Stop the bashing

[Cheeks]

And yet others cheer for other teams.

Such as?  My other alma maters....yup...but way behind MU. Not close.

[Cheeks]

My only problem with the last 6 seconds was that Markus didn't push the ball as fast as I would have liked.  But that isn't much of a complaint because he got a good look, he just missed it.  I'd have rather that Sam took the last shot, but it is a lot easier for Markus to get himself a shot than it is for Sam.  And he got a good one.

I agree, he was surveying a little longer than I'd like, but easy for me to say watching on tv.

[We R Final Four]

Such as?  My other alma maters....yup...but way behind MU. Not close.

Why are you assuming this is about you?

[We R Final Four]

My only problem with the last 6 seconds was that Markus didn't push the ball as fast as I would have liked.  But that isn't much of a complaint because he got a good look, he just missed it.  I'd have rather that Sam took the last shot, but it is a lot easier for Markus to get himself a shot than it is for Sam.  And he got a good one.

I think he was taking his time because MH knew the play.

[Lennys Tap]

Such as?  My other alma maters....yup...but way behind MU. Not close.

You actively rooted against your "favorite" alma mater for 6 years. Went after the coach and players personally, named called, promised scandal that never materialized, etc., etc., etc.

Meanwhile you've been all over the board lecturing folks about what being a good fan means. Sweet irony.

[Dr. Blackheart]

I agree in most cases.  But that game/loss was so heartbreakingly horrible that reading posters piling on these kids is hard to read.  Just my opinion but maybe being there in person and seeing them made it harder to bear

Piling on kids is one thing (there are a few trolls who post emotionally), but many of the posters above are really talking strategy and situationals.  Posting intent is often hard to figure out in a forum, especially where humor, emotion, context, or slight critiques are taken 100% as literal. 

I remember on here I was making a fine point that Derrick Wilson should have not given Rotnei Clarke the sideline in Maui and forced him to his left as it took his momentum away from the basket and would decrease his accuracy. I was skewered as evil for ripping the kid personally (which I didn't), especially on a miracle shot. But, this was a point in actuality that Rick Majerus told me that he learned from Dean Smith—don't give a right handed shooter the sideline on a last second shot as they use their momentum and that space to fall toward the basket.

Fast forward to the NCAA's and MU beats Butler and Buzz said the key versus Butler in Maui was that they forced Clarke to the left where he was less accurate.  A little nuance in two close games.

[NickelDimer]

I think he was taking his time because MH knew the play. decided he was going to shoot as soon as he got the ball

Fixed it. That's the problem I had with the last play. Everyone saying Markus couldn't have passed it to Sam without it getting picked off aren't considering Markus could've gotten the ball to him much earlier and the way he'd been shooting absolutely should've considered it.

[Pakuni]

Fixed it. That's the problem I had with the last play. Everyone saying Markus couldn't have passed it to Sam without it getting picked off aren't considering Markus could've gotten the ball to him much earlier and the way he'd been shooting absolutely should've considered it.

This is where we disagree. Off night or not, Markus is Marquette's best shooter, scorer and free throw maker, and you absolutely want the ball in his hands if he can get an open look. There's no such thing as a conditional green light for a player like Markus. Sometimes that means an ugly night, but you live with that because more often you're getting 30+ out of the kid.

If that shot falls, nobody here would be griping about the shot selection or saying he should have passed the ball to Sam.

[NickelDimer]

This is where we disagree. Off night or not, Markus is Marquette's best shooter, scorer and free throw maker, and you absolutely want the ball in his hands if he can get an open look. There's no such thing as a conditional green light for a player like Markus. Sometimes that means an ugly night, but you live with that because more often you're getting 30+ out of the kid.

If that shot falls, nobody here would be griping about the shot selection or saying he should have passed the ball to Sam.

