Kolek

[MU82]

then MU is in big trouble.

...the HC's last name is Smart. His coaching against Wisconsin and UCLA was anything but. Granted, it's a flawed roster, but I'm quite interested to observe how the coach works things in BE play.

"A lot of the stuff that we believe in and that I've always believed in — it takes time. It's not a quick fix. It's not an instant-gratification thing. It's a drip-by-drip process."

This team is only in "big trouble" to those who expected us to get to the Sweet Sixteen. Unfortunately, we are not good enough to contend for anything. I love the optimism some have shown, and I'm an optimistic guy, but I'll keep going back to that Shaka quote because it's 100% true.

Shaka promised nothing for this season other than hard work and culture-building, nothing other than getting that drip-by-drip process going in the right direction.

That's what you get when your program was a dumpster fire 9 months ago, when only one starter and two deep-bench subs return from the previous season, when you try to blend a bunch of disparate parts, when you have no go-to guys, and when you have a talent shortage compared to many opponents (let alone a Final Four team like UCLA).

As I said earlier, I haven't given a lot of thought yet to how we'll do in conference play, but it's OK with me if we don't make the NCAAs as long as we put in the foundation to be a perennial NCAA team.

So far, at 8-3 and with a team showing a lot of fight, I've been pleasantly surprised. Even last night, that could have been a 40-point loss, but after being blitzed early, MU didn't roll over against one of the best teams in the country. When a program is in the stage of building that Marquette is, there are moral victories.

As for this specific thread, Kolek needs to do the things he does well better than he has the last few games IMHO. Otherwise, I trust Shaka to play those who give us the best chance to succeed, not just in an individual game but in building the kind of program he was hired to build. Those who want to believe Shaka is stoopid ... I'm not gonna bother trying to convince them otherwise.

[Mr. Nielsen]

What persuades you that Kolek is a shooter?

What Shaka says in the post-game radio. He is the best shooter in the drills they do.

[Goose]

82

If you think Shaka is not playing for a bid you you are missing the mark. Of course things take time, but making the tournament is part of that process. I do not think being a flawed team means you accept mediocrity. Shaka has played every loss to the finish for a reason and that is part of the process.

This team is not going to make anyone forget any of the great teams in program history, but I still believe it will be remembered as the team that created the foundation for winning.

You said yesterday that losing by five would not be a moral victory and I agree. A moral victory will be stealing three BE games and getting into the dance. Winning is part of the process, they already have 3-4 wins that they willed themselves to a W.

Lastly, I would be floored if this team went to S16 and would be very disappointed if we do not get a bid. They are in far better position to achieve that then they were six weeks ago. I would say there has been zero instant gratification thus far, just some gut check W's that were unexpected.

[BCHoopster]

What Shaka says in the post-game radio. He is the best shooter in the drills they do.

.


Played with a lot of kids that were super in practice but once the lights were turned on they were nothing, he might be the same kid!

[MU82]

82

If you think Shaka is not playing for a bid you you are missing the mark. Of course things take time, but making the tournament is part of that process. I do not think being a flawed team means you accept mediocrity. Shaka has played every loss to the finish for a reason and that is part of the process.

This team is not going to make anyone forget any of the great teams in program history, but I still believe it will be remembered as the team that created the foundation for winning.

You said yesterday that losing by five would not be a moral victory and I agree. A moral victory will be stealing three BE games and getting into the dance. Winning is part of the process, they already have 3-4 wins that they willed themselves to a W.

Lastly, I would be floored if this team went to S16 and would be very disappointed if we do not get a bid. They are in far better position to achieve that then they were six weeks ago. I would say there has been zero instant gratification thus far, just some gut check W's that were unexpected.

You are a little more optimistic about this team's tourney chances than I am, but I think we basically agree on most of this, Goose.

I also believe this season is all about creating the foundation for winning.

