X is going to be tough

[Daniel]

He said it before the game on air I believe.  I recall hearing it as well.

TY - thought I was going crazy only one hearing it!   And for the record he said low major, not mid major.    I’m sure deep down he loves us and respects us.   Now. 

[wadesworld]

Man so much of this fanbase is so sensitive. Podcasts hate us because they don’t have podcasts about us every time we win a big game, and when they do talk about us their compliments fall short. ESPN hates us when they open their show with us but don’t write a big article after every win. Other coaches disrespect us because their compliments aren’t worded how we want. Announcers look at rosters and realize players looking for more minutes probably won’t find it at MU so they don’t suggest MU is where a player would want to transfer and it’s a slight at us, even though we also say Shaka doesn’t want to play the transfer game anyway.

[brewcity77]

Man so much of this fanbase is so sensitive. Podcasts hate us because they don’t have podcasts about us every time we win a big game, and when they do talk about us their compliments fall short. ESPN hates us when they open their show with us but don’t write a big article after every win. Other coaches disrespect us because their compliments aren’t worded how we want. Announcers look at rosters and realize players looking for more minutes probably won’t find it at MU so they don’t suggest MU is where a player would want to transfer and it’s a slight at us, even though we also say Shaka doesn’t want to play the transfer game anyway.

Nothing wrong with admitting when you're wrong. I undersold this team too.

[wadesworld]

Nothing wrong with admitting when you're wrong. I undersold this team too.

As did I, by a ton. These people aren’t going to do deep dives on the team. They see a team that has 0 projected 2023 NBA Draft picks doing well, so they’re looking at a plucky team that plays hard and punches above its weight.

Edited to include: they also saw a team that finished 6th in the Big East and lost 3 starters, including their 2 leading scorers, and replaced them with an NAIA transfer, an international prospect who wasn’t viewed as a top recruit, and two 3 star, sub 150 ranked recruits. Their leading returning scorer averaged 7.4 points per game. They also were a terrible rebounding team and lost 3 of its top 4 rebounders.

All in all, it’s completely fair to say this team is punching above its weight. It’s a testament to Shaka’s coaching ability.

[Newsdreams]

As did I, by a ton. These people aren’t going to do deep dives on the team. They see a team that has 0 projected 2023 NBA Draft picks doing well, so they’re looking at a plucky team that plays hard and punches above its weight.

Everyone hates us, I like...

[DoctorV]

As did I, by a ton. These people aren’t going to do deep dives on the team. They see a team that has 0 projected 2023 NBA Draft picks doing well, so they’re looking at a plucky team that plays hard and punches above its weight.

Edited to include: they also saw a team that finished 6th in the Big East and lost 3 starters, including their 2 leading scorers, and replaced them with an NAIA transfer, an international prospect who wasn’t viewed as a top recruit, and two 3 star, sub 150 ranked recruits. Their leading returning scorer averaged 7.4 points per game. They also were a terrible rebounding team and lost 3 of its top 4 rebounders.

All in all, it’s completely fair to say this team is punching above its weight. It’s a testament to Shaka’s coaching ability.

Yup^
It’s no slight to the guys that are on the team to say the above either.

They have gotten leaps and bounds improvements from 4+ returning players this season, improvements that are better than I think most of the fan base would have admitted, as well as better than expected production from at least 1 frosh.

Listed out-
Returnees with better than expected improvements:
TyKo, Kam, Oso, Stevie.
Improved by leaps and bounds, but arguable if expected: Omax.
Improved, but arguable on if by leaps and bounds: Jop.

Frosh:
Chase much better than expected.
Gold and Sean par for the course.

So, at the very least 5 of the guys are performing above what even the most rabid MU fans would have expected imo.
A few more are performing way better than last year or to their expectations, whether lofty or not.
I’d argue not a single “lost” guy or underachiever outside of Keeyan, but we’ve never seen him play enough to even know and there’s the shadow of Oso.

I’m not sure I’ve seen that in ANY Marquette team that I’ve followed

[MU90620]

I interpreted it as MU runs a disciplined system like a mid major but with high level talent.

I agree with this. It was definitely meant as a compliment and said with admiration.  The great equalizer when mid majors play high majors is the mid major usually has to play smart basketball. Good shots, not many turnovers. On defense create turnovers and force bad shots.  He was merely saying they play like that only with high major talent.

[MuggsyB]

How's everybody feeling,???  I was up a little earlier than normal today.  This game is obviously MASSIVE.  Hopefully we find a way.

[Ellenson Guerrero]

How's everybody feeling,???  I was up a little earlier than normal today.  This game is obviously MASSIVE.  Hopefully we find a way.

Were this the Wojo era, I’d be racing to the window to bet X -3.5. His teams almost always got blown out in big games we needed or on network TV. With Shaka at the helm I’ll stick to the over/under and side under 163. I don’t expect MU to win because it’s almost impossible to beat a good Big East team on the road, but they’ll keep it close at a minimum.

