Upset Saturday

[Warrior of Law]

The sun came up today, and they were plenty of upsets yesterday:

Iowa State, Houston, Kansas, Kentucky, Florida, Michigan State. It hurts, but losing to UCONN when you can't hit a FT and have another poor 3 night happens. Get ready for Tuesday and beyond.

[wisblue]

"Another poor 3 night" is close to an average 3 night for this team. Now that Kam Jones has lost his shot there is no consistent 3 point shooter to take over.

In an era where 3 point shooting is such a key part of the game, MU's lack of good 3 point shooting is a glaring weakness and puts a low ceiling on the team.

[willie warrior]

"Another poor 3 night" is close to an average 3 night for this team. Now that Kam Jones has lost his shot there is no consistent 3 point shooter to take over.

In an era where 3 point shooting is such a key part of the game, MU's lack of good 3 point shooting is a glaring weakness and puts a low ceiling on the team.

Absolutely. And none coming from the bench. Parham launching 3s is not good. Gold contributing nothing is not good. We do not have a consistent 3 point shooter when many other of our opponents have 3.

[We R Final Four]

Absolutely. And none coming from the bench. Parham launching 3s is not good. Gold contributing nothing is not good. We do not have a consistent 3 point shooter when many other of our opponents have 3.

Parham was 0-0 from 3 last night.

[Uncle Rico]

The sun came up today, and they were plenty of upsets yesterday:

Iowa State, Houston, Kansas, Kentucky, Florida, Michigan State. It hurts, but losing to UCONN when you can't hit a FT and have another poor 3 night happens. Get ready for Tuesday and beyond.

Good teams don't lose games

[wisblue]

Parham was 0-0 from 3 last night.

This is not just a last night issue.

[HutchwasClutch]

"Another poor 3 night" is close to an average 3 night for this team. Now that Kam Jones has lost his shot there is no consistent 3 point shooter to take over.

In an era where 3 point shooting is such a key part of the game, MU's lack of good 3 point shooting is a glaring weakness and puts a low ceiling on the team.

Well said, everything and spot on. 

[The Sultan]

This is not just a last night issue.

Royce Parham's three point selection has been fine for the last month or so. Since 1/1, he's 6 for 16.

[mugrad_89]

I'm more concerned about the slow starts that have plagued this team for the past month than I am about three point shooting.

[HutchwasClutch]

I'm more concerned about the slow starts that have plagued this team for the past month than I am about three point shooting.

Well, that's a lot to do with the slow starts.

[mugrad_89]

Well, that's a lot to do with the slow starts.

Last night was more about missed free throws and close in shots than misses from three.

[CountryRoads]

I'm more concerned about the slow starts that have plagued this team for the past month than I am about three point shooting.

I'm curious to understand the slow starts as well, but we also haven't exactly stepped on the neck when we've started fast either.

GMU: Started 16-2, then trailed
CMU: Started 42-22, then lead cut to 5
@Dayton: Started 18-5, then lost
@X: Led by 15, then trailed
@Depaul: Started 21-10, then trailed

Not sure what to make of it.

[The Sultan]

I'm curious to understand the slow starts as well, but we also haven't exactly stepped on the neck when we've started fast either.

GMU: Started 16-2, then trailed
CMU: Started 42-22, then lead cut to 5
@Dayton: Started 18-5, then lost
@X: Led by 15, then trailed
@Depaul: Started 21-10, then trailed

Not sure what to make of it.

I think its because if we don't create a turnover, the opposition gets a decent shot. And if they hit those shots, our defense can't turn into offense.

[ATL MU Warrior]

I think its because if we don't create a turnover, the opposition gets a decent shot. And if they hit those shots, our defense can't turn into offense.

Yep.  Our defense is elite at one thing.  If we can't force that one thing, our defense becomes pretty mediocre and our offense loses the one thing we are consistently good at, impacting that end as well. 

[Warrior of Law]

It seems every game has stretches of poor offensive production. Sometimes the stretches are too long and the opponent is too good.

[PointWarrior]

This team will struggle to win the first game in the tourney and get properly bounced out of the second round.   No outside shooting, no inside game.

[Pakuni]

I'm curious to understand the slow starts as well, but we also haven't exactly stepped on the neck when we've started fast either.

GMU: Started 16-2, then trailed
CMU: Started 42-22, then lead cut to 5
@Dayton: Started 18-5, then lost
@X: Led by 15, then trailed
@Depaul: Started 21-10, then trailed

Not sure what to make of it.

Substitutions happen after they build big leads.
The bench has been a little better of late, but still pretty bad.

