This is what happens when Dominic James …

[MU Avenue]

... has his all-too-common cold first half but does not catch fire in the second half.

Also, we simply cannot make three-pointers ... or, in many cases, shots from inside three feet.

This team has some fine players and potential to play well and beat strong teams, but it is woefully lacking in too many areas.

[mviale]

we will recover - DJ had a career bad game and Matthews was MIA.  Also remember this team beat a Wisconsin team that beat us LY

[MU Avenue]

Recover from what?

Marquette is much, much, much too reliant on one player -- just like in Travis Diener's final season. Does anyone disagree?

This, combined with poor three-point, free-throw and inside shooting, makes MU extremely vulnerable.

Coach Crean said in the post-game interview that his team has communicated terribly all season and has gotten by "by the skin of our teeth" in several games.

Crean knows this team has issues. The rest of us should not be afraid to say it, too.

[rocky_warrior]

Marquette is much, much, much too reliant on one player -- just like in Travis Diener's final season. Does anyone disagree?

I do disagree.  Marquette has lots of interchangeable parts.  3 guys that can play PG.  None of them (or the rest of the team) could score with regularity tonight.

Bad game.  We do have FT and shooting issues.  But we also have the players that know (and are good enough) to resolve those issues.

[mu_hilltopper]

Marquette is much, much, much too reliant on one player -- just like in Travis Diener's final season. Does anyone disagree?

I do.  I think our offense is really evenly spread out.  The Travis year(s), it was just him dribbling the ball, passing, getting it back.  -- Now, if you said our team is dependent on one guy getting hot, then, yes, I'd agree .. and that's unfortunate.  If no one gets hot, we lose.  Like tonight.

The bad part, is so far, no one can be counted on to be that guy, getting hot.  And by counted on, I mean, counted on.

[maxpower773]

Tonight, which is the sad part, is we didn't need a guy to get hot. We just needed a guy to make a shot. Remember we were only down 3 near the end, then we miss a 3 don't play defense a couple times and it's 8.  We need consistency, not someone who will just randomly show up when needed...although that'd be nice too.

[mu_hilltopper]

Yup.  We just needed a guy to get luke warm.   Hell, we needed a guy to get room temperature. 

[TVDirector]

DJ was invisible.
whole team was listless.
Fitz was awful.
not a good effort.

[CWSKeith]

There's no way in hell this team should've kept up with Marquette.  MU was clearly more athletic, yet they decided it was okay to settle for contested threes and 15 footers, rather than taking it all the way to the hoop.

Crean said it perfectly -- we've dodged some bullets this year, against Idaho State and at Valpo.  We didn't dodge that bullet tonight. 

Maybe this is a good wake-up call.  This team is good.  But talent alone isn't going to get them anywhere.  They can survive nights when they shoot 30% from the field, but when they bring that to the defensive end, they're in BIG trouble.  It's funny...  box score says NDState turned the ball over 25 times.  That's the 'quietest' 25 turnover night I've ever seen.

[tomahawkchop]

Marquette is much, much, much too reliant on one player -- just like in Travis Diener's final season. Does anyone disagree?

I do disagree.  Marquette has lots of interchangeable parts.  3 guys that can play PG.  None of them (or the rest of the team) could score with regularity tonight.

Bad game.  We do have FT and shooting issues.  But we also have the players that know (and are good enough) to resolve those issues.

I hope so, but shooting is not something that can be improved overnight.

[mviale]

Yes,the players didnt play up to their potential, but this is Creans fault for not motivating his top guns against a No-Name State.  Every team that plays a top 10 team will be playing for the super bowl and Crean is lucky that we wont have that monicker next week.

[SoCalwarrior]

I don't think it was a question of motivation.  It's not like they were lethargic.  They just couldn't make a basket.  And that's probably going to be a recurring theme this year. 

[mviale]

It is hard for me to tell as I only listened on the internet feed, but DJ and wes seemed to be very quiet. 

[NYWarrior]

I don't think it was a question of motivation.  It's not like they were lethargic.  They just couldn't make a basket.  And that's probably going to be a recurring theme this year. 

bingo.....when this team hits the outside shot it can beat just about anybody.......when it can't - - - yikes