Arent we overeacting?

[KenoshaWarrior]

I know this is the Pot Calling the Kettle Black but I think we are overreacting not because it was bad, and yes it was really bad; but mostly because it is the game before Wisconsin and it makes us all nervous.  If this game happens after a Wisconsin victory the conversation would be something like this

1."We had a clunker, get ready for next game"
2."These things happen, better than in March"
3."Glad to get this out of our system" 
etc.

[brewcity77]

Without having read anything or even seen the game, yes, people are absolutely overreacting. This is still a good team that will be better come January and better than that come March. No November game makes or breaks a season.

[hairy worthen]

Without having read anything or even seen the game, yes, people are absolutely overreacting. This is still a good team that will be better come January and better than that come March. No November game makes or breaks a season.

Exactly,
We beat the rodents next week and this game will be forgotten. Buzz has a week to work on things.

[nathanziarek]

Maybe.

But, I think we've deluded ourselves these first few games and tonight saw things we were trying really hard to ignore.

Is early and things change, but it suddenly became harder to ignore some of those nagging doubts.

It was also a phenomenal failure to show up, and fans aren't supposed to be rational

[MattyWarrior]

No, we don't have 2 6'9,6'10 guys in the middle who can shut people down and rebound.
Otule has not stepped up in these type of games and they jumped over DG. The Florida bench
was laughing and having a good old time 5 minutes into the second half.Patchwork team!

[tower912]

Overreacting to losing to a top10 team on the road?    With a team that most people knew going in was going to need time to develop?    This board?    Never. 

[hairy worthen]

Maybe.

But, I think we've deluded ourselves these first few games and tonight saw things we were trying really hard to ignore.

Is early and things change, but it suddenly became harder to ignore some of those nagging doubts.

It was also a phenomenal failure to show up, and fans aren't supposed to be rational

I don't doubt the team has some issues. Consistent go to scorer and outside shooter to name two. But, college kids will have bad games especially on the road.  They may not be a top 25 team this year, I think they eventually will be but they will have some ups and downs. 

[GGGG]

In last year's LSU and Vandy games, we simply didn't hit shots.  That happens.  The problem with this game is that not only didn't we hit shots, but we were soft.  Punchless.  That is a big concern.

[g0lden3agle]

In last year's LSU and Vandy games, we simply didn't hit shots.  That happens.  The problem with this game is that not only didn't we hit shots, but we were soft.  Punchless.  That is a big concern.

Buzz should just queue up all the comments the announcers had about how soft we were.  They repeatedly talked about how we didn't attack the rim hard.  Guys like Wilson should be upset with their lack of aggression.  They were avoiding body contact, not looking for it.  Haven't seen that in an MU team in some time.

[hairy worthen]

In last year's LSU and Vandy games, we simply didn't hit shots.  That happens.  The problem with this game is that not only didn't we hit shots, but we were soft.  Punchless.  That is a big concern.

Being soft and punchless can be easily fixed, poor shooting can't always be easily fixed.

[frozena pizza]

I agree that we are overreacting.  This is a rebuilding year for us.  If we finish in the top half of the BE and make the tournament I will be impressed.  Although I didn't really watch the second half, Florida is Final Four caliber team and they just crushed us.

Hey, last year we were ranked #13 and lost to an unranked Vanderbilt team at home by 17 and were down by 25 midway through the first half.  We still made the Sweet 16.  It's a long season.  Get a win against UW and things will seem a lot better.

[KenoshaWarrior]

The soft issue is a concern but I will tell you what...the Badgers are even softer than we are.  They dont drive to the rim at all, and cant create their own shots.  We will win this game.

[madtownwarrior]

no so sure softness is easily fixed...

the reason for the over-reaction -  the team did not compete, looked like a cup-cake game for Florida versus a quality opponent...

Being soft and punchless can be easily fixed, poor shooting can't always be easily fixed.

[MU82]

Of course we're overreacting. That's what we do.

Then again ...

This is not a great Marquette team, or not even a very good team as we've had in previous seasons under Buzz. Even the wins against the cupcakes were not especially impressive.

Some problems can be corrected with better hustle and attention to fundamentals. But some problems will dog us all year, especially the lack of outside shooting and general offensive firepower.

I see a team more like Jimmy's last year that will have to fight and claw for BE wins and hopes to make the NCAA tourney by the skin of its teeth. It just remains to be seen if we have enough fighters and clawers this year -- not to mention clutch playmakers like Jimmy.

[CTWarrior]

the reason for the over-reaction -  the team did not compete, looked like a cup-cake game for Florida versus a quality opponent...

