Author Topic: We Are Who We Think We Are...a good team that can't win on the road (Read 5726 times)

Niv Berkowitz · « **on:** February 13, 2011, 02:15:57 PM »

I'm still watching these games. Still love MU. But with this team, after 1 3/4 seasons of this, we are who we all think/know we are. A good team that can't win on the road against a team that's as good as us. We'll probably make the tourney and I'm happy, but really. At this point, it's not worth getting all bent out of shape w/every game, win or lose. We need a lot of luck to fall for us to go far.

MU has a good program, the inside guys actually made a presence today, but...not this year. Next year. And really, that was the realistic expectations going into this year. When it all plays out, I think we'll play right where everyone thought we would at the beginning of the season. 9th-11th place.

muguru · « **Reply #1 on:** February 13, 2011, 02:17:21 PM »

They are playing below their talent level. That is what is so frustrating. I'm tired of it.

Niv Berkowitz · « **Reply #2 on:** February 13, 2011, 02:19:05 PM »

Really? Are they? I mean...I just don't think so.

GGGG · « **Reply #3 on:** February 13, 2011, 02:20:02 PM »

I'm not sure they are playing below their talent level. They are losing to teams with better rated recruits and higher poll ratings. They are probably a 10 or 11 seed right now, which is 40-47 in the country. That is about right.

marquette09 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 13, 2011, 02:21:16 PM »

It doesn't help when we have to play all five of the top teams in the BE on the road(Ville, Pitt, Nova, GTown, ND), and the only one that we get at home is N.D.

DiaperDandy · « **Reply #5 on:** February 13, 2011, 02:21:25 PM »

The sad thing about this is it in not enjoyable for me to watch MU games anymore because we are this type of team. It really gets old getting yourself excited when you see MU play a great half of basketball like they did today and then come out and play a terrible second half. When you expect to blow the lead every game, it just is not fun watching it. I will always love and cheer for MU, yet the "Sitting on the Edge of your seat" waiting to see how MU is going to blow it is no fun at all.

🏀 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 13, 2011, 02:21:38 PM »

Quote from: The Sultan of South Wayne on February 13, 2011, 02:20:02 PM

I'm not sure they are playing below their talent level. They are losing to teams with better rated recruits and higher poll ratings. They are probably a 10 or 11 seed right now, which is 40-47 in the country. That is about right.

Spot on. I don't understand where posters think we are an upper echelon team this year. We just aren't.

WellsstreetWanderer · « **Reply #7 on:** February 13, 2011, 02:29:04 PM »

No one thought we were an upper echelon team but to watch us lose momentum every second half has grown old. We have no go to guy to light it up and we press so hard we make bad shots,bad passes and bad decisions. Buzz doesn't help either: when we needed to foul late there was no plan to do so or who to target

Niv Berkowitz · « **Reply #8 on:** February 13, 2011, 02:30:32 PM »

Neither do I and that was my point. I'm resigned to not get all bent out of shape w/this team anymore.

We are playing exactly where we should be. We aren't one of the best in the conference and we aren't one of the worst. In a tight conference like this year's big east, we are close, but we are JUST far enough the other teams from a player or even one-play-a-game standpoint that allows others to separate themselves from us.

We are meeting expectations for this year, basically.

DiaperDandy · « **Reply #9 on:** February 13, 2011, 02:34:09 PM »

I think this season just shows how important 4 year players are to a program. You have to think that the lack of experience playing together is really hurting this team.

ChicosBailBonds · « **Reply #10 on:** February 13, 2011, 02:36:00 PM »

Quote from: marqptm on February 13, 2011, 02:21:38 PM

Spot on. I don't understand where posters think we are an upper echelon team this year. We just aren't.

I thought we were picked for 8th in the Big East...isn't that part of the upper half?

🏀 · « **Reply #11 on:** February 13, 2011, 02:37:35 PM »

I'll remove this myself.

wildbill sb · « **Reply #12 on:** February 13, 2011, 02:41:16 PM »

Quote from: DiaperDandy on February 13, 2011, 02:34:09 PM

I think this season just shows how important 4 year players are to a program. You have to think that the lack of experience playing together is really hurting this team.

It ain't rocket surgery, for Pete's sakes, it's basketball. How much "practicing together" - ness does this team need? They've been at it since October, if not longer.

Tugg Speedman · « **Reply #13 on:** February 13, 2011, 02:41:49 PM »

This entire thread is a continuation of the USF threads.

We were picked to be 8th in the BE. Check
We have no "bad losses" Check

Back in October we should have predicted this team was a "good team that would have a tough time winning on the road." So what did people expect?

Side note, this was our 10th ranked team in the last 16 games. That is more ranked teams than we played between 1985 and 1991 combined!

I doubt MU has ever played a stretch like this.

ADD

We have played 10 currently ranked teams in the last 16 games.

Wisconsin has played 2 currently ranked teams (OSU and Purdue) in their last 16. (They did play MSU, Minn and IL when they were ranked but they are not anymore)

Try to appreciate the difficultly of our schedule.

marquette99 · « **Reply #14 on:** February 13, 2011, 02:50:49 PM »

Good point. It is also 10 more ranked teams then the year we won the nit title. I'm thrilled we get to see mu on tv virtually every game and think something special could be coming together for next year. Otule (9 rebounds), blue (4 rebounds. No turnovers and good def), gardner (12 pts) making contributions today all has me more and more excited about next year. We are a little behind where I thought we'd be this year, but my goal is still the same - make the tourney this yearto give everyone a taste, hopefully win a game, and then get ready for a top tier team next year that could make a run.

