Markus doubtful for SJU

[Windyplayer]

Windy

I would not want to bet a NCAA bid on your analysis. But as you stated, my opinion "is not true".

I get it. But the alternative is doing the same thing that led us dangerously close to our bubble popping on Sat night. At least now we have a really, really, really, rough blueprint of how we just might hear our name called on SS.

[Herman Cain]

There is no advantage to Markus being out. That said, his minutes will go to Greg and Jamal and they will provide the length and athleticism needed to compete with the Johnnies.Sam will also get more looks. So I think it should be a good game and I see us winning.

[warriorchick]

There is no advantage to Markus being out. That said, his minutes will go to Greg and Jamal and they will provide the length and athleticism needed to compete with the Johnnies.Sam will also get more looks. So I think it should be a good game and I see us winning.

I want to point out that some of the best performances we have had as a team in the past two seasons have been those in which Markus was not a factor.

Anyone remember last year's home game against Villanova?

[Dr. Blackheart]

Just win, baby!

[SaveOD238]

I want to point out that some of the best performances we have had as a team in the past two seasons have been those in which Markus was not a factor.

Anyone remember last year's home game against Villanova?

It's the Ewing Theory!! http://proxy.espn.com/espn/page2/story?id=1193711

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

I don't want my comments this morning to be misunderstood. In no way is having Markus unavailable a good thing. But the fact that Markus and AR will not be able to play together, even though they're really MU's only reliable guards, could be a benefit. I could see how having those two and not playing them both much at all together would be incredible difficult to do. But the evidence is there that this team just isn't very good when both of them play together. And as we know, it's rare they both have great games together against quality teams. This forces Wojo to ride one horse.

Early results were good, but if we get bad Rowsey with no Markus, we're not beating many high major teams.

[jesmu84]

Our defense isn't going to suddenly be good, whether we're in man or zone.  It comes down to whether we can score, and score efficiently, on our opponents.  If we can, we'll win 3 out of 4 or better.  If we can't, we won't.  But to get it done the ball needs to move, and a lot of times Markus can get us 30 but our offense can be worse off for it.

I agree about the offense/defense. In the large majority of our losses, it wasn't about the d defense. It will rarely be about the defense because we don't go from a top 50 to top 200 in games. Our defense goes from bad to marginally acceptable, at best.

If we aren't scoring, we aren't gonna win. Ever. Because we don't have the defense to make up for a lack of scoring.

[Goose]

Windy

Thanks. You state my argument on things better than I do. Three years and 26 games in, I don't a rough, rough, rough blueprint on anything. I guess possibly how a NC would look, but not trying a zone defense without the leading scorer.

[jaygall31]

This is great news.  Grind it out against SJU and find a way to win and then take your chances needing 2 wins against DePaul, Georgetown, and Creighton.

I guess that pressure Vegas was putting on the MU athletic department to give them an update on Markus before they set their line for Wednesday paid off after all.

needing 2 wins of those 3?

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Only on scoop could losing the Big East's leading scorer be considered a good thing.

[warriorchick]

Only on scoop could losing the Big East's leading scorer be considered a good thing.

I, for one, was not saying that losing Markus is a good thing.  I was saying that we have demonstrated that we can win without him.

[SaveOD238]

Only on scoop could losing the Big East's leading scorer be considered a good thing.

You were all aboard the "statistics show that playing both midgets together sucks" train last week. What happened?

Not having Markus sucks.  Not having to play Markus and Rowsey together, in my opinion, comes pretty close to making up for it.  That's how bad the defense is when they play together.

[Goose]

TAMU

Only homers, idiots or liars can find silver lining on MH being out.

[MU82]

It isn't surprising that we struggle defensively when the midgets play a ton of minutes together.

What is surprising is how very rarely both have played well offensively in the same game. One would think it has to be some kind of freaky coincidence, but it's really amazing how it's been that way game after game after game after game.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

TAMU

Only homers, idiots or liars can find silver lining on MH being out.

Do you think Wojo was suddenly going to change his ways 27 games into the season? Because he's made it pretty clear that he felt playing Markus and Rowsey together was our best overall lineup most of the time despite their +\- figures being atrocious together.

Silver lining is that perhaps 1.5 or 2.5 games of seeing just one midget on the court at a time will concince the staff that playing the two together all the time was a terrible idea from the start. That's the potential silver lining, not Markus getting hurt.

Markus doesn't get hurt, MU more than likely lose on Saturday and we're looking at running the table to have any prayer for an at large. Now we have room for 1 loss. At this juncture, that's significant. But not having Howard is obviously a huge blow, the kid is stud.

[Windyplayer]

TAMU

Only homers, idiots or liars can find silver lining on MH being out.

Speaking in absolutes is not your or anybody's best look.

[Newsdreams]

You were all aboard the "statistics show that playing both midgets together sucks" train last week. What happened?

Not having Markus sucks.  Not having to play Markus and Rowsey together, in my opinion, comes pretty close to making up for it.  That's how bad the defense is when they play together.

And then if Rowsey gets in foul trouble we are toast.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

And then if Rowsey gets in foul trouble we are toast.

Playing zone should help minimize fouls.

[Newsdreams]

Playing zone should help minimize fouls.

Yeah, but Rowsey usually gets dumb fouls during transition or trying to strip rebounds. Plus he is going to really have to play extended minutes or are we ready for 10-15 minutes of Elliott at the point?

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

Yeah, but Rowsey usually gets dumb fouls during transition or trying to strip rebounds. Plus he is going to really have to play extended minutes or are we ready for 10-15 minutes of Elliott at the point?

Rowsey HAS to play smarter on the defensive end, no doubt.

[PGsHeroes32]

Yeah, but Rowsey usually gets dumb fouls during transition or trying to strip rebounds. Plus he is going to really have to play extended minutes or are we ready for 10-15 minutes of Elliott at the point?

And the occasional loose cannon Technical

[Newsdreams]

And the occasional loose cannon Technical

He's been behaving lately.

[GB Warrior]

Speaking in absolutes is not your or anybody's best look.

[Floorslapper]

Do you think Wojo was suddenly going to change his ways 27 games into the season? Because he's made it pretty clear that he felt playing Markus and Rowsey together was our best overall lineup most of the time despite their +\- figures being atrocious together.

Silver lining is that perhaps 1.5 or 2.5 games of seeing just one midget on the court at a time will concince the staff that playing the two together all the time was a terrible idea from the start. That's the potential silver lining, not Markus getting hurt.

Markus doesn't get hurt, MU more than likely lose on Saturday and we're looking at running the table to have any prayer for an at large. Now we have room for 1 loss. At this juncture, that's significant. But not having Howard is obviously a huge blow, the kid is stud.

Great post in its entirety.  Bolded gets to the heart of the issue.  Nobody is saying Markus being hurt is a good thing, but that the staff may be saved from themselves and their perception that playing Markus and Rowsey together substantial minutes with a M2M defensive strategy was the formula for success.

[Goose]

Floorslapper

If "the staff" needs an injury to team's leading scorer to be saved from themselves, the program is in major trouble. You really think you and J5 have some figured out that "the staff" doesn't? I really, really hope that is not the case. If so, I might want to lead the anti Wojo train.