Shaka's 1st Marquette NCAA Test (Happy MU82?)

[bilsu]

Yes, they exceeded expectations. However, the late season collapse makes it a D for me. As with Wojo, the other teams in the conference got better while MU stagnated. Remember we collapsed against the weaker part of our schedule.

[willie warrior]

I agree with your grading scale, with the caveat that preseason expectations were so low, because Shaka's recruiting and transfer pickups were a solid D.  He needs to raise the recruiting grades to A/B level to get reasonable (to Marquette fans) preseason expectations.

Exactly. Shaka has to start to land some studs in the next 2 years instead of role players only. Have not seen that yet, the landing of studs
Role players only puts MU at best in BEast middle of pack. That is why Shaka needs to get some studs, and in next year and following years classes.

[willie warrior]

Yes, they exceeded expectations. However, the late season collapse makes it a D for me. As with Wojo, the other teams in the conference got better while MU stagnated. Remember we collapsed against the weaker part of our schedule.

Would give Shaka a C+/B- for better than expected finish in BEast and some quality wins along the way. Would be higher if they did not totally crash late season.
The biggest red flag is that fold down the stretch. Good coaching has the team peaking this time of year. MU is not.
Now if we get into the dance and win a couple, there is optimism for next year  and likely some good recruiting news.

[DoctorV]

This reads like a eulogy, but in reality today is a celebration!

Listen, it's been obvious that after that 7 game win streak the team hasn't been as fluid offensively and as sound defensively and that's why losses were had.
That said MU went 4-6 with the losses
@ Providence (by 2), UConn (by 8), Butler (by 6), Creighton twice (by 1 and by 11), DePaul (by 11).

So 4 of the losses to tourney teams on the road/BET. If I'm not mistaken in nearly every one of these game MU was within 3 points late with a chance to win.
Creighton was also the hottest team in the conference late.
The Butler and DePaul losses, although MU played poorly, were on the road to teams playing much better in the 2H of the season.

Back when Marquette was on a 4 game slide and nearly everyone was thinking the NCAA hopes were toast, I said that one big win at home versus Providence could propel the team to make a run and get back on the bubble.
They did, they rightfully earned their bid, and they showed us all that they were much better than anyone of us really expected.

All Marquettes reach equilibrium, they slid back into a more realistic, but still much better than expected position.
However, don't lose sight that even in their recent slide, despite clearly playing much worse than they had in the month before, they were very close in a lot of difficult road games.

Maybe this more average version of Marquette has been so toughened by BE play that it can still find a way to win this week.
Or maybe the previous months version comes out to play for 48 hours and we get a massive thrill.

Either way, we will all be here to enjoy the ride. 

[Uncle Rico]

This reads like a eulogy, but in reality today is a celebration!

Listen, it's been obvious that after that 7 game win streak the team hasn't been as fluid offensively and as sound defensively and that's why losses were had.
That said MU went 4-6 with the losses
@ Providence (by 2), UConn (by 8), Butler (by 6), Creighton twice (by 1 and by 11), DePaul (by 11).

So 4 of the losses to tourney teams on the road/BET. If I'm not mistaken in nearly every one of these game MU was within 3 points late with a chance to win.
Creighton was also the hottest team in the conference late.
The Butler and DePaul losses, although MU played poorly, were on the road to teams playing much better in the 2H of the season.

Back when Marquette was on a 4 game slide and nearly everyone was thinking the NCAA hopes were toast, I said that one big win at home versus Providence could propel the team to make a run and get back on the bubble.
They did, they rightfully earned their bid, and they showed us all that they were much better than anyone of us really expected.

All Marquettes reach equilibrium, they slid back into a more realistic, but still much better than expected position.
However, don't lose sight that even in their recent slide, despite clearly playing much worse than they had in the month before, they were very close in a lot of difficult road games.

Maybe this more average version of Marquette has been so toughened by BE play that it can still find a way to win this week.
Or maybe the previous months version comes out to play for 48 hours and we get a massive thrill.

Either way, we will all be here to enjoy the ride.

Eat at Arby's

[Goose]

Doctor

Good post. Over the last month only the Butler and DePaul games were unexpected losses. We definitely did not play great but I have not lost my excitement program for this season or the future. In addition, I have mentioned multiple times with the extended playing time for the guys coming back next year and that was a perk. They put themselves into position to tinker and see how the young guys look. I think it will pay dividends as soon as this week.

[Daniel]

Just hoping for a win first game n it is we all see the pressure and monkey, then they do too.  And that pressure on team and coaches is not really a healthy pressure to play loose, enjoy the game, share the ball and win.    Hoping they feel "comfortable" but "hungry" for whoever we play.

[Dr. Blackheart]

MU will be in a 8/9 game. Very winnable. If in Dallas, MU then gets Kansas who will forfeit the game eventually. Survive and advance.

[MU82]

This reads like a eulogy, but in reality today is a celebration!

Listen, it's been obvious that after that 7 game win streak the team hasn't been as fluid offensively and as sound defensively and that's why losses were had.
That said MU went 4-6 with the losses
@ Providence (by 2), UConn (by 8), Butler (by 6), Creighton twice (by 1 and by 11), DePaul (by 11).

So 4 of the losses to tourney teams on the road/BET. If I'm not mistaken in nearly every one of these game MU was within 3 points late with a chance to win.
Creighton was also the hottest team in the conference late.
The Butler and DePaul losses, although MU played poorly, were on the road to teams playing much better in the 2H of the season.

Back when Marquette was on a 4 game slide and nearly everyone was thinking the NCAA hopes were toast, I said that one big win at home versus Providence could propel the team to make a run and get back on the bubble.
They did, they rightfully earned their bid, and they showed us all that they were much better than anyone of us really expected.

All Marquettes reach equilibrium, they slid back into a more realistic, but still much better than expected position.
However, don't lose sight that even in their recent slide, despite clearly playing much worse than they had in the month before, they were very close in a lot of difficult road games.

Maybe this more average version of Marquette has been so toughened by BE play that it can still find a way to win this week.
Or maybe the previous months version comes out to play for 48 hours and we get a massive thrill.

Either way, we will all be here to enjoy the ride.

A lot of Scoopers have forgotten our 3-6 stretch that included ugly losses to the Bonnies, Madison and UCLA followed by the painful 0-3 start to the BE season.

To me, this last 3-5 stretch is very similar. Like you, I'm hoping that a big win this week can ignite something in our team and propel us further.

I'm not naive. I know we might not play well enough to win any NCAAT games ... but I don't see the point of wallowing in negativity and thinking, "We're doomed."

We Are Marquette!

[JakeBarnes]

MU will be in a 8/9 game. Very winnable. If in Dallas, MU then gets Kansas who will forfeit the game eventually. Survive and advance.

This made me laugh.

[NickelDimer]

Yes, they exceeded expectations................


However a D for me.

Lol