Hell of a regular season

[muwarrior69]

I just do not think posters are recognizing how much some teams improved during the season. Villanova and MU tied with 6 teams for last place in the second half of the Big East season. MU lost the second game of every team they split the season match up with.
 
                   2nd half         1st half        Final
Xavier             6-3               3-6            9-9
Seton Hall        5-4               4-5           9-9
Creighton         5-4               4-5           9-9
Georgetown      5-4               4-5           9-9
Villanova           4-5               9-0         13-5
MU                   4-5               8-1          12-6
St. John's         4-5               4-5            8-10
Butler              4-5               3-6            7-11
Providence       4-5              3-6            7-11
DePaul             4-5             3-6            7-11

So does everyone think we will better next season? Does everyone believe we will lower our turnover rate? Will Kobe and Greg help at the guard position? I have my doubts.

[The Sultan]

So does everyone think we will better next season? Does everyone believe we will lower our turnover rate? Will Kobe and Greg help at the guard position? I have my doubts.

I think we will be better if everyone we are expecting to be here is actually here. 

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

So does everyone think we will better next season? Does everyone believe we will lower our turnover rate? Will Kobe and Greg help at the guard position? I have my doubts.

5 starters back, 7 of the top 8 back, adding two guards with D-1 experience.  I have no doubt the team will be better.  The question is how much better.  A little better  would be a 4 seed, a lot better is a 1 or 2.

[CTWarrior]

I think if people proposed a 23-8 season, second place in the BE and a BE record of 12-6, Most people would have signed up.

Not so sure that is true if we new the balance of the conference would not be in the top 25.

[goldeneagle91114]

I think Lenny said it best:

"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."

[WolfganghisKhan]

I think Lenny said it best:

"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."

This x10000000000000.

[f/k/a humanlung]

I define "great season" as one where recurring problems are finally corrected and the team plays up to its full potential.  And with this team's potential, we should be an Elite Eight-caliber team. 

Looking at turnovers, the inability to consistently break a press, rushed shots at terrible times...we are not remotely close to there yet. 

[Eye]

I've said that exact same thing to several people the last couple of days. Barring a BET title and the Sweet 16, the way the last two weeks went will weight too heavily to make it a helluva regular season. Can't fail the final and still have it be a helluva regular season.

[BM1090]

I've said that exact same thing to several people the last couple of days. Barring a BET title and the Sweet 16, the way the last two weeks went will weight too heavily to make it a helluva regular season. Can't fail the final and still have it be a helluva regular season.

What would make it a successful season? Not really directed solely at you, but considering this rough stretch what would it take?

Big East tourney title and a first round NCAA loss?

Lose to SJU/DePaul but make the S16?

1 NYC win and round of 32?

Genuinely curious for everyone's thoughts.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I've said that exact same thing to several people the last couple of days. Barring a BET title and the Sweet 16, the way the last two weeks went will weight too heavily to make it a helluva regular season. Can't fail the final and still have it be a helluva regular season.

This isn't failing the final.

What is being described is more like taking a 31 question final, and then the teacher throwing out the first 27 answers because you got most of them correct and saying that the last 4 answers are all that you will be measured on.

Sure, from a personal disappointment lens, weighing the last four games more heavily makes sense. From a grading the team and the coach perspective, the final result is what will be evaluated, not how you got there.

Now, if you want to make an argument that the 4-game losing streak is evidence of Wojo's coaching ability, that makes some sense (For example could this be proof that Wojo is good at scouting opponents but not at anticipating and adjusting to their adjustments the 2nd time around?).

Also, I had several classes where I could fail the final and still get an A, so the metaphor doesn't really work. You can't say expectations changed midseason without recognizing how good the first part of the season was. Gotta take the good and the bad into account.

[WarriorDad]

So does everyone think we will better next season? Does everyone believe we will lower our turnover rate? Will Kobe and Greg help at the guard position? I have my doubts.

Yes.  Yes. Yes.

[jutaw22mu]

So...basically you are saying he is utterly unprepared for a job which pays him close to 2 Clams a year

I'm just saying he runs the same plays on offense all time and lacks creativity to come up with something different.  Our opponents have figured it out and have adjusted.  If he can't come up with alternative plays, he should bring someone on his staff who can.

