Can Marquette be "The Next Villanova"?

[muwarrior69]

Sure it can, if you put Marquette on all the Nova uniforms.

[MU82]

Villanova will be playing on Sunday.  Where will Marquette be?

If only you had been a Nova "fan" 10 years ago, you could have told stoopid Wright and his stoopid bosses that trying to be great was stoopid.

And why are you still here? You said you were done with Marquette. Are you a liar?

[The Sultan]

forget metrics, algorithms etc. Q. Did the eye test tell you MU deserved a ncaa bid?

Yes.

[Farley36]

If only you had been a Nova "fan" 10 years ago, you could have told stoopid Wright and his stoopid bosses that trying to be great was stoopid.

And why are you still here? You said you were done with Marquette. Are you a liar?

Lol, looks like someone's triggered.   Take it easy old timer.  You can think Marquette is almost as good as Villanova.

[MU82]

Lol, looks like someone's triggered.   Take it easy old timer.  You can think Marquette is almost as good as Villanova.

Looks like the ex-Marquette fan liar is easily triggered, so he sets up a strawman.

[PointWarrior]

Million miles ahead of DePaul?  Did you watch the last game against Depaul where they punked the crap out of Marquette?

Marquette is a million miles away from Nova and a million miles away from DePaul. Who cares if one or the other is actually a million and one. Stupid argument.

[The Sultan]

Million miles ahead of DePaul?  Did you watch the last game against Depaul where they punked the crap out of Marquette?

Did you watch Marquette beat Nova twice? 

[PointWarrior]

Yeah, a real mystery that the team that took the court on Thursday could possibly have beaten Nova twice. 

Marquette should hang a banner for those excellent mid-season wins.

Did you watch Marquette beat Nova twice?

[MattyWarrior]

God,what an awful showing at the end of the season. At least 5 totally unwatchable games

[Farley36]

Another Sweet 16 for Villanova.  Exciting to know that we are not far from being just like them.

[MU82]

Another Sweet 16 for Villanova.  Exciting to know that we are not far from being just like them.

Which nobody said.

Exciting to know that you don't want Marquette to aspire to be a great program like Villanova. Also exciting to know that you don't think that, 10 years ago, Villanova should have aspired to become the great program Villanova has become.

Given that you've already announced that you don't care about Marquette basketball, and that you have to create strawmen for all of your inane and inaccurate arguments, I guess that shouldn't be surprising.

[The Equalizer]

Which nobody said.

Exciting to know that you don't want Marquette to aspire to be a great program like Villanova. Also exciting to know that you don't think that, 10 years ago, Villanova should have aspired to become the great program Villanova has become.

You are aware that Villanova made the Elite Eight in 2006 and Final Four in 2009, right?  It sounds like you're suggesting that in 2012 they had yet to achieve greatness.

[MU82]

You are aware that Villanova made the Elite Eight in 2006 and Final Four in 2009, right?  It sounds like you're suggesting that in 2012 they had yet to achieve greatness.

Of course I'm aware. They had a decent amount of success, just as Marquette did in the aughts and teens.

We made the Final Four in 2003, the Sweet 16 in 2011 and 2012, and the Elite Eight (after winning the conference title) in 2013. You'll agree that compared to Marquette (and plenty of other programs), Villanova was nothing special then, right?

In March of 2013, there was absolutely no reason to believe that Villanova was about to become a better basketball program than Marquette.

Back then, some NovaScoopers would have scoffed at the idea of Villanova being able to compete on the same level as Kansas, Kentucky, Duke ... and maybe even Marquette.

[wadesworld]

Of course I'm aware. They had a decent amount of success, just as Marquette did in the aughts and teens.

We made the Final Four in 2003, the Sweet 16 in 2011 and 2012, and the Elite Eight (after winning the conference title) in 2013. You'll agree that compared to Marquette (and plenty of other programs), Villanova was nothing special then, right?

In March of 2013, there was absolutely no reason to believe that Villanova was about to become a better basketball program than Marquette.

Back then, some NovaScoopers would have scoffed at the idea of Villanova being able to compete on the same level as Kansas, Kentucky, Duke ... and maybe even Marquette.

So in the 6 years prior to when you say people wanted Jay Wright fired Nova had an Elite 8 and a Final Four. Marquette has had...what in the last 6 years?

[MU82]

So in the 6 years prior to when you say people wanted Jay Wright fired Nova had an Elite 8 and a Final Four. Marquette has had...what in the last 6 years?

