Butt whoopin

[murphmurphy]

And they hit 14 threes. Team was better w Luke on the bench tonight.

Bingo! Great Players make teammates better, Luke's defense makes everyone worse.  He tries to switch and stay with the guard on high pick & rolls as his man rolls to the basket unguarded.  Hauser has to pick up Luke's man and leave his man wide open at the 3 Pt line.  What a mess, and the coach watches this happen every game.

[tower912]

The sun is probably going to come up today.   
Villanova is one of the best teams in the country.
Playing at home.   
After their first loss of the year.   
MU was dressing 8.   
And has defensive problems all year. 
There is no way that MU was ever going to win this game.   
Positives:   A leader is emerging.
Negative:  He is 17 years old.   And he has to because the seniors aren't leading.
Positive:  He could be around 3.5 more years.
Positive:   Cheatham made a 3.
Negative:   It may have been an accident.
Positive:  KR hit some 3's.
Positive:   Heldt worked his buttocks off. 
Negative:  Luke hasn't gotten quicker.
Negative:  JJ disappeared against a good team.
Positive:  Hauser continues to compete and compete well.    His 3 pt % is dropping, but that is to be expected as more teams work to run him off of the line. 

It is going to be OK.    MU is 0-2 on the road in conference.    This one doesn't hurt or surprise me.   This was an inevitable butt kicking.   And now it is over and the young guys now know what they are working to get to.    As an aside, I almost wish Ners was around right now to see if he would still be defending JjJ, or if he would be arguing that the minutes need to go to younger players instead of a non-productive senior. 

[WarriorPride68]

Preseason I had us starting 2-6 in the Big East. If we beat Seton Hall and Depaul we will likely start 3-5.

[MUDPT]

Only "coaching" problem I had last night was the zone. Way too many open looks at the rim and on the arch.  Way too many offensive rebounds. With the first half turnovers, there is no way we were going to win giving them all of the extra possessions. 

Nova is/was way better.  Brunson, Jenkins and Hart all hit really tough shots throughout the game. Tough game to win anyway.  The Big East season has gone pretty much how I expected as well.  The only problem I see is that St. John's may be better and not so much of a gimme road game.  However, Georgetown could be a winnable road game now. 

[4everwarriors]

Nova reminds me alot of Al's teams. Very quick, smart, good shootas, and just flat out wear ya down, ai na?

[jutaw22mu]

We only lost by 12 because of garbage time.  We really lost by like 25.

Yep, exactly.  Game was over 3 min into the second half.

Nonetheless I liked seeing the guys fighting till the end which is why we "only lost by 12." 

I also liked that Wojo called them out for lacking competitiveness and then shouldered the blame. That is what good coaches do.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

Yep, exactly.  Game was over 3 min into the second half.

Nonetheless I liked seeing the guys fighting till the end which is why we "only lost by 12." 

I also liked that Wojo called them out for lacking competitiveness and then shouldered the blame. That is what good coaches do.

Matty V's article was very good and I think reflects some of the frustration on the board.  This year we can still make the NIT and if we catch lightening in a bottle maybe sneak into the NCAA (getting less likely). I hope we see the team that played SH & G-Town well this week.

[jutaw22mu]

Jeez...get a grip.

Ok smart guy, without being condescending, please explain what, from last night's game (besides the obvious that MH is a stud), gives you hope that MU basketball is going to improve in the future? Is it unreasonable to expect to finish in the top half of the conference?

[HoopsterBC]

Bingo! Great Players make teammates better, Luke's defense makes everyone worse.  He tries to switch and stay with the guard on high pick & rolls as his man rolls to the basket unguarded.  Hauser has to pick up Luke's man and leave his man wide open at the 3 Pt line.  What a mess, and the coach watches this happen every game.

The reason Luke does not get a rebound is that he is running around outside and getting out of position.  Do not like the double teaming program Wojo installed.
The problem for Luke is the other players are not quick enough to stay in front of there players.  Rowsey to small, Hauser not quick enough nor  have the ability to
block a shot,  Reinhardt is not a physical player, he is guard and really Cheatham and JJJ are guards as well.  No muscle,  or toughness except maybe
Heldt.  If he was asked to play 30 minutes, he probably at best make 15 and foul out.  The roster has a way to go.   Need to beat Hall and DePaul and really there
is no guarantee on that.  Even DePaul as some athletes.

[jutaw22mu]

Matty V's article was very good and I think reflects some of the frustration on the board.  This year we can still make the NIT and if we catch lightening in a bottle maybe sneak into the NCAA (getting less likely). I hope we see the team that played SH & G-Town well this week.

Me too. I really hope we can sneak into ncaas.  It's been forever since we were there.

