Justin

[GoldenEagles03]

Yep.  The talk that this team without Justin is better than last is absolute fantasyland.  Lose by far our best two players and 3 of top 4 scorers, and bring in no top 100 recruits and no impact transfers.  Woof.  Long term upside is there, but I don't see next season being a tournament team.

Nobody thinks they are better without him.

They can definitely be better this year without him than they were last year with him, but not because he's gone. Because of development.

[panda]

Cool. For most they were relative unknowns.

I knew them and saw they would be difference makers last year based on their skill sets and experience.

Kuath a disappointment - Tell me you don't understand basketball without saying you don't understand basketball. Yes, not a great rebounder, but his rim presence allowed guys to high pressure on the perimeter knowing if there was a blow by
KK was there to change shots at the rim. That was his role and he greatly excelled at it.

Morsell was dominant defensively and our second best scorer offensively. He was never the primary option at Maryland because he played with several nba guys and then nursed an injury his last season with the Terps.

Cmon you're just intentionally underselling the contributions of these guys to try and make your point. All three were proven entities at their previous schools and were physically and mentally prepared for larger roles at MU. I can't say that about any of the guys coming back from last season going into this season. That's not to say Omax/Jop/Kam won't take huge leaps, but I won't confidently say that will be the case as I did last year with our newcomers.

[Viper]

The standard for "great" in college basketball is consensus first team All-American? I personally think that deserves an adjective above great.

DWade, great. Markus Howard, great. Consensus AA's. But, 1st team Big East is 'great'? Is every 1st team 'whatever conference' great? Good, sure. I'll stick with consensus AA is great. Not a concensus AA, not great.  Subjective. Good debate.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

DWade, great. Markus Howard, great. Consensus AA's. But, 1st team Big East is 'great'? Is every 1st team 'whatever conference' great? Good, sure. I'll stick with consensus AA is great. Not a concensus AA, not great.  Subjective. Good debate.

Personally I think great college player is an insult to Wade but if that's your definition then I guess we agree

[Newsdreams]

Personally I think great college player is an insult to Wade but if that's your definition then I guess we agree

Elite, hey...

[79Warrior]

We need an impact transfer big.  Huge loss.

Agree. Huge but not unexpected loss.

[PointWarrior]

Well your COLE strength appears stronger this year than last year, must have been year to year improvement for you in the off season.

Yep.  The talk that this team without Justin is better than last is absolute fantasyland.  Lose by far our best two players and 3 of top 4 scorers, and bring in no top 100 recruits and no impact transfers.  Woof.  Long term upside is there, but I don't see next season being a tournament team.

[oilcan]

Personally, I enjoyed the past season. All we had was Justin Lewis and we didn't know how anyone else would fit in, let alone score. Yes, there were some returning guards that had potential,  but none of them (If you allow me to use a musical analogy) was better than a 5th chair coronet player in a high school anywhere in Wisconsin. Expect for Stevens Point, maybe. Morsell was obviously a player with experience and could tab ten a game reliably. And he could steady the team. The other transfers: Kuath and Koleg tried as hard as they could to compete against better opponents. As we saw in the tournament there are sixteen very good teams and eight teams who are exceptional. The two teams at the end are athletic, well coached, and determined. Build the team to resemble Baylor. Get two big guards who can defend chest to chest and shoot. Good shooters are always good. Am I right?  Get some rebounders. MU competed very well early and had everyone thinking, what if?  MU has a decent nucleus of returning players and some new guys joining the program. The new tall guys will determine how well the team will compete. I'm talking about the guys in the paint. Goodbye Justin! Thanks for the memories. The guys who are here will play with grit and fight for forty minutes. Oso & Prosper will score because they have grown. The guards will not be intimidated by opposing defenses and cut through the gaps. Pass the ball. Pass the ball. The future looks bright. And it always will. Cheers.

[Shooter McGavin]

Nobody thinks they are better without him.

They can definitely be better this year without him than they were last year with him, but not because he's gone. Because of development.