This.  Even in the past blowouts under Buzz like the UNC trouncing in the NCAA tournament, you never got the impression that the guys weren't competing as hard as they could.  Last night Florida seemed to get every 50/50 ball.  First time I remember a visibly frustrated and more importantly, discouraged performance for Marquette under Buzz.  

[hairy worthen]

no so sure softness is easily fixed...

the reason for the over-reaction -  the team did not compete, looked like a cup-cake game for Florida versus a quality opponent...

I am thinking Buzz would be able to fix the softness thing.

[Golden Avalanche]

I am thinking Buzz would be able to fix the softness thing.

I agree with madtownwarrior.

Combining this performance with the Charmin experience down the stretch against Butler and there could be signs of a problem.

Small sample size, and it's not even December, but we don't know if its momentary madness or a defining trait of this team.

[LAZER]

There's definitely overreaction.

But I'd be lying if I said i wasn't concerned about Cadougan, Lockett, and Jamil.  I'm not thowing my arms in the air yelling "we're going to the NIT", but I'm still concerned a little and I think it's warranted.  But if those guys get it going (i think they will), with the way Vander is playing, it will be a nice season.

[Badgerhater]

This team is different that previous Buzz teams and will take awhile to realize it's potential for the following reasons.

MU did not return a 1000-point scorer this year, nor did it return anyone with a scorer mentality.

It has no one on the roster this season who will play in the NBA next season.

A natural leader on the floor has yet to emerge.

I am not saying that MU will be a bad team.  It has the potential to be a very good team, but it will take alot more work by everyone to make MU a very good team.  There is no one on this team right now that can put the rest of the team on their back and make it happen in the way the Three Amigos, Hayward, Butler, Crowder/DJO could do it.   Junior is not that type of player, neither is Davante.  Lockett isn't because he is a one-year rent-a-player who hasn't grown up at MU.  Vander or Jamil may be that type of player by the end of the year but they are not there yet.

Buzzball isn't about what offensive or defensive schemes are developed from year to year to match the personnel or how well those schemes are executed.  Buzzball is about finding that leader or leaders that can put the team on their back(s) and make everyone else play to their full potential.

[StillAWarrior]

Of course we're overreacting. That's what we do.

That's what I was going to say.  Word for word.  Seriously.

So, in lieu of that:  +1

[T-Bone]

Adding to the menagerie of thoughts...

1. The first half of the UMBC game had me worried.  Can't have a half like that from here on out.  We had two last night.
2. Florida is really good.  We haven't found replacements for DJO and Jae yet. 
3. We still can't play against a zone. 
4. I remain optimistic about this team having a good run in the NCAAs.
5. The announcers hammering/yammering about the end of the BE as we know it, cemented in my mind that it's going away.  Doubled the amount of disappointment in an otherwise disappointing game.  (also pisses me off that I can no longer root for the teams leaving the BE against B1G/SEC/ACC/etc.) 

[uncle zeffy]

Yes this board is overreacting... but atleast it switched from overreacting about conference realignments to overreacting about a basketball game.

[Freeport Warrior]

It's going to be a long season of ups and downs. UW game is different this year as both team are bubble/NIT quality, so that's no real barometer either. We can't shoot. They have no athleticism. Those two factors will not change this year. I guess Mayo could impact the shooting a bit, but he's just one guy. And when I say we can't shoot, it doesn't mean we won't have games where we will get hot, it just means there is no go to guy who will consistently hit outside shots to make teams respect us from the outside. Teams that play man all game against us are foolish. Just pack it in and be active. And I'm not buying the fool's gold of Vander's outside shot. He is definitely a valuable player, but when we are relying on him to be "the guy" from the outside, there is a problem.

I thought Otule looked like a hobbled old man running down the court. It hurt to watch him run. And when you match Davante against an athletic big man it really opens your eyes. I like Thomas, but dude, pull the trigger! IMO we have a team that will have "violent mood swings" all year long. Win by 20 when we can run, lose by 20 on bad shooting nights. Get used to it and enjoy the last year(s) of the Big East.

As I tell my wife, it's not overreacting, it's reality.

[Dawson Rental]

Hey, nobody's tried to blame things on the referees yet!

[AirPunches]

Hey, nobody's tried to blame things on the referees yet!

I'll try too. MU played decent defense in the first half and Florida hit a ton of tough shots and threes. The refs also let a lot of physical play go when Young was denying Gardner the ball. Sometimes when Gardner caught it he would end up eight feet further away from the basket than he normally does. Not many calls on our drives, which when you go up weak it doesn't matter if you were fouled or not, you're not getting the call.  

A combination of these things made MU just give up in the second half. Not typical of a Buzz squad but it's only one game and the number of points you lose by is really meaningless.