Road...TRIP

[We R Final Four]

If we're going to go anywhere, our bench has to get a lot better.  We were borderline helpless when Stevie and Chase were sitting for a longish stretch.
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[BM1090]

My observation of the team, aside from Kam, is that it looks like a football team with a slew of #2 and a couple of #3 receivers. There are guys that step up most games, but one of the non seniors needs to step it up on a consistent basis. To be honest, I would put Stevie and Jop in the same category.

As I mentioned last week, the ceiling is lower for this team and the floor is higher. Ross and Gold are my key guys going forward if this team can have a chance at top three BE and a run in tournament. I do not think you can leave it to chance and see who becomes 1b on this team on a given night.

Agree with your first paragraph. Not sure I agree with the second. If nobody improves at all, this team is top 2 in the Big East.

As for a run in the tournament, depends how you define that.

[MuggsyB]

Agree with your first paragraph. Not sure I agree with the second. If nobody improves at all, this team is top 2 in the Big East.

As for a run in the tournament, depends how you define that.

Benny has been really good in recent weeks. 

[Goose]

BM1090

They definitely could be top two in BE if no one steps up but I think that is a big task. IMO,Kam is the best player on the team and he does not really make the guys around him better. TK and Oso made everyone better and that is why the offense often looked beautiful.

This team is a work in progress to me. A lot to like, some things not to like and still question marks. By no stretch am I down on the team, just want to see more before getting too excited.

[Big Papi]

I think the fresh/sophs have all improved on the defensive end. Need that trend to continue and then we have something.

Kam/Stevie/Gold probably the 3 players we can least afford to be in foul trouble. In that order. Kam/Stevie on all around game, Gold due to height more than anything else.

When Jop and/or Gold score consistently, I like our chances.

[brewcity77]

BM1090They definitely could be top two in BE if no one steps up but I think that is a big task. IMO,Kam is the best player on the team and he does not really make the guys around him better. TK and Oso made everyone better and that is why the offense often looked beautiful.

Kam has the 7th highest assist rate in the country and doesn't make his teammates better? This is the Scoopiest of Scoop Takes.     

[BM1090]

BM1090

They definitely could be top two in BE if no one steps up but I think that is a big task. IMO,Kam is the best player on the team and he does not really make the guys around him better. TK and Oso made everyone better and that is why the offense often looked beautiful.

This team is a work in progress to me. A lot to like, some things not to like and still question marks. By no stretch am I down on the team, just want to see more before getting too excited.

I agree the offense doesn't look as pretty as last year. But it's actually been more efficient. Mostly due to less turnovers and significantly better offensive rebounding.

They might have more ugly wins, but if they win at PC on NYE I'd honestly be slightly surprised if they don't start 10-0 in conference.

[Newsdreams]

Benny has been really good in recent weeks. 

Brick? Per some here he is our worse player and should be benched

[tower912]

Self loathing navel gazers who lack perspective on how good MU really is.

Missing the forest for the trees.

[JakeBarnes]

Kam has the 7th highest assist rate in the country and doesn't make his teammates better? This is the Scoopiest of Scoop Takes.     

Facts don't matter

[79Warrior]

BM1090

They definitely could be top two in BE if no one steps up but I think that is a big task. IMO,Kam is the best player on the team and he does not really make the guys around him better. TK and Oso made everyone better and that is why the offense often looked beautiful.

This team is a work in progress to me. A lot to like, some things not to like and still question marks. By no stretch am I down on the team, just want to see more before getting too excited.

I am with you on your assessment. This season could go either way. Sure wish we had Sean Jones back. He could be that 6th man this team needs. Afraid we will not see him until next season at this point.

[CountryRoads]

Excited to see how this upcoming month plays out. I think the schedule is set up really nice for us. One game at a time I guess, but I won't be surprised if we make a nice run here now that we are into conference play.

I think our team was running on fumes and needs the 10 day break.

[PGsHeroes32]

BM1090

They definitely could be top two in BE if no one steps up but I think that is a big task. IMO,Kam is the best player on the team and he does not really make the guys around him better. TK and Oso made everyone better and that is why the offense often looked beautiful.

This team is a work in progress to me. A lot to like, some things not to like and still question marks. By no stretch am I down on the team, just want to see more before getting too excited.

[JakeBarnes]

Brick? Per some here he is our worse player and should be benched

He's gotten better once he realized the ball needs to go in the hoop from above...

and not DOWN UNDA

[Goose]

Brew

Then the supporting cast is not as good I had hoped they would be. My point is simply that they have to work extremely hard to get open looks, imo. At this point, a tremendous amount of production is on Kam's shoulders and hoping someone steps up.

As I said, I am not down on the team at all. Hoping that we start to see a more balanced and consistent play from more guys on a regular basis. Will add, TK and Oso had more options around them last year and drop off from the top two players to #3 was not a big one.

Curious, as we sit today who is the #2 and #3 player on the team? I could not give a firm answer for game in and game out. I do not believe you can have a deep run if you do not know who can be counted on to step up on a very consistent basis.

[BM1090]

I think the last two games we've seen a team not playing their best, with their all American PG not at his best, and they've still been able to grind out two games. I see a team capable of winning when they have their C game because they are far more well rounded than in past years. There last two games are games that frankly they probably would have lost last year.

I do think they need Sean to get back to really be a final four threat. Take some pressure off Kam for 10-15 mins per game, one more ball handler that can penetrate off the dribble 

[FairWeatherEagle]

Side comment on the non-foul.
Remember we were up by two. If he hits both, overtime...60/40 we win.

It's a whole different set of drama if tied or were up by only 1.