[Spaniel with a Short Tail]

I just do not think posters are recognizing how much some teams improved during the season. Villanova and MU tied with 6 teams for last place in the second half of the Big East season. MU lost the second game of every team they split the season match up with.
 
                   2nd half         1st half        Final
Xavier             6-3               3-6            9-9
Seton Hall        5-4               4-5           9-9
Creighton         5-4               4-5           9-9
Georgetown      5-4               4-5           9-9
Villanova           4-5               9-0         13-5
MU                   4-5               8-1          12-6
St. John's         4-5               4-5            8-10
Butler              4-5               3-6            7-11
Providence       4-5              3-6            7-11
DePaul             4-5             3-6            7-11

This is good stuff. Thanks for posting.

I still haven't sorted out how I feel about the season at this time. I find myself agreeing with a lot of the posts both positive and negative. While a little down now, I've still got some optimism. (Remember, 1977 didn't finish so hot either.)

As to next year, I think it's likely the team is better but will have a harder time getting to 12-6 due to overall increased strength of the BE.

[Goose]

Spaniel

Weren't you the guy telling us older guys to get over the '77 team? Why in the hell are you referencing a team you told others to stop talking about? FYI--we were talking about '77 in reference to this team. Consensus--apples and oranges, zero comparison can be made outside of both teams representing Marquette University.

[muguru]

I'm just saying he runs the same plays on offense all time and lacks creativity to come up with something different.  Our opponents have figured it out and have adjusted.  If he can't come up with alternative plays, he should bring someone on his staff who can.

Defensively too...let's see two Freshman Guards are tearing you a part with penetration...at some point don't you think "okay, we need to stop that, right here, right now". Then wouldn't you TRY something different, like a couple of possessions of zone, or how about some trapping?? What exactly do you think two Freshman Guards are going to do against a trap from long armed Bailey and Jamal Cain?? I can tell you what they will do...turn it over. Against a zone..no way they penetrate that, so they get "Jack" happy and start chucking. Figure it out!

[Its DJOver]

When a team is shooting above 50% from 3, a zone is not the answer.

[muguru]

When a team is shooting above 50% from 3, a zone is not the answer.

Maybe, maybe not..that was a VERY unusually good day from 3 for Georgetown. However my point was to TRY something different. My preference would have been traps, or a little full court(looser) pressure...make them start their offense later. You don't think Freshman Guards are going to turn it over against Traps?? Look what Markus does against them, I will wager BIG $$, those two Freshman would have really struggled with it. Wojo couldn't figure that out?? No one on the staff could figure that out?? Really??

[Its DJOver]

Maybe, maybe not..that was a VERY unusually good day from 3 for Georgetown. However my point was to TRY something different. My preference would have been traps, or a little full court(looser) pressure...make them start their offense later. You don't think Freshman Guards are going to turn it over against Traps?? Look what Markus does against them, I will wager BIG $$, those two Freshman would have really struggled with it. Wojo couldn't figure that out?? No one on the staff could figure that out?? Really??

We did try something different.  Early in the game Sam was matched up on McClung, and after he got burned on two straight possessions, Wojo switched him off. 

Both McClung and Akinjo hit some extremely tough shots that they don't normally hit.  Akinjo is a 38% 3-point shooter that was in a rut, going 6-25 (24%) over his last 8 games.  The big money bet would have been that he doesn't snap out of it against the best defense in the conference, so naturally he goes  5-8 with a lot of them against good D, where he just pulls up Markus-esque.

McClung is a 28% 3-point shooter that was also in a rut, going 4-20 (20%) over his last 4 games.  The big money bet would have been the he doesn't snap out of it against the best defense in the conference, so naturally he goes 2-3 including one shot clock three that was a prayer.

Georgetown shot above 50% from three in both halves, and at halftime I was thinking that our D wasn't that bad, and Gtown was just hitting a ton of tough shots, and if they came back down to earth we would win.  Unfortunately, they did not revert to their averages and shot lights out in the second half too.  Even with 5 minutes I thought the safe bet was to keep playing them straight up and let them force tough shots, and other than one tough McClung jumper, and a lay-up immediately following an Oboard neither hit a shot, they did all their damage from the FT line with a lot of their attempts off questionable whistles.  I was perfectly okay with forcing Pickett to take that 3, and unfortunately he buried it. 

