[Cracked Sidewalks] We Don't Talk About Marquette...No, No, No!

[brewcity77]

Marquette fans tend to notice when national media has been slow to catch on to just how good this team is, but for the next 10 days, let's hope they all ignore Marquette completely. That's because the only reason any in the national media would pay attention in a string that features three sub-90 teams in the NET, all of which project as double-digit underdogs per kenpom, is if Marquette suffered an unexpected loss.

Let's instead turn our focus to the teams ahead of MU on the seed list and how Marquette might be able to move up just by treading water. We also have a new S-Curve and bracket.

https://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2023/01/we-dont-talk-about-marquetteno-no-no.html

[fjm]

Well done. I would like to be ignored the next 3 games as well.

Unless we blow each team out by 30+. Which I'm cool with.

[rocket surgeon]

to say we will have a target on our backs is the understatement of the year.

  shaka is showing an ability to change what doesn't work-his inbounds plays, a little more selectivity with his pressure defenses.  he doesn't have to go balls out for 40 minutes.  he directs them at more opportune times, switching up zone-man looks.  substitution patterns/game time situations-players know their roles and they are ready.  we need to pray for the team to stay healthy.  do we have "that guy" who would be ready when called upon to surprise us in a good way?   

just win baby! 

[Goose]

rocket

Great post. You nailed a couple of great points in your post. I think this team might even respond better to having a target on their back. It looks like the team is made up of guys that will welcome that target on the back.

[wisblue]

That early Xavier-Creighton game is going to have an impact on both NCAA seeding and the Big East race. A Xavier win pretty much takes Creighton out of the conference title race, solidifies their role as the conference favorite, and gives them another big road win on their NCAA resume.

A Creighton win throws the conference race into a 4 team slugfest and helps the Jays mitigate some of the damage that 6 game losing streak did to their NCAA resume. I think a lot of the bracketologists are under seeding Creighton. If you factor in their extremely difficult OOC schedule and Kalkbrenner's injury, I think they are much better than a 10 seed, which is where Lunardi has them.

[tower912]

Creighton was the highest ranked Big East team in the preseason.   Brutal schedule and an injury to their most important player.   I expect them to be a factor in the second half if the season and to make the tourney.

[rgoode57]

This team has a player, perhaps two players, who will emerge as the "go to" guy at tournament time. But, I am not sure who it is. Kolek has shown that he is not reluctant to have the ball in his hands at that time - and to take the ball to the hoop if he can. But, if he cannot drive, he does not look like he really wants to take the outside shot unless there is no other opportunity. Oso, of course, will take his shot, but teams are going to be keying on him something fierce. Kam Jones certainly will take the shot, but if he is a bit off that day... It will be interesting to see who that guy turns out to be. Or, it may be a different player each game given how this team plays.

[rocket surgeon]

rocket

Great post. You nailed a couple of great points in your post. I think this team might even respond better to having a target on their back. It looks like the team is made up of guys that will welcome that target on the back.

  goose-i've kinda gotten that feeling too.  when they are down, i don't see or sense panic.  it's like shaka has somehow put them into these types of situations and/or it's already in their DNA.  that doesn't mean we are never going to fail under pressure, but "choke' ain't in their vocabulary

[rocket surgeon]

This team has a player, perhaps two players, who will emerge as the "go to" guy at tournament time. But, I am not sure who it is. Kolek has shown that he is not reluctant to have the ball in his hands at that time - and to take the ball to the hoop if he can. But, if he cannot drive, he does not look like he really wants to take the outside shot unless there is no other opportunity. Oso, of course, will take his shot, but teams are going to be keying on him something fierce. Kam Jones certainly will take the shot, but if he is a bit off that day... It will be interesting to see who that guy turns out to be. Or, it may be a different player each game given how this team plays.

  i can't disagree with much of this 57, but what i'm talking about is-do we have a player on the bench we really haven't seen play much if at all who comes off the bench and makes us all go-"where the fudgsicle has this guy been'??  like if kolek goes down and the as yet to be named player comes in and looks like curley neal or spud webb with the rock

[rocket surgeon]

got the double bonus with TCU losing

xavier loss allows us to climb up the BE ladder


not mentioned in the sidewalks article however-losses by iowa st and auburn today help

[PointWarrior]

This team has a player, perhaps two players, who will emerge as the "go to" guy at tournament time. But, I am not sure who it is. Kolek has shown that he is not reluctant to have the ball in his hands at that time - and to take the ball to the hoop if he can. But, if he cannot drive, he does not look like he really wants to take the outside shot unless there is no other opportunity. Oso, of course, will take his shot, but teams are going to be keying on him something fierce. Kam Jones certainly will take the shot, but if he is a bit off that day... It will be interesting to see who that guy turns out to be. Or, it may be a different player each game given how this team plays.

A player? Or 2?   Have you been watching this team this season. Kolek has taken over games, Oso has, OMax has, Kam has, and now Joplin has.

Maybe you should say a player or 5...