Was Louisville the turning point for the season?

[NotAnAlum]

I've got to wonder.  It seems like the teams expectations are that we're good but not quite good enough.  Each year has a turning point, sometimes for the good and sometimes for the bad.  Last year it was the win at UConn that proved we could win a close game after all the tough loses.  That launched a solid finish.  This year I'm afraid its the opposite.
For 35 minutes at Louisville MU played as well as I've seen them play this year, certainly as well as they've played on the road this year.  Think about it.  If they hold that lead and beat ranked Louisville on their home court by 10+ they would have put to games together worthy of the top of the BE.(incl the beat down of ND)  Everything was starting to come together.  I dare say with that confidence they beat UConn at the BC and are right now sitting in top 4 of the Big East and finishing the season with a swagger.
Unfortunately what I see now is a team unsure of itself and just trying to hold on.
What might have been.

[Windyplayer]

Not really the appropriate time to discuss this. I'd be happy to revisit it at the end of the season. This team is fighting for a bid now. They're not dead. I'm looking forward to a big win in Hartford on Thursday night.

[ChicosBailBonds]

I think it started with Gonzaga and then Louisville opened it up further.  Fortunately the bubble is so soft we still have more than a decent shot.

[Coleman]

Not really the appropriate time to discuss this. I'd be happy to revisit it at the end of the season. This team is fighting for a bid now. They're not dead. I'm looking forward to a big win in Hartford on Thursday night.

+1

[Buzz's Tin]

I think it started with Gonzaga and then Louisville opened it up further.  Fortunately the bubble is so soft we still have more than a decent shot.

Huh? There is no way the Gonzaga game was a turning point for the season. That was our 6th game of the year...

[#MUBB]

Louisville still hurts. But let's assess turning points after the season. Maybe UConn this Thursday can be our turning point for the positive??? Probably not, but the season is still early enough to not deem it a failure quite yet.

[Markusquette]

I was thinking this the other day and I agree with you.  Louisville loss was our turning point for the worse.  I thought we had that game in the bag and had we come up with those back to back big wins I think the rest of our season would have been a lot different personally.

[Tugg Speedman]

It's the turning point until the next turning point.

Beat Uconn and that is a turning point

Lose three of the next four and that is a turning point

Win two BE tourney games and that is a turning point

Make the sweet sixteen and that is a turning point.

[mug644]

I'm with Another MU84 and PoopScoop, thinking that there can be many turning points in a season. I'm hoping that Thursday will be another.

That said, the Louisville game seemed to have some lingering effects on the team, like it was a real blow to their confidence. Hopefully they are better putting it behind them than us fans.

[4everwarriors]

Bucknell exposed this the character of this team and its basketball weaknesses.

[willie warrior]

Can't say that we are a good team--this time of year the good teams are improving and making their runs. Can't say we are in that category.

It sucks, but while some players have improved at this time of year, Otule, Gardner and JC, others have reached their peak or are running out of gas.

Dopn't know what it is exactly, but this team is not playing to its talent level.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Huh? There is no way the Gonzaga game was a turning point for the season. That was our 6th game of the year...

I didn't realize the number of the game mattered.  That was a game against a "name" team that turned out to be an average opponent.  This is a classic example of maybe expectations before the game were not fantastic, but once that game started and everyone realized the Zags aren't that good, it becomes a disappointment when the W is not secured.

That game was the first confirmation for me, especially looking back on it a few weeks later, that we were going to have our work cut out for us this year.

[RubyWiscy]

Don't know about MU, but it may have been for Louisville.

[connie]

I'm with Another MU84 and PoopScoop, thinking that there can be many turning points in a season. I'm hoping that Thursday will be another.

That said, the Louisville game seemed to have some lingering effects on the team, like it was a real blow to their confidence. Hopefully they are better putting it behind them than us fans.

+1, but I think it was more a turning point for the fans than the team.

[NavinRJohnson]

Why does there need to be a turning point? After 31 games, you are who you are.

[mosarsour]

Why does there need to be a turning point? After 31 games, you are who you are.

