The morning after

[tower912]

The sun came up and it is snowing.   MU lost to an unexpectedly good team and played a down to the wire game with a comparable team.   Weaknesses were exposed.   MU is not well equipped to compete with and defend athletic 6'9 (and above) players.    MU needs to shoot well to win.  Rowsey showed he can play at this level.   Howard showed he is a freshman.   Carter showed he is erratic.   KR showed himself to be an unrepentant gunner.   Luke is a solid, not spectacular big who can't defend in space.   Heldt contributed on Friday with bulk and hustle.  JjJ lapsed into the frustrating JjJ in NYC.   HC disappeared.   Duane showed flashes but still somehow seems lacking.   Hauser has a lot of upside but is still a 6'7 freshman.   Sandy is MIA.   Wojo is still trying to coach Duke style.


In short, to borrow from Dennis Green, we are who we thought we are

Going forward.... start fiddling with the defense.  Zone, extend pressure, something.   Because letting the other team endlessly run the high pick and roll isn't going to end well.     Start punishing out of control shots the way you do lapses in defensive effort.    Reward smart shots and plays.   

The season isn't over.   There is talent.   Maybe it is time to accept that maybe the preseason prognosticators had a better read on this team than we, the avid fans, did.    This is still my school and my team and I hope Wojo can right the ship. 

[brewcity77]

The lack of experimentation is driving me nuts. Why not pick up full court against a team with no point guard when you have depth to rotate? Why not try zone against a team killing you on the drive and foul?

Yesterday reminded me of Crean. We seemed to have a good plan and preparation, but couldn't adjust when the other team started to figure us out.

Wojo can recruit. I like the makeup of the team, but the defensive lapses, the moving screens, the hero ball, those are things that the coach is responsible for fixing. It's understandable for freshmen, but guys that have been here for 2-3 years have to know better. They have to be taught better.

I'm not ready to throw the baby out with the bathwater, but these were two tough games to swallow.

[ecompt]

I thought Wojo had an awful game against Pitt. He is a good recruiter, no doubt, but has learned nothing since taking over. Allowing Young to dominate the second half and never once adjusting the defense was inexcusable. Allowing Reinhardt to fire up stupid shot after stupid shot is inexcusable. Not having Duane on the floor with 24 seconds left is unfathomable. And yet the administration somehow gave him an extension after a win over a 275th-ranked team a few years back. Maybe it's just me, but I have not liked this hire for a second. That Duke pedigree means squat. His players don't learn a thing, and it's sad.

[Jay Bee]

We lost to two teams that have (a) experience, (b) great average height, (c) experienced coaches.

We didn't lose a turnover or rebounding battle in either game.

Didn't shoot very well - 2's or 3's - what killed us was awful 2FG defense.

We let both teams shoot 60% 2FG%. Last year we let 5 teams do so all season.. the year before, 3... the year before 1.. year before 1.. year before 1... it's historically an ugly, rare mark... and we let it happen. And last night it was obvious how we played a major role in helping Pitt get to 60%.. Young and co were converting shots, but they had some gifts given to them to allow it. Gotta get creative defensively, at least when playing against teams with height spread throughout the floor, a'''ina?

[GGGG]

I thought Wojo had an awful game against Pitt. He is a good recruiter, no doubt, but has learned nothing since taking over. Allowing Young to dominate the second half and never once adjusting the defense was inexcusable. Allowing Reinhardt to fire up stupid shot after stupid shot is inexcusable. Not having Duane on the floor with 24 seconds left is unfathomable. And yet the administration somehow gave him an extension after a win over a 275th-ranked team a few years back. Maybe it's just me, but I have not liked this hire for a second. That Duke pedigree means squat. His players don't learn a thing, and it's sad.

Rinehardt only played 16 minutes and wasn't on during most of the second half.  So I don't think he "allowed" him to do anything.

I do find his limiting the use of Duane to be strange.  He did a lot in his 13 minutes, most of it good.

[79Warrior]

I thought Wojo had an awful game against Pitt. He is a good recruiter, no doubt, but has learned nothing since taking over. Allowing Young to dominate the second half and never once adjusting the defense was inexcusable. Allowing Reinhardt to fire up stupid shot after stupid shot is inexcusable. Not having Duane on the floor with 24 seconds left is unfathomable. And yet the administration somehow gave him an extension after a win over a 275th-ranked team a few years back. Maybe it's just me, but I have not liked this hire for a second. That Duke pedigree means squat. His players don't learn a thing, and it's sad.

Looks like we could be heading to another quiet year in the Bradley Center. The sad thing is outside of Milwaukee, Marquette Basketball is slipping into a complete has been program..

[Dr. Blackheart]

We lost to two teams that have (a) experience, (b) great average height, (c) experienced coaches.

We didn't lose a turnover or rebounding battle in either game.

Didn't shoot very well - 2's or 3's - what killed us was awful 2FG defense.