Marquette84 · « **Reply #15 on:** February 13, 2011, 02:55:35 PM »

Quote from: marquette09 on February 13, 2011, 02:21:16 PM

It doesn't help when we have to play all five of the top teams in the BE on the road(Ville, Pitt, Nova, GTown, ND), and the only one that we get at home is N.D.

Actually, this does help, because we probably wouldn't have beaten those teams at home either, and its nowhere near as much of an RPI hit losing those games on the road.

We have the majority of our most competitive games (St. Johns, West Virginia, Syracuse, Cincinnati) at home, where we've already won two of them, and will benefit greatly with the home court advantage in the other two.

And lets face it, while the Georgetown win would have been nice, St. Johns and Cincinnati are MUST wins since those are the teams we're bunched up with in the middle of the pack. I'd much rather have those two games at home right now.

Lennys Tap · « **Reply #16 on:** February 13, 2011, 03:02:48 PM »

Quote from: wildbill sb on February 13, 2011, 02:41:16 PM

It ain't rocket surgery, for Pete's sakes, it's basketball. How much "practicing together" - ness does this team need? They've been at it since October, if not longer.

What's rocket surgery?

marquette09 · « **Reply #17 on:** February 13, 2011, 03:26:56 PM »

Quote from: Marquette84 on February 13, 2011, 02:55:35 PM

Actually, this does help, because we probably wouldn't have beaten those teams at home either, and its nowhere near as much of an RPI hit losing those games on the road.

We have the majority of our most competitive games (St. Johns, West Virginia, Syracuse, Cincinnati) at home, where we've already won two of them, and will benefit greatly with the home court advantage in the other two.

And lets face it, while the Georgetown win would have been nice, St. Johns and Cincinnati are MUST wins since those are the teams we're bunched up with in the middle of the pack. I'd much rather have those two games at home right now.

Valid point, but I feel we probably could have won two of the four at home against Ville, GTown, Nova and Pitt. I think we would beat the Ville in Milwaukee and probably Nova or G'Town too.

Agree with you about Cincy and SJU at home, we got to win. Today was tough but the guys have got to get over it and be ready to go Tuesday night.

79Warrior · « **Reply #18 on:** February 13, 2011, 05:50:40 PM »

Quote from: Niv Berkowitz on February 13, 2011, 02:19:05 PM

Really? Are they? I mean...I just don't think so.

I agree completley. I think the MU faithfull want to believe we are better than we are.
Sooner or later a talented team wins some of these games that we manage to lose. We barely got out of South Florida with our pants on. We are a double digit losses already. If we had so much talent then our record should be better than it is.

Zero quality non-confernce wins, zero quality road wins. It time take off the sunglasses. Perception is not reality.

mugrad2006 · « **Reply #19 on:** February 13, 2011, 06:07:04 PM »

I know we all love the talent of the JUCO's on the team, and they are probably close because they share the JUCO background but I wonder if Elmore was right today. Is the number of JUCO's with their limited years on the team hurting overall cohesion both on the defensive and offensive ends of the court? No inherent fault of their own, just a function of not having enough time together to gel in the sense they just know where everyone else is going to be. Really, we've only got one legitimate three year starter on the team (Butler) given Fulce's injury history, and most of the guys ar D1 rookies or are only in their second season.

I'm sure somebody with a lot more college bball sense than me can provide a deeper argument for or against.

/Not trying to restart the 'JUCO's are good vs. bad debate

NickelDimer · « **Reply #20 on:** February 13, 2011, 06:19:12 PM »

Quote from: Lennys Tap on February 13, 2011, 03:02:48 PM

What's rocket surgery?

Fuggin' hilarious

This is a good thread. People have completely lost perspective on this team. To me it's very simple; this team has not overachieved, and this team has not underachieved.

They've simply held serve. And if they continue to do so they will be a tourney team. I think that's a pretty nice accomplishment based on my expectations coming into the year

wildbill sb · « **Reply #21 on:** February 13, 2011, 06:35:05 PM »

Quote from: Lennys Tap on February 13, 2011, 03:02:48 PM

What's rocket surgery?

My febrile attempt at humor, using a mock GWB malaprop, intentionally. (Doesn't say much about my comedic skills, when I have to explain my jokes, does it?)

Tugg Speedman · « **Reply #22 on:** February 13, 2011, 06:55:27 PM »

Quote from: 79Warrior on February 13, 2011, 05:50:40 PM

Zero quality non-confernce wins, zero quality road wins. It time take off the sunglasses. Perception is not reality.

Quality non-conference wins only matter if you're in the ACC this year or C-USA any year. When you're in the BE, you have plenty of changes to beat top 25 teams.

79Warrior · « **Reply #23 on:** February 13, 2011, 07:28:18 PM »

Quote from: AnotherMU84 on February 13, 2011, 06:55:27 PM

Quality non-conference wins only matter if you're in the ACC this year or C-USA any year. When you're in the BE, you have plenty of changes to beat top 25 teams.

well then, we are failing that test aren't we. What are we, 2-9 against Top 25 when we played them. WVU was not ranked when we beat them.

Marq · « **Reply #24 on:** February 13, 2011, 07:55:07 PM »

No Senior Leadership, Low Basketball IQ, and a coach still learning on the run-puts Marquette in the position that they are in. plain and simple

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Author Topic: We Are Who We Think We Are...a good team that can't win on the road (Read 5726 times)