I cringe each time Jake hits a three...

[Ellenson Guerrero]

I just can't take it any longer. I was okay with giving the senior a few starts to begin the season, but enough is enough. If he isn't shooting 50%+ from downtown, he just doesn't deserve to be the floor for more than two minutes at a time. Can't create his own shot, can't create for others, and over-helps on D which leaves him constantly scrambling to recover.

I no longer care that he's a senior and I no longer care that he's one of the few guys we have that can hit a three. Just get JJJ and Dawson out there and start developing the frosh.

[LAZER]

Yeah man, I hate when guys score 17pts.

[wadesworld]

Interesting night to make this post on...

[Dreadman24]

I just can't take it any longer. I was okay with giving the senior a few starts to begin the season, but enough is enough. If he isn't shooting 50%+ from downtown, he just doesn't deserve to be the floor for more than two minutes at a time. Can't create his own shot, can't create for others, and over-helps on D which leaves him constantly scrambling to recover.

I no longer care that he's a senior and I no longer care that he's one of the few guys we have that can hit a three. Just get JJJ and Dawson out there and start developing the frosh.

+100

[hilltopper03]

I disagree. Jake played well tonight. However, I would like to see more JJJ.

[Ellenson Guerrero]

Interesting night to make this post on...

Yes he hit some shots tonight. But he also took bad shots and gave up the three that put us down 4 with about three minutes to go. When he's making shots the rest of his game gets a pass.

[ChicosBailBonds]

I don't cringe at all on his attempts.  He's our best 3 point shooter.

[jzpenguin]

One fg in the second half won't cut it.

[LAZER]

I don't cringe at all on his attempts.  He's our best 3 point shooter.

He stepped into his first three in nice rhythm and nailed them.

[mileskishnish72]

His performance in the 1st half kept us in it - give the kid a break.

[wadesworld]

His performance in the 1st half kept us in it - give the kid a break.

Agreed.  The guy isn't Steve Novak, but come on.  He is far and away our best (and more or less only) outside shooter and he plays his role.  The problem is more of a guy like Davante Gardner who sometimes shows up and sometimes doesn't this year.  And Todd Mayo who sometimes is eligible and sometimes is not.  We all know what Jake is, he's our 3 point shooter.  He has done that to over 40% this year, which is fantastic.  Davante is supposed to be our All American but he has taken a step back this year, and Todd is averaging about what he was as a freshman 2 years ago.

[WarriorFan]

Jake's best game of the season defensively.
And he scored 17.

Time to support him.

[Ellenson Guerrero]

I guess it just frustrates me to have a player who is completely one dimensional. The kid is shooting 32% on the year from the floor. Tough to do when your at 40% from 3

[wadesworld]

I guess it just frustrates me to have a player who is completely one dimensional. The kid is shooting 32% on the year from the floor. Tough to do when your at 40% from 3

Why does a 3 point shooter frustrate you?  Steve Novak was/is one dimensional.  I would certainly not mind or be frustrated by having him in a Marquette uniform.

Davante Gardner doesn't do much outside of the post.  Is he frustrating for you?  (He has been at times for me this year though...)

Chris O'Tule is one dimensional.  Frustrating?

Jake Thomas is far from our only one dimensional player.  Give credit where credit is due.  One of the few players who showed up for us tonight.

[Dawson Rental]

Yes he hit some shots tonight. But he also took bad shots and gave up the three that put us down 4 with about three minutes to go. When he's making shots the rest of his game gets a pass.

If that were true, JJJ would be seeing a lot more time.

[77ncaachamps]

I disagree. Jake played well tonight. However, I would like to see more JJJ.

He did?

But he allowed a freshman to score a career high and relied on his teammates to open shots for him.
Not to mention miss a crucial FT.

[jesmu84]

He did?

But he allowed a freshman to score a career high and relied on his teammates to open shots for him.
Not to mention miss a crucial FT.

To be fair, I think he was just following the gameplan of doubling the post - where Neal hit his shots on the kickout

[Ellenson Guerrero]

Why does a 3 point shooter frustrate you?  Steve Novak was/is one dimensional.  I would certainly not mind or be frustrated by having him in a Marquette uniform.

Davante Gardner doesn't do much outside of the post.  Is he frustrating for you?  (He has been at times for me this year though...)

Chris O'Tule is one dimensional.  Frustrating?

Jake Thomas is far from our only one dimensional player.  Give credit where credit is due.  One of the few players who showed up for us tonight.

Steve Novak is 7 inches taller than Jake and could get his shot off much more easily. You can post Ox up to draw a defense down and free up others (I don't think you can really say Jake has much of a spacing effect). Oxis also a great offensive rebounder. Chris has a hook shot, blocks shots, rebounds, and sets screens: all things Jakecant do.

