I feel guilty

[Cheeks]

Please appreciate the rare talent and unique and possibly unparalleled performance. I have seen MU hoops since Al started at MU. No one had a game like this. George Thompson, Dean Meminger, Jim Chones, Maurice Lucas, Earl Tatum, Butch Lee, Tony Smith, DWade, Novak--none of them came close to scoring 40 in one half. I saw Tony Smith score 44 at the Fieldhouse in Madison and Novak score 41 and 17 vs. UConn. Markus had 54 at Providence last year and 40 tonight in the second half. Please recognize the rarity of what you have seen and appreciate what you have. I would love to hear what Al McGuire would say about Markus.

I saw some of those as well, but I recall that they didn’t have games where they didn’t recognize when they didn’t have it.  Of course they were also a bit older and I have to keep remembering Howard is 19....which is insane.

Please please please understand I think he is incredible.

What I am hoping for is on occasions where isn’t on fire, he remembers there are other very good players and we don’t become stagnant.  That’s the concern.

Peace. Out.

[Its DJOver]

Am I the only one that is happy but also not thrilled when Howard does this?  I feel guilty, you take the performance and just go wow...incredible...but I feel like it also encourages him at times to try this when he doesn’t have it. As a result we don’t have balance.

I know, take good with the bad, but need the balance long term....I think...right??

Another great performance....in a game where our two best runs (prior to the end) happened with him on the bench until he became Steph Curry for the last 10 minutes.  Crazy to watch.

Guilty.  STOG

I think it's easy to look at the points scored by Markus and say that there was no balance, but the fact that we were winning at half with him only putting up 5 tells a different story.  Sam dropped 18 which is above his average.  Joey was in double figures.  Chartouny was in double figures for only the third time wearing a MU uniform, and first time against not a low major.  Theo had probably his best all around game in his collegiate career.  Markus entered "god mode" so the right move was to keep letting him shoot.  If he had come back down to earth, I think we would have seen the ball spread around more, and the balanced scoring that we saw in the first half.  If you have "god mode" use it, but when we didn't, it's not like we weren't holding out own.

[Loose Cannon]

Im still stunned at how good theo was tonight too.   

Wojo was Big Man Coach at Duke.

[real chili 83]

Really?

In before the lock.

[Loose Cannon]

Really?

In before the lock.

Yep

[Herman Cain]

One of the greatest individual performances I have seen in a long time. Saw Terry Furlow get 50 for Michigan State in the pre three point era that would have been about 65 today and I saw several 50 plus Outbursts by Pistol Pete.

I think this performance by Markus has to rank among the highest ever recorded in a half in NCAA history.

The kid can flat out score . I am enjoying every second of his career and hope it lasts all four years.

I think having tasted the sweet success of  3 big game victories  this year Markus motivation is going to be all about winning. I think he saw tonight that his teammates are more than capable of keeping the game close the way they did in the first half.  To me that was a huge story of tonight’s game.  A real team victory wrapped around the great individual performance.

[Bocephys]

Ah. Is this the negative/minimize-the-win thread?

The Chicos special! Why should anyone be happy when we could also not be happy?

[MU82]

The best scoring game I ever saw a college player have in person was Scott Skiles getting 45 for Michigan State at Williams Arena before there was a 3-point line. He made several from beyond NBA 3 range. Would have had 60 easy if there were treys. Game actually reminded me a little of Markus' today ... just more of it.

Obviously, like most of us, I've seen many great, great games by individuals on TV. This was one of them.

[tower912]

As I posted elsewhere. during the 52 point game against Providence, 42 came after halftime.   So, we HAVE seen this before.    He's human.    Sometimes, he is going to force a shot.  Or a bunch of shots.    Accept it and move on and appreciate him while he is here. 

[Lennys Tap]

I saw Jimmy Rayl drop 56 on Michigan St in 1963. Of his 23 field goals my best recollection is that about 15 of them would have been 3s so in todays game he would have had 70+. That said, I've NEVER seen a half as amazing as Howard's 2nd half tonight. I feel very good right now. This team led a really good Buffalo team at the half despite a negative contribution from their star and won in a rout in the back half with the same star going off. Win, win. Feeling guilty (???) or concerned after tonight's performance is silly. MU fans should be equal parts happy and excited. Period.

