Next Three Games are Huge / Gtown Covid Status

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

Big time W last night!  Very encouraged with the performance, which was by far the best of the season.  I will do my darndest to put my dark cloud thoughts behind me for now and focus on what this squad can do to make the rest of this season interesting.  Certainly playing like they did yesterday can't be expected each time out, but hopefully that was a serious turning point in the season.  Was awfully refreshing to watch!

The next three games are extremely critical. 

Fri 1/7 - @ Gtown (58% chance of win - per TRANK)
Tue 1/11 - vs. Depaul (76% chance of win - per TRANK)
Sat 1/15 vs. Seton Hall (45% chance of win - per TRANK)

When looking at the schedule moving forward, the next two are games Marquette basically has to win.   T-Rank has Marquette as the favorite in both. The Hall game is close to a pick em'. But things get much much more difficult after those three with a murderous six game stretch of @Nova, vs. X, @Hall, @PC, vs. Nova, and @UCONN. Gotta make hay the next three, and find a way to go 2-4 in that six game stretch.  Then you're 6-7 heading into the last 6 games (7 if @SJU is rescheduled), in which the schedule eases up considerably.

GTown hasn't played since December 18th, in what will have been a 20 day lay-off if the game actually happens Friday.  I assume Gtown has had major COVID issues - any update on the current status? I know their game last night was PPD.  Should we be expecting another PPD?

[Goose]

J5

Your dark cloud was pretty dark. Are you sure you are on the bandwagon or going to jump off when they play a clunker?

[DoctorV]

I really hope MU plays that game on Friday

[panda]

This team sucks

[brewcity77]

I'd love to see Georgetown coming off a 3-week pause. Per Bobby Bancroft (he's the guy behind Casual Hoya) GT is having a media availability tomorrow and Ewing has indicated Timothy Ighoefe and Jordan Riley are out, which are pretty good indicators the game will be played.

Georgetown looks like the perfect team for us to play. They're poor on both ends as far as turnovers go, play really fast, and rely on getting hot from three, something that would likely be a bit out of rhythm after three weeks of disjointed play and practices.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

J5

Your dark cloud was pretty dark. Are you sure you are on the bandwagon or going to jump off when they play a clunker?

You were a dark cloud for years. 

I've always been on the bandwagon for this program and was encouraged by last night.  Doesn't mean I still have concerns on how this roster is and was constructed, which I am sure will rear its ugly head plenty of times yet to come. 

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

I'd love to see Georgetown coming off a 3-week pause. Per Bobby Bancroft (he's the guy behind Casual Hoya) GT is having a media availability tomorrow and Ewing has indicated Timothy Ighoefe and Jordan Riley are out, which are pretty good indicators the game will be played.

Appreciate the update!

[Elonsmusk]

You were a dark cloud for years. 

I've always been on the bandwagon for this program and was encouraged by last night.  Doesn't mean I still have concerns on how this roster is and was constructed, which I am sure will rear its ugly head plenty of times yet to come.

Being a dark cloud for years during the Wojo era was the correct position.

I've always felt you were a pretty optimistic MU fan, so it came as a surprise when you turned so negative this year, just 12 games into Shaka's first year at MU.  He's a proven coach.  Lots of reasons for optimism.  That aside this is Scoop so all opinions should be welcome.

[TallTitan34]

I think its funny nolongerwarriors logged in to scoop last night but didn't post.

[Goose]

J5

I definitely was a VERY dark cloud for the latter half of the Wojo era and I hated being that dark cloud. FYI--I was just busting your chops. That being said, you got dark awfully quickly in the Shaka area and after spending a half decade of supporting the last HC.

[tower912]

NLW will be back.    He knows who he is and he knows his role.   There was no place for him in the fun of last night. 

[panda]

I'd love to see Georgetown coming off a 3-week pause. Per Bobby Bancroft (he's the guy behind Casual Hoya) GT is having a media availability tomorrow and Ewing has indicated Timothy Ighoefe and Jordan Riley are out, which are pretty good indicators the game will be played.

Georgetown looks like the perfect team for us to play. They're poor on both ends as far as turnovers go, play really fast, and rely on getting hot from three, something that would likely be a bit out of rhythm after three weeks of disjointed play and practices.

I’d love to play them anytime. Now that team sucks!

Ewing is taking the Wojo approach to recruits of come play here and we’ll tailor our entire offense around you - for better or for worse.

Aminu is their best player, but the rest are square pegs in round holes. Gtown is in real trouble with Ewing. Program going nowhere but backwards and strong emotional ties to the coach.

[MU82]

Cue the ominous warning against looking ahead ... but I'm much more worried about DePaul than GT.

I definitely hope we play Friday. Looking forward to another easy win.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

Being a dark cloud for years during the Wojo era was the correct position.

