Big East NCAA Tournament Thread 20-21 Season

[MU82]

There were similarities between our performance and their performance tonight.  The difference is they are a lock NCAA tourney team and played 3 games in 3 nights.   We were playing a 1st Rd conf tournament game with everything on the line in an elimination game.

Georgetown was playing its 4th game in 4 days. Seemed pretty fresh.

But yes, there absolutely were similarities between how Marquette and Creighton played. One, aside from Zegarowski, even Creighton's good shooters couldn't hit an effen shot. During the times I watched, there were more bricks and airballs than I had seen Creighton shoot all season. It's hard to win when you shoot 29%. Two, Creighton got murdered on the boards by a team that has been rebounding lights-out for a month now. And three, Creighton simply didn't play well just about all game. It happens.

The main difference was that our guys were still diving on the floor in a desperate attempt to get back into the game even after we fell behind big. After DJ made a tough shot to pull us within 14 with 7 minutes to go, there was some excitement on the bench. Unfortunately, we didn't play well enough and Georgetown ultimately pulled away.

Creighton? They were down by 18 at halftime and by 30 after just five minutes of play in the second half. In the second half, there was never a thought they might rally to win. They were hit by a buzzsaw. It happens even to good teams.

I have yet to see any evidence that Marquette mailed it in. I wish some people (not you, Muggs) would stop impugning the integrity of our student-athletes.

[MuggsyB]

Georgetown was playing its 4th game in 4 days. Seemed pretty fresh.

But yes, there absolutely were similarities between how Marquette and Creighton played. One, aside from Zegarowski, even Creighton's good shooters couldn't hit an effen shot. During the times I watched, there were more bricks and airballs than I had seen Creighton shoot all season. It's hard to win when you shoot 29%. Two, Creighton got murdered on the boards by a team that has been rebounding lights-out for a month now. And three, Creighton simply didn't play well just about all game. It happens.

The main difference was that our guys were still diving on the floor in a desperate attempt to get back into the game even after we fell behind big. After DJ made a tough shot to pull us within 14 with 7 minutes to go, there was some excitement on the bench. Unfortunately, we didn't play well enough and Georgetown ultimately pulled away.

Creighton? They were down by 18 at halftime and by 30 after just five minutes of play in the second half. In the second half, there was never a thought they might rally to win. They were hit by a buzzsaw. It happens even to good teams.

I have yet to see any evidence that Marquette mailed it in. I wish some people (not you, Muggs) would stop impugning the integrity of our student-athletes.

I don't know if this makes any sense but I think we are so poor fundamentally that at times it appears that we are giving a substandard effort.  Whether it be not boxing out, never getting loose balls,  or being an hour late helping on defense.  There is a lack of clarity on both ends of the floor from our team and roles are not defined.  You can't establish an identity or any cohesion with a hodgepodge/mickey-mouse structure. 

My contention is if you were to throw 15 possible candidates in a hat to take over our program, and chose one, we would be far better off long term.  When you are unsure mentally of what you are doing possession to possession it can certainly appear that you have checked-out.  You can see it with the body language.  That doesn't mean guys aren't trying.  It all starts at the top.

[MU82]

I don't know if this makes any sense but I think we are so poor fundamentally that at times it appears that we are giving a substandard effort.  Whether it be not boxing out, never getting loose balls,  or being an hour late helping on defense.  There is a lack of clarity on both ends of the floor from our team and roles are not defined.  You can't establish an identity or any cohesion with a hodgepodge/mickey-mouse structure. 

My contention is if you were to throw 15 possible candidates in a hat to take over our program, and chose one, we would be far better off long term.  When you are unsure mentally of what you are doing possession to possession it can certainly appear that you have checked-out.  You can see it with the body language.  That doesn't mean guys aren't trying.  It all starts at the top.

FWIW, what you say in your first paragraph absolutely does make sense to me.

Not sure I agree that any of 15 candidate would be better than the coach we currently have. You have to get good players, and while Wojo isn't a great recruiter, he has shown that he can land good players. If he is indeed as bad a coach as most of us think he is, the fact that he went to the NCAAs 3 times in 4 years means he was able to recruit some pretty good players.

