This was one of those games that ....

[NCMUFan]

not having more big bodies may have cost us the game.
I know water over the dam, but Ed, Joe and Sam would of been a very welcome site yesterday.
But we played the team we had the best we could.
I could see Seton Hall winning the NCAA tournament this year.  Size and skill.

[rocky_warrior]

Ooh, a thread discussing hoops!

I was impressed that Wojo went with Theo and Jayce together yesterday - it was a good adjustment.  Perhaps just too late.

But you're right, when SHU is playing well, and Powell shares the ball, they are very difficult to beat (as the rest of the BE has figured out too).  They key seems to be to get into Powell's head and force him to make bad decisions (hog the ball).  Marquette wasn't able to do that yesterday.

[Mr. Sand-Knit]

Bailey, koby and sacar had scored a total of one basket until the last 4 minutes of the game.  They hit the equivalent of a few ninth inning homers in a game they were losing 10-0. 
SHU role players hit open shots, MUs bricked them at an alarmingly poor rate.
Story of MUs season is not hitting open shots.  In all of our losses those three have usually combined to shoot an atrocious number. Yesterday, they were 7-27 combined and that includes sacars 4 baskets and brendans 1 in the last 3 minutes.  Before the last 3-4 minutes they were a combined 2-22, simply horrendous and not going to beat anyone.

[zcg2013]

I spent part of the game playing the “what-if” ideas in my head. I’m not sure how big of a difference swapping bailey for Joey would have made overall. Seems like Willard game-planned for Mamu to back down bailey over and over (stan’s discussion of this in the TO made it seem like we also prepped for this). Unless Joey’s D drastically improved, he would have been torched repeatedly, so who knows if he gets in foul trouble.

Alas the reason of playing “what-ifs” is a fickle bitch.

[1SE]

I'm amazed at how many people are willing to give Wojo a pass "they were on fire, we were missing, nothing Wojo could do"

Yes - they hit some tough shots, but there were many defensive sequences where our guys looked completely lost.

Yes - we missed some open looks, but there were many offensive sequences where our guys looked completely lost.

The making/missing isn't on Wojo. The looking lost is.

He's just so worthless as an in-game coach.

First half so lacklustre. We call a timeout at 13:30 (after 10-0 SH run - a basket too late at least) but no real adjustment coming out. He then inexplicably sits Markus for 7 minutes after 2nd foul - he's fouled out, what, once all year (and only had 3 by the end of the game)? He was en fuego - clearly with everyone else's shooting the only way we were going to win was if he went for 50 - which he might have - but can't score if he's not on the floor. But it's single digits at half - still a game.

So Wojo is going to make some halftime adjustments right? Light a fire under the boys? Realize that SH is shooting lights out so we need to run them off the 3pt line?

No, instead whatever brilliant adjustments he made at half lead SH to coming out on a 7-0 run to start the half and basically put the game away. No time out after Gill makes two dunks in a row to start the half. Only get a TO at 16:31 after Mamu makes it an 18-point game. Ok - plenty of time left - maybe we can crawl back to single digits with some good adjustments in the TO. Nope - SH outscores us 7-3 over the next 2 minutes to make it a 22 point game. Goodnight.

I mean great that he put Theo and Jaycee together in garbage time but he rarely makes any meaningful adjustment when the game still matters. Wojo's Plan B is like more Plan A but HARDER. I fail to understand how a guy on 2 million doesn't have at least 3 "distinct" looks/approaches that he can switch to if Plan A isn't working. Instead he just sits there with his dumb-a$$ thousand yard stare and hand-offs 35 feet from the basket.

When Plan A works (see vs. Butler) his teams look pretty. But when they don't it's just atrocious.

 

[rocky_warrior]

Bailey, koby and sacar had scored a total of one basket until the last 4 minutes of the game.  They hit the equivalent of a few ninth inning homers in a game they were losing 10-0. 
SHU role players hit open shots, MUs bricked them at an alarmingly poor rate.
Story of MUs season is not hitting open shots.  In all of our losses those three have usually combined to shoot an atrocious number. Yesterday, they were 7-27 combined and that includes sacars 4 baskets and brendans 1 in the last 3 minutes.  Before the last 3-4 minutes they were a combined 2-22, simply horrendous and not going to beat anyone.

This is a good point, so much blame placed on Markus and Wojo, but if people are being honest, Sacar, Koby, and Bailey had terrible offensive days.  Though they defensive plan/execution were bad yesterday.

[Mr. Sand-Knit]

I spent part of the game playing the “what-if” ideas in my head. I’m not sure how big of a difference swapping bailey for Joey would have made overall. Seems like Willard game-planned for Mamu to back down bailey over and over (stan’s discussion of this in the TO made it seem like we also prepped for this). Unless Joey’s D drastically improved, he would have been torched repeatedly, so who knows if he gets in foul trouble.

