Butler thoughts

[brewcity77]

Could be a real turning of the corner - so nice to see a good all around effort.  Let's keep it going at SH.

I've been eying up that SHU game ever since the second half debacle in December. Hoping they knock off Creighton tonight because with Georgetown and Butler pending they could look past us.

Still not convinced they're as good as they looked for 20 minutes against us.

[Big Papi]

I agree with this. But I'd still say we've got a shot at 10-8 with 1 win in BET, but likely will be one of the first few left our.

But obviously still a long way to go just to get there.

We beat a team at home that is 3-6 in conference.  The only bubble we are going to be on this year is the NIT bubble.  10-8 is a pipe dream that I would love to be smoking.

[mu_hilltopper]

MU's previous BEast best this year was vs. DePaul when they shot 54.8% eFG%. Only games MU shot better this season were against Grambling St. and Maine.

Crazy-good shooting saved MU.

This. this, this.  Shoot half decently, you're in every game.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

10-8 with 1-1 in NYC gives us the numbers below. Most likely out in that scenario. MAYBE would have a chance if we add on a win against Nova/Xavier

Marquette

W-L   RPI*   SOS
22-11   63   68

Those numbers will change over the next 45 days. But yes, likely out. But there's a chance.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

We beat a team at home that is 3-6 in conference.  The only bubble we are going to be on this year is the NIT bubble.  10-8 is a pipe dream that I would love to be smoking.

I've said its unlikely.

It's a Marquette bball message board for f***s sake. We're just spitballing possibilities not saying what we believe will happen. I think 10-8 is possible, but obviously a long shot.

Plus, Butler was ranked #8 in he country prior to BE play. Not exactly a bad team.

[bilsu]

I did not realize that Duane held the reocrd for free throws made by a freshmen. He made 89 free throw last year. Today Ellenson in 22 games took over first with 90 makes.
Freshmen only statistics Ellenson rankings are:
Points 6th
Scoring average 1st
Field goals made 7th
Field goals attempted 8th
Field goal percentage not in top 10
3 point stats he is not in top 10 in makes, shots or pct.
Free throws made 1st
Free throw attempted 3rd
Free throw percentage tied for 7th
Rebounds 2nd
Rebounding average 1st
assists not in top 10
Block shots 2nd
Steals not in top 10

[Jay Bee]

I did not realize that Duane held the reocrd for free throws made by a freshmen. He made 89 free throw last year. Today Ellenson in 22 games took over first with 90 makes.
Freshmen only statistics Ellenson rankings are:
Points 6th
Scoring average 1st
Field goals made 7th
Field goals attempted 8th
Field goal percentage not in top 10
3 point stats he is not in top 10 in makes, shots or pct.
Free throws made 1st
Free throw attempted 3rd
Free throw percentage tied for 7th
Rebounds 2nd
Rebounding average 1st
assists not in top 10
Block shots 2nd
Steals not in top 10

Using such rankings, would minutes not be incredibly important to consider?

[warriorchick]

Well, the game made Deadspin, but not for the reason we would have wanted

http://screengrabber.deadspin.com/butler-forward-roosevelt-jones-drills-three-quarter-cou-1756132541#_ga=1.13553975.1838309319.1451669710

I must say, I had Rotnei Clark flashbacks when I saw it live...

[bilsu]

Obviously the more you play the more opportunities you have. However, this is what Ellenson has done in 22 games. The freshmen rankings are the easiest by far to crack, since a lot of our great players never played as freshmen. Freshmen were not eligible, transfers in or players like Wade who had to sit out their freshmen year. However, if Wade had stayed and got his degree he would of gotten a fourth year with the result being his sophomore stats would of turned into freshmen stats. Junior stats are the highest. Senior stats see a drop off, because a lot of our greatest players skip their senior year.

[tower912]

At the end of the day, a good win.   Whether it is a stepping stone/building block/turning point or just a brief warm sunny day in a winter of discontent is a problem for another day.   

[keefe]

> Traci, good Lords


Hey Pat, figurin' we've seen da same flicks at da Parkway, hey?

Minor problems for the San Fernando Valley...

[Marcus92]

Fun game, great win, but this was simply a victory thanks to shooting the ball well. Miss shots, they lose.

That's true of a lot of games. An important difference, I thought, was MU's shot selection. Not that every attempt was a good one. But the majority were. They drove, probed and passed until they got a good look.

On the other end, Marquette's defensive intensity, switching and overall smart play forced Butler into a lot of poor shots. Not in all cases, of course. Kellen had an off day, missing at least a couple wide-open threes. But we made Butler work hard for its offense.

Hopefully this game indicates that Marquette is learning what team offense and defense mean, and why shot selection is so important. Take good shots, you make more shots.

[Marcus92]

The next big lesson is cutting down on turnovers. Leading the Big East is this category is not a good thing, no matter how you try to spin it. This has got to improve if Marquette is going to win more than 4 games the rest of the conference schedule.

