Second straight ridiculously exciting L

[Tha Hound]

"Ridiculously exciting" is certainly one way to put it.

[geps]

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.

Yeah I thought the 'You can do this' in the huddle was weird and grade school like.

[IL Warrior]

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

I honestly don't understand how anyone can be optimistic about this team. No wins against tournament-caliber teams in 2 months. That was a home game against a team projected as a 9 seed. The last time they beat a tournament team away from home was November. A terrible bottom half of the conference propped up their record. If they were in the SEC, I honestly believe they would be about 4-14, maybe worse.

[MarquetteFan94]

Hilarious. Optimistic.

This team hasn't beaten anyone with a winning record since Jan 24.

[nyg]

Four of the five starters played forty minutes, with Gold at 36 minutes.

Kam took 30 shots, the rest of starters 34.  Crazy....

[Boone]

Optimistic?! Based on what? What a joke!

[Tha Hound]

Thanks to the seniors who have provided some genuinely fantastic moments. That said, for the past 2 months the season has looked bleaker and bleaker, and thats WITH our senior players going full 30/35+ minutes a game and carrying us. Shaka has earned respect with regard to development, but man I am not filled with confidence moving forward.

[Zog from Margo]

I've enjoyed the seniors. They played hard today. Jop and Kam had very solid games. Ben had a good second half. Without TKO and Oso the team finished where they were predicted and at their talent level, in the middle of the BE pack.

I would have liked to see Lowery and Parham get more minutes in the second half. Richmond got whatever he wanted against Stevie. Richmond was just too big and strong for him.

So it goes. On to a very tough game against X. I have no expectations from this point forward. I'll enjoy whatever games are left.

[AlumKCof93]

When a team plays that hard, it's difficult to say they deserve to lose. But with so many missed free throws and other missed opportunities, it applies to this one. This team just can't find a way.

[willie warrior]

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

Then maybe, just maybe, Shaka better get some physical players, ya think? This is the Big fing East after all.

[mileskishnish72]

It's weird watching our offense and comparing it to that of other teams. They have motion, screens, and cuts. We have a dribbler and four observers standing still.

[willie warrior]

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

Then maybe, just maybe, Shaka better get some physical players, ya think? This is the Big fing East agfter all.

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.

Well, there is always Gooolllldddbrick to be a physical banger and a 3 point savant.

[willie warrior]

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

Then maybe, just maybe, Shaka better get some physical players, ya think? This is the Big fing East agfter all.

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.

Plenty in the cupboard for next year. Bangers galore and 3 or 4 consistent 3 point shooters.
Well, there is always Gooolllldddbrick to be a physical banger and a 3 point savant.

Thanks to the seniors who have provided some genuinely fantastic moments. That said, for the past 2 months the season has looked bleaker and bleaker, and thats WITH our senior players going full 30/35+ minutes a game and carrying us. Shaka has earned respect with regard to development, but man I am not filled with confidence moving forward.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

I honestly don't understand how anyone can be optimistic about this team. No wins against tournament-caliber teams in 2 months. That was a home game against a team projected as a 9 seed. The last time they beat a tournament team away from home was November. A terrible bottom half of the conference propped up their record. If they were in the SEC, I honestly believe they would be about 4-14, maybe worse.

NM

[MUEng92]

St John's is projected as a 9 seed?

Yeah, that was the most confusing thing in the board today.  I assumed I was missing the context

[bradforster]

You're an

You're an idiot, Willie.

MU might not even get to St. John's on Friday.

[wisblue]

Optimistic?! Based on what? What a joke!

I'm optimistic that they will show up for their tournament games and try hard.

But it is very difficult to be optimistic that they can beat an NCAA caliber team now that they will be facing a 10 or 11 seed in the first round, not some barely top 100 AQ.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

I'm optimistic that they will show up for their tournament games and try hard.

But it is very difficult to be optimistic that they can beat an NCAA caliber team now that they will be facing a 10 or 11 seed in the first round, not some barely top 100 AQ.

You're soft.

[wisblue]

St John's is projected as a 9 seed?

He meant the early January win over Creighton, MU's last win over a team that will be in the NCAA field.

[Zog from Margo]

It's weird watching our offense and comparing it to that of other teams. They have motion, screens, and cuts. We have a dribbler and four observers standing still.

MU went from 3 solid passers and decision makers on offense last year to one this year. Some guys were expected to step up in that regard but didn't do it fast enough.

[DoctorV]

That was a great game. That's what March Madness is all about.

You've gotta feel for those seniors, gut punch at the end.

That said, a few years ago UConn lost the BE to Marquette and then took another devastating loss at the Garden to MU and parlayed that to back to back National Championships.
Fuel.

That's a one in a million turnaround, but it shows how quickly things change when it's all on the line. UConn is like 7-1 against Marquette since that BET loss and hasn't looked back.

Also, relief versus pressure.
Each of the last two seasons Marquette went into the NCAAt with massive pressure. This time around, I would imagine the team heads into those games with relief more than pressure.
You see, the last month and a half has been a gauntlet. The results haven't been there, and this team is probably just glad to get out of BE play.

Don't forget, this StJ team is a likely 2 seed, top 3 defensive team in the country. There are no more moral victories, but Marquette can play with elite teams and is itself an elite team when it is clicking. You could say results be damned, but from here on out the results are the only thing that matters.

Let's go out there and play free of pressure, stress, worries, and play with fun and up to Marquettes capabilities and a nice run is still in the cards

[wisblue]

You're soft.

Maybe, but not delusional.

I have hope, but haven't seen much in the last 2 months to justify being optimistic.

[IrwinFletcher]

It's weird watching our offense and comparing it to that of other teams. They have motion, screens, and cuts. We have a dribbler and four observers standing still.

The one guy dribbling and 4 guys standing just put up an Ortg number of 127 vs. the #3 ranked defense in the league.

And you are either being sarcastic and didn't watch to see that we too are setting screens and making cuts.

[79Warrior]

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.

I believe MU ended up where most pundits pegged them preseason.

[79Warrior]

The Johnnies aint losing in the garden. BTW, 4 transfers on St. Johns and 4 starters back next year. Johnnies on big upswing, MU going in wrong direction. Just the facts Mam.

It will take a miracle to beat them at MSG. They are the story in NYC right now. The calls will go their way. Only team that may take them out are the Huskies. The garden would be insane for that matchup.