[MU82]

What was interesting about yesterday is how many ranked teams lost at home to lower-ranked or unranked teams.

Iowa State getting crushed by a sub-.500 K-State team was the real wild one, but there was also Texas Tech's take-down of Houston, Arkansas having its way at Kentucky, Mizzou routing Mississippi State, and obviously our loss to UConn.

Not to mention Providence almost beating the St. John's team that so many Scoopers think we have absolutely no chance against in two days.

It's no consolation, but at least MU fought back against UConn and didn't curl up in a ball like Iowa State and Mississippi State did.

Crazy day of hoops.

I was worried about Marquette's upcoming game vs UConn after the way the two teams I was rooting against - St. John's and especially Creighton - won their games. I told my buddies that I hoped those games didn't set a "bad tone" for the day. Dammit ... they did!

If only a few Marquette shooters had been able to bank in 3s from the baseline!

[Pakuni]

I'm not feeling any better about MU's loss because other teams also lost.

[MU82]

I'm not feeling any better about MU's loss because other teams also lost.

Nor should you.

That a bunch of ranked teams lost home games is simply a conversation piece.

[WellsstreetWanderer]

Need more plays where Jop  and BG are set up for threes. Jop's drives are nailbiters

[BrewCity83]

I'm not feeling any better about MU's loss because other teams also lost.

I am.

Misery loves company.

And we shouldn't fall nearly as far in the polls this way.

[MU82]

And yet another ranked favorite fell last night, with Oregon losing to Nebraska.

I appreciate every one of Marquette's 18 victories. If others think it's unsatisfying that we're not 22-0, with all double-digit wins, that's cool too.

[tower912]

I do too.  18-4 is solid.  Not as solid as 23-4, but even that can fall apart.  Fans can be too myopic and navel gazing.  When MU was consistently ranked in the teens in the offseason, it was fashionable to predict doom.   Though MU is 3-0 against the Big 10, it is fashionable to lament the OOC portion of the schedule.  9-1 conference start?  Irrelevant.  Tough games are on the back end.

Ignoring the fact that every high major team has flaws, injuries, has rough parts of the schedule, takes unexpected losses.  Ignoring recurrent themes and patterns that are nearly universal, seeing only the warts and not the beauty.

Fandom menace.

MU can get hot and win 3-4 games in the tourney.  Or not. Can't wait to find out.

[Uncle Rico]

I do too.  18-4 is solid.  Not as solid as 23-4, but even that can fall apart.  Fans can be too myopic and navel gazing.  When MU was consistently ranked in the teens in the offseason, it was fashionable to predict doom.   Though MU is 3-0 against the Big 10, it is fashionable to lament the OOC portion of the schedule.  9-1 conference start?  Irrelevant.  Tough games are on the back end.

Ignoring the fact that every high major team has flaws, injuries, has rough parts of the schedule, takes unexpected losses.  Ignoring recurrent themes and patterns that are nearly universal, seeing only the warts and not the beauty.

Fandom menace.

MU can get hot and win 3-4 games in the tourney.  Or not. Can't wait to find out.

Honestly, I hope they lose the opening round game so I don't have the dread the second round game given how bad they are

[wadesworld]

Honestly, I hope they lose the opening round game so I don't have the dread the second round game given how bad they are

I just hope we avoid Dayton.  Now that our protected seed is gowne and we will not win another meaningful game this season, we're too good to be playing in that city again.

[Uncle Rico]

I just hope we avoid Dayton.  Now that our protected seed is gowne and we will not win another meaningful game this season, we're too good to be playing in that city again.

The sooner the season ends, the less likely we lose another game.  Dayton will be fine

[MU82]

The sooner the season ends, the less likely we lose another game.

Yeah, but then we'll have to start thinking about the 7-25 record we'll have next season.

[BrewCity83]

Yeah, but then we'll have to start thinking about the 7-25 record we'll have next season.

No way!  Addition by subtraction:  we're losing all of our lousy 3-point shooters to graduation

[SaveOD238]

I think its because if we don't create a turnover, the opposition gets a decent shot. And if they hit those shots, our defense can't turn into offense.

I also noticed that the UConn game had a lot of dead-ball turnovers (wild throws OOBs, shot clock violations, etc).  There's no ability to run out and get a quick shot from that, since the defense has plenty of time to set up.

[Newsdreams]

I also noticed that the UConn game had a lot of dead-ball turnovers (wild throws OOBs, shot clock violations, etc).  There's no ability to run out and get a quick shot from that, since the defense has plenty of time to set up.

This is correct