We can all agree on one thing...

[MUfan12]

Doug Gottlieb is still a tool. He just blasted MU for "losing at home to Dayton" and that we'll only stay in the Top 25 because "The name Marquette and they have three senior guards."

Way to go Dougie.

[Wareagle]

He may be a douche, but Doug Gottlieb will probably weather the credit crisis better than any of us.

[TallTitan34]

I agree we will all agree on Gottlieb being a tool.

[DoubleMU0609]

He may be a douche, but Doug Gottlieb will probably weather the credit crisis better than any of us.

I thought the judge told him not to use other peoples' credit cards any more...

[muwarrior87]

I thought the judge told him not to use other peoples' credit cards any more...

zing!

[Marquette_g]

Tool or not, he might be correct in his statement about us staying ranked based more on reputation than performance.

[MU B2002]

Tool or not, he might be correct in his statement about us staying ranked based more on reputation than performance.

But couldn't that be said about most teams this time of year?

[MUfan12]

Tool or not, he might be correct in his statement about us staying ranked based more on reputation than performance.

Please don't tell me we've become one of those fanbases. Before Saturday, we averaged 91.3 ppg and were beating our opponents by an average of 23.4 ppg. Boy, really underperforming.

IT WAS ONE BAD GAME. Good Lord.

[Hards Alumni]

Tool or not, he might be correct in his statement about us staying ranked based more on reputation than performance.

no, no, no.

I think a lot of people forget their history.  What other game that we have played has been close?

none.  Gottleib is a moron and always has been.

by your logic, Louisville should fall off the board too... as should have UCLA.

use your brains.

[Marquette_g]

Yes and no... Teams like NC, Gonzaga, Oklahoma, etc. have all went out and beat other good teams.  I think they have at least demonstrated (and yes it is very early) that they can win against good competition.  

[Marquette_g]

I'm not saying we suck, I'm simply saying that at this very point in the season we haven't played well except against poor competition. 

I still think this is a top 6 team in the Big East, but if the rankings reflect where you are right now, we have yet to beat a good basketball team.  That is it.

[MUfan12]

All you can do is play the teams on your schedule. And with one exception, they've taken care of business quite well so far. Especially with 9 scholarship guys, and only 2 guys taller than 6-6.

[Marquette_g]

Why if I'm a poll voter, do I care that a team only has 9 scholarship players and no one taller than 6'6"?  Isn't my job to try and identify the best 25 teams in the country at the point in which I'm filling out the ballot?

The argument about playing only those teams on your schedule is fine, except that as a school you determine your schedule, and as such it can be used against you.

We will know a lot more one week from now, and I like our chances against the communists.

[79Warrior]

Please don't tell me we've become one of those fanbases. Before Saturday, we averaged 91.3 ppg and were beating our opponents by an average of 23.4 ppg. Boy, really underperforming.

IT WAS ONE BAD GAME. Good Lord.

91.3 points against some of the lowest teams in Div 1. It is hardly an accurate baramoter.

[Big Papi]

Dougie boy should be blasted for not knowing that we did not play a home game.  Other than that, I think he is correct.  We have not proven that we are a top 25 team.  But at the same time, we need to temper our disappointment.  At the moment we are missing our tallest interior player who very well could be our best option at the 5.  And a player in Fulce who was expected to make a major contribution (inside and outside) this year and provide us with the depth we currently don't have at the 3/4/5 position. 

It's really hard to beat good teams with this current roster of only 9 healthy players when you have (1) Burke a player who should not be in your starting 5, (2) Butler a player with some potential but really will be best served as a reserve getting at most 10 minutes a game (3) Cube - a defensive hound who is still healing from 2 shoulder problems (4) Acker - a diminutive pg who gets abused on defense. 

This team has the best chance of winning by playing a helter skelter, in your face defensive game that relies on out quicking opponents down the court for easier shots.  It is tough to do that with the current 9 but it gets a lot better when we get back Fulce and Otule.  Until we do get them back, this team is not a top 25 team.  Hopefully we can still win against the rodents and at NC St. and get better as we get deeper into the season.  This is not a bad team that doesn't have any talent or is badly coached, just a team that needs all of its parts to be as good as it can be and that would be a top 25 team when healthy.

