Respect

[Goose]

tower

I think you were spot on, actually really spot on. I was very excited for the game because I wanted to be, but truthfully did not have very high expectations. A win would not have shocked me or a 20 point loss would not have surprised me.

I have to say, I'm happy to see Farley and Point joining the conversation, but disappointed that BC has not bashed Ben and the freshmen yet.

[tower912]

I would have pulled the starters earlier.   Let the young guys run, let the starters stew and plot revenge. 

Or, load management. 

[Newsdreams]

So now we want to settle for second or third? Why not 4th or 5th. UConn is elite. We have long wayy to go. Golden Eagles are not soaring, they are feather stuffing for the Huskies. Time to go back to a different culture than that.

Willard burger culture

[Goose]

Country

I asked the other day what the brackets guys thought MU's seed would be if they went 4-3 and I wanted to ask what if they went 3-4. Going into the season I thought they would lose 3-4 of the last seven. That is what I meant by challenging the weak of heart of scoopers.

If that happens it would not be a Feb swoon to me, just a difficult schedule. The regular season cannot end fast enough for me.

[We R Final Four]

82

I have said if multiple times that I feel MU has played an 82 game schedule already. Today was not a good day at the office but I bet there still are ebbs and flows over the next six games that will challenge the weak of heart on here.

Like you, I do love the regular season a great deal, but this year is different. I have had enough highlights and ready for the tournament. Even after today, I think they can achieve their team goal of winning it all. That said, I think the weak of heart are going to be tested over the next six games.

Goose—

You have been waiting for March for since Christmas. And i do agree, that is why this loss doesn't make me cry or feel any less about what this team can accomplish.
We need to fund that wildcard that can pull that game out for us......could it be Ben? Could it be Chase? Yes.
Today was the first game that TK could have used a change of pace from Sean. Need to find that way.  Jop is what he is......

[tower912]

So now we want to settle for second or third? Why not 4th or 5th. UConn is elite. We have long wayy to go. Golden Eagles are not soaring, they are feather stuffing for the Huskies. Time to go back to a different culture than that.

Not 'settle'.   UConn is the defending national champion and current #1.   If it is MU's ceiling to finish second in conference to them, with a 15-5/14-6 conference record, that is not a failure.   It means that UConn is really good.   Sometimes, a conference opponent is a buzzsaw.

[willie warrior]

Not 'settle'.   UConn is the defending national champion and current #1.   If it is MU's ceiling to finish second in conference to them, with a 15-5/14-6 conference record, that is not a failure.   It means that UConn is really good.   Sometimes, a conference opponent is a buzzsaw.

And we are defending BEast champ who did not show up. It is a failure.

[tower912]

It sucked.   The question now is how the team responds.   

[79Warrior]

I would have pulled the starters earlier.   Let the young guys run, let the starters stew and plot revenge. 

Or, load management. 

I agree. Once the game was out of hand, it was the opportune time to give the Freshmen extended minutes.

[Goose]

We r FF

I would agree they likely did miss Sean today. No doubt his speed and toughness would have been great today. It is strange to me, but in 50+ years of being a fan I have never experienced more emotions during a regular season. This year has been all about March to me after the Maui trip.

[tower912]

  MU got rolled last season at UConn.  This was just another whuppin at their place.  Sean would not have made a difference.   Omax would not have made a difference.  Butler or Crowder, maybe.   

[Goose]

tower

We would not have won the game with Sean, but he was missed today. Like you, getting out there healthy was a realistic goal.

[Newsdreams]

It sucked.   The question now is how the team responds.

Why bother? Lost cause....

[Shooter McGavin]

tower

We would not have won the game with Sean, but he was missed today. Like you, getting out there healthy was a realistic goal.

Agree. The change of pace Sean offers would have been nice.  Just to see if he could stop a couple runs. But we would not have won anyway.   UConn was too good today and we were not nearly good enough.

[Herman Cain]

My takeaway on today's game was that the other team has better players.

Hopefully MU can win the coming games against teams where the talent differential is  in our favor.

[DFW HOYA]

On its home floor, UConn can beat anyone.

But the Big East tournament isn't played in Hartford. MU needs to shake this off and prepare for the next battle. There's a good chance they see each other four weeks from tonight at MSG and it doesn't have to be a repeat of what happened today.

[MU82]

I have said if multiple times that I feel MU has played an 82 game schedule already. Today was not a good day at the office but I bet there still are ebbs and flows over the next six games that will challenge the weak of heart on here.