Alas the reason of playing “what-ifs” is a fickle bitch.

We dont miss joey at all.  We dont miss Sam either when Bailey shows up.  When bailey pulls his disappearing acts we miss sam.  Unfortunately bailey disappered in february

[Mr. Sand-Knit]

This is a good point, so much blame placed on Markus and Wojo, but if people are being honest, Sacar, Koby, and Bailey had terrible offensive days.  Though they defensive plan/execution were bad yesterday.

Im not sure SHU had anymore wide open looks than MU did, they made a high percentage, we bricked most.

[Mr. Sand-Knit]

I'm amazed at how many people are willing to give Wojo a pass "they were on fire, we were missing, nothing Wojo could do"

Yes - they hit some tough shots, but there were many defensive sequences where our guys looked completely lost.

Yes - we missed some open looks, but there were many offensive sequences where our guys looked completely lost.

The making/missing isn't on Wojo. The looking lost is.

He's just so worthless as an in-game coach.

First half so lacklustre. We call a timeout at 13:30 (after 10-0 SH run - a basket too late at least) but no real adjustment coming out. He then inexplicably sits Markus for 7 minutes after 2nd foul - he's fouled out, what, once all year (and only had 3 by the end of the game)? He was en fuego - clearly with everyone else's shooting the only way we were going to win was if he went for 50 - which he might have - but can't score if he's not on the floor. But it's single digits at half - still a game.

So Wojo is going to make some halftime adjustments right? Light a fire under the boys? Realize that SH is shooting lights out so we need to run them off the 3pt line?

No, instead whatever brilliant adjustments he made at half lead SH to coming out on a 7-0 run to start the half and basically put the game away. No time out after Gill makes two dunks in a row to start the half. Only get a TO at 16:31 after Mamu makes it an 18-point game. Ok - plenty of time left - maybe we can crawl back to single digits with some good adjustments in the TO. Nope - SH outscores us 7-3 over the next 2 minutes to make it a 22 point game. Goodnight.

I mean great that he put Theo and Jaycee together in garbage time but he rarely makes any meaningful adjustment when the game still matters. Wojo's Plan B is like more Plan A but HARDER. I fail to understand how a guy on 2 million doesn't have at least 3 "distinct" looks/approaches that he can switch to if Plan A isn't working. Instead he just sits there with his dumb-a$$ thousand yard stare and hand-offs 35 feet from the basket.

When Plan A works (see vs. Butler) his teams look pretty. But when they don't it's just atrocious.

Seton hall has shot very poorly from 3 this year and tended to pound the ball inside.  So if we spread the Defense n they lob to Gill for dunks, would Wojo be an even dumber coach ??  U dont know anything about gameplanning.  Ur post is ignorant

[muguru]

I'm amazed at how many people are willing to give Wojo a pass "they were on fire, we were missing, nothing Wojo could do"

Yes - they hit some tough shots, but there were many defensive sequences where our guys looked completely lost.

Yes - we missed some open looks, but there were many offensive sequences where our guys looked completely lost.

The making/missing isn't on Wojo. The looking lost is.

He's just so worthless as an in-game coach.

First half so lacklustre. We call a timeout at 13:30 (after 10-0 SH run - a basket too late at least) but no real adjustment coming out. He then inexplicably sits Markus for 7 minutes after 2nd foul - he's fouled out, what, once all year (and only had 3 by the end of the game)? He was en fuego - clearly with everyone else's shooting the only way we were going to win was if he went for 50 - which he might have - but can't score if he's not on the floor. But it's single digits at half - still a game.

So Wojo is going to make some halftime adjustments right? Light a fire under the boys? Realize that SH is shooting lights out so we need to run them off the 3pt line?

No, instead whatever brilliant adjustments he made at half lead SH to coming out on a 7-0 run to start the half and basically put the game away. No time out after Gill makes two dunks in a row to start the half. Only get a TO at 16:31 after Mamu makes it an 18-point game. Ok - plenty of time left - maybe we can crawl back to single digits with some good adjustments in the TO. Nope - SH outscores us 7-3 over the next 2 minutes to make it a 22 point game. Goodnight.

I mean great that he put Theo and Jaycee together in garbage time but he rarely makes any meaningful adjustment when the game still matters. Wojo's Plan B is like more Plan A but HARDER. I fail to understand how a guy on 2 million doesn't have at least 3 "distinct" looks/approaches that he can switch to if Plan A isn't working. Instead he just sits there with his dumb-a$$ thousand yard stare and hand-offs 35 feet from the basket.