Still it was a collapse. Not epic, but a collapse.

W-MU so that's that

[DoctorV]

BM1090

They definitely could be top two in BE if no one steps up but I think that is a big task. IMO,Kam is the best player on the team and he does not really make the guys around him better. TK and Oso made everyone better and that is why the offense often looked beautiful.

This team is a work in progress to me. A lot to like, some things not to like and still question marks. By no stretch am I down on the team, just want to see more before getting too excited.

Goose I definitely don't mean this as a slight, because you've said you haven't watched as much muball early in the season due to family obligations, and who can blame you, but this sounds a lot like you've started tuning in more in the last 4-5 games.

That stretch has easily been the toughest of the season- roadies at ISU, Dayton, X and a home game v UW and Butler.

Before that stretch Kam Jones was easily a top 2/3 offensive player in the country and super efficient, and was great at getting his teammates involved.

Since early December he's had some tougher sledding- easy to happen when the competition ramps up and the defenses get much better.
He's been 6/21, 12/21, 6/13, 11/24, 8/20 in the last 5. Much less efficient at the rim and from the outside offensively, but still averaging 6APG and 5RPG in that stretch.

The eye test shows that he's found some challenges- scoring at the bucket isn't as easy of late, missing shots he usually makes, and his outside shot hasn't been falling.
He's been feasting and padding stats a bit late and stuffing the box score, so the narrative is still the same, but he and everyone else that's watched will tell you he's had a bit of a negative stretch.

That will change though, and he will still be a first team All American, because he's that good.
He definitely makes his teammates better.
It's not as pretty or pure as what TyKo and Oso did, it's quite a bit different, but it's still effective.

Goose also mentioned a true 1B being needed by this team-

This years team isn't really that, imo.
The true #2 is Stevie, because his overall presence and defensive abilities, his pure grit and passion and ability to embody the Shaka and Marquette way is invaluable. He's the true #2 because he's the #1 defensively. Stevie has been WAY better offensively this year, his drives and finishes look great, and he needs to push that more, but offensive aggressiveness isn't in his DNA like the defensive aggressiveness.

David Joplin is easily the true #2 offensively, that's why I think he's the X factor for the season. This team will be great defensively, but will need Jop and Kam cooking on many nights, or against great teams, to win the game. Sure the defense can mask offensive inefficiencies, and as I've said it's much easier to win when the opponent scores in the 60s or low 70s, but Jop is the offensive 1B.

Chase is the two way player that will always play great defensively but pick his spots offensively.

Benny is fine, he's playing better and better and can be a big difference maker here and there but he's no 1B. Zaide, Owens, Parham, Tre, and SJ22 if he plays will be role players that will shine one night and disappear the next, with Zaide being a great defensive stopper as needed and Owens and Parham being a key to some wins with their offensive abilities.
Maybe one of the above group becomes more of a #3 option offensively (Owens or Parham?) but I'd say it's a long shot.
Those guys will win some games like Novak won some games off the bench for the FF team.

Overall this team is based on its defensive identity and ability to wreak havok defensively, get steals and create turnovers and go on huge runs off them. Deflection champions and defensive warriors. That is going to be their identity, with a true alpha stud All American in Kam and a microwave offensive cat in Jop.
The others will rotate and take turns, but Stevie and Chase will always be there on the defensive end, if they can all manage to stay on the court and avoid injury and foul

[Uncle Rico]

Someday, some of you will appreciate how much fun it is to be a Marquette fan right now

[tower912]

Gave up 37 points in 30 minutes.  44 in 32.5.  Then foul trouble happened and X got hot at home.  Good team.

Bad defensive team, my chico.

There were some spectacular takes over the last couple of days.  I enjoyed them all.  So much wrong.  But so fun to read.

The bench looked better.
  Pollsters and tournament committees do not GAF about style points as long as the words 'conference road win' appear over and over again.

So, to sum up, MU survived foul trouble to Stevie and Chase to hang on for a conference road win.  You have earned your time off, men.

[Newsdreams]

Someday, some of you will appreciate how much fun it is to be a Marquette fan right now

Will never happen

[We R Final Four]

I am with you on it your assessment. This season could go either way. Sure wish we had Sean Jones back. He could be that 6th man this team needs. Afraid we will not see him until next season at this point.

Where are you getting that Sean will be out a full calendar year from right now?

[tower912]

Chase Ross with a heel turn.

[Uncle Rico]

Will never happen

I know.  Don't enjoy the now, dread the future.

[brewcity77]

Brew

Then the supporting cast is not as good I had hoped they would be. My point is simply that they have to work extremely hard to get open looks, imo. At this point, a tremendous amount of production is on Kam's shoulders and hoping someone steps up.

As I said, I am not down on the team at all. Hoping that we start to see a more balanced and consistent play from more guys on a regular basis. Will add, TK and Oso had more options around them last year and drop off from the top two players to #3 was not a big one.

Curious, as we sit today who is the #2 and #3 player on the team? I could not give a firm answer for game in and game out. I do not believe you can have a deep run if you do not know who can be counted on to step up on a very consistent basis.

For me this team starts with defense. Chase and Stevie are tremendous defenders. Jop & Gold are both very solid on the defensive end. Offensively, it could be Chase, Jop, or Stevie, but we've generally had guys step up.

Stevie has been at 9+ points in 10/13 games and over 100 ORtg in 11/13. Chase has been at 8+ in 9/13 and over 100 in 10/13. Our other guards are reliable deputies. Ben has been 9+ in 9/13 and over 100 in 10/13.

We might not have a second consistently explosive scoring option, but our supplementary scorers have been consistently solid.