Did we win or did they lose?

[Marcus92]

Yes and he hates Todd Smith already, in a good way.  Todd and him are very close these days.  Lack of effort and motivation not an issue. Team has really welcomed him in.  He at Matt H spend significant time together.  Cam too.  Cam next to Harry is a really fun picture. 

Also Stan's and Wojo's phones lit up last night from messages from a lot of big time recruits.  Coach K also sent a message to Wojo.

Also any bets on which player once he got back to the AL, put his practice gear on and when into the gym?  He loved that the team won, but he knows he did not do his part. No putting his head down, but just back to work?  Only 17.

Love this post.

One more thing: that game probably did more to build fan support at Marquette than any single game since beating Kentucky to advance to the Final Four.

Those who were there, those who stormed the court, those who watched the spectacle on TV, will remember it for the rest of their lives. It was amazing, it was incredible (literally hard to believe), it was fun, it was maddening, it was exhilarating. Everything that makes college basketball so uniquely compelling.

We've still got over half the conference schedule left. Lots of basketball to be played. But moments like last night are truly special and can have a lasting impact on the program.

[RubyWiscy]

MU won the game. I was at the game and rewatched the last 8.30min when I got home. MU switched to a 1-3-1 zone that took Nova out of its offensive flow. They took some bad shots and MU played great defense. Wilson was a monster down that streatch. Reinhardt as well. Nova went into an offensive funk caused by MU's defense.

[MU82]

Why does it have to be one or the other?  We won. They lost. It amazes me how scoopers refuse to give our guys credit.  If we're way ahead and lose our lead to barely win (Seton Hall at home), they're terrible because they gave up the lead.  If we have a huge lead and lose (Butler), the sky is falling.  And if they are way down and come back to win (Villanova), it's nothing we did, it's because the other team collapsed.  How can you call yourself a fan?

Enjoy the win.  Enjoy the progress.  Enjoy the joy on the faces of players and students last night.  Remember that this win (and the one last Saturday) puts us in much better shape in the event that we lay and egg at DePaul, or St. John's, or Georgetown.  The probability that we are dancing this year is getting progressively better.  I'm sorry if it ruins your narrative that Wojo sucks and has to go.  Find somewhere else to qvetch.

Great post.

This goes to the dopes who were claiming Wojo had no good wins heading into this season because Wisconsin, Providence, the Brooklyn tourney, Creighton, Butler all somehow "didn't count."

These dopey mopes were just waiting for the opportunity to trash the Creighton win - had Nova blown us out, the "no Watson" rip-job was coming - but now they'll have to bide their time for a while before they can rise up and bee-yotch again.

It's a shame that some folks can't enjoy life and are always looking for the next calamity. One dubious Scooper even admitted he had no life other than MU hoops so he gets overly wrapped-up in it. When he said that, I didn't know whether to hug him or tell him to eff himself.

[Loose Cannon]

I'll answer: Nova lost that game, just like MU has lost many games where we're up 10-15 points and suddenly the engines turn off and either we can't score, or we can't get a stop .. 5 minutes later it's tied and MU looks completely lost after being so dominant.

Repeat last night's game 10 times, I think Nova wins 8 of them.

But .. a W is a W, man.  Sometimes you get the bear, sometimes the bear gets you.

Feels Like an Edge.

[warriorchick]

Great post.

This goes to the dopes who were claiming Wojo had no good wins heading into this season because Wisconsin, Providence, the Brooklyn tourney, Creighton, Butler all somehow "didn't count."

These dopey mopes were just waiting for the opportunity to trash the Creighton win - had Nova blown us out, the "no Watson" rip-job was coming - but now they'll have to bide their time for a while before they can rise up and bee-yotch again.

It's a shame that some folks can't enjoy life and are always looking for the next calamity. One dubious Scooper even admitted he had no life other than MU hoops so he gets overly wrapped-up in it. When he said that, I didn't know whether to hug him or tell him to eff himself.

Some people aren't happy unless they are miserable. And unfortunately, Scoop seems to have a disproportionate number of those folks.

[MerrittsMustache]

Some people aren't happy unless they are miserable. And unfortunately, Scoop seems to have a disproportionate number of those folks.

It's much easier to complain about what should have happened than it is to give props for what actually happened.

I also think that there are a lot of fans who had written off Wojo and don't want to admit that maybe, just maybe, the guy isn't so bad after all.

[StillAWarrior]

Both

Exactly.  It's sports.  It's how things work.  One could just as easily ask, "when Villanova had the 15 point lead, were they winning?  Or was Marquette blowing it big time?"

It's how these things work.  Teams go through periods of playing well and playing badly.  When the clock hits zero, one team is ahead.  That team is the winner.  The other team is the loser.  It's as simple as that.

[StillAWarrior]

...those who watched the spectacle on TV, will remember it for the rest of their lives. It was amazing, it was incredible (literally hard to believe), it was fun, it was maddening, it was exhilarating. Everything that makes college basketball so uniquely compelling.

I watched the post-game several times, and showed it to my wife and daughters when they got home.  It was absolutely amazing to see the court completely full and everyone celebrating.  Great win.

[MU82]

I watched the post-game several times, and showed it to my wife and daughters when they got home.  It was absolutely amazing to see the court completely full and everyone celebrating.  Great win.

As I've said in other threads, I'm not much of a storm-the-court proponent. But I admit it was a blast to watch, and I too have watched it several times. I plead guilty to being a homer!

