I’m not calling for his head

[WhiteTrash]

Ya think the players might have had a tad to do with the loss.....?

Your right. Fire the GM!

[4th and State]

It sounds like upset at Sacar, Greg, and Jamal for not being more aggressive. All three IMO are hit or miss. They were hitting In  the 2nd half again Creighton and the entire game vs st johns, they were missing vs DePaul. It happens with young players

I agree.  Sacar is really the only guy who has shown he can get to the rim somewhat consistently, and that has only happened over the last few games.  Greg and Cain do not have a tight enough handle or the strength to drive successfully yet.

I was disappointed with Sacar on Saturday because he had a great first half, and then only drove a couple times in the second half.  Tough to pin it on him though because he is still developing, but wished he would've kept driving.  Could've helped get some open shots if nothing else.

[tower912]

What can Wojo control once the game starts?
Offensive sets:  Marquette tried to run the same stuff that makes it such a highly ranked offense.   They stood still too much and shot poorly.  Getting many of the looks that have led to victory.  Default scouted MU well.
Defensive sets:  held Depaul to 70.
Matchups:  I disagree with going small in the second half.  Thought Theo should have got more run.   But Cain and Elliott played poorly, so what other options did Wojo have other than to ride the 2 top scorers and hope?

My criticism of Wojo for yesterday would have been to run more post up.  Play Theo more.  Maybe try a twin tower look in the zone when Depaul was dominating the offensive boards. 
    But he can't make shots.  He can't magically make freshmen play well on the road in conference games. 

[Dr. Blackheart]

So if Wojo is excused from any culpability in yesterday's loss, because the guys had a bad shooting night, why then would Wojo get any credit for coaching well when guys are shooting well.

Wojo took full responsibility. What else do you want?  While MU stopped running the offense despite Wojo burning his timeouts, the shots MU missed were wide open.

It was the worst offensive day in a couple of years...the coaching staff isn't blameless...but it is the Big East.  Man up for the game tomorrow.

[skianth16]

So if Wojo is excused from any culpability in yesterday's loss, because the guys had a bad shooting night, why then would Wojo get any credit for coaching well when guys are shooting well?

Bingo. At this point in the season, people are dug in, though. Those on the 5 year plan still won't criticize Wojo when we struggle this season. Depaul was only lost for this crew because our shots didn't fall. Coaches don't take shots, and all that. Losses are on the players. Wins are due to gameplanning. On the other hand, those on the 2 year plan rarely give him credit when we exceed expectations. Pull off an upset on the road? We got lucky some shots fell and studs didn't play up to par. Low opponent FG% wasn't from defense but just good fortune and cold shooting. Losses are on the coaches, wins are due to players showing up.

Realistically, blame and congratulations are owed to all parties, but I'm of the mindset that coaches play a pretty darn big role in the outcome of the games. When we drop the ball like we did Saturday, I think the coaching staff could have done more to prepare the team and make adjustments to the opponent's gameplan. Yeah, Rowsey took some bad shots, and our guys were soft on the boards. But Wojo ignored lessons learned at CU and against SJU, going right back to the same things that have been comfortable all year, an offense-first mindset that doesn't work with cold shooters. Then when we come out shooting cold, we end up dead in the water.

[GGGG]

So if Wojo is excused from any culpability in yesterday's loss, because the guys had a bad shooting night, why then would Wojo get any credit for coaching well when guys are shooting well?

My concern:  We were elite shooting the ball last year, and for the most part again this year - yet we will have likely finished a combined .500 in two seasons of Big East play with elite level offense/shooting, and only 1 NCAA tourney bid to show for it, with no NCAA tourney wins. 

A coach has to be able to scheme, and adjust, adapt when the A-game isn't there.  Wojo got gifted a blueprint for how to use this year's roster, and he went away from that blueprint yesterday for virtually the whole game (Not playing zone), and then for 15 of the 20 minutes of the second half playing Rowsey and Howard together in M2M defense.

IF MU doesn't yield 33 FTs and 19 Offensive boards, despite our poor shooting yesterday (that isn't Wojo's "fault,") we still win the game something like 62-55.

The defense was a problem yesterday as it has been all season long in M2M - a fouling machine and constantly trailing in a possession in M2M and not being able to secure the D-board as a result of being put into rotation/help.

FT's may not matta to some - but I'll trust Buzz Williams more than JayBee.  A core coaching philosophy of Buzz's was to make more FT's than the opposition attempts.  That never happens under Wojo in conference play.  Zone helps mitigate fouling.  But Wojo can't get it through his skull that it is his best option for this athletically and size challenged team, even after being shown as much for 60 minutes of basketball in the two preceding games.

Actually JB and Buzz are on the same page regarding free throws.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Actually JB and Buzz are on the same page regarding free throws.

This was my first reaction too

[brewcity77]

Actually JB and Buzz are on the same page regarding free throws.

+1,000

Buzz wanted the team to make more than the other team took, but that was all about getting to the line, not FT percentage. Have we already forgotten all the "Every player must shoot 1,000 free throws" threads that popped up here because people couldn't understand why Buzz's players didn't practice free throws?

[Newsdreams]

Actually JB and Buzz are on the same page regarding free throws.

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

[Floorslapper]

Actually JB and Buzz are on the same page regarding free throws.

If FTs no matta, then why does it matta to get to the FT Line and since percentage doesn't matta you can miss them all.  It's a dumb argument.  Period. 

[Its DJOver]

If FTs no matta, then why does it matta to get to the FT Line and since percentage doesn't matta you can miss them all.  It's a dumb argument.  Period. 

