2017-18, the optimistic version

[tower912]

I can see Marquette has a second weekend team in 2017-18.    But a lot of things have to fall into place.     First, no transfers out.    Assuming that the core 6 return, with Froling and Sacar, here is my best case scenario.
   Markus:    Grows two inches, adds 15 lbs, works on his handle so that he can bring the ball up against pressure.
  Rowsey:   Stays on Markus every single day, forcing him to work and get better.
 Duane:  His legs finally get healthy and he hoists up 500 jumpers a day
Haanif:   Clears his head, adds 10 lbs, all in the legs.    Works non-stop on his right hand and mid range game
Sacar:  Has used his year off wisely.   Defensive stopper, mid range game, handle, ready to step in for JJ
Sam:  15 lbs of muscle, while working on lateral quickness.    He is going to be guarding 3's next season.   
Matt:  Continued hard work and progression.
Harry:   Improved conditioning, improved lateral quickness, actually is a less selfish version of Henry..
The frosh:     Cain actually is a quick 6'8 and can do anything.     Needs to add muscle
Theo:   His height translates when he gets to MU and he is the 6'9 bruiser we all hope
Ike:   He arrives ready to work and learn

Wojo and his assistants commit to teaching defense.    They instill an aggressive, combative mindset.     
If all of this happens............
I see a 10 man rotation (once Harry is eligible)       I see Cain playing next to Sam with one big in the game.     I see Sacar and Cain being true switchables.    I see Haanif being what we thought he was going to be after his freshman season, not what he was down the stretch.    I see Markus and Rowsey continuing to shoot well and handling the ball better.        I see Matt, Theo, and Harry rotating between the 5, with sets with Harry and one of the others playing together.     I see, with actual normal size at all 5 positions, a better team defensively, as we aren't always going to be 2 inches shorter and 15 lbs lighter at every position.     I see Froling being a combination 4-5, a poor man's Ellenson, only a year wiser.    I see Haanif bouncing back.   

In short, if everything falls into place, I see a team that can do damage.   But it isn't going to be handed to them.    Each and every player is going to have to commit to defense.     And getting stronger. 

[warriorchick]

I agree with this analysis.

[mu_hilltopper]

  Each and every player is going to have to commit to defense.   

Ok .. someone who knows basketball please help out.    Was the problem defensively deficient players or coaching this year? 

To have a defense as atrocious as it was this year .. is it the players who are making dozens of mistakes per minute, or is it the software the coaches are loading on the players?

Do the players need to train to learn Defense v1.1 ?  Or does the coaching staff have to go out and shop for a brand new operating system?

[Hards Alumni]

Ok .. someone who knows basketball please help out.    Was the problem defensively deficient players or coaching this year? 

To have a defense as atrocious as it was this year .. is it the players who are making dozens of mistakes per minute, or is it the software the coaches are loading on the players?

Do the players need to train to learn Defense v1.1 ?  Or does the coaching staff have to go out and shop for a brand new operating system?

I think its both, really.  Obviously, with our lack of size, big teams could create a lot of match up problems for our guys.  There were some guys, who I won't name specifically, that took time possessions off, looked indifferent, or had poor recognition of what was happening around them.

And those are the coachable things.  Maybe some guys never 'get it' but making the same mistakes possession after possession is coaching.... whether that is guys not following what the coaches are teaching or the coaching itself is flawed is up for debate... but something needs to be done.  A coach that specializes in defense might really help the staff.

[muwarrior69]

Ok .. someone who knows basketball please help out.    Was the problem defensively deficient players or coaching this year? 

To have a defense as atrocious as it was this year .. is it the players who are making dozens of mistakes per minute, or is it the software the coaches are loading on the players?

Do the players need to train to learn Defense v1.1 ?  Or does the coaching staff have to go out and shop for a brand new operating system?

To use a baseball analogy now that it's spring, we have our hitters (Rowsey, Howard, Sam) now we're bringing in a young pitching staff (Cain, John, Eke).

