46-9

[Galway Eagle]

Wonder if it would make sense to change to just taking the air out of the ball in the last 5 minutes to avoid this from happening more.

[brewcity77]

Wonder if it would make sense to change to just taking the air out of the ball in the last 5 minutes to avoid this from happening more.

I don't think the leads have been big enough to do that. If anything, they might need to be more aggressive. It's been a little different in every game, but last night they settled for threes, against Creighton they turned it over on 5 straight possessions and couldn't recover, against Nova they just couldn't score.

Go inside for high percentage looks, and if that opens the perimeter, then take the three. Too often, especially when trailing, we seem to think we don't have to collapse the interior because our shooters think they can make anything.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

The last 5 minutes of the last three games have concerned me a lot more than the turnovers, or teams "figuring out Markus", or the offensive rebounds. Those three things can be schemed around and we have seen Wojo address all three. We won the offensive boards last night, Wojo moved Sacar to point to handle the press and the turnovers all but stopped (14 in first half, 4 in second half), and Markus dropped 33 on Creighton and we were rolling with Sam taking the lead against Hall.

The last 5 minutes is concerning because I don't think you can scheme that problem out. We have lost our poise at the end of games. As others have mentioned we are rushing on offense and forcing long shots that we don't need (Hall) or turning it over (Creighton). If we are going to be successful, we need to refind that poise that allowed us to win all those close games early. Hopefully a nice cathartic beatdown of Georgetown this weekend helps us get our mojo back in time for the BET.

[tower912]

All three games have been characterized by not getting the big stop on defense and standing still on offense.    This is where not having players who can get to the rack and get their own shot off of the dribble (Powell, Booth) hurts.    Markus, being 5'11 (ish) can be stopped on the drive.    Sam missed 4 shots, Joey missed a dunk and had a shot in the lane spiked back at him with an elbow, Theo missed a jump hook, Markus missed a couple of shots.... nobody attacked the glass, forced a foul call.

This team is the same team that went 23-4, that went 20-2 over two months with the only two losses being to SJU.    One true guard.  Starting forwards who can shoot, but who routinely get beat off of the dribble.    A shot blocker who is foul prone.    If the last three losses had been sprinkled evenly through the conference season, we would have acknowledged the flaws in the team, and lamented not closing games out.    But they didn't.    They happened consecutively after fans started dreaming of a 2 seed and a NPOY candidate.     The team is still 23-7.    Still going to finish top two in the Big East.      But losing 3 consecutive games in this manner has really brought the frustration out.   

[MU82]

All three games have been characterized by not getting the big stop on defense and standing still on offense.    This is where not having players who can get to the rack and get their own shot off of the dribble (Powell, Booth) hurts.    Markus, being 5'11 (ish) can be stopped on the drive.    Sam missed 4 shots, Joey missed a dunk and had a shot in the lane spiked back at him with an elbow, Theo missed a jump hook, Markus missed a couple of shots.... nobody attacked the glass, forced a foul call.

This team is the same team that went 23-4, that went 20-2 over two months with the only two losses being to SJU.    One true guard.  Starting forwards who can shoot, but who routinely get beat off of the dribble.    A shot blocker who is foul prone.    If the last three losses had been sprinkled evenly through the conference season, we would have acknowledged the flaws in the team, and lamented not closing games out.    But they didn't.    They happened consecutively after fans started dreaming of a 2 seed and a NPOY candidate.     The team is still 23-7.    Still going to finish top two in the Big East.      But losing 3 consecutive games in this manner has really brought the frustration out.

Outstanding post, great observations.

If we had started 0-3 in the conference and then gone 12-2, there would have been panic at first in Scoopdom (obviously) followed by joy (for most). But because it happened the other way, the reaction is quite different.

And understandably so. I get it. I'm frustrated, too. I mean, I paid the ultimate price last night as the game was going down the tubes -- I spilled a freakin' beer ... and not a Bud but a craft beer that cost real money!

I guess asking folks to relax when many of us had just spent a few weeks discussing the chances of us getting a 2-seed (despite the committee's infamous anti-MU conspiracy) is not realistic on my part. Doesn't mean I can't try!

