2026 Coaching Carousel

[BM1090]

I say this not to weigh in on which is worst - potayto/potahto - but last year's starting lineup for the first month or so featured three seniors, a junior and a redshirt sophomore. They weren't really a young team until a combination of injuries, poor play and a transfer required it.

Fair point.

[willie warrior]

Looking forward to the day when wins and losses are replaced in the record books by KenPom and Torvik rankings.

(That likely reads harsher than I intended ... just think it's a bad way to measure best/worst seasons when you have wins and losses right in front of you).

Yes. The seasons should not be rated by record. Better would be Achievement/Participation Badges with various colors.

[willie warrior]

Looking forward to the day when wins and losses are replaced in the record books by KenPom and Torvik rankings.

(That likely reads harsher than I intended ... just think it's a bad way to measure best/worst seasons when you have wins and losses right in front of you).

Yes. The seasons should not be rated by record. Better would be Achievement/Participation Badges with various colors.

[willie warrior]

Looking forward to the day when wins and losses are replaced in the record books by KenPom and Torvik rankings.

(That likely reads harsher than I intended ... just think it's a bad way to measure best/worst seasons when you have wins and losses right in front of you).

Yes. Seasons should not be rated on season records. Better to award Achievement/Participation ribbons of various colors

[willie warrior]

That needed to be said at least 3 times so Reeker could get the point.

[tower912]

Operative phrase being first half of the year.

During the first half of the season, MU's struggles came down to two things.  Making lay ups (the Chicago St of lay up percentage) and playing poor defense.  Caedin was A part of that, but everybody stunk.  Sean, Chase, Zaide (missed 7 in a game.  First domino in his saga) Tre, NJ, AS, Royce, everybody.
  MU's defense, IMO, was the worst of the Shaka era from November through early January.  Switching and help were disasters.  Basic principles not  followed. 
  Chase wasn't able to step into the Batman role (how many blown game tying/winning shots), and neither Sean nor Zaide were capable of being Robin.  And in my 42 years of following MU hoops, with one exception (hello, Key/Mac/Amal), the success of MU's seasons are related to how good the guard play is. Last year was no exception. Sean, Tre, and Zaide are gone.
  I am glad Nolan transferred in and would have liked another guard.  With all of the wings, I would be stunned if Shaka started all 3 of his guards.  The starting a wing and bringing a capable guard off the bench makes so much more sense.

Good health at guard = good season.  Back up center?  Meh.

[Oldgym]

That needed to be said at least 3 times so Reeker could get the point.

Rent free. The offseason must get lonely.

[tower912]

Rent free. The offseason must get lonely.

No more lonely than in season.

[Uncle Rico]

It's an art form, really.

[MUbiz]

Operative phrase being first half of the year.

During the first half of the season, MU's struggles came down to two things.  Making lay ups (the Chicago St of lay up percentage) and playing poor defense.

I would add a third reason for the struggles - MUBB was #286 in nation in 3 percentage - 31.8% - mostly because of our seniors.

That hopefully changes this coming year where we have what appears to be some decent shooters - can NJ and AS and MP2 replicate last year shooting wise?

[MU82]

I would add a third reason for the struggles - MUBB was #286 in nation in 3 percentage - 31.8% - mostly because of our seniors.

Yeah, it was absolutely crazy that Kam and Jop couldn't make 3s as seniors, and then Ross and Gold couldn't make 3s as seniors.

The common thread for each situation, I guess, was 18 being on the roster. 

[tower912]

I would add a third reason for the struggles - MUBB was #286 in nation in 3 percentage - 31.8% - mostly because of our seniors.

That hopefully changes this coming year where we have what appears to be some decent shooters - can NJ and AS and MP2 replicate last year shooting wise?

Poor 3 pt shooting was a constant.  Like the previous season.  And a disappointment.   IMO, competitive vs noncompetitive came down to brutal lay up shooting vs average lay up shooting.  Particularly since MU was getting the shots that made previous teams successful.   And bricking them.   

[Galway Eagle]

in my 42 years of following MU hoops, with one exception (hello, Key/Mac/Amal), the success of MU's seasons are related to how good the guard play is.

I'm not sure 2019 fits with this, it was the play of two forwards that destroyed our season while the guard continued to be stellar.

Pretty sure you could say 2010 was successful mostly due to forwards.

But agreed with the larger point just being nitpicky.

[Galway Eagle]

Last season seemed worse but was actually the same Kenpom result as Wojo's first and last year. We finished 83rd all three years.

