I didn't get to watch the game...

[CreightonWarrior]

This.

I guess some folks think it's impossible that the defensive gameplan was to invite a poor-shooting team to take 3s rather than go into the paint.

I wonder if they scouted from Creighton/Xavier tape. This is exactly how Creighton played them and they shot 5-26.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Maybe it's quibbling but in-game Buzz was generally atrocious with ATO and other set plays. Yes he could adapt the general scheme within games, especially at half but god help him if he needed to get a bucket/stop a bucket out of ATO situations. Wojo is basically the inverse.

I mentioned that assessment in my other post, so no quibble. But, then there is Davidson, St. John's, Cuse, etc. When Buzz was good he was very good. When he was bad out of time outs, especially under the basket, he was atrocious.

[Jay Bee]

Homer mentioned on the postgame show that all MU players that played (excluding the club trillion crew) had 3 or more rebounds. Symir even grabbed 4! That has to be one of the better rebounding efforts we've had in conference play in recent years, right?

Offensive rebounding, yes? Defensive, no, not at all. Only time we did worse was vs. Prov, and that was within 0.1%.

[WhoaJoe2020]

This is where I'm at.  Loved the win tonight.  Fantastic game, moved the ball mostly really well.  Bigs contributed big time.  Zero to complain about.  Hope Ed & Greg are back soon.

This all said, until we see some consistency from this team, it feels too much like fools gold to get overly excited...yet.  But I was impressed tonight and hope we see more of this in the next game.

I really do believe this team is still finding its identity in BEast play with the Hausers gone. 60 minute a game from players in key roles is hard to replace. The Xavier game was another step forward in defining their identity. The absence of Greg and Ed further crystallized players roles. That's the silver lining people talk about.
The Match up and home court had something to do with the win, but guys seizing their chances to contribute was the key factor in the outcome.

[Pakuni]

I don't disagree with you or Tower as our posts from the past contest. CTC thought frenetic activity, including pacing and Diet Coke swigs, would reverse the opponent's momentum.

Here is how I would rate them:

Game prep: Crean (detail) followed by Buzz (innovative)
In-game and match-ups: Buzz/Deane
Systems: Wojo but paint touches brought a lot of wins.
Situationals: Mixed but all those OT games and wins, I have to net out on Buzz.

Not necessarily quibbling with your conclusions, but OT records at MU:
Crean: 8-8
Buzz: 9-7
Wojo: 10-3

[WhoaJoe2020]

Not necessarily quibbling with your conclusions, but OT records at MU:
Crean: 8-8
Buzz: 9-7
Wojo: 10-3

Quibble away.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Not necessarily quibbling with your conclusions, but OT records at MU:
Crean: 8-8
Buzz: 9-7
Wojo: 10-3

Buzz was very good in OTs until his last year.  That said, one could argue getting MU into six OTs starting in mid-January with that team could be considered great coaching? Especially, when certain posters said that Buzz was already trying to lose those games.

Wojo's OT record has been stellar, as noted. I wish one of those W's was the PC game where he wasn't with his situationals.

[Spaniel with a Short Tail]

Watched the game now.   A lot of fun.

Just because you watched the game a day late does not absolve you of your obligation to post a summary complete with clever title. Give the people what they want!

[tower912]

1.  Insipid cliche
2.  Slightly pithy remark
3.  Player x played well.  See?
4.  Ball was passed.
5.  Defense was played.
6.   Rebounding
7.  Markus
8.  Thumb injuries
9.  Good to get a win.
10.  I will probably not see the Georgetown game either.

[Cheeks]

Buzz was very good in OTs until his last year.  That said, one could argue getting MU into six OTs starting in mid-January with that team could be considered great coaching? Especially, when certain posters said that Buzz was already trying to lose those games.

Wojo's OT record has been stellar, as noted. I wish one of those W's was the PC game where he wasn't with his situationals.

I've read a number of posters here say he was not trying to show the administration who was boss...which is odd because he also publicly pleaded for a NIT berth. 

Those two don't align.

