Lost Cause

[GGGG]

Ever since people have started to connect the dots with Texas Western and a possible connection to JJJ, he started dropping things like "I really love MU basketball."  Let me just say, I have my doubts completely.

I have seen coaches who lose a team.  I have seen it at Marquette.  That is not what is happening here.  As I said before the season began, you have talent without experience, and experience that isn't highly talented.  That is simply not a winning formula in college basketball unless the talent is of the "one-and-done" variety.

[brewcity77]

If Wojo has lost the team, they have a funny way of showing it. These guys are competing hard every night and vocal on the floor. Might he have lost a player or two, or one? Maybe so. But he certainly hasn't lost the team.

[MerrittsMustache]

Ever since people have started to connect the dots with Texas Western and a possible connection to JJJ, he started dropping things like "I really love MU basketball."  Let me just say, I have my doubts completely.

I have seen coaches who lose a team.  I have seen it at Marquette.  That is not what is happening here.  As I said before the season began, you have talent without experience, and experience that isn't highly talented.  That is simply not a winning formula in college basketball unless the talent is of the "one-and-done" variety.

That right there. That sums up this team.

[FartyEightHours]

Your "take" is steaming hot pile of ****

You rang?

[muwarrior69]

Duane, Sandy and Luke will lead this team next year. With Henry, Haanif and Heidt coming I believe we can have a decent season next year. Hope Nick resolves his personal issues and can contribute. We must be patient and let Wojo put his stamp on the program. Wojo comes from a winning tradition and I believe he will recruit the players we need to win. As for this season it has been painful to watch our guys play well and come up short. My expectations are we will improve,, but it could be a slow process over the next two seasons as some of the players may wish to transfer; I hope not.

[GGGG]

Duane, Sandy and Luke will lead this team next year. With Henry, Haanif and Heidt coming I believe we can have a decent season next year. Hope Nick resolves his personal issues and can contribute. We must be patient and let Wojo put his stamp on the program. Wojo comes from a winning tradition and I believe he will recruit the players we need to win. As for this season it has been painful to watch our guys play well and come up short. My expectations are we will improve,, but it could be a slow process over the next two seasons as some of the players may wish to transfer; I hope not.

Don't sleep on Wally.  I don't think he's going to be a super-star, but I think he can play better than he showed up in Minnesota.

[Brewtown Andy]

Don't sleep on Wally.  I don't think he's going to be a super-star, but I think he can play better than he showed up in Minnesota.

He was injured his freshman year, which put him behind as far as getting a chance to play, and then had a new coach who had no intention of playing him, which is why he left the team to focus on track & field. 

It's almost impossible for him to do anything but play better.

[WarhawkWarrior]

I think there is a lot of craziness here.  An under-sized, under-manned team in a tougher than anticipated league does bode well.  I haven't seen many teams play as hard as these guys.  As a fan, I look forward to being the underdog the rest of the way and cheer for the gratifying upsets.  Why despair, enjoy. Every game has had some exciting moments.  New coaches are also run over by the refs accounting for at least several losses.  It's easy to make an unfavorable call when you have no history with the coach.  That will gradually change.  Buzz went through the same situation.

[NersEllenson]

Ever since people have started to connect the dots with Texas Western and a possible connection to JJJ, he started dropping things like "I really love MU basketball."  Let me just say, I have my doubts completely.

I have seen coaches who lose a team.  I have seen it at Marquette.  That is not what is happening here.  As I said before the season began, you have talent without experience, and experience that isn't highly talented.  That is simply not a winning formula in college basketball unless the talent is of the "one-and-done" variety.

That's a nice quote and summation of the season.  However, Carlino is quite talented.  Derrick has evolved into one of the 27 best players in the conference.  We'll have an All Big East redshirt freshman in Duane.  Cohen may even make it.  JJJ?  Well, many subscribed to the belief last season that getting guys playing time and game experience didn't matter - so, perhaps we can put his stunted development on Buzz.  Luke?  He's about what can be expected out of a Top 60 sophomore big - has his moments, has skills, still putting the pieces together.  Burton would have been a big help to this team. 

[MUfan12]

Burton would have been a big help to this team. 

HE'S GONE. LET IT GO.

[tower912]

Only if he was willing to play defense and rebound. 

[dgies9156]

I think there is a lot of craziness here. 

1) No kidding! Anyone who thinks Wojo has lost this team probably never got passed underwater tiddly winks. He's got 'em in his hand. A lot of their lapses probably has to do with the pace of the game and the lack of depth on our team. People who think Wojo lost the team probably should go back to last year and watch the video of any game coached by the Hillbilly after January 1, 2014. Please note that freshman mistakes DO NOT constitute losing the team by the coach. The Hillbilly's problem was the freshmen mistakes were being made by juniors and seniors.

2) I was foolish enough to believe this team could compete for an NCAA spot. I admit I was wrong but as I have said in here before, I come from a Marquette basketball era where a "C" for the year was an invite to the NCAA tournament. We're not even close, which is why I believe this year is a lost cause. When I think of blowing the team up, I mean getting down to a salvagable core of returning players that can contribute to the goal of the NCAA tournament -- AND BEYOND! Three players currently active are our future -- Duane, Sandy and Luke. The verdict is still out on STjr. Unless there is significant change, the verdict on Jujuan is in and is not pretty.