I've always felt you were a pretty optimistic MU fan, so it came as a surprise when you turned so negative this year, just 12 games into Shaka's first year at MU.  He's a proven coach.  Lots of reasons for optimism.  That aside this is Scoop so all opinions should be welcome.

I don't really care to delve into it again.  Don't have much to add from our convo about it yesterday.  Just sick of not being good, and Shaka being a proven coach is precisely why I had higher hopes for a quicker turnaround when he was hired. 

[onepost]

I don't really care to delve into it again.  Don't have much to add from our convo about it yesterday.  Just sick of not being good, and Shaka being a proven coach is precisely why I had higher hopes for a quicker turnaround when he was hired.

We have a core made up of 6 freshmen (COVID or otherwise - none of them had ever played a college game in front of a crowd so I don't see it as much of a cop out).  None of these guys (sans Justin and Greg and 36 Oso minutes) played together before SIUE.  We're one of the youngest teams in all of college basketball.  We've played the 15th toughest schedule, per KenPom.  I'm not sure how you could look at the start of this season as anything other than a success.

Does that mean I'm good with losing 5 of 6?  Absolutely not, but a young team playing this schedule is asking a lot.  There's no shame in losing @Wisco with how Johnny Davis is playing.  No shame in losing to UCLA (although I wish we would've showed up for more than 10 minutes of it).  Down by 1 @Xavier with 2 minutes left.  Down by 1 against UCONN with 2 minutes, the missed Kuath dunk ended it.  We threw away a win against Creighton by not fouling.  Then responded to a loss that often turns into 2 or 3 more by annihilating a 13-1 ranked team.

I'm confident we start picking up W's and get back into at-large contention the closer we get to .500 in-conference: last night was a fantastic start (25 spot jump in NET???).  We've seen incredible individual improvement from Oso, steady improvement from Justin, Kam, O-Max, Kolek, Joplin.

We've shown amazing resolve in wins against Illinois, Ole Miss, West Virginia, and even in losses to Xavier, UCONN, Creighton.  We're establishing a culture we haven't sniffed since 2012-2013.   a
I'm thrilled at how this season has gone.  And if this is what we're seeing in Year 1 of Shaka with a patchwork quilt of transfers and freshmen playing an insane schedule......look out.

[NolongerWarriors]

We have a core made up of 6 freshmen (COVID or otherwise - none of them had ever played a college game in front of a crowd so I don't see it as much of a cop out).  None of these guys (sans Justin and Greg and 36 Oso minutes) played together before SIUE.  We're one of the youngest teams in all of college basketball.  We've played the 15th toughest schedule, per KenPom.  I'm not sure how you could look at the start of this season as anything other than a success.

Does that mean I'm good with losing 5 of 6?  Absolutely not, but a young team playing this schedule is asking a lot.  There's no shame in losing @Wisco with how Johnny Davis is playing.  No shame in losing to UCLA (although I wish we would've showed up for more than 10 minutes of it).  Down by 1 @Xavier with 2 minutes left.  Down by 1 against UCONN with 2 minutes, the missed Kuath dunk ended it.  We threw away a win against Creighton by not fouling.  Then responded to a loss that often turns into 2 or 3 more by annihilating a 13-1 ranked team.

I'm confident we start picking up W's and get back into at-large contention the closer we get to .500 in-conference: last night was a fantastic start (25 spot jump in NET???).  We've seen incredible individual improvement from Oso, steady improvement from Justin, Kam, O-Max, Kolek, Joplin.

We've shown amazing resolve in wins against Illinois, Ole Miss, West Virginia, and even in losses to Xavier, UCONN, Creighton.  We're establishing a culture we haven't sniffed since 2012-2013.   a
I'm thrilled at how this season has gone.  And if this is what we're seeing in Year 1 of Shaka with a patchwork quilt of transfers and freshmen playing an insane schedule......look out.

Look out for Shaka in Texas Year Two?

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Look out for Shaka in Texas Year Two?

[tower912]

Heyyyyy!    He found his angle and opportunity to fulfill his role.     Good for you, NLW, good for you.

[DFW HOYA]

I'd love to see Georgetown coming off a 3-week pause. Per Bobby Bancroft (he's the guy behind Casual Hoya) GT is having a media availability tomorrow and Ewing has indicated Timothy Ighoefe and Jordan Riley are out, which are pretty good indicators the game will be played.

Bobby writes for Casual Hoya but he's not its administrator.

Ighoefe has a hand injury and is expected back sometime this month. Riley had shoulder surgery and is presumed out for the season.

[GooooMarquette]

NLW will be back.    He knows who he is and he knows his role.   There was no place for him in the fun of last night.

Maybe he was on another board posting as nolongerfriars

[Marquette4life]

We should have heard by now if it was going to be cancelled correct?

[NCMUFan]

Did the MU team travel to DC?
Crazy this past Monday in Virginia with people spending the night in their cars because of the winter storm and the interstate being shut  down.

[BrewCity83]

Where's the flight trakka when we need it?