[Markusquette]

Guilty? I want more of this. He's absolutely incredible. The best scorer Marquette's ever had and he's halfway through his junior year. What makes it even better is he's not a big dude. The smaller a guy is the more impressive it is to put up these numbers.

Joey is a freshman making a big impact. His touches will come. Sam let's the game come to him and he was seeking his shot early tonight. Markus us the star. Let him fill that role.

I disagree about there not being balance either. MU put up over 100 points. Had other double digit scorers and guys contributed all over. There has not been too many games where Markus has not played or shot well. I am totally fine with him continuing to shoot even in the bad games. We need him. He shot terribly versus the Badgers but made key plays to help win that game.

MU was hanging with Buffalo all first half without Markus, and when he ignites them in the second half the Golden Eagles practically win by 20. Maybe we win without him, but that certainly is not happening.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Im still stunned at how good theo was tonight too.   

And how about that Joe Chartouny? Really stepped up when Markus had to go to the bench.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

So Chicos. Sigh.

[avid1010]

oh stop. there is balance. markus is either good or great every game.

He was awful against WI...wojo had decided to give him a very bright green light and we will see what happens.  His performance was great in the second half.  If he can figure out a way to be good or great in every game MU is set. 

[damuts222]

Markus was phenomenal in the 2nd half. But the 1st half was important for the team to step up in his absence and display that they can compete without him on the court. This was the most impressive win by Marquette in some time.

Howard - scoring, Chartouny - hit big shots, John - block city, Hausers - passing and defense (good d even on the foul calls straight up and down), and Jamal playing some key minutes. Everyone contributed to this win, although Howard was curry-esque in the second half.

[Loose Cannon]

I saw Jimmy Rayl drop 56 on Michigan St in 1963. Of his 23 field goals my best recollection is that about 15 of them would have been 3s so in todays game he would have had 70+. That said, I've NEVER seen a half as amazing as Howard's 2nd half tonight. I feel very good right now. This team led a really good Buffalo team at the half despite a negative contribution from their star and won in a rout in the back half with the same star going off. Win, win. Feeling guilty (???) or concerned after tonight's performance is silly. MU fans should be equal parts happy and excited. Period.

Yep.

[MUBigDance]

With hindsight (20-20) there is blame for Buffalo. Good players and they defended capably but the coach has got to change what he’s doing if playing a monster-on-the-loose like Markus. They pressed briefly but stopped? We’re they tired...could be. Didn’t get into Markus...fouling, bothering dribble more, disrupting rhythm. Last 10 min Wojo was doing the exact right thing...Markus walk it up, everyone clear out, pick, Howard left right step back 3.

Buffalo could have done a lot more to disrupt that and There are a bunch of top 20 coaches that will.

So am I being negative? No. Markus, Wojo did the right thing. Hot hand, don’t stop ... and watch the greatest shooter in college ball.

And to get to that point, many contributed...Theo, Hauser, Hauser, etal.

[ATL MU Warrior]

The Chicos special! Why should anyone be happy when we could also not be happy?

It's more like "LOOK AT ME!!!  LOOK AT ME!!!"

Only one guy on this board would make a post purely to draw attention to himself after a game and individual performance like what we saw last night.

[Cheeks]

The Chicos special! Why should anyone be happy when we could also not be happy?

I am happy, extremely.  Especially compared to a good chunk of our “fans” that spent the first month wanting our coach fired and dreaming of a coach that is in Blacksburg, VA.   Very happy with what we have, how this program is being run and the product on and OFF the court.  Could not be happier or prouder.

It amazes me how people miss the glowing remarks of his performance I made, but that’s not too surprising either.

[bilsu]

With hindsight (20-20) there is blame for Buffalo. Good players and they defended capably but the coach has got to change what he’s doing if playing a monster-on-the-loose like Markus. They pressed briefly but stopped? We’re they tired...could be. Didn’t get into Markus...fouling, bothering dribble more, disrupting rhythm. Last 10 min Wojo was doing the exact right thing...Markus walk it up, everyone clear out, pick, Howard left right step back 3.