[RawdogDX]

I didn't realize the number of the game mattered.  That was a game against a "name" team that turned out to be an average opponent.  This is a classic example of maybe expectations before the game were not fantastic, but once that game started and everyone realized the Zags aren't that good, it becomes a disappointment when the W is not secured.

That game was the first confirmation for me, especially looking back on it a few weeks later, that we were going to have our work cut out for us this year.

How is 'the first confirmation' a turning point?  Those things are not the same at all.

[Tugg Speedman]

Don't know what it is exactly, but this team is not playing to its talent level.

Could it be we have played 12 ranked teams (13 tomorrow), more than anyone else in the nation? 

If we were still in CUSA we would have only played 3 to 5 ranked teams and exactly the same team, playing exactly the same way, coached exactly the same way, shooting FTs the same way would be 24-4 or 23-5 and ranked between 20 and 25.  KenPom would rank us 34.

Instead we are 17-11 losing 7 games to top 25 teams on the road and unranked.  But KenPom has us ranked 34.


Your problem is you expect too much.  You want 22 to 24 wins a season whether we play the scedule we played this year or a CUSA schedule.

[mikem91288]

The 'Cuse win was the turning point for me. Louisville could have been a turning point, but it wasn't. I'm an optimist though

[lab_warrior]

And, we can add "turning point" to the sports cliche whiteboard.

[Mumichfan06]

I'm sorry AnotherMU84, but we do not expect too much. Marquette is a top university with great facilities in the best basketball conference ever assembled. Our expectations should be high each and every year whether that's 22 or 24 wins. Why should we not achieve that goal?  I will never accept the notion Marquette is a 2nd tier BE school.

Sadly, I don't think Marquette has put itself in a position to achieve these goals. Buzz is an average, at best, coach and our recruitment has focused too much on JUCO players which lack leadership and bball intellect.

[Golden Avalanche]

Don't know about MU, but it may have been for Louisville.

The best explanation of it.

One team took a ridiculous turn of events and ran with it. The other team took a ridiculous turn of events and let it consume them.

[NickelDimer]

I'm sorry AnotherMU84, but we do not expect too much. Marquette is a top university with great facilities in the best basketball conference ever assembled. Our expectations should be high each and every year whether that's 22 or 24 wins. Why should we not achieve that goal?  I will never accept the notion Marquette is a 2nd tier BE school.

Sadly, I don't think Marquette has put itself in a position to achieve these goals. Buzz is an average, at best, coach and our recruitment has focused too much on JUCO players which lack leadership and bball intellect.

Great first post...would make an even better last post

[ChicosBailBonds]

How is 'the first confirmation' a turning point?  Those things are not the same at all.

I don't think that's what I said, but let me clarify if that's how it was taken.  To me it was both, but I do agree they are not the same thing.

Turning point from the standpoint of psyche.  I can't remember the last tournament we were in where we finished dead last.  That could be argued as a turning point depending on the expectations people had.  Before the season started, I expected us to lose both games.  When the games were actually starting to be played, it looked like Zags and K-State weren't all that good.  Then after watching Gonzaga weeks following that game, it really started putting a pit in the stomach.

Thus, when we lost, it certainly sent a few signals that we might not be as good as we think.  Of course, that early in the year, you never know.  Things can change pretty quick where a team that appears to be good goes south (MSU, K-State, Gonzaga) or a team that struggles ends up playing well (St. John's, UCLA, etc).

[reinko]

I'm sorry AnotherMU84, but we do not expect too much. Marquette is a top university with great facilities in the best basketball conference ever assembled. Our expectations should be high each and every year whether that's 22 or 24 wins. Why should we not achieve that goal?  I will never accept the notion Marquette is a 2nd tier BE school.

Sadly, I don't think Marquette has put itself in a position to achieve these goals. Buzz is an average, at best, coach and our recruitment has focused too much on JUCO players which lack leadership and bball intellect.

As long as your " tier" includes everyone except USF and DePaul, then I would agree, Marquette is in the 1st tier.