Excuse my language

[jesmu84]

https://x.com/i/status/2013441909113434183

[Tha Hound]

https://x.com/i/status/2013441909113434183

This is kind of pathetic. We shouldn't be concerned about teams poaching our players, certainly not St. John's. It's like half of this fanbase is terrified of their own shadow.

[wadesworld]

He missed a huge second free throw. Lucky we didn't lose because of that miss.

The miss actually kind of helped MU. The miss took a second off the clock before they got their timeout. Took any chance of getting it all the way to the rim. So then at that point they're going to be shooting a 3 either way, so if they make the shot they win the game even if Ben had made his second free throw.

[wisblue]

He missed a huge second free throw. Lucky we didn't lose because of that miss.

That was the least important FT miss of the night. At that point in the game PCs last shot was going to be a 3. Missing actually took a few tenths off the clock.

[We R Final Four]

He missed a huge second free throw. Lucky we didn't lose because of that miss.

They shot a 3 to win....and they were down 1. He makes it....we are up 2 and they still shoot a 3 due to time remaining. That missed FT had no bearing.

[BM1090]

Want to celebrate the win of course, but the biggest win for me today was some unplayable guys actually not playing. Crazy to think where wed be if we played the right players starting 2-3 weeks ago. I mean, still bad but not nearly as bad.

We have 6 playable guys. Maybe 7 if you count Tre. Four of them are underclassmen. It's not feasible to do what they did tonight every game.

But yes it was great to see tonight and you can see how much better they are with those 6 getting the minutes.

[MuggsyB]

Before he fouled out, he had an offensive possession that started in his hands in front of Shaka.  Nigel came to get the ball.  Chase ignored him.  My whole family was yelling "no!" For the entire shot clock until it was a failed possession.  Shaka needs to tell him to get the ball to Nigel.  If Chase has a straight line drive or a wide open three he should be allowed to drive or shoot.  He cannot create.  And should not have the ball in his hands at crunch time as the primary play maker. 

I couldn't agree more. I've had enough of this disastrous scenario.  Chase is more effective off the ball.  Cut, attack off of a reversal, even catch and shoot if it's wide open.  What I don't want to see is Chase isoing and thinking he's SGA.   Give Nigel the rock, with a high screen, and the young man the keys.

[BM1090]

He missed a huge second free throw. Lucky we didn't lose because of that miss.

Literally could not have mattered less. They were never getting a two point shot in that situation.

Obviously he was trying to make it, but I thought the miss benefitted us. Took a second off the clock and they couldn't run the baseline.

[MarquetteMike1977]

Want to celebrate the win of course, but the biggest win for me today was some unplayable guys actually not playing. Crazy to think where wed be if we played the right players starting 2-3 weeks ago. I mean, still bad but not nearly as bad.

Agree! Have said earlier we would be close to 500 if not 500 if we played the right players and not played the incorrect players.

[BM1090]

I'd say Ben has been extremely disappointing. Chase certainly didn't make the jump many projected, but still a solid player. It's been Shaka's insistence on playing some mid major talent that has cost us a few games this year, in my opinion. Not surprising to me that once he stops, we've started playing (very slightly) better.

Could not disagree more on Ben. He's playing really well outside shot making. If he was shooting his normal percentage from deep he'd be our clear second best player.

[brewcity77]

He missed a huge second free throw. Lucky we didn't lose because of that miss.

Looked from my angle like he missed it on purpose. Will have to rewatch but seemed intentional. I imagine the hope was that there would be more of a scrum and the time would've ran out before Providence got settled with the ball.

[onepost]

He's an absolute stud.

I like how aggressive Royce has been offensively as well.

Couldn't agree more, wades.
Nigel will get all the pub and deservedly so, but man Royce has really turned a corner lately with his aggressiveness and finishing at the rim (something this team has stunk at haha). Last season he was a spot up 3-point shooter and that was it, but his strength and tenacity getting to the rim this season has been such a nice improvement to his game.

Add that to the strides Damarius is showing the past month and THAT is really encouraging moving forward. It looks like the game is slowing down for Damarius and the rebounds, blocks, steals (the game-saving steal when we were down 3 with 10 seconds left), and takes to the rim have been fantastic. That's as exciting to me as what Nigel is doing to be honest.

Nigel, Adrien, Chase, Damarius, and Royce lineups are so great to see, and I'm not sure the advanced stats for that 5 but I'd imagine it has to be one of our best from an efficiency standpoint. Really fun night for MUBB.

[milwaukee expat]

Shaka should take a page out of Buzz's book and stress: only take threes with a paint feed.  We are not a naturally good 3 point shooting team.  Our percentage would be much better imo if we stopped taking shots after a perimeter pass or a dribble to side. If we had discipline and only shot 3s when getting a pass from the paint our 3 and rim offense would be much better
  At game tonight it was amazing.

[willie warrior]

The miss actually kind of helped MU. The miss took a second off the clock before they got their timeout. Took any chance of getting it all the way to the rim. So then at that point they're going to be shooting a 3 either way, so if they make the shot they win the game even if Ben had made his second free throw.

I will have what you are smoking.

[muwarrior69]

I turned 79 yesterday. Nice birthday present. Let's see what happens in the off season as I see hope of turning the program around for next season. However, if Shaka does not go to the portal this place will go ballistic.

[tower912]

This place goes ballistic and is a cesspool when things are going well.  Do you honestly think you will be able to tell the difference?

[muwarrior69]

This place goes ballistic and is a cesspool when things are going well.  Do you honestly think you will be able to tell the difference?

Care to elaborate. The one thing we all agree on is we want a men's basketball program good enough to compete for a national championship. How we get there is where some of us disagree.

[wadesworld]

I will have what you are smoking.

You don't need to be smoking to understand the miss helped us. Not saying he meant to miss the free throw, just saying it helped.

[tower912]

I was pondering before Gold shot the second free throw whether he should miss it on purpose.

[Scoop Snoop]

I was pondering before Gold shot the second free throw whether he should miss it on purpose.

Interesting. Once he made the first, I told my wife that if he missed the second, at least a few fractions of a second would come off the clock and, with Providence likely planning a 3 as their best chance at a buzzer beater, making the second FT wouldn't matter anyway if they made the three. This would have been a case of (singular) "FT no matta."

I think trying to bounce it hard off the rim would have been a good gamble because we might have gotten the rebound and ....game over.