Jake Thomas for 3 is our best shot?

[🏀]

How about a drive to try and get the foul? If its not there kick it out to an open guy. We had two possessions and could not get it done. Very upsetting.

Vanders miss on the front end of a one and one killed us.

Paint touches?

[brewcity77]

How about a drive to try and get the foul? If its not there kick it out to an open guy. We had two possessions and could not get it done. Very upsetting.

Considering Green Bay got to the line more than twice as often as we did, including Sykes ALONE making as many FTs as we took, I really don't think "try and get the foul" was the answer. They weren't giving us anything that wasn't really blatantly bad down low. And how was the drive and kick working? Who would the ball have gone to? Jamil, who seemed afraid to take a shot in the second half? Vander, who may have the most maligned shooting touch in the history of Marquette basketball? Or Jake, who got the look and missed.

It was a good look. It didn't fall. That's it.

[mugrack]

Hopefully, Todd Mayo's mother is on her way to Milwaukee right now.

[brewcity77]

I just hope if and when Todd does get back, people realize that based on last year, there is a 66.7% chance Todd would have missed that shot last night too. He's not a cure-all. Hopefully he helps by giving us another option, but let's not make him out to be DJO+2".

[Stretchdeltsig]

When Buzz called time out with 11 seconds left and we're down by 1, we thought for sure that he was drawing up a play calling for Junior or Blue to penetrate for a layup for the basket or at least draw a foul or Gardner or Wilson would get the rebound.  But, no he called for Thomas to shoot and miss.  Thomas has made a basket that counted all year.  Why count on him in this situation?  It was a bad call by Buzz and cost us the game.  Thomas has earned a spot at the end of the bench from now on.  Not only is he an offensive liability, but, will killed on defense by GB's guards.

[StillWarriors]

When Buzz called time out with 11 seconds left and we're down by 1, we thought for sure that he was drawing up a play calling for Junior or Blue to penetrate for a layup for the basket or at least draw a foul or Gardner or Wilson would get the rebound.  But, no he called for Thomas to shoot and miss.  Thomas has made a basket that counted all year. 

Pretty sure the plan was probably for Thomas to shoot and make the shot. Assuming you meant Thomas has [not] made a basket that counted all year, he did have a pretty big put back against Butler in Maui in the final seconds.  That aside, he has not fulfilled the crucial role he is supposed to be playing as an outside threat. I have to believe his shot will come, but suspect he won't have nearly as many opportunities once Todd is back.

[what the fulce?]

I wouldn't write off Jake just yet. Let's not forget he had a pretty clutch put back and free throw against Butler to keep us in the game.

The biggest issue for me, strictly based on listening to the game, was clock management. Being down 1 and having the last possession, we should have attacked the basket and look to get a shot off with around 10 sec left. That leaves time for a potential offensive rebound and second shot, or the opportunity to foul and get an extra possession to end the game with a chance to win/force OT.

[mumike22]

Our best option to hit that shot was standing on the other sideline...Wardle.

[tower912]

Butler's walk on beat IU.    Just sayin'.    Look, nobody hit a thing in the second half.    Not a jumper, not free throws, nothing.    16 pts in a half against UWGB.   A wide open look from a guy who has a reputation for being able to hit a shot.      If Blue had taken it to the rack and gotten fouled and then missed the free throws.   Or Jamil missing another 15 ft j.   Or Gardner slowly getting his shot off and missing.    Are any of these truly a better option?    The execution to get an open look was fine.    He missed the shot.   It happens.    This game was lost by not getting Lockett or JWilson or Blue the ball at the foul line against that zone.   That has been how MU has beat zones under Buzz.    Wes/Lazar/JFB/Jae/DJO get the ball at the foul line, the zone moves, the ball gets moved faster leading to a good look.    This team isn't doing that yet.   

