Second straight ridiculously exciting L

[MUEng92]

I went into this season expecting a mid Big East finish, so if you would have told me they'd finish in fourth place I'd have been happy to hear it.  But you could have at least warned me that the months of February and March would be an assembly line of gut punches and below the belt punches.

[warriors141]

Just not a winning mentality.....the "win anyway" saying ain't a thing with this team. Last 2 months....this is not a tournament team

[NickelDimer]

SJ getting bounced early from the tourney because they're not allowed to turn games into rock fights will be enjoyable

[whitykj]

IF Stevie makes the FT, we are up 3 with 23 seconds left.  Hardly a guarantee.

If Chase hangs on, we are playing 2 OT.

Not sure how you get to probably win.

I guess it depends on your definition of probably, if Stevie makes that I would say 75% we win.  If chase gets that I think with the momentum we are favored in the second OT, like 66%

[Johnny B]

Grab the fucking ball chase

[5DollarPitcher]

I think this is one of those teams that will benefit greatly from getting out of Big East play.

Shaka does much better as an underdog in a tourney setting.

Counterintuitively, I wouldn't be surprised if this was our deepest tourney run under Shaka.

Stevie will become a national sweetheart.

[MuggsyB]

I thought Shaka should have played ZL a bit more in the 2H and perhaps RP with Ben. 

[CountryRoads]

SJ getting bounced early from the tourney because they're not allowed to turn games into rock fights will be enjoyable

I don't do a bracket since I possess too many biases, but I certainly wouldn't pick them to the S16. I think they'll be lucky to win a game.

[nyg]

Last play sucked, but I believe Richmond tapped it out of his hand.  If so, great play.  If MU would have been in that situation, hit player's arm and had a foul called.  Either way, heartbreaking.

MU beat themselves with their free throws, especially Mitchell's which would have had them up 3.  Then Kam missing the two in OT.  But other factors came into play including:

Turnovers.  Just off of top of head:
Norman comes in game and throws it five rows in stands
Ross in inbounds pass, into stands
Kam giving it up to Richmond with two minutes left.
Joplin throwing to no one in OT.
Just terrible plays that come back to bite the team.


Mitchell missing five wild shots from three feet and having another layup blocked.

No bench play by MU.  Norman terrible, played two minutes early first and sat the rest, Lowery periodical minutes, Hamilton/Owens zero minutes and Parham I believe did not play in second half.  If so maybe a few minutes. Some of those will be starters next year, yet no confidence in playing them?

RJ Luis in second half/OT cemented the BE POY award, what a game.

Shaka the Maestro has his back against wall now, looks like Xavier, second hottest team in the league, looking to fight for NCAAT bid. 

[BCHoopster]

Big difference is having a bench, St. John's 18 MU 4.  Team does not know how to win close games, happens.  Secondly, tired of other teams running a better offense and getting to many easy layups.  To much dribbling, not enough good cuts and never a backdoor layup.  Can't wait to see how MU runs an offense next year without an All-American at the helm.  Sean Jones at times will be good, but how does he defend big guards? Today he would have been a non-factor, to small.

[CountryRoads]

I thought Tre had a really bad game and just overall poor attitude when he was in there for the minute or two he was. It was bizarre. Shaka noticed it and quickly sat him the rest of the game. That's twice in a row that's happened with him. If I had to guess, I'd say he's gone after this year. We need an upgrade at guard with so much leaving and he isn't giving much at all.

[muwarrior69]

We didn't deserve to win. Played tough but didn't make clutch free throws and played terrible defense in OT. That being said, after watching Ejiofor telling everyone to go home there is nothing in this world that would give me more satisfaction than beating them Friday night at The Garden.

I am not so sure they'll get past X on Thursday the way we are playing. When Shaka is telling the guys you can do this in the huddle, it sure does not inspire confidence. At this point in the season that should be a no brainer.

[IrwinFletcher]

Shaka the Maestro has his back against wall now, looks like Xavier, second hottest team in the league, looking to fight for NCAAT bid.

We end the season playing the 3 most physical teams in the league.

[MUstarman]

Bad news: We lost on senior night and that sucks.

