Lindy's MU prediction

[brandx]

Well, it is Wojo's first year, so there will be a bit of a honeymoon. For as long as that lasts or as long as he outperforms collective expectations most here won't try to coach the team. At some point, though, expect a "choking dogs" or a "coach is insane" moment from one of our experts. It's embedded deep in Scoop's DNA.

Probably the first time we lose to a team we were "supposed" to beat.

[BM1090]

What makes you so certain we will be better this year?  The talent we will have doesn't have much experience and vice versa.  Talent may cause us to win a game or two we aren't supposed to...but the lack of experience (especially in the front court) may cause us to lose a handful.

I'm not certain we will be better, but I'm pretty confident we won't be much worse. Creighton and Providence both lost a ton and the teams behind us didn't get better with the exception of Seton Hall. I could see anywhere from 3rd to 7th. Certainly not 9th.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

If you define "offense" as points scored, then yes.  While I don't have numbers to back it up (and I'm not entirely sure it's possible), I would argue that Creighton lost more of their offense by having lottery pick Doug McDermott and 3 undrafted players leave than 5 undrafted players.  

How much better did McDermott make the underclassmen that team that count as the 35% returning to inflate that number?  I'm not sure you could argue that Burton's, Johnson's, Dawson's, or Taylor's stats were enhanced by having those other players on the team.

True but that can't be measured. At least not accurately. No matter what stat you look at, it says we are going to be even worse next year. Fortunately for us, basketball is not played on paper. So I do agree that we will be better, but I fully expect every news outlet to predict an 8th or worse finish in the BEast. I don't mind having low expectations. Marquette has a history of success as an underdog.

[Skatastrophy]

True but that can't be measured. At least not accurately. No matter what stat you look at, it says we are going to be even worse next year. Fortunately for us, basketball is not played on paper. So I do agree that we will be better, but I fully expect every news outlet to predict an 8th or worse finish in the BEast. I don't mind having low expectations. Marquette has a history of success as an underdog.

This. In addition to a (potentially) weak conference, we have a chance at making some noise this year.

[NersEllenson]

Well, unlike last year, you'd presume Coach will have his five best players on the court.

+1000

If only Mayo, Burton, JJJ and Gardner could have "played to the scouting report."

[tower912]

+1000

If only Mayo, Burton, JJJ and Gardner could have "played to the scouting report."

Buzz wished the same thing. 

[Lennys Tap]

+1000

If only Mayo, Burton, JJJ and Gardner could have "played to the scouting report."

Or if only Buzz would have just rolled the ball out on the court, played his 5 most talented offensive players regardless of attitude or readiness and let the players coach themselves, rec center style.

[mu03eng]

Is it possible we are better, yes.  Is it likely we are better, yes.  Do we know things that 99% of the media doesn't know or recognize, very likely.

We hope and believe the flaws in our team will be better this season than last.  We have players coming back with talent and players who haven't previously played that we believe to have more talent.  Having said all that I get it and if I'm a media person I put us way down in the bottom too.

-We have no front court until late December and even then we are an injury or two away from a 6'5" center.
-Brand new coach that while well regarded, there is absolutely no proof of his ability to win basketball games especially against tough competition
-We are coming off a bad season in which we had more experience and a "known" entity as a coach
-We have two players on the roster that have started in a game, only one of whom has actually played starter minutes
-The one starter to play starter minutes is regarded by the fanbase as the worst event since the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye

There is a lot of reason to be skeptical of this team.  I don't think they finish 9th, but if they do as well as Wojo can coach and there was improvement with the team over the season I'll be ok with it.  2015 is the year, especially if we get Ellenson.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Or if only Buzz would have just rolled the ball out on the court, played his 5 most talented offensive players regardless of attitude or readiness and let the players coach themselves, rec center style.

So basically youre telling me that Mayo shouldn't have been playing in front of Thomas and JJJ shouldn't have gotten a chance. OH and that you completely agree with Buzz's decision to bench Deonte against Xavier because they needed a more defensive minded team? Please, im not even arguing about Derrick but these other instances are inexcusable by a coach.

[Wojo'sMojo]

Or if only Buzz would have just rolled the ball out on the court, played his 5 most talented offensive players regardless of attitude or readiness and let the players coach themselves, rec center style.

I don't think the end result would have been much worse and probably would have been a lot more fun to watch 

[wadesworld]

So basically youre telling me that Mayo shouldn't have been playing in front of Thomas and JJJ shouldn't have gotten a chance. OH and that you completely agree with Buzz's decision to bench Deonte against Xavier because they needed a more defensive minded team? Please, im not even arguing about Derrick but these other instances are inexcusable by a coach.

