Nova Thoughts

[mug644]

Homer said today he will graduate early, and it is likely that he will go pro be a grad transfer to UW, taking Happ's scholarship.

FIFY.

[WarriorFan]

- Great game, fun to watch
- Jay works the refs better than anyone and had them in his pocket
- Something is wrong with Sam.  No burst.
- If nothing is wrong with Sam, he needs more ball.
- We won the 2nd half.  Possibly the best half of ball we've played all year as well.
- I like this Froling. 
- Sacar!!!!!   This is what he must do every game.  10 points min, nothing more than 2 feet from the hoop.
- Hate to see it, but we now have good Marcus / Bad Marcus and Good Rowsey / Bad Rowsey.  hope both bads never turn up on the same day. 
- We lost to the #1 team in a close, hard fought game.  Life goes on!  Let's win the ones we're supposed to!

[cheese ball chaser]

FWIW, we moved up in kenpom today to 38.

Heh, look who's right below us

[murphmurphy]

Someone explain the free throw disparity? 9 of the 12 FTs for Marquette was from "the thing". So basvally 24-3 in FTs. Normally I write it off as too many 3 pointers but they shot similar numbers. That was over the back at the end and MU never got calls on their drives or finishes at rim. Irritating.

[murphmurphy]

That wasn't an over the back.

Yes, it was not an over-the-back, it was a thru-the-back.  The fact that the opposing player's arm went between Cain's arms if irrelevant.  Cain had position and was going up vertically and when the opposing player lunched toward Cain and his chest slammed into Cain's back and Cain went flying out of bounds and to the floor, THAT WAS A FOUL.

[#UnleashSean]

Btw for all the people calling it over the back.

That call does not exist. If a player is capable. They could jump right over the back and grab a ball land in front of them and put it back. No foul.

The foul is called a push. If you push a player out of position to grab a board it's a foul.

[MU82]

Btw for all the people calling it over the back.

That call does not exist. If a player is capable. They could jump right over the back and grab a ball land in front of them and put it back. No foul.

The foul is called a push. If you push a player out of position to grab a board it's a foul.

Correct. There is no such call as "over the back."

[Marcus92]

I disagree a bit about Sam. He was guarded closely the whole game, at times drawing a double team. And he still created offense with a team-leading 6 assists (including at least a couple amazing passes through traffic for easy layups). He played within the game. He defended, rebounded, even picked up a steal and a block.

Markus, on the other hand, tried to force things. At times, it seemed like he wasn't even looking for anyone else, when there were teammates open for better shots.

The real key to the game, though, was Marquette giving up 1.21 points per possession. Not good. Nova ran the fast break to perfection in the first half (many off misses by Markus) and took advantage of our switches. This team simply won't win many games giving up 85 points.

Overall, thought we played the #1 team in the country tough. Next up.

[DCHoopster]

I disagree a bit about Sam. He was guarded closely the whole game, at times drawing a double team. And he still created offense with a team-leading 6 assists (including at least a couple amazing passes through traffic for easy layups). He played within the game. He defended, rebounded, even picked up a steal and a block.

Markus, on the other hand, tried to force things. At times, it seemed like he wasn't even looking for anyone else, when there were teammates open for better shots.

The real key to the game, though, was Marquette giving up 1.21 points per possession. Not good. Nova ran the fast break to perfection in the first half (many off misses by Markus) and took advantage of our switches. This team simply won't win many games giving up 85 points.

Overall, thought we played the #1 team in the country tough. Next up.


Villy has more talent, MU played hard but seems to always come up on the short stick.  When Marcus is off, it really puts them in a bind.  He needs to be a better
learning what is a good shot vs. a bad shot.  Or passing to an open teammate.  Sam just understands the game better.  Next 2 years should be interesting with
9 players coming back and 3 already on campus.  NO excuse next year,  will see what type of coach MU has.  Plus most of the better teams have quality seniors,
Villy should lose Brunson and Bridges, Hall the team, Butler, 2 best players, Creighton the best 2 players, X 4 players,  Providence the team, so really the Big East
will be much easier and MU will have the most experience, should be Top 2 at worse.

