Scruggin it out

[mileskishnish72]

For a team that's supposed to be better defensively (a rep earned vs. cupcakes) we give up a ton of open 3's and back door bunnies. Over 240 allowed last 3. Went into this season optimistic but we're what, 2-4 against non-cakes? It's frustrating. People always go off on us and have career games. Koby made Scruggs work, but Scruggs is good. Too many other shots were uncontested. There could be a whole other thread about the offensive (in both senses of the word) rebounding.

Nova coming in and a 1-3 start is a hole to dig out of. A win would be a mitzvah but this team has not shown that they can play with the likes of Nova.

[CountryRoads]

Long way to go. Most important thing is wojo not losing this team like in years past. If they can get to that second half of the season not buried, there are a lot of winnable games on that side of the schedule.

[StillWarriors]

Theo out for that bound hurt us

Hard to fault anyone for that last board. Shot was way short and hit square against the front of the rim so the ball came off hard. Koby got a hand on it but didn't really have a chance to grab it. Tough to lose after such a great comeback down the stretch. In it to the end against a good team that shot extremely well. Frustrating but what an entertaining game. Would have been a huge W.

[Class71]

Is it just me or has Marquette suffered more than its share of heartbreaking losses in the last 10-15 years?

Think the last 8 (last Buzz year  +7 Wojo)  have been the real problem. Every team wins and looses close ones but ... same old same old results year in and year out is painful to watch. This is the best team in 8 years but we do need to start winning consistently. I am exhausted.

[injuryBug]

This one might have broke me.

I just can't get past the fact that they just let X run their stuff and get look after look without even trying to make them uncomfortable.

When a team is in a rhythm like that you throw the kitchen sink at them. You don't do the same crap and hope they miss.

Completely agree I get frustrated my son's HS team will sit in a zone the entire game and let a hot shooter sit in the same spot and go for 30 and the coach does nothing.  My son even asked the coach if they could play man and the coach said no.

Even if you throw a team off for 1 or 2 posessions with a different defense (zone or switch everything) it gives them a different look and now they are out of a sync a little and unsure what might be coming at them.

[MattyWarrior]

100% I'm Broke

[brewcity77]

Best defensive team, and Xavier hangs 90 on them.

Some nice wins this year, but 5-4 is 5-4.

Does anyone still think this defense is good? Returns since EIU aren't very good.

[mhendrick]

Hard to believe a team can shoot like that after 2 weeks of inactivity. Looked like they had been practicing the whole time. They shot the lights out and had to win on a buzzer beater. I like our chances in the rematch.

[PointWarrior]

Wojo's "most talented team" - staring at 1-4 in the league and will be fighting for the Big East mediocrity trophy yet again.

Yes they fought, yes they are tough but your record says who you are. 

[MUVA]

Would be nice if we pressured the inbounds pass after the made basket as other teams this year have successfully done to us to change the momentum of the game.

[1SE]

Best defensive team, and Xavier hangs 90 on them.

Some nice wins this year, but 5-4 is 5-4.

Yep.

[1SE]

Watched the game with a bunch of housemates from 20 years ago. 2 minutes into the 2nd half we all said "we'll keep it close but will lose at the end" - Again - this is a perfect example of the marginal game - couldn't keep separation when we were out in front, couldn't respond to their second half run until it was too late.

Again, not a bad loss in isolation - but 0-4 in "toss-up" games this year. Hopefully we even that out, but we'll see....

[Big Papi]

1. Defense has gone backwards.
2. We have loose handles and silly inexplicable turnovers.
3. Offensive rebounds hurt.
4.  There was a stretch around 8-9 minute mark left in the second half, that I don't know how all those blocks and physicality by X were not fouls.
5.  No idea how we almost stole that game.
6. Good to see Symir back and get some minutes.
7. This team is resilient.
8.  No gimmies in the Big East.  Saddle up and play another tough opponent.

[ski44]

Moving screen at the top of the key on X's last play.

Yelled at the TV as it happened. Would have been called in my kid's Jr. High game, but I guess not in D1...

[WarriorPride68]

Is Jose Perez just that bad? I knew the advanced stats weren't favorable but figured he could give Woj some burn this year once deemed eligible

[Miss Katie’s]

Hard to believe a team can shoot like that after 2 weeks of inactivity. Looked like they had been practicing the whole time. They shot the lights out and had to win on a buzzer beater. I like our chances in the rematch.

Agreed that X certainly didn't look like a team that has been on any kind of pause. 

[shoothoops]

Watched the game with a bunch of housemates from 20 years ago. 2 minutes into the 2nd half we all said "we'll keep it close but will lose at the end" - Again - this is a perfect example of the marginal game - couldn't keep separation when we were out in front, couldn't respond to their second half run until it was too late.