Of course Shaka is trying to win every game. Of course he is not "accepting mediocrity." But unlike fans, most of whom are very myopic and "what have you done for me lately," a first-year coach who has the commitment of his bosses also thinks about the big picture with every decision he makes.

I don't remember the "moral victory" quote you're attributing to me. I went back and looked at my posts from the last 3 days and couldn't find it, so you might be thinking of what somebody else said.

We Are Marquette!

[Pakuni]

What Shaka says in the post-game radio. He is the best shooter in the drills they do.

We have 33 games played, including 29 starts, plus 279 field goal attempts, 198 of them from three, that tell a different story.
I'm weighing that evidence quite a bit more heavily than word-of-mouth about practice drills. Even if he lights it up in practice ... who cares? It's obviously not translating to the games. Maybe it will eventually, but nothing from those 33 games and 279 shots taken says Tyler Kolek is a shooter.

[MuggsyB]

Perhaps I should share one of my meditation sessions with TK? 

[Goose]

82
My bad, you said you would not celebrate a bad loss. As a follow up to my last post, I really have little interest in celebrating an overachieving team, but this is one year I will do it. Shaka has one year to build a culture and create excitement in the program and the bar gets raised from me.

I said a month ago that this reminds me of KO's first year in some regards. Shaka is building excitement and goodwill with the fan base which was needed. Big difference between the two, KO was not ten year + HC with past success. Drop- drip for Shaka should be higher than if they hired a stiff assistant coach. KO was not a stiff, but he inherited a program on life support.

[MU82]

82
My bad, you said you would not celebrate a bad loss. As a follow up to my last post, I really have little interest in celebrating an overachieving team, but this is one year I will do it. Shaka has one year to build a culture and create excitement in the program and the bar gets raised from me.

I said a month ago that this reminds me of KO's first year in some regards. Shaka is building excitement and goodwill with the fan base which was needed. Big difference between the two, KO was not ten year + HC with past success. Drop- drip for Shaka should be higher than if they hired a stiff assistant coach. KO was not a stiff, but he inherited a program on life support.

Reasonable. We are in agreement.

The only thing we disagree on a bit right now is this team's ceiling. You are convinced it's an NCAA tournament team and I am not.

I hope you're right!

[Goose]

82

I'm not convinced they are a tournament team but am convinced we hired a coach to make that happen. This is a flawed team and needs to claw out victories until the shooting improves. A lot money was invested in Shaka and that is the bar I am using for this year. While I am not convinced they are tournament caliber, I am convinced they will make it. Plenty of flawed teams play in March and Shaka needs to find way to make it happen.

[MU82]

82

I'm not convinced they are a tournament team but am convinced we hired a coach to make that happen. This is a flawed team and needs to claw out victories until the shooting improves. A lot money was invested in Shaka and that is the bar I am using for this year. While I am not convinced they are tournament caliber, I am convinced they will make it. Plenty of flawed teams play in March and Shaka needs to find way to make it happen.

OK, thanks for making that distinction. I assumed you believed that the coach was part of the "team," as it is the team he put together playing the system he wants to play, so my apologies for assuming that.

I am not convinced Shaka has the horses to make it happen this season, but I'm very hopeful that this will be the building-block season this program desperately needed.

I do believe that you and I hope for the same things from our coach and our program.

[Stretchdeltsig]

The trouble with Tyler right now is that there's no one else on the roster capable of being anything closely resembling a facilitator on offense. So, Shaka & Co. need to get Kolek right ASAP or it's going to be a rough conference season.

What about Morsell? Or Jones? Or Ellis? Or Mitchell?

[The Sultan]

What about Morsell? Or Jones? Or Ellis? Or Mitchell?

IMO maybe, no, no and no.

[Pakuni]

What about Morsell? Or Jones? Or Ellis? Or Mitchell?

No.
No.
Maybe in 2-3 years.
Maybe next year or, being very optimistic, March.

