Friar thoughts

[keefe]

His very uncoordinated body right now, but he has definitely been a positive so far

\

He does have two left feet but he's not afraid to throw his weight around

[RushmoreAcademy]

First game I didn't watch this year. Guess I'm gonna take one for the team and not watch anymore.

If we lose to the Johnnies we know who to blame now.

[GooooMarquette]

What I like about Heldt is you can see a material difference in the physical play down low when he is in. Guy isn't afraid to throw his body into it.

Yep.  And the improvement since before Christmas has been noticeable.  I really like Matt's aggressiveness, and see a huge upside.  Should be fun to watch him develop.

[PGsHeroes32]

I think Rodney Bullock, a guy averaging 14 points per game, going 3-11 in over 30 minutes benefited us far more than a bench player going 0-4 in 5 minutes including a shot he had no option but to shoot the ball. But wait...

...yeah you're right. He should've realized he didn't have it tonight and passed that shot up...

But he didn't pass it up. He took it. Again.

Proving the point.

[brewcity77]

Yep.  And the improvement since before Christmas has been noticeable.  I really like Matt's aggressiveness, and see a huge upside.  Should be fun to watch him develop.

Feels like we had people ready to write him off as a wasted scholarship as recently as a week or two ago. I have no idea what Matt will become, but he certainly has the potential to be a very good collegiate player. Honestly, I didn't expect him to be able to contribute this much this soon.

[Benny B]

I have very low expectations for him.

I merely am expecting him to be a very good player as a junior and national player of the year as a senior.

Hey, if it was good enough for Kaminsky ...

Fat chance.  Rumor has it that Matt knows how to use a semicolon properly.

[dmac80]

Friar fan here, hope you don't mind me chiming in. Just wanted to add a few things as I saw some discussion about our team.

Last night was our worst game of the season. The first 15 minutes was bizarro world and quite embarrassing. I've never seen the team look so disjointed out there. Obviously credit to Marquette for changing up the looks and using their length and size to confuse and cause mishaps. Also something was off from the gate for us that we have yet to see this season.

Bullock is a very solid part of the "big three" with Dunn and Bentil being the top 2. Last night Bullock was neutralized, he usually gives us more. This is his first year playing after some setbacks.

Fazekas is actually our top three point weapon but he's been out for a month with mono. He was shooting threes at 47% coming into last night.  He's lost weight and only started practicing this week. I don't believe Cooley wanted to play him but after our start he needed a spark so in he went. That explains his woeful shooting. Freshman player.

Dunn had a very off night, his turnovers are way down this year and his three point and jump shooting is improved. For some reason as of late his free throw shooting has been off so we're watching that.

If you've seen us play against Arizona, Mich state and at Butler you'd understand the ranking. We have 3 true road wins and 2 neutral court wins, so the resume got us the ranking. Dunn also has been spectacular in most of the games and willed us to several wins down the stretch.

Most fans I know are having a ball with the early success but deep down think we're a top 20-25 not top 10 squad.

Expectations were lowered coming into this year because we lost our 7 foot rim protector and top recruit to transfer, Pascal Chukwu. So this start has been a pleasant surprise.

Wojo seems like a great coach and while not playing MQ many of us are pulling for you as you're an important program in the league.

You've had our number ever since joining the league and it pisses us off. We refer to your arena as the "house of horrors" due to the 0-9 record and the bat game.

Good luck rest of way and may we avenge our loss in the house of horrors

[WarriorFan]

dmac:  great post.  I think most of us realize it was an off night for Providence and we still don't know how good our team really is.  Feel free to post again!

[Loose Cannon]

Friar fan here, hope you don't mind me chiming in. Just wanted to add a few things as I saw some discussion about our team.

Last night was our worst game of the season. The first 15 minutes was bizarro world and quite embarrassing. I've never seen the team look so disjointed out there. Obviously credit to Marquette for changing up the looks and using their length and size to confuse and cause mishaps. Also something was off from the gate for us that we have yet to see this season.

Bullock is a very solid part of the "big three" with Dunn and Bentil being the top 2. Last night Bullock was neutralized, he usually gives us more. This is his first year playing after some setbacks.

