Cat-amount to another cupcake

[tower912]

1. WCU is well coached and played fearlessly.
2. Kam was a man amongst boys.
3.  The young guys were better in the second half.  The first, there was no flow.  Second, they occasionally ran the offense.
4.  Stevie's defense against the cupcakes has been off.   Weird.
5.  Ben leading the fast break (yes, he stepped out of bounds) and rolling to the basket to get easy lay ups.
6.  These two games were exactly what the was needed for bench development.  I doubt, other than Seton Hall, that 6-10 are all going to be on the floor at the same very often.  But it is good to get them run, good to see them bang, good to see them grow and develop.  It is going be OK.
7.  I am going to predict Gold, Chase, Royce, Owens, and either Tre or Sean for the 25-26 starting line up.  And that the team will continue to be more than competitive.
8.  The breather was nice.  Back to the grind.  Next.

[forgetful]

I would like to see a special jersey designed around the T-shirts the team was wearing this game.

9. Walkon scored. Wish they had been in 30 seconds earlier.

[tower912]

All of the joy extinguished by the injury to Zaide.

[Shooter McGavin]

All of the joy extinguished by the injury to Zaide.

Yep that was an unwelcome sight.  Hope he is alright but looked awful.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

Prayers up for Zaide

[tower912]

If it was as bad as we all fear (prayers up for Zaide), Sean Jones recovery now is seen in a whole different light.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Paraphrasing Shaka on the radio, "Trainer is optimistic on Zaide. Nothing like Sean last season"

[PGsHeroes32]

Paraphrasing Shaka on the radio, "Trainer is optimistic on Zaide. Nothing like Sean last season"

Well, there's obviously quite the vast middle ground between playing Wednesday and Seans injury.

But very good to hear that seems to be off the table.

If its more of a banged Knee scenario that's encouraging. Could still result in missing some key games the next month but far from worst case

[Scoop Snoop]

Paraphrasing Shaka on the radio, "Trainer is optimistic on Zaide. Nothing like Sean last season"

This is great news. Thanks for posting it.

[DoctorV]

1. WCU is well coached and played fearlessly.
2. Kam was a man amongst boys.
3.  The young guys were better in the second half.  The first, there was no flow.  Second, they occasionally ran the offense.
4.  Stevie's defense against the cupcakes has been off.   Weird.
5.  Ben leading the fast break (yes, he stepped out of bounds) and rolling to the basket to get easy lay ups.
6.  These two games were exactly what the was needed for bench development.  I doubt, other than Seton Hall, that 6-10 are all going to be on the floor at the same very often.  But it is good to get them run, good to see them bang, good to see them grow and develop.  It is going be OK.
7.  I am going to predict Gold, Chase, Royce, Owens, and either Tre or Sean for the 25-26 starting line up.  And that the team will continue to be more than competitive.
8.  The breather was nice.  Back to the grind.  Next.

1- fearlessly, sure. Didn't see the well coached part though.

4- he's spent 3+ years working his arse off on that defensive end. He still does, against good teams when he has to. It's easy to see why he would just take it a bit easier versus the soft.

5- Ben did this against the bounty soft. I'd love to see him get more comfortable dribbling where he will have the opportunity- at the 3P line when he doesn't shoot it against good competition. He still seems weak and uncomfortable dribbling out of pressure in these scenarios and creating. Oso was better at it, Ben has time.
 
Agree with all others.
Thanks for the write-ups, they are great.

With regards to 7- Royce and Damarius are definitely not shy, kids never saw a shot they didn't like to take. Confidence is good, and they will learn the more selective Marquette way in time. I also agree that they both start next season.
As for position, it seems like Damarius is playing more point than Tre at this point.
Not sure if it'll come to fruition, but Shaka sees something so I believe in it.
IMO Tre has been passed up and won't start, Sean is obvi a question mark.
Shaka had good things to say about Tre last season so we will see, I just don't see it.

