Most important regular season game of Shaka's tenure?

[The Sultan]

Rico is wise as well.

[FairWeatherEagle]

Sorry. But I have no idea how anyone could claim that this is the most important regular season game of his tenure.

A win and they likely don't win the conference anyway. Plus it has no real bearing on their ultimate success in the NCAAs.

Scoopers really lack a lot of perspective.

I agree with you on it not being the biggest game for Shaka. I was just reacting (over reacting) to the terse answer that seems to put-down the author rather than just disagree.
Scoopers don't lack perspective....that have perspectives that we sometimes disagree with. And we're scoopers too.

I suppose Scoop would be a lot less a forum if we removed all the "smart-ass-ness"

[The Sultan]

Scoopers don't lack perspective.

LOL...you new here? The average Scooper panics by halftime.

[Scoop Snoop]

Not really. If we lose, we lose. It will be disappointing but doesn't point to any problems we know didn't exist already.

You beat me to it.

Despite my recent posts, I still think Shaka and the team emerge strong again. This is admittedly on faith- they've done it before and can do it again.

The biggest problem I have with the post is that it does not address that the 3 game stretch consists of UCONN, SJ, and Creighton. Getting hung up on the possibility of 3 straight losses and drawing conclusions if that happens really needs to be put in context.

[Zog from Margo]

I hope not. I hope his tenure at MU is a long one. He inherited a program that was a mess. Three winning seasons in conference in the prior 7. He's in his 4th season. He has BE conference and tournament titles and an NCAA bid every season. It even took Jay Wright 8 seasons to get Villanova to a FF and about 15 to get them a title. It's better for my blood pressure to think of how far the program has come and the fact that they are playing important games. It's fine to be disappointed about a particular game, but I don't want to look the gift horse in the mouth. It's a big game but one of many and I hope many more.

[Newsdreams]

Our 2 seed is already in serious jeopardy regardless of what happens today......just a lot of strong teams at the top this season.

We will in all likelihood end up as a 3-5 seed.

Which is a great season and one that we all would have signed up for at the start.

COLE

[MUDPT]

No.

But unlike the rest I have an answer to what was. It was Saturday, February 21, 2023 at Creighton.

Leading up to that game was the last gasp emotional home win over Xavier with the last second O-Max dunk to win it. We came into the day 13-3 in the Big East, with both Creighton and Xavier at 12-4. The Jays were favored with a chance to tie us atop the standings. When Xavier lost at Villanova to fall to 12-5, it was a huge opportunity. When we fell behind by 12 in the first half, and trailed by 8 at halftime, it didn't look great. But we outscored them by 10 in the second to leave with a 73-71 win and a commanding two game lead over both Creighton and Xavier.

We clinched a share at home against DePaul in our next game and the outright title against Butler a few days later, but it was the road game at Creighton that basically sealed the Big East title and our return as a true force in the league.

Agree with everything except that game was on a Tuesday.

[tower912]

The 2023 Xavier game was the most important because I got to have a beer with Brewcity77 afterwards.

[MuMark]

COLE

Apparently I'm the mayor of Coletown.......

Ps we are doomed..... https://x.com/bigeastratings/status/1888285974213366001?s=61&t=6XPB8f4sAKmJIzxgMcsCjw

[The Sultan]

So who's breaking the news to Shaka that he lost the most important regular season game since he came to MU?

[GB Warrior]

So who's breaking the news to Shaka that he lost the most important regular season game since he came to MU?

Not Broeker who would have kept riding with Wojo

[Scoop Snoop]

So who's breaking the news to Shaka that he lost the most important regular season game since he came to MU?

Wardle will take care of that. He'll hand Shaka a couple of cardboard boxes and tell him "you got 15 minutes to get your crap out of my office".

[1SE]

I'm glad the COLE clan is back and happy with 3 losses in a row so they have the chance to show how chill they are.

