Xavier game thread

[Jockey]

Meh I don't think effort is the issue

Giving up 50+ at half. No defensive effort since opening tip.

[MUEng92]

On the bright side, my Valentine's Day shopping is DONE!

[D'Lo Brown]

They're far from our only defensive liabilities. And sorry but I'm not buying that we can't play D because we don't have guys who are capable of playing D

So you do think that Markus and Rowsey are capable of playing good defense?

[NickelDimer]

So you do think that Markus and Rowsey are capable of playing good defense?

Again they're not our only defensive liabilities. Do you think none of our players are capable of playing defense?

[skianth16]

How does one teach Rowsey and Markus to play good defense? Just curious. You all seem to know a secret that Wojo doesn't know.

FYI: they each play 31 minutes per game, meaning quite often they are on the court at the same time.

They're short, not paralyzed. Maurice Acker was a tiny human being compared to essentially all other DI players but was still able to play respectable defense. Plus, it's not like we just struggle to guard 1's and 2's under Wojo; we struggle to guard literally every spot on the floor. We continue to give up an obscene number of points game after game and just pray that we knock down enough threes to compete.

Our current personnel makes defensive scheming harder, but Wojo is just bad at it, regardless of who he's got on the team. He's had games where he figures it out, but he's very clearly a bad defensive coach right now.

[fjm]

On the bright side, my Valentine's Day shopping is DONE!

Ooooh! What did you get the significant other!?

[MUEng92]

Ahh, who am I kidding? I'd never have the guts to buy something from a place like that!

[skianth16]

So you do think that Markus and Rowsey are capable of playing good defense?

Yes. There have been plenty of guys of similar size and athleticism play much better defense than these two. Some of that may be on the players, but some of that has to be on the coach as well.

[MUEng92]

So Macura is owed at least one flop foul call a game and he just received it

[nyg]

Got bit of run, then another screen foul on a big man, three tonight.  Who teaches these guys? 

[skianth16]

What is wrong with our bigs today? Fouls on screens, fouls off the ball on defense, missed assignments... they had all been playing so much better in the last few weeks, and now it's like they've all regressed back to where they were to start the year.

[NickelDimer]

Howard finally gets a freaking call

[mayfairskatingrink]

C'mon, someone defend Wojo's defensive coaching ability!

[MUEng92]

And Rowsey is owed at least one inexplicably dumb pass a game and he just received (took) it

[NickelDimer]

Seriously Froling?!

[PGsHeroes32]

Gonna need Rowsey to start resembling a high major player again

[RideMyBuycks]

I don't have DVR at the hotel so I can't rewind, but it looked like Rowsey gave wojo a hip check on the way to the bench after his turnover. Anyone notice if it was intentional?

[MUEng92]

I'll just leave this link here. Seems fitting tonight.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/5414736/swearing-research-happier-healthier-intelligent-honest/

[nyg]

C'mon, someone defend Wojo's defensive coaching ability!

Its that hedge defense with big going out to foul line and not getting back.  Been burned many, many times tonight.  Kanter just did it three times in last two minutes. 

Oh well, Rowsey just yanked after that, wtf pass thing or something. 

[MUBigDance]

Whadda ya say... can we get to 10 down with 10 to go....and see what happens??

[Mr. Nielsen]

I don't have DVR at the hotel so I can't rewind, but it looked like Rowsey gave wojo a hip check on the way to the bench after his turnover. Anyone notice if it was intentional?

I saw it. Don't know if it was intentional.

[jesmu84]

Really?

Reaching the Sweet Sixteen this year?  Heck, yeah, I'll put money on it.

Oh. Shifting your goalposts now. Got it

[PGsHeroes32]

Whadda ya say... can we get to 10 down with 10 to go....and see what happens??

Highly unlikely

That requires multiple stops in a row and someone other then Markus scoring

[ATWizJr]

It's laughable that anyone thinks a Wojo coached team can reach the Sweet Sixteen.

The guy cannot coach defense.

no. Cannot recruit defense.

[mayfairskatingrink]

no. Cannot recruit defense.

You don't think this group of MU players would be better defensively with a different coach?