WAYY Too Early Impressions

[JWags85]

I'm doing this at halftime cause Marquette will likely win by 50 and the second half will likely be a disjointed mess for a variety of reasons.

As I said in the game thread, this team looks entirely different.  Very long, much more active on both ends.

Offensively the main difference is movement without the ball.  A refreshing lack of standing around

Defensively, picking up 3/4 court with pressure that maintains in the front court. There is pressure up top, often from the back or weak side from help defense.  Once in the lane, the approach seems to be wait back and then collapse.  Multiple blocks from players being swallowed up once they got deep.

As for players:
Lewis:  Put on a good amount of weight.  He appears a bit slower, but once he's moving but with the ball he's fluid.  He's clearly the Man for now.

Kolek: At the risk of stating the obvious, he reminds me of the Nova PGs, in the way handles the ball, passes, moves.  Great vision nice stroke.

Kuath: Dude is fearless. Very athletic, multiple times went at the rim without abandon.  He's still very active and an asset defensively.

Mitchell/Jones:  Look fluid and confident for freshmen.  Mitchell has great instincts and is just in the right spots.  Jones is super smooth and has an eye for the basket

OMP: super raw but man he has exciting tools and potential

Oso: still super raw as well but he's been everywhere and is really long

Ellis: I'm still excited about him and he has great size but he's been HORRID.  Kind of as reported at practice.  Just tentative, overthinking, and playing reckless

Bowie State is awful so it's hard to tell anything but there is a clear change in culture and identity.  Some fun pieces.  At the very least, there is no way you could say "more of the same"

[MuggsyB]

Ty JWags.  I think we're on a good path even though we obviously can't glean much from playing Bowie St.

[rocky_warrior]

Thank you!

[MuggsyB]

Overall quicks/speed of our team?  8/10?

[Shooter McGavin]

Thanks for the analysis. 

[JWags85]

Overall quicks/speed of our team?  8/10?

Quicker than fast id say.   Need to see more from Mitchell and Jones, they seem the quickest.  OMP is a bit.

[rocky_warrior]

Excited to watch these guys (on TV) next week.

[JWags85]

Oh I forgot, Shaka wearing a shirt so long it could be a smock. The anti-Buzz.

[GooooMarquette]

Thanks for the summary.

But...movement without the ball? What's that? Won't we get tired?

[mileskishnish72]

Thanks for the info, Wags.

I'm just so psyched we're done with the former regime.

[MuggsyB]

Thanks for the info, Wags.

I'm just so psyched we're done with the former regime.

Yes.  I think psychologically fans are in a much better state of mind.  Regardless of what happens record-wise this season. 

[mug644]

Thanks, JWags!

[Dr. Blackheart]

Thanks for the info, Wags.

I'm just so psyched we're done with the former regime.

I think MU was a bit surprised how truly fed up fans were until they made the move.

[JakeBarnes]

Feels like we're gonna go where Kolek and to some degree Mitchell go. Came away super impressed with Kolek. Seems to have that "make your team better" x factor. The pass to Oso was a thing of beauty.

[mug644]

I think MU was a bit surprised how truly fed up fans were until they made the move.

That may be because a lot of us, me included, wanted to believe that the coaching might finally match the recruiting. I turned, vehemently, against Wojo last year. As did many of us.

But forget all that, this is a "WAYY To Early Impressions" thread, and I'm enthusiastic yet realistic about this year. I expect many, many ups and downs. Tonight was a glimpse (even via radio) that showed both. Against a weak opponent that allowed MU to thrive. Yum.

[JWags85]

Feels like we're gonna go where Kolek and to some degree Mitchell go. Came away super impressed with Kolek. Seems to have that "make your team better" x factor. The pass to Oso was a thing of beauty.

Kolek impressed me the most.  He is tough.  And nothing he did was like "oh well it's a bad opponent".  He shot well, saw the floor, made the right passes, filled lanes on D.  He's gonna be a real asset.

Easy to see why Mitchell was Mr BB in PA. I think he's gonna be a better version of what they used to get from a healthy Greg Elliott off the bench in his younger years

[MuggsyB]

Kolek impressed me the most.  He is tough.  And nothing he did was like "oh well it's a bad opponent".  He shot well, saw the floor, made the right passes, filled lanes on D.  He's gonna be a real asset.

Easy to see why Mitchell was Mr BB in PA. I think he's gonna be a better version of what they used to get from a healthy Greg Elliott off the bench in his younger years

Mitchell's handles and strength?

[Its DJOver]

Too early against too poor of an opponent to judge anything. Biggest takeaway is that is was fun to be back at the forum in person.

[Goose]

Kolek is going to be the glue for this team, IMO. He is going to create a lot of easy looks. Should help us get to 60ppg

[MuggsyB]

Any concerns until Nov 15th?

[Goose]

Muggsy

My only concern, I need 8 good tickets for the 15th.

[rocky_warrior]

Any concerns until Nov 15th?

Hopefully not!  Even the stats sites that aren't favorable to MU (going < .500) have them winning the next 2 games *relatively* easily (-17 to SIUe, -12 to New Hampshire).

[wisblue]

I think the thing I liked the most was seeing the offense spread out without the pointless weaving 30 feet from the basket.

I was surprised that they hoisted up so many early threes, but maybe that was just because the defense backed up and left that open.

Also liked the effort to get the ball and get it up court quickly.

[avid1010]

I think people are sleeping on OMP a bit...wouldn't surprise me if he was 2 or 3 on the team in scoring. 

Liked what I saw from Kam...similar to the scrimmages.

Kur is going to struggle to finish anything other than a dunk...but lots to like about him from rebounding, block shots, clogging the lane, running the court, etc.

Going to need Morsell to give us something on offense.

Tyler was good...though he was better today than in the scrimmage.  Not sure how much he'll be able to do against BE competiton off the dribble. 

Oso is very active on defense and the glass...again not much on offense. 

Greg...WTF.  Give Shaka credit for setting a precedence.

I think MU will struggle to score...especially to get any bench scoring.

Having Shaka on the bench and not having to watch a Wojo coached team...priceless. 

[Warrior of Law]

I like this team so much more than last year's team. Defense, effort, length, depth. Honestly don't believe there will be drop off at all in the backcourt. Great job by coach Smart in restocking the shelf in year 1.