The End Of Peak Markus???

[WhoaJoe2020]

Again, it is a feature not a bug. Wojo's entire offensive strategy is built on Markus being a high usage guy, if nothing else it opens up for other guys and if Sacar and Brendan hit at the season long clips against DePaul this isn't even a debate. Wojo isn't (nor should he) going to change his entire offensive strategy now.

And if you don't think MU is going to make the tournament at this point, I don't know what to tell you. MU can go 3-5 down the stretch and not even be on the bubble. Barring some sort of disaster or injury they aren't going 3-5 down the stretch.

Also if you think DePaul is the worst team in the league Georgetown and St John's would like to have a word. Hell DePaul took Seton Hall to the wire, should Willard restructure his offense to de-emphasize Myles Powell because of that??

I know its a feature, not a bug, and even when Markus is 100% it has its drawbacks.

This injury just provides an opportunity to tap into some of the emerging talent that showed itself in the X game. I'm not suggesting Markus won't still be an important part of the offense, just less so.

If the offense is going to evolve, now is the perfect time. Koby seems to be back, Sacar was amazing @ X, Brendan is so close, and the other players seem to know their roles.

I actually think this is what Wojo and Markus have been waiting for. It's unfortunate it took a fractured nose to get others to fully step up, but it is what it is.

By the way, the DePaul comments were snark aimed at the people who called them that before the last game, and declared that Marquette "should" beat them despite Markus' unknown status and the team just having played in a 2OT game on the road. I have respect for every team in the conference.

That same respect precludes me from jumping to conclusions about how the season will end.

Just like my respect for Wojo and the players precluded me from declaring the season was over when Marquette was 1-3 in conference.

[WhoaJoe2020]

25 times a day of word salad like this iteration. A better use of time must surely be available.

Markus is a thoroughbred. Wojo will jockey that $hit into the ground for the next seven weeks. Sit back and enjoy.

Just like last year aina??

[MUBBau]

Just like last year aina??

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

I highly doubt we've seen the end of peak Markus.

[WhoaJoe2020]

I highly doubt we've seen the end of peak Markus.

I kinda hope you're right, and at the same time, I kinda hope you're wrong.

[DoctorV]

Legend has it that Markus might've peaked in the 10th grade...

Hopefully for his sake he peaks at the right time and rides MU to a deep tourney run, just so that he can slide into more scoopers top 10 all time lists!

[mu03eng]

I know its a feature, not a bug.





This injury just provides an opportunity to tap into some of the emerging talent that showed itself in the X game. I'm not suggesting Markus won't still be an important part of the offense, just less so.

If the offense is going to evolve, now is the perfect time. Koby seems to be back, Sacar was amazing @ X, Brendan is so close, and the other players seem to know their roles.

I actually think this is what Wojo and Markus have been waiting for. It's unfortunate it took a fractured nose to get others to fully step up, but it is what it is.

These first thought is completely incompatible with the rest of the thoughts. You can't(well you can, but you'd be wrong) think that the offense is built around Markus being a high usage player AND that they've been waiting for other players to emerge so that the offense isn't about Markus as a high usage player.

Besides:
-Sacar has had an ORtg on KenPom of 100 or greater in 11 of the games played and greater than 90 in 4 more....it's not like he just emerged
-Koby has had an ORtg on KenPom of 100 or greater in 11 of the games played and greater than 90 in 2 more....it's not like he just emerged
-Brendan has had an ORtg on KenPom of 100 or greater in 10 of the games played and greater than 90 in 2 more

Lastly, and most importantly, while Markus's usage has held steady his contribution in terms of %points per game has been trending downward since conference season started with the only outlier being the Georgetown game. So the other players are stepping up per se already but it's not because they are changing the offense.

Feature, not a bug.

[Cheeks]

He is not wrong.

At times we deserve Wojo leaving, winning a few natties somewhere and us becoming SLU.

Our entitlement is off the charts sometimes.

[WhoaJoe2020]

These first thought is completely incompatible with the rest of the thoughts. You can't(well you can, but you'd be wrong) think that the offense is built around Markus being a high usage player AND that they've been waiting for other players to emerge so that the offense isn't about Markus as a high usage player.

Besides:
-Sacar has had an ORtg on KenPom of 100 or greater in 11 of the games played and greater than 90 in 4 more....it's not like he just emerged
-Koby has had an ORtg on KenPom of 100 or greater in 11 of the games played and greater than 90 in 2 more....it's not like he just emerged
-Brendan has had an ORtg on KenPom of 100 or greater in 10 of the games played and greater than 90 in 2 more

Lastly, and most importantly, while Markus's usage has held steady his contribution in terms of %points per game has been trending downward since conference season started with the only outlier being the Georgetown game. So the other players are stepping up per se already but it's not because they are changing the offense.

Feature, not a bug.

I guess it would be easier for you to understand if you asked yourself why it was a feature in the first place.