A coach who prepares well and is good at X's and O's but doesn't recruit well might have a couple of seasons in which he succeeds with the talent his predecessor left behind (think Bruce Weber) or occasionally with a group of overachievers (as Knight did at Texas Tech), but he struggles to have long-term success. Jay Wright was a winning coach for a long time, but he didn't establish himself as one of the very best in the country until he brought in Hart, Brunson, Bridges, etc.

One of the things that concerns me and a few others about some of the candidates who have been mentioned is that they have never recruited BEast-level athletes. Maybe they'll be able to, but in an ideal world it would be nice to hire somebody with a proven record of recruiting top athletes.

We mostly agree on all this stuff, though.

[MuggsyB]

FWIW, what you say in your first paragraph absolutely does make sense to me.

Not sure I agree that any of 15 candidate would be better than the coach we currently have. You have to get good players, and while Wojo isn't a great recruiter, he has shown that he can land good players. If he is indeed as bad a coach as most of us think he is, the fact that he went to the NCAAs 3 times in 4 years means he was able to recruit some pretty good players.

A coach who prepares well and is good at X's and O's but doesn't recruit well might have a couple of seasons in which he succeeds with the talent his predecessor left behind (think Bruce Weber) or occasionally with a group of overachievers (as Knight did at Texas Tech), but he struggles to have long-term success. Jay Wright was a winning coach for a long time, but he didn't establish himself as one of the very best in the country until he brought in Hart, Brunson, Bridges, etc.

One of the things that concerns me and a few others about some of the candidates who have been mentioned is that they have never recruited BEast-level athletes. Maybe they'll be able to, but in an ideal world it would be nice to hire somebody with a proven record of recruiting top athletes.

We mostly agree on all this stuff, though.

I rewatched some of our last game and what may be lost because of our offensive futility is that our defense was atrocious.  Early in the game we had a few decent possessions but the last 30 mins of the game we were a no show.  G-Town guys got wide-open lay-ups and any shot they wanted .  Shots average D-1 teams don't give up in November frankly.  It's unacceptable.  Period.

We can talk about Freshmen making mistakes or problems with our overall personnel, but the fact of the matter is that if you cannot establish a reliable defense you have no chance of any kind of real success.  It's that simple.  So when I see our bigs trap ineffectively at the 35 ft range, time and time again, for 7 years, and they can't recover, it makes me exceedingly angry.  Either Wojo can't get the players for this strategy or his strategy is a complete disaster.  It's absolutely maddening.

[Small Orange Soda]

I have yet to see any evidence that Marquette mailed it in. I wish some people (not you, Muggs) would stop impugning the integrity of our student-athletes.

Write a letter to FS1, then.

[MU82]

I rewatched some of our last game and what may be lost because of our offensive futility is that our defense was atrocious.  Early in the game we had a few decent possessions but the last 30 mins of the game we were a no show.  G-Town guys got wide-open lay-ups and any shot they wanted .  Shots average D-1 teams don't give up in November frankly.  It's unacceptable.  Period.

We can talk about Freshmen making mistakes or problems with our overall personnel, but the fact of the matter is that if you cannot establish a reliable defense you have no chance of any kind of real success.  It's that simple.  So when I see our bigs trap ineffectively at the 35 ft range, time and time again, for 7 years, and they can't recover, it makes me exceedingly angry.  Either Wojo can't get the players for this strategy or his strategy is a complete disaster.  It's absolutely maddening.

Agree totally.

[MU82]

Write a letter to FS1, then.

Announcers saying things is not "evidence."

In December, FS1 announcers were saying we'd be a threat to win the Big East because of our outstanding defense.

[Small Orange Soda]

Announcers saying things is not "evidence."

In December, FS1 announcers were saying we'd be a threat to win the Big East because of our outstanding defense.

I'll trust someone without an agenda over someone with one.

[Herman Cain]

The Hall, X and The Johnnies turn down NIT
https://www.app.com/story/sports/college/2021/03/14/seton-hall-basketball-nit/4679659001/

[MU82]

I'll trust someone without an agenda over someone with one.

My "agenda" is that people shouldn't impugn the integrity of college students without solid evidence.

But glad to hear you agree with the announcers that our defense gave us a great chance to win the Big East. I dozed off the last few months. How did we end up doing?

[Small Orange Soda]

My "agenda" is that people shouldn't impugn the integrity of college students without solid evidence.