Have we seen Markus make that shot ever? I get what you're saying and on principal it's correct but we've seen him take that shot multiple times. I can't think of a time he's made one. He's on record as saying during practice Sam is the one who routinely hits that and we saw him do it at CU this season. He deserves to have the ball in that situation as much as Markus imo. And he was literally begging for it and not for the first time this year

[Markusquette]

Fixed it. That's the problem I had with the last play. Everyone saying Markus couldn't have passed it to Sam without it getting picked off aren't considering Markus could've gotten the ball to him much earlier and the way he'd been shooting absolutely should've considered it.

Well that's exactly it. The final shot was already decided upon inbounding. And without a timeout, I'm guessing Wojo's assuming that Markus is running down court and chucking a three anyway. I think if we had a timeout things would have been different. I'd love to see Markus get the ball to Sam for a winning three. Maybe it will happen in the NCAA tournament.

[Pakuni]

Have we seen Markus make that shot ever? I get what you're saying and on principal it's correct but we've seen him take that shot multiple times. I can't think of a time he's made one. He's on record as saying during practice Sam is the one who routinely hits that and we saw him do it at CU this season. He deserves to have the ball in that situation as much as Markus imo. And he was literally begging for it and not for the first time this year

Have we seen Markus make a contested 3? Yeah, a couple of times.

[NickelDimer]

Have we seen Markus make a contested 3? Yeah, a couple of times.

You really thought that's what I was asking? End of game situations. I can't remember him hitting one

[We R Final Four]

This is where we disagree. Off night or not, Markus is Marquette's best shooter, scorer and free throw maker, and you absolutely want the ball in his hands if he can get an open look. There's no such thing as a conditional green light for a player like Markus. Sometimes that means an ugly night, but you live with that because more often you're getting 30+ out of the kid.

If that shot falls, nobody here would be griping about the shot selection or saying he should have passed the ball to Sam.

At what point would you have your injured player not shoot? Seems like never from your response above.
What if he was 0-20 or 1-23? Still shoot?
He is our best shooter. He is one of the best FT shooters in the country. But when your 90+% FT shooter has uncharacteristicly missed 6 FTs in one game....you want him shooting FTs?  I bet MH hasn't missed that many FTs since grade school.
I love MH. But, you need to defer sometimes and do other things when ball is not falling.

[Spaniel with a Short Tail]

No, Markus did not "choke"
Yes, perhaps somethings could have been done differently by you couch coaches but..
In the game I was at last night, in those circumstances, all I can say is in the words of Coach Norman Dale in Hoosiers: For those of you on the floor at the end of the game I'm proud of you.

"

+1

I thought Markus had a good look and just missed it. It happens; I'm over it. Looking forward to the NCAAs.

[We R Final Four]

Fixed it. That's the problem I had with the last play. Everyone saying Markus couldn't have passed it to Sam without it getting picked off aren't considering Markus could've gotten the ball to him much earlier and the way he'd been shooting absolutely should've considered it.

When I said Markus knew the play........I was inferring that the play was that he was going to shoot. No other option.

[NickelDimer]

When I said Markus knew the play........I was inferring that the play was that he was going to shoot. No other option.

Gotcha. Totally agree. I think it's part of Markus evolution. He's gotten really really good at trusting his teammates and getting them looks particularly early in games, but end of games he has a one track mind.

[Pakuni]

You really thought that's what I was asking? End of game situations. I can't remember him hitting one

Last year, at Providence Markus made a driving 3-point play with under 30 to play to send the game into OT.
But really, who cares? If your question pertains exclusively to last-second shots, I can't think of any, but it's such a tiny sample size that it's meaningless.

[Pakuni]

At what point would you have your injured player not shoot? Seems like never from your response above.
What if he was 0-20 or 1-23? Still shoot?
He is our best shooter. He is one of the best FT shooters in the country. But when your 90+% FT shooter has uncharacteristicly missed 6 FTs in one game....you want him shooting FTs?  I bet MH hasn't missed that many FTs since grade school.
I love MH. But, you need to defer sometimes and do other things when ball is not falling.