[bilsu]

I did not have a problem with Thomas taking the last shot. What I had a problem with is deciding to take the last shot. We got the ball on a rebound with 30 seconds to go and ran the clock down to nothing hoping to hit a last shot for the win. We should of shot much sooner and then fouled to extend the game, if we did not score.

[Dr. Blackheart]

I did not have a problem with Thmas taking the last shot. What I had a problem with is deciding to take the last shot. We got the ball on a rebound with 30 seconds to go and ran the clock down to nothing hoping to hit a last shot for the win. We should of shot much sooner and then fouled to extend the game, if we did not score.

Head scratcher for me too.  Only two things I can think of why:  1) on the road you go for a W or 2) Buzz called time out or two hoping Wardle would switch to man defense so Vander could run an Iso.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

One thing to keep in mind, UWGB played an effective 2-3 zone almost the entire game.

MU couldn't drive against it at all.

I don't know why anybody expects MU to magically be able to drive the ball in the last 10 seconds. UWGB's zone was specifically set up to prevent that. MU didn't even score 50 points! The zone worked.

MU got a good open look from a guy that can supposedly shoot (we've all heard about him in practice and seen him in scrimmages). I'm fine with the play call.

Also, I know Buzz like to dribble into a zone, but I'd like to see some more passing and high post. I know it's not what they traditionally play, but I think they might need a modified approach with this group. Jamil in the high post. DeDe down low. Vander and Trent on the wings. See if they can run a little high/low, or get some baseline drives.

[NersEllenson]

One thing to keep in mind, UWGB played an effective 2-3 zone almost the entire game.

MU couldn't drive against it at all.

I don't know why anybody expects MU to magically be able to drive the ball in the last 10 seconds. UWGB's zone was specifically set up to prevent that. MU didn't even score 50 points! The zone worked.

MU got a good open look from a guy that can supposedly shoot (we've all heard about him in practice and seen him in scrimmages). I'm fine with the play call.

  Amen.  At the end of the day this team won't do crap if Vander and Junior lay eggs in the same game.  They had limited driving opportunities against the zone....

And...it is ridiculous that people are ripping Jake Thomas - have a 3 point shooting contest on this team and it isn't even a contest - Jake wins it going away.  We couldn't get squat down low so what are you going to do?  I'd much rather see Jake launch a 3 than Vander or Junior.  The shot was a pretty good look, and was on line..rimmed out...it happens.

[GGGG]

  Amen.  At the end of the day this team won't do crap if Vander and Junior lay eggs in the same game.  They had limited driving opportunities against the zone....

And...it is ridiculous that people are ripping Jake Thomas - have a 3 point shooting contest on this team and it isn't even a contest - Jake wins it going away.  We couldn't get squat down low so what are you going to do?  I'd much rather see Jake launch a 3 than Vander or Junior.  The shot was a pretty good look, and was on line..rimmed out...it happens.

Agreed.  Saw the replay and that was a perfect look. 

[tower912]

Who do you want to take the last shot?    Who on the team looks like they want to take the last shot?     The fact that there aren't any clear cut answers explains a lot. 

[We R Final Four]

I just hope if and when Todd does get back, people realize that based on last year, there is a 66.7% chance Todd would have missed that shot last night too. He's not a cure-all. Hopefully he helps by giving us another option, but let's not make him out to be DJO+2".

Unless of course he was 0-2 on the night from long range.....then odds would be in his and our favor. 

[Otule's Glass Eye]

If the loss wasn't bad enough, several people on Twitter are suggesting Marquette walked off the court without shaking hands with UWGB.  I sure hope that's not true.

About half the team did, incl. Vander. Jamil and Jake stayed on and shook hands I know, but the GB players were jumping around like they won the super bowl when they were supposed to be shaking hands, so the blame goes both ways. I'm not saying they shouldn't have celebrated, but wait until after you shake hands.

[bilsu]

I did not shake the hand of the Green Bay fan sitting next to me.

[brewcity77]

I'd love to see what the response would have been had Jake's shot rimmed in instead of rimming out. Something tells me no one would have complained about who took the shot if it he made it.