Frankly, I remember when we were flirting w #1 and on most people's lists as a title contender.

If you're not disappointed with how the last 3 weeks of the season have gone you might as well write a letter to bring back Wojo.

[Johnny B]

I'm glad the COLE clan is back and happy with 3 losses in a row so they have the chance to show how chill they are.

Frankly, I remember when we were flirting w #1 and on most people's lists as a title contender.

If you're not disappointed with how the last 3 weeks of the season have gone you might as well write a letter to bring back Wojo.

No one on this board is happy.

[Uncle Rico]

No one on this board is happy.

If this gets us out of the Shaka business into the portal business, it'll be worth it

[PointWarrior]

Our 2 seed is already in serious jeopardy regardless of what happens today......just a lot of strong teams at the top this season.

We will in all likelihood end up as a 3-5 seed.

Which is a great season and one that we all would have signed up for at the start.

5 is generous - not winning @UConn or home against STJ. @ villanova is a tossup at best, easily could blow a game at GT    3 - 7 to end the BE season.  no 5 seed

[tower912]

I'm glad the COLE clan is back and happy with 3 losses in a row so they have the chance to show how chill they are.

Frankly, I remember when we were flirting w #1 and on most people's lists as a title contender.

If you're not disappointed with how the last 3 weeks of the season have gone you might as well write a letter to bring back Wojo.

I am going through this stretch with the same calm equanimity I exhibited during the Wojo era.  Which led to the hysterically funny personal attacks.  Well, funny to me.  It just isn't in me to panic and lose my crap.  Bring on the name calling!

[wadesworld]

5 is generous - not winning @UConn or home against STJ. @ villanova is a tossup at best, easily could blow a game at GT    3 - 7 to end the BE season.  no 5 seed

Definitely going 0-10.

[jesmu84]

No

[PointWarrior]

Definitely going 0-10.

0-3 so far - what's your prediction for the next 7?   I say 3-4...

[Uncle Rico]

Definitely going 0-10.

That's the best case scenario.  At this point, it's clear Shaka is in over his head in the Big East.  He's good in a league like the Horizon but not with the big boys.  His roster construction has been bad, he doesn't understand the modern era, his teams are unprepared and worst yet, nerds.

[1SE]

I am going through this stretch with the same calm equanimity I exhibited during the Wojo era.  Which led to the hysterically funny personal attacks.  Well, funny to me.  It just isn't in me to panic and lose my crap.  Bring on the name calling!

Like everyone else here, I hope these 3 games are just a blip on what is otherwise the continued upward trajectory of the Shaka era. No one can deny Shaka, to date, has blown away most expectations. We'll see.

[wadesworld]

Like everyone else here, I hope these 3 games are just a blip on what is otherwise the continued upward trajectory of the Shaka era. No one can deny Shaka, to date, has blown away most expectations. We'll see.

These three games have been frustrating no doubt, but let's have some perspective here. We were in 1 possession games down the stretch on the road against the first and second place teams in the Big East. We're acting like these were games we should've won by 15. They were winnable games, but games we were road dogs in.

[The Sultan]

I'm glad the COLE clan is back and happy with 3 losses in a row so they have the chance to show how chill they are.

Frankly, I remember when we were flirting w #1 and on most people's lists as a title contender.

If you're not disappointed with how the last 3 weeks of the season have gone you might as well write a letter to bring back Wojo.

Who's happy about losing?

I just have the perspective to put it in context. You declared it the most important regular season game in Shaka's tenure. 😂😂😂

[1SE]

These three games have been frustrating no doubt, but let's have some perspective here. We were in 1 possession games down the stretch on the road against the first and second place teams in the Big East. We're acting like these were games we should've won by 15. They were winnable games, but games we were road dogs in.

We were the best team in the BE in rankings and metrics going in. We should have won at least one of them. We didn't, fine, it's where we are now. But that puts a lot more pressure on a strong close to the season. Wojo won lots on December and January too.