Buffalo could have done a lot more to disrupt that and There are a bunch of top 20 coaches that will.

So am I being negative? No. Markus, Wojo did the right thing. Hot hand, don’t stop ... and watch the greatest shooter in college ball.

And to get to that point, many contributed...Theo, Hauser, Hauser, etal.

I do not think there was any coach in the country that could of stopped Markus in the second half last night. He was well covered, but made moves to get open. The one three he made last night might be the best three I ever seen a Marquette player make. Nobody was going to stop that shot.

[tower912]

Chico, you are looking at this completely bass-ackwards.      For 24 minutes, getting almost nothing from Markus and with Sam on the bench with 3 fouls, MU was in a one possession game with an undefeated team ranked #14 in the country.      That is balance.   That is team.   They came from 9 points down in the first half with Markus on the bench.     That is the team and the balance you are looking for.    And then Markus went off.     And it was awesome.    Beyond awesome.      But, MU was neck and neck with a top 15 team through 24 minutes getting nada thing from Markus.       Just as it was short sighted to base the expectations of the season on a trip to Assembly Hall a week into the season, it is short-sighted to think it was a one man show yesterday.      Everybody showed up to play and contributed.  (except Bailey.   Freshman.   He'll be fine)

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

Chico, you are looking at this completely bass-ackwards.      For 24 minutes, getting almost nothing from Markus and with Sam on the bench with 3 fouls, MU was in a one possession game with an undefeated team ranked #14 in the country.      That is balance.   That is team.   They came from 9 points down in the first half with Markus on the bench.     That is the team and the balance you are looking for.    And then Markus went off.     And it was awesome.    Beyond awesome.      But, MU was neck and neck with a top 15 team through 24 minutes getting nada thing from Markus.       Just as it was short sighted to base the expectations of the season on a trip to Assembly Hall a week into the season, it is short-sighted to think it was a one man show yesterday.      Everybody showed up to play and contributed.  (except Bailey.   Freshman.   He'll be fine)

This is why I was excited about last night.  New ways to win emerged.  We had a chance with a nearly no show Markus on O — when he showed up it put the game out of reach.  Of course you need your best player to win big games, but it showed we have a path to be in those games when he isn’t in ludicrous mode. 

[avid1010]

This is why I was excited about last night.  New ways to win emerged.  We had a chance with a nearly no show Markus on O — when he showed up it put the game out of reach.  Of course you need your best player to win big games, but it showed we have a path to be in those games when he isn’t in ludicrous mode.

Agreed but my concern is what things look like when he isnt in ludicrous mode and isnt in foul trouble.  It worked out against WI...but MU is TOUGH to beat if markus figures out his game a little more.  He hurt MU in the first half...I think they would have been better without him.

His second half was amazing...and the shots fell...but jacking contested 3s with 16 seconds in the shot clock and 15 pt lead isnt smart.  That said...the Travis Dieners of the world are few and far between.

[WarriorDad]

Amazing second half performance, but I would be lying if I said I didn't scream at tv and Markus shot selection in the first half. 

Understand both points of view on this one.

When he is feeling it, what a talent.  When he is not feeling it and forcing it, we are not as good a team.

[MU82]

Chico, you are looking at this completely bass-ackwards.      For 24 minutes, getting almost nothing from Markus and with Sam on the bench with 3 fouls, MU was in a one possession game with an undefeated team ranked #14 in the country.      That is balance.   That is team.   They came from 9 points down in the first half with Markus on the bench.     That is the team and the balance you are looking for.    And then Markus went off.     And it was awesome.    Beyond awesome.      But, MU was neck and neck with a top 15 team through 24 minutes getting nada thing from Markus.       Just as it was short sighted to base the expectations of the season on a trip to Assembly Hall a week into the season, it is short-sighted to think it was a one man show yesterday.      Everybody showed up to play and contributed.  (except Bailey.   Freshman.   He'll be fine)

This.

Very excited about what JCS contributed -- we're gonna need him. Obviously Theo and the Hausers. Cain. Ed. Outrebounded a good rebounding team by 14. Nobody except Markus with more than 1 TO. Just a good, solid team win. Sounds odd to say in a game where a guy scored 8,743,881 second-half points, but it really was a good team win.