We let both teams shoot 60% 2FG%. Last year we let 5 teams do so all season.. the year before, 3... the year before 1.. year before 1.. year before 1... it's historically an ugly, rare mark... and we let it happen. And last night it was obvious how we played a major role in helping Pitt get to 60%.. Young and co were converting shots, but they had some gifts given to them to allow it. Gotta get creative defensively, at least when playing against teams with height spread throughout the floor, a'''ina?

Pitt was 8/18 or 44% 2FG% in the 1st half, but 16/22 or 73% after the break adjustments to go after Luke. Because of the roster make up, MU won't be very good at rebounding (currently 298 in OReb%) or FTR (ranked 313 offensively and 214 defensively--the gap between the two and attrition of Luke, the bigger issues). 

If Wojo's answer is to have Luke sag off Young on defense when in foul trouble so the opponent can go ISO, then it will be a long season as every opposing coach will know it.  At this point, he cannot fix his miscast roster, but he can run different defenses out there. Having Luke picking up a foul 20 feet from the basket on a switch scheme does not play out.  McDermont was doubling down on Happ the other night, for example, to keep the post pressure in light of the tighter focus on in-paint officiating (and the spread his available fouls out).

Adjust or die.

[ecompt]

Rinehardt only played 16 minutes and wasn't on during most of the second half.  So I don't think he "allowed" him to do anything.

I do find his limiting the use of Duane to be strange.  He did a lot in his 13 minutes, most of it good.

Point taken. Wojo did finally bench the 28-percent chucker after he took two ridiculous 26-foot shots with MU holding a big lead.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

I think the morning after has me more discouraged.  This year is certainly salvageable but it feels like NIT is an aspiration for the level of talent & cohesion of the squad.  The defense needs to get exponentially better for us to have a shot.

We sorely miss the athletic PF that has been a gap for a time now - and while we have some coming in that fit that mold next year - they will be freshman.

Just feels like we are running in place (poor defense, flawed roster make-up that plays 'young', seemingly overmatched physically) - rinse & repeat.

[muwarrior69]

I think the morning after has me more discouraged.  This year is certainly salvageable but it feels like NIT is an aspiration for the level of talent & cohesion of the squad.  The defense needs to get exponentially better for us to have a shot.

We sorely miss the athletic PF that has been a gap for a time now - and while we have some coming in that fit that mold next year - they will be freshman.

Just feels like we are running in place (poor defense, flawed roster make-up that plays 'young', seemingly overmatched physically) - rinse & repeat.

Agree. It seem over the last few seasons either we have the guards but no bigs or we have the bigs but no guards. I am still willing to give Wojo 2 more seasons to get the right balance.

[wadesworld]

Agree. It seem over the last few seasons either we have the guards but no bigs or we have the bigs but no guards. I am still willing to give Wojo 2 more seasons to get the right balance.

I'm sure he appreciates that.

[Loose Cannon]

  Amazing how much Coaching talent we have on the Board.

[MUBBau]

  Amazing how much Coaching talent we have on the Board.

And Ners isn't even around

[Let's Go Warriors]

  Amazing how much Coaching talent we have on the Board.

I think the third season is a reasonable amount of time to be able to expect some clear results. And if u can't question the coach on a message board where can u? This is exactly the forum foe this type of discussion. Or we can just wait and trash him like all the other coaches who have moved on....

[jdbied]

  Amazing how much Coaching talent we have on the Board.
[/quote.            Yes.  Agreed.  If you naysayers have all the answers, put your resumes together and get yourself a coaching job.  I'm sure you'll all do so much better without even having to put much effort into it.

[Lennys Tap]

We lost to two teams that have (a) experience, (b) great average height, (c) experienced coaches.

We didn't lose a turnover or rebounding battle in either game.

Didn't shoot very well - 2's or 3's - what killed us was awful 2FG defense.

We let both teams shoot 60% 2FG%. Last year we let 5 teams do so all season.. the year before, 3... the year before 1.. year before 1.. year before 1... it's historically an ugly, rare mark... and we let it happen. And last night it was obvious how we played a major role in helping Pitt get to 60%.. Young and co were converting shots, but they had some gifts given to them to allow it. Gotta get creative defensively, at least when playing against teams with height spread throughout the floor, a'''ina?

So Wojo coached MU teams have let opponents shoot a 60% 2FG% 10 times in approximately 2.15 seasons. In the 3 full seasons pre Wojo it happened 3 times. Ugh.

[4everwarriors]

Looks like we could be heading to another quiet year in the Bradley Center. The sad thing is outside of Milwaukee, Marquette Basketball is slipping into a complete has been program..

Fook SLU. Its now Loyola, hey?

[warriorfan 14]

Got my hopes up after the vandy win, but right back to reality after nyc. I have zero expectations from this program with wojo at the helm until he proves me otherwise.

[Herman Cain]

Fook SLU. Its now Loyola, hey?

Loyola won the 1963 NCAA championship, that is an upgrade from SLU status.