What's Wrong With Markus?

[Tugg Speedman]

Since he missed his first FT is 67 attempts at the beginning of the Xavier Game (Jan 24)

Free-Throws 16 for 21 (76%) - and missed at least one in every game since
3 Pointers 10 for 32 (31%)
Average Points = 14.3
Assists = 8
Turnovers = 13

Team record 0 - 4

These numbers are not good for him. 

Is he sick (flu?), hurt?  pressing too much (yes)

Do you think that miss really bothered him?  After that miss he has been a very average FT shooter, which is terrible for him.

[Tugg Speedman]

When did he get that shiner under his eye?  Does that line up with his game's fall off?

[tower912]

Could it be that he is a 5'11 18 year old who is the target of all opposing defenses in a league full of smart coaches?    It doesn't help that he is not getting any bail out calls on his drives to the rack.   

[Tugg Speedman]

Could it be that he is a 5'11 18 year old who is the target of all opposing defenses in a league full of smart coaches?    It doesn't help that he is not getting any bail out calls on his drives to the rack.   

And these coaches are so good that they have even devised a "FT defense" that has dropped from 100% for the season to 76% the last four games?

Free throws are mental.  He is missing FTs is symbolic of him pressing too hard, in all aspects of the game. 

[wadesworld]

And these coaches are so good that they have even devised a "FT defense" that has dropped from 100% for the season to 76% the last four games?

Free throws are mental.  He is missing FTs is symbolic of him pressing too hard, in all aspects of the game.

No it’s not.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

And these coaches are so good that they have even devised a "FT defense" that has dropped from 100% for the season to 76% the last four games?

Free throws are mental.  He is missing FTs is symbolic of him pressing too hard, in all aspects of the game.

Could be. It could also be good old fashioned regression to the mean

[tower912]

And these coaches are so good that they have even devised a "FT defense" that has dropped from 100% for the season to 76% the last four games?

Free throws are mental.  He is missing FTs is symbolic of him pressing too hard, in all aspects of the game.

Regression to mean.    Still well over 90% for the year.     And, btw, consider whether the beating that he takes (as a 5'11 18 year old who is the focus of the other team's defensive plan)  might be taking a toll.     Wearing out?

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

He’s a human. He’s just a kid. He’ll be fine.

[Tugg Speedman]

Regression to mean.    Still well over 90% for the year.     And, btw, consider whether the beating that he takes (as a 5'11 18-year-old who is the focus of the other team's defensive plan)  might be taking a toll.     Wearing out?

You seem to be arguing that the first 20 games of the year were not the mean?  He was playing over his head and the last 4 games of 14 points, 76% FT, and 31% 3FG is what we should have expected, and should continue to expect.

This is the definition of regression to the mean

[Tugg Speedman]

He’s a human. He’s just a kid. He’ll be fine.

You seem to be disagreeing with Tower and the first 20 games were the mean and when Markus "regresses to the mean" that really means he will go off for 35 and lead MU to an easy victory.

[lawdog77]

Could be. It could also be good old fashioned regression to the mean

Agreed. Also, it seems like  lately he goes all the way to the basket rather than using the floater. Our bigs need to get open.on those drives. They just seem to stand around

[Tugg Speedman]

Could be. It could also be good old fashioned regression to the mean

[wadesworld]

Oh the irony.

[bilsu]

Just my opinion, but Markus becoming a player that looks to drive to the hoop has hurt the overall offense.
He rarely passes the ball off and the rest of the team have become spectators. The team was better offensively when it moved the ball around looking for a three. I am sure part of this is due to the other team's defense, but as good as Markus has become at making two point shots there is a reason the other team's coaches want him to drive.

[Eldon]

Just my opinion, but Markus becoming a player that looks to drive to the hoop has hurt the overall offense.
He rarely passes the ball off and the rest of the team have become spectators. The team was better offensively when it moved the ball around looking for a three. I am sure part of this is due to the other team's defense, but as good as Markus has become at making two point shots there is a reason the other team's coaches want him to drive.