[GGGG]

Ok smart guy, without being condescending, please explain what, from last night's game (besides the obvious that MH is a stud), gives you hope that MU basketball is going to improve in the future? Is it unreasonable to expect to finish in the top half of the conference?

Because we have young talent.  And don't tell me I can't mention the obvious.

After the last two games, you have come on here just ranting and raving.  I'm going to be condescending if that is all you come to do.

[Marcus92]

We only lost by 12 because of garbage time.  We really lost by like 25.

No, we really lost by 12. The final score was 93-81. That's a 12-point loss.

Yes, we got beat badly and never really threatened Villanova. But nobody keeps track of what the lost felt or looked like. It's the actual score that counts.

[jutaw22mu]

Because we have young talent.  And don't tell me I can't mention the obvious.

After the last two games, you have come on here just ranting and raving.  I'm going to be condescending if that is all you come to do.

You have been using a condescending tone to a lot of people on this board, not just me.  We all see the young talent and are excited about it.  I am sick of people coming up with excuses for why we are losing so atrociously.  Excuses are for losers.

[GGGG]

You have been using a condescending tone to a lot of people on this board, not just me.  We all see the young talent and are excited about it.  I am sick of people coming up with excuses for why we are losing so atrociously.  Excuses are for losers.

So are cliches. 

[jutaw22mu]

So are cliches.

Wrong

[GGGG]

Wrong

"Excuses are for losers" is a cliche.

There are *reasons* why basketball teams lose.  Many times those *reasons* are legitimate.  If you can't figure that out, I will continue to be condescending. 

[jutaw22mu]

"Excuses are for losers" is a cliche.

There are *reasons* why basketball teams lose.  Many times those *reasons* are legitimate.  If you can't figure that out, I will continue to be condescending.

Wrong.  If people continue to make excuses for why we lost, then we will not grow from it by focusing on what actually is wrong.  There are many reasons why teams lose but there is NEVER an excuse for why a team should be blown out. NEVER.

[GGGG]

Wrong.  If people continue to make excuses for why we lost, then we will not grow from it by focusing on what actually is wrong.  There are many reasons why teams lose but there is NEVER an excuse for why a team should be blown out. NEVER.

LOL.  There is nothing that Scoop can do to make Marquette basketball better on the court.  So I don't know why you are talking like we can help them grow.

And there is nothing fundamentally different than stating reasons why they lost and "focusing on what is wrong."  It's the same damn thing.

[BallBoy]

Ok smart guy, without being condescending, please explain what, from last night's game (besides the obvious that MH is a stud), gives you hope that MU basketball is going to improve in the future? Is it unreasonable to expect to finish in the top half of the conference?

Unreasonable no but also a stretch goal. Every year the team changes and new pieces have to come together. You can't trade for an starter or find a stud in free agency.  It takes time to turn over the roster so playin time becomes available to players.

I like JJJ but he is a two dimensional player. Defensive steals for faster break points and curl right for a jumper or drive to the hole. Better teams like Nova will expose that and JJJ will struggle and we get a game like last night. Could a light come on and he flips a switch? Sure but right now he hasn't so expectations are set on what he has done.

Fisher struggles defensive with foot speed which causes issues for everyone else but he is also our real only big other the Heldt, who needs to get his body under control and figure out his offense. Again past performance indicates Luke isn't going to get faster.

We lost our best player to the NBA last year but got better in other areas with Howard and Hauser.
My expectations for this year and every year are we should be better than the year before. I measure Wojo on that and so far he has done that.  If that changes my opinion of Wojo will change. Based on recruiting and coaching, I think Wojo is going in the right direction.  Could he use Buzz's or Al's personality? Absolutely but I think people judge him more by this and him being ex-Duke than other areas.

What gets me excited for the future is who our best players are today. Young. Howard, Hauser, and even Cheatum are at the top. I expect Howard, Hauser and Cheatum to be a better foundation then Luke, Wilson, and JJJ. Now Cheatum needs to develop his driving ability to more than left hand out of control to the hole.

[jutaw22mu]

Unreasonable no but also a stretch goal. Every year the team changes and new pieces have to come together. You can't trade for an starter or find a stud in free agency.  It takes time to turn over the roster so playin time becomes available to players.

I like JJJ but he is a two dimensional player. Defensive steals for faster break points and curl right for a jumper or drive to the hole. Better teams like Nova will expose that and JJJ will struggle and we get a game like last night. Could a light come on and he flips a switch? Sure but right now he hasn't so expectations are set on what he has done.

Fisher struggles defensive with foot speed which causes issues for everyone else but he is also our real only big other the Heldt, who needs to get his body under control and figure out his offense. Again past performance indicates Luke isn't going to get faster.