I think when we're splitting hairs about how bad of a year it was it's less about advance stat ranking and more about the optics of 20 Ls

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Looking forward to the day when wins and losses are replaced in the record books by KenPom and Torvik rankings.

(That likely reads harsher than I intended ... just think it's a bad way to measure best/worst seasons when you have wins and losses right in front of you).

Are wins and losses the best way to measure best/worst seasons when strength of schedule differs wildly from year to year and even more wildly from era to era?

I'm not dismissing that W/Ls aren't an important part of the conversation. But I think relying on them solely is misleading. For example, I'd agree Wojo's second year was "better" despite a lower KenPom rating because they went 20-13. But it's also true that 12 of those 20 wins came against low majors and DePaul and St. John's teams that went a combined 4-32 in conference play. I could hear an argument that if the teams traded schedules, that you would have opposite results.

[tower912]

I'm not sure 2019 fits with this, it was the play of two forwards that destroyed our season while the guard continued to be stellar.

Pretty sure you could say 2010 was successful mostly due to forwards.

But agreed with the larger point just being nitpicky.

I recognize that JFB and Jae were positionless switchables, but I consider them guards.  Agreed, pretty fine hairs to split.

But you can have that one if you want.

[muwarrior69]

Are wins and losses the best way to measure best/worst seasons when strength of schedule differs wildly from year to year and even more wildly from era to era?

I'm not dismissing that W/Ls aren't an important part of the conversation. But I think relying on them solely is misleading. For example, I'd agree Wojo's second year was "better" despite a lower KenPom rating because they went 20-13. But it's also true that 12 of those 20 wins came against low majors and DePaul and St. John's teams that went a combined 4-32 in conference play. I could hear an argument that if the teams traded schedules, that you would have opposite results.

If winning isn't everything, then why do they keep score.

Vince Lombardi.

[Pakuni]

Are wins and losses the best way to measure best/worst seasons when strength of schedule differs wildly from year to year and even more wildly from era to era?

Yes, because I judge the success of a season based on how often the team wins, not what an algorithm tells me about the efficiency of its play.
A win that the KenPom algorithm hates is still a win. A loss that the Torvik data says was well played is still a loss.

Now, if you're talking about the quality of the team, that kind of data is essential to the discussion. But we're not talking about which teams were better. We're talking about which seasons were better. I'll take actual wins over moral victories all season.

[wadesworld]

Yes, because I judge the success of a season based on how often the team wins, not what an algorithm tells me about the efficiency of its play.
A win that the KenPom algorithm hates is still a win. A loss that the Torvik data says was well played is still a loss.

Now, if you're talking about the quality of the team, that kind of data is essential to the discussion. But we're not talking about which teams were better. We're talking about which seasons were better. I'll take actual wins over moral victories all season.

I'll take 22-15 (.595) and a Sweet 16 (2010-2011) over 20-13 (.606) and no NCAA or NIT (2015-2016).

At the end of the day, none of the "3 (or 4) worst teams of this century" were in contention for an NCAA Tournament bid anywhere close to the end of the season.

[The Sultan]

I recognize that JFB and Jae were positionless switchables, but I consider them guards.  Agreed, pretty fine hairs to split.

LOL...no.

They were not guards.

[Pakuni]

I'll take 22-15 (.595) and a Sweet 16 (2010-2011) over 20-13 (.606) and no NCAA or NIT (2015-2016).

At the end of the day, none of the "3 (or 4) worst teams of this century" were in contention for an NCAA Tournament bid anywhere close to the end of the season.

I've been told on Scoop that tournament wins are a crapshoot and the totality of the season is what matters.
Have I been misled?

Also 22 > 20

[wadesworld]

I've been told on Scoop that tournament wins are a crapshoot and the totality of the season is what matters.
Have I been misled?

Also 22 > 20

I guess if you're taking that sentiment as "only regular season results matter" then I guess so?  Thought you were smarter than that but I suppose if you're looking simply at total wins, regardless of number of games played in a season, strength of schedule, or any other factors to determine what team might be better, then maybe not.

[BM1090]

LOL...no.

They were not guards.

I would hear an argument than Jimmy was a guard, but I'd lean no.

Jae was closer to a 5 than a guard.

[tower912]

I recognize that JFB and Jae were positionless switchables

[BrewCity83]

And in my 42 years of following MU hoops, with one exception (hello, Key/Mac/Amal), the success of MU's seasons are related to how good the guard play is.

Tony Miller is on Line 1....