That's the trick, right?  Lose good players every year but somehow make the dance.  Really good coaches do this and we hope that we have one.  We'll find out next year.  If we're not good the wrong foundation is being laid.  Get er done Shaka!!!

[tower912]

Good luck, Justin.  Players leave.  Others step up.  The circle of life.   

[We R Final Four]

Good luck, Justin.  Players leave.  Others step up.  The circle of life.

Not for Muggsy. Players leave......OMG!! How could this happen?? We need the greatest basketball player available this and every year if we are to compete!

[oilcan]

None of us came here to give up. To the contrary, I'm like Chris Otule who might have said, "I've always got one eye open." BB is about hard work and resilience. We saw Jimmy play every minute of game seven in this year's Eastern Finals.  At MU he could have scored 35 every night but Buzz reined him in to develop the team. Jimmy made the best of it and everyone seemed satisfied. Wade and Butler and Crowder and Matthews will never fade in our minds. Neither will Maurice Lucas. If I watch Justin Lewis have a great deal off success in the NBA and I watch him on tv I will have goose bumps. And dance around my living room. We're not closing the curtains. We're getting ready for what's next.  Bring on the next act.

[We R Final Four]

35 points......EVERY. NIGHT.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

That's the trick, right?  Lose good players every year but somehow make the dance.  Really good coaches do this and we hope that we have one.  We'll find out next year.  If we're not good the wrong foundation is being laid.  Get er done Shaka!!!

If there is a step back this season I don't necessarily agree that means the wrong foundation is being set.

[GoldenEagles03]

If there is a step back this season I don't necessarily agree that means the wrong foundation is being set.

A better indicator for this year would be to look at the improvements (or lack thereof) for the foundational players. If the guys that are going to be around for the long haul are getting better resulting in some unexpected wins as the season progresses, that is still a good foundation.

[Shooter McGavin]

If there is a step back this season I don't necessarily agree that means the wrong foundation is being set.

Agreed.  If I see Jimmy Mac, Miller, and Key talent out there this year but it's young and improving I'll be willing to wait a year for an NCAA bid and another for a sweet sixteen.  But the wrong foundation will be laid if the talent is not apparent. 

Have to trust that Shaka sees exceptional college talent in these kids that he brought in and not over recruited.  I want the optimists here to be right. 

[MU82]

Copied from Rothsteins Twitter

"Maruqette's Justin Lewis tells me that he's staying in the 2022 NBA Draft.

Significant Big East News."

_______ tells me they are staying in the draft.


(no player or half decent agent is ever texting Rothstein).

So it was your contention that Rothstein lied about Lewis telling him, even though Lewis could easily out him as a liar? Nice.

[jfp61]

So it was your contention that Rothstein lied about Lewis telling him, even though Lewis could easily out him as a liar? Nice.

MU82 tells me that he actually believes Rothstein gets told things.

[MU82]

MU82 tells me that he actually believes Rothstein gets told things.

I do not believe Rothstein brazenly lied to a national audience.

Please offer proof that he did. Thanks.

[cheebs09]

I think Rothstein has a pretty big network and gets told things. I also think he's obnoxious.

[MuggsyB]

Not for Muggsy. Players leave......OMG!! How could this happen?? We need the greatest basketball player available this and every year if we are to compete!

Funny, I don't recall writing that at all. 

[Uncle Rico]

I think Rothstein has a pretty big network and gets told things. I also think he's obnoxious.

Rothstein's sources happen to be any coach he has a saying for

[MU82]

Rothstein's sources happen to be any coach he has a saying for

a saying? I don't get it, Unk.

[Uncle Rico]

a saying? I don't get it, Unk.

His Twitter sayings after a team wins like, "Greg Gard. Silent Assassin"

Guys that feed him info get the love

[MU82]

His Twitter sayings after a team wins like, "Greg Gard. Silent Assassin"

Guys that feed him info get the love

Ah. Thanks.