Final 4?

[Doctor V]

Less than 24 hrs until the beginning of what I think will be a Final 4 season for this team. There I said it. It might not be easy, but it can be done. Anyone on board?

[SoCalwarrior]

It's been too long since we got to final 32.  Get over that hump and I'm down.

[Doctor V]

It's been too long since we got to final 32.  Get over that hump and I'm down.

thats a ridiculous comment. so you are saying that you would be satisfied with this team making it past the first round of the tournament??? what happened in the past has no bearing on this year. i dont care what anyone says but with the talent, and now experience this team has anything less than top 4 finish in conference and a sweet 16 is a disappointment. Im not gonna sugar coat it so I feel better if they fail. Bottom line is sweet 16 or bust, top 3 in conference and elite 8 is a success, conference championship and a Final 4 is a great season.

Dont give me any of this getting out of the first round BS for this team, they are too good for that

[muwarrior87]

We have the depth, experience, and talent to be able to make that kind of run. Even without a strong frontcourt, i can see us making a run deep into March.  We have role players up front and I can see specific circumstances where they can come in handy. It would be nice if we had a guy the size of burke with the athleticism of Blackledge but with the scoring prowess that comes with our guards and wingmen, we really dont need our forwards to be dominant on offense. If they can lock down well enough on defense and we can work a halfcourt game with the likes of McNeal, James, Matthews, and Hayward on the court, or any other combination, I can see us doing very well this season.

[4everwarriors]

you been hitting the bottle?

[bilsu]

After watching Burke play so many minutes, I am not sure this is even an NCAA team. Poor three point shooting, poor free throw shooting and poor rebounding will wipe out a great defensive effort.

[CWSKeith]

After watching Burke play so many minutes, I am not sure this is even an NCAA team. Poor three point shooting, poor free throw shooting and poor rebounding will wipe out a great defensive effort.

Yes -- an eight seed from last season that lost absolutely NOTHING from last year isn't an NCAA team?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it can't happen.  But barring massive injury -- which you could say for any team, really -- how can you say this isn't an NCAA team?  I don't know how anyone can look at Marquette as currently constructed and say they aren't even good enough to be one of the top 30ish (not counting automatic bids) teams in the country.

[mviale]

I guess Kstate didnt manhandle us or these projections would not be happening.

[BuzzSucksSucks]

I think this team has the will and the competitive fire to outplay anyone, and outlast anyone.  I've heard interviews with SC and WM in the last couple days, and both mentioned the goal of a national championship.  This is a new era for Marquette hoops. The best part of the movie is just before it starts, right when the lights go down, and that's where we are right now.

[HarveysWallbangers]

I think this team has the will and the competitive fire to outplay anyone, and outlast anyone.  I've heard interviews with SC and WM in the last couple days, and both mentioned the goal of a national championship.  This is a new era for Marquette hoops. The best part of the movie is just before it starts, right when the lights go down, and that's where we are right now.

I'd like some of what you're smoking. The only way a team with this many flaws makes a Final Four is if we get some schedule breaks by the NIT committee. 

Expectations are WAAAAAY too high for this team.

[BuzzSucksSucks]

I think this team has the will and the competitive fire to outplay anyone, and outlast anyone.  I've heard interviews with SC and WM in the last couple days, and both mentioned the goal of a national championship.  This is a new era for Marquette hoops. The best part of the movie is just before it starts, right when the lights go down, and that's where we are right now.

I'd like some of what you're smoking. The only way a team with this many flaws makes a Final Four is if we get some schedule breaks by the NIT committee. 

Expectations are WAAAAAY too high for this team.

I'm excited about where this program is right now, including our inbound recruits, and basically just the general mojo of the program.  We're getting a lot of good press, and it bodes well for the foreseeable future. I agree that we don't have the pieces in place to make us favorites for the final 4--so yeah, it's a long shot--but I think we have some great athletes, and I'm expecting a good season.

[mviale]

I dont know - if the big 3 are healthy, we can beat anyone. we saw this in the last 2 years.  I would be elated with sweet 16

[Wareagle]

I love this team, but I can't help think that if/when Ous gets in early foul trouble against a team with decent bigs our odds of winning that game dip below 50/50.

[HarveysWallbangers]

I dont know - if the big 3 are healthy, we can beat anyone. we saw this in the last 2 years.  I would be elated with sweet 16

People need to start watching this team, rather than reading the opinions of people that see them twice a year. It is the exact opposite of the 2002-03 team, when MU fans all quietly knew we had something special, but nationally nobody else did.

Now we've got everybody telling us what a special team we have, but the true fans know it's not true.

