Tough game at Providence next

[Cheeks]

They beat Seton Hall at the Dunk on Saturday.  No game in this conference up is easy.  Go Warriors

[WolfganghisKhan]

#mustwin

[TallTitan34]

#mustwin

Not even close to a must win but ok.

[WolfganghisKhan]

Not even close to a must win but ok.

It's obviously not a do-or-die game, but if this team has any hope of being "good" it wins this game. I take it your also okay with losing the first game in the BET and NCAA tourneys too. Probably called last year a successful season too.

[GoldenDieners32]

Not even close to a must win but ok.

Not a must win but rather have a win over a loss right?

[TallTitan34]

Not a must win but rather have a win over a loss right?

Hmmm would I rather have a win or a loss.  Tough call.

[79Warrior]

Not a must win but rather have a win over a loss right?

I would expect a loss in this one. Tough place to play and the Friars move past us with a win. They will be fired up.

[skianth16]

Is this considered a must win game for them? They've played well recently, but they still need to make up for a lackluster non-con and a slow start to conference play. No doubt, this will be a tough one, and they will be highly motivated.

[TallTitan34]

It's obviously not a do-or-die game, but if this team has any hope of being "good" it wins this game. I take it your also okay with losing the first game in the BET and NCAA tourneys too. Probably called last year a successful season too.

I don't think you understand what "must win" means.  Important?  Sure.  Must win?  No.

[WolfganghisKhan]

I don't think you understand what "must win" means.  Important?  Sure.  Must win?  No.

...

[Uncle Rico]

I won’t get into the semantics of must win or not but I think a loss shows me any idea this team can make a run in March is quite unlikely.

[Cfollow]

I won’t get into the semantics of must win or not but I think a loss shows me any idea this team can make a run in March is quite unlikely.

The last five years under Wojo should have told you a run in March is extremely unlikely. Feel free to wait for more evidence though. SMH

[Uncle Rico]

The last five years under Wojo should have told you a run in March is extremely unlikely. Feel free to wait for more evidence though. SMH

It’s a different year.  Each year is different.  SMH

[79Warrior]

I won’t get into the semantics of must win or not but I think a loss shows me any idea this team can make a run in March is quite unlikely.

I would be happy actually winning an NCAA game. That we can build off of.

[tower912]

Every game is tough.  The Big East is not for the weak or weak minded.   

[Uncle Rico]

I would be happy actually winning an NCAA game. That we can build off of.

That’s fair.  My thinking goes along the lines of the team handling adversity.  Two straight losses, a junkyard dog road opponent.  Head tells me they won’t win this game and it’s history repeating itself.  I like to treat each year different, because they are but if we don’t learn from history...

[Shooter McGavin]

I won’t get into the semantics of must win or not but I think a loss shows me any idea this team can make a run in March is quite unlikely.

Correct, it is a must win in that sense.  Can’t start losing every game we theoretically could or should lose if you want to be more than mediocre.  The bar is getting much lower if that is the case.

[BrewCity83]

The first round game in the NCAA tournament is a must-win.  Nothing else leading up to that is a must-win, unless you're shooting for a conference championship, or a top-2 in the conference finish, etc.

Beyond that, if your goal is at least a Sweet-16, then the 2nd round NCAA game is also a must-win.

[wadesworld]

The biggest game of the season is the next one.

[WI inferiority Complexes]

The biggest game of the season is the next one.

I won't see any of the Providence game, so I am looking right past it and ahead to Wednesday night against Georgetown.  Let's see what effect my attitude has on the outcome.

[MUBBau]

I hope the conditions inside the arena are safe for the players.

[mileskishnish72]

I hope the conditions inside the arena are safe for the players.

They have a lot of trouble there. Two or three years ago, the game was a fiasco.

[Windyplayer]

I won't see any of the Providence game, so I am looking right past it and ahead to Wednesday night against Georgetown.  Let's see what effect my attitude has on the outcome.

