Road to NCAAs

[MU82]

The road is open. At the end of the day vs. SH should age better than a CU win would have but my blood pressure didn't need either game.

Win even one of the next 6 and we should have a very strong resume barring a Wojo-style February collapse. Win more than one of the next six and we should be talking seed rather than bubble.

It is precious that the guy who calls out others for being part of the "cult of low expectations" would be content if we go 1-5 over the next 3 1/2 weeks.

[DoctorV]

Lots of good results. That should remain a Q1 win in the morning and gives us 3 as long as WVU doesn't fall below 50.

Illinois blasting Michigan last night helps. St Bonaventure's win moved them to Q2 status, so no more bad losses. K-State beating Texas Tech will push them close to being a Q1 road win. Excellent 24 hours for us.

Nice. One of our best wins, WVU, got trounced at Kansas doe

[tower912]

Dropping their record to 13-3.   WVU losing to #9 Kansas at Kansas isn't going to hurt MU.

[DoctorV]

Dropping their record to 13-3.   WVU losing to #9 Kansas at Kansas isn't going to hurt MU.

They were 11 point underdogs and lost by 26. Their NET will go from 37 to the mid 40s. Won't be a significant affect but it'll definitely hurt MU.
Hopefully the other teams that won will outbalance that.

They were only down 2 at half too.

[We R Final Four]

Lots of good results. That should remain a Q1 win in the morning and gives us 3 as long as WVU doesn't fall below 50.

Illinois blasting Michigan last night helps. St Bonaventure's win moved them to Q2 status, so no more bad losses. K-State beating Texas Tech will push them close to being a Q1 road win. Excellent 24 hours for us.

Yes—fantastic.

[1SE]

It is precious that the guy who calls out others for being part of the "cult of low expectations" would be content if we go 1-5 over the next 3 1/2 weeks.

The probability we would go at least 2-5 over these 7 was about 67%. The probability we would go at least 3-4 was about 35%. Expecting to go 2-5 before yesterday's game was the reasonable (on the conservative side) expectation.

But you're right, now that we won yesterday the probability we win at least 2 of the next 6 is about 50-50.  I'll update expectations accordingly - let's win 2 of the next 6!

[Pakuni]

Teal unnecessary.

And he hasn't ... so it's great to see us winning again, too!

Weird hill to die on, MU82.

[Scoop Snoop]

The probability we would go at least 2-5 over these 7 was about 67%. The probability we would go at least 3-4 was about 35%. Expecting to go 2-5 before yesterday's game was the reasonable (on the conservative side) expectation.

But you're right, now that we won yesterday the probability we win at least 2 of the next 6 is about 50-50.  I'll update expectations accordingly - let's win 2 of the next 6!

Care to offer your thoughts about the games in order of most/least likely that we win/lose? I think Xavier and Providence offer the best chances of wins (even with P's revenge factor) and Nova in Philly and pissed off "Williard & Co." (as one scooper might describe them) are my picks for least likely to win. I think a win vs. Nova in Milwaukee is a real possibility. There are some chinks in Nova's armor this season. UCONN? They're difficult to read.

[MU82]

The probability we would go at least 2-5 over these 7 was about 67%. The probability we would go at least 3-4 was about 35%. Expecting to go 2-5 before yesterday's game was the reasonable (on the conservative side) expectation.

But you're right, now that we won yesterday the probability we win at least 2 of the next 6 is about 50-50.  I'll update expectations accordingly - let's win 2 of the next 6!

I'm saying we win 4 of the 6. Sad that Scoopers like you can't free themselves from the cult of low expectations.

2 of 6? Stop settling for mediocrity!

[Goose]

Three weeks ago we would have been big dogs in all, or most, of these games and things have changed in the good guy's favor. While it is interesting to project 3, 4 or 5 games out, I think one game at time is more on spot this year than most years. As we sit today, there is not one game coming up that I do not think they have a chance going into the game, including Wednesday night. Every once in a while, a season totally surprises the majority of fans, and this may be one of those years.

