SHU-t

[MUfan12]

Just went back and watched. Howard came in at 8:42 when we were up 8. Seton Hall had just scored 5 quick points, a Myles Powell 3 that hit every part of the rim before falling, and an Ed Morrow goaltend that was a millisecond too late.

So he was only -17? Then I feel better about keeping him on the floor.

[StillWarriors]

Baldwin last night for Butler v X, and Powell tonight just unconscious when their team needed them late. Impressive, and painful to watch.

[The Sultan]

Just went back and watched. Howard came in at 8:42 when we were up 8. Seton Hall had just scored 5 quick points, a Myles Powell 3 that hit every part of the rim before falling, and an Ed Morrow goaltend that was a millisecond too late.

OK thanks.  And actually we got that lead up to 9 when Sacar hit a lay up with 4:40 to go.

[rocky_warrior]

Just went back and watched. Howard came in at 8:42 when we were up 8. Seton Hall had just scored 5 quick points, a Myles Powell 3 that hit every part of the rim before falling, and an Ed Morrow goaltend that was a millisecond too late.

Cool, thanks for the clarity.  So *maybe* the SHU bum-rush wash in full force already, but what happened afterwards....after all the good stuff that happened before, was truly disappointing.

[MU82]

I hope we lose to Georgetown so we can be perfect down the stretch.

I hope we lose to Georgetown and then lose our BET opener and then lose our NCAA tourney opener. That'll show everyone!!!

This entire thread should be renamed "Scoop takes."

[awilhelmscream]

What "substitutions" should he have made?

Brendan for Joey is the only one I can think of.  Also, JC should be firmly planted on the bench moving forward.  Sacar running point while Markus was sitting with 3 fouls worked just fine.

[DoctorV]

Brendan for Joey is the only one I can think of.  Also, JC should be firmly planted on the bench moving forward.  Sacar running point while Markus was sitting with 3 fouls worked just fine.

A while I'm Scream sees the big picture. Sacar running the point while Markus sits for the win

[GooooMarquette]

Our guys all defer to Markus when he's in the game. And when Markus is on, he is really good. But when Markus is off, the whole team tends to follow. Tonight, he was clearly off.

Regardless of the exact score when Wojo put him back in, it was a mistake. We were treading water with him in, then we built a big lead with him out. Wojo needed to show some confidence in the guys who built the big lead. Instead, he put Markus back in, and the guys who'd built the lead went back into deferral mode.

I hope Wojo can turn this thing around, but the past three games have been ugly.

[NorthernDancerColt]

Well, he needs to be asked..."You have said, this is all on you, yet the same things keep happening...explain that". He sounds unbelieveably upbeat in the post game, makes me f'n sick.

Stop. Teams are fragile. He has to be upbeat.  We will be fine. I'm probably more frustrated than you, because the outright BE title was there for the taking and we laid three eggs. We lost one opportunity, but two more await...the BET and the NCAAs.

Maybe a worse seed will ease some of the pressure on these guys. MU as a #2 or #3 would have been an obvious over-seed, and we could suffer some serious embarrassment, protected or not. Maybe a #5 or #6 is better anyway.

The script is set...people are getting down on them...this is still an extremely dangerous tournament team...Don't laugh, but just remember...a certain HOF coach recently took a massively trailing group into huddle and told them they were going to win an unwinnable game....and they did the impossible. Wojo just may have made a similar speech on the macro level to our guys. He has reason to be positive...based on the totality of a season.

As a horse handicapper, I love when a horse with back-class and solid past performances throws a clunker or two. Maybe he caught a sealed track where he couldn't utilize his closing kick. Maybe there was a dearth of pace to set up his late run. Show me a multiple-length defeat with an excuse, and i'll show you a horse to bet on next time at a palatable price. Wojo is right to be really high on these guys when the short-sighted are jumping ship.

[Johnny B]

Markus ain't a pg? Where he gonna play in the nba? 2 guard ? Lol this team has collapsed. Sad to see.

[Dish]

For me, this season will be a colossal failure if we lose in the round of 64. To go from being one win/one Nova loss away from a BE title, a top 10 ranking late in the season, and show nothing for it...that would be really really bad. Not that getting to the round of 32 is a huge accomplishment, but the Woj era needs to start getting tangible accomplishments asap.

[WarriorFan]

Just moments later, Howard was in the game and the lead was halved. It may have started before he came back in, but he looked broken all night. We were flying without him. Sacar had settled down, Sam was in control, just let it ride. Putting Markus back in was a mistake.

If it was same situation with Heldt or Cain in for Theo or Joey Wojo would have stuck with the sub for the duration - or until they needed a legit breather.
Howard has been figured out by the last 3 coaches/teams.  Interestingly, 3 slightly different approaches but all worked.  Conference tournament means the 3rd time we play someone.  By then everyone will have figured him out and he'll need more bench time.

I say for the last game of the season, start Sacar, Bailey, Sam, Joey and Morrow - and give Theo's minutes to Matt.  Have Markus come off the bench for the 16-12 segment and if he lights it up while playing within the offense and has zero turnovers and zero "no passes" to open cutters, then he can play more.  If not, maybe he gets another 4 mins in the 2nd half if we're up by a huge margin. 

In fact, part of me also wants to see Joey on the bench a bit more as well.  maybe it should be Sacar, Bailey, Sam, Morrow and Matt?

