I understand why Texas was done with Shaka

[NCMUFan]

Totally! Let's go get Chris Beard or a Pitino. Build a program filled with kids who can't read or write. Love that idea. I'd be so proud to win 1-2 more games in March with a bunch of mercenaries instead of kids like Oso and Stevie.

Have you given them comprehension and aptitude tests?

As I recall Louisville had to vacate their natty.

[willie warrior]

Shaka will get less and less quality recruits if he doesn't start embracing the transfer portal because the recruits will see a program that will not fill weaknesses to get better. You guys can defend Shaka all you want and yes he has done some nice things the past few years but the climate has changed. Many sports reporters have repeatedly added that Smart will not accept transfers almost every time his name comes up.

Heard a clip yesterday. MU only team in Power 5 conferences that has not taken a portal kid. Hmmmmm.....

[willie warrior]

The odds of anyone winning a natty -- even Auburn, Duke or Florida -- are not that great.

I can't believe the perspective of the posters in this room. Go watch the "Morning in America" Ronald Reagan commercial. The tag line describes my feeling well:

"Do we really want to go back to where we were just four short years ago?"

Except UConn

[NCMUFan]

Look at all the national titles we have won since Al and now the sudden downturn.  This is unacceptable!

[brewcity77]

Totally! Let's go get Chris Beard or a Pitino. Build a program filled with kids who can't read or write. Love that idea. I'd be so proud to win 1-2 more games in March with a bunch of mercenaries instead of kids like Oso and Stevie.

Careful with posts like these, Scoopers still haven't adjusted to life without teal.

[HutchwasClutch]

2024-25: 7-seed, lost to 10. Underperformed seed expectation.
2023-24: 2 seed, beat 15 & 10, lost to 11. Underperformed seed expectation.
2022-23: 2-seed, beat 15, lost to 7. Underperformed seed expectation.
2021-22: 9-seed, lost to 8. Met seed expectation.
2020-21: 3-seed, lost to 14. Underperformed seed expectation.
2019-20: No tournament (COVID)
2018-19: NIT
2017-18: 10-seed, lost to 7. Met seed expectation.
2016-17: Missed postseason.
2015-16: 6-seed, lost to 11. Underperformed seed expectation.
2014-15: 7-seed, lost to 10. Underperformed seed expectation.
2013-14: 5-seed, lost to 12. Underperformed seed expectation.
2012-13: 5-seed, beat 12, lost to 4. Met seed expectation.
2011-12: 12-seed, beat 5, lost to 4. Beat seed expectation.

It has been 13 years since a Shaka-coached team performed better than their seed in March. He's only matched seed expectations  3 times in that span, and 2 of them are because 9-16 seeds aren't expected to win any games.

Shaka hasn't beaten a single digit seed since 2012.

He's had regular season success that we have not seen in a long time, but college basketball is about March. Shaka has not met expectations in March for 13 years.

Argument can definitely be made 2022 was underperformance.  They were uncompetitive against UNC. Is that still the most lopsided 8/9 game ever?  Think it is. 

[HowardsWorld]

Totally! Let's go get Chris Beard or a Pitino. Build a program filled with kids who can't read or write. Love that idea. I'd be so proud to win 1-2 more games in March with a bunch of mercenaries instead of kids like Oso and Stevie.

Do you honestly think this board gives two shits about what these kids can and can't do. I understand it's a reflection of the school but I'm a basketball fan. I don't care what they amount to if anything once they are gone. Similar they could care less about us.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Do you honestly think this board gives two shits about what these kids can and can't do. I understand it's a reflection of the school but I'm a basketball fan. I don't care what they amount to if anything once they are gone. Similar they could care less about us.

Pathetic.

[MuggsyB]

I think it would be more constructive  to talk about our roster moving forward and ways in which Shaka can improve during the tournament.  The way we closed the game for example, was pretty much an abomination. 

One thing I didn't understand is RP's extended mins.  He couldn't guard at all, so when Ben got his 4th, I think we should have gone small and moved Jop to the 5 to close. 

It was also a no brainer for Kam to try to close the show for us, regardless if he didn't have a great game.  He deferred at times inexplicably, and was hesitant launching all day long. He could have gotten those 6-8 foot shots in the paint pretty much at will but did not do that nearly enough.  In general our lack of paint attacks either to score or move the rock pretty much sucked.  We almost never get easy  buckets in the h-c because many of our guys either play hot potato once they touch it, or were standing around like Easter Island 🗿.  We have to be more creative in our offense, find multiple guys that can make plays, and add a knock down shooter.  It's imperative. 

[21Jumpstreet]

One thing I didn't understand is RP's extended mins.  He couldn't guard at all, so when Ben got his 4th, I think we should have gone small and moved Jop to the 5

Interesting observation. I felt the same about Royce, people give Ben a lot of crap, but he can defend the way Shaka wants to defend. Royce couldn't keep up. I just thought, welp, we are in trouble. Would have been interesting to see Jop at the 5.

[MuggsyB]

Interesting observation. I felt the same about Royce, people give Ben a lot of crap, but he can defend the way Shaka wants to defend. Royce couldn't keep up. I just thought, welp, we are in trouble. Would have been interesting to see Jop at the 5.

Jump, he could not defend.  Or rebound for that matter.  It's beyond deflating when you allow chippies under 8 mins.  Our doubles were also not nearly as forceful or tactically  sound as they should have been.  It's about when and how you trap/double.  Their big just dismantled us like he was Moses or Karl Malone.  Can't happen Jump. 