Good news: The Badgers also lost......to Penn State....at home !   

[PointWarrior]

We end the season playing the 3 most physical teams in the league.

Perhaps Shaka should get some physical players

[NickelDimer]

I don't do a bracket since I possess too many biases, but I certainly wouldn't pick them to the S16. I think they'll be lucky to win a game.

All it will take is one crew to call hand checking (which we've seen many times in the tourney) and it will be curtains

[MuggsyB]

Last play sucked, but I believe Richmond tapped it out of his hand.  If so, great play.  If MU would have been in that situation, hit player's arm and had a foul called.  Either way, heartbreaking.

MU beat themselves with their free throws, especially Mitchell's which would have had them up 3.  Then Kam missing the two in OT.  But other factors came into play including:

Turnovers.  Just off of top of head:
Norman comes in game and throws it five rows in stands
Ross in inbounds pass, into stands
Kam giving it up to Richmond with two minutes left.
Joplin throwing to no one in OT.
Just terrible plays that come back to bite the team.


Mitchell missing five wild shots from three feet and having another layup blocked.

No bench play by MU.  Norman terrible, played two minutes early first and sat the rest, Lowery periodical minutes, Hamilton/Owens zero minutes and Parham I believe did not play in second half.  If so maybe a few minutes. Some of those will be starters next year, yet no confidence in playing them?

RJ Luis in second half/OT cemented the BE POY award, what a game.

Shaka the Maestro has his back against wall now, looks like Xavier, second hottest team in the league, looking to fight for NCAAT bid.

This happens way too often for us.  We don't grab or secure the ball.  That's focus, self-awareness, and totally on us.  You simply cannot lose the ball there. 

[muwarrior69]

1.  That was fun.  Two really good teams beating each other up.
2. Thank you, seniors. 
3. SJU just loves to play bully ball.  And they are good at it.  One quick whistle away from tournament disaster.
4.  Opportunities abounded. Left some out there. 
5.  Some were seized.  Kam, Ben, Joplin.
6.  The rebounding margin was not nearly as bad as it seemed.
7.  MU returnees, more time in the weight room.  SJU just goes through people.  It paid off at the end of regulation and in OT.
8. Kam's ankle was rolling as he got pushed.  Chase rolled his ankle on the landing.
9. I remain optimistic about this team.
 Rest up, get ready for the postseason.

Can you send some my way. My tank is pretty low.

[BCHoopster]

I thought Tre had a really bad game and just overall poor attitude when he was in there for the minute or two he was. It was bizarre. Shaka noticed it and quickly sat him the rest of the game. That's twice in a row that's happened with him. If I had to guess, I'd say he's gone after this year. We need an upgrade at guard with so much leaving and he isn't giving much at all.

Still wondering why he plays the kid? He's not good enough, time for tough love and move on, has had enough chances

[RushmoreAcademy]

Thank you seniors for repping the university with class

[IrwinFletcher]

Still wondering why he plays the kid? He's not good enough, time for tough love and move on, has had enough chances

He literally played 1 minute. 

[drbob]

I am really afraid of next year if there is the status wuo. Who replaces Kam and Jop. Not Chase.  Freshman better be a lot better than their rankings !  Who replaces Jop's rebounds. Watching chase he gets beat off the dribble way too often.

[Tha Hound]

Bad news: We lost on senior night and that sucks.

Good news: The Badgers also lost......to Penn State....at home !   

Get a fucking grip, man. Focus on the team you supposedly cheer for.

[wisblue]

Disappointing year in the big east. There were like 3/4 buy level teams that we feasted on this year and racked up about 8 wins against them. Looked worse than the top half teams.

By the numbers, 10-0 against the bottom 5, 3-7 against the top 6, 1-5 against the top 3.

[Newsdreams]

Welp. Seven conference losses, swept by UConn and St. Johns, losing record to other 3 top teams in conference. No question that this is Shakas weakest team since year 1. No question and no excuses. Team is not on the right trajectory. Need 3 point shooters, bangers and free throw shooters. Better start reeling them in soon Shaka.

Yeah, recruit FT shooters. Excellent idea.