This team does not need heroic leaps forward

[tower912]

If-  Theo,Cain and Elliot make normal freshman-sophomore progressions
If- Sam is healthy
If- Chartouny is who he was at Fordham, with better shooters around him
If- Morrow is the brute under the basket he was at Nebraska
If- Markus is Markus
If-  Matt and Sacar are normal progression better
If- Joey really is like Sam.
If- Ike and Bailey give anything
If- Wojo can coach a team with an abundance of pieces.

This team will be very good.  No one needs to be a hero.  No one needs to make more than normal improvements.  IMO, the biggest challenge will be finding enough playing time.

[wadesworld]

Respect the process.

[Herman Cain]

If-  Theo,Cain and Elliot make normal freshman-sophomore progressions
If- Sam is healthy
If- Chartouny is who he was at Gotham, with better shooters around him
If- Morrow is the brute under the basket he was at Nebraska
If- Markus is Markus
If-  Matt and Scar are normal progression better
If- Joey really is like Sam.
If- Ike and Bailey give anything
If- Wojo can coach a team with an abundance of pieces.

This team will be very good.  No one needs to be a hero.  No one needs to make more than normal improvements.  IMO, the biggest challenge will be finding enough playing time.

The playing time will be there for all. The veterans will all get solid minutes,the freshman and injured will be eased in as appropriate. 

[real chili 83]

Some say we will be top 15. I say top 12.

[GoldenZebra]

Ill be shocked if MUBB doesnt finish top 5 in BEast. Thats tempering expectations....

[MU82]

If-  Theo,Cain and Elliot make normal freshman-sophomore progressions
If- Sam is healthy
If- Chartouny is who he was at Fordham, with better shooters around him
If- Morrow is the brute under the basket he was at Nebraska
If- Markus is Markus
If-  Matt and Sacar are normal progression better
If- Joey really is like Sam.
If- Ike and Bailey give anything
If- Wojo can coach a team with an abundance of pieces.

This team will be very good.  No one needs to be a hero.  No one needs to make more than normal improvements.  IMO, the biggest challenge will be finding enough playing time.

All of your "ifs" are individual ifs.

I say: If Wojo and his assistants know how to coach defense (I think they do), and if the players buy in, and if we make a major defensive leap, we will be dangerous.

[muwarrior69]

All of your "ifs" are individual ifs.

I say: If Wojo and his assistants know how to coach defense (I think they do), and if the players buy in, and if we make a major defensive leap, we will be dangerous.

I am sure the players will buy in. This year will tell us if Wojo has recruited the players he knows can execute what he expects on the court.

[DCHoopster]

I am sure the players will buy in. This year will tell us if Wojo has recruited the players he knows can execute what he expects on the court.

End of games, will tell if Wojo can coach.  If they have a small lead Howard will not be on the court.  You can play big, 2 6'3" or more players in the backcourt.  Elliott
Sacar or Chartonney will be on the floor.  Matt or Theo add Cain and Morrow and you should be solid on D.  Wojo has options, in the past he really did not.  Offensively
they might play more as a team instead of Rowsey jacking up some bad shots, then again when he was hot, MU was pretty good, it will interesting on both sides of
the ball.

[wadesworld]

End of games, will tell if Wojo can coach.  If they have a small lead Howard will not be on the court.  You can play big, 2 6'3" or more players in the backcourt.  Elliott
Sacar or Chartonney will be on the floor.  Matt or Theo add Cain and Morrow and you should be solid on D.  Wojo has options, in the past he really did not.  Offensively
they might play more as a team instead of Rowsey jacking up some bad shots, then again when he was hot, MU was pretty good, it will interesting on both sides of
the ball.

You think a guy who's a career 92% free throw shooter is going to be on the bench with a small lead at the end of the game while a guy who's a career 59% free throw shooter is going to be on the floor in his place?  I disagree.

[Its DJOver]

End of game line-up should be:

Best ball handler, JC
Best defensive big, Matt right now, subject to change
The three that have played the best that day.  If that means rolling out Ike, Brendan, and Sacar go with it.  I do think it will be extremely unlikely that either Markus or Sam will not be one of the three best on any given day.

