Empty Calories

[Vander Blue Man Group]

There are no guarantees in recruiting but bringing in players who fit your programs profile who are 20/21/22 gives you a much better opportunity to win right away bringing in a 17 year old.

Like IU and Kansas?

That's also a dumb comparison considering Shaka is not counting on 17 year olds.

Try again.

[Johnny B]

Team was great in the first half of the year. Terrible in the second half just bad basketball idk what happened

[panda2.0]

Like IU and Kansas?

That's also a dumb comparison considering Shaka is not counting on 17 year olds.

Try again.

Parham was looked on to play major minutes at the 5, not his position, because the portal was ignored.

Plenty of teams in the tournament utilize the portal effectively to enhance their roster. Don't be naive.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Parham was looked on to play major minutes at the 5, not his position, because the portal was ignored.

Plenty of teams in the tournament utilize the portal effectively to enhance their roster. Don't be naive.

Who was the back-up 4/5 that would have made a big difference, genius?

You have so much tunnel vision it's comical.

[panda2.0]

Who was the back-up 4/5 that would have made a big difference, genius?

You have so much tunnel vision it's comical.

In a previous thread, I listed eight transfer bigs who could have fit in and contribute. Feel free to go back through my posts.

Look at Wisconsin this year. The majority of their roster is retained high school recruits but they needed a veteran scorer in the offseason. That is how you utilize the portal to take a young team and make them a major threat immediately.

[The Sultan]

In a previous thread, I listed eight transfer bigs who could have fit in and contribute. Feel free to go back through my posts.

Look at Wisconsin this year. The majority of their roster is retained high school recruits but they needed a veteran scorer in the offseason. That is how you utilize the portal to take a young team and make them a major threat immediately.

They did the same last year and it blew up on them.

[Pakuni]

Playing to your seed is tough when you're a 2 seed. Making an Elite 8 is always tough, 1 seed, 2 seed, whoever. And we've otherwise had an 8 and 10 seed. Those games aren't quite tossups, but they're close.

I'll take getting the best seed in program history in back to back years with disappointing results in years 2 and 3 and then a bit of a step back in year 4. A step back was always coming.

Questioning the identity of our program after going 8 seed, 2 seed, 2 seed, 7 seed in Shaka's first 4 years is a choice. But hey, it's Scoop.

Where did I question the identity of the program?

And no, playing to seed isn't that tough. Most teams do it, especially in the first two rounds. And it definitely isn that tough when you're matched up against 7, 10 and 11 seeds.

[panda2.0]

They did the same last year and it blew up on them.

In hindsight, aj storr probably not the greatest locker room guy to bring into that situation lol

But still - same point, storr elevated them from what would've been a lower level b10 team to a tournament squad.

[warriors141]

Who was the back-up 4/5 that would have made a big difference, genius?

You have so much tunnel vision it's comical.

Well hell I would take that guy from New Mexico and start him for us in a heartbeat. I mean if a mountain west team can improve with the portal...

[PGsHeroes32]

They did the same last year and it blew up on them.

Who was the veteran scorer?

[The Sultan]

In hindsight, aj storr probably not the greatest locker room guy to bring into that situation lol

But still - same point, storr elevated them from what would've been a lower level b10 team to a tournament squad.

Look, as I have said, I'm not against it by any means. But I will trust Shaka until I have reason not to.

[panda2.0]

Look, as I have said, I'm not against it by any means. But I will trust Shaka until I have reason not to.

Fair enough

[wadesworld]

Where did I question the identity of the program?

And no, playing to seed isn't that tough. Most teams do it, especially in the first two rounds. And it definitely isn that tough when you're matched up against 7, 10 and 11 seeds.

In 2 of the 3 Tournaments that are completed so far the team we have lost to made it to the Final Four. And the third was to a Tom Izzo coached team, who notoriously overperforms in March.

After 7 years of no Tourney wins you'd think our fanbase would appreciate having legitimate shots to make runs. But instead we just cry. Sure it's frustrating losing in the Tournament. But much like Texas, careful what you wish for.

And "most teams play to seed" is just wildly inaccurate. When do we ever have Elite 8s of 1s and 2s?

[willie warrior]

"I trust Shaka" (The Scoop thing. Say it isn't so then the old "write him a letter" response)
"Culture"
"Growth,Development,Retain"

Mottos for success.....maybe for seasons, but hasn't shown in NCAAT.  Just hoping his philosophy works out.

Those are clichés

[willie warrior]

Yup, you definitely described the empty calories feeling. Year 5 isn't ascending, and it should be when you get back to back years of being a 2 seed. Marquette, I don't think, will be terrible next year, but also have no idea what this team is going to be. I guess trust Shaka, and wait to see. For the amount MU spends on Men's basketball though, it all feels mid right now.

It us did right now.

[wadesworld]

It us did right now.

Get some more sleep.

