Nova Thoughts

[OhioGoldenEagle]

"and a 3 point specialist in Sandy "?  Are you serious Clark?  Sandy can hit it at a decent clip but that shouldn't be the focus of his game.  That said, we will be missing that kind of player next year with Carlino graduating.  Likes of Duane, Sandy, and JJJ can make them but a 35% success rate isn't great.  I suspect Woj will be looking for this kind of addition before next season.

[Class71]

If we can build on today's performance in the remaining games we will be well positioned for next year. Think we should all be proud of our Warriors.

[Daniel]

This was nothing short of an heroic effort by our Marqueete players.  They played e trembly well against a very very good team. They drew a ton of fouls - if we could have converted 75% we would have been in great shape.

JJJ - solid game all around. Duane a very good gone. Derrick had a great game - some points, dome great passes, rebounds, good d and was driving in them

Proud of these guys. 6 strong  tough with two starters not playing but they were gutsy Warriors today. And the twin for a strong rebound causing a jump ball. Sweet

[mattyv1908]

"and a 3 point specialist in Sandy "?  Are you serious Clark?  Sandy can hit it at a decent clip but that shouldn't be the focus of his game.  That said, we will be missing that kind of player next year with Carlino graduating.  Likes of Duane, Sandy, and JJJ can make them but a 35% success rate isn't great.  I suspect Woj will be looking for this kind of addition before next season.

Considering the average 3 point FG% the last ten years of NCAA mens basketball has been under 35% I'd say your expectations are set too high.

[barfolomew]

I agree on the effort level -- stupendous. Could have, and possibly should have, folded like a lawn chair at several points in the second half.

In terms of heart, progress, and outlook for next season, WE ARE MARQUETTE.
In terms of basketball talent at some key positions this year, unfortunately, WE ARE... my cat.
(Thanks Jake's GF's nephew.)

[MilWarrior]

This was nothing short of an heroic effort by our Marqueete players.  They played e trembly well against a very very good team. They drew a ton of fouls - if we could have converted 75% we would have been in great shape.

JJJ - solid game all around. Duane a very good gone. Derrick had a great game - some points, dome great passes, rebounds, good d and was driving in them

Proud of these guys. 6 strong  tough with two starters not playing but they were gutsy Warriors today. And the twin for a strong rebound causing a jump ball. Sweet

HERE HERE!!!

Proud to be a MU alum after today's game!

[We R Final Four]

That's mostly due in part to maturity.  Being 21-22 is much different than being 18-20.  I'm not saying there are not exceptions but in general these kids fill out as they mature physically.

Indeed--did you see that shot of the bench when Sandy fouled out? Juan sat down right next to him and dwarfed him. It was amazing how much bigger Juan was than Sandy, and Juan was very thin as a Frosh as well.

[Herman Cain]

Given the circumstances our team performed well today. It is something for the team to build off of. 

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

As is the case 9 times out of 10 with talented players - you play them big minutes - and over the course of the 30+ minutes their talent comes to the fore.  Numbers now in games over 25 minutes since benching:

4 games:  11.5ppg, 3.5 rebounds per game, 3 assists, 1.5 steals.  In other words, virtually the same as before the benching.   

Average RPI of opponents JjJ faced when getting 25+ minutes a game pre-benching: 155
Post benching: 59

KenPom pre benching: 157
Post benching: 56.75

Defensive efficiency pre benching (per KenPom): 172.43
Post benching: 84.5

But yeah, they are the same thing 

I have no idea if JjJ is playing better because of the benching or not, but he is playing better. In my opinion, the benching has something to do with it but that can never be proved. This whole tirade you've been on about JjJ, the benching, and the magical 25+ minutes is just wrong. It has been proven wrong many times. If you really try to insist that JjJ is not playing better now than he was pre-benching, you are burying your head in the sand on purpose.

Unless of course you have a logical explanation for why we shouldn't take quality of opponent into account.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Everyone had an exceptional game today with the exception of Sandy. He looked overmatched today. But those types of games are to be expected from a freshman against top 10 team.

JjJ still struggles on the defensive time. He bites so hard on steals that he ends up standing on the half court line while his man gets an open shot or drive. There were also at least two times he was out of position on an inbounds play and it ended up with an open Nova three. That being said, his offensive was stellar today against a great defensive team. He is stating to show us what he can be.

