Butler thoughts

[GoldenDieners32]

Bring out the white tees

[Jay Bee]

Some thoughts:
1) time to limit the exposure with Howard and Rowsey on the floor together.  Maybe 10 minutes per game.  They both are weak defenders, and neither is a great ball-handler/floor general. 
2) Elliott seems the best of the guards at driving and distributing.  Maybe he needs a few more minutes, and to run more of a true point. 
3) I don't mind the post attempts with Hauser early.  I think the game plan was for him to make a few, then Butler collapses on him allowing him to kick for open 3's. 
4) Heldt should start, he's more physical. 
5) maybe this team is too slow for man to man defense, and needs to mix in more zone.  Hauser is slow for a 4, Heldt and Froling are slow.  Rowsey and Howard allow too many guys to drive past them.  Our best defenders are Heldt, Elliot, Anim, and John, with Hauser getting honorable mention because he's often guarding guys physically bigger/stronger than himself.

1) Then their max is an average of 25 mpg. That's a horrible game plan.
2) Elliott's assist rate is 12.7%; turnover rate is over 20%. And by the eye test, no, crazy suggetsion.
3) I'm fine with it. We're lucky he wasn't called for the arm.
4) No. Froling should.
5) Bad strategy.

IMO.

[The Lens]

Also, Buzz took all of his recruits with him and left us with a dumpster fire. His team *should* be better than us. There's plenty of basketball left to be played before the tournament.

Per Luke Wynn of SI we had the most (9) RSCI Top 100 recruits on last year's team.  That was more than 4 contending BE teams combined. I don't think Buzz killed us like you think he did.

[cheese ball chaser]

Per Luke Wynn of SI we had the most (9) RSCI Top 100 recruits last year.  I don't think Buzz killed us like you think he did.

I'm not going to look up the list of everyone who followed Buzz to VT, but in his last year at MU we were 17-15 and subsequently graduated 4 seniors from our roster. Just look at what Buzz inherited when be took over at MU vs what Wojo inherited.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

WOOOOOOF

That was my first game at the Bradley Center this year. Walking out, I honestly couldn't think of a time where I had witnessed a worse  beating in that building.

This is the first time all season where my confidence has been shaken. I came into the season expecting to either make the NCAAs by the skin of our teeth or to be a high seed in the NIT. But almost every game to this point has made me more confident that we would end up on the right side of the bubble. This one...nothing went right. This was a team playing at it's absolute floor. It's the kind of loss that can make you question how good your team really is.

But in the end, it is only one game. As others have said it doesn't matter if you lose by 1 or 100. Tomorrow is another day. I know us college basketball fans are in the "what have you done for me lately crowd" but this is the same team that hung with #1 Villanova till the very end a few days ago. This is the same team that demolished Seton Hall by 20. This is the same team that handed Bucky their 2nd worst home less in program history (looking less impressive every day). Tonight, we were our worst selves on the court. On Saturday, we could be our best.

As demoralizing as this loss was, nothing has changed. 6-2 to lock up a bid and 5-3 to have a good shot at one. We're getting to a favorable part of our schedule so this is very doable. Last year it seemed like we were done after a garbage Georgetown team whooped us by 18. We went on to win 4 of 5 to make the dance with room to spare.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

What would make me optimistic is that this game makes the team play with more intensity the rest of the way (each game).  What would make me pessimistic about the future is status quo the rest of the way.  Team needs be prepared and execute with so much more intensity. 

The secone time through the BEast is always harder than the first. 

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Does this team have chemistry problems? I have zero insight but I'm not sure they all enjoy playing with each other. These guards are great individual players but don't get others involved AT ALL. That can get old quick.

Obviously plenty of blame to go around though.

Putrid game. Just putrid.

[dgies9156]

Does this team have chemistry problems?
Putrid game. Just putrid.

I've been wondering about this in recent weeks.

We've got talent, but we're a middle of the pack team until we learn to play as a team. I missed last night's game (thank God) and it was not on television in South Florida so I cannot speak to what caused the dumpster fire, but I have watched all too many games where we're down to less than 10 seconds on the shot clock and someone jacks up a shot in hopes something will fall.

It seems to me we should have beaten Butler, probably twice this year. We're generally not tough enough and whether we win or not depends on shootings 3s. The rest of the conference is getting smart to us and plays tight perimeter defense. They'll give up a 2 to keep Rowsey, Howard and Hauser from garroting them from outside.

