Hell of a regular season

[BM1090]

I tend to think the younger you are, the more you are likely to improve.  I've got nothing to back that up but intuition, but that's what I think.  We should be better next year if everyone comes back.  But I think more than a few of the other teams will improve more than we will, that's all.

Mostly agree with this. I tend to be am optimist. I think it is funny that we missed winning conference by one game and the team in front of us loses their 2 best players and everyone is convinced we will regress.

Doesn't make this losing streak any less painful.

[4everwarriors]

Total and utter bullchit

[Shooter McGavin]

Everyone has different definition of great season. I am happy to say that mine is vastly different than jesmu.

Everyone knows your definition is a National Championship.  You've made that abundantly clear either passively or aggressively with each post.  You are consistent and I admire that. 

[jutaw22mu]

Wojo has his strengths and weaknesses.  He needs to address his weaknesses in the offseason.

-Attend some coaching clinics.

-hire someone on the staff who actually knows X's and O's.  Let this person draw up plays. 

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

We're in a weird spot. The what is good. Preseason, most Marquette fans would have gladly signed up for 23-8 (12-6), 2nd in the Big East, 5-6 seed on the way.

The problem is the how.  Getting there on a 4 game losing streak to end the season is not going to leave anyone feeling good.

Question becomes, how well do we need to do in March to overcome the bad taste from the 4 losses?

[Bad_Reporter]

We're in a weird spot. The what is good. Preseason, most Marquette fans would have gladly signed up for 23-8 (12-6), 2nd in the Big East, 5-6 seed on the way.

The problem is the how.  Getting there on a 4 game losing streak to end the season is not going to leave anyone feeling good.

Question becomes, how well do we need to do in March to overcome the bad taste from the 4 losses?

For me, the goal and expectation has always been a sweet 16.  Id be very happy with that

[jesmu84]

For me, the goal and expectation has always been a sweet 16.  Id be very happy with that

Ya. Here's the thing. Sweet 16 is fools gold. Let's say Marquette this season makes the sweet 16, but no further. Does that mean Loyola is a better program cause they went further last year? Does that mean MU is better than Virginia was last year? No.

The NCAA tournament is no reflection on a coach, the program or its players.

Gather yourselves, take your emotions out of it and reflect on what is success relative to where your program is in the present and where it was in the recent past.

MU is 100% on the rise. Anyone who says otherwise is objectively wrong.

[Bad_Reporter]

Ya. Here's the thing. Sweet 16 is fools gold. Let's say Marquette this season makes the sweet 16, but no further. Does that mean Loyola is a better program cause they went further last year? Does that mean MU is better than Virginia was last year? No.

The NCAA tournament is no reflection on a coach, the program or its players.

Gather yourselves, take your emotions out of it and reflect on what is success relative to where your program is in the present and where it was in the recent past.

MU is 100% on the rise. Anyone who says otherwise is objectively wrong.

I agree with you, but the reality is every school is judged on NCAA tournament wins.  Is it fair? Maybe, maybe not.  I think it is. 

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

To answer my own question, I think I need two more wins to consider expectations "met". Wouldn't be mad, wouldn't be overjoyed. I think I need a BET championship or a Sweet 16 to consider expectations exceeded.

[muguru]

Ya. Here's the thing. Sweet 16 is fools gold. Let's say Marquette this season makes the sweet 16, but no further. Does that mean Loyola is a better program cause they went further last year? Does that mean MU is better than Virginia was last year? No.

The NCAA tournament is no reflection on a coach, the program or its players.

Gather yourselves, take your emotions out of it and reflect on what is success relative to where your program is in the present and where it was in the recent past.

MU is 100% on the rise. Anyone who says otherwise is objectively wrong.

Is that what some have resorted to here, "celebrating" a good season because they had been in the dumpster the previous 4?? Low expectations much?? This season has been an unmitigated disaster with the way it ended...there is simply no way around it...all the "good" That may have happened earlier, is totally erased with the stink that was the last 4 games.They may not win another game...I'm glad the administration(and many posters) LOVE Wojo...the bar has been set low apparently...

[Lennys Tap]

Expectations change during a season. 23-8 going in? Yeah, about right. 23-8 when you're 23-4 and have 2 home games left against meh to sub meh teams? Not so much. 12-6 conference record? Going in and not knowing the weakness of the Big East? Sure. From 12-2? Hell no. 2nd place going in? Why not? 2nd place when one stinkin' win in your last 4 means a conference title? Not a chance in the world. Meeting preseason expectations rings hollow when every star aligns to make a season special and you spit out the bit down the stretch. Barring a turnaround (BE tourney title and a S16 run) this season will be a disappointment.