[Spaniel with a Short Tail]

I maaaaay have had to choose between Ash Wednesday services and watching the game and I maaaaay have made the wrong choice.

[muwarrior69]

I was at the game. They were playing so well without Markus. That is not a slam on Markus, but Markus was not playing his A game and sometimes a coach who likes to give the hot guy (Markus) the green light ought to give him the red light when he is just not shooting but also playing poorly and let him sit on the bench. That was the worst 6-7 minutes (18-0 run) of basketball since the Kansas game. I know this team is better than the last 3 games and as many have said we really don't have a point guard. Hopefully Kobe and Greg will help in that area next season. If we don't fix this it will be a short tournament season.

[cheebs09]

+ a lot

This game was under control without Markus.  It started falling apart as soon as Markus came back in.  Maybe coincidental, but sure looked like the difference to me.

(Not taking away from Markus overall, just today I think he should have stayed on the bench)

Agreed. I thought the offense had a nice pace going to it with Sacar. It was a little methodical, but the ball seemed to move better. When Markus came in, it was a lot of dribbling and he took a shot immediately.

It just felt like Markus was pushing the pace and the offense got helter skelter. Also, we started throwing up some really bad shots with under a minute left. I had to double check the clock to see if there was only 10 seconds left. We didn't have much poise.

[1SE]

For me, this season will be a colossal failure if we lose in the round of 64. To go from being one win/one Nova loss away from a BE title, a top 10 ranking late in the season, and show nothing for it...that would be really really bad. Not that getting to the round of 32 is a huge accomplishment, but the Woj era needs to start getting tangible accomplishments asap.

This +1000. This turn is really awful, but it can be redeemed in the NCAA. I'd rather be a 3 seed than a 6, but if we get to the Sweet 16 either way I'm fine.

If we win one, given this team, then I think Wojo will have chalked up another B- season. Good enough to keep the hangers hanging-on.

If we lose in the first round, completing a late season collapse, then there are some bigger problems.

[NickelDimer]

Our guys all defer to Markus when he's in the game. And when Markus is on, he is really good. But when Markus is off, the whole team tends to follow. Tonight, he was clearly off.

Regardless of the exact score when Wojo put him back in, it was a mistake. We were treading water with him in, then we built a big lead with him out. Wojo needed to show some confidence in the guys who built the big lead. Instead, he put Markus back in, and the guys who'd built the lead went back into deferral mode.

I hope Wojo can turn this thing around, but the past three games have been ugly.

I think this is spot on and perfectly summarizes what we saw last night. You could almost see Sam's confidence drop when Markus came back. He was so less certain and deliberate because he really does defer to MH so much so he started forcing bad shots

[muwarrior69]

If it was same situation with Heldt or Cain in for Theo or Joey Wojo would have stuck with the sub for the duration - or until they needed a legit breather.
Howard has been figured out by the last 3 coaches/teams.  Interestingly, 3 slightly different approaches but all worked.  Conference tournament means the 3rd time we play someone.  By then everyone will have figured him out and he'll need more bench time.

I say for the last game of the season, start Sacar, Bailey, Sam, Joey and Morrow - and give Theo's minutes to Matt.  Have Markus come off the bench for the 16-12 segment and if he lights it up while playing within the offense and has zero turnovers and zero "no passes" to open cutters, then he can play more.  If not, maybe he gets another 4 mins in the 2nd half if we're up by a huge margin. 

In fact, part of me also wants to see Joey on the bench a bit more as well.  maybe it should be Sacar, Bailey, Sam, Morrow and Matt?

I agree, but when the other team doubles up on Markus we still fail to find the open guy.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Markus has to be the most hated Naismith candidate ever.

If yall want to bench Markus you need top realize that our teams ceiling drops from top 10 team to NCAA bubble team. Maybe we make less mistakes but we aren't going to win many games.

[The Sultan]

I think this is spot on and perfectly summarizes what we saw last night. You could almost see Sam's confidence drop when Markus came back. He was so less certain and deliberate because he really does defer to MH so much so he started forcing bad shots

So Sam's confidence dropped cause Markus entered the game?  And you could see it? 

BTW, he actually hit a three point shot soon after he entered. 

[MU82]

Markus has to be the most hated Naismith candidate ever.

If yall want to bench Markus you need top realize that our teams ceiling drops from top 10 team to NCAA bubble team. Maybe we make less mistakes but we aren't going to win many games.

I've never seen anything quite like it in all my years on Scoop. Amazing.

[NickelDimer]

So Sam's confidence dropped cause Markus entered the game?  And you could see it? 

BTW, he actually hit a three point shot soon after he entered.

He absolutely played with less certainty. Wasn't hard to see honestly.

[The Sultan]

He absolutely played with less certainty. Wasn't hard to see honestly.

And is that because of Markus?  Doubtful.  Is it because he started missing shots that he was hitting earlier?  Very likely.

[The Sultan]

Markus has to be the most hated Naismith candidate ever.

If yall want to bench Markus you need top realize that our teams ceiling drops from top 10 team to NCAA bubble team. Maybe we make less mistakes but we aren't going to win many games.

It is exceedingly strange how much of a punching bag Markus has become.  We literally have people here talking about how much he has sucked the last three games - one of which he scored 33 points.

[NickelDimer]

And is that because of Markus?  Doubtful.  Is it because he started missing shots that he was hitting earlier?  Very likely.

Yes. And that's not me blaming Markus at all. But yes. He was in total control and rhythm until Markus was inserted.