This One Hurt - And That’s A Good Thing

[Lennys Tap]

My oldest daughter (MU 2000) called me after the game - like she does after every one. She is an unabashed fanatic about Marquette basketball but usually rolls with the punches even after a tough loss. The people they show crying in the stands have heretofore amused her. "Sobbing? Over a basketball game? One you didn't even play in?"

After today, she no longer laughs at those folks. She's one of them. "I can't believe I'm so emotional about this. But I just loved THIS team so much!"

Well, so did I and so did MU fans everywhere. Because they earned it - coach and players alike. Shaka will have more talented teams here and ones who have more success in the NCAAs. But this team was beyond special and we all should be hurting right now - for them. They gave us more joy this year than we could have ever expected. On and off the court they made us proud.

[tower912]

It was a fun season.   

[Daniel]

My oldest daughter (MU 2000) called me after the game - like she does after every one. She is an unabashed fanatic about Marquette basketball but usually rolls with the punches even after a tough loss. The people they show crying in the stands have heretofore amused her. "Sobbing? Over a basketball game? One you didn't even play in?"

After today, she no longer laughs at those folks. She's one of them. "I can't believe I'm so emotional about this. But I just loved THIS team so much!"

Well, so did I and so did MU fans everywhere. Because they earned it - coach and players alike. Shaka will have more talented teams here and ones who have more success in the NCAAs. But this team was beyond special and we all should be hurting right now - for them. They gave us more joy this year than we could have ever expected. On and off the court they made us proud.

True.  I thank the players and coaches for making Marquette basketball exciting again.    Broke some records this year.   Avanti!  Forward!

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

I'd trade every regular season accolade for a second weekend in march appearance.

Say what you want about the tourney being a crapshoot, but let's not pretend...Those seasons are way more memorable than ones you just win the conference.

[Goose]

Lenny

I am thankful that we have experienced this season. Losing sucks, but a great lesson in life. My adult kids have been texting me and all very upset and that is a good sign to me.

I have teared up several times this season because of the team MU put on the court. Trust me, give me the Houston team and I will be crying like a baby.

Cannot speak for others, but this was the most special year of MU basketball since Al. I will say it one last time, this was the most special team in 48 years, and maybe ever. Not because of talent, but how they played and represented a very proud program.

One quick editorial, anyone that did not enjoy this team, missed out. Losing sucks, but I am a proud MU fan tonight.

[GB Warrior]

Maybe we'll remember this season for a long time, but if we are lucky, this was a prelude. If we aren't, it was the one that got away

[ATL MU Warrior]

 

Lenny

I am thankful that we have experienced this season. Losing sucks, but a great lesson in life. My adult kids have been texting me and all very upset and that is a good sign to me.

I have teared up several times this season because of the team MU put on the court. Trust me, give me the Houston team and I will be crying like a baby.

Cannot speak for others, but this was the most special year of MU basketball since Al. I will say it one last time, this was the most special team in 48 years, and maybe ever. Not because of talent, but how they played and represented a very proud program.

One quick editorial, anyone that did not enjoy this team, missed out. Losing sucks, but I am a proud MU fan tonight.

100%. Great season, lots to be proud of and to look forward to.  They got us all fully invested in MU basketball again, that's for sure.

[mu_hilltopper]

I'd trade every regular season accolade for a second weekend in march appearance.

100% agree.

[Uncle Rico]

:-X100%. Great season, lots to be proud of and to look forward to.  They got us all fully invested in MU basketball again, that's for sure.

The worst thing for programs is when apathy sets in.  That's gone.  Tonight hurts.  That still shouldn't stop you from being excited for the future, too.

[Goose]

Topper

I would agree 99 out of 100 times and said March matters more to me many times. I just think that this is the one time we would be diminishing some great accomplishments.

Trust me, my excitement in the Shaka hire is to cut down THE nets, but these guys did something special.

[Fred Garvin]

29 times I grinned from ear to ear this season!!!

[CountryRoads]

I wouldn't trade a sweet sixteen for our regular season. No elite program counts or cares about their sweet sixteen appearances. It's final four or bust in the tournament.

I wouldn't trade 4 months of incredible success to instead be a bubble team and play an extra 4 days. If anything, we should be upset that we didn't make the final four because we certainly had a good chance and would have been favored in the next 2. 