[CountryRoads]

Shaka will get less and less quality recruits if he doesn't start embracing the transfer portal because the recruits will see a program that will not fill weaknesses to get better. You guys can defend Shaka all you want and yes he has done some nice things the past few years but the climate has changed. Many sports reporters have repeatedly added that Smart will not accept transfers almost every time his name comes up.

I completely agree. I'm a "rising tides lifts all boats" believer and it's a disservice to our guys to not put the best possible pieces around them for success. When Shaka brought up Sean in the press conference yesterday, I almost sensed a little bit of regret from Shaka for not getting Kam some more help at guard given the good possibility Sean wouldn't be ready.

Also, the whole everyone is buddies with each other naturally lowers the standard over time. It's good to have an outsider or two that helps keep everyone in check including the coaching staff. For example, Kolek was an outsider and just had a much different level of maturity and seriousness about him that made a huge difference. This year felt a bit like the "noon ball" Wojo early years where it was more about having fun than winning.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

I completely agree. I'm a "rising tides lifts all boats" believer and it's a disservice to our guys to not put the best possible pieces around them for success. When Shaka brought up Sean in the press conference yesterday, I almost sensed a little bit of regret from Shaka for not getting Kam some more help at guard given the good possibility Sean wouldn't be ready.

Also, the whole everyone is buddies with each other naturally lowers the standard over time. It's good to have an outsider or two that helps keep everyone in check including the coaching staff. For example, Kolek was an outsider and just had a much different level of maturity and seriousness about him that made a huge difference. This year felt a bit like the "noon ball" Wojo early years where it was more about having fun than winning.

Kolek was not an "outsider". That was essentially an entirely new team and not a relevant comparison to bringing in a big portal piece when you have 10+ guys coming back.

[Warrior_2002]

Shaka is smart enough to make the right decisions on whether to dive into the transfer portal. Agree with countryroads that you could hear it in his voice when discussing SJ and even seemed to be careful about how to answer the question about having the right personnel off the bench. I know he's talked about his philosophy of the portal but he's no dummy. If he needs to he will bring a guy in to fill a development gap. He will choose wisely and make sure it is a cultural fit. Maybe it's all just a hunch but he's used the portal before and he will do it again IF necessary and IF the right guy is there.

[HowardsWorld]

Pathetic.

Yea I'm pathetic for saying what 99% of this board is thinking.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Yea I'm pathetic for saying what 99% of this board is thinking.

I guarantee you 99% of this board isn't aligned with you regarding not caring about the type of people Marquette recruits or caring about what happens to the players post-Marquette.  In fact, I think your view is in the minority. 

[OffTheGlass]

Shaka will get less and less quality recruits if he doesn't start embracing the transfer portal because the recruits will see a program that will not fill weaknesses to get better. You guys can defend Shaka all you want and yes he has done some nice things the past few years but the climate has changed. Many sports reporters have repeatedly added that Smart will not accept transfers almost every time his name comes up.

[PointWarrior]

Do you honestly think this board gives two shits about what these kids can and can't do. I understand it's a reflection of the school but I'm a basketball fan. I don't care what they amount to if anything once they are gone. Similar they could care less about us.

The CoS is happy for playing for juice boxes and oranges after the game as long as the "team played hard."

[MurphysTillClose]

The CoS is happy for playing for juice boxes and oranges after the game as long as the "team played hard."

Milkshakes and culture baby

[willie warrior]

This appears to be the issue here: Some folks are satisfied if we are better than DePaul and Butler.

More than some.

[83ENG]

Happy I was able to witness Marquette's run to the championship in 77 and understand wanting to win another. However, that was 48 years ago, and other than 2003, we've not had a team that appeared title ready, and even that team got destroyed in the Final Four.

Anything is possible, but I don't expect another title for Marquette. I expect a competitive team with some March success, but just as importantly, I want to see MU scholar athletes on the court. I know, the game (and world) has passed me by, but there's more to life than basketball, and I would rather see Stevie for four years than a bunch of one year mercenaries. Maybe there's a middle ground, but I don't see it.

[MurphysTillClose]

This appears to be the issue here: Some folks are satisfied if we are better than DePaul and Butler.

DePaul will have a better roster next year

[ATL MU Warrior]

Happy I was able to witness Marquette's run to the championship in 77 and understand wanting to win another. However, that was 48 years ago, and other than 2003, we've not had a team that appeared title ready, and even that team got destroyed in the Final Four.

Anything is possible, but I don't expect another title for Marquette. I expect a competitive team with some March success, but just as importantly, I want to see MU scholar athletes on the court. I know, the game (and world) has passed me by, but there's more to life than basketball, and I would rather see Stevie for four years than a bunch of one year mercenaries. Maybe there's a middle ground, but I don't see it.

I'd rather have a team that is physically and mentally tough enough to compete with the best teams in the country. As the season went on we were not even close to that.

[83ENG]

I'd rather have a team that is physically and mentally tough enough to compete with the best teams in the country. As the season went on we were not even close to that.

Sorry if you don't think our guys were tough enough. I disagree. They weren't talented or deep enough.

[79Warrior]

Shaka is smart enough to make the right decisions on whether to dive into the transfer portal. Agree with countryroads that you could hear it in his voice when discussing SJ and even seemed to be careful about how to answer the question about having the right personnel off the bench. I know he's talked about his philosophy of the portal but he's no dummy. If he needs to he will bring a guy in to fill a development gap. He will choose wisely and make sure it is a cultural fit. Maybe it's all just a hunch but he's used the portal before and he will do it again IF necessary and IF the right guy is there.

Agree. I think there will be some changes coming.
Not have SJ available was certainly a bummer. Would have really helped Kam.
Shaka knows what has to be done. I would expect a player or two to leave and that will open up some options.