Prognosis

[dgies9156]

Interesting question in that I felt good about what I saw. My heart says they are "back!!!!" but my head says there was very little resemblance between anyone in Italy/Switzerland and what we will see when intercollegiate competition begins.

No place other than the D2 teams they play could I imagine they would put up 132 points on a team. We're not THAT good. And if we are.... I'm like St. Thomas the Apostle -- I got to see it to believe it. Ultimately, I think they're a NCAA tournament team, but this could go either way.  So I would vote, "still not sure."

[Warrior of Law]

I'm bullish on 15-16. Fisher, Ellenson and Heldt as a frontcourt; Wilson as a big-time scorer with a decent bench, too.  Maybe because 14-15 was so awful, but i haven't been this excited in years!

[Loose Cannon]

I think most of the posters feel this is a better team than last year.  Regardless of the score (That the only meaningless stat of the trip) the 4 games indicated a good understanding of player's assignments and working as a team unit.  Impressed with Duane assist totals, they will be tougher to get with our schedule, but happy to know he will be looking. 

I'm happy with the up-tempo Offense & Defense and the overall speed of the players, also the really nice blend of returning and new players and I think we will have a large rotation on this team.

I believe the trip provided much more bonding between players and players as well as with the Coaching Staff.  And with 4 wins and all the eligible players getting on the floor the "camaraderie" has to be sky high.  Throw in that 4th quarter comeback and the coaches have to be smiling too.

I believe the future is promising and feel we will have a better record than last year it's only a feeling based on things I saw, heard and read.  It would be very difficult to come up with our season record.  While I'm feeling very good about us, I have no idea how much our opponent's teams have changed so it would be a pure Guess.  With that.....

Gun to the head.......22 Wins!  (And that the name of that tune)

[keefe]

Guardedly optimistic.

But I feel much better about this year than last.

[WarriorFan]

What we have that is exciting:
- 2 guys that are a threat to score no matter where they are on the court - HE and DW
- Better spacing due to better outside shooting
- A reliable scorer in the post

What we need to develop to win 20+ games
- Perimeter defense
- PG consistency, no matter who's playing it
- A defensive stopper, who can keep the top 1's, 2's and 3's in the BE in check
- Technical free coaching.  We'll be in a lot of close games.  Giving up a FT and possession could be the difference.

[keefe]

- Technical free coaching.  We'll be in a lot of close games.  Giving up a FT and possession could be the difference.

Everybody remembers the NCSU Championship game technical but our coach used them to motivate his team and mind screw the refs better than George Szell conducting Beethoven's Ninth.

[tower912]

There is reason for hope.   Not even Marquette Madness, let's see how they do against Belmont.

[brewcity77]

I feel better about them than I did before the tournament. I feel a lot better about Traci and Henry looked really good against competition that wasn't made of up 17 and 18 year old Wisconsin kids (most of what I've watched him against).

Can we win 22-23 games and challenge for a tourney bid? I'm not so sure. Belmont will be a good starting look, but that whole week will tell us a lot. Both Belmont and Iowa right out of the gate. If we start 3-0, then I'll start believing. Any less than that and we probably won't know much about this team until mid-January.

[naginiF]

What we need to develop to win 20+ games

- PG consistency, no matter who's playing it

I think Brew is right about not really knowing until after the first 3 games, though I think a well played 2-1 isn't a bad start. 

Going into Italy the PG question was the biggest unknown in a host of unknowns.  It's still an unknown but Traci's demeanor reduced that question dramatically and made it easy to see why the staff has confidence in him.  If he can control those TO's in season we move the PG consistency up to "what we have that is exciting"

[WarriorInNYC]

Didn't think there were quite enough voting options here. 

I was cautiously optimistic for this season, thinking we would be a tournament team with the potential to make it out of the first weekend.  This obviously greatly hinged on our newcomers, two of them especially, Traci and Henry.

Now, take these European games and results with a grain of salt considering the competition, different rules, etc. but I feel a lot better about seeing Traci and Henry playing and what they may be able to bring come November and ultimately March.  (Added bonus, Sandy and Luke look great as well.)

So I guess for me, this didn't "change my opinion", but moreso made me more comfortable with where I thought we could go this year.

[GGGG]

NCAA Tournament.  Somewhere around a 7-9 seed.  If Henry is as good as advertised, maybe as high as 5.

[wadesworld]

NCAA Tournament.  Somewhere around a 7-9 seed.  If Henry is as good as advertised, maybe as high as 5.

I'm with ya here.  But I think we'll be right around that 7 seed but playing like a 4-5 seed by that point.

[brewcity77]

I could honestly see either of the two possibilities (or anything in between)...

Scenario A: Too many freshmen leads to too many close call losses. A 9-4 record in non-con and a 10-8 record in Big East play, along with one-and-done at MSG leave us at 19-13 and on the outside looking in at the NIT despite 10/13 losses coming by a single bucket or less.

