Joey Hauser Enrolling this Semester to MU

[Silkk the Shaka]

Objectively speaking do you think a 22-11 team tied for 6th in the BE with 4 wins against NCAA teams and 2 decent wins against NIT teams gets left out? I do.

we'll never know but I'm just pointing out billy Garrett misses a free throw and we don't choke against Belmont it's a different tune about Henry's year.

Totally agree. The fact that those were home losses too, that really hurt the resume.

[Lennys Tap]

Objectively speaking do you think a 22-11 team tied for 6th in the BE with 4 wins against NCAA teams and 2 decent wins against NIT teams gets left out? I don't

we'll never know but I'm just pointing out billy Garrett misses a free throw and we don't choke against Belmont it's a different tune about Henry's year.

Here's the truth about that team - it was one of the luckiest teams in NCAA history. Here's a summary of our 13 closest games:

LSU            W by 1
Providence  W by 1
Georgetown W by 1
De Paul        L  by 1
UW              W by 2
Belmont        L  by 3
IUPI              W by 4 (OT)
St Johns        W by 5
Providence     W by 5 (OT)
ASU               W by 5
Creighton       W by 5
St Johns         W by 6
Butler             W by 6

So, 13 games within 6 points and our record was 11-2. 2 Overtimes games, 2-0. So could we have made the NIT if we had gone 13-0 in close games? Maybe. but we weren't very good and didn't belong anywhere near the NCAA tournament. How bad were we? Pomeroy had us ranked 97th. One year earlier (with a 13-19 record) we were ranked 93rd.

[IrwinFletcher]

Best wins were at #32 Providence and at #32 Bucky.  Hardly an earth shattering resume.

[brewcity77]

Objectively speaking do you think a 22-11 team tied for 6th in the BE with 4 wins against NCAA teams and 2 decent wins against NIT teams gets left out? I don't

we'll never know but I'm just pointing out billy Garrett misses a free throw and we don't choke against Belmont it's a different tune about Henry's year.

As you say, we'll never know. Two more wins would've had us right on the bubble. The lowest at-large high-major RPI was Vandy's 71. As I recall, we would've been a bit lower (maybe 80 or so) had we won those two. Our NCSOS was in the 340s, which was a killer. We would've at least been a high NIT seed and been in the discussion for one of those last bids.

Vandy had 3 wins over NCAA teams, though their two best (Kentucky & TAMU) were better than any of ours and another 4 over NIT teams (twice over Florida). Finished 3rd in a 3-bid SEC. Michigan is another that was on the cut-line, they had a 58 RPI, 4 NCAA wins, and no losses to teams outside the postseason (other than SMU who was banned but would've been a NCAA lock).

Now had we won those two and the Creighton game when we had the lead and the ball with under 2:00 to play (and had two chances to take the lead or tie in the final minute) we would've certainly been in.

[Galway Eagle]

As you say, we'll never know. Two more wins would've had us right on the bubble. The lowest at-large high-major RPI was Vandy's 71. As I recall, we would've been a bit lower (maybe 80 or so) had we won those two. Our NCSOS was in the 340s, which was a killer. We would've at least been a high NIT seed and been in the discussion for one of those last bids.

Vandy had 3 wins over NCAA teams, though their two best (Kentucky & TAMU) were better than any of ours and another 4 over NIT teams (twice over Florida). Finished 3rd in a 3-bid SEC. Michigan is another that was on the cut-line, they had a 58 RPI, 4 NCAA wins, and no losses to teams outside the postseason (other than SMU who was banned but would've been a NCAA lock).

Now had we won those two and the Creighton game when we had the lead and the ball with under 2:00 to play (and had two chances to take the lead or tie in the final minute) we would've certainly been in.

Very good points. All I'm trying to say regarding this is that with 20 wins we act as though that season matched the season before and he made our rebuild longer etc but a couple bounces the other way and we're singing Henry and Wojo's praises for getting that team in.