Never is correct.
Shooter's gotta shoot if there's a good look. And there was a good look. The day Markus Howard is so lacking in confidence that he's deferring to other players when he's got a good look is the day Marquette is really screwed.

[NickelDimer]

Last year, at Providence Markus made a driving 3-point play with under 30 to play to send the game into OT.
But really, who cares? If your question pertains exclusively to last-second shots, I can't think of any, but it's such a tiny sample size that it's meaningless.

Point is he's not the only player capable of taking and making that shot. So I disagree with your position that he's the one to take it, and on a night where he clearly didn't have it the right play was to get the ball to Sam

[fjm]

Wouldn't trade Markus for the world.


We are truly spoiled.

Look at EVERY OTHER TEAM in the country and tell me 10 people you would rather have shoot that ball...

351 teams, and I'm asking 10 players who you'd rather have shoot.

That's 1,755 starters.

I'll start:
Zion (but he'd have to be in the post... or at least closer so that doesn't count)
Maybe the kid from Murray state?


Proud of Markus. Proud of our team.

GO MU!

[Pakuni]

Point is he's not the only player capable of taking and making that shot. So I disagree with your position that he's the one to take it, and on a night where he clearly didn't have it the right play was to get the ball to Sam

Who said either of these things?
To be clear, I'd have no problem with Sam taking the shot either. I'm just not whining over the fact that Markus took the shot. I don't believe he's selfish for having taken the shot. And I don't believe it was a bad decision to take the shot.
If he'd pulled up from 40 feet with a hand in his face, it would be a bad decision. If he recklessly drove into a body and tossed up a prayer hoping to draw a foul , it would be a bad decision. Markus Howard shooting a clean three is never a bad decision.
And again, if that ball drops through the net, not one of you are complaining about the shot selection.

[NickelDimer]

Who said either of these things?
To be clear, I'd have no problem with Sam taking the shot either. I'm just not whining over the fact that Markus took the shot. I don't believe he's selfish for having taken the shot. And I don't believe it was a bad decision to take the shot.
If he'd pulled up from 40 feet with a hand in his face, it would be a bad decision. If he recklessly drove into a body and tossed up a prayer hoping to draw a foul , it would be a bad decision. Markus Howard shooting a clean three is never a bad decision.
And again, if that ball drops through the net, not one of you are complaining about the shot selection.

This post sure made it sound like that's what you were saying. We agree on the rest of your point.

This is where we disagree. Off night or not, Markus is Marquette's best shooter, scorer and free throw maker, and you absolutely want the ball in his hands if he can get an open look. There's no such thing as a conditional green light for a player like Markus. Sometimes that means an ugly night, but you live with that because more often you're getting 30+ out of the kid.

If that shot falls, nobody here would be griping about the shot selection or saying he should have passed the ball to Sam.

[Pakuni]

This post sure made it sound like that's what you were saying. We agree on the rest of your point.

Saying you want the ball in his hands in that situation is not the same as saying no one else is capable of taking that shot.
If, for example, Steve Kerr were to say he wants the ball in Curry's hands at the end of a close game, I wouldn't take that to mean he believes Durant and Klay are incapable of making end-of-game shots.
If, on the other hand, Steve Kerr were to say he believes Steph ought to pass up a clear shot at the end of the game, I would suggest that Steve Kerr is a crazy person.

[We R Final Four]

Never is correct.
Shooter's gotta shoot if there's a good look. And there was a good look. The day Markus Howard is so lacking in confidence that he's deferring to other players when he's got a good look is the day Marquette is really screwed.

If a shooter goes 0-20 in a game, I want someone else shooting the last shot. I guess we have different opinions on that.

[Cheeks]

Why are you assuming this is about you?

You quoted me with your response and replied directly to me....no assumption was needed, I simply read what you wrote.