[Stretchdeltsig]

Well fought game.  Thought we played hard against the best team in the country and came up only one true shy.  We are good.  Hope we can win out hereafter.

[Jay Bee]

Per KenPom, Nova’s minimum win probability was 73.7%.

We needed to get lucky in order to win and that didn’t happen

[GGGG]

Yes, it was not an over-the-back, it was a thru-the-back.  The fact that the opposing player's arm went between Cain's arms if irrelevant.  Cain had position and was going up vertically and when the opposing player lunched toward Cain and his chest slammed into Cain's back and Cain went flying out of bounds and to the floor, THAT WAS A FOUL.

He did not have position.  Watch it again.  He is lunging for the ball.

Not a foul.

[GGGG]

Btw for all the people calling it over the back.

That call does not exist. If a player is capable. They could jump right over the back and grab a ball land in front of them and put it back. No foul.

The foul is called a push. If you push a player out of position to grab a board it's a foul.

Correct.  That didn't happen though.

[mu03eng]

Yes, it was not an over-the-back, it was a thru-the-back.  The fact that the opposing player's arm went between Cain's arms if irrelevant.  Cain had position and was going up vertically and when the opposing player lunched toward Cain and his chest slammed into Cain's back and Cain went flying out of bounds and to the floor, THAT WAS A FOUL.

Sacar was fouled, Cain was not...especially late in the game like that. Cain made a freshman mistake, you have to find the man first then find the ball. If he was directly in front of Bridges and holding him off, it would have been a foul. However Cain was out of place to get the ball AND didn't have his body between Bridges and the hoop that would have drawn that foul. The tough part is we had 3 players there, if any one boxes out we get that ball and have a fighting chance to tie it up. C'est la vie.

[GGGG]

Sacar was fouled, Cain was not...especially late in the game like that. Cain made a freshman mistake, you have to find the man first then find the ball. If he was directly in front of Bridges and holding him off, it would have been a foul. However Cain was out of place to get the ball AND didn't have his body between Bridges and the hoop that would have drawn that foul. The tough part is we had 3 players there, if any one boxes out we get that ball and have a fighting chance to tie it up. C'est la vie.

Well stated.

[Dr. Blackheart]

He did not have position.  Watch it again.  He is lunging for the ball.

Not a foul.

What was that game last year when all of a sudden the refs decided to call MU for boxing out?  As the claim was that they were moving the defender backwards.  It was crazy, and we never did see a game called like that again since--either for or against us.

The point being, I think the we see such an inconsistency in that call over the past two years since this became an emphasis. In that game, that was a foul on Nova. In most games (and in our definition) it isn't a foul.

I think that is Wojo's frustration too.  Brunson gets every call, but Rowsey and Howard are consistently hand checked and body bumped with no call (my favorite yesterday was the turnover where Markus couldn't get to a pass as Brunson had him by the arm holding and the pass went out of bounds by Driscoll's feet who was so entirely out of position).

In the end, that was a good basketball play and non-call in my mind. Hard-nosed basketball. Yet, in other games, fans see that called so that is the cause of confusion.

[GGGG]

College basketball referees are terribly inconsistent from one game to the next.  That is the nature of their profession as self-employed vagabonds.  As Tall Titan pointed out, one of the refs did the Iowa at Nebraska game the day before.  Not much time for rest.

Until that changes, the refereeing will be hit and miss.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Nova did a great job rotating to Sam. The play where Rowsey/Howard run off three staggered screens and Sam pops to the corner was shutdown.  That play has been scouted and Villanova excuted how to stop it.  Sam's one made 3 was off the counter action where he runs to the weak corner.

Wojo needs to draw up something new to exploit the overplay on Sam. Maybe some new plays with Sam as the primary option and Rowsey or Howard as the secondary.