[Golden Avalanche]

Here's the truth about that team - it was one of the luckiest teams in NCAA history. Here's a summary of our 13 closest games:

LSU            W by 1
Providence  W by 1
Georgetown W by 1
De Paul        L  by 1
UW              W by 2
Belmont        L  by 3
IUPI              W by 4 (OT)
St Johns        W by 5
Providence     W by 5 (OT)
ASU               W by 5
Creighton       W by 5
St Johns         W by 6
Butler             W by 6

So, 13 games within 6 points and our record was 11-2. 2 Overtimes games, 2-0. So could we have made the NIT if we had gone 13-0 in close games? Maybe. but we weren't very good and didn't belong anywhere near the NCAA tournament. How bad were we? Pomeroy had us ranked 97th. One year earlier (with a 13-19 record) we were ranked 93rd.

If a Senior-laden team won close games like that, many here and in the media would compliment the grit shown by an "experienced" group of players who "never get rattled by the end of game situations".

But flip the agenda and its called "lucky" that those games were won by Marquette.

[Dr. Blackheart]

This sounds like the plot of a made-for-TV movie:

All About Sam

The first 15 minutes goes into exactly what happened: Bo telling Sam to wait, Sam going to Marquette, and all that followed during Sam's freshman year.

The next 15 minutes tells how a freshman Sam helped the Badgers.

The next 15 minutes advances the story, with Sam now a sophomore and Marquette getting the commitment from Joey.

The next 15 minutes advances the Sam-to-UW story, with Joey following him there.

Etc, etc., until Sam caps his senior season (and Joey's soph campaign) by cutting down the nets at the Final Four while wearing Marquette blue and gold.

Flash to the Grinch drooling on himself and muttering, "The massage wasn't worth it! The massage wasn't worth it!"

I'd like to thank my great cast and crew, my talented director, my lovely wife, and all the little people who believed in me!

Who is playing you?

[brewcity77]

Very good points. All I'm trying to say regarding this is that with 20 wins we act as though that season matched the season before and he made our rebuild longer etc but a couple bounces the other way and we're singing Henry and Wojo's praises for getting that team in.

Absolutely. I understand the "Henry set us back" argument in that it may have cost us both Gabe Levin and Kyle Washington, as well as changed how some recruits looked at opportunities here. That said, we also were able to show that if you come to Marquette, you can be showcased and drafted in the top-20. Might that be paying dividends with guys like Morrow and Joey? Even to a lesser extent players like Howard who saw that Wojo will adjust his offense to showcase spectacular talents (we went from heavily guard-oriented to forward oriented in those first two years).

Obviously there's no replaying the past, but as we're set up now, we should be very competitive the next 2-3 years and the classes are fairly well balanced so there will still be talent when the 2020 class departs. Hard to gripe too much about a 5-star that gave us so many great moments considering what the next few years look like on paper.

[Herman Cain]

Absolutely. I understand the "Henry set us back" argument in that it may have cost us both Gabe Levin and Kyle Washington, as well as changed how some recruits looked at opportunities here. That said, we also were able to show that if you come to Marquette, you can be showcased and drafted in the top-20. Might that be paying dividends with guys like Morrow and Joey? Even to a lesser extent players like Howard who saw that Wojo will adjust his offense to showcase spectacular talents (we went from heavily guard-oriented to forward oriented in those first two years).

Obviously there's no replaying the past, but as we're set up now, we should be very competitive the next 2-3 years and the classes are fairly well balanced so there will still be talent when the 2020 class departs. Hard to gripe too much about a 5-star that gave us so many great moments considering what the next few years look like on paper.

The showcasing and being drafted argument is valid. The value of Henry  was that he extended the Marquette chain of NBA talent into the Wojo Era. This helps in getting us on the radar of top level talent who have those aspirations. The 20 wins that year  also helped us escape from the notion of being in a rebuild ( other than Mr. Dodds who says we are still rebuilding). Henry was essential in getting those victories.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

We are still rebuilding. The goal isn't to be a team that has a good chance of making the tournament. Until we return to being ranked regularly and competing for top 4 seeds,  we are rebuilding IMHO. Nothing wrong with that. It just means we're on an upward trajectory.