(Obvious exception when you're winning the game at the line, play the percentages)

[GGGG]

You think a guy who's a career 92% free throw shooter is going to be on the bench with a small lead at the end of the game while a guy who's a career 59% free throw shooter is going to be on the floor in his place?  I disagree.

There *may* be occasions where they will sub Markus out on defense if need be, but otherwise you are spot on here.

[tower912]

Howard and Sam will be on the floor at the end because of FT shooting.   If Matt continues to shoot like he did last year, he, too, will be on the floor.      A variation of the press break against Kentucky.    Have Sam lob it in to Matt who hands off to Markus or back to Sam.   All shooting >85% from the line.     Keep Matt or Sam behind the ball when Markus gets it and have the other get to the middle of the floor near half court.   When Markus senses the double team, pass it to one of the other good foul shooters. 

[wadesworld]

There *may* be occasions where they will sub Markus out on defense if need be, but otherwise you are spot on here.

Agreed.  If we're inside 5-10 seconds and up by 5 or less I would have Markus on the bench.  Otherwise he needs to be in the game down the stretch.

[mu03eng]

My expectations are top 2 Big East finish, Top 15 at the end of the season and a top 3 seed line in the tournament. Mostly because I'm assuming that the defensive issues were personnel (too short and too slow the last couple of years) that have been resolved and we will remain generally health with normal progression.

As far as end of games, the ONLY time Howard wouldn't be on the court is if we up 1,2, or 3 with less than 10 seconds on the clock and the other team is in-bounding. Even then I'm not sure Wojo pulls him. This is especially true because JC should be the primary ball handler so we don't run into any Providence type issues from Howard.

[LloydsLegs]

My expectations are top 2 Big East finish, Top 15 at the end of the season and a top 3 seed line in the tournament. Mostly because I'm assuming that the defensive issues were personnel (too short and too slow the last couple of years) that have been resolved and we will remain generally health with normal progression.

As far as end of games, the ONLY time Howard wouldn't be on the court is if we up 1,2, or 3 with less than 10 seconds on the clock and the other team is in-bounding. Even then I'm not sure Wojo pulls him. This is especially true because JC should be the primary ball handler so we don't run into any Providence type issues from Howard.

all of this

[MUBigDance]

...
If- Markus is Markus
...
If- Wojo can coach a team with an abundance of pieces.
...

These two:
Markus not Markus in that we don't depend on his handle up the court. let him touch it second and drive or shoot.

Wojo coaching will really be tested. People aren't going to get the minutes they want...but I think we have an unselfish bunch. So hopefully no drama to drag us down. Can Wojo make the tough and right choices to play the best 5 at the right times of the game especially later in the BE season.

Also with so much "even" talent, I would like to see some early game pressing that wears some of them out a bit.

[wadesworld]

My expectations are top 2 Big East finish, Top 15 at the end of the season and a top 3 seed line in the tournament. Mostly because I'm assuming that the defensive issues were personnel (too short and too slow the last couple of years) that have been resolved and we will remain generally health with normal progression.

As far as end of games, the ONLY time Howard wouldn't be on the court is if we up 1,2, or 3 with less than 10 seconds on the clock and the other team is in-bounding. Even then I'm not sure Wojo pulls him. This is especially true because JC should be the primary ball handler so we don't run into any Providence type issues from Howard.

I'm not sure an NIT team is going to make the jump to a top 15 team/top 3 seed when they lost their best offensive player and didn't add any immediate NBA talent (I think Joey eventually gets there and maybe even Bailey, but I don't think they'll have a lottery pick type of impact on MU's season this year).

That would be my dream for this season.

My expectation is a top 4 finish in the BE and a top 7 seed.

[MUBigDance]

My expectations are top 2 Big East finish, Top 15 at the end of the season and a top 3 seed line in the tournament. Mostly because I'm assuming that the defensive issues were personnel (too short and too slow the last couple of years) that have been resolved and we will remain generally health with normal progression.

