg 3 pt sniper.
7.  Expected McKay to be a Rodman-like rebounder, giving the team big minutes at the 4 and enabling the team to extend its defense.
8.  Expected Buzz to be able to spin gold out of straw.
9.  Expected Vander's absence to not have a long, deep impact on the season.
10. Expected Jamil to emerge as a more talented Lazar/JFB/Jae.

I expected that this was going to be a deep, versatile team that could play several different styles.   I assumed that Duane would be dealing by now and that a consistent scorer would have emerged at the starting 2g.   Instead, this team is down to 11 scholarship players, injuries have impacted it, and scoring and leadership have not emerged.    I haven't given up yet.  

I had this season circled on my calender for a few years because I loved the roster make-up (I was including Vander). I thought they would be top 10 most of the season.

Without Vander, I thought they would struggle early, but still be a top 25 team (Mayo + JJJ splitting Vander's minutes).

I was wrong.

The reason I was wrong isn't because of any specific player, but rather the collective. Jamil, Gardner, Mayo, Juan, and Derrick are all pretty much the same guys they were last year. I was assuming they would all be better this year. I also thought Taylor would have a really good year.

I also was wrong about the frosh. I thought they would play sparingly, and be role players. Burton is already better than that, and JJJ might get there with time. Duane is hurt, so I guess we'll never know what he could have been this season.

Still a chance for this team, but it doesn't seem like any veterans on the current roster are significantly better than they were last season, and I'm not sure that they can suddenly get better right now (in season).

[Superfan]

This is a very strange year on many fronts.  Sky high expectations have been crushed without having a backcourt. It reminds me of the year after we made the final 4 then lost Deiner and had no PG.  We were dead then much like we are now.  It's really hard to see a team with as many 4 star players playing like this.  I would like to see Buzz play Jamil at PG with JJJ, Burton, O'Toule and Juan.  The subs would be Gardner, Mayo & Taylor (remember him?).  Derrick and Jake should be banned from the court.

[jesmu84]

The reason I was wrong isn't because of any specific player, but rather the collective. Jamil, Gardner, Mayo, Juan, and Derrick are all pretty much the same guys they were last year.

This is what I've realized. There is not one returning player who has improved much (if at all) from last season. I think we all would have found that our team successful if the returners made improvements we saw in players like Vander, Crowder, etc.

[WarriorFan]

This is what I've realized. There is not one returning player who has improved much (if at all) from last season. I think we all would have found that our team successful if the returners made improvements we saw in players like Vander, Crowder, etc.

2 guys are better than last year - Jake and CO.