Scenario B: We ride the high from Europe into a 3-0 start, split our NYC tournament, upset an untested Bucky team, and enter Big East play at 12-1. The team improves as the season goes on, posting a shining 12-6 Big East record before upsetting Villanova en route to a Big East tourney title. Marquette enters the NCAAs at 27-7 with a 3-seed in the Midwest. Scrap the airline tickets and start mapping out driving routes, our road to the Final Four goes through Des Moines and Chicago.

Or anything in between, which is part of why I'm excited for this season. Two years ago we had expectations that were broken down as the season went on. Last year was all about looking for the silver lining on an ink-black cloud. This year I'm trying to keep expectations low, but unlike last year, the pieces are there that this team could actually do something if things break right. Nothing has broken right for us (other than recruiting) since the day Vander declared for the draft, so I'd definitely like to see that change this year.

[dgies9156]

But I feel much better about this year than last.

That's like saying someone on death row feels better about this year then last, right after receiving a pardon from the Governor.

If you set your standard low enough, you'll exceed it by a mile!

We've got a great team coming in and the only real question is does it gel this year or next?

[bilsu]

Before Europe I was fearing going 7-6 (worse case scenario) in non-conference. I now believe (barring injury) that 9-4 is worst case and I can imagine 11-2.

[barfolomew]

The thing I took away from Europe (besides all those beer steins in 2002) was that I feel more comfortable about this team being able to play up-tempo when needed.

I guess the good thing about having all these freshmen in a new system is that they might have an easier adjustment to the new clock, at least in the early part of the season.

[wadesworld]

I could honestly see either of the two possibilities (or anything in between)...

Scenario A: Too many freshmen leads to too many close call losses. A 9-4 record in non-con and a 10-8 record in Big East play, along with one-and-done at MSG leave us at 19-13 and on the outside looking in at the NIT despite 10/13 losses coming by a single bucket or less.

Scenario B: We ride the high from Europe into a 3-0 start, split our NYC tournament, upset an untested Bucky team, and enter Big East play at 12-1. The team improves as the season goes on, posting a shining 12-6 Big East record before upsetting Villanova en route to a Big East tourney title. Marquette enters the NCAAs at 27-7 with a 3-seed in the Midwest. Scrap the airline tickets and start mapping out driving routes, our road to the Final Four goes through Des Moines and Chicago.

Or anything in between, which is part of why I'm excited for this season. Two years ago we had expectations that were broken down as the season went on. Last year was all about looking for the silver lining on an ink-black cloud. This year I'm trying to keep expectations low, but unlike last year, the pieces are there that this team could actually do something if things break right. Nothing has broken right for us (other than recruiting) since the day Vander declared for the draft, so I'd definitely like to see that change this year.

Good post, other than the bolded part.  "Done deal" was a blessing in disguise.  Good break, in my opinion.

[brewcity77]

Good post, other than the bolded part.  "Done deal" was a blessing in disguise.  Good break, in my opinion.

We'll never know. There's every chance Shaka or Cuonzo could have done fine here, or another candidate had Wojo not ended up here.

Wojo can definitely recruit. This year we get to learn if he can coach, too.

[dgies9156]

- Technical free coaching.  We'll be in a lot of close games.  Giving up a FT and possession could be the difference.

WE ARE MARQUETTE. THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!

I want our coach screaming, mind messing the refs and otherwise being entertaining. We were the bad boys of basketball in the 1970s. Be nice to have this back!

[Goose]

Very much looking forward to the upcoming season. I am in the camp that team will surprise 99% of the fan base this season. I think Henry is going to be that big of a game changer. He will make everyone around better and JJJ, Luke and Wilson will benefit the most.

[keefe]

NCAA Tournament.  Somewhere around a 7-9 seed.  If Henry is as good as advertised, maybe as high as 5.

You are breaking character in this assessment. But I hope you are right. God, these past two seasons have been painful.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

I'll admit. I told myself I wouldn't get my hopes up this year and wait until 16-17, especially with the non-conference schedule but Marquette basketball has somehow hooked me back in.

[Loose Cannon]

WE ARE MARQUETTE. THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!

I want our coach screaming, mind messing the refs and otherwise being entertaining. We were the bad boys of basketball in the 1970s. Be nice to have this back!

  I believe Wojo's T's are 45% Emotional & 100% Strategy.  He will find his spots to send a message to both the Ref's and this Players.  I don't expect him to be kicked out of any games unless the official has rabbit ears.

[NotAnAlum]

I'm much more excited than I was before Italy.  I think the prior few months I had a "really don't care that much" attitude but I think that was a defensive mechanism left over from last season.  Now I'm excited to see them play and look forward to the season getting here (didn't look forward to last season at all, knew it was impending doom).
I'm hopeful they will sneak into the NCAA tourney but if they do it will be close and the extremely weak non-con is not going to give them any margin for error.  Wouldn't be surprised if the Committee kept us out to send a message about playing such a weak non-con.
Teams with a lot of new faces tend to take until mid Jan to be really playing tough basketball.  At least if we have a shot and are coming together in late Feb it will be much more fun than last year.

[Loose Cannon]

.

Wojo can definitely recruit. This year we get to learn if he can coach, too.

I value your insight and opinion and wonder if you saw any coaching skills last year with all the turmoil that happened.