[tower912]

After sleeping on it to calm down.....
From a coaching perspective, that was very Crean-esque.   When punched in the mouth, there was no plan b.  Part of that is roster make up and lack of depth and experience.  I remember debating whether Creans inability to adjust in game when things were going off the rails was due to a lack of options or a coaching inadequacy.  History has gone on to show the answer was 'both'.
    So the question about last night and going forward is this.  Is it roster or coaching, scheme or execution?    For now, I am going to default to 9 players, 7 of whom are freshmen and sophomores.   But I used to say that about Crean, too, until I came to believe at the end that he lacked the ability to improve as a coach. 

[nyg]

After sleeping on it to calm down.....
From a coaching perspective, that was very Crean-esque.   When punched in the mouth, there was no plan b.  Part of that is roster make up and lack of depth and experience.  I remember debating whether Creans inability to adjust in game when things were going off the rails was due to a lack of options or a coaching inadequacy.  History has gone on to show the answer was 'both'.
    So the question about last night and going forward is this.  Is it roster or coaching, scheme or execution?    For now, I am going to default to 9 players, 7 of whom are freshmen and sophomores.   But I used to say that about Crean, too, until I came to believe at the end that he lacked the ability to improve as a coach.

Young, inexperienced, yes, but this is last year of that.
Add Morrow and a high tier grad PG transfer and they are in business.  I guess....

Adjustments are required during game and I don't really know if Wojo does that properly.  The defense adjustments have to be changed somehow, somewhere and maybe that can be a change in the assistant coaching ranks.  Bring in an experienced defensive assistant, who can implement a new scheme because the current one is just not happening.  Yes, I realize some will say, its the players who execute, but good grief some adjustment after four years is need.

The real surprise was late in half and Howard like tweaked his foot/knee and MU was down 25.  No subbing out for Howard was kind of strange and maybe he should of been pulled.  At this point Wojo had given up, was sitting down just giving death stares to the players.

[jsglow]

I don't know what the answer is but I will say that this is the first time we walked out at the under 8 timeout since the Missou disaster.

100% unwatchable.  Sure makes me excited for all the NMD festivities. (I didn't need teal, did I?) That said, I'm always happy to see friends, etc.

Chick and I did enjoy the beer garden gathering.  You know who you are.   

[Wade for President]

For the first time in a very, very long time, I actually stopped watching

I too turned off the tv with about 10 min to go in the second half.  My wife (Purdue grad) looked at me concerned, and possibly scared for her life.  I can count on a few fingers how many times I've done that in the last 20 years (Kansas Final Four game stands out).

Disgusted.  Embarrassed.  Confused.

[jsglow]

After sleeping on it to calm down.....
From a coaching perspective, that was very Crean-esque.   When punched in the mouth, there was no plan b.  Part of that is roster make up and lack of depth and experience.  I remember debating whether Creans inability to adjust in game when things were going off the rails was due to a lack of options or a coaching inadequacy.  History has gone on to show the answer was 'both'.
    So the question about last night and going forward is this.  Is it roster or coaching, scheme or execution?    For now, I am going to default to 9 players, 7 of whom are freshmen and sophomores.   But I used to say that about Crean, too, until I came to believe at the end that he lacked the ability to improve as a coach.

You know what?  When the ref was hollering at Wojo about being out of the coaching box with about 12 minutes to go he should have taken a double T and walked out.  Back in the locker room he could have planned the midnight sprints until everyone puked.  For those too young, that's exactly what Al would have done.  You think I'm kidding?  There's an infamous DePaul game at old Alumni Hall where that essentially happened.

[mu_hilltopper]

  Back in the locker room he could have planned the midnight sprints until everyone puked.  For those too young, that's exactly what Al would have done. 

That might be a good idea.  Although if that happened, this morning we might be discussing the 2-3-4 players who are newly transferring.

[NickelDimer]

After sleeping on it to calm down.....
From a coaching perspective, that was very Crean-esque.   When punched in the mouth, there was no plan b.  Part of that is roster make up and lack of depth and experience.  I remember debating whether Creans inability to adjust in game when things were going off the rails was due to a lack of options or a coaching inadequacy.  History has gone on to show the answer was 'both'.
    So the question about last night and going forward is this.  Is it roster or coaching, scheme or execution?    For now, I am going to default to 9 players, 7 of whom are freshmen and sophomores.   But I used to say that about Crean, too, until I came to believe at the end that he lacked the ability to improve as a coach.

The fact that the jury is still very much out on just how good of a coach Wojo is is very alarming

[jsglow]

That might be a good idea.  Although if that happened, this morning we might be discussing the 2-3-4 players who are newly transferring.

