MU vs Xavier game thread....

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Originally Posted by TheSultan

There are no options.

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Yep. Life without Carlino is bad.

What an ugly turn with the same stats - at the 9:59 mark, the stat factors are....

XU up 47-31

Points in paint: MU up 24-22
Rebounds: XU 29-20
Turnovers: Xavier 11, MU 13 (2 are team turnovers)

MU currently shooting 35.9% from field, Xavier at 40%, but 45.5% from 3pt

I will add in....
Points off of turnovers: XU 14, MU 6
2nd chance: XU 7-2
Fast Break: XU 11-8
Bench: XU 19-0

Bench points kind of unfair stat when MU's bench is Taylor and Cohen

Wow our ball handling is terrible.

Very true

I think this season has shown Wojo can coach defense. To have this bad of an offense and a respectable defense (while undersized) is pretty incredible.

This feels like that Tracy Jordan movie, Hard To Watch.

Out of bounds play to Xavier - Mack yells, "Go on Fischer - drive on Fischer! Drive on Fischer!" Ball comes in bounds, guard heads down the middle - drives on Fischer, Luke picks up his 4th.

Final Xavier 64, MU 44.

We need a shooter.

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Originally Posted by Mucrisco

We need a shooter.

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We need a lot more than that

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Originally Posted by Mucrisco

We need a shooter.

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And a ball handler, a rebounder,...

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Originally Posted by Mucrisco

We need a shooter.

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We need a point guard, some shooters and some rebounding/toughness. Need to fill all 3 scholarships with guys who can play and play on both ends. Can't make a mistake.

I think if we pick up a point guard, he'll be a backup to Duane, who will have been in the system for a year.

Just need one solid scorer/ball handler. Many key guys are getting a trial by fire, and Henry Ellenson is coming in at just the right time for the program (and I believe a top talent can be that transformative). I expect that Wojo will sign more then one guy, but I think this team is far closer to being good next year then many people think right now.

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Originally Posted by Mucrisco

I think if we pick up a point guard, he'll be a backup to Duane, who will have been in the system for a year.

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I don't know. Wojo has been so reluctant to play Duane at the point. Especially with Carlino out, I thought he would get some time at the point, just to spell Derrick. However, Derrick went all 40 against Seton Hall and played 37 minutes tonight.

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Originally Posted by Jim Ganzer, "IWB"

I heard several comments about the students at halftime. I even went to the student section and asked the kid in the first row.

IWB: "where are the students, do you guys have break or something?"
Student: "No, a lot of people have class."
IWB: "That's weak."
Student's friend: Looks at student with a look of disgust and says, "That is weak."

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A lot of those students who came left very early as well. Very weak student showing for a Tuesday night in early February.

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Originally Posted by RJax55

I don't know. Wojo has been so reluctant to play Duane at the point. Especially with Carlino out, I thought he would get some time at the point, just to spell Derrick. However, Derrick went all 40 against Seton Hall and played 37 minutes tonight.

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That might be because he is the primary scoring option right now. You'd think it would be Fischer, but with Derrick and Juan out there, we don't have the shooters to give Fischer space to get the ball or to score.

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Originally Posted by warriorfan4life

Just need one solid scorer/ball handler. Many key guys are getting a trial by fire, and Henry Ellenson is coming in at just the right time for the program (and I believe a top talent can be that transformative). I expect that Wojo will sign more then one guy, but I think this team is far closer to being good next year then many people think right now.

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Unless Wally comes in and shows he can really rebound, we need help on the glass. I have zero faith in Taylor. Tonight was a prefect illustration of his MU career.

Coming off a terrific performance against Seton Hall (14/6), he goes for 0 and 1. Terrible.

But, that's what he's done at MU. Goes for long stretches with zero to little production, then boom, a great game. Then back to nothing.

His freshman year it was chalked up to being a freshman. Last year, it was because of injuries and Buzz. But, this year???