Zaide was in line to start imo, so fingers crossed.
Pre Zaide injury I woulda went with
Damarius, Tre, Chase, Parham and Benny to start the season, with SJ22 or Nigel sliding in deeper into the season.

Enjoying this season though, let's go in Ames!!

[Jockey]

As I watched Owens today, I thought back to Kam's freshman year. He played very similarly. Moving too fast. Wanting to create every play. Dribbling too much.

Kam is now in complete control on the floor. Here's hoping Owens progresses in the same way cuz the talent is obvious.

[Big Papi]

The freshmen subbed in the game before the sophs. 

I thought Tre and Zaide stepped it up today.  Tre with some good defensive plays and Zaide overall game.

Parham hasn't seen a shot he doesn't like.  10 shots are a lot of shots in the amount of time he played.

I have been hard on Jop but he is man out there and when he is stroking, look out.

Kam is so good.

I would like to see Gold drive more and decrease his 3-point shooting unless he has time.

Loved it when the second team was out there in the second half, and they scramble defended WC into a shot clock violation.

Owens is silky smooth.  Once he figures out how to defend consistently, he will be really, really good.  I hate to compare but he could have a DWade ascent to stardom next year.  He has the "it" factor.

Prayers for Zaide.  Get and stay healthy. 

Big big week next week.

[willie warrior]

1. WCU is well coached and played fearlessly.
2. Kam was a man amongst boys.
3.  The young guys were better in the second half.  The first, there was no flow.  Second, they occasionally ran the offense.
4.  Stevie's defense against the cupcakes has been off.   Weird.
5.  Ben leading the fast break (yes, he stepped out of bounds) and rolling to the basket to get easy lay ups.
6.  These two games were exactly what the was needed for bench development.  I doubt, other than Seton Hall, that 6-10 are all going to be on the floor at the same very often.  But it is good to get them run, good to see them bang, good to see them grow and develop.  It is going be OK.
7.  I am going to predict Gold, Chase, Royce, Owens, and either Tre or Sean for the 25-26 starting line up.  And that the team will continue to be more than competitive.
8.  The breather was nice.  Back to the grind.  Next.

More than competitive is nice, does it mean deep run in the dance?

[tower912]

More than competitive is nice, does it mean deep run in the dance?

I look forward to enjoying the journey and finding out.

[Skatastrophy]

As I watched Owens today, I thought back to Kam's freshman year. He played very similarly. Moving too fast. Wanting to create every play. Dribbling too much.

Kam is now in complete control on the floor. Here's hoping Owens progresses in the same way cuz the talent is obvious.

Owens can already downshift, and he's a big-looking dude. He's got a very high ceiling and Shaka is the guy to develop him.

[MUMountin]

With regards to 7- Royce and Damarius are definitely not shy, kids never saw a shot they didn't like to take. Confidence is good, and they will learn the more selective Marquette way in time. I also agree that they both start next season.
As for position, it seems like Damarius is playing more point than Tre at this point.
Not sure if it'll come to fruition, but Shaka sees something so I believe in it.
IMO Tre has been passed up and won't start, Sean is obvi a question mark.
Shaka had good things to say about Tre last season so we will see, I just don't see it.

DO seems more complete and mostly plays within himself so far—Parham at some point is going to need to be reined in, as he has forced a number of shots. Fine in most of the contexts it has happened so far, but won't get that sort of leash in most remaining games.  Love his energy though. 

As for thinking too far ahead, have we seen Shaka start an underclassman over an upperclassman yet?  Until we do, I'm not ready to anoint any of the frosh over Tre, Sean, Zaide, etc.  That seems to be a big part of the culture he is creating—if you commit to us, we'll commit to you.

[MU82]

I was thinking the same about Stevie's D not being quite up to his high standards, but then he really turned it up a notch in the second half and was quite impressive IMHO.