Again, not a bad loss in isolation - but 0-4 in "toss-up" games this year. Hopefully we even that out, but we'll see....

While I would agree that MU needs to do better in "toss up" games, MU's record is 2-4 in those games. You have to also count Wisconsin and Creighton, if you are counting the other four.

[Mr. Nielsen]

Wojo said the team is a bit tired. That is understandable. 4th game in 10 days. 4 different cities. Would be nice to use the 3 others on the bench!?!

[willie warrior]

Wojo said the team is a bit tired. That is understandable. 4th game in 10 days. 4 different cities. Would be nice to use the 3 others on the bench!?!

Wojos comments are also tired.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I'd have to rewatch to be sure, but I feel like the defense was actually better this game than the Seton Hall game....but Xavier's offense was way way better than Seton Hall's. Seton Hall it felt like they were getting a ton of shots with no one within 5 feet of them. Other than a handful, it felt like we were challenging every shot today but they were hitting everything.

Bad on the boards today. That's usually a strength and we couldn't hang onto anything. Was the difference in the game.

Is the ESPN box score correct? 12 turnovers but X had 10 steals? That doesn't seem right but maybe it was.

Lewis is not a good defender most nights. Late on rotations. Gives up  back door cuts and doesn't cut off passing lanes. Two of Carton's fouls were because he was trying to make up for Lewis being out of position.

We are going to win a lot of games in the last 16 games of the season (assuming we play all 16). After the Villanova game, we will have played 5/7 of our toughest games of the season with 16 games left to play. So far, we have won two and been competitive but lost the other two of the toughest games we've played so far. I still like the team and there is no quit in them. I think taking our lumps early will lead to a very good finish to the season.

[GooooMarquette]

Moving screen at the top of the key on X's last play.

I won't blame the loss on the officials, but that was a HUGE missed call...especially since they called Theo for a moving screen just a couple minutes earlier.

Either call 'em all, or let 'em all go.

[Dr. Blackheart]

First of all, taking off our Blue 'n Gold colored glasses on these games this year, these have all been great games. The last season I remembered this many close games was when Buzz had all those OT games. Living on the edge in this crappity year has been a joy. Let's cherish this effort. Looking up in the sky for BD.

Orating of 1.28 is ridiculous. However, a dRating of 1.32 is well...Arby's. Wojo was pissed and dejected post-game. Fifty-eight 2nd half points given up is something I have to look up (as well as the 54 scored MU scored). It seems we had dead legs and stone hands today on the defensive. Yet, the boys stuck around and had a valiant effort to end. Hat tip to Koby.

Lastly, I will put this out here for discussion. Walk or not on that step back clincher. We were debating this on our thread text and I was voted down on my claim it was a travel (it's close and they will never call it but for hoops debate).

At the conference's media day last week, Big 12 coordinator of officials Curtis Shaw announced a number of rule changes coming to college basketball this season. One of them: On step-back moves, players must land with both feet at the same time. Now, it's a travel if a player steps back and lands with one foot after the other.

So Diarra's 3-pointer would have been waved off.

"What we've told the teams is all step-back moves are going to be called travels except if he can push off one and simultaneously jump back and land on two at the same time," Shaw said. "If you push off one, land one, two, we want it called every time because it's indefensible. We want it taken out of the game."

https://themercury.com/k_state_sports/explaining-college-basketball-s-new-traveling-rules-and-how-big-12-players-and-coaches-plan/article_2415d6b6-c461-5f99-9e41-cdb121cdfc63.html

I see a dragging foot not a simultaneous step back under the fairly new rule clarification. Zar and Jamil used to do the drag off the dribble. I am open to being wrong, and I am not a fan of overlegislation and am ok the no call, but this looks to me to be a travel.

https://fb.watch/2vAXGCgKKN/

[We R Final Four]

1. Down 6....under a minute....X has the ball....exciting comeback.
2. Jamal's stone hands showed again.
3. Creighton scores regularly and late on their OOB plays (did it again today). We turn it over and foul on our inbounds.
4. Hope this team can all get on the same page later in the year.
What we are seeing now is Justin plays well, Dawson doesn't. Koby plays well, DJ doesn't. Justin plays well, Theo doesn't, etc.
5. Games like this one all year for this team in the Big East.

[GoldenDieners32]

The worst call for me was DJ's last foul, both were going after the ball and DJ dove, barely touches the kids foot and they blow the whistle

[Doo]

While I would agree that MU needs to do better in "toss up" games, MU's record is 2-4 in those games. You have to also count Wisconsin and Creighton, if you are counting the other four.

2-3 is more accurate.  The OK State game was not a toss-up.  We were down 8 with 8 minutes left and never got closer then 7 after that.  MU was not competitive in that game.