Hypocrisy of MU Basketball

[The Sultan]

Who says you have to be quick to play good defense?  Look at UW.

[tower912]

Sam will do do fine there.   He will have an extra year to rehab his hip.   The slow pace on offense that limits possessions along with the pack line is a good fit for him.

[MikeDeanesDarkGlasses]

Who says you have to be quick to play good defense?  Look at UW.

Exactly - then you look at MU's roster - more athletic but that athleticism doesn't translate on defense. 

MU isn't going to get the elite recruits that are long, can score, etc.  So, if it wants to compete in the top 25 consistently - it has to have a defensive identity. 

[Nukem2]

Who says you have to be quick to play good defense?  Look at UW.

Though their lack of quickness has bitten them in the butt quite a few times over the years (including against MU). when they are unable to stay in front of their opponents.  But, they do generally play solid D.

[Pakuni]

Exactly - then you look at MU's roster - more athletic but that athleticism doesn't translate on defense.

Even after the Creighton debacle, MU has a top 40 defense nationally, per KenPom. (38th, to be exact). Last year, the team was 45th.
For comparison's sake, Buzz's teams ranked 52nd, 55th, 62nd, 14th, 45th and 60th.

[Marcus92]

To me, the most encouraging trend of Wojo's tenure is the improvement on D.

KenPom ranked Marquette outside the Top 150 in defensive efficiency for two straight years -- 2016-17 (#165) and 2017-18 (#182). But we saw a dramatic jump to #45 last season. And that's continued this year (#38 through the first 14 games).

Two games in particular stand out:

Back in November, Marquette held Purdue to 0.87 points per possession -- one of the 10 best defensive performances against the Boilermakers over the past five years. Our offense wasn't all that good (1.03 ppp). But we still won by double digits, thanks to stifling defense (just 17 points allowed!) in the second half.

Marquette locked down Villanova to an even greater degree, holding them to 0.83 ppp. Since 2015, only 3 teams have done better against the Wildcats. It was also the best defensive performance of the Wojo era against an opponent from a Power 6 conference. Once again, our offense was far from great (0.99 ppp). But we won by double digits.

A couple seasons ago, if we weren't draining threes left and right, our chances of beating a quality team were slim to none. Now the defense can not only keep us in games, but win games outright.

We're not there yet. This team hasn't played consistently enough to earn a Top 25 ranking. There's room for improvement on both ends. But they've already proven capable of things that no Wojo-coached team has done before. Sixteen games remain to see how far they can rise.

[WhoaJoe2020]

I find it interesting that Hauser could go onto Virginia and then be part of an elite defensive unit - even though he's not the quickest player.

He's not part of an elite defensive unit yet. He and his teammates have to demonstrate that they can execute Bennetts elite defensive scheme. No one can say how his hip will affect his mobility or if it will hold up under the rigors of a CBB season. Anointing him and next years Virginia defense as elite is a bit premature at this point in time.

[Uncle Rico]

Though their lack of quickness has bitten them in the butt quite a few times over the years (including against MU). when they are unable to stay in front of their opponents.  But, they do generally play solid D.

They're also play dirty

[tower912]

MU's defense is markedly improved post Rowsey.

[WhoaJoe2020]

Sam will do do fine there.   He will have an extra year to rehab his hip.   The slow pace on offense that limits possessions along with the pack line is a good fit for him.

I was just about to float the possibility that Sams transfer had nothing to do with Joey, Markus, or Wojo but everything to do with UVAs style of play and being able to sit out a year and fully rehab his hip. I was also going to propose that Sam knew the style of play that Wojo wanted to run, both offensively and defensively and realized he wouldn't be a good fit. Especially when he wouldn't have the extra year to rehab at Marquette. The very real possibility of this makes me even more comfortable with Sams departure.

[The Sultan]

Exactly - then you look at MU's roster - more athletic but that athleticism doesn't translate on defense. 

MU isn't going to get the elite recruits that are long, can score, etc.  So, if it wants to compete in the top 25 consistently - it has to have a defensive identity. 

They do. Pay attention.

[tower912]

MU isn't going to get the elite recruits that are long, can score, etc.  So, if it wants to compete in the top 25 consistently - it has to have a defensive identity.

Seriously, have you been paying any attention to the incoming recruit class?

[Dr. Blackheart]

Seriously, have you been paying any attention to the incoming recruit class?

No. He still thinks RPI is a thing.

[MikeDeanesDarkGlasses]

Seriously, have you been paying any attention to the incoming recruit class?

I heard the same thing about the Henry Ellenson class.....

Even if their talent is up to expectation - How are we going to play NCAA tourney caliber defense without a system?  Or does that trickster Wojo have something up his sleeve beside your soul?

Not to mention, you act as if this is the norm now.  How does one conclude that after the prior 5-6 recruiting classes dictated otherwise?

[Cheeks]

I heard the same thing about the Henry Ellenson class.....

Even if their talent is up to expectation - How are we going to play NCAA tourney caliber defense without a system?  Or does that trickster Wojo have something up his sleeve beside your soul?

Not to mention, you act as if this is the norm now.  How does one conclude that after the prior 5-6 recruiting classes dictated otherwise?

You want Dayton in the Big East

[Galway Eagle]

I heard the same thing about the Henry Ellenson class.....

Even if their talent is up to expectation - How are we going to play NCAA tourney caliber defense without a system?  Or does that trickster Wojo have something up his sleeve beside your soul?

Not to mention, you act as if this is the norm now.  How does one conclude that after the prior 5-6 recruiting classes dictated otherwise?

The past 5-6 dictated otherwise? One class had our all time leading scorer, and a phenomenal player we got three great years out of, and another darn good player who's starting to come into his own after his two year break. Another had an NBA player, and a guy who's been our best defender and a real solid contributor since redshirting. How are you going to sit there and act like all the classes have been busts?

[jesmu84]

The hypocrisy of ignoring ratings/rankings that show direct opposition to your viewpoint is obvious to everyone.

Troll on though.

[Cheeks]

The past 5-6 dictated otherwise? One class had our all time leading scorer, and a phenomenal player we got three great years out of, and another darn good player who's starting to come into his own after his two year break. Another had an NBA player, and a guy who's been our best defender and a real solid contributor since redshirting. How are you going to sit there and act like all the classes have been busts?

He wants Dayton in the Big East....

[Galway Eagle]

He wants Dayton in the Big East....

Enough said.

[🏀]

Enough said.

keefe has always wanted Dayton in the Big East.

[MikeDeanesDarkGlasses]

He wants Dayton in the Big East....

When I made that comment, Archie Miller was at the helm.  He's done things at Dayton that Wojo may never replicate at MU.  Miller actually knows how to run and coach a program.

[jesmu84]

keefe has always wanted Dayton in the Big East.

Same poster?

Thought he was Baby David or whatever.

Multiple active screen names? Crazytown

[Cheeks]

keefe has always wanted Dayton in the Big East.

Keefe wanted Gonzaga, I don't recall Dayton...but who knows.

[Nukem2]

When I made that comment, Archie Miller was at the helm.  He's done things at Dayton that Wojo may never replicate at MU.  Miller actually knows how to run and coach a program.

The folks at Indiana might well disagree.

[Galway Eagle]

keefe has always wanted Dayton in the Big East.

You mean the guy who would, unprovoked, lash out and insult all firefighters (real heroes) as a group and lacked the introspection to realise he was being a jerk then lashed out at me when I called him on it rather than taking a look in the mirror?

Yeah... I don't have the highest opinion of him either.