[GGGG]

I'd love to see what the response would have been had Jake's shot rimmed in instead of rimming out. Something tells me no one would have complained about who took the shot if it he made it.

Exactly.

[Stretchdeltsig]

But, Thomas didn't make it and he had missed several other open shots during the game.  With the one exception of the put back, he has shown that he cannot be counted on in the clutch.  He has earned a long seat on the bench and will have no scholarship next year.

[brewcity77]

But, Thomas didn't make it and he had missed several other open shots during the game.  With the one exception of the put back, he has shown that he cannot be counted on in the clutch.  He has earned a long seat on the bench and will have no scholarship next year.

What a silly statement  . Prior to the UWGB loss, we had only had one game that really came down to "in the clutch" moments, and that was the Butler where Jake in fact showed that he can be counted on in the clutch. Every other game we played was decided by 8+ points.

So where are all these "in the clutch" opportunities he missed that others succeeded in? Because from what I've seen this year, Jake is responsible for the only true clutch play we've had all year. Unless you count Junior's lay-in against UW.

[wildbillsb]

Wednesday night, I finally got a chance to see my beloved Warriors in the flesh (first time since watching them get trounced by Alabama in the NCAA's a few years back in SD or Anaheim. I've forgotten), and I only had to travel 55 miles to GB to do so.  The place was packed - with a very sizeable number of MUMUs in the house.  So, what did I see?  I saw an undermanned team with only 8 players dressed take it to a an almost full team of vastly more talented players for a full 40 minutes.  Those 8 players played zone (2-3 at times, 1-2-2 at other times), denying the paint and forcing our boys to shoot from outside.  I saw a puzzling display of a team not playing to its strengths (speed, quickness, depth), but instead playing into whatever strengths/chances the undermanned opponent possessed (zone, short bench, deliberate).  One could only scratch one's head as MU repeatedly played into the other's hands.  Now I'm no coach, but even I could see that the longer we ineffectually tried to shoot over the packed in zone, forced the ball into the post, and refused to apply full court defensive pressure, the more confident the Phoenix became. I wouldn't say Buzz got out coached, because it was hard to see evidence of any coaching taking place.  He sure called a lot of timeouts, but not sure the results showed so very much.  As mentioned by many others, I was surprised and disappointed that our team lacked any fire, any toughness. We got manhandled, and frankly, the rest of the season will be very long and unpleasant, if this game is any indication.

I must say, the better team won Wednesday, dang it.

[ATL MU Warrior]

Wednesday night, I finally got a chance to see my beloved Warriors in the flesh (first time since watching them get trounced by Alabama in the NCAA's a few years back in SD or Anaheim. I've forgotten), and I only had to travel 55 miles to GB to do so.  The place was packed - with a very sizeable number of MUMUs in the house.  So, what did I see?  I saw an undermanned team with only 8 players dressed take it to a an almost full team of vastly more talented players for a full 40 minutes.  Those 8 players played zone (2-3 at times, 1-2-2 at other times), denying the paint and forcing our boys to shoot from outside.  I saw a puzzling display of a team not playing to its strengths (speed, quickness, depth), but instead playing into whatever strengths/chances the undermanned opponent possessed (zone, short bench, deliberate).  One could only scratch one's head as MU repeatedly played into the other's hands.  Now I'm no coach, but even I could see that the longer we ineffectually tried to shoot over the packed in zone, forced the ball into the post, and refused to apply full court defensive pressure, the more confident the Phoenix became. I wouldn't say Buzz got out coached, because it was hard to see evidence of any coaching taking place.  He sure called a lot of timeouts, but not sure the results showed so very much.  As mentioned by many others, I was surprised and disappointed that our team lacked any fire, any toughness. We got manhandled, and frankly, the rest of the season will be very long and unpleasant, if this game is any indication.

I must say, the better team won Wednesday, dang it.

Please stop going to MU games