[mattyv1908]

Everyone had an exceptional game today with the exception of Sandy. He looked overmatched today. But those types of games are to be expected from a freshman against top 10 team.

JjJ still struggles on the defensive time. He bites so hard on steals that he ends up standing on the half court line while his man gets an open shot or drive. There were also at least two times he was out of position on an inbounds play and it ended up with an open Nova three. That being said, his offensive was stellar today against a great defensive team. He is stating to show us what he can be.

TAMU-

I don't see a really good defender other than Juan Anderson on this team.  I've gotten used to all of our players being out of position at times.  I can remember at least one instance that everybody in our backcourt was beaten badly by a back door cut today and that happens every game.

I agree with you that I would prefer Johnson to be a better defender, but that statement would be true with everybody else as well.

[brewcity77]

that seems like a lot of gripes for a guy who's "really proud of those guys today."

These aren't new gripes. Luke putting it on the floor, JJJ being halfway to the other basket before realizing he missed the steal while his man drains an open three, Steve loving the long ball, Derrick picking up his dribble, all just continuing gripes.

The team played very tough. Played with a ton of effort and passion. But had they played just a little smarter, we might not be looking for consolation victories.

[Herman Cain]

Derrick played a nice game tonight. Was glad to see him take midrange shots, even if he missed 3 of 4 of them.  Has to be a threat out there.  Handled Nova's pressure well, although pulled his dribble up in bad place just before timeline in corner allowing for easy trap - but was tough enough to find a way to not turn it over.

Steve and Luke need to play together more from here on out - they play well together.

Missed some of Juan's energy out there, yet feel we were more dynamic offensively with JJJ/Cohen/Duane/Steve eating Juan's minutes.

Where would JJJ be without the incredible benching against Xavier? 

As is the case 9 times out of 10 with talented players - you play them big minutes - and over the course of the 30+ minutes their talent comes to the fore.  Numbers now in games over 25 minutes since benching:

4 games:  11.5ppg, 3.5 rebounds per game, 3 assists, 1.5 steals.  In other words, virtually the same as before the benching.   

JJJ is still a sophomore - there is a lot of room for growth and improvement in his game - he has all the tools you'd want in a guard at this level.  He adds some strength over the offseason, tightens up his jumper - he'll be a load, particularly by senior year.

I think your analysis of JJJ is spot on. I love the explosive first step he has. When he polishes the rest of his game, he is going to be a force every night. I think people will be surprised how well he plays next year when Luke and Henry are drawing all sorts of attention.

[GooooMarquette]

I am very proud of our effort today.

Great performances by JJJ, Derrick and Duane...and solid contributions by Luke, Steve and Sandy.  Loved to see JJJ play with such control and confidence, and our guard trio overall held its own against an excellent Nova backcourt.

There were some negatives, but they were outweighed by the positives against a legitimate top 10 team.

WE ARE MARQUETTE!

[Jay Bee]

Awful free throw shooting again and nova hot from 3 point land with Archie knocking 3 threes to start the second half was the difference.

False. Avg FT% performance would have added 2 points to MU's total. Non-issue.

Villanova shot better than us, rebounded better and got to the line more often. We held a small edge in turnovers, but Nova's TO rate was still only ~15%.

What lost the game was Nova shooting well and getting to the line a ton... but they are the best offensive in the BEast and one of the better offenses in America... who are good at what they did well today (shooting, getting to the line, limiting miscues).

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

TAMU-

I don't see a really good defender other than Juan Anderson on this team.  I've gotten used to all of our players being out of position at times.  I can remember at least one instance that everybody in our backcourt was beaten badly by a back door cut today and that happens every game.

I agree with you that I would prefer Johnson to be a better defender, but that statement would be true with everybody else as well.

Juan, Derrick, and Luke are all plus defenders. I would argue Juan is an elite defender. Otherwise I agree. But I think JjJ is the worst offender. He is overly aggressive on steal attempts and it costs us almost every time. There is a way to be aggressive on steals and not leave your other teammates hanging.