Owens had a couple of sloppy turnovers, but he is very smooth and sure, and he also played much better in the second half. It's already obvious he's going to be a heck of a player.

These two games would have been perfect preparation for the rigors ahead except for the late injury to Zaide. Glad to hear Shaka's comments, and we'll all be thinking positive thoughts.

[BLWarrior91]

Owens has a swagger to his game and he clearly is going to be a great player.  Pathan isn't any either.  These guys played together last year and now have a chance to be two our best players over the next few years.  Both will contribute significantly this year as well.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Owens has a swagger to his game and he clearly is going to be a great player.  Pathan isn't any either.  These guys played together last year and now have a chance to be two our best players over the next few years.  Both will contribute significantly this year as well.

Pathan and Ramsey are gonna be quite the dynamic duo.

[Herman Cain]

1. WCU is well coached and played fearlessly.
2. Kam was a man amongst boys.
3.  The young guys were better in the second half.  The first, there was no flow.  Second, they occasionally ran the offense.
4.  Stevie's defense against the cupcakes has been off.   Weird.
5.  Ben leading the fast break (yes, he stepped out of bounds) and rolling to the basket to get easy lay ups.
6.  These two games were exactly what the was needed for bench development.  I doubt, other than Seton Hall, that 6-10 are all going to be on the floor at the same very often.  But it is good to get them run, good to see them bang, good to see them grow and develop.  It is going be OK.
7.  I am going to predict Gold, Chase, Royce, Owens, and either Tre or Sean for the 25-26 starting line up.  And that the team will continue to be more than competitive.
8.  The breather was nice.  Back to the grind.  Next.

Was a solid win. The youngsters got minutes but unfortunately Zaide got a severe injury. Hopefully, Zaide can be back by conference play

[Uncle Rico]

Was a solid win. The youngsters got minutes but unfortunately Zaide got a severe injury. Hopefully, Zaide can be back by conference play

Lolwut

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I've noticed that Owens and Hamilton have same great chemistry. Three times, including once today,  Owens has dropped a perfect picket pass for Hamilton that hes been able to score on.  I'm not sure I've seen him cleanly catch any pocket passes from any other players

[Its DJOver]

I've noticed that Owens and Hamilton have same great chemistry. Three times, including once today,  Owens has dropped a perfect picket pass for Hamilton that hes been able to score on.  I'm not sure I've seen him cleanly catch any pocket passes from any other players

That dime Kam dropped him in the 1st half was a TKO approved work of art.

[PGsHeroes32]

I've noticed that Owens and Hamilton have same great chemistry. Three times, including once today,  Owens has dropped a perfect picket pass for Hamilton that hes been able to score on.  I'm not sure I've seen him cleanly catch any pocket passes from any other players

That's actually a really good point now that you mention it. Everytime DO has fed Hamilton I've found myself pleasantly surprised at the nice catch and finish and I think that's why.

Kam had one to him today where it looked like he had never been passed a ball before.

DO to Caedin would be a fun long term option tho

[K1 Lover]

DO seems more complete and mostly plays within himself so far—Parham at some point is going to need to be reined in, as he has forced a number of shots. Fine in most of the contexts it has happened so far, but won't get that sort of leash in most remaining games.  Love his energy though. 

As for thinking too far ahead, have we seen Shaka start an underclassman over an upperclassman yet?  Until we do, I'm not ready to anoint any of the frosh over Tre, Sean, Zaide, etc.  That seems to be a big part of the culture he is creating—if you commit to us, we'll commit to you.

While I agree and am inclined to say Tre will start simply by way of having more experience, Shaka has also stated (in the recent MUBB Insider video, if I'm remembering right) that winning is always his first priority, and he'd never do something that benefits culture/development/etc. at the expense of a win.

This makes me think that if someone else like Damarius is performing at a higher level than Tre next year, Shaka won't hesitate to start them over him. Consequently, I could see Tre being the 6th man. But that's also assuming Zaide is healthy and starting too.