[goldeneagle91114]

I'm saying we win 4 of the 6. Sad that Scoopers like you can't free themselves from the cult of low expectations.

2 of 6? Stop settling for mediocrity!

I'll drink whatever you're drinking. 4 of 6 would be amazing and probably put us in the top 25.

[The Sultan]

I think we can compete in all of these games.  This team is so much better now than it was a month ago.  Shaka is doing great work.

[MU82]

Three weeks ago we would have been big dogs in all, or most, of these games and things have changed in the good guy's favor. While it is interesting to project 3, 4 or 5 games out, I think one game at time is more on spot this year than most years. As we sit today, there is not one game coming up that I do not think they have a chance going into the game, including Wednesday night. Every once in a while, a season totally surprises the majority of fans, and this may be one of those years.

I agree with you 100%, Goose.

I have admitted, and I'll admit again, that I underestimated this team. Heck, you predicted them to make the tourney, and even that might have turned out to have been underestimating them! Shaka has done a great job, and the athletes deserve a ton of credit.

I think most of these next 6 games will be very close, so hopefully down the stretch in them we'll play well enough and coach well enough and get enough good fortune to win most of them.

The next game obviously will be very tough. Villanova is what Marquette basketball aspires to be, and it's especially difficult to beat them at the Pavilion. But they do occasionally lose there, including just a few years ago to freakin' Furman. We need to play our best game, but it's not impossible. And if we do win that one ... wow!

And then after that, take them game by game as you say, and it's far from crazy for a realistic-but-optimistic Marquette fan to think we could win any of the other 5 during this stretch.

Throughout sports history, there are seasons in which you can look back at a team's performance and say, "There was just something special about that team ... " Could this be that rare kind of season for Marquette? We'll see!

Regardless of our eventual destination, I've been thoroughly enjoying the journey so far, and will continue to do so.

We Are Marquette!

[Goose]

82

I will say again, these guys we will be remembered for starting the rebirth of MU basketball. It has been exciting looking forward to the games and they all have brought some excitement. Thus far, every game in the BE has been fun to watch and I have really enjoyed going to the games again. Granted, I have waited 45 years for this style of play and player, which makes me very biased and I have not been disappointed. The hiring of Shaka was a great move by MU and it will pay big dividends for the entire university.

[Galway Eagle]

82

I will say again, these guys we will be remembered for starting the rebirth of MU basketball. It has been exciting looking forward to the games and they all have brought some excitement. Thus far, every game in the BE has been fun to watch and I have really enjoyed going to the games again. Granted, I have waited 45 years for this style of play and player, which makes me very biased and I have not been disappointed. The hiring of Shaka was a great move by MU and it will pay big dividends for the entire university.

Is it really that different than Buzz/Crean? The only majorly different thing I see is the press.

[1SE]

Care to offer your thoughts about the games in order of most/least likely that we win/lose? I think Xavier and Providence offer the best chances of wins (even with P's revenge factor) and Nova in Philly and pissed off "Williard & Co." (as one scooper might describe them) are my picks for least likely to win. I think a win vs. Nova in Milwaukee is a real possibility. There are some chinks in Nova's armor this season. UCONN? They're difficult to read.

I agree with you (and barttovik) that our best chances are the home games - especially since Nova seems to struggle in MKE for some reason. Plus, ot was really encouraging to see some life in the FF yesterday - if we can really get the crowds going for those games that would be great.

[DoctorV]

I'll drink whatever you're drinking. 4 of 6 would be amazing and probably put us in the top 25.

Not probably, definitely.

Winning 4 of the next 6 would be absurd though. 3 would be more than fantastic.
Beating elite BE teams on the road is very, very difficult

[PGsHeroes32]

I would be shocked if we win wednesday at Nova

And do not expect to win at Uconn

But I think we have a really solid chance to win the other 4.

Im guessing 2-4. Which from a tourney standpoint would be perfectly fine.