[Pakuni]

Wojo's OT record has been stellar, as noted. I wish one of those W's was the PC game where he wasn't with his situationals.

Wouldn't have gone to OT if he'd handled his situationals better.

[tower912]

25% three shooter hit a contested 3.   Sometimes, it just ain't your day. 

[Pakuni]

25% three shooter hit a contested 3.   Sometimes, it just ain't your day.

Right, but Wojo couldn't have known before Providence inbounded the ball that it would end up in the hands of a 25% three-point shooter who was fairly well-guarded.
The safe and smart play there is to foul and take your chances on rebounding a missed free throw (the OR% on a free throw is below 15% ... which is better for MU than a 25% three-point shooter).

Look, I've been more projo than nojo, but that was a big mistake.

[WhoaJoe2020]

25% three shooter hit a contested 3.   Sometimes, it just ain't your day.

Yeah, but it was the worst coaching decision in the history of CBB, and likely cost Marquette its shot at the NCAA title this year.

[tower912]

I have seen and participated in the arguments about fouling while up 3.    I have seen the data.   And, while it felt different, MU out rebounded Providence that game and could have put two bigs in the lane to corral an intentional miss.     I get it, I understand it.   Providence had not made crap from distance the whole second half.    Wojo rolled the dice and lost.    I seem to recall him discussing it and saying he would make up his mind based on the situation.    He didn't this time and it bit him.    But in the end, a 25% 3 pt shooter hit a contested prayer.   

[wadesworld]

Right, but Wojo couldn't have known before Providence inbounded the ball that it would end up in the hands of a 25% three-point shooter who was fairly well-guarded.
The safe and smart play there is to foul and take your chances on rebounding a missed free throw (the OR% on a free throw is below 15% ... which is better for MU than a 25% three-point shooter).

Look, I've been more projo than nojo, but that was a big mistake.

I actually wasn't able to watch the end of the Providence game so I don't know for sure, but didn't Providence's possession start with about 20 seconds left?  At that point it's obviously far too early to start fouling to avoid a three point shot, and once it gets down to 5-7 seconds left, do you really want your players looking at the clock deciding when to go foul, or just locked in trying to get a big stop down the stretch of a 3 point game?  And sure, you could yell out to alert them to foul as a coach once it gets down to that little time left, but you're at home, play is on the other end of the court, hopefully your crowd is into it and loud, and if you then yell for your team to foul it'll take a second for the player to react and you risk letting a shooter get into a shooting motion and getting a 3 shot foul.

To me, under 5 seconds and the other team is inbounding the ball you foul them on the catch and send them to the line.  If the situation played out as above (again, I don't know that's how it really played out, just thought I read that), I can understand not fouling in that situation.

Also, if you go 2 bigs in the paint to get a rebound on the free throw after fouling with the 7 seconds left on the clock (if he was getting the shot off with 6 seconds left, you have to foul before then to have it be just a 2 shot foul), you're basically sending Theo or Jayce to the line up 2 with 6 seconds left.  That could very easily be two missed free throws and six seconds left for your opponent to get down court and tie the game or win it.

[tower912]

The shot went through the basket with just over 4 seconds left.    So, he probably shot it contested with about 6+ seconds left. 

[mu03eng]

I have seen and participated in the arguments about fouling while up 3.    I have seen the data.   And, while it felt different, MU out rebounded Providence that game and could have put two bigs in the lane to corral an intentional miss.     I get it, I understand it.   Providence had not made crap from distance the whole second half.    Wojo rolled the dice and lost.    I seem to recall him discussing it and saying he would make up his mind based on the situation.    He didn't this time and it bit him.    But in the end, a 25% 3 pt shooter hit a contested prayer.

As someone generally sympathetic to Wojo, his post-game for Providence was atrocious around the fouling up 3 as was his situational coaching in the last 5.5 minutes of that game. He stated that fouling with 19 seconds left was too much time, which is true but once the clock got under 7 seconds with the ball in the front court it was absolutely the right time to foul before Providence even initiated offense.

I'm prefacing this list by saying Wojo is typically very good with his situationals which is why I noticed all of these. Also they interestingly increase in brain cramp level so maybe Wojo just had a really bad day:
1. Does not foul while up 3 with the ball in the front court and under 7 seconds
2. Providence ties with 4 seconds left and Wojo calls a TO with 2 seniors and 2 juniors on the court. Gives Providence the chance to set their D instead of letting the greatest scorer in MU history try to create in a frantic situation
3. BB goes to the line shooting 3 FTs to tie and the following series of brain cramps happen
    a. Wojo chooses to sub in McEwen for.....reasons, essentially icing his own shooter with one FT to go
    b. Wojo chooses not to sub his best rebounders INTO the game leaving Sacar and Cain as the primary rebounders on a must get rebound if BB misses
    c. Seemingly forgets to remind Cain and Sacar to foul if they don't get the rebound and Cain forget which bleeds 3 seconds off the clock (probably nitpicky because        Cain should just know that but....didn't somehow)
4. With Providence at the line with 1.7 seconds on the clock likely to miss the 2nd FT intentionally Wojo calls his last time out virtually assuring there will be no shot to win

Like I said, it was abnormal for Wojo but that's about the worst collection of coaching fails I've seen in a while.

[mu03eng]

I actually wasn't able to watch the end of the Providence game so I don't know for sure, but didn't Providence's possession start with about 20 seconds left?  At that point it's obviously far too early to start fouling to avoid a three point shot, and once it gets down to 5-7 seconds left, do you really want your players looking at the clock deciding when to go foul, or just locked in trying to get a big stop down the stretch of a 3 point game?  And sure, you could yell out to alert them to foul as a coach once it gets down to that little time left, but you're at home, play is on the other end of the court, hopefully your crowd is into it and loud, and if you then yell for your team to foul it'll take a second for the player to react and you risk letting a shooter get into a shooting motion and getting a 3 shot foul.

To me, under 5 seconds and the other team is inbounding the ball you foul them on the catch and send them to the line.  If the situation played out as above (again, I don't know that's how it really played out, just thought I read that), I can understand not fouling in that situation.

Also, if you go 2 bigs in the paint to get a rebound on the free throw after fouling with the 7 seconds left on the clock (if he was getting the shot off with 6 seconds left, you have to foul before then to have it be just a 2 shot foul), you're basically sending Theo or Jayce to the line up 2 with 6 seconds left.  That could very easily be two missed free throws and six seconds left for your opponent to get down court and tie the game or win it.

Providence initiated the offense with 11 seconds left and the shooter wasn't in position to shoot until 6.1 seconds. In fact, they were doing nothing with the ball until the pass to Reeves....McEwen could have easily fouled with under 7 seconds left

[Dr. Blackheart]

Providence initiated the offense with 11 seconds left and the shooter wasn't in position to shoot until 6.1 seconds. In fact, they were doing nothing with the ball until the pass to Reeves....McEwen could have easily fouled with under 7 seconds left

Nova fouled the other night at 6.4 left.  Got fouled on the inbound. Sunk those FTs.  And then Nova fouled again with a tick less than two seconds after DePaul dribbled past half court.

Could have backfired but Jay and Nova obviously had their rules in place on what to do.

On Wojo, fouling or not can be debated. His time out is not debatable.

[MarquetteDano]

As someone generally sympathetic to Wojo, his post-game for Providence was atrocious around the fouling up 3 as was his situational coaching in the last 5.5 minutes of that game. He stated that fouling with 19 seconds left was too much time, which is true but once the clock got under 7 seconds with the ball in the front court it was absolutely the right time to foul before Providence even initiated offense.