[Marquette_g]

Dougie boy should be blasted for not knowing that we did not play a home game.  Other than that, I think he is correct.  We have not proven that we are a top 25 team.  But at the same time, we need to temper our disappointment.  At the moment we are missing our tallest interior player who very well could be our best option at the 5.  And a player in Fulce who was expected to make a major contribution (inside and outside) this year and provide us with the depth we currently don't have at the 3/4/5 position. 

It's really hard to beat good teams with this current roster of only 9 healthy players when you have (1) Burke a player who should not be in your starting 5, (2) Butler a player with some potential but really will be best served as a reserve getting at most 10 minutes a game (3) Cube - a defensive hound who is still healing from 2 shoulder problems (4) Acker - a diminutive pg who gets abused on defense. 

This team has the best chance of winning by playing a helter skelter, in your face defensive game that relies on out quicking opponents down the court for easier shots.  It is tough to do that with the current 9 but it gets a lot better when we get back Fulce and Otule.  Until we do get them back, this team is not a top 25 team.  Hopefully we can still win against the rodents and at NC St. and get better as we get deeper into the season.  This is not a bad team that doesn't have any talent or is badly coached, just a team that needs all of its parts to be as good as it can be and that would be a top 25 team when healthy.

+1

[Hards Alumni]

Dougie boy should be blasted for not knowing that we did not play a home game.  Other than that, I think he is correct.  We have not proven that we are a top 25 team.  But at the same time, we need to temper our disappointment.  At the moment we are missing our tallest interior player who very well could be our best option at the 5.  And a player in Fulce who was expected to make a major contribution (inside and outside) this year and provide us with the depth we currently don't have at the 3/4/5 position. 

It's really hard to beat good teams with this current roster of only 9 healthy players when you have (1) Burke a player who should not be in your starting 5, (2) Butler a player with some potential but really will be best served as a reserve getting at most 10 minutes a game (3) Cube - a defensive hound who is still healing from 2 shoulder problems (4) Acker - a diminutive pg who gets abused on defense. 

This team has the best chance of winning by playing a helter skelter, in your face defensive game that relies on out quicking opponents down the court for easier shots.  It is tough to do that with the current 9 but it gets a lot better when we get back Fulce and Otule.  Until we do get them back, this team is not a top 25 team.  Hopefully we can still win against the rodents and at NC St. and get better as we get deeper into the season.  This is not a bad team that doesn't have any talent or is badly coached, just a team that needs all of its parts to be as good as it can be and that would be a top 25 team when healthy.

this team is so easily a top 25 team, you've gotta be kiddin me.

[MUfan12]

91.3 points against some of the lowest teams in Div 1. It is hardly an accurate baramoter.

Missed the point entirely. They can't control who's on the schedule, and they've taken care of business. The one game they didn't come to play they got beat by a decent team. It happens.

Remember all the wailing and gnashing of teeth when we only beat Utah Valley St. by 10 last year? This year we beat each cupcake easily, and lose a neutral court game to a possible NCAA team. Whoa is me.

[reinko]

What does he know, MU dropped out of the 25...moron 

[Hards Alumni]

you got me there.

but do you agree with the ranking?

I sure don't.

[Marquette_g]

I agree with it as it stands on 12/1.  I think we will end up being a Top 25 team, but based solely on what has transpired to this point, I don't think it is unreasonable to have us just out of the Top 25.

A win on Saturday and you will likely see a return somewhere around the 22 slot, as a guess.

[NavinRJohnson]

I'm not saying we suck, I'm simply saying that at this very point in the season we haven't played well except against poor competition. 

I don't even know that I'd say we played well against poor competition, as much as I'd say we have simply played against poor competition.

This was not simply a case of one bad game. We have been playing fine offensively, but generally speaking, the defense has been borderline pathetic all season. We have been able to outscore bad teams, but if we don't tighten up the D and soon, Saturday just may become the norm the rest of the year, not the exception.

[Wareagle]

I don't even know that I'd say we played well against poor competition, as much as I'd say we have simply played against poor competition.

This was not simply a case of one bad game. We have been playing fine offensively, but generally speaking, the defense has been borderline pathetic all season. We have been able to outscore bad teams, but if we don't tighten up the D and soon, Saturday just may become the norm the rest of the year, not the exception.

Per KenPom, our offensive efficiency is 42nd in the nation.  Our defensive efficiency is 92nd, which is borderline ridiculous considering the offenses we have played.  Collectively, Marquette's opponents' offensive rating is 241st out of 300 something