Expectation for First Weekend

[Lighthouse 84]

Who's to say they'll even make it?   If they don't they have no one to blame but themselves.  Pathetic Performance down the stretch.

Porky has no one to blame for not having a clue other than Porky. They'll make it Porky.

Though it was pretty pathetic down the stretch today.

[JakeBarnes]

This has been a fun ride this season.  To be going dancing in year 1 with pretty much a brand new team.  This team has been up and down as of late, but I feel like they can not only win a game, but if we get that A effort, tough defense, and knock down some shots like we did towards the end of the game today, we could pull off an upset and be playing into the second weekend.  Anything can happen in March.  I may be optimistic, but I believe in this team and have enjoyed the ride so far and look forward to watching Marquette Basketball play in the NCAA tournament.

My pity party is over. F it, I'm in. Let's do this.

[willie warrior]

Lazy isn't the right term anyways.  Uninspired is it. The team isn't playing for each other. Justin loves to drive and (usually hit) some tough shots rather than looking for teammates that are spaced out. Tyler wants to drive and trap himself on the baseline trying to find a circus pass rather than the right pass. Darryl is great when his shot falls, but isn't looking for anyone when he gets 3 people to collapse on him. Honestly, our best unselfish player right now is probably O-max. He drives and dishes and is starting to see confidence in his shot.

There's just no ball movement right now. We got fat off of Tyler's razzle dazzle passes and never evolved. To make it worse, now we're (primarily) 5 guys on the floor looking to get theirs like an AAU game. Hope they find the spark to look for each other again. Maybe the week off and some practice will help. Bring back Mrs. Shaka for the speech about letting their hair down and being accountable to each other.

What? Thought these guys fit Shakas cultire

[CountryRoads]

Once the bracket is released on Sunday, the regular season (including conference tournaments) is a thing of the past and nothing about it matters to the teams that made it.

Thursday will be biggest game for this program in nearly 10 years. In a way, it pains me to say that because it's more of a reflection of how much the program has fallen relative the previous 10 years before that, but it is the reality.

[Johnny B]

I feel this team, overall, will be Shaka's least talented. So I am happy as hell that we are making the tourney.

wish i shared the optimism but why do u see more talent next year with lewis gone. who r we getting?

[mileskishnish72]

RE: Thread title.

I doubt we'll see the weekend.

Not like this.

[Galway Eagle]

Once the bracket is released on Sunday, the regular season (including conference tournaments) is a thing of the past and nothing about it matters to the teams that made it.

Thursday will be biggest game for this program in nearly 10 years. In a way, it pains me to say that because it's more of a reflection of how much the program has fallen relative the previous 10 years before that, but it is the reality.

How do you figure? It's not like we're any more or less hot than 2017 or 2019

[Jockey]

I've been positive pretty much all season but I'm really being tested watching the effort and quality of play out there. Barring a major turnaround, this is a one and done team.

I look for them to play better the 1st weekend. Big East teams had them scouted by the middle of the conference season negating a lot of the good things they did earlier.

I worry about the center position, though. We are at such a disadvantage there. Can't score, can't defend, can't rebound. It has been too much for the other guys to make up for.

[Mr. Nielsen]

Once the bracket is released on Sunday, the regular season (including conference tournaments) is a thing of the past and nothing about it matters to the teams that made it.

Thursday will be biggest game for this program in nearly 10 years. In a way, it pains me to say that because it's more of a reflection of how much the program has fallen relative the previous 10 years before that, but it is the reality.

Wouldn't it be the biggest game since 2019.

[79Warrior]

I don't expect us to get blown out but this team is done winning for the year.

This

[NotAnAlum]

I look for them to play better the 1st weekend. Big East teams had them scouted by the middle of the conference season negating a lot of the good things they did earlier.

I guess we'll see but I'm starting to believe that right now our free fall has more to do with what we are doing wrong than what the competition is doing right.  The offense is simply pathetic.  They were playing better together in mid November than they are now.  And the biggest concern is that Shaka seems powerless to do anything to change things.  They have not played well in over a month.  Over that long a period of time you would think that he could try something different on offense to break through.  That is what worries me most.  If the future is as bright as many Scoopers want to believe Shaka is going to have to be able to fix problems without going into a tailspin.