Definitely on display yesterday.  He's a shooting guard in a point guard's body.  If he has dreams of making the NBA, he's got to adjust.

Someone on some thread a while back asked "can anyone name an NBA shooting guard that is/was really really short?"  I immediately thought of Joe Dumars.  For some reason I thought that he was 6-foot even.  Then, I googled his height and it turns out that he was 6'4. 

[tower912]

Definitely on display yesterday.  He's a shooting guard in a point guard's body.  If he has dreams of making the NBA, he's got to adjust.

Someone on some thread a while back asked "can anyone name an NBA shooting guard that is/was really really short?"  I immediately thought of Joe Dumars.  For some reason I thought that he was 6-foot even.  Then, I googled his height and it turns out that he was 6'4.

He was LISTED at 6'3.    It was a program 6'3.     

[GooooMarquette]

Even with the recent misses, he still leads the nation in free throw percentage.

https://www.ncaa.com/stats/basketball-men/d1/current/individual/142

Can we at least see if he falls all the way to second or third before we get too concerned?

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

You seem to be disagreeing with Tower and the first 20 games were the mean and when Markus "regresses to the mean" that really means he will go off for 35 and lead MU to an easy victory.

The f you talking about?

[Tugg Speedman]

I'm getting the sense that this board is too busy blaming Wojo for everything, including how he handles presser with a whopping 850 views on youtube, to discuss the poor play of the team's best player.

Want to know we are 0 - 4 since January 24.  Markus poor play (by Markus standards) is a big reason.  And until he plays better/makes adjustments (which he will, the question is when) this team will continue to struggle ... even if the ghost of Al McGuire was coaching them.

[Tugg Speedman]

The f you talking about?

what were you talking about?

[tower912]

I'm getting the sense that this board is too busy blaming Wojo for everything, including how he handles presser with a whopping 850 views on youtube, to discuss the poor play of the team's best player.

Want to know we are 0 - 4 since January 24.  Markus poor play (by Markus standards) is a big reason.  And until he plays better/makes adjustments (which he will, the question is when) this team will continue to struggle ... even if the ghost of Al McGuire was coaching them.

There are old wives tales about freshmen walls.    About sophomore walls.    About teams wearing down in conference play.    Markus has struggled lately.   Rowsey has struggled lately.    Sam is struggling since the hip injury.     There is the big 3.    All are struggling.      The freshmen are hit and miss.    Yesterday, Theo and Greg were hits.   Jamal, not so much.  Matt, Harry, Sacar?      The last 4 games, the opposing defenses have found way to cut off the head.   

[GooooMarquette]

I'm getting the sense that this board is too busy blaming Wojo for everything, including how he handles presser with a whopping 850 views on youtube, to discuss the poor play of the team's best player.

Want to know we are 0 - 4 since January 24.  Markus poor play (by Markus standards) is a big reason.  And until he plays better/makes adjustments (which he will, the question is when) this team will continue to struggle ... even if the ghost of Al McGuire was coaching them.

I don't disagree that Markus is in a slump, and IMHO it's fine to talk about it.

I just don't think his 93.6% FT percentage is a reasonable example of "poor play" just because the misses were recent.  He still has the best percentage in the country...and in fact a better percentage than the NBA's all-time FT percentage leader (Steve Nash at 90.4%). 

[Nukem2]

Markus was 7-8 yesterday.......

[TSmith34, Inc.]

He rarely passes the ball off and the rest of the team have become spectators.

Definitely an area he needs to improve.  If he drives, there is a >95% chance he is going to shoot it.  Very occasionally he'll drop it off, and I can't recall a single drive and kick.  All opposing defense need to do is collapse on him without fear of leaving their man.

[GGGG]

Definitely an area he needs to improve.  If he drives, there is a >95% chance he is going to shoot it. 

And if he misses, there is a >95% chance he is going to tumble to the ground.  I mean, I get trying to pick up a cheap foul but...