[JWags85]

We have 33 games played, including 29 starts, plus 279 field goal attempts, 198 of them from three, that tell a different story.
I'm weighing that evidence quite a bit more heavily than word-of-mouth about practice drills. Even if he lights it up in practice ... who cares? It's obviously not translating to the games. Maybe it will eventually, but nothing from those 33 games and 279 shots taken says Tyler Kolek is a shooter.

He had 150 attempts last year where he shot 36% from 3.  He's not Markus, but that's not some terrible percentage. And not a tiny sample set.  He's been really bad for huge stretches this year. But he was 2-3 from deep against Illinois. 4-8 against WVU.  That with the season at George Mason show me he may not be a sniper but he's got the ability to be a capable shooter, he's just a mess right now.

[Pakuni]

He had 150 attempts last year where he shot 36% from 3.  He's not Markus, but that's not some terrible percentage. And not a tiny sample set.  He's been really bad for huge stretches this year. But he was 2-3 from deep against Illinois. 4-8 against WVU.  That with the season at George Mason show me he may not be a sniper but he's got the ability to be a capable shooter, he's just a mess right now.

36% is thoroughly average, not a "shooter."
For perspective, recent 36% three-point shooters at MU include Dawson Garcia, Sandy Cohen, Duane Wilson (14-15 which was his best season in that category) and Jamil Wilson.
Which of these guys would we say "that kid's a shooter."
And let's not forget, his 36% was against A-10 competition. He's taken a big step up this year (go look at George Mason's nonconference schedule last year).

Nobody is saying the kid's shot is irredeemable or anything, but maybe let's ease off the notion that he's a gifted three-point shooter who should have the green light to just keep firing away until he magically rights himself. Maybe this is just who he is and he needs to find other ways to impact the game.

[tower912]

Everybody has the green light.

[Stretchdeltsig]

No.
No.
Maybe in 2-3 years.
Maybe next year or, being very optimistic, March.

Then Shaka has to recruit better. More college ready players that can be dominant. I thought Morsel would lead them. He's not a shooter.

[BCHoopster]

Until he recruits a 5 star player, then I will be impressed with Shaka's recruiting  ability.  Right now he recruited decent kids but no one outstanding.  The 2 for next year look good, but not rated that high.  Next year has some big weaknesses still to solve, hope he finds a grad transfer. 

[Goose]

BC

He has been one of the most successful recruiters over the past seven years, why question his recruiting? Recruiting would be far down my list of concerns.

[BCHoopster]

He's no longer at Texas, Wojo killed the program, was not able to turn Bond or Trimble.  He will get players, not worried about that either, but needs to get a player that could be a game changer.

[Goose]

BC

IMO great recruiters can recruit anywhere. I feel good about him getting a game changer and think that will happen in free agency recruiting.

[JWags85]

36% is thoroughly average, not a "shooter."
For perspective, recent 36% three-point shooters at MU include Dawson Garcia, Sandy Cohen, Duane Wilson (14-15 which was his best season in that category) and Jamil Wilson.
Which of these guys would we say "that kid's a shooter."
And let's not forget, his 36% was against A-10 competition. He's taken a big step up this year (go look at George Mason's nonconference schedule last year).

Nobody is saying the kid's shot is irredeemable or anything, but maybe let's ease off the notion that he's a gifted three-point shooter who should have the green light to just keep firing away until he magically rights himself. Maybe this is just who he is and he needs to find other ways to impact the game.

Again, nobody is saying he is Markus, I never used "gifted".  But he's had a season of competent enough 3P shooting, and even in games against legit competition this year has shot well at times. Plus Shaka sees him every day shooting in practice, seemingly quite well. That's enough for Shaka to think he'll get through it.

If he had the ability or potential to be a Jamil or Duane, nobody would be all that worried.  The discussion here seems to be around people thinking that he's really a 20-25% 3P shooter which I do not think is at all accurate

[panda]

He's probably just not used to the shooting background

[wisblue]

He's probably just not used to the shooting background

According to Dodds all he needs is a few more months of practice at the FF.