[Small Orange Soda]

I worry about the center position, though. We are at such a disadvantage there. Can't score, can't defend, can't rebound. It has been too much for the other guys to make up for.

And that's something that needs to be fixed moving forward. So many times today we just passed it around the perimeter like a Wojo offense. We need at least one player who can post up like Creighton had (and I know Justin can, but it's rarely utilized. Pass it into the block, and if it's not working, kick it out for a trey. Our bigs only exist for dishes via drives.)

[mugrad_89]

I guess we'll see but I'm starting to believe that right now our free fall has more to do with what we are doing wrong than what the competition is doing right.  The offense is simply pathetic.  They were playing better together in mid November than they are now.  And the biggest concern is that Shaka seems powerless to do anything to change things.  They have not played well in over a month.  Over that long a period of time you would think that he could try something different on offense to break through.  That is what worries me most.  If the future is as bright as many Scoopers want to believe Shaka is going to have to be able to fix problems without going into a tailspin.

I'm convinced that if we could cut our brain-fart induced turnovers in half, we could hang with most teams in the country.  Just too many self inflicted empty possessions of late.

[PointWarrior]

Win and the season was a smashing success.

Blowout loss and season will feel like a "fart in the wind"

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

Voted for a W. Think they can win a game. Gonna need to play a heck of a lot better than they did today, tho.

[NCMUFan]

The team has surprised us many times this season.
I don't think they will disappoint us at the NCAA tourney.
For better or worse.

[Mu8891]

Loss, and probably a bad one in game one.

They won't be playing a BE team, which is fine as long as the team they play does not scout them.

They are lost.  Have been lost for a month.   They played better in Nov and December, let alone on the win streak

Like Wojo, other teams adjusted in
2d half of BE and Shaka did NOT.  That's a huge problem

[goldeneagle91114]

Win and the season was a smashing success.

Blowout loss and season will feel like a "fart in the wind"

Sadly this season has become a coin flip. Win a tournament game and we're happy, lose and we're pissed. Didn't need to be this way. Stong second half and we'd be happy no matter what. Advance I the BET and we'd have something to hang out hat on. Instead we had a Feb fade and lost our first Game of the BET

[MuggsyB]

Loss, and probably a bad one in game one.

They won't be playing a BE team, which is fine as long as the team they play does not scout them.

They are lost.  Have been lost for a month.   They played better in Nov and December, let alone on the win streak

Like Wojo, other teams adjusted in
2d half of BE and Shaka did NOT.  That's a huge problem

I have to admit I thought this MU team was the real deal after that great performance vs Nova in early Feb.  Shaka does get some leeway for sure, but I'm probably more disappointed in our regression this year than previous seasons.  Because I honestly believe we have the talent and depth and my expectations completely changed at the end of January.  In the past all of us could see there was some smoke and mirrors.

[Mu8891]

Muggs ... right !

This team did not progress. They got worse.  And they are on a Wojo like slide ( 6 straight losses away from FF )

Players have not improved.  In fact some, Oso and Kur are Worse.

[Uncle Rico]

Muggs ... right !

This team did not progress. They got worse.  And they are on a Wojo like slide ( 6 straight losses away from FF )

Players have not improved.  In fact some, Oso and Kur are Worse.

Oso had better numbers in conference than non-conference except rebounding. 

[Spotcheck Billy]

wish i shared the optimism but why do u see more talent next year with lewis gone. who r we getting?

Just the experience and development this team's players bring back next season still has me optimistic for Shaka's future success here.

[Goose]

An opening round loss would be very disappointing.

[79Warrior]

An opening round loss would be very disappointing.

The way the team has been playing the last 10 games I would prepare to be disappointed.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

At this point just hoping for a Friday night game so I can go through the whole first 2 days without having the interest sapped from me.  Was pumped to watch CBB all this weekend, and yesterdays result already kind ruined that for me.