When Plan A works (see vs. Butler) his teams look pretty. But when they don't it's just atrocious.

+1000 and of course in his post game presser he exclaimed "we fired every bullet we had". I shook my head and laughed and just thought "typical response". No, you did not fire every bullet you had Wojo...not even close.

For the record, for those that say "what are you gonna do when they are shooting like that"...this was the third worst defense efficiency game they have played in the last 12 years...it seems whenever it's a big game, the defense is brutally bad as far as efficiency goes. Who's fault is that??

[mu_hilltopper]

... (Wojo) rarely makes any meaningful adjustment when the game still matters. Wojo's Plan B is like more Plan A but HARDER.
 

I love this line.

[1SE]

Seton hall has shot very poorly from 3 this year and tended to pound the ball inside.  So if we spread the Defense n they lob to Gill for dunks, would Wojo be an even dumber coach ??  U dont know anything about gameplanning.  Ur post is ignorant

Sure. That was plan A. Once they started hitting 3s at a 70% clip it might have been time to adjust.

[NickelDimer]

I love this line.

Agree. Great line. 1SE echoes what I’ve said is my biggest gripe with Wojo; he has no counterpunch. We’ve seen it over and over.

[Lennys Tap]

We dont miss joey at all.  We dont miss Sam either when Bailey shows up.  When bailey pulls his disappearing acts we miss sam.  Unfortunately bailey disappered in february

Sam was about the 20th most valuable player in the country last year per Auburn Marquette’s numbers. Bailey is about #400 this year.   

IOW, one’s a star and one’s just OK (but not even as good as Joey, let alone Sam).

[1SE]

Agree. Great line. 1SE echoes what I’ve said is my biggest gripe with Wojo; he has no counterpunch. We’ve seen it over and over.

It's so frustrating. I think great coaches/teams/systems are those that can win in more than one way. We've done that a few times over the past few years, but it seems the exception not the rule.

[NickelDimer]

It's so frustrating. I think great coaches/teams/systems are those that can win in more than one way. We've done that a few times over the past few years, but it seems the exception not the rule.

It’s one of the reasons i say I’ve not seen any substantial growth or development from Wojo as a coach. Others say they see it. I don’t.

[Elonsmusk]

We dont miss joey at all.  We dont miss Sam either when Bailey shows up.  When bailey pulls his disappearing acts we miss sam.  Unfortunately bailey disappered in february

This is absurd. Bailey is inconsistent AF. Sam was the hallmark of consistent. Joey also was better than BB. Brendan has had some nice moments this year, but in truth he was pretty bad last year. Not a high bar to clear as it relates to improvement.

[muguru]

It's so frustrating. I think great coaches/teams/systems are those that can win in more than one way. We've done that a few times over the past few years, but it seems the exception not the rule.

You're posts are absolutely on fire today man! This has also been a repeated grip of mine...where are the adjustments, the bag of tricks so to speak?? We see them so infrequently. And it is definitely the exception that they have won that way, not the norm.

[79Warrior]

This is absurd. Bailey is inconsistent AF. Sam was the hallmark of consistent. Joey also was better than BB. Brendan has had some nice moments this year, but in truth he was pretty bad last year. Not a high bar to clear as it relates to improvement.

Totally agree.

[BM1090]

Sure. That was plan A. Once they started hitting 3s at a 70% clip it might have been time to adjust.

.

This has been discussed here before, but I think it's Wojo's main flaw. He tends to sag off poor shooters and make them beat you. When they don't, we look excellent. When they do start hitting, the adjustment doesn't come and assumes they'll regress to the mean. If they don't regress, games get ugly.

I don't think it is a terrible strategy but it can backfire at times.

[BM1090]

This is absurd. Bailey is inconsistent AF. Sam was the hallmark of consistent. Joey also was better than BB. Brendan has had some nice moments this year, but in truth he was pretty bad last year. Not a high bar to clear as it relates to improvement.

Yeah. I can get at least understand why some think we don't miss Joey. His defense was terrible and BB is much better  at that end.

We miss Sam greatly.

[CTWarrior]

We dont miss joey at all.  We dont miss Sam either when Bailey shows up.  When bailey pulls his disappearing acts we miss sam.  Unfortunately bailey disappered in february

We miss Sam's smarts and ball movement and shooting always.  We don't miss Joey when Bailey shows up.

[BallBoy]

You're posts are absolutely on fire today man! This has also been a repeated grip of mine...where are the adjustments, the bag of tricks so to speak?? We see them so infrequently. And it is definitely the exception that they have won that way, not the norm.

What everyone is describing is a Final Four team. I think we all can agree that MU is not that. I have been saying for awhile Seton Hall is. We saw that today. We saw Mamu stretching the d. We saw Powell working inside and out. We saw McKnight being great. We saw role players hitting their shots. Seton Hall hit some prayers.