[Pakuni]

Yes, Marquette won. And yes, Villanova lost.
Shouldn't that have been obvious from the final score?

[Carl Spackler]

Awesome win! But fair question. We were pretty bad for 33 minutes. A miracle that we pulled it out. We are Marquette!

Yes - pretty bad, but only down 13 or so.  we never had the terrible drought that could have taken it to 20 and thus over.  we stayed within striking distance and then hit a run. 

[fjm]

Wooooo!
Thy added a 1 in the win column! Over the number 1 team in the country! And you choose to post something salty about how nova lost instead.

[UticaBusBarn]

Not trying to diminish this great win. I was wondering in games like this did Nova blow it big time or was it our defense that got us back in the game. Same for the Pitt and Butler games. Did we blow it or were they the better team? I for one have no idea why we won that game. It seems like they got just about every loose ball, rebound and our FT shooting was just awful. By my "eye test" of the game they just got cold and we got hot.

Is the glass half-full, or half-empty? It cannot be both. It appears to me to be half-full and should be topped off.

[fjm]

Yes and he hates Todd Smith already, in a good way.  Todd and him are very close these days.  Lack of effort and motivation not an issue. Team has really welcomed him in.  He at Matt H spend significant time together.  Cam too.  Cam next to Harry is a really fun picture. 

Also Stan's and Wojo's phones lit up last night from messages from a lot of big time recruits.  Coach K also sent a message to Wojo.

Also any bets on which player once he got back to the AL, put his practice gear on and when into the gym?  He loved that the team won, but he knows he did not do his part. No putting his head down, but just back to work?  Only 17.

Just awesome. Howard knows he is still a freshman. What an impressive kid!

Glad to hear about the recruits talking to the coaches. Good on Wojo!

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

I didnt understand this when we played Davidson nor now.  Boys played the best they could with the hand dealt to them - sure both teams impacted the outcome.

[MDMU04]

Who cares? It ain't a beauty contest. Put it in the W column and get the next one on Saturday.

Would you rather they didn't take advantage of Villanova not adjusting to the 1-3-1 and going cold over the final 8 minutes of the game? Just pack it up and go home?

Lamenting the circumstances behind the outcome when you beat the #1 team in the country is ridiculous.

[muwarrior69]

Who cares? It ain't a beauty contest. Put it in the W column and get the next one on Saturday.

Would you rather they didn't take advantage of Villanova not adjusting to the 1-3-1 and going cold over the final 8 minutes of the game? Just pack it up and go home?

Lamenting the circumstances behind the outcome when you beat the #1 team in the country is ridiculous.

Who is lamenting? I just asked a question and some folks are calling me a debbie downer. After those losses to Pitt and Butler quite a few folks were complaining about: how could we have blown such a big lead. In other words we lost the game, not that the other team was good enough to come from behind and win.

That said I am just as thrilled as anyone that we won.

[bilsu]

I found the whole game amazing. Villanova really physically dominated us in this game. They were stronger, quicker and more athletic. Yet, in spite of this our team never quit and proved that they are real warriors.

[frozena pizza]

Leaving aside the fact that this question doesn't really make sense in a zero sum game like basketball (whereas it would in a sport like golf), it didn't feel to me like Nova choked this one away.  We switched up our defense and hit some key shots where they did not.

[Mr. Sand-Knit]

Ok ok, given the author enough grief...valedictorian thing funny.

But legit question....and he had the answer...nova cold and we were hot. But more than that...consistent thru the second half. Did not get down when bad calls and missed free throws. Kept banging away at that 11-ish lead all half.

Saying we were hot is a disservice.

As I think of it, MU deserves some props for some very nice basketball.

And yes nova was cold. They were chucking 3s and should have went inside when they missed about their 5th one in a row.

They are better than us ... I don't forget that. Meet again in the BET we will be a serious underdog.

But this time we won. And that's forever.

Yep me likey n 100% agree.  All credit to players n coaches for not getting down or letting off.  Were down 15-4 to start n were down 11 with about 5 to go.  Pretty or not we played evenly with them for 30 mins.  They won the first 5, we won the last 5.  Happy for thise guys n the coaching staff.  Happy for my son, hes had some bad years as an mu student for mu bball.

[Mr. Sand-Knit]

Yes and he hates Todd Smith already, in a good way.  Todd and him are very close these days.  Lack of effort and motivation not an issue. Team has really welcomed him in.  He at Matt H spend significant time together.  Cam too.  Cam next to Harry is a really fun picture. 

Also Stan's and Wojo's phones lit up last night from messages from a lot of big time recruits.  Coach K also sent a message to Wojo.

Also any bets on which player once he got back to the AL, put his practice gear on and when into the gym?  He loved that the team won, but he knows he did not do his part. No putting his head down, but just back to work?  Only 17.

Fisher on layups and fts?

[Mr. Sand-Knit]

Awesome win! But fair question. We were pretty bad for 33 minutes. A miracle that we pulled it out. We are Marquette!

100% disagree

Down 11 5 mins in
Down 11 5 mins to go

Translation went toe to toe with #1 for 30 mins then beat them in the last 5
First 5 brutal tho... Great teams dont come out like that.

[Dr. Blackheart]

I think the energy of the crowd deserves some attribution.  The team got very charged up on defense and Nova got the shakes when the crowd amped up.

[warriorchick]

Fisher on layups and fts?

Again with the negative crap...I hope you aren't this critical of your  SO (if you have one).

[TSmith34, Inc.]

Fisher on layups and fts?

C'mon mods