[MU82]

1. It's amazing how well a talented team can do if it hits a few 3s and plays with great passion.

2. It's human nature to pine for the wins we let get away. But realistically, everybody here knows we also could have lost to LSU, Arizona State, Wisconsin, Providence and St. John's. Heck, we came amazingly close to losing to IUPUI. We are our record.

3. I wonder if we win this game if we had blown out Stetson in the second half and won by 40. I'm guessing the second half of that game gave Wojo and his staff a nice platform to preach about the things the Warriors needed to do much, much better. The lads certainly were psyched from the get-go today.

4. That game was flat-out entertaining. Yeah, I was on the edge of my seat because I so wanted the Warriors to win, but when I could take off my blue-and-gold goggles for a second, I just really enjoyed how competitive and hard-fought that game was.

5. By far the best game of the season for Henry -- and most of those points didn't come easily. It still doesn't mean he is "ready" for the NBA, but it shows exactly why GMs would love to draft him and get their coaching staffs to start developing him. Hell, Henry even has the fake-being-fouled move down pat -- better than a lot of pros!

6. Traci Carter ... I totally saw that coming. Ha!

7. Given that Butler scored on a desperation heave at the halftime buzzer and got a gift basket tipped in by our guys -- 5 free points -- it showed very nice resilience on the part of our lads.

8. Martin is what Deonte Burton should have been.

9. Go Panthers! Keep Pounding!!!

[PGsHeroes32]

Random comment so Ill just post it here


Is JJJ really already almost 22? I never knew he was old for his year if ESPN is correct.

Cuz thats like Mayo level old

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Cuz thats like Mayo level old

Mayo was going to be a 24 year old college graduate. JJJ's 23 is close but not quite his level.

[keefe]

Mayo was going to be a 24 year old college graduate.

Mayo was never going to be a college graduate!

[WarriorPride68]

Mayo was never going to be a college graduate!

true

[PGsHeroes32]

Mayo was going to be a 24 year old college graduate. JJJ's 23 is close but not quite his level.

Damn!! My bad. Totally forgot that fool actually left early lol.

Also noticed that Duane, Sandy and Luke are all on the older end of their years as well(September and October).

Hopefully next year age and experience really start to kick in for us.

[brewcity77]

I must say, I had Rotnei Clark flashbacks when I saw it live...

First three Roosevelt Jones has ever made in his career. Ridiculous.

[1SE]

I've said its unlikely.

It's a Marquette bball message board for f***s sake. We're just spitballing possibilities not saying what we believe will happen. I think 10-8 is possible, but obviously a long shot.

Plus, Butler was ranked #8 in he country prior to BE play. Not exactly a bad team.

Let's stay focused on the NIT - if a miracle happens and we're 3-1 over the next four then let's start dreaming about bubble.  But we could just as easily go 0-4 and be on the outside (of NIT) looking in again.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

Let's stay focused on the NIT - if a miracle happens and we're 3-1 over the next four then let's start dreaming about bubble.  But we could just as easily go 0-4 and be on the outside (of NIT) looking in again.

Thanks for the tip, but I can stay focused on whatever I please. That's the beauty of being fan. Are the NCAAs a long shot? For sure. But that will always be my goal until the day were eliminated. Root for the NIT all youd like, bud.

[bilsu]

The next big lesson is cutting down on turnovers. Leading the Big East is this category is not a good thing, no matter how you try to spin it. This has got to improve if Marquette is going to win more than 4 games the rest of the conference schedule.

They had a few turnovers yesturday after passing up shots. It is good to pass the ball around, but if you have an open shot you should take it.

[bilsu]

Let's stay focused on the NIT - if a miracle happens and we're 3-1 over the next four then let's start dreaming about bubble.  But we could just as easily go 0-4 and be on the outside (of NIT) looking in again.

The game yesterday did more to end Butler's hope for an NCAA bid than it did to help us get a bid. The next game is really a key game. A win on the road at Seton Hall pulls us even with them in the standings. A loss barring something else pretty amazing will end any chance of an NCAA bid. Looking at the standings we need to beat Seton Hall, DePaul, Creighton twice, Georgetown and either Villanova or Xavier. That would leave only one team sweeping us. That is a tall order, but I do not think it is impossible. However, you do have to consider our 4-5 start includes 2 wins over St. John's and a win over Butler who is beginning to remind me of Buzz's last season. That 17-15 team could never catch a break. Butler starting out with a tough schedule and then losing their point guard to a concussion seems to be tracking along the misfortune of the 17-15 team. Planning on the NIT is much more realistic.

[dgies9156]

Well, the game made Deadspin, but not for the reason we would have wanted

http://screengrabber.deadspin.com/butler-forward-roosevelt-jones-drills-three-quarter-cou-1756132541#_ga=1.13553975.1838309319.1451669710

I must say, I had Rotnei Clark flashbacks when I saw it live...

We let up on that shot. If I was Wojo, I would have gone off on the team at halftime over that one. In a close game like yesterday, every basket counts, even the improbable ones. We should have played him a whole lot tighter than we did.