They way that the refs were blowing the whistle I would have been uncomfortable attempting a trap.  Considering that we only fouled twice to extend (one on Joey, one on Sacar), and we still had three other players with 4 fouls or fouled out, we would have finished the game with Cam in, coincidentally our best three point shooter going strictly off percentages.   

[CTWarrior]

What would make it a successful season? Not really directed solely at you, but considering this rough stretch what would it take?

Big East tourney title and a first round NCAA loss?

Lose to SJU/DePaul but make the S16?

1 NYC win and round of 32?

Genuinely curious for everyone's thoughts.

At this point, 3 more wins of any kind.  I'd prefer they not be 2 in the Big East and 1 in the NCAA tournament, but three more wins of any kind and this is a successful season.  The bar moved in the last two weeks.  Had we won 2 (probably even 1) of the previous 4, this season would have been a success no matter what else happened as long as there were no permanent injuries.  2 more is a good season, any less is meh.  That's just my opinion.

[Silent Verbal]

What would make it a successful season? Not really directed solely at you, but considering this rough stretch what would it take?

Big East tourney title and a first round NCAA loss?

Lose to SJU/DePaul but make the S16?

1 NYC win and round of 32?

Genuinely curious for everyone's thoughts.

Great question.  For me, it's all about the NCAA tournament now.

Loss in Round of 64 = Huge disappointment.  Five years and zero NCAA tourney victories is unacceptable at a program like Marquette.

Loss in Round of 32 = Solid season and glad to see Wojo get that NCAA tourney monkey off his back.

Sweet 16 or better = We can all forget about this 4 game skid and get back on the Wojo bandwagon.

This year's NCAA is Wojo's chance to prove himself as a coach.  I don't give a damn about crapshoots or bad matchups or 23-4 or the 2020 recruiting class.  The time is now for him to win an NCAA tournament game, because that's what all college basketball coaches, fair or not, are ultimately judged on.

[Cheeks]

Great question.  For me, it's all about the NCAA tournament now.

Loss in Round of 64 = Huge disappointment.  Five years and zero NCAA tourney victories is unacceptable at a program like Marquette.

Loss in Round of 32 = Solid season and glad to see Wojo get that NCAA tourney monkey off his back.

Sweet 16 or better = We can all forget about this 4 game skid and get back on the Wojo bandwagon.

This year's NCAA is Wojo's chance to prove himself as a coach.  I don't give a damn about crapshoots or bad matchups or 23-4 or the 2020 recruiting class.  The time is now for him to win an NCAA tournament game, because that's what all college basketball coaches, fair or not, are ultimately judged on.

It would be six, because Buzzard didn't deliver any his last year either...he didn't even get us in to the NIT.  That said, two years ago we lost to a Final Four team in South Carolina.  Crapshoot.

[NickelDimer]

It would be six, because Buzzard didn't deliver any his last year either...he didn't even get us in to the NIT.  That said, two years ago we lost to a Final Four team in South Carolina.  Crapshoot.

Widely considered SNUBBED from the NIT if you recall
http://archive.jsonline.com/sports/goldeneagles/nit-snub-leads-to-abrupt-end-of-marquettes-season-b99226497z1-250558831.html

[Cheeks]

Widely considered SNUBBED from the NIT if you recall
http://archive.jsonline.com/sports/goldeneagles/nit-snub-leads-to-abrupt-end-of-marquettes-season-b99226497z1-250558831.html

Snubbed means didn't get in, correct?  Besides, it doesn't matter to 99% of our fans apparently. 

[Silent Verbal]

It would be six, because Buzzard didn't deliver any his last year either...he didn't even get us in to the NIT.  That said, two years ago we lost to a Final Four team in South Carolina.  Crapshoot.

I was referring to the five years Wojo's been here. 

[NickelDimer]

Snubbed means didn't get in, correct?  Besides, it doesn't matter to 99% of our fans apparently.

Matters to you so just wanted to make sure you recalled.