Senior Leadership

[bradforster]

so, roll with 20-7 because we must be good, we're 20-7? You watch the games, you can see the fade at this point. Games at UConn and home for StJ's aren't exactly looking like W's at this point. Shaka on the radio post-game...just by his tone I could tell he knows change is needed, but he seemed lost as to what. So, do nothing 'cause hey, we are 20-7?

There's no question the team is fading.  It's obvious to anyone with eyes and a brain.  I'm hopeful the guys can stop the bleeding but that's the fan in me, not the realist.  The offense has been quiescent for weeks.  The KenPom numbers are slipping with each game.  The team is not set up for a long tourney run.  That's my thought.  You are certainly free to disagree.

[bradforster]

[

[tower912]

Pitino put in 5 new plays?  Pffft.  Crean had a binder full of hundreds of plays.

[Afroman]

For all of his great moments, David Joplin is one of the most maddening players to wear a Marquette uniform that I can remember.

[bilsu]

I'll likely be proven wrong in this situation, but the communication in this one doesn't make sense to me.  Shaka says he's medically cleared, and will play when he's ready...which turns out to be next year???

It was left up to Sean to say he was ready to play. Sean made a better decision than Cadogan did. Makes no sense to comeback when the season over a 1/3 over.

[tower912]

Yes.  They reached the go/no go date, and Sean did not feel 100%.  Shaka addresed it at the time.  Sean felt he lacked lateral mobility, was dodging the quick players on the other team in practice.  And, Bryce Hopkins.
6 mote weeks have passed and he probably does feel better.   But it isn't worth a year of eligibility to bring him back now.

[Viper]

There's no question the team is fading.  It's obvious to anyone with eyes and a brain.  I'm hopeful the guys can stop the bleeding but that's the fan in me, not the realist.  The offense has been quiescent for weeks.  The KenPom numbers are slipping with each game.  The team is not set up for a long tourney run.  That's my thought.  You are certainly free to disagree.

I agree with you.

[MU82]

Fan resilience? That's new one.

Anyhow, at what point should a coach say "this isn't working, maybe we need to adjust?"
Six weeks? Two months? A couple of seasons?
I'd always been under the impression that coaches should adjust as circumstances dictate, not based on an arbitrary timeline.

I'll take a swing at this one.

If by "adjust" you mean change an entire offensive system that had been working pretty darn well for 2 1/2 seasons, I seriously doubt Shaka (or most coaches) would even consider trying that 3 months into a season. It would be too all-encompassing, too difficult, to make such a sweeping change during a few practices.

If you mean adjusting the starting lineup and/or playing time, that's certainly something doable. Shaka did it during the Villanova game, and put out the word that he'll do more of it going forward if warranted.

Should Shaka have seen the team's 3-point woes coming  and changed the system before the season? I don't know how he could have foreseen it. Kam was a career 38% 3-point shooter (and had lifted that to over 40% after the first 10 games this season). Joplin shot 40% as a sophomore and 36% as a junior. Gold was a career 36% shooter from 3. Ross shot 36% and had both health and a nice-looking shot to suggest he'd be even better. Shaka said Stevie's shooting had improved (which seemed to be true, given that Stevie was shooting 50% from 3 through Dec. 31), and Owens and Parham were reputedly good shooters.

And then we opened the season by hitting plenty of 3s, winning lots of games, and getting ranked in the top-5. So why would Shaka have even thought to change philosophy before early- to mid-January?

OK, so by mid-January it was starting to look like we might have a real problem. Again, not too many coaches are going to make a major overhaul at that point during a season, especially with the team still winning games. I think most coaches would say something like, "We're in a slump but are bound to get better shooting, especially from Kam Jones."

Defensively, I'm more inclined to think some adjustments could have been made and would have been easier to implement. Many have been discussed here. Not sure why Shaka hasn't tried a thing or three on that end.

[Pakuni]

I'll take a swing at this one.

If by "adjust" you mean change an entire offensive system that had been working pretty darn well for 2 1/2 seasons, I seriously doubt Shaka (or most coaches) would even consider trying that 3 months into a season. It would be too all-encompassing, too difficult, to make such a sweeping change during a few practices.

Hyperbole again?
Nobody is suggesting the coaching staff scrap their entire offensive system. When people say "adjust," they mean exactly that:
"to change something slightly, especially to make it more correct, effective, or suitable"
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/adjust

Like, after shooting 31% from three over the previous month (which would be good for 318th in the nation), they come out last night, and 5 of the first 7 shots are threes on the way to four points in the game's first 6:11.
Why stick with what clearly isn't working?

[MU82]

Hyperbole again?
Nobody is suggesting the coaching staff scrap their entire offensive system. When people say "adjust," they mean exactly that:
"to change something slightly, especially to make it more correct, effective, or suitable"
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/adjust

Like, after shooting 31% from three over the previous month (which would be good for 318th in the nation), they come out last night, and 5 of the first 7 shots are threes on the way to four points in the game's first 6:11.
Why stick with what clearly isn't working?