2 questions, wades:

In 2013, what would have been your answer if the question was "Can Villanova be The Next (Insert Blueblood Here)?"

In 2013, did you even think Villanova was a better program than Marquette?

[wadesworld]

2 questions, wades:

In 2013, what would have been your answer if the question was "Can Villanova be The Next (Insert Blueblood Here)?"

In 2013, did you even think Villanova was a better program than Marquette?

No, I didn't think they'd be the best program in the country for a decade. But yes I thought they were better than Marquette. They had an Elite Eight and a Final Four, and had been a one, two, and three seed all recently.

Sure every program in the country should aspire to be the best program in the country. But I'm realistic enough to realize Marquette is not that. I'm going to be realistic with my expectations. I'm just hoping to see one more Final Four in my lifetime, but realistic enough to know it's very unlikely. If we get two national titles and two other one seeds? Well, I'll be happy to admit I couldn't have been more wrong.

[MU82]

No, I didn't think they'd be the best program in the country for a decade. But yes I thought they were better than Marquette. They had an Elite Eight and a Final Four, and had been a one, two, and three seed all recently.

Sure every program in the country should aspire to be the best program in the country. But I'm realistic enough to realize Marquette is not that. I'm going to be realistic with my expectations. I'm just hoping to see one more Final Four in my lifetime, but realistic enough to know it's very unlikely. If we get two national titles and two other one seeds? Well, I'll be happy to admit I couldn't have been more wrong.

That's all fair, wades.

In 2011, we went to the S16 and Nova lost in the first round. In 2012, we went to the S16 and Nova went 13-19. In 2013, we won the BE title and went to the E8; Nova lost in the first round. I'm guessing that plenty of folks on NovaScoop at the time were hoping their team could be as good as Marquette.

Totally agree that winning two titles in 3 years is an unrealistic expectation, and I hope you'll agree that I haven't come within 1,000 miles of saying I expect anything close to that. I'm saying that maybe a dozen programs are gonna stand out 3, 5, 7 and 10 years from now. I'm hoping that our resources and commitment to basketball, as well Shaka, gives us a chance to be in the mix.

[Farley36]

Reminder that Villanova plays another Sweet 16 game today.  The "Next Villanova" is at home with their buddy DePaiul acting superior yet doing the exact same thing just like every year at this time.

[MU82]

Reminder that Villanova plays another Sweet 16 game today.  The "Next Villanova" is at home with their buddy DePaiul acting superior yet doing the exact same thing just like every year at this time.

Reminder, nobody said Marquette was the Next Villanova. Reminder, it was an aspirational question not a declaration.

Oh ... and reminder, you're a quitter and a liar who said he no longer cares about Marquette basketball.

[wadesworld]

So how is Nova Nova?  Obviously it all comes down to Jay Wright.  It's really about:

1) Point guard play.  They always have a lead guard that is both a threat to score but is in total control of the game.  I know people don't think Gillespe is BE POY good for some reason, but he is an absolute stud in the college game.  And Brunsnon before him, Archi before him, Reynolds, etc.  They play at their own pace and control everything offensively.

2) Discipline.  The shot fakes on the perimeter into the drive, the jump stops in the paint, the defensive matchups.  There are times where it looks like a team is going to get out and run in transition on them and at the very least get bad matchups for Nova, and at best get an easy transition basket.  But they get matched up so well.

3) Shooting.  All 5 guys on the court are threats to shoot the ball.  They can spread you out, drive on you, and kick from there.  They're always making the defense move.

4) Weight room.  Especially their guards, but everyone can battle in the Big East and in the Tournament.

And then they have the talent on top of all of that.

I'd be thrilled to have about half of what is above.

[GoldenEagles03]

Villanova is now 19-3. NINETEEN AND THREE! In the last 6 NCAA Tournaments.

[MU82]

Why are people here saying Marquette is twice as good as Villanova? So clueless!

[Farley36]

What time is Marquette's Elite 8 game start this weekend?   Same time as DePaul's?

[Lennys Tap]

Villanova is now 19-3. NINETEEN AND THREE! In the last 6 NCAA Tournaments.

Like Nova, we have 3 losses in the last 6 tournaments.

Like DePaul, we have 0 wins in those same 6 tournaments.

In some ways we're close to both programs. In others, we're light years away.

[Johnny B]

farley36: