X thoughts

[Atticus]

1. They have top talent
2. Both run 8 man rotations
3. Syracuse plays at a very slow pace
4. There is a big difference between running an 8 man rotation and literally only having 8 scholarship players

1. The argument was not about talent. Are you saying that the most talented players don't get tired?
2. K has already shortened his bench. He will shorten it again in March. Boeheim has used 7 guys in 3/4 ACC games according to box scores.
3. According to Kenpom, they play faster than we do.
4. Not part of the original argument.

[mileskishnish72]

The team as currently constructed has not shown the ability to play like they need to for forty minutes.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

1. The argument was not about talent. Are you saying that the most talented players don't get tired?
2. K has already shortened his bench. He will shorten it again in March. Boeheim has used 7 guys in 3/4 ACC games according to box scores.
3. According to Kenpom, they play faster than we do.
4. Not part of the original argument.

1. Top talent is more athletic.
2. So K runs 8? And Syracuse managed to do that against 4/5 of the worst teams in the ACC. They also managed to have 15 or less fouls called against them in each game
3. So? They still play at a very slow pace.
4. Yes part of the original argument. Knowing that you have a deep bench behind you changes the way you play. You can be more aggressive, you can exert yourself more. There's also a big difference between picking the top 7 out of 13 scholarship players and picking the top 7 out of 8 scholarship players. Syracuse doesn't play their 6 worst players. Marquette has to play all of their worst players out of necessity.

[JustinLewisFanClubPres]

4. Yes part of the original argument. Knowing that you have a deep bench behind you changes the way you play. You can be more aggressive, you can exert yourself more. There's also a big difference between picking the top 7 out of 13 scholarship players and picking the top 7 out of 8 scholarship players. Syracuse doesn't play their 6 worst players. Marquette has to play all of their worst players out of necessity.

This is correct. Marquette's 9th and 10th players were managers on the women's team a month ago. As far as Wojo or anyone D1 coach would be concerned, they might as well be empty seats when it comes to game action. That is not what Coach K or Boeheim deal with.

[Atticus]

1. Top talent is more athletic.
2. So K runs 8? And Syracuse managed to do that against 4/5 of the worst teams in the ACC. They also managed to have 15 or less fouls called against them in each game
3. So? They still play at a very slow pace.
4. Yes part of the original argument. Knowing that you have a deep bench behind you changes the way you play. You can be more aggressive, you can exert yourself more. There's also a big difference between picking the top 7 out of 13 scholarship players and picking the top 7 out of 8 scholarship players. Syracuse doesn't play their 6 worst players. Marquette has to play all of their worst players out of necessity.

Athletic players don't get tired. Interesting. I boeheim played 7 against the worst teams in the BE, you think he will extend his bench against the best teams? Interesting. K will eventually play 7. When he loses, Duke fans will blame the short rotation because they know better than the HoFer

[Dr. Blackheart]

MU got their points from their defense in the first half off turnovers in transition, and then gave those points back in the 2nd.

MU's half court offense is non-existent. Wojo needs a reset.

Wojo's in game coaching needs some seasoned help from Phelps. Mack was very good out of the time outs and halftime, and Wojo wasn't, including the end. The game prep has been outstanding but in game has been average, IMO.

[GGGG]

MU got their points from their defense in the second half of turnovers in transition, and then gave those points back in the 2nd.

MU's half court offense is non-existent. Wojo needs a reset.

Wojo's in game coaching needs some seasoned help from Phelps. Mack was very good out of the time outs and halftime, and Wojo wasn't, including the end. The game prep has been outstanding but in game has been average, IMO.

I think this team lacks a "Plan B" at times. 

[Lennys Tap]

MU got their points from their defense in the second half of turnovers in transition, and then gave those points back in the 2nd.

MU's half court offense is non-existent. Wojo needs a reset.

Wojo's in game coaching needs some seasoned help from Phelps. Mack was very good out of the time outs and halftime, and Wojo wasn't, including the end. The game prep has been outstanding but in game has been average, IMO.

Accurate, Dr.