Because Nova was taking away drives and leaving (theoretically) good shooters open? I actually yelled, "Take it inside!" numerous times, but as I watched more closely there didn't seem to be a whole lot of lanes open to attack. Or maybe our guys were too impatient and/or didn't move enough - definitely a possibility. Or maybe Shaka has lost the ability to communicate what is necessary to the team.

I don't think it's the last one, but maybe it is.

I just watched his postgame presser. He was obviously disappointed in the effort and level of play from several players and, in his quiet public way, threatened changes. I'm guessing he's more upset about what's going on than you, me and the rest of Scoop.

And my post wasn't meant to be hyperbole at all. Many Scoopers seem to want major in-season changes.

[vogue65]

Leadership from players is highly overrated.
It's the process that needs to be challenged, not the players.  Teams in the Big East play bully ball.  We would do better in the Evy League.  Remember when our partners on the BOT wanted a team of student athletes? 

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Leadership from players is highly overrated.

Wrong.

[MU82]

Leadership from players is highly overrated.
It's the process that needs to be challenged, not the players.  Teams in the Big East play bully ball.  We would do better in the Evy League.  Remember when our partners on the BOT wanted a team of student athletes? 

Wut?

[wadesworld]

Which doesn't work well when you can't shoot. The looks remain good, they just can't shoot and aren't just going to magically break out.

Gotta find ways to get to the basket, draw fouls.

5 out can be tough to guard, but it gets easier to guard when you wear it out and run the same constant motions out of the one set.

Get Royce more minutes to stretch the floor.

[GoldenEagles03]

Get Royce more minutes to stretch the floor.

You mock, but it's true.

He is 1 of 4 players on the roster shooting over 30% from 3 in the Conference.

Zaide is at 55%
Ben is at 39%
Chase is at 36%
Royce is at 33%

That's it. In addition to that, Royce is their best offensive presence at the rim from a post perspective. Royce and Zaide should be getting more time early for that exact reason.

[axaguy]

There's no question the team is fading.  It's obvious to anyone with eyes and a brain.  I'm hopeful the guys can stop the bleeding but that's the fan in me, not the realist.  The offense has been quiescent for weeks.  The KenPom numbers are slipping with each game.  The team is not set up for a long tourney run.  That's my thought.  You are certainly free to disagree.

It's not personnel, or plays, rotation. It's the mindset that has changed from early in the season. We are not a three "making" team nor can rely on the three to save us. Just ask Illinois who is more in love with the three shot than us.....what can we learn from them?? Let's rewatch the Wisconsin game video.... 94' defense in second half, played for twos and sent people to the basket out rebounding a bigger team. We have way too much offense handing off and trying to slash from way outside with no cutters or people heading through to the basket. Offense is 4 guys on the perimeter and staying there. Can't get rebounds or second chances from first row seats. Can you say "Gold?" How can your big, 6' 11" get no rebounds in consecutive games??? How about assists from other than Kam??? Stevie has to not get trapped "under" the basket and try to force up a blockable shot. Someone's open somewhere, simple math. When are we going to act with some concentration when inbounding the ball?? Too much ball handling/dribbling by guys who have no business doing so...really.
Our play has digressed this season and unless the coaches begin to critically coach we'll be one and dones. Just venting. Bet Smart and the coaches don't touch base here....certainly not for advice or in ideas....

[Judge Smails]

It's not personnel, or plays, rotation. It's the mindset that has changed from early in the season. We are not a three "making" team nor can rely on the three to save us. Just ask Illinois who is more in love with the three shot than us.....what can we learn from them?? Let's rewatch the Wisconsin game video.... 94' defense in second half, played for twos and sent people to the basket out rebounding a bigger team. We have way too much offense handing off and trying to slash from way outside with no cutters or people heading through to the basket. Offense is 4 guys on the perimeter and staying there. Can't get rebounds or second chances from first row seats. Can you say "Gold?" How can your big, 6' 11" get no rebounds in consecutive games??? How about assists from other than Kam??? Stevie has to not get trapped "under" the basket and try to force up a blockable shot. Someone's open somewhere, simple math. When are we going to act with some concentration when inbounding the ball?? Too much ball handling/dribbling by guys who have no business doing so...really.
Our play has digressed this season and unless the coaches begin to critically coach we'll be one and dones. Just venting. Bet Smart and the coaches don't touch base here....certainly not for advice or in ideas....

I'd be concerned if Shaka came here looking for advice

[Scoop Snoop]

I'd be concerned if Shaka came here looking for advice

Of course! But if he came here looking for laughs? He's in the right place.

[Newsdreams]

I'd be concerned if Shaka came here looking for advice

Wut? He has been taking our advice since day 1!