Adjustments is the most over used coaching term. Anyone who says if we only made adjustments we would win doesn’t  know basketball. There is no bag of tricks that if a coach rolled them out you would magically win.

You go in with your best plan to win. You then have a few ideas you are going to try to exploit.  If you notice after everyone was cold Wojo started to focus on interior play with Theo and Jayce. We started to fall further behind because Seton hall was hitting threes to our twos. Jayce and Theo also started to miss. Wojo sent Bailey to the free throw line to hit jumpers. He hit one early clanked the rest. He was getting the ball to Anim to drive. He was clanking pull up jumpers.

If you notice when Wojo feels we absolutely need a basket it goes to Howard. Howard talked about it. “Wojo gives me this look”. 

An “adjustment” as this crew defines it has a shelf life of 2-3 trips down the floor. After that it gets shutdown.  We saw that yesterday. As MU made a run the Hall would clamp down and the tide would turn.  What everyone should be discussing is second or third options in the game plan. If Howard drives and someone doubles someone should be open. In a lot of cases, the ball got to that open player. They clanked the shot.

Seton Hall is a final four caliber team. it took Willard 10yrs to build that team. They were in the bottom of the Big East.  MU is not there yet. 

Each recruiting crew has to be better than the wave before them. Wojo is doing that.  This group of players are better than their predecessors but not great. This next group should be better.

Start to break down the game and you will see what is being done instead of just judging made or missed basketball.  You will also see that Seton hall spread the love because as we focused on shutting done one mismatch they just moved to the next one.

[jesmu84]

You're posts are absolutely on fire today man! This has also been a repeated grip of mine...where are the adjustments, the bag of tricks so to speak?? We see them so infrequently. And it is definitely the exception that they have won that way, not the norm.

You must not have watched yesterday. Otherwise you would have seen the trick of playing jayce and Theo together.

[Markusquette]

What everyone is describing is a Final Four team. I think we all can agree that MU is not that. I have been saying for awhile Seton Hall is. We saw that today. We saw Mamu stretching the d. We saw Powell working inside and out. We saw McKnight being great. We saw role players hitting their shots. Seton Hall hit some prayers.

Adjustments is the most over used coaching term. Anyone who says if we only made adjustments we would win doesn’t  know basketball. There is no bag of tricks that if a coach rolled them out you would magically win.

You go in with your best plan to win. You then have a few ideas you are going to try to exploit.  If you notice after everyone was cold Wojo started to focus on interior play with Theo and Jayce. We started to fall further behind because Seton hall was hitting threes to our twos. Jayce and Theo also started to miss. Wojo sent Bailey to the free throw line to hit jumpers. He hit one early clanked the rest. He was getting the ball to Anim to drive. He was clanking pull up jumpers.

If you notice when Wojo feels we absolutely need a basket it goes to Howard. Howard talked about it. “Wojo gives me this look”. 

An “adjustment” as this crew defines it has a shelf life of 2-3 trips down the floor. After that it gets shutdown.  We saw that yesterday. As MU made a run the Hall would clamp down and the tide would turn.  What everyone should be discussing is second or third options in the game plan. If Howard drives and someone doubles someone should be open. In a lot of cases, the ball got to that open player. They clanked the shot.

Seton Hall is a final four caliber team. it took Willard 10yrs to build that team. They were in the bottom of the Big East.  MU is not there yet. 

Each recruiting crew has to be better than the wave before them. Wojo is doing that.  This group of players are better than their predecessors but not great. This next group should be better.

Start to break down the game and you will see what is being done instead of just judging made or missed basketball.  You will also see that Seton hall spread the love because as we focused on shutting done one mismatch they just moved to the next one.

Very good post. If only Wojo made an adjustment to stop Powell from making layups that hit the top of the backboard and last second contested threes. Credit to Seton Hall for playing very well. Sometimes it's as much as the opposing team winning than your crew losing, believe it or not.

For those who don't remember, MU lost to Seton Hall without Mamukelashvili. Both him and Gill are easily superior to MU's frontcourt. Mcknight is better than any of MU's secondary players. Powell is arguably better than Howard. Seton Hall is simply a very, very good team. MU is not even a very good team. Only a good team. I would have been pleasantly surprised with a win yesterday. But as a realist, I did not feel optimistic.

This team is six points away from being 21-7. There's only been a handful of games where Marquette completely fell flat and did not compete. Based on expectations going into the season I feel they are landing right around where I thought. Stings to have some of those one-point losses and last minute comebacks. Two games left before BE play. Could be 20-10 and who knows what can happen in March. Go MU.