Season's Path Decided in the Next Few Weeks

[tower912]

Novak at least tried to play D most of the time.

I enjoyed watching AR play offense, but he might be the worst defender I've ever seen at Marquette.

Katin Reinhardt would like a word.
Burton as a freshman should be in that discussion.

[Galway Eagle]

Novak at least tried to play D most of the time.

I enjoyed watching AR play offense, but he might be the worst defender I've ever seen at Marquette.

I'm assuming you mean big minute player because nothing was funnier than watching Mbao go out there and have absolutely no idea what was going on.

[Nukem2]

Katin Reinhardt would like a word.

Katin and Rowsey would have been a heck of a backcourt trading points with opponents!

[tower912]

I'm assuming you mean big minute player because nothing was funnier than watching Mbao go out there and have absolutely no idea what was going on.

Mbao guarding an inbounds pass at the end of a half/game was fun.

[NCMUFan]

His name escapes me, but he could jump out of the building and although he was in the game only 2 minutes, managed to make ESPN highlight countdown a number of times.  A Crean recruit.  Blackwell?

[94Warrior]

His name escapes me, but he could jump out of the building and although he was in the game only 2 minutes, managed to make ESPN highlight countdown a number of times.  A Crean recruit.  Blackwell?

Trend Blackledge - he played in the TBT a few years back.

[rocky_warrior]

Trend Blackledge - he played in the TBT a few years back.

Speaking of...
https://mckbearcats.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/trend-blackledge/2544
and formerly
https://asugrizzlies.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/trend-blackledge/1998

But what???

Blackledge graduated from Division II Marquette University with a Bachelor’s Degree in communications.

Wojo really did bring the program down!

[oilcan]

Steve wasn't a good defender. He couldn't push butt. He was gangley.  6'10'' but only about 195.  He was a geeky looking guy. Not as handsome as Travis.  But he could shoot the crap out. Nice ball rotation on his shot. And in case you didn't know: he was a local kid.
Steve Novak grew up in Wisconsin. He grew up in a basketball gym since he could take his first steps. And he's been shooting baskets since the first time he could pick up a basketball and hoist it toward the rim.  "It certainly helped that my dad [Michael] has been the coach at Brown Deer [Wis.] High," Novak said.

It also helped that Novak's dad squeezed in a half court in the family's backyard.

"The driveway had too much slope so we went out back," Novak said. "The building code would allow him to just about ... get the court in there. He painted in a foul line, and there was just enough space to put down that three-point line."

Through the years neither rain, nor snow, nor earthworms -- yes, earthworms -- have kept Novak off that court.

"One time after a monsoon I went out there, and there were earthworms all over the place," Novak said. "I felt like a janitor sweeping them all off into the grass. But it didn't keep me from taking my shots. A little messy because a few got on the basketball, but no big deal."

Novak played in a motion, high-scoring offense in high school. Florida, which emphasized three-point shooting and scoring, recruited him, as did Illinois.  But Novak chose to play near home.

Such prowess began in his freshman season. He was 14-for-25 (56 percent) on three-point tries in the 2003 NCAA Tournament.

Two highlights were the three threes he had in a 77-74 victory over second-seeded Pittsburgh in the Midwest Regional, and the five he hit in an 83-69 victory over top seed and No.1-ranked Kentucky.

Marquette's Final Four appearance in 2003 was its first since winning the title in 1977. Dwyane Wade and guard Travis Diener were impressive offensive players then, but Novak was a force too. So confident were Wade, Diener and the rest of the Golden Eagles, they'd start back- peddling as soon as Novak shot a three.

When Marquette played Uconn in that game (2006) he was averaging 13.8 points per game. At the time, he had made 54 consecutive free throws, including 22 that season, dating back to the previous January. His free throw percentage (95.2) was well ahead of  Butch Lee (84.8 percent) and Travis Diener (83.7). He finished his career at MU shooting 93% from the line.  FYI- Markus Howard’s career ft % was 88%.

[oilcan]

Back in the day (2003-04) my friend Brandon Bell was a freshman pg at MU. #21 That year Crean put him in at the end of the game on the road against Louisville. The entire arena chanted “Charlie’s better. Charlie’s better.” BB fans will know Charlie Bell. Spartan. Brandon missed a three pointer that would have won the game. Crean later asked Brandon to show a new recruit around campus and told him to find out what kind of guy he was. That guy was Wesley Matthews. That next year Brandon left Marquette. Matthews was the man.

[We R Final Four]

Steve wasn't a good defender. He couldn't push butt. He was gangley.  6'10'' but only about 195.  He was a geeky looking guy. Not as handsome as Travis.

NH?

[GoldenEagles03]

Darryl being out was likely the difference.

Not the result this season needed. Another close loss.

Respect the fight, but from their perspective they should be mad, upset, angry, etc.

To get better you have to make losing these close games unacceptable.

Onto the next.