[Scoop Snoop]

Earlier in this thread I said that I thought there were some chinks in Nova's armor this year, and that we just might win in Milwaukee. That ("chinks in the armor") did not age well.  Nova 82, Butler 42 today. I still think we have a fair chance of winning at home, and who knows? Maybe Wednesday is a trap game, although I think it's very unlikely.

I'm guessing 3-3 in the next six games and hoping to be proven too conservative.

[The Sultan]

Earlier in this thread I said that I thought there were some chinks in Nova's armor this year, and that we just might win in Milwaukee. That ("chinks in the armor") did not age well.  Nova 82, Butler 42 today. I still think we have a fair chance of winning at home, and who knows? Maybe Wednesday is a trap game, although I think it's very unlikely.

I'm guessing 3-3 in the next six games and hoping to be proven too conservative.

Armor is a medieval thing. So that's good!

[Uncle Rico]

Earlier in this thread I said that I thought there were some chinks in Nova's armor this year, and that we just might win in Milwaukee. That ("chinks in the armor") did not age well.  Nova 82, Butler 42 today. I still think we have a fair chance of winning at home, and who knows? Maybe Wednesday is a trap game, although I think it's very unlikely.

I'm guessing 3-3 in the next six games and hoping to be proven too conservative.

Nova is one of the slowest teams in the nation, in fact, the 4th slowest team in the nation.  They average nearly 10 less possessions per game than Marquette.  If the game is played at their tempo, Marquette will have to guard the 3-pt line and force them into a bad shooting night.  I'm not sure they can speed Nova up.  Nova had played one game with 70+ possessions and that was an overtime game.  Nova is also very good on the offensive glass.  If Marquette doesn't clean that up, it could be a long night.  I think Nova is a terrible matchup for them.  But I'm looking forward to it to see what the staff cooks up.

[PGsHeroes32]

Nova is one of the slowest teams in the nation, in fact, the 4th slowest team in the nation.  They average nearly 10 less possessions per game than Marquette.  If the game is played at their tempo, Marquette will have to guard the 3-pt line and force them into a bad shooting night.  I'm not sure they can speed Nova up.  Nova had played one game with 70+ possessions and that was an overtime game.  Nova is also very good on the offensive glass.  If Marquette doesn't clean that up, it could be a long night.  I think Nova is a terrible matchup for them.  But I'm looking forward to it to see what the staff cooks up.

Nova is also a team that doesn't commit live ball TOs often(or TOs in general). Similar to Wisco and Bonnies.

I think we still have a chance to win the home game with a energized crowd and the potential for either a hot shooting game or them being off.

I do not see a win Wedneday on the road though.

[Scoop Snoop]

Nova is one of the slowest teams in the nation, in fact, the 4th slowest team in the nation.  They average nearly 10 less possessions per game than Marquette.  If the game is played at their tempo, Marquette will have to guard the 3-pt line and force them into a bad shooting night.  I'm not sure they can speed Nova up.  Nova had played one game with 70+ possessions and that was an overtime game.  Nova is also very good on the offensive glass.  If Marquette doesn't clean that up, it could be a long night.  I think Nova is a terrible matchup for them.  But I'm looking forward to it to see what the staff cooks up.

Thanks for your well worded reply. I believe it was Brew who said that, in the battle to control tempo, the team that prefers a slower tempo usually has an easier time forcing their will upon the opponent than a team trying to force a faster pace. No question that we will pay dearly if we cannot rebound at least somewhat competitively. At least the first game is in Philly, so our guys will have some gained experience and a chance to learn from mistakes before facing Nova in Milwaukee. I think that's a really big plus, rather than the order of games being reversed. I am not expecting a MU upset win on Wednesday but still think we have a decent chance at home. To state the obvious, Gillespie absolutely needs to be brought control for us to have a chance. Hear that Mr. Moresell?

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Hopefully Shaka proves to be Joan of Arc and Atilla the Hun...in a blender.

[Scoop Snoop]

Hopefully Shaka proves to be Joan of Arc and Atilla the Hun...in a blender.

Joan of Arc riding an elephant! Love it!