It's not really Jakes fault; I'm sure he's a great kid. He just shouldn't be the starting 2 guard at MU.

[WarriorFan]

Actually this was an important game for Jake because instead of shooting from "too close", he actually used his range and made a couple 25 footers.  The corner shots were in the rhythm of the offense as well.  He's not a "toes on the line" shooter and I think he was previously concerned that Buzz would think a 25 footer was a bad shot.  For Jake's it's possibly a better percentage than 22 feet.  He could easily average 12+ per game for the rest of this season now that this "barrier" is broken.

[bradley center bat]

The first guy starting this topic, makes me cringe.

[PGsHeroes32]

Chris Outle is -5 dimensional

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I love every time Jake makes a three...especially since he's one of the only ones doing it.

Do you know how awful our offense would be without Jake? Teams pack the middle enough as it is. Jake is the only true threat from beyond the arc that defenses have to respect.

The problem is, we (as fans) are expecting too much of him. He is a role player and should be evaluated as a role player

[forgetful]

He did?

But he allowed a freshman to score a career high and relied on his teammates to open shots for him.
Not to mention miss a crucial FT.

Jake was our best player tonight.  Neal didn't score all his points on Thomas.  I remember 2 of his 6 3's were scored with Mayo guarding him.  Two with D. Wilson guarding him.  It is possible that the other two were with Thomas on him, but hard to say he allowed a freshman to score a career high.

As for his teammates getting open shots for him.  He doesn't create his own shot, but his teammates also don't create for him.  He gets his shots as a product of the offense just like everyone else not named Mayo/Gardner.

People harping on Thomas need to quit.  He has his limitations, but frankly is one of our best players this year.  Every team has a guy like Thomas that often starts, other teams just put players around them that compensate for each persons limitations. 

Also, Thomas is constantly working to get open.  If his teammates had better court vision he would have had several other wide open shots that he could have taken in rhythm.  Happens every game. 

[seakm4]

Chris Outle is -5 dimensional

I think the lack of depth perception actually makes him a 2 dimensional player.

Jake makes big threes in my opinion.  They may not be down the stretch, but he hits threes that keep us in the game or they will provide a spark when our offense is in a lull.  They space the ever shrinking paint on this team, and keep the defense somewhat honest.

I consider this one a bad loss, however our conference is not crapping the bed, screwing the pooch, or sucking the big one.  We all thought we had to rock it in out of conference games, but a good conference record should do the trick.

At ease warriors, the real season starts on the 31st.  We'll find out what we're made of in the Big East, rather than having to kill it in the non-con like the all american conference (whatever it's called) has to do.

[brewcity77]

Jake was our best player tonight.  Neal didn't score all his points on Thomas.  I remember 2 of his 6 3's were scored with Mayo guarding him.  Two with D. Wilson guarding him.  It is possible that the other two were with Thomas on him, but hard to say he allowed a freshman to score a career high.

As for his teammates getting open shots for him.  He doesn't create his own shot, but his teammates also don't create for him.  He gets his shots as a product of the offense just like everyone else not named Mayo/Gardner.

People harping on Thomas need to quit.  He has his limitations, but frankly is one of our best players this year.  Every team has a guy like Thomas that often starts, other teams just put players around them that compensate for each persons limitations. 

Also, Thomas is constantly working to get open.  If his teammates had better court vision he would have had several other wide open shots that he could have taken in rhythm.  Happens every game. 

I've been critical of Jake, but watching him last night, I agree with much of this. I still think the problem is that he and Derrick aren't suited well to play together. Both are fine players in their own right, but when they're out there at the same time it's tough. Derrick is starting to drive, but not consistently enough, while Jake simply cannot drive (that breakaway opportunity he had last night was painful to watch). Our offense thrives on paint touches, which we all know, but those two guys together struggle to get paint touches.

Jake's been a far better player than I thought possible. He's become an excellent three-point shooter that can hit shots at this level, is our best team defender at the two, and is starting to show his value. But I don't think he's a 25 mpg guy. Maybe 15 or so. As good as he is outside the arc, he's even worse inside the arc. No ability to score on a drive, can't get any position from 12-18, and will never be the guy that cuts in to get a put-back lay-in. When he's on, like he was in the first half last night, that's all easy to forgive, but when the offense goes stagnant, that stuff becomes a lot harder to ignore.

Started this post as a compliment to Jake, not sure it ended that way. I don't know...sort of how last night felt on the whole. I like what he brings, but there are still some definite gaping holes in his game.