I do hope those who want Markus benched and/or Wojo fired realize that's not realistic, either.

One poster pointed out that Nova seems to have righted the ship after their 0-3 stretch (that included a loss to us). His thought was immediately dismissed because "Wojo ain't no Wright."

While that's true, it's also true that a season has all kinds of ebbs and flows. I'm not giving up on this team. I think it's been mostly a great season, and it still can be a special one!

[GOO]

So does Wojo get credit for winning the close one's this year, or just the blame for losing when no one can hit a shot?
We all know that we are short on guards, injury and a transfer not panning out.  Those are the breaks. 

Last I checked we have won a lot of games and have a solid team, and will have a solid to great team next year.  I guess we can blame Wojo for that as well. Or does Willie get the credit for the wins, I'm getting confused?

[Dr. Blackheart]

The last 5 minutes of the last three games have concerned me a lot more than the turnovers, or teams "figuring out Markus", or the offensive rebounds. Those three things can be schemed around and we have seen Wojo address all three. We won the offensive boards last night, Wojo moved Sacar to point to handle the press and the turnovers all but stopped (14 in first half, 4 in second half), and Markus dropped 33 on Creighton and we were rolling with Sam taking the lead against Hall.

The last 5 minutes is concerning because I don't think you can scheme that problem out. We have lost our poise at the end of games. As others have mentioned we are rushing on offense and forcing long shots that we don't need (Hall) or turning it over (Creighton). If we are going to be successful, we need to refind that poise that allowed us to win all those close games early. Hopefully a nice cathartic beatdown of Georgetown this weekend helps us get our mojo back in time for the BET.

I would add the first five minutes of the game to this assessment. Where we have turned the ball over possession after possession and get in the early hole.  It is the same problem as we rush things and our defense is impacted as the opponents get out quickly in transition for easy points.

To me, Wojo is mainly a systems coach. He primarily makes adjustments within his system that he thinks will work. Other coaches the second time through actually change up their systems to upend MU. Wright did it on both sides of the ball (Samuels).  McDermott did it on defense.  Willard copied on D. Wojo has done it but within the game conditions (Georgetown) and last night with Markus in foul trouble.

I think Wojo is good with game prep.  I think he is very good with situationals (rotations, hit hands, offense-defense, managing foul troubles, out of huddles), and very good with his base systems (offense is great and defense has gone from terrible to very good).  However, the BE is tougher vs. the other major conferences as you play every team twice.  You get scouted and these experience coaches are willing to throw stuff out the window the 2nd time through. 

Wojo isn't there yet in my mind but he is getting there (I believe because he is from the Duke heritage where they didn't have to).

When you are in first and have beaten most teams the first time through, you can go on the defensive or the offensive.  I think a Wright has been through that and is more willing to throw out or adjust his base systems in favor of changing things up based on match-ups. Cooley is also great at this. This is a survival league, not a finesse league like the ACC mostly is.

I think our fans don't consider how tough this league is and how great the coaches are. We only look inward.

[jesmu84]

Honestly, I don't think the last 5 minute problems are a big deal.

Seton Hall is a prime example of why:

We were up by 6 at half with 14 turnovers. If we have half those TOs or significantly decrease them, we have a much bigger halftime lead (likely). If we have a much bigger halftime lead, I think it's unlikely that SH is able to put together enough of a comeback to have an effect in the last 5 minutes.

So, I'm more worried about the turnovers than anything else. We're shooting ourselves in the foot by not giving us opportunities to score and giving the opponent more opportunities.

[Silkk the Shaka]

I don't think the leads have been big enough to do that. If anything, they might need to be more aggressive. It's been a little different in every game, but last night they settled for threes, against Creighton they turned it over on 5 straight possessions and couldn't recover, against Nova they just couldn't score.

Go inside for high percentage looks, and if that opens the perimeter, then take the three. Too often, especially when trailing, we seem to think we don't have to collapse the interior because our shooters think they can make anything.

Been thinking about this, I think Ed needs to close the game out. He's a more creative scorer around the hoop, and a better FT shooter.