I'd rather give a senior who we know is going to be eligible for every game the minutes over a junior who can't stay eligible.

Hold the Mayo.

[Lennys Tap]

I'm not worried about what we lost - someone has to put up numbers on every team, and on a not very good team it's usually guys who are not very good. This year's team has 7 RSCI top 100 players and only one is a true freshman. In addition, they have a senior transfer at a position of need who started for 3 years at BYU and began his career at UCLA. May take awhile for the talent to mesh but we should be pretty good by midseason. This isn't your father's Big East, and this year's version looks worse than last's. Hard to imagine 9th place.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

nm not worth it.

[Lennys Tap]

So basically youre telling me that Mayo shouldn't have been playing in front of Thomas and JJJ shouldn't have gotten a chance. OH and that you completely agree with Buzz's decision to bench Deonte against Xavier because they needed a more defensive minded team? Please, im not even arguing about Derrick but these other instances are inexcusable by a coach.

No, that's not what I'm basically telling you. First of all, Thomas didn't play AHEAD of Mayo. They played side by side, both getting big (starter's) minutes once Todd put some of his bad behavior (suspended for being late, [essentially not showing up] for practice - among other things). Secondly, JJJ got a chance. Whether he deserved more time I can't say. As for the Xavier game, Burton had a great run but was obviously gassed - he was badly beaten consecutive times on D and made a bad decision/play on offense. It was time to be taken out. Since we lost, I guess one can second guess his not returning. That's a fair criticism, but I wouldn't call it "inexcusable" coaching - though that's the kind of hyperbole that gets passed off as analysis here.

[MU82]

As for the Xavier game, Burton had a great run but was obviously gassed - he was badly beaten consecutive times on D and made a bad decision/play on offense. It was time to be taken out. Since we lost, I guess one can second guess his not returning. That's a fair criticism, but I wouldn't call it "inexcusable" coaching - though that's the kind of hyperbole that gets passed off as analysis here.

Inexcusable? That's just a word choice, and maybe an accurate one. Keeping Burton on the bench certainly was awful coaching, and inexplicable.

And I am not a Buzz-hater. I spent at least half of last season defending him. But his poor decisions wore on me, and not putting Burton back into this game after a couple-minute breather was the creme de la creme of bad coaching.

To this day, I am grateful for the energy and many other positives Buzz brought to the program. (Just as I am grateful for Crean's role in turning around the program.) But Buzz became a bad coach last season.

Just because you want to believe he still was a great coach with few flaws doesn't make it so. One might even argue that thinking along those lines is inexcusable!

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

No, that's not what I'm basically telling you. First of all, Thomas didn't play AHEAD of Mayo. They played side by side, both getting big (starter's) minutes once Todd put some of his bad behavior (suspended for being late, [essentially not showing up] for practice - among other things). Secondly, JJJ got a chance. Whether he deserved more time I can't say. As for the Xavier game, Burton had a great run but was obviously gassed - he was badly beaten consecutive times on D and made a bad decision/play on offense. It was time to be taken out. Since we lost, I guess one can second guess his not returning. That's a fair criticism, but I wouldn't call it "inexcusable" coaching - though that's the kind of hyperbole that gets passed off as analysis here.

I was watching that game with my dad. He has coached for close to 30 years now and he was flummoxed when Burton was absent the second half. Called it one of the worst coaching decisions he's ever seen.

[tower912]

I was not flummoxed that he came out.   He needed to.   I was flummoxed that he did not go back in. 

[tower912]

BTW, Sporting News picks MU for 7th in the Big East.   

[Aughnanure]

Remember, Marquette has never had a losing season in the Big East. I just can't see us pulling a 5-13 to finish 8-10.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

BTW, Sporting News picks MU for 7th in the Big East.   

And that us a perfectly reasonable assessment.

[Aughnanure]

BTW, Sporting News picks MU for 7th in the Big East.   

That seems fair, and warranted considering our team depth and new coach.

[Spotcheck Billy]

Who is Lindy?

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Who is Lindy?

Is he lucky?

[hoyasincebirth]

What's the complete rankings I've seen the top 4 else where but not all 10.

1. Nova
2. St. John's
3. Gtown
4. Xavier
5-8?
9. Marquette
10. Depaul.

who do they have 5-8.

[Archies Bat]

Who is Lindy?

I've always found that Lindy is rigged.