[We R Final Four]

Hurley said LOW major, not mid major.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Hurley said LOW major, not mid major.

Not sure that makes a difference in the context of the statement.

[rocket surgeon]

How's everybody feeling,???  I was up a little earlier than normal today.  This game is obviously MASSIVE.  Hopefully we find a way.

Come on mugs, we’ve got this man!  But yes, this is a bigun!! A real barometer…win this and the buzzin( no pun) really picks up and the expectations rise to a new level.  Shakas been here before. He lives, eats and sleeps with his players, figuratively of course

[MU90620]

Hurley said LOW major, not mid major.

Whatever he said he was referring to style of play not talent level. The words high major talent came out of his mouth. Every coach in basketball is trying to get their team to play as smart and as unselfishly as they can. It’s harder to do with high major talent and high major egos. It was a compliment.

[Scoop Snoop]

How's everybody feeling,???  I was up a little earlier than normal today.  This game is obviously MASSIVE.  Hopefully we find a way.

Pretty good. Cautiously optimistic (sounds like a political phrase, doesn't it?) but free from any worry that we are at a crossroad in the conference play and that a loss would be crippling.

[tower912]

As did I, by a ton. These people aren’t going to do deep dives on the team. They see a team that has 0 projected 2023 NBA Draft picks doing well, so they’re looking at a plucky team that plays hard and punches above its weight.

Edited to include: they also saw a team that finished 6th in the Big East and lost 3 starters, including their 2 leading scorers, and replaced them with an NAIA transfer, an international prospect who wasn’t viewed as a top recruit, and two 3 star, sub 150 ranked recruits. Their leading returning scorer averaged 7.4 points per game. They also were a terrible rebounding team and lost 3 of its top 4 rebounders.

All in all, it’s completely fair to say this team is punching above its weight. It’s a testament to Shaka’s coaching ability.

I have made the same argument.  BTW, 3 starters and Greg left.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

How's everybody feeling,???  I was up a little earlier than normal today.  This game is obviously MASSIVE.  Hopefully we find a way.

I feel good, but its a road game in the Big East. They're difficult. If they lose, it won't change my overall outlook for this team.

[MuggsyB]

Come on mugs, we’ve got this man!  But yes, this is a bigun!! A real barometer…win this and the buzzin( no pun) really picks up and the expectations rise to a new level.  Shakas been here before. He lives, eats and sleeps with his players, figuratively of course

I don't care for Nunge.  He just bothers me.  Hopefully he has an abysmal performance. 

[The Thing]

It is nice going into a game like this knowing that we don’t “need” it. We have money in the bank here. I hope MU plays hard and scraps out a victory but I will not be overly disappointed with a close loss. I would be discouraged with a blowout though.

[tower912]

Not worried.  And, just because I know it will trigger so many,


house money.

[MuggsyB]

Pretty good. Cautiously optimistic (sounds like a political phrase, doesn't it?) but free from any worry that we are at a crossroad in the conference play and that a loss would be crippling.

I agree with your overall point Scoop Snoop but a win today would be inordinately consequential.  It could really propel this program into the tier 1....a.k a. look the hell out position.  And the scariest thought for others is MU is just beginning its resurgence, these boys will continue to get better.  All I'm saying is this puts us in formidable position to do further damage and pad our resume to a top seed moving forward.

[HowardsWorld]

Today's game might be the difference between a 2 and 4 seed in the NCAA tournament.

[mug644]

Who guards Souley Boum...OMax or Stevie? If MU can disrupt him like we did Hawkins (and to a lesser degree, Jackson) of UConn, that could go a long way towards controlling the game.

[tower912]

It will be interesting with X's Jones being a versatile 6'7.   OMax will be tied up with a Nunge or Freemantle at the start.   So the question is who will Stevie guard, Boum or Jones?   

[Scoop Snoop]

I agree with your overall point Scoop Snoop but a win today would be inordinately consequential.  It could really propel this program into the tier 1....a.k a. look the hell out position.  And the scariest thought for others is MU is just beginning its resurgence, these boys will continue to get better.  All I'm saying is this puts us in formidable position to do further damage and pad our resume to a top seed moving forward.

No argument with you Muggs. I did not imply that a win today would not be "inordinately consequential" and of course we all have high hopes. My point was if the game does not, ummm.. end well for us, we are still in a strong position. Contrast this with Wojo blowing our chances by his alleged coaching. He left Ws on the table when we had a chance to move up in the BE.

[Uncle Rico]

How's everybody feeling,???  I was up a little earlier than normal today.  This game is obviously MASSIVE.  Hopefully we find a way.

Fine. I hope both teams play hard and with sportsmanship and have fun