[MUfan12]

Hard to have many options when no one can really create offense. I'm not gonna judge Wojo's offensive acumen until he gets a full deck to work with.

[jsglow]

MU got their points from their defense in the second half of turnovers in transition, and then gave those points back in the 2nd.

MU's half court offense is non-existent. Wojo needs a reset.

Wojo's in game coaching needs some seasoned help from Phelps. Mack was very good out of the time outs and halftime, and Wojo wasn't, including the end. The game prep has been outstanding but in game has been average, IMO.

Agreed.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Athletic players don't get tired. Interesting. I boeheim played 7 against the worst teams in the BE, you think he will extend his bench against the best teams? Interesting. K will eventually play 7. When he loses, Duke fans will blame the short rotation because they know better than the HoFer

Athletic player don't get as tired as quickly.

But again for the third time, Coach K is using an 8 man rotation. Not what you said originally.

You also forgot to acknowledge the most important point. Duke and Syracuse get to pick the top 7 out of 13 scholarship players, their six worst sit on the bench. Marquette has to roll with their best and worst players because they have no choice. If you don't understand the difference, I don't know what to say.

[nyg]

Coach K will shorten his rotation to 7. Boeheim only plays 7.

Do those guys win a lot?

MU played seven, but with Taylor, it is six.  Wow has he digressed.  Can't compare Duke/Cuse first 8 with MU, not even in same ballpark talent wise. 

MU has to be one of the worst fast break teams in the country.

18 turnovers, some of which were just mind-blowing......

Carlino has guts, but can't do it all.

Du Wilson 1 for 6 from three and they were wide open.  He will start making them as he matures.

Luke not the savior.  Just 4 shots again, foul trouble again, and got handled pretty good by Matt S in the paint.

Good first half, another double digit lead, but can't hold on to these games.  The young players will learn for next few years.

[mattyv1908]

MU played seven, but with Taylor, it is six.  Wow has he digressed.  Can't compare Duke/Cuse first 8 with MU, not even in same ballpark talent wise. 

MU has to be one of the worst fast break teams in the country.

18 turnovers, some of which were just mind-blowing......

Carlino has guts, but can't do it all.

Du Wilson 1 for 6 from three and they were wide open.  He will start making them as he matures.

Luke not the savior.  Just 4 shots again, foul trouble again, and got handled pretty good by Matt S in the paint.

Good first half, another double digit lead, but can't hold on to these games.  The young players will learn for next few years.

Thank you for saying that.  For all the hyperbolic Charles Barkley references Burton got last season it's been even worse with how some have described Fischer this season based on how he handled +200 RPI teams.

[nyg]

Thank you for saying that.  For all the hyperbolic Charles Barkley references Burton got last season it's been even worse with how some have described Fischer this season based on how he handled +200 RPI teams.

Here may come around, but right now he is just not getting the looks.  Every game, even the announcers state the common theme that he is shooting 80%, yet only taking four to five shots. I wish he would turn around and take a jumpshot as opposed to either using his jump hook shot he uses all the time.  That along with lifting some weights, actually playing with Henry Ellenson next year and gaining experience will help the kid. Next year fellas, next year, the rebuilding will start. 

[GoldenZebra]

MU has to be one of the worst fast break teams in the country.

18 turnovers, some of which were just mind-blowing......

I disagree, its the half court offense that struggles. The turnovers in the second  half, oh man, were some of those dumb. I think about 3 of Carlino's TOs were him trying to feed the post, AKA Steve and Steve didnt seem to move a couple inches to get the ball and hence, Xavier snatched it.

[mattyv1908]

Here may come around, but right now he is just not getting the looks.  Every game, even the announcers state the common theme that he is shooting 80%, yet only taking four to five shots. I wish he would turn around and take a jumpshot as opposed to either using his jump hook shot he uses all the time.  That along with lifting some weights, actually playing with Henry Ellenson next year and gaining experience will help the kid. Next year fellas, next year, the rebuilding will start. 

He practiced against a better offensive post player than anyone he's seen this season (Gardner) and a very good college defensive post (Otule) for an entire semester last season.  He just seems like he's getting overwhelmed so far in conference play which is most likely due to being young and the fact that most big men take the longest time to develop.  He's a quality addition to this roster but hardly a superstar.