I'm prefacing this list by saying Wojo is typically very good with his situationals which is why I noticed all of these. Also they interestingly increase in brain cramp level so maybe Wojo just had a really bad day:
1. Does not foul while up 3 with the ball in the front court and under 7 seconds
2. Providence ties with 4 seconds left and Wojo calls a TO with 2 seniors and 2 juniors on the court. Gives Providence the chance to set their D instead of letting the greatest scorer in MU history try to create in a frantic situation
3. BB goes to the line shooting 3 FTs to tie and the following series of brain cramps happen
    a. Wojo chooses to sub in McEwen for.....reasons, essentially icing his own shooter with one FT to go
    b. Wojo chooses not to sub his best rebounders INTO the game leaving Sacar and Cain as the primary rebounders on a must get rebound if BB misses
    c. Seemingly forgets to remind Cain and Sacar to foul if they don't get the rebound and Cain forget which bleeds 3 seconds off the clock (probably nitpicky because        Cain should just know that but....didn't somehow)
4. With Providence at the line with 1.7 seconds on the clock likely to miss the 2nd FT intentionally Wojo calls his last time out virtually assuring there will be no shot to win

Like I said, it was abnormal for Wojo but that's about the worst collection of coaching fails I've seen in a while.

This is a great summation. Terrible coaching at the end of the game. No question.

For the record I am  neither Pro nor No Wojo.

[wadesworld]

This is a great summation. Terrible coaching at the end of the game. No question.

For the record I am  neither Pro nor No Wojo.

The only one that is clearly bad is number 4. I'd guess over 50% of college coaches do not foul in situation 1, probably just about 50% let them play vs. take the time out in situation 2, the free throw complaint makes absolutely 0 sense to me, there's a break in action between free throws no matter what and you're only allowed to sub after the second to last free throw attempt, Wojo is preparing his defense for a tie game and wants his best perimeter defender in the game to press up. The timeout between free throws was the bad move.

[WhoaJoe2020]

As someone generally sympathetic to Wojo, his post-game for Providence was atrocious around the fouling up 3 as was his situational coaching in the last 5.5 minutes of that game. He stated that fouling with 19 seconds left was too much time, which is true but once the clock got under 7 seconds with the ball in the front court it was absolutely the right time to foul before Providence even initiated offense.

I'm prefacing this list by saying Wojo is typically very good with his situationals which is why I noticed all of these. Also they interestingly increase in brain cramp level so maybe Wojo just had a really bad day:
1. Does not foul while up 3 with the ball in the front court and under 7 seconds
2. Providence ties with 4 seconds left and Wojo calls a TO with 2 seniors and 2 juniors on the court. Gives Providence the chance to set their D instead of letting the greatest scorer in MU history try to create in a frantic situation
3. BB goes to the line shooting 3 FTs to tie and the following series of brain cramps happen
    a. Wojo chooses to sub in McEwen for.....reasons, essentially icing his own shooter with one FT to go
    b. Wojo chooses not to sub his best rebounders INTO the game leaving Sacar and Cain as the primary rebounders on a must get rebound if BB misses
    c. Seemingly forgets to remind Cain and Sacar to foul if they don't get the rebound and Cain forget which bleeds 3 seconds off the clock (probably nitpicky because        Cain should just know that but....didn't somehow)
4. With Providence at the line with 1.7 seconds on the clock likely to miss the 2nd FT intentionally Wojo calls his last time out virtually assuring there will be no shot to win

Like I said, it was abnormal for Wojo but that's about the worst collection of coaching fails I've seen in a while.

Mountain meet molehill.

Tower explained the end of regulation three point fouling rationale and the odds were negligible either way.

The rest is even more subjective.

Second guessing Wojos decisions is one thing, but declaring them "about the worst collection of coaching fails I've seen in a while"  seems a bit much.

[Spaniel with a Short Tail]

1.  Insipid cliche
2.  Slightly pithy remark
3.  Player x played well.  See?
4.  Ball was passed.
5.  Defense was played.
6.   Rebounding
7.  Markus
8.  Thumb injuries
9.  Good to get a win.
10.  I will probably not see the Georgetown game either.

Well, can't say you didn't produce! Well Done!

[Cheeks]

" I thought Jayce was a big difference maker....knocked Tyree off his spot down low.."
Xavier Head Coach Travis Steele