[Warrior1969]

Right   when you go from 11-1 to 12-6 it is a disaster!  Beat Nova you win BE, beat CU we win BE  Beat SH we win BE  Today we wake up needing SH to beat Nova, bingo it happens.  All we need to do it beat GT, NOPE!  Four chances to win BE  Choked em all way!

[4everwarriors]

Ya. Here's the thing. Sweet 16 is fools gold. Let's say Marquette this season makes the sweet 16, but no further. Does that mean Loyola is a better program cause they went further last year? Does that mean MU is better than Virginia was last year? No.

The NCAA tournament is no reflection on a coach, the program or its players.

Gather yourselves, take your emotions out of it and reflect on what is success relative to where your program is in the present and where it was in the recent past.

MU is 100% on the rise. Anyone who says otherwise is objectively wrong.

No phun beein' in da nile, hey?

[NickelDimer]

Troll job

[GooooMarquette]

I agree with you, but the reality is every school is judged on NCAA tournament wins.  Is it fair? Maybe, maybe not.  I think it is.

Short term, teams are judged on NCAA Tournament wins. That's why people still are still talking about Loyola.

Long term, they're judged partially on getting in consistently, partly on getting ranked consistently, and partly on NCAA Tournament wins. That's why people probably won't be talking about Loyola much in a year or two. (See, e.g., George Mason and Florida Atlantic).

We still have a ways to go on both fronts, but I still think Wojo deserves time.

[Silent Verbal]

Ya. Here's the thing. Sweet 16 is fools gold. Let's say Marquette this season makes the sweet 16, but no further. Does that mean Loyola is a better program cause they went further last year? Does that mean MU is better than Virginia was last year? No.

The NCAA tournament is no reflection on a coach, the program or its players.

Gather yourselves, take your emotions out of it and reflect on what is success relative to where your program is in the present and where it was in the recent past.

MU is 100% on the rise. Anyone who says otherwise is objectively wrong.

Yeah, haven't you guys heard?  UMBC beat Virginia last year, so postseason no matta.  It means so little, I'm surprised the NCAA even bothers having it.

Hell, even losses don't matter that much.  In fact, (insert ranked team here) lost to (insert unranked team here) at home earlier today.  It happens to everybody.

And yes, I agree that we really do need to look at the recent past when evaluating the Wojo era.  When he got here, we were a year removed from 9 straight NCAA appearances, including 3 straight Sweet 16s, the program was facing no sanctions, facilities and recruiting budget were top notch, and the team was (and still is) playing its home games in an NBA arena.  Things were such a dumpster fire, you gotta feel kinda bad for the guy.

[NickelDimer]

If we'd lost these conference games early in BE play then consistently improved and finished with the record we did and a second place finish it would be a hell of a regular season.

#whenyoulosematters
#howyoulosematters
#whyyoulosematters

As it is this was a decent regular season. Solid even. Hell of a regular season? No

[muhoops1]

Great season all around.

All-american candidate, BEast POY candidate and NPOY candidate. Multiple BEast all-conference candidates. BEast freshman of the year candidate. BEast and national COY candidate.

Best finish in conference in YEARS. Best record in years.

#10 ranking during the season

Big-time up trend to our program. Love the coach and players. Recruiting looks top notch. Bringing back nearly every significant player plus redshirts.

It's not how you start it's how you finish....

[Lennys Tap]

Gather yourselves, take your emotions out of it and reflect on what is success relative to where your program is in the present and where it was in the recent past.

Following your instructions, gathered myself and reflected on where we were in the recent past: 23-4, #9 in the country, heading toward a Big East Championship and a #2 or #3 seed in the Big Dance. Didn't make me feel better.

[The Sultan]

Everyone has different definition of great season. I am happy to say that mine is vastly different than jesmu.

You are miserable.

[The Sultan]

After reading the responses to this, I've come to the conclusion that Marquette fans don't deserve a good team. Glad you guys are so miserable.  I will choose to be happy.

[Markusquette]

It's not how you start it's how you finish....

Well the good thing is MU still has the conference tournament and the NCAA's to turn things around.

Felt like we exceeded expectations and fell back to earth a bit, unfortunately. We made some additions in Morrow and Joey but for a team without senior leadership and a lot of experience, I'm happy with the overall results. Had some amazing, fun games to watch throughout the year and ended with a skid.

Hope the boys can step it up and make some noise. To win a couple games in the tournament following an NIT appearance will make me very pleased.

[Goose]

Fluff
I will do my best to be the kind of fan that "deserves" a good team.

[4everwarriors]

This is a good team...to the casual observer.

[Goose]

Doc
I have been saying that all year. I get folks being too young to have MU glory days as a reference, but don't they watch other games? When I watch the elite programs play I realize how much work is left to be done.