[#UnleashSean]

The showcasing and being drafted argument is valid. The value of Henry  was that he extended the Marquette chain of NBA talent into the Wojo Era. This helps in getting us on the radar of top level talent who have those aspirations. The 20 wins that year  also helped us escape from the notion of being in a rebuild ( other than Mr. Dodds who says we are still rebuilding). Henry was essential in getting those victories.

I really really hope we are still rebuilding. If being an unranked bubble team isn't rebuild mode I'm scared for the future.

[Tha Hound]

Yes this is, in my eyes, the last year of the rebuild. If we are not consistently ranked (or just outside the top 25) next year I will begin to worry, but everything we are seeing thus far is pointing in the right direction.

[brewcity77]

Yes this is, in my eyes, the last year of the rebuild. If we are not consistently ranked (or just outside the top 25) next year I will begin to worry, but everything we are seeing thus far is pointing in the right direction.

I look at next year as the last year of the rebuild. It's the last of the "five years to judge" mantra and will have his first class of recruits (well...Heldt) as seniors. It should show us some of the rebuilding results, but I think once we get past that we're fully out of rebuild mode.

[Dr. Blackheart]

I look at next year as the last year of the rebuild. It's the last of the "five years to judge" mantra and will have his first class of recruits (well...Heldt) as seniors. It should show us some of the rebuilding results, but I think once we get past that we're fully out of rebuild mode.

I view this as Year 2 of the rebuild.  First two years were mostly wasted as I have mentioned in the past.  Matt and Sacar are the only two left (I guess one could argue Andrew), but are they building blocks? 

Next year will be fun if we get a great senior transfer PG. If not, the following year will be the "it" year.

[MUDPT]

I ran the simulator through Teamcast on T-rank

By beating Belmont and DePaul, we went from the 26th team not in to the 19th.

http://barttorvik.com/teamcast.php?rank=85&team=Marquette&year=2016&bracket=1&BelmontMarquette11-13=W&IUPUIMarquette11-16=A&IowaMarquette11-19=A&LSUMarquette11-23=A&MarquetteArizona_St_11-24=A&Jackson_St_Marquette11-29=A&Grambling_St_Marquette12-2=A&MaineMarquette12-5=A&San_Jose_St_Marquette12-8=A&MarquetteWisconsin12-12=A&Chicago_St_Marquette12-21=A&PresbyterianMarquette12-27=A&Seton_HallMarquette12-30=A&MarquetteGeorgetown1-2=A&MarquetteProvidence1-5=A&St__John_sMarquette1-9=A&MarquetteVillanova1-13=A&XavierMarquette1-16=A&DePaulMarquette1-20=W&MarquetteSt__John_s1-24=A&StetsonMarquette1-27=A&ButlerMarquette1-30=A&MarquetteSeton_Hall2-3=A&MarquetteXavier2-6=A&ProvidenceMarquette2-10=A&CreightonMarquette2-13=A&MarquetteDePaul2-20=A&MarquetteCreighton2-24=A&VillanovaMarquette2-27=A&GeorgetownMarquette3-1=A&MarquetteButler3-5=A&St__John_sMarquette3-9=A&MarquetteXavier3-10=A&x1_type=&x1_loc=&x1_team=&x1_res=&x2_type=&x2_loc=&x2_team=&x2_res=&x3_type=&x3_loc=&x3_team=&x3_res=&x4_type=&x4_loc=&x4_team=&x4_res=&x5_type=&x5_loc=&x5_team=&x5_res=

[wadesworld]

Yeah we weren't really even remotely close to the bubble. Heck, we missed the NIT. I don't think 1 bad home win and 1 "meh" home win changed our NCAA Tournament outlook.

[Lennys Tap]

If a Senior-laden team won close games like that, many here and in the media would compliment the grit shown by an "experienced" group of players who "never get rattled by the end of game situations".

But flip the agenda and its called "lucky" that those games were won by Marquette.

Tell all this nonsense about an "agenda" to Pomeroy or Sagerin. To win 20 in a power 6 conference yet barely make their top 100 a team needs two things - good luck and an easy schedule. That #97 Marquette team had both in spades.

[Dawson Rental]

He enrolled at UNC?

Bing! Bing! Bing!