Fazekas is actually our top three point weapon but he's been out for a month with mono. He was shooting threes at 47% coming into last night.  He's lost weight and only started practicing this week. I don't believe Cooley wanted to play him but after our start he needed a spark so in he went. That explains his woeful shooting. Freshman player.

Dunn had a very off night, his turnovers are way down this year and his three point and jump shooting is improved. For some reason as of late his free throw shooting has been off so we're watching that.

If you've seen us play against Arizona, Mich state and at Butler you'd understand the ranking. We have 3 true road wins and 2 neutral court wins, so the resume got us the ranking. Dunn also has been spectacular in most of the games and willed us to several wins down the stretch.

Most fans I know are having a ball with the early success but deep down think we're a top 20-25 not top 10 squad.

Expectations were lowered coming into this year because we lost our 7 foot rim protector and top recruit to transfer, Pascal Chukwu. So this start has been a pleasant surprise.

Wojo seems like a great coach and while not playing MQ many of us are pulling for you as you're an important program in the league.

You've had our number ever since joining the league and it pisses us off. We refer to your arena as the "house of horrors" due to the 0-9 record and the bat game.

Good luck rest of way and may we avenge our loss in the house of horrors

Thanks for Posting.  Yeah, it was easy to see PC had an off night, and we were glad to have things break our way.  It is a very important win for us.  PC really has some great players.  Good Luck the rest of the season.  Hopefully we join you in the NCAAT.

[tower912]

dmac, way to represent your fanbase in a classy fashion.    Stop by any time. 

[dmac80]

thanks guys, and I hope my post didn't come across as saying basically we had an off night so you only won because of that. Obviously your team was a big part of that off night. I just wanted to let those know who hadn't seen much of us that the ranking while perhaps too high in the grand scheme was based on a body of work that up until our game was pretty impressive. The opening follies were also the first we've seen all year like that. We've had bad stretches of course, but hitting the top and side of the backboard and throwing away every other pass was not something we've yet witnessed. I brought a friend along who I'd been talking up our team to and was embarrassed to say the least. He's a casual college BB fan and was like 'they're ranked 8th'? 

Anyway good luck the rest of the way, I think if you can get a winning record in the BE you will likely make the tourney, all depends on that RPI. And as for our Friars, well we're well aware that nothing in this league is a given and we're used to something bad happening, so we've still got a lot of work to do, the wheels could come off at any time. Hoping to make our 3rd straight NCAA and actually get a win this time.

Important for the Big East to start doing work in March.

[HoopsterBC]

I think MU played like there other two games, lots of turnovers, can not make a 3 but in clutch time made some free throws and some baskets.  When we were down
eight, you should have buried us.  Give MU credit, they cameback and won.  Until MU learns not to throw the ball away, they could be much better.  But to win in the Big East you have to make some threes as well, that got you back in the game.  Every game MU plays in the conference will be a battle, no cupcakes out there as in the past, even DePAUL can beat you if do not bring it, for sure MU, as well.  It will be interesting when MU plays St. Johns, they just gave X a tough game.

[dmac80]

I agree MU didn't play great for large stretches either, as the 19 TO in the box show. And yes up 8 at home with 6 min to go after our start, I thought it was over. Should have been. Too many fouls early in that second half got you into the double bonus and sent you to the line. Also we didn't seem to adjust our defense in response to the successful penetration to the hoop that you had going.

[Benny B]

Good luck rest of way and may we avenge our loss in the house of horrors

"House of horrors" does not a singular bat make.

Actually, considering the way Cooley was jumping around like a clown under the big top that day, you could perhaps liken it to a sideshow - or even a funhouse - but only a chiroptophobic would call it a house of horrors.

Since that fateful event, however, Cooley has been my favorite (non-MU) coach in the Big East... I absolutely love the team he has put together, and honestly, if anyone has the pleasure of knocking the Friars out of the tourney, I hope it goes to Marquette... on a Monday.

[wadesworld]

But he didn't pass it up. He took it. Again.

Proving the point.

Lol. He took it at the buzzer. He had to take the shot or they don't get a shot off. He had no option. Haha. Good stuff HH.

[Skatastrophy]

How is this a House of Horrors?!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XczEPQBV6os