Being a fan is such a luxury.

[BM1090]

Important game Saturday. Get a win, flip the momentum and I could see MU starting a long winning streak and making a run at top 3 in the conference. A loss drops us to .500 and far more likely to enter the 7-10 seed range.

Jayce is going to be a key. PC doesn't ever stretch the floor with 4 or 5 shooters so he'll be able to stay in the paint on defense where he's best. He played 21 minutes in the last game but wasn't fully healthy yet. Ed got abused by PC's bigs in limited minutes.

PC beat SHU and Creighton in their last two home games so they are certainly no pushover. Vegas will likely have this game as a toss-up. Think MU is in a good spot to rebound and start a 3 game winning streak.

[CountryRoads]

They have a lot of trouble there. Two or three years ago, the game was a fiasco.

Agreed. Team should have been pulled off the floor. The refs stopped calling traveling and gave the team the ball out of bounds. I don’t think there is a hockey game on Friday so there shouldn’t be a slippery forecast for the Saturday morning tip.

[BM1090]

Agreed. Team should have been pulled off the floor. The refs stopped calling traveling and gave the team the ball out of bounds. I don’t think there is a hockey game on Friday so there shouldn’t be a slippery forecast for the Saturday morning tip.

There is a game Saturday night though, so the ice may be underneath the floor.

[MUBBau]

They have a lot of trouble there. Two or three years ago, the game was a fiasco.

Fans have also been known to come on the court

[MUfan12]

Fans have also been known to come on the court

So THAT'S why everyone was slipping.

[Cfollow]

It’s a different year.  Each year is different.  SMH

Are you Wojo’s agent??

[Class71]

Problem is too many fans do not believe we have must win games since expectations are unfortunately low. Do you think a 4th place finish would be acceptable for SH, `Nova, CU or Butler? I think not.

How about our MU fans. Are we satisfied with a forth place finish? If not what is the likelihood we finish higher? Time is running out folks.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I don't really give a rat's arse what place we finish in the Big East. There's the regular season champs and 9 runner ups.

And given that Butler was picked to finish in the bottom three and Creighton in the bottom four, I think most of their fans would be pretty impressed with a 4th place finish

[Shooter McGavin]

I don't really give a rat's arse what place we finish in the Big East. There's the regular season champs and 9 runner ups.

And given that Butler was picked to finish in the bottom three and Creighton in the bottom four, I think most of their fans would be pretty impressed with a 4th place finish

TAMU,

Your right it doesn’t matter where we finish if it’s not first for banner purposes but it does matter for what seed we get in the NCAA tournament.  A better seed would naturally come with more wins and a better conference finish.  I’m not sure why this is a matter of debate. 

[willie warrior]

They beat Seton Hall at the Dunk on Saturday.  No game in this conference up is easy.  Go Warriors

The premature excuses begin.

[muguru]

The premature excuses begin.

+1000

[Uncle Rico]

The premature excuses begin.

Fart noises

[TSmith34, Inc.]

The premature excuses begin.

The premature whining begins is constant.

[We R Final Four]

PC is a tougher team than we are. Can’t have games where both JC and BB don’t show up. I think JJ plays a big role in this one. Need Koby and Sacar to match PC’s toughness.

[Clam Crowder]

Its gonna be 50 degrees and the dunk will be sold out. If the ice issue is going to resurface this is a prime time for it. If it happens Wojo should just pull the guys off the floor. Issue is supposedly fixed but guess we will see with Saturday's situation.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

TAMU,

Your right it doesn’t matter where we finish if it’s not first for banner purposes but it does matter for what seed we get in the NCAA tournament.  A better seed would naturally come with more wins and a better conference finish.  I’m not sure why this is a matter of debate.

Conference finish is not a part of the selection committee's criteria.

[GoldenDieners32]

Praying for a win saturday

[Dr. Blackheart]

Its gonna be 50 degrees and the dunk will be sold out. If the ice issue is going to resurface this is a prime time for it. If it happens Wojo should just pull the guys off the floor. Issue is supposedly fixed but guess we will see with Saturday's situation.

During a recent game (forget which), players were slip sliding away. 

[Scoop Snoop]

During a recent game (forget which), players were slip sliding away. 

Maybe they should play Paul Simon's song while mopping up the floor.

[JakeBarnes]

It's obviously not a do-or-die game, but if this team has any hope of being "good" it wins this game. I take it your also okay with losing the first game in the BET and NCAA tourneys too. Probably called last year a successful season too.

The goalposts shifted like 10x in this post. I'm not even mad, I'm just impressed.

[Bocephys]

Its gonna be 50 degrees and the dunk will be sold out. If the ice issue is going to resurface this is a prime time for it. If it happens Wojo should just pull the guys off the floor. Issue is supposedly fixed but guess we will see with Saturday's situation.

This means no return of Jonathan Xavier's parka.

[WolfganghisKhan]

The goalposts shifted like 10x in this post. I'm not even mad, I'm just impressed.

... another quality scooper.

There is no shifting. Show me that this program can beat a 15-12 team when its back's against the wall. I've held the same opinion all year on this team. Tourney win or it's a failure.

[JakeBarnes]

... another quality scooper.

There is no shifting. Show me that this program can beat a 15-12 team when its back's against the wall. I've held the same opinion all year on this team. Tourney win or it's a failure.

Thanks! I like to think that my posts bring a sort of panache to the board that typically isn't on the board. In a world full of sh*tting on things rather than providing rationality, I think it brightens people's day.

[WolfganghisKhan]

Thanks! I like to think that my posts bring a sort of panache to the board that typically isn't on the board. In a world full of sh*tting on things rather than providing rationality, I think it brightens people's day.

C- spinzone.

[rocky_warrior]

Thanks! I like to think that my posts bring a sort of panache to the board that typically isn't on the board. In a world full of sh*tting on things rather than providing rationality, I think it brightens people's day.

I've always thought of you as the panachiest scooper!

[JakeBarnes]

I've always thought of you as the panachiest scooper!

Appreciate all of your support and not banhammering me!

And to bring it back on topic: Providence is a tough matchup. That said, if the team shoots the way it has all year (and not in the last 2 games), strong chance they pull away with it. Definitely beginning to get the feel of a "right the ship to avoid deja vu of last year" game. Selfishly, I am rooting for them to go on a tear so I can book NYC with some sort of confidence.

[MUfan12]

If the floor becomes an issue again, I hope MU pulls the team off the floor. That game two years ago was a total farce.

[JakeBarnes]

If the floor becomes an issue again, I hope MU pulls the team off the floor. That game two years ago was a total farce.

Agreed. That was a ridiculous game. But then again, this is a game against providence, so weird things happen. My prediction? Johnathan Xavier runs on the court dressed as a bat and chucks ice cubes at the players.

[Lennys Tap]

I don't really give a rat's arse what place we finish in the Big East. There's the regular season champs and 9 runner ups.

So DePaul is a perennial runner up in the Big East. Who knew?

[Galway Eagle]

So DePaul is a perennial runner up in the Big East. Who knew?

Sounds like a line from JLP's year end assessment

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

So DePaul is a perennial runner up in the Big East. Who knew?

Pretty much. Unless you are proposing we start hanging banners for 2nd place Big East finishes

[THRILLHO]

Thanks! I like to think that my posts bring a sort of panache to the board that typically isn't on the board. In a world full of sh*tting on things rather than providing rationality, I think it brightens people's day.

Forget it Jake, it's Scooptown.

[Shooter McGavin]

Conference finish is not a part of the selection committee's criteria.

I understand that.  Wins do matter though.  The more wins you have the higher the seed.    The more wins you have against good (conference) opponents the higher the seed. This will also lead to higher conference standing.  By saying you don’t care where we finish in our conference means something only if you don’t care about more wins and better seeds.  You may not like how it’s stated or phrased and you are correct conference place is not a specific criteria for the committee in the most literal sense but all of it leads to the same goal.  Not sure why there can be debate about this basic fact.  If we are finish .500 in conference and say sixth place this year our seed will be worse than if we finish 11-7 or 10-8 and fourth or fifth. You should only care about conference place as it relates to that. Nothing more.  Just another way for someone to look at wins and losses and seed potential.

[Lennys Tap]

Pretty much. Unless you are proposing we start hanging banners for 2nd place Big East finishes

No banners, but I disagree with the idea that almost ever year there’s a Villanova and 9 DePauls.

[BM1090]

No banners, but I disagree with the idea that almost ever year there’s a Villanova and 9 DePauls.

Personally, I just don't care where we finish if it's between 2nd and 6th, especially this year. Finish the year 3-2 and we'll set ourselves up for a solid seed regardless of how Butler, PC, or any of the rest of the teams surrounding us perform.

Winning the conference is obviously meaningful. It's also important to avoid the bottom four so we don't have to play on the first night in NYC. Other than that, I don't care much.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Gus, Donny and Katz on the call.  I wonder how badly Donny tries to malign Markus?

https://gomarquette.com/documents/2020/2/20//Marquette_Game_Notes_Providence2_2_22.pdf

[skianth16]

So DePaul is a perennial runner up in the Big East. Who knew?

[JakeBarnes]

Forget it Jake, it's Scooptown.

Fair point. I'll fall in line.

I can't believe Player X is even a D1 athlete. He should be getting less minutes than Player Y, who has been completely underutilized.

With terrible players like this, I will only be satisfied if Marquette goes undefeated for the next 10 seasons. Anything less is horseapples.

[willie warrior]

The first round game in the NCAA tournament is a must-win.  Nothing else leading up to that is a must-win, unless you're shooting for a conference championship, or a top-2 in the conference finish, etc.

Beyond that, if your goal is at least a Sweet-16, then the 2nd round NCAA game is also a must-win.

Rightttt..and we know MU is not shooting for a conference champ  or top 2.

[willie warrior]

Fart noises

Coming from your premature butt.

[willie warrior]

It’s a different year.  Each year is different.  SMH

Such Pearl's of wisdom.

[Uncle Rico]

Such Pearl's of wisdom.

Thanks!  Who do you want to be the new coach of Marquette?  Who are your top 3 choices?

[WI inferiority Complexes]

Thanks!  Who do you want to be the new coach of Marquette?  Who are your top 3 choices?

Based on capitalization and use of the possessive, he wants Bruce Pearl.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I understand that.  Wins do matter though.  The more wins you have the higher the seed.    The more wins you have against good (conference) opponents the higher the seed. This will also lead to higher conference standing.  By saying you don’t care where we finish in our conference means something only if you don’t care about more wins and better seeds.  You may not like how it’s stated or phrased and you are correct conference place is not a specific criteria for the committee in the most literal sense but all of it leads to the same goal.  Not sure why there can be debate about this basic fact.  If we are finish .500 in conference and say sixth place this year our seed will be worse than if we finish 11-7 or 10-8 and fourth or fifth. You should only care about conference place as it relates to that. Nothing more.  Just another way for someone to look at wins and losses and seed potential.

I mean if you said wins matter, I would of course agree. I just think focusing on what place you are in a conference is silly. Conference strength varies from year to year, for example I think this year's fiftth place team would beat last year's first place team on a neutral court more times than not. You could have years where a 10 win team is in the bottom 4 and years where a 6 win team is in the top 4 (both of those scenarios are extremely unlikely but mathematically possible).

In other words, I think focusing on what place a team finishes in conference is in the same vein as judging a pitcher by how many wins they have. A lot of people do it, doesn't mean its an accurate measure.

[Shooter McGavin]

Fair enough.  TAMU I appreciate your posts.