Like you, I do love the regular season a great deal, but this year is different. I have had enough highlights and ready for the tournament. Even after today, I think they can achieve their team goal of winning it all. That said, I think the weak of heart are going to be tested over the next six games.

We agree on most of this, Goose.

The only point of contention: No matter how much you wish the NCAAT would start tomorrow, it won't. So I'll enjoy the rest of the lead-up to it, through the ebbs and flows and Scoop takes.

But yes, I too am all about the NCAAT. And I also think it can be a special one for our alma mater.

[Newsdreams]

My takeaway on today's game was that the other team has better players.

Hopefully MU can win the coming games against teams where the talent differential is  in our favor.

Tales from the Crypt

[Viper]

We agree on most of this, Goose.

The only point of contention: No matter how much you wish the NCAAT would start tomorrow, it won't. So I'll enjoy the rest of the lead-up to it, through the ebbs and flows and Scoop takes.

But yes, I too am all about the NCAAT. And I also think it can be a special one for our alma mater.

seriously? Wiggle my nose and wish real hard...ncaat won't start tomorrow? Damn it, man.

[dgies9156]

OK gang, let's come back to earth for a moment.

Winning in the NCAA means getting hot at the right time. It means putting together a string of really good games and playing like your life is on the line, because it is!

In 1977, we had the worst record of any team that ever won a national championship up to that point. We snuck into the tournament and rolled some pretty good teams on our way to the championship.

In 2003, we were good but hardly the best team in the NCAA. We barely beat Holy Cross and snuck by Missouri because Steve Novak got blazing hot in overtime. We beat Pitt and then absolutely demolished Kentucky before our coach turned back to a pumpkin.

We got our ass kicked today. Big deal. It's one game and they looked really good. We didn't. We're better than we showed today and they're probably not going to play as well as they did today every game until April. You never know. UConn may run into a contemporary version of Florida Atlantic, Loyola of Chicago or Butler. A couple of years back, number 1 Virginia was upset by 16 Maryland-Baltimore County. Going back even further, a defending national champion was upset by a nobody from Ohio.

Morale of the story, learn from what happened, kick DePaul's ass and put a whopping on UConn when they show up in Milwaukee. Play like you mean it, know what you have to do to win and go out and execute. I get we're all thinking the world just ended, but dammit, it's one game. The score is 0-0 Thursday night!

[DoctorV]

On its home floor, UConn can beat anyone.

But the Big East tournament isn't played in Hartford. MU needs to shake this off and prepare for the next battle. There's a good chance they see each other four weeks from tonight at MSG and it doesn't have to be a repeat of what happened today.

BE tournament no matta.

For real this time. Unless Marquette wins the next 9 and there is still a chance at a 1 seed.

Sure it would be nice, as would any BE Tourney Title and especially B2b, but the narrative going into 3/22 would be pretty much the same. The team would have more confidence, but the team had a lot of confidence today. They would also be more tired.

So, really nothing matters from here on out aside from team health and playing good basketball starting 3/22. The seed and draw matters from the perspective of matchups and ease of path, so it would behoove Marquette to not lose more than 3/4 games and stay on that 2/3 line, but otherwise nothing really mattas.

Taking it from the NBA regular season perspective that Goose and others have been preaching all season that may be a good thing. Let the last month glide along and fall as it may and put all those eggs in the March Madness basket.
Get it right and play the best ball when it matters, assuming it works that way and you can turn it on like that.

There will be some nice things along the way- the one that jumps out to me is senior day, which will be extra special and abnormally emotional because of an end of an era- but otherwise the rest of the way is simply maintaining the 2/3 line seed and figuring out how to turn it on come 3/22.

[NCMUFan]

I predict MU won't lose by 30 next time Marquette plays UConn.

[PointWarrior]

Goose - Happy that I said they played liked dung?

tower

I think you were spot on, actually really spot on. I was very excited for the game because I wanted to be, but truthfully did not have very high expectations. A win would not have shocked me or a 20 point loss would not have surprised me.

I have to say, I'm happy to see Farley and Point joining the conversation, but disappointed that BC has not bashed Ben and the freshmen yet.

[We R Final Four]

I would have pulled the starters earlier.   Let the young guys run, let the starters stew and plot revenge. 

Or, load management. 

I wonder why Shaka played the starters at all.....should have given them the night off all together.

[NCMUFan]

That was exactly my thoughts. 
Starters aren't getting the job done.
Why are they playing?