I see you found a new schtick since the zone didn't work last night.

[Floorslapper]

I see you found a new schtick since the zone didn't work last night.

FTs no matta not my schtick.  Zone didn't work last night?  How many possessions did we play it with just one of Rowsey or Markus on the floor?  Furthermore alternating in and out of defenses is not the formula.

Was an entertaining and fun game to watch.  We won thanks to the incredible shot making of Andrew and Sam.  We win, when we shoot at an elite level.  If that's not there?  We lose.  We are a fouling machine in our M2M defense.  Feel free to bury your head in the sand and not acknowledge we have a serious problem defending without fouling in M2M

You should find a new schtick other than defending every decision our head coach makes.

[Its DJOver]

FTs no matta not my schtick.  Zone didn't work last night?  How many possessions did we play it with just one of Rowsey or Markus on the floor?  Furthermore alternating in and out of defenses is not the formula.

Was an entertaining and fun game to watch.  We won thanks to the incredible shot making of Andrew and Sam.  We win, when we shoot at an elite level.  If that's not there?  We lose.  We are a fouling machine in our M2M defense.  Feel free to bury your head in the sand and not acknowledge we have a serious problem defending without fouling in M2M

You should find a new schtick other than defending every decision our head coach makes.

You clearly know more than Wojo, my apologies.  Please continue to grace us with your presence when you take over as head coach.

Or, you just like to complain, and start pointless debates.  JB has brought out the advanced stats multiple times proving his point. 

The decisions that our head coach made last night resulted in a W, blaming Wojo for a win is an interesting perspective.  I have said multiple times that throwing different looks on D is something that we should do, but the 2-3 wasn't working last night.  Should Wojo also have a 1-3-1, or a 3-2 in his back pocket to pull out in certain situations? Yes.  But the mtm was the better defense last night.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I see zone defense is the new John Dawson

[skianth16]

I see zone defense is the new John Dawson

Oh God, you mean the zone is going to leave us too? Just when we were getting comfortable with it?

[DUNKS45]

I see zone defense is the new John Dawson

now that's funny.

[forgetful]

FTs no matta not my schtick.  Zone didn't work last night?  How many possessions did we play it with just one of Rowsey or Markus on the floor?  Furthermore alternating in and out of defenses is not the formula.

4 possessions.  Georgetown shot 80% from the floor (4-5), they got an offensive rebound on their 1 miss and then scored.  They scored 10 points in those 4 possessions for a PPP of 2.5.

[jesmu84]

I see zone defense is the new John Dawson

Nice

[tower912]

One good game and it is the Savior.

[Floorslapper]

4 possessions.  Georgetown shot 80% from the floor (4-5), they got an offensive rebound on their 1 miss and then scored.  They scored 10 points in those 4 possessions for a PPP of 2.5.

4 possessions. Relevant sample size on a game of 70 possessions. Got it. First sign of adversity, go back to that stellar M2M that has worked wonders all year leading us to a 10th place D rating in conference play, while also yielding the worst FT Rate.

No sense in debating against the stalwart basketball gurus here that bow at the altar of Wojo.

Makes BRITTLIANT sense to defend M2M when you are undersized/outathleticed at every position as it relates to strength, length, quickness. 

Look - Im as happy that we beat the Number 100 ranked team in OT last night, while shooting 58% from the 3pt line on 18 makes. That’s awesome. It also is absolutely NO formula for ever being a Top 25 team.

[Its DJOver]

4 possessions. Relevant sample size on a game of 70 possessions. Got it. First sign of adversity, go back to that stellar M2M that has worked wonders all year leading us to a 10th place D rating in conference play, while also yielding the worst FT Rate.

No sense in debating against the stalwart basketball gurus here that bow at the altar of Wojo.

Makes BRITTLIANT sense to defend M2M when you are undersized/outathleticed at every position as it relates to strength, length, quickness. 

Look - Im as happy that we beat the Number 100 ranked team in OT last night, while shooting 58% from the 3pt line on 18 makes. That’s awesome. It also is absolutely NO formula for ever being a Top 25 team.

I really don't understand your thought process.  Everyone knows that our MTM is bad. No one is saying otherwise.  People have been saying play more zone.  People have been criticizing Wojo for not being able to make adjustments in game.  He made the move to zone, it didn't work, he moved back, it did work. Pretty simple.  How long would you have stuck with zone if we continued to give up 2.5ppp?  It seems like you would be happier if we had played more zone and lost.  Also the is no such thing as a bad conference road win.

[Archies Bat]

Magic Zone.

[MomofMUltiples]

I see zone defense is the new John Dawson

And Wojo is the new Derrick Wilson.

[tower912]

If the zone works, stick with it.  Teams are preparing for it, just like they do for MU's offense.  This stuff doesn't happen in a vacuum.   The other coaches adjust, too.

[Floorslapper]

I really don't understand your thought process.  Everyone knows that our MTM is bad. No one is saying otherwise.  People have been saying play more zone.  People have been criticizing Wojo for not being able to make adjustments in game.  He made the move to zone, it didn't work, he moved back, it did work. Pretty simple.  How long would you have stuck with zone if we continued to give up 2.5ppp?  It seems like you would be happier if we had played more zone and lost.  Also the is no such thing as a bad conference road win.

Sorry. If you can’t understand the thought process I outlined above, we will agree to disagree.

I don’t put stock in a 4 possession sample size. I want Wojo to roll with a zone exclusively, with Cain playing big minutes. 

The physical/athletic challenge we face is mitigated by a zone defense. M2M exposes our warts far more and that is why it’s been a steady progression of the opposition to the FT Line.