It is too bad this team lacks a dribble drive and kick game. No one can breakdown a defense, force help, and get the defense into rotation.  Sam, Markus, and Andrew could get more open looks if we did.

[tower912]

What was that game last year when all of a sudden the refs decided to call MU for boxing out?  As the claim was that they were moving the defender backwards.  It was crazy, and we never did see a game called like that again since--either for or against us.

The point being, I think the we see such an inconsistency in that call over the past two years since this became an emphasis. In that game, that was a foul on Nova. In most games (and in our definition) it isn't a foul.

I think that is Wojo's frustration too.  Brunson gets every call, but Rowsey and Howard are consistently hand checked and body bumped with no call (my favorite yesterday was the turnover where Markus couldn't get to a pass as Brunson had him by the arm holding and the pass went out of bounds by Driscoll's feet who was so entirely out of position).

In the end, that was a good basketball play and non-call in my mind. Hard-nosed basketball. Yet, in other games, fans see that called so that is the cause of confusion.

Saw that exact boxing out call in the UVA-Duke game.   

[mu03eng]

Nova did a great job rotating to Sam. The play where Rowsey/Howard run off three staggered screens and Sam pops to the corner was shutdown.  That play has been scouted and Villanova excuted how to stop it.  Sam's one made 3 was off the counter action where he runs to the weak corner.

Wojo needs to draw up something new to exploit the overplay on Sam. Maybe some new plays with Sam as the primary option and Rowsey or Howard as the secondary.

It is too bad this team lacks a dribble drive and kick game. No one can breakdown a defense, force help, and get the defense into rotation.  Sam, Markus, and Andrew could get more open looks if we did.

Well it doesn't help that when Howard does drive that he can't get fouls called. I think that's part of Wojo's frustration yesterday, Markus does the right thing and gets to the hoop but seems to be consistently on his ass at the end and at least some of them have to be fouls.

[tower912]

Well it doesn't help that when Howard does drive that he can't get fouls called. I think that's part of Wojo's frustration yesterday, Markus does the right thing and gets to the hoop but seems to be consistently on his ass at the end and at least some of them have to be fouls.

Who was it who was saying that Markus didn't get fouled at the end of the Providence game on a drive when there was a pretty good photo of the Friar defender hitting him in the head?    Funny now.    And no, Markus could not buy a call on his drives yesterday.   

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Well it doesn't help that when Howard does drive that he can't get fouls called. I think that's part of Wojo's frustration yesterday, Markus does the right thing and gets to the hoop but seems to be consistently on his ass at the end and at least some of them have to be fouls.

Unfortunately, short players don't get calls.

[ATL MU Warrior]

Who was it who was saying that Markus didn't get fouled at the end of the Providence game on a drive when there was a pretty good photo of the Friar defender hitting him in the head?    Funny now.    And no, Markus could not buy a call on his drives yesterday.

Because he shies away from contact.  He needs to do what Brunson does which is initiate the contact then take the shot.

[Marcus92]

It is too bad this team lacks a dribble drive and kick game. No one can breakdown a defense, force help, and get the defense into rotation.  Sam, Markus, and Andrew could get more open looks if we did.

I actually think Markus showed half of this ability yesterday. On a number of his drives into the lane, he drew attention and had an open teammate if only he was willing to pass. But he was looking to score first, whether he had a good shot or not. If he improves in this regard, he can take his game to the next level.

[MU82]

I actually think Markus showed half of this ability yesterday. On a number of his drives into the lane, he drew attention and had an open teammate if only he was willing to pass. But he was looking to score first, whether he had a good shot or not. If he improves in this regard, he can take his game to the next level.

I just commented on this in the Markus fouls thread.

Either he needs to develop that part of his game or he needs to not play PG next season. He reduces his NBA prospects significantly (if not entirely) if he cannot develop into a score-first PG who also is able to get teammates involved.