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

I wouldn't trade a sweet sixteen for our regular season. No elite program counts or cares about their sweet sixteen appearances. It's final four or bust in the tournament.

I wouldn't trade 4 months of incredible success to instead be a bubble team and play an extra 4 days. If anything, we should be upset that we didn't make the final four because we certainly had a good chance and would have been favored in the next 2.

People look back pretty fondly on 2011 and that's exactly what Marquette was.

A bubble team that got hot. Everyone here loves to mention the back to back to back second weekend appearances.

[GB Warrior]

I remember 2013 for that run (and if we're being honest, that no show against Cuse) and Jae's BEPOY. We also won the BE that year (cool)

[Uncle Rico]

People look back pretty fondly on 2011 and that's exactly what Marquette was.

A bubble team that got hot. Everyone here loves to mention the back to back to back second weekend appearances.

Got hot?  Man, you're remembering a different year than me.  That March encapsulated what a dumb year it was.  Mediocre in the regular season despite a good roster that got run off the court in the Sweet 16

[PointWarrior]

It was a fun season.

It was a fun season, best since (maybe better) than Buzz Elite 8 and obviously since the Final Four year. 

Hard to go out when not playing your A game you played much of the year.

Huge upside to this team, Shaka is a building a championship program.  Marquette basketball is in a great spot even losing today.

[muhoops1]

100% agree.

Ditto.  Post Season Run > Great Reg Season.  Watching Creighton and XU advance stings.

[Uncle Rico]

Ditto.  Post Season Run > Great Reg Season.  Watching Creighton and XU advance stings.

They had great regular seasons, too

[Goose]

Truth be told, Xavier and Creighton probably have more weapons than MU today. That will change.

[DoctorV]

Lenny

I am thankful that we have experienced this season. Losing sucks, but a great lesson in life. My adult kids have been texting me and all very upset and that is a good sign to me.

I have teared up several times this season because of the team MU put on the court. Trust me, give me the Houston team and I will be crying like a baby.

Cannot speak for others, but this was the most special year of MU basketball since Al. I will say it one last time, this was the most special team in 48 years, and maybe ever. Not because of talent, but how they played and represented a very proud program.

One quick editorial, anyone that did not enjoy this team, missed out. Losing sucks, but I am a proud MU fan tonight.

Yes.

God bless you Goose

[Lennys Tap]

They had great regular seasons, too

Creighton was a preseason top 10 team who lost 12 games (2 to us), finished 3rd when they were favored to win the Big East title and were rolled in the semifinals of the BE tournament by the team we rolled in the finals. So kind of a disappointing regular season, far from great.

Xavier had a really good regular season.

We had a great one.

[WolfganghisKhan]

It was a fun season, best since (maybe better) than Buzz Elite 8 and obviously since the Final Four year. 

Hard to go out when not playing your A game you played much of the year.

Huge upside to this team, Shaka is a building a championship program.  Marquette basketball is in a great spot even losing today.

It is absolutely not better than the Elite 8 year. Stop it. Not even close

[ZiggysFryBoy]

A BE championship and BET championship is enough for me to declare this season as an overwhelming success.

[MuggsyB]

My oldest daughter (MU 2000) called me after the game - like she does after every one. She is an unabashed fanatic about Marquette basketball but usually rolls with the punches even after a tough loss. The people they show crying in the stands have heretofore amused her. "Sobbing? Over a basketball game? One you didn't even play in?"

After today, she no longer laughs at those folks. She's one of them. "I can't believe I'm so emotional about this. But I just loved THIS team so much!"

Well, so did I and so did MU fans everywhere. Because they earned it - coach and players alike. Shaka will have more talented teams here and ones who have more success in the NCAAs. But this team was beyond special and we all should be hurting right now - for them. They gave us more joy this year than we could have ever expected. On and off the court they made us proud.

Everybody is hurting right now and no one more than Shaka and the players.  And I absolutely love this team but this was a missed opportunity.  There's really no other way to see it imo regardless if the entire team comes back or not.  Part of the reason I'm writing this is because year to year we have no idea what the other teans are going to look like.  We earned a 2 seed and were the 6th ranked team in thr country.  We won the BEast and the BEast tournament and beat UCONN, XU, and Creighton twice.   This is as wide open a tournament as I can ever remember and the opportunity was right there.  It just hurts a ton and it will take time to recover. 

[tower912]

A good night to be dead inside.