As far as end of games, the ONLY time Howard wouldn't be on the court is if we up 1,2, or 3 with less than 10 seconds on the clock and the other team is in-bounding. Even then I'm not sure Wojo pulls him. This is especially true because JC should be the primary ball handler so we don't run into any Providence type issues from Howard.

When do we do the "Way-to-early" preseason predictions? Someone going to start a thread?  I'm not good at framing that stuff.

From my rosy colored spectacles: We can win the BE! 

[tower912]

These two:
Markus not Markus in that we don't depend on his handle up the court. let him touch it second and drive or shoot.

Wojo coaching will really be tested. People aren't going to get the minutes they want...but I think we have an unselfish bunch. So hopefully no drama to drag us down. Can Wojo make the tough and right choices to play the best 5 at the right times of the game especially later in the BE season.

Also with so much "even" talent, I would like to see some early game pressing that wears some of them out a bit.

I would like to see pressing, too.   However, one question mark about this team is quickness.    Can you effectively press with length, not speed?     
Top 3 in the Big East.  5 seed in the dance.    How the team starts will determine ranking.   

[DCHoopster]

There *may* be occasions where they will sub Markus out on defense if need be, but otherwise you are spot on here.

That is more what I was talking about.  Sure Howard and Sam should be in on offensive side of the ball, of course.  But I am talking about that last possession or
two, no way would I have either of them in.

[GGGG]

That is more what I was talking about.  Sure Howard and Sam should be in on offensive side of the ball, of course.  But I am talking about that last possession or
two, no way would I have either of them in.

When I first read it, I had the same reaction as wades.  But then I figured you meant defensively only.

[NWarsh]

That is more what I was talking about.  Sure Howard and Sam should be in on offensive side of the ball, of course.  But I am talking about that last possession or
two, no way would I have either of them in.

Why would you not have one of our best defensive players and rebounders not in the game at the end?  Are you forgetting who challenged Brunson and got the rebound in the win over Nova a couple years ago?  Sam will again be one of our best defenders this year.

[DCHoopster]

Why would you not have one of our best defensive players and rebounders not in the game at the end?  Are you forgetting who challenged Brunson and got the rebound in the win over Nova a couple years ago?  Sam will again be one of our best defenders this year.

Sam is coming off surgery, who knows how he will be period, states he will be ready for opening practice, but will he be the same player as before, lets wait to make
judgement on that.  He was at the right place at the right time to help defensively on Brunson since Brunson beat his man, Sam came over and helped.  Sam is about
7 inches taller than Brunson so yes I would expect Sam to get the rebound.  One play does not make a defender.

[mu03eng]

Sam is coming off surgery, who knows how he will be period, states he will be ready for opening practice, but will he be the same player as before, lets wait to make
judgement on that.  He was at the right place at the right time to help defensively on Brunson since Brunson beat his man, Sam came over and helped.  Sam is about
7 inches taller than Brunson so yes I would expect Sam to get the rebound.  One play does not make a defender.

Let's put it this way, based on what I'm hearing....1st team Big East for Sam wouldn't surprise me. Rehab is going very well

[MerrittsMustache]

For Marquette to make the jump that many fans seem to be anticipating, it's going to take more than incremental increases.

Markus, Sam and presumably Chartouny are nice pieces to start with. However, MU will need at least one more guy to step up significantly if they want to be a team that can make some noise in March. It could be Anim or Cain or Elliott or Joey or one of the bigs. It really doesn't matter who, but for all the talk about MU's "depth," it's difficult to sustain success by running a bunch of guys out there and planning to just go with the hot hands down the stretch. Someone needs to separate themselves from the pack and become a legit go-to player as opposed to simply be a "contributor."

Don't get me wrong, depth is great. If someone is injured or gets into foul trouble, it's reassuring to have someone who can step in without a huge drop-off, but by the time the BE seasons comes around, if Wojo is going 10-11 deep, I don't think that would be a good sign.