That being said, I could live with JjJ's defense if this was the kind of offense we could expect from him most nights. Had a hell of an offensive game against a very good defensive team. Hope to see more of the same

[Lennys Tap]

Derrick played a nice game tonight. Was glad to see him take midrange shots, even if he missed 3 of 4 of them.  Has to be a threat out there.  Handled Nova's pressure well, although pulled his dribble up in bad place just before timeline in corner allowing for easy trap - but was tough enough to find a way to not turn it over.

Missed 3 of 4 midrange shots? How? He made 4 of 6 shots not counting the 50 foot heave he took with 1 second left in the first half.

[mattyv1908]

Juan, Derrick, and Luke are all plus defenders. I would argue Juan is an elite defender. Otherwise I agree. But I think JjJ is the worst offender. He is overly aggressive on steal attempts and it costs us almost every time. There is a way to be aggressive on steals and not leave your other teammates hanging.

That being said, I could live with JjJ's defense if this was the kind of offense we could expect from him most nights. Had a hell of an offensive game against a very good defensive team. Hope to see more of the same

At this point I think Cohen is the worst defender.  Both he and JJJ get out of position, yet Cohen doesn't really make any plays like JJJ does that result in easy transition points off steals.

[MU82]

Average RPI of opponents JjJ faced when getting 25+ minutes a game pre-benching: 155
Post benching: 59

KenPom pre benching: 157
Post benching: 56.75

Defensive efficiency pre benching (per KenPom): 172.43
Post benching: 84.5

But yeah, they are the same thing 

I have no idea if JjJ is playing better because of the benching or not, but he is playing better. In my opinion, the benching has something to do with it but that can never be proved. This whole tirade you've been on about JjJ, the benching, and the magical 25+ minutes is just wrong. It has been proven wrong many times. If you really try to insist that JjJ is not playing better now than he was pre-benching, you are burying your head in the sand on purpose.

Unless of course you have a logical explanation for why we shouldn't take quality of opponent into account.

This. Plus the eye test, too. Sometimes athletes need pats on the back to get them going. Sometimes they need kicks in the behind. It is up to the coach to know when to do either and on which players different techniques will work. None of us ever can prove the benching did or didn't help JJJ in the long run, but we've covered this ad nauseum so I'll stop now.

Beyond all the JJJ banter ...

I was very pleased with the guys' effort today and I remain very bullish on the future of Marquette basketball.

[NersEllenson]

Average RPI of opponents JjJ faced when getting 25+ minutes a game pre-benching: 155
Post benching: 59

KenPom pre benching: 157
Post benching: 56.75

Defensive efficiency pre benching (per KenPom): 172.43
Post benching: 84.5

But yeah, they are the same thing 

I have no idea if JjJ is playing better because of the benching or not, but he is playing better. In my opinion, the benching has something to do with it but that can never be proved. This whole tirade you've been on about JjJ, the benching, and the magical 25+ minutes is just wrong. It has been proven wrong many times. If you really try to insist that JjJ is not playing better now than he was pre-benching, you are burying your head in the sand on purpose.

Unless of course you have a logical explanation for why we shouldn't take quality of opponent into account.

LOL.  It's pointless.  I told you and  the 10 or so hardcore Derrick/Wojo slurpers JJJ is talented, and needed more minutes - because if you give JJJ time, generally he's going to get you 13ppg, 4reb, 4assists, and 2 steals.

Here's a question for you:  When JJJ was JUST ABSOLUTELY AWFUL A WEEK AGO AGAINST CREIGHTON - IF THE BENCHING IS THE REASON WHY JJJ IS PLAYING SO MUCH BETTER NOW, WHY WAS HE AWFUL AGAINST CREIGHTON? 

JJJ isn't playing "better" than the first 6 games he got 25+ minutes - he's essentially playing the same - scoring is down 2ppg, and rebounds 1 per game - perhaps that accounts for the slight increase in competition.  And really, if you want to split hairs and make it all about Team Ranking - Why did JJJ have his best game of the year (arguably) against the Number 6 Team in the Country/Pomeroy, yet just 1 week ago had his worst game of the year against Number 115 Creighton?

When I made the original post, I said - It doesn't mean play JJJ 25+ and EVERY TIME he will give you 13/4/4/2 - he would still be capable of a poor game (Creighton) - yet on the whole - you usually are going to get production along those lines.