Understand.  But the total lack of any discipline on this team is alarming.

[GGGG]

BE teams have figured MU out.  Never give help on the inside.  Ever.  Because NO ONE can score down there with any consistency.  Sure teams will live with the occasional Sacar drive or the Sam turn around.  But you don't give up the three.  And if Markus or Rowsey drive, you collapse on them because they are so small.

Literally NO ONE outside Sacar can take it to the basket with any authority.  Jamal and Elliott are not bulky enough. The other guards are midgets.  Everyone else is too slow.  And even Sacar has vast limitations. 

We've gone from teams obsessed with paint touches but who can't shoot, to teams who only can shoot but whose best interior option is a pu$$y a$$ floater from a 5'11" guard.

That was the most disappointing loss of the Wojo era and really does give me all sorts of concerns about the future regardless of who is showing up next year.

[NickelDimer]

Understand.  But the total lack of any discipline on this team is alarming.

Maybe it's Wojo who should be running midnight sprints?

[MerrittsMustache]

Marquette can shoot the lights out from deep. If an opposing team is able to take that away and/or MU's shots aren't falling, they have nothing else.

Markus has been driving more, but he's still 5'10" and doesn't look to dish. Rowsey (also 5'10") is the only other guy who can consistently get his own shot...and some of the shots he gets are not ideal. MU shoots FTs incredibly well, but they're in the bottom 25% in all of college basketball at actually getting to the line. They don't rebound particularly well. They can't defend at all. There's no real post threat offensively. There's an obvious strength - and that strength is about as strong as any team's in the country - but they really have nothing else to fall back on if that's not working.

[The Lens]

Maybe it's Wojo who should be running midnight sprints?

Can't have the coaches run Midnight sprints, it would screw up their Noon Ball game. 

[jsglow]

BE teams have figured MU out.  Never give help on the inside.  Ever.  Because NO ONE can score down there with any consistency.  Sure teams will live with the occasional Sacar drive or the Sam turn around.  But you don't give up the three.  And if Markus or Rowsey drive, you collapse on them because they are so small.

Literally NO ONE outside Sacar can take it to the basket with any authority.  Jamal and Elliott are not bulky enough. The other guards are midgets.  Everyone else is too slow.  And even Sacar has vast limitations. 

We've gone from teams obsessed with paint touches but who can't shoot, to teams who only can shoot but whose best interior option is a pu$$y a$$ floater from a 5'11" guard.

That was the most disappointing loss of the Wojo era and really does give me all sorts of concerns about the future regardless of who is showing up next year.

100% agree.  We've been figured out.  Teams can be coached to stop us.  And we can't stop anyone.

[skianth16]

That might be a good idea.  Although if that happened, this morning we might be discussing the 2-3-4 players who are newly transferring.

I'm guessing we'll lose a guy or two this offseason, even without added punishments. It could be a bad coincidence, but Wojo has lost key guys between seasons a little too regularly for my liking. Given the projected roster for next year, I can see Greg or Jamal wanting to leave for greener pastures. I could even see Theo jumping ship with Morrow being projected to get a lot of minutes. I hope the potential to be a very good team keeps guys around, but I'm not holding my breath.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

And if Markus or Rowsey drive, you collapse on them because they are so small.

It's not because they're small it's because they don't pass to anybody...ever.

For all the bellyaching we seem to do when one of our guards finds himself on the floor desperately listening for a whistle, these guys could drop the ball off to a teammate for a layup or dunk.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

BE teams have figured MU out.  Never give help on the inside.  Ever.  Because NO ONE can score down there with any consistency.  Sure teams will live with the occasional Sacar drive or the Sam turn around.  But you don't give up the three.  And if Markus or Rowsey drive, you collapse on them because they are so small.

Literally NO ONE outside Sacar can take it to the basket with any authority.  Jamal and Elliott are not bulky enough. The other guards are midgets.  Everyone else is too slow.  And even Sacar has vast limitations. 

We've gone from teams obsessed with paint touches but who can't shoot, to teams who only can shoot but whose best interior option is a pu$$y a$$ floater from a 5'11" guard.

That was the most disappointing loss of the Wojo era and really does give me all sorts of concerns about the future regardless of who is showing up next year.

The answer to this, IMO, is getting Harry heavily involved in the offense early.  Feed the guy and let him put it 10-12 points by the 2nd media timeout. Hopefully that'll open things up.

[Goose]

Jamil

I'll stick with my taking Rick's SLU program at the moment. One year later and not much improvement.