The Next 4, time to look forward

[DoctorV]

We've already discussed ad nauseam how it's not all seashells and balloons, and we understand that this years team has flaws...

However,
1- the season is not over and there is a massive 4 game stretch that looms
H Dayton (74)
H Central Michigan (274)
N Oklahoma, in Chicago at UIC (66)
H Valparaiso (258)

Why is this stretch massive?
Well Marquette is currently at 60 in KenPom, 62O and 62D efficiency.
Opponents KenPom listed above.

So, at a time MU desperately needs to figure out a way to get right, it gets 4 consecutive games that it will be favored in, 3 at home and one that should be a home environment.

2- I'm a very look forward type of guy, and I see a major opportunity here. Sure, Shaka has to turn things around quickly, and a loss versus Dayton on Wednesday could be doomsday, but in a season like this sometimes all you need is a nice 4 game stretch to get you off the schneid and back to winning ways.
IMO the schedule sets up nicely for that.

3- For all the well documented negatives, which I'm not going to refute until I see a reason to, there are actually some positives

A) Chase seems ready to star in his role. I'm sure the alpha will have some down games, but I think we can be confident we have an alpha. That alone will win some close games.

B) Rebounding is improved. Don't think I've seen a 15-0 offensive rebounding advantage on a Marquette team in many years.

C) We have a very talented freshman PG.

D) The team did show some fight coming back from a big deficit and being in a position to win versus Maryland before the wheels fell off.

I won't go backwards, and I have a lot of thoughts as to why the wheels fell off, but the simplest and easiest way to explain it is that the team can't shoot for crap.
Last year we were confident it would improve, but it didn't the way we hoped/thought it would. This year I don't think we are as confident.
This is the major problem amongst a plethora of developmental/talent/confidence issues of key players on the team.

4- My take:
If Marquette loses to Dayton at home the season might be toast. Maybe it's pure faith but I don't think that will happen.
I fall back on that Oklahoma game being one of the biggest of the season, assuming Marquette can get in the conversation.
I didn't have a great feeling about Maryland because of the Buzz motivation factor and how Buzz seems to find a way, and before the season started I had a bad feeling about that game v Oklahoma, so my instinct says 3-1...

That said, I think 4-0 with some nice margins of victory might be really necessary here to even think about the importance of the BE conference season and dancing.
That would put Marquette back in the 40s in KenPom with some confidence and everything to play for going into the Kohl hole

A team on a 4 game win streak with nothing to lose at that point going against their in state rival can be a dangerous thing.

Let get em Shaka and Co!

[BM1090]

4-0, but neither back on track or season over.