[GooooMarquette]

Our guards are bad at feeding the post but a lot of that is Luke's inability to anchor himself and seal his man. He gets pushed off his spot too easily. He's a very skilled player but until he learns to do that, he'll never consistently be an offensive threat for us.

Correct.  It's partly on the guards, but a huge part of the issue lies with Luke.

[brandx]

So disappointing we have had a chance to win all 3 road games and choked.

Agreed, but with only 8 guys (7 today), it is hard. Especially when only 2 guys on the team have played extensive minutes in college.

[We R Final Four]

Our guards are bad at feeding the post but a lot of that is Luke's inability to anchor himself and seal his man. He gets pushed off his spot too easily. He's a very skilled player but until he learns to do that, he'll never consistently be an offensive threat for us.

? --These turnovers weren't the result of a lack of a seal on Luke's defender rather they were picked by Matt's, Duane's and Derrick's defenders.

[We R Final Four]

Is it choking because of the pressure or gasping because you are out of gas. 

There it is........when we lose=fatigue.

[We R Final Four]

I'm "happy" with today's outcome. I'm never truly happy with a loss but a lot of good things happened in this game.

1. We held the number 2 offense, and the top scoring offense in the Big East to 62 points. Xavier has scored 70 or more points in every game but 2 this season.
2. We forced Xavier into 12 first half turnovers. If we kept that up in the second half...
3. Remy Abell has never hit more than 2 3Ps in a game before. He decided to go off for 5 today. That doesn't happen, we win easily.
4. Luke's shot rolls in 9/10 times. Just got an unlucky roll this time.
5. This was a road game against a better team. We were expected to lose by 9. We didn't.

I dont understand this.  When the #2 offense turns the ball over 12 times in the first half, that is generally out of character.  Of course they are not going to do the same thing again and not adjust.

If a team is shooting 40% from 3, and they go 0-10 in the first half, and 8- 10 from 3 in the 2nd half to reach their average.....would you say only if they would have kept those misses up in the 2nd half...?

[tower912]

There it is........when we lose=fatigue.

Have you seen anything at all that indicates otherwise?

[We R Final Four]

It's easy to blame fatigue when we lose--this you know cuz you bring it up every loss.
If Luke would have made the bunny and we went on to win....fatigue would not have been a factor. That's illogical.

[keefe]

It's easy to blame fatigue when we lose--this you know cuz you bring it up every loss.
If Luke would have made the bunny and we went on to win....fatigue would not have been a factor. That's illogical.

It is indeed a tired argument!

[willie warrior]

1.Derrick played a great first half, but a poor 2nd half. He is what he is. 38 minutes with marginal stats, and too many TO's in this game. Not the main reason we lost.
2. Fischer is skilled down low, but teams are clogging the lane on him. Rarely does he kick it back out. That will change when/if he learns to do that and players start knocking down some 3's.
3. Carlino is a good shooter, but he also tries to do way too much, shooting one on three when people are open. He must learn to pick his spots rather than trying to be the entire offense at crunch time. That being said, he is still a valuable offensive player.
4. We are really hurting when Fischer gets in foul trouble, which is happening way too much.
5. Not getting enough out of Taylor. He just does not have the killer instinct out there.
6. Juan disappears out there too much, ala Jamil. We definitely need more consistency from him. He is playing better than last year.
7. Like many other coaches, Wojo does have a double standard with underclassmen compared to seniors. JJJ, Duane and Sandy all get yanked when they screw up. Meanwhile that happens far less with Juan and Carlino, and never with Derrick (38 minutes yesterday with some very costly TO's). Don't agree with that philosophy, but he is the coach.
8. Cannot explain the benching of JJJ. One bad practice seems odd for that. Must be more to it. We're talking about practice Man! as Iverson used to say.

Starting to look like another lost year unless something amazing happens. The good things should start to happen as the underclassmen mature and with help coming in. Next year, we will definitely need a leader, and it does not appear yet that we have one waiting in the wings. Likely candidate would be Duane, but he must grow also.