We lost our best player to the NBA last year but got better in other areas with Howard and Hauser.
My expectations for this year and every year are we should be better than the year before. I measure Wojo on that and so far he has done that.  If that changes my opinion of Wojo will change. Based on recruiting and coaching, I think Wojo is going in the right direction.  Could he use Buzz's or Al's personality? Absolutely but I think people judge him more by this and him being ex-Duke than other areas.

What gets me excited for the future is who our best players are today. Young. Howard, Hauser, and even Cheatum are at the top. I expect Howard, Hauser and Cheatum to be a better foundation then Luke, Wilson, and JJJ. Now Cheatum needs to develop his driving ability to more than left hand out of control to the hole.

Fair enough.  I agree with you that our young players will provide a strong foundation going forward. Would love to see Cheets work more on his driving to the right....he could be very potent. Two years from now, we will probably be on the other side of it.

I like how (unlike certain posters) Wojo did not give a litany of excuses after this loss; he acknowledged a lack of competitiveness from most of the team and took the blame for that. He's a winner.

[jutaw22mu]

LOL.  There is nothing that Scoop can do to make Marquette basketball better on the court.  So I don't know why you are talking like we can help them grow.

And there is nothing fundamentally different than stating reasons why they lost and "focusing on what is wrong."  It's the same damn thing.

LOL. Because I really expected Scoop to go work with players.

There are differences. For example, some people said that we lost because Nova is the defending National Chmapion and number 1 team in the country.  Horrible excuse. There is nothing MU can do to address that.

We all expected to lose but did anyone truly expect to lose the way we did? I didn't. Maybe if we were a D3 team one could expect that type of performance. Even DePaul, who we all think we are superior to, managed to play a competitive game with them. LOL.

[GGGG]

LOL. Because I really expected Scoop to go work with players.

There are differences. For example, some people said that we lost because Nova is the defending National Chmapion and number 1 team in the country.  Horrible excuse. There is nothing MU can do to address that.

We all expected to lose but did anyone truly expect to lose the way we did? I didn't. Maybe if we were a D3 team one could expect that type of performance. Even DePaul, who we all think we are superior to, managed to play a competitive game with them. LOL.

Right. Because if there is one sure thing it sports, it's the transitive property.

[BallBoy]

We all expected to lose but did anyone truly expect to lose the way we did? I didn't. Maybe if we were a D3 team one could expect that type of performance. Even DePaul, who we all think we are superior to, managed to play a competitive game with them. LOL.

I was not expecting this to be close nor was Vegas.  I thought going into the season MU would lose two to Nova by a lot. I expect the same with Xavier. Butler won't be as bad but I expect to lose both. I was hoping MU avoids bad losses and picks a few outliers. Based on last year, I thought Seton Hall would be better and I didn't think Georgetown would be as bad as they are. I projected MU to be around 8 to 9 Big East wins.

[TedBaxter]

LOL. Because I really expected Scoop to go work with players.

There are differences. For example, some people said that we lost because Nova is the defending National Chmapion and number 1 team in the country.  Horrible excuse. There is nothing MU can do to address that.

We all expected to lose but did anyone truly expect to lose the way we did? I didn't. Maybe if we were a D3 team one could expect that type of performance. Even DePaul, who we all think we are superior to, managed to play a competitive game with them. LOL.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/boxscore?gameId=400873214

National semi-final game last year.  Look at the shooting percentages and 5 of the 8 rotation players return to play last night.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/boxscore?gameId=400919662

First conference game THIS year and at Omaha. 

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Ran the numbers. Four factors were just weird to look at. Marquette's line is one that you would have expect to result in a win:

eFG%: 52.4% (a little below our season eFG% of 56.4%)
TO%: 18.4% (a little above our season TO% of 17.1%)
OR% 48.6% (absurdly high, best of the season by almost 10%)
FTR: 27% (a little below our season FTR of 29.5%)

Nova's four factors were absurd:
eFG%: 79.6%
TO%: 20.2%
OR%: 40%
FTR: 44.9%

It's not hard to see where the issues were. Defense is the main culprit. As Dr. B pointed out, worst D rating in the modern era. Most of this is on our inability to on ball defend, but some of this is on luck too. Nova shot 23% above their season average for threes. That's a combination of poor 3PT defense and luck.

We beat them on the glass but still gave up too many offensive boards. Another two missed FTs that resulted in ORs for Nova. That needs to be fixed, cardinal sin of basketball.

The last issue were the fouls. Refs had quick whistles and didn't seem to let MU get away with anything. Nova is second to last in the Big East at drawing fouls but they were getting all the calls last night.