But glad to hear you agree with the announcers that our defense gave us a great chance to win the Big East. I dozed off the last few months. How did we end up doing?

Lol of course I don't agree with any announcer who said our defense gave the team a great chance to win the Big East.  But that was predictive, 82.  The effort against Georgetown was not.

And we did terribly.  That awesome recruiting class that you claimed over and over again proved to you that Wojo was still legit led us to....well.

[MU82]

Lol of course I don't agree with any announcer who said our defense gave the team a great chance to win the Big East.  But that was predictive, 82.  The effort against Georgetown was not.

And we did terribly.  That awesome recruiting class that you claimed over and over again proved to you that Wojo was still legit led us to....well.

Yes, we did terribly. That is not the same as quitting. Teams that don't give up play poorly all the time.

And I said Wojo should have been fired immediately after this season's DePaul loss.

Get a grip.

[Small Orange Soda]

Yes, we did terribly. That is not the same as quitting. Teams that don't give up play poorly all the time.

And I said Wojo should have been fired immediately after this season's DePaul loss.

Get a grip.

I'm saying they quit because an analyst with no agenda said so. As I said in the same thread, I'm not criticizing the kids.  It happens.

I'm sorry that after 6.5 years defending an emperor with no clothes you have finally gotten a grip on reality.

[MU82]

I'm saying they quit because an analyst with no agenda said so. As I said in the same thread, I'm not criticizing the kids.  It happens.

I'm sorry that after 6.5 years defending an emperor with no clothes you have finally gotten a grip on reality.

Congrats on our alma mater's basketball team sucking.

[Small Orange Soda]

Congrats on our alma mater's basketball team sucking.

I could've said as much to you for the last 6.5 years, which you spent going after people who thought Wojo was bad and a detriment to the program.  Those folks were right.  Enough with the victim complex.  No one feels bad for you.

[MU82]

I could've said as much to you for the last 6.5 years, which you spent going after people who thought Wojo was bad and a detriment to the program.  Those folks were right.  Enough with the victim complex.  No one feels bad for you.

Victim complex? I don't think you even know what are you talking about.

I know you were calling for Wojo to be fired back in 2015, so congrats on our team sucking.

[Herman Cain]

Big East has two teams in the Sweet Sixteen. Nova and Creighton. Both have tough matchups next Baylor and Gonzaga. 

[Herman Cain]

Good Article in NY Post on Creighton

https://nypost.com/2021/03/22/march-madness-2021-creighton-can-enjoy-win-vs-ohio-for-now/

[Herman Cain]

Speculation in Nova Nation
https://www.phillyvoice.com/villanova-wildcats-2021-ncaa-tournament-march-madness-final-four-chances-stats-analysis-058881/

[shoothoops]

https://twitter.com/John_Fanta/status/1374720215670534146?s=19

Jay Wright on the Big East.

[naginiF]

https://twitter.com/John_Fanta/status/1374720215670534146?s=19

Jay Wright on the Big East.

The only thing I truly don't like about Jay Wright is that there is nothing to not like about him.

I need to find out that he likes St. Louis style pizza or is a dick to the delivery guy...something, anything!

**but I'm 100% sure he's a NY pizza guy and a great tipper**

[GooooMarquette]

The only thing I truly don't like about Jay Wright is that there is nothing to not like about him.

I need to find out that he likes St. Louis style pizza or is a dick to the delivery guy...something, anything!

**but I'm 100% sure he's a NY pizza guy and a great tipper**

No kidding. His teams beat us pretty regularly...but he always says great things about the BE, coaches a great style of ball without chronic floppers or trash talkers, and brings in a ton of money for the conference. I'm always wondering...where are the bodies hidden? Then I snap out of it and decide there probably aren't any bodies.

Dammit.

[Herman Cain]

Some serious wagering going on in Omaha....
https://twitter.com/CreightonPres/status/1374845236078383118

[CountryRoads]

Some serious wagering going on in Omaha....
https://twitter.com/CreightonPres/status/1374845236078383118

Very minor nitpick, but I wouldn't be thrilled if our president said "if we pull off the upset of the century".

[JWags85]

Very minor nitpick, but I wouldn't be thrilled if our president said "if we pull off the upset of the century".

I was more irked by calling it "turf and surf"