3) I am not as excited as I was about next year six months ago. The biggest challenge in college basketball is getting five players on the floor to play together. About the only person I can see who has ever figured out how to do this with freshmen is John Calipari at Kentucky. Al was pretty demonstrative about this issue when he said, "the best thing about freshmen is they become sophomores." Wojo has made massive improvements in on-floor team chemistry this year, but the challenge before him next year is just as formidible, albeit with more talent.

[brewcity77]

When I think of blowing the team up, I mean getting down to a salvagable core of returning players that can contribute to the goal of the NCAA tournament -- AND BEYOND! Three players currently active are our future -- Duane, Sandy and Luke. The verdict is still out on STjr. Unless there is significant change, the verdict on Jujuan is in and is not pretty.

I think we're pretty much there. Of our 8 players, 3 will definitely be gone. Duane, Luke, and Sandy look like building blocks that will be back. I have to think Steve stays, and while a big senior season seems unlikely, having a senior off the bench that can rebound for one more season is valuable. If he could improve and use the mid range jumper he could be very valuable. Regardless, his time is approaching the end.

That leaves Jajuan. I still believe he could be a contributor here, but if he is set on being an alpha dog he'll probably have to look elsewhere. I'm still in the camp hoping he can put out together here, but he had one foot out the door before Buzz left and it wouldn't surprise me if he departs. Either way, 5-8 new players next year ensure this will be Wojo's team sooner rather than later.

[jesmu84]

That's a nice quote and summation of the season.  However, Carlino is quite talented.  Derrick has evolved into one of the 27 best players in the conference.  We'll have an All Big East redshirt freshman in Duane.  Cohen may even make it.  JJJ?  Well, many subscribed to the belief last season that getting guys playing time and game experience didn't matter - so, perhaps we can put his stunted development on Buzz.  Luke?  He's about what can be expected out of a Top 60 sophomore big - has his moments, has skills, still putting the pieces together.  Burton would have been a big help to this team. 

Your points kinda lose water when you argue against something in one thread and then use it as evidence in another.

[bilsu]

So far I believe our worse losses are by 11 three times and 10 points twice. In the past with good teams we had at least one game where we really got drilled. I thought Seton Hall was going to be that game, but Juan's two late threes got us down to 10 after being down 24. I think we were down 21 to Ohio St. and got it down to 7 before losing by 11. What this means to me is this team fights even when things are going bad and I find that encouraging. I have witness two terrible 7 minute periods. Seton Hall the start of the second half and Michigan St the start of the second half. In those periods the other team was doing everything right and we were doing nothing right. However, I fear we are becoming DePaul and if there is not a significant turnaround next year the heat will really be turned up on Wojo.

[MU82]

What this means to me is this team fights even when things are going bad and I find that encouraging.

Come on! Don't you know the team has quit on Wojo?

[MUfan12]

However, I fear we are becoming DePaul and if there is not a significant turnaround next year the heat will really be turned up on Wojo.

FFS.

[brewcity77]

I can't remotely see us becoming DePaul. Purnell's teams up until this year always got the doors blown of them at least a handful of times. They looked either lost or lackadaisical. While we have had some bad stretches, the Seton Hall game is the first that wasn't a 1-2 possession game or overtime in league play. This year we aren't good enough to be a tourney team, but despite that, we could still be 6-2 in league play had we held on against DePaul, Xavier, St John's, and Georgetown.

We didn't, so optimism levels are low, and we are what our record says, but I certainly don't see us on the verge of becoming DePaul.

[willie warrior]

this is what happens when one tries to be hip to all the new and cool devices and use an ipad for this stuff.  besides the thing changing your words to chit that doesn't even resemble what you intend, my quote was lumped in to make it look like chico made the whole thing.  that could work out to be either brilliant(in the mind of some) or lame to others.  anyway, i just thought for full disclosure...i'm sure many of you picked up on that, but anyway...

Not to worry. That post is about the same as what we get out of Washington!

[brewcity77]

Someone the other day mentioned the Pomeroy Luck metric. Right now we are ranked 302nd in the country in luck. Another number that jumps out is free throw defense, where we are ranked 312th, "allowing" 72.5% of free throws to be made.

Georgetown sticks out in this regard. As a team, they shoot 70.5% at the line. In DC, they shot 82.1%. At the BC they were even better, shooting 87.5% from the line. St. John's shoots 69.8% at the line, against us they went for 76.9%. Lots of little things have gone against us.

Seton Hall shoots 34.9% from 3 on the season but 50% against us. Our own numbers...we are a 35.1% team from 3, yet go 13% at DePaul. You can even look back to Omaha, a 68.8% FT team that shot 86.7% against us and Michigan State, an atrocious 63.1% FT team that hit 83.3% against us.

Truly great teams will overcome bad luck, will overcome hot free throw shooting, will close down better on threes, and will find a way to win. This isn't a truly great team. We have one reliable scorer, a couple hard-working but limited senior starters, and a collection of kids that haven't found consistency yet. Add some bad luck to that and you end up with a .500 record.

Better days are ahead.

[rocky_warrior]

Good free throw shooting, or bad decisions on who to foul?

[brewcity77]

Good free throw shooting, or bad decisions on who to foul?

Mikael Hopkins went 11/12. He's a 55% FT shooter. That's near inexplicably bad luck.