[BuzzSucksSucks]

I'm going to copy your quotes here and laminate them, and carry them around until next spring. 

[ecompt]

you're right, Harvey, I see 9-20. We stink.

[mu_hilltopper]

I'm actually going to back up HWB a bit.

I realize "it's early." .. but .. same as 2 seasons ago, MU was picked, what, 8th-10th in the BE?  I remember being at that first exhibition and thinking, whoa, this team is going to surprise a lot of people.  And we did.

The opposite occurred at the NSU game on Sunday.  That was MU's 7th game of the year (4 in Canada, 2 vs. KSU) and those first 15 minutes .. many of the same (offensive) flaws from last year seemed to be right there again.  Slow start, poor fg shooting, poor ft shooting, missed layups, rebounding .. argh!  To put a number on it, I'd say we're 15% better than last year, but the BE got 10% better right behind us. 

We're going to win some electrifying games.  Many.  And lose some frustrating games.   In the end, we're talking maybe 4 wins difference from the optimist to the pessimist.

.. If I see something different tonight vs. IUPUI, I'll update my guess for the season.  I'm ever hopeful.

[Sir Lawrence]

.. If I see something different tonight vs. IUPUI, I'll update my guess for the season.  I'm ever hopeful.

What?  Do you mean to imply that we can change our opinions around here?

[Murffieus]

Not too many 3-4 guard offenses make it to the final 4------the final 4 is getting more and more "stud laden" !

[79Warrior]

Less than 24 hrs until the beginning of what I think will be a Final 4 season for this team. There I said it. It might not be easy, but it can be done. Anyone on board?

Final Four? This is the same team as last year. Are the players that much better to get us to the Final Four? Thses guys have yet to win a NCAA game much less Final Four. I think we have a good team, but I fear we are a bit over-rated.

[77ncaachamps]

Best this team can do...Sweet Sixteen.

They lack the depth, experience, interior/post play and consistent shooting. With that said, only their shooting and experience can get better as the season progresses.

This year's team is really only a little different from last year's. No improvement on the post/boards means the most they can do is the S16.

[jmayer1]

After watching Burke play so many minutes, I am not sure this is even an NCAA team. Poor three point shooting, poor free throw shooting and poor rebounding will wipe out a great defensive effort.

What were you drinking when you wrote this?  How can a top 20 team from last year that lost absolutely nothing not be an NCAA team?

[warriors_mu]

It's tough to say that this team will go to the Final Four this year. We're good, but I don't know if we're that good. However, I think a Sweet Sixteen/Elite Eight is certainly within reach, and if you get hot at the right time, anything can happen...

That said, there is a lot of basketball to be played until then, and ideas that we have now may be proven to be completely wrong by the time March comes around, so let's just sit back and watch it happen!

[MUWarrior11]

In my opinion, when its all said and done, I think our season will end up being a lot like last year's.
This year we have higher expectations (at least from a national standpoint) so it may be viewed as more of a disspointment, but I think that it wouldn't be all that bad if we ended up with a similar record. Granted, I think it is fair to say that we would at least have to win one NCCA tourney game for anything to be considered a success.

In the meantime, I am being optomistic and expecting a quality season.

[Doctor V]

I started this post because I wanted, and expected, the people that dont believe in this team to say so. I actually prefer it this way because I feel that many will be pleasantly surprised. Sports fans always have the ability to not let themselves get too excited because they dont wanna be disappointed.

Anyhow, regarding the post about knowing we had something special in '03- yes we did know that, his name was dwyane wade and even if you were blind you knew we had something special. Do not go telling me that people expected that team to make the Final 4, esp with that machine known as Kentucky in the way.

Regarding the post about not being a tournament team- wake up. If this team doesn't make the tournament the head coach needs to be fired.

Regarding the post about being elated with a sweet 16- thats fine. If thats what you expect then theres a good chance this wont be a disappointing season.

Regarding the post about hitting the bottle- Maybe I was but it sure did taste good

Regarding Murffs point about 3-4 guard offenses typically not making it- point well taken. Thats gotta change at some point right? I might sound stupid in saying this but a woman is gonna be President some day as well  . About stud laden teams- cant agree with you more on this one. I feel you need a superstar or two to make it. I disagree that MU doesn't have that. James needs to be a star for the team to get there

Regarding the shooting and inside play- Obviously these are the question marks. I would never dare to say this team can get to the Final 4 without vast improvement in those departments. Also, i have a feeling the shooting is a bigger key than the inside play

So maybe I should put a Barry Bonds asterisk here---I think this team has the ability to make the Final 4* if the shooting and inside play hold their end of the bargain.

What team starts off the season with a Final 4 prediction that doesn't have some type of asterisk involved??