Hmmm... Are we better than last year?

[ErickJD08]

I don't think we are but we are not that far.  The amigos were great but I think the team is playing better as a team.  We seem to be getting tons more of wide open looks than last year.  Last year was a ton of one on one play.  This team seems better at breaking the zone than last year's team.  We are a better three point shooting team this year than last year.  Our rebounding and defense was better last year than this year.  I really can't wait to see our team when we start getting elite talent

[tower912]

No.   If we could get contributions from EWill and if Junior (and Otule for that matter) can come back and give us positive minutes, it would be close.   

[mviale]

Good question. Lazar seems to be a better player and JBut is much better.  This makes our front court game 10x better than last year. Junior, DJO and Buycks would be a nice backcourt.

[lab_warrior]

I think I will wait until Cracked Sidewalks and Co. crunch the numbers to make a determination on that one.  I think this years' team shoots better, but last years' team got a lot of FTs.  And keep in mind, we were on fire when DJ got hurt, so that hurt last years' team a lot.  

[NickelDimer]

I'll say this much; if last year's team played this year's team it would be a last possession game.

[tower912]

....with MU losing at the buzzer.

[NickelDimer]

Brilliant!

[ErickJD08]

I think I will wait until Cracked Sidewalks and Co. crunch the numbers to make a determination on that one.  I think this years' team shoots better, but last years' team got a lot of FTs.  And keep in mind, we were on fire when DJ got hurt, so that hurt last years' team a lot.  

WITHOUT A DOUBT, player by player, last year's team is better.  But this team is playing better team ball.  DJ's injury was terrible because we need the amigos to play almost every minute to win.  I would like to see those numbers as well.

[Virginia Warrior 77]

Better individual talent last year.  Better team this year - more scoring options and better chemistry.

[mviale]

Junior's injury hurt this team also.  I would take this team over last year sans DJ.

[MauraDay]

I would say that last year's team was better, but if last year's team would have played with the effort this team gives, they would have been even better.

[NumenFlumenque]

This year's team is not better. Last year's team would not be 2-3 right now. (Additionally, I don't think this year's team would have started 9-0). They finished 12-6 last year. It will be extremely tough for this year's team to finish 12-6. The only thing that this year's team does better than last year's is outside shooting. Team defense, rebounding, and leadership was better last year. I see no chemistry change either. It should have been better last year seeing as how four guys played with each other for four years.

[MUFan11]

Hell No Last year>this year

[mviale]

Time will tell

[NavinRJohnson]

Without looking up, I am guessing this year's team shoots the three waayyyy better than last year. That seems to be the biggest difference and will keep you in most games.

[MU86NC]

I am sure last years team had a better record at this point in the season but this team has been more exciting and diverse in how we have won or lost.  As someone just said, I think it is still to be determined...

[mviale]

Lazar looks like a leader out there! Ala Boozer at Utah.  Did we have a leader last year?

[ChicosBailBonds]

Last year in heart beat.

The Big East isn't close to the Big East of last year so comparing results this year to last year's is a fool's errand.

Last year the Big East arguably was the greatest conference in college basketball history and we did quite well.  This year, it's not even close. 

There's some nice talent on this year's team but I'll take last years.

By the way, which team does Lazar play for?  LOL 

[tower912]

We were #8 in the country before DJ went down.    I don't think this year's team is top 10 material, as much as I admire the work they are doing.   

[MR.HAYWARD]

please peiople every time one of these threads come up it gets even dumber.  last year we were a hands down top 10 team we were 20-2 and 9-0 in the big east!!!   

Maybe an argument can be made of whther we are better this year than were were in MArch of last year.  But no one on this year team could hope to guard one of the three amigos ...maybe Buycks but this talk is silly.

[ATWizJr]

Playing with great heart but less talent than last year.  Will EWill be back?

[77ncaachamps]

Last Year's Team:
- Veteran
- High scorers but had black hole moments (Jerel, DJ)
- Lazar was third, sometimes fourth wheel
- Butler was subdued
- Little bench production
- Focused but stressed

This Year's Team:
- Inexperienced
- Spread the ball around more; all players on the court expected to score
- One black hole (Zar) instead of 2 or 3
- Lazar is the star
- Butler is the man
- Tiny bench production
- Overachieving yet loose; having fun playing basketball as a team

Last year's team (no DJ) would win by 10-14 pts, but it wouldn't be a blow out.
With a three-point chucking and bricking DJ, it'd come down to the final seconds and FTs. LOL

[MUBasketball]

Will EWill be back?

Why are there so many Tim Maymon clone Marquette fans? I can't understand why so many people think EW should be playing more. He's a true freshman, playing behind better players, and he is not playing particularly well when he gets in. He shows flashes of his potential, of course, but he doesn't deserve more minutes.

Yes, E Will will be back, because he's not a crybaby who thinks everybody should get even minutes like some fans. This ain't Little League people.

[ChicosBailBonds]

We were #8 in the country before DJ went down.    I don't think this year's team is top 10 material, as much as I admire the work they are doing.   

+1

Lazar was the 4th option last year.  Butler was the 6th option.

This year those guys are 1 and 2 (3 at worst if you include DJO).  Love the effort on this year's team, but last year's team before DJ got hurt was a legitimate top 10 team in the country. 

[MUrugger]

Agree that last year's team was better...but this year's team is more fun to watch.  I also think that (not just today) this is one of the better shooting teams in MU memory.

Marquette always seems to get it share of bricklayers, but there are some smooth strokes with this bunch.  I think the career upside for DJO is off the charts.