[Pakuni]

After 7 years of no Tourney wins you'd think our fanbase would appreciate having legitimate shots to make runs. But instead we just cry. Sure it's frustrating losing in the Tournament. But much like Texas, careful what you wish for.

What am I wishing for?

[HutchwasClutch]

Could we at least be a program that plays to its seed once in a while? That would nice.

Man, this all day long.  Captures the disappointment of MU perfectly in the tournament.  Four years and all we have to show is the win over Colorado. All you're doing beating a 15 is avoiding colossal failure.  15's have won 11 times, 6.9% all time after this year. 

Seasons that result in 2 seeds are nice, but if you underperform then in the tournament, you have nothing to show for getting there.  And our seed crashed from a prospective 2 to a 7 and then bounced by a clearly deserving 10 this time.  This is a Shaka problem and goes back to Texas and is the reason he's at MU.  It is not setting the bar too high for this program to expect better than what's been delivered 4 years in.

[panda2.0]

Man, this all day long.  Captures the disappointment of MU perfectly in the tournament.  Four years and all we have to show is the win over Colorado. All you're doing beating a 15 is avoiding colossal failure.  15's have won 11 times, 6.9% all time after this year. 

Seasons that result in 2 seeds are nice, but if you underperform then in the tournament, you have nothing to show for getting there.  And our seed crashed from a perspective 2 to a 7 and then bounced by a clearly deserving 10 this time.  This is a Shaka problem and goes back to Texas and is the reason he's at MU.  It is not setting the bar too high for this program to expect better than what's been delivered 4 years in.

Each of our tournament exits have been very poor offensive performances. You need to be able to score in different ways during the tournament and we simply can't do it. You saw yesterday New Mexico
 had 3 guys in the lane at almost all times. We are so easy to defend when a team knows there is zero percent chance we will ever take a shot in the midrange.

[HutchwasClutch]

Each of our tournament exits have been very poor offensive performances. You need to be able to score in different ways during the tournament and we simply can't do it. You saw yesterday New Mexico
 had 3 guys in the lane at almost all times. We are so easy to defend when a team knows there is zero percent chance we will ever take a shot in the midrange.

Yes, but it goes beyond this panda. Our paint defense was so weak last night, and had a huge impact on the deciding run.  And then no options of any big to throw down into when you just need a score.  Rebounding better this year, but still lacking.  So many weak areas. 

[panda2.0]

Yes, but it goes beyond this panda. Our paint defense was so weak last night, and had a huge impact on the deciding run.  And then no options of any big to throw down into when you just need a score.  Rebounding better this year, but still lacking.  So many weak areas. 

Roster construction this year was malpractice, but that (hopefully) isn't an on going issue. rigidity in the offensive system is the one big Shaka concern I have.

[HutchwasClutch]

Roster construction this year was malpractice, but that (hopefully) isn't an on going issue. rigidity in the offensive system is the one big Shaka concern I have.

I don't know if it's a system issue. It's talent and versatility badly lacking.

[IL Warrior]

In 2 of the 3 Tournaments that are completed so far the team we have lost to made it to the Final Four. And the third was to a Tom Izzo coached team, who notoriously overperforms in March.

After 7 years of no Tourney wins you'd think our fanbase would appreciate having legitimate shots to make runs. But instead we just cry. Sure it's frustrating losing in the Tournament. But much like Texas, careful what you wish for.

And "most teams play to seed" is just wildly inaccurate. When do we ever have Elite 8s of 1s and 2s?

Texas since Shaka left Texas for Marquette:
2022: 6-seed, beat 11, lost to 3.
2023: 2-seed, beat 15, beat 10, beat 3, lost to 5.
2024: 7-seed, beat 10, lost to 2.
2025: 11-seed, lost to 11.

So that's 5 wins for Texas vs 3 wins for Shaka.
Texas has advanced farther in the tournament than Shaka (E8 vs S16)
Texas has beaten a 3. Shaka's best win is a 10.

So what's your point?

[Viper]

This season felt like empty calories. Started off great, then nothing the last six weeks.

I'm not sure where this program Is going. I don't mean that in an uber negative way, but I don't know if Shaka sticks with his philosophy around recruiting/transfers, how well is that going to work out in the short term.

I'm somewhere between low expectations and no expectations going into the 25-26 season. Will guys like Gold improve YOY, or is it same ol? Will there be a breakout star? Will a 'big' seize minutes with some attitude on the boards and D? I do, however, need to get my request in to Shaka early for a W in Madison.

[Viper]

Ncaa tourny is as much about matchups as it is about playing well.

We have not played well for a long time and were really over seeded this year.

Shaka has had lots of success in conference tournaments.

This offense was broken much of the year and we had roster weakness that was not addressed.

conf tournaments are fun. And the BE at MSG is numero uno! Regular season success, however...doing it over the long haul, is what I look at. Shaka has had that. Perplexed at his ncaat results. Consistently mediocre to less than mediocre, regardless of matchups.