[NotAnAlum]

I believe most of it is the players.  Height, length and lateral quickness are the building blocks for a good defensive player.  Nearly every player on the team lacked those relative to the guy we was expected to guard once he started playing high major competition.  JJ has the tools but lacks the commitment to playing on the ball defense all the time he is on the court.  Haanif was this team's best man on man defender but his 2nd half of the season malaise took him off the court.  We could have used "2nd semester freshman Haanif" out there last night.  Luke, Katin, Rowsey, all of them came to this team as offense first players.  We got what we paid for.
I don't think Markus is growing 2" with all respect to Tower but I do think he will get a lot stronger as his body matures.  I think we will get better with the ball (he has to if he wants to play at the nest level).  A year of experience at the PG position means everything. 
While I understand why Wojo went to the line up with Markus and Rowsey its really not a good idea long term and we should be doing it much next year.  You just give up too much in size.  The keys for this team next year are Haanif gets his offensive confidence back so he can play starter's minutes.  That gives us a guy who can drive and finish through contact (replacing JJ) and keeps a good defender on the floor.  John comes in and is good enough to allow us to play significant minutes with a normal size PF.  Then if Harry be a better defensive version of Fish along with being enough of a 3 ball threat to make the other center guard him on the perimeter this team will have significantly better defensive/rebounding talent on the floor without giving up much on offensive plus the important part of the team will have 1 year more experience.  That is a formula for a return to the dance with a better seed than this year.

[dgies9156]

Overall, I like where we are headed and have great enthusiasm for next year.

The basic issue we had this year is no back to the basket toughness. Everytime Fish got a head of steam, he either was in foul trouble or injured. I appreciate Fish for what he was -- a serviceable center who needed a power forward to help defend the paint.

With what we have coming in, the toughness that is Marquette basketball should return. I'm hopeful for Cheatham and think that Markus Howard is the real deal. We have the core of a potentially deep run next year, but there is, as Tower and Chick note, work to be done.

[GoldenDieners32]

Ok .. someone who knows basketball please help out.    Was the problem defensively deficient players or coaching this year? 

To have a defense as atrocious as it was this year .. is it the players who are making dozens of mistakes per minute, or is it the software the coaches are loading on the players?

Do the players need to train to learn Defense v1.1 ?  Or does the coaching staff have to go out and shop for a brand new operating system?

it was somewhat both but I think the players just didn't buy into playing defense

[lohaus]

Ok .. someone who knows basketball please help out.    Was the problem defensively deficient players or coaching this year? 

To have a defense as atrocious as it was this year .. is it the players who are making dozens of mistakes per minute, or is it the software the coaches are loading on the players?

Do the players need to train to learn Defense v1.1 ?  Or does the coaching staff have to go out and shop for a brand new operating system?

Man, I think it starts with the sizes of our guards.  They are what, literally 5'10" or less? We got murdered in the 2-3 zone with elbow and free throw jumpers.  I can't see a legit division 1 player that is 6'2" or more even think twice about shooting a jumper against those guys.  Plus, Luke is sunk so low in the zone.

Sam is only a freshmen and will get better.  Honestly, I think he is in the right spots but has too realise he isn't going to get every charge call in the Big East.  Another year of strength and conditioning will do him wonders.

JJJ would have flashes. He would gamble and sometimes that would be two fast break dunks.  Most times he would get beat.

[mu_hilltopper]

Perhaps there's a better defensive measure, but MU was 241st in opponent's eFG%.

How did those 240 other teams make due with the size of their players?   I gotta figure 100+ of them had guys shorter and slower, right?

[Nukem2]

Perhaps there's a better defensive measure, but MU was 241st in opponent's eFG%.

How did those 240 other teams make due with the size of their players?   I gotta figure 100+ of them had guys shorter and slower, right?

One would also have to consider the opponents/conferences of many of those 240 teams as well?

[GGGG]

Perhaps there's a better defensive measure, but MU was 241st in opponent's eFG%.

How did those 240 other teams make due with the size of their players?   I gotta figure 100+ of them had guys shorter and slower, right?

But they weren't playing BE level teams. 

[tower912]

Very few had a triumvirate of guards smaller than MU.  Our two bigs lacked quickness.  And wojo said they didn't want to play defense.  Pretty simple math.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Cant keep playing Rowsey, Howard, and Duane together. Duane has become a good defender but hes just so small.

Cmon Haanif, we really need you next year buddy. Also, I would like to see a more aggressive swaggy on offense next year. Remember when he put up 30?

[mu_hilltopper]

But they weren't playing BE level teams. 

Yep, and I knew -- we all knew -- that when I wrote it.   

But a 2nd or 3rd tier team is often playing 2nd and 3rd tier teams.  Not perfect. no doubt.

I'm sure someone with a keener attention to 340 D1 teams could come up with some examples to illustrate.