I believe it ended up being a feature because there were no other options. Especially at the guard position. Even the wings were not great at creating their own shot, and let's not even talk about the post.

That has changed, as Koby seems to be playing at a high level and Sacar has elevated his game.

If you believe Koby and Sacar have consistently played like they did in the X game, I won't try to tell you otherwise.

Markus is averaging nearly 30pts a game with high usage. I didn't think it was sustainable or desirable before the injury, and I don't think it is post injury.

If Markus got to a point where he was averaging  around 20pts per game with a higher shooting percentage, and Koby and Sacar did likewise, that would be far more sustainable, and would hopefully keep everybody fresh for the postseason.

I think Markus being injured may be the catalyst for that to happen, because I don't think he will be driving in the lane as much.

The offense won't change, per se, just  players usage.

[Mr. Sand-Knit]

With the OP being as stupid as it is how can one expect the next 4 pages of posts to have one iota of intelligence?!

Actually Mueng03's was pretty good.

[WhoaJoe2020]

With the OP being as stupid as it is how can one expect the next 4 pages of posts to have one iota of intelligence?!

Actually Mueng03's was pretty good.

So you think Markus averaging 30pts per game will and should continue despite his injury and regardless of it??

Do you think it's sustainable through the rest of the conference schedule and post season play??

If the team doesn't move away from relying so heavily on Markus in the Butler game, and continues leaning on him for the rest of the Conference schedule, the end of this season may well look like the end of last season.

[Mr. Sand-Knit]

So you think Markus averaging 30pts per game will and should continue despite his injury and regardless of it??

Do you think it's sustainable through the rest of the conference schedule and post season play??

If the team doesn't move away from relying so heavily on Markus in the Butler game, and continues leaning on him for the rest of the Conference schedule, the end of this season may well look like the end of last season.

If its and buts were candy and nuts

[WhoaJoe2020]

If its and buts were candy and nuts

Ohhhhh, so this is the kind of intelligent post that was missing from earlier in the thread.

Got it.

[Ardmore Mug]

Im still waiting for an  Intelligent post in this thread, it will be the first  ! ! !   

[WhoaJoe2020]

Im still waiting for an  Intelligent post in this thread, it will be the first  ! ! !   

It actually might have been too complicated for some scoopers.

How's this??

Will Markus break 35 the rest of the regular season and post season??

[MUBBau]

It actually might have been too complicated for some scoopers.

How's this??

Will Markus break 35 the rest of the regular season and post season??

Yes and still won't be unanimous for SOTG

[DoctorV]

It actually might have been too complicated for some scoopers.

How's this??

Will Markus break 35 the rest of the regular season and post season??

Yes 4 or more times.
He will also break 40 and 50 again before the season wraps up

[mu03eng]

Yes 4 or more times.
He will also break 40 and 50 again before the season wraps up

This

[Dr. Blackheart]

Legend has it that Markus might've peaked in the 10th grade...

Hopefully for his sake he peaks at the right time and rides MU to a deep tourney run, just so that he can slide into more scoopers top 10 all time lists!

That's about the time one's sense of taste (as in taste buds) peaks.

[Jay Bee]

Markus is shooting under 33% from deep in conference play.. however, he's getting to the line a sh1t ton and despite an eFG% of just 48% in BEast games, he's rockin a 110 ORtg while at a 40% usage. Conference turnover rate has dwindled down to 12% and he's at 14.4% for the season (18.4% was his prior year rate).

Just amazing.

#M2N

[MuMark]

Markus has been under 100 in ortg in only 3 of our 10 conference games......and 2 of those were 96 and 97.

[WhoaJoe2020]

Markus is shooting under 33% from deep in conference play.. however, he's getting to the line a sh1t ton and despite an eFG% of just 48% in BEast games, he's rockin a 110 ORtg while at a 40% usage. Conference turnover rate has dwindled down to 12% and he's at 14.4% for the season (18.4% was his prior year rate).

Just amazing.

#M2N

Markus was amazing last year as well, until the wear and tear of constantly being amazing wore him down.

I really don't want to see a repeat of last year.

Unfortunately, it seems to be unfolding in a similar fashion.

I thought the X game might have been a turning point, but Markus still had to carry the scoring load in the DePaul game.

I'm chalking that up to fatigue, and I expect the scoring to be more evenly distributed between Markus, Sacar, Koby, and Brendan in the Butler game.

I was pleasantly surprised by Jayce and Symirs contributions against DePaul. Jamal also played some nice defense, grabbed 3 boards and hit a big 3 in just 13 minutes of play. I expect offensive contributions from those three to be important in the Butler game as well. I expect Theo and Greg to give some important minutes but I'm not expecting much offensively.

Everybody except Markus, Theo, and Greg should be near 100% for the Butler game, and all should be well rested. We should get a good idea what the offense will look like going forward. If it's still Peak Markus, I predict another winless postseason.