The only people who have been burying their head in the sand here largely are you and the other 10 or so guys who adamantly disagree with me - whether it was the Buzz/Larry Williams issue, Buzz's coaching/demeanor last year, Wojo's minute allocation this year. 

[79Warrior]

Missed 3 of 4 midrange shots? How? He made 4 of 6 shots not counting the 50 foot heave he took with 1 second left in the first half.

He was 4/7. Maybe the poster was watching his HS highlight reel.

[wadesworld]

"and a 3 point specialist in Sandy "?  Are you serious Clark?  Sandy can hit it at a decent clip but that shouldn't be the focus of his game.  That said, we will be missing that kind of player next year with Carlino graduating.  Likes of Duane, Sandy, and JJJ can make them but a 35% success rate isn't great.  I suspect Woj will be looking for this kind of addition before next season.

Yes, his role next season will be that of a 3 point shooter.  His job will be to help spread the floor offensively.  He certainly isn't a slasher or a defensive specialist.  Next year he won't be one of the top 4 scorers, so he'll need to be a role player.  His role will be that of a long distance shooter.  Will he knock them down like Novak?  Of course not.  But we probably will never see that again at MU.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Here's a question for you:  When JJJ was JUST ABSOLUTELY AWFUL A WEEK AGO AGAINST CREIGHTON - IF THE BENCHING IS THE REASON WHY JJJ IS PLAYING SO MUCH BETTER NOW, WHY WAS HE AWFUL AGAINST CREIGHTON? 

He's up and down. Just like he was at the start of the season. But as you pointed out, his averages are about the same as he was doing before....except the competition is much better now. You also want to throw out all of the games where he didn't play more than 25 minutes, which, big surprise, are some of his worst games.

JJJ isn't playing "better" than the first 6 games he got 25+ minutes - he's essentially playing the same - scoring is down 2ppg, and rebounds 1 per game - perhaps that accounts for the slight increase in competition.  And really, if you want to split hairs and make it all about Team Ranking - Why did JJJ have his best game of the year (arguably) against the Number 6 Team in the Country/Pomeroy, yet just 1 week ago had his worst game of the year against Number 115 Creighton?

Slight increase in competition? Seriously? Again, you are glorifying JjJ for munching on cupcakes. Three of those 7 games (you keep saying its six but its seven) were against top 100 opponents, one of them barely. Most of those stats you love to glorify come from the likes of UT Martin, NJIT, Morgan State, and North Dakota. You really want to keep saying that performing against the likes of those is as impressive as four Big East teams?

Split hairs? Aren't you the one who threw out my Florida comparison because they were 40 slots higher in strength of schedule? Why did JjJ preform better? He had a better night. I'm not arguing that his play is consistent, I'm showing you how ridiculous it is to say that a player is playing the same when the production is the same but the competition has increased. This is the same fallacy as when you try to compare this season to Dukiet. Same record, wildly different level of competition. Its really quite a simple concept.

The only people who have been burying their head in the sand here largely are you and the other 10 or so guys who adamantly disagree with me - whether it was the Buzz/Larry Williams issue, Buzz's coaching/demeanor last year, Wojo's minute allocation this year.  

It's not 10 or so people Ners. Its 99% of this board and 2 entire coaching staffs.

You are always going on about how player development is a coach's job. You have complained endlessly about how Wojo isn't getting enough out of the talent he has on the roster. Now JjJ is performing well against tough competition and you are trying to use it as proof against Wojo? Why not be happy that JjJ is playing better? Why is JjJ performing in spite of Wojo rather than because of Wojo?

[brewcity77]

Simple TAMU, that would require the narrative to change, which would mean admitting he might have been mistaken. Easier to invert the goal posts than admit Wojo and the staff may be smarter than he is.

[ATWizJr]

These aren't new gripes. Luke putting it on the floor, JJJ being halfway to the other basket before realizing he missed the steal while his man drains an open three, Steve loving the long ball, Derrick picking up his dribble, all just continuing gripes.

The team played very tough. Played with a ton of effort and passion. But had they played just a little smarter, we might not be looking for consolation victories.

Exactly, these are not new gripes.  Why bust their balls after they've just played their hearts out with only 6 players?  Especially with no new insights?  Just me.