Or to flip the question:  Given our hardware (talent, height, weight, muscle, speed, etc) is MU's defense over or under performing?

[jeffreyweee]

We definitely under performed our "hardware." But our hardware is also not very good defensively. And that makes for a bad combination. This team would be fantastic with a defense-first rim protecting center combined with 1-2 of Buzz's athletic switchables at the 3-4 that can shoot 35%-ish from 3 as a catch and shoot guy.

 

[tower912]

We definitely under performed our "hardware." But our hardware is also not very good defensively. And that makes for a bad combination. This team would be fantastic with a defense-first rim protecting center combined with 1-2 of Buzz's athletic switchables at the 3-4 that can shoot 35%-ish from 3 as a catch and shoot guy.

Any team would be better with that.     I would be better looking if I was taller, had better hair, and looked like Brad Pitt.     The only thing that would have saved this team defensively is a complete commitment from every player on every possession.    Did you see anything like that?

[BaltimoreMC]

From what I saw this season, a lot of our problems start when the ball goes into the block.  We need to double b/c Luke/Matt couldn't handle opponents' big men 1x1.  The double would come, but the rotation to guard the other block was weak/late (dunk/layup) or the 3rd rotation wasn't there to and kick-out to 3pt line either resulted in open jumper or other opportunities (shot fake & drive) or moving ball around perimeter if offense is well spaced. 

That and the well documented inability to guard pick-and-roll situations. Both situations create mismatches/imbalances and exploit our lack of athleticism.

Our defensive rebounding is a combination of a lack of size/athleticism and desire.

We need to be bigger/longer and more athletic.  Like that our incoming freshmen are 6'7, 6'8 and 6'9 and athletic (+6'10 transfer from SMU), so clearly addressing this need.  However, I'm going to tap-down my expectations for next year despite the success of this young team's this year as incoming players will not be good for another 1-2 years. 

Looking back on the season, we clearly punched above our weight by making the NCAAs.  We had zero defense (ZERO!).  Blue skies ahead. 

Go Warriors.

[GoldenDieners32]

If anything are defense should be great in the future..we are getting more length and size. Trust Wojo. Can't wait until next season

[Marcus92]

I can't wait to see how much Sam improves next year. A couple player comparisons really intrigue me:

Sam Hauser (6-7/225)
2016-17 26.5 mpg, 8.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 51.5 2pt%, 45.3 3pt%

Jimmy Butler (6-7/220)
2008-09 19.6 mpg, 5.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 53.4 2pt%, 0.0 3pt%
2009-10 34.3 mpg, 14.7 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 53.4 2pt%, 50.0 3pt%
2010-11 34.6 mpg, 15.7 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 51.5 2pt%, 34.5 3pt%

Ben Bentil (6-8/230)
2014-15 21.5 mpg, 6.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 43.6 2pt%, 30.0 3pt%
2015-16 34.2 mpg, 21.1 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 46.2 2pt%, 32.9 3pt%

There's no guarantee that Sam will show a similar dramatic increase in usage and performance. But he made a bigger contribution in his first season than either Butler or Bentil. And he could be our most improved player next year.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

I can't wait to see how much Sam improves next year. A couple player comparisons really intrigue me:

Sam Hauser (6-7/225)
2016-17 26.5 mpg, 8.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 51.5 2pt%, 45.3 3pt%

Jimmy Butler (6-7/220)
2008-09 19.6 mpg, 5.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 53.4 2pt%, 0.0 3pt%
2009-10 34.3 mpg, 14.7 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 53.4 2pt%, 50.0 3pt%
2010-11 34.6 mpg, 15.7 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 51.5 2pt%, 34.5 3pt%

Ben Bentil (6-8/230)
2014-15 21.5 mpg, 6.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 43.6 2pt%, 30.0 3pt%
2015-16 34.2 mpg, 21.1 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 46.2 2pt%, 32.9 3pt%

There's no guarantee that Sam will show a similar dramatic increase in usage and performance. But he made a bigger contribution in his first season than either Butler or Bentil. And he could be our most improved player next year.

Jimmy didn't make one 3 his first year at MU? Crazy.

[muguru]

I'd like to see stats on this, but there was a NOTICABLE difference in MU's defense from half to half..It was usually always better when playing defense in front of MU's bench. Horrible when they weren't. That tells me, it is a communication problem..guys not calling out screens, not talking etc.