Also, MU will need another scoring guard. I'm not convinced that over the off-season that the large offensive holes in JJJ and Sandy's games can be fully fixed. JJJ needs so much work on his outside shot and Sandy's ball-handling needs major improvement.

A lot of blame can be placed on MU's staff tonight as the team looked clueless when X went to its relatively passive 1-3-1. Needed to attack the corners, but never did trying to go to the middle where X was jamming things. Another learning lesson for all.

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Originally Posted by Nukem2

A lot of blame can be placed on MU's staff tonight as the team looked clueless when X went to its relatively passive 1-3-1. Needed to attack the corners, but never did trying to go to the middle where X was jamming things. Another learning lesson for all.

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That was difficult for us to do though with all the length that Xavier had down the middle. Without a shooter out there for Marquette, and with all the length, it was smart for them to be passive. We couldn't reverse the ball easily, because of that length. We couldn't drive and dish because of the length. They effectively cut the court in half on us. We got it to the corners and we couldn't hit a shot out there. Derrick is not a scoring option, so they could just lay of of him. A great way to beat the 1-3-1 is diagonal passes, but we couldn't do that with the length. Without the shooters, we couldn't get that 1-3-1 moving. Another way to beat the 1-3-1 is to overload a side. But again, it doesn't matter if you overload a side. The idea is that you will have an advantage with more numbers against defenders. Again, that's negated when the defense doesn't have to play defense against certain players.

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Originally Posted by Mucrisco

That was difficult for us to do though with all the length that Xavier had down the middle. Without a shooter out there for Marquette, and with all the length, it was smart for them to be passive. We couldn't reverse the ball easily, because of that length. We couldn't drive and dish because of the length. They effectively cut the court in half on us. We got it to the corners and we couldn't hit a shot out there. Derrick is not a scoring option, so they could just lay of of him. A great way to beat the 1-3-1 is diagonal passes, but we couldn't do that with the length. Without the shooters, we couldn't get that 1-3-1 moving. Another way to beat the 1-3-1 is to overload a side. But again, it doesn't matter if you overload a side. The idea is that you will have an advantage with more numbers against defenders. Again, that's negated when the defense doesn't have to play defense against certain players.

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Yes, your last point was rather noticeable.

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Originally Posted by Nukem2

A lot of blame can be placed on MU's staff tonight as the team looked clueless when X went to its relatively passive 1-3-1. Needed to attack the corners, but never did trying to go to the middle where X was jamming things. Another learning lesson for all.

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There were at least 3-4 times when Sandy and Duane were open for the corner three and there was a passing lane and our guys just didn't get it to them, instead attacking the lane.

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Originally Posted by Nukem2

A lot of those students who came left very early as well. Very weak student showing for a Tuesday night in early February.

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The team isn't entertaining and is below .500 and they were getting mopped up in the 2nd half. Not sure what we should realistically expect from the students on a Tuesday night vs Xavier but given the circumstances a full turnout shouldn't be one of them.

A shooter, a badass rebounder, a point guard.

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Originally Posted by kneelb4zerg

Nice of the students to show up. Best student section my ass.

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We have had this discussion before. It's a different generation then when we were in school. Why blame the students?

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Originally Posted by TheSultan

We have had this discussion before. It's a different generation then when we were in school. Why blame the students?

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I just wish they would stop saying best student section in the country followed by the spotlights showing entire sections of empty seats.

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Originally Posted by Goose85

I just wish they would stop saying best student section in the country followed by the spotlights showing entire sections of empty seats.

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Thank you.

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Originally Posted by WindyCityGoldenEagle

The team isn't entertaining and is below .500 and they were getting mopped up in the 2nd half. Not sure what we should realistically expect from the students on a Tuesday night vs Xavier but given the circumstances a full turnout shouldn't be one of them.

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Oh, I agree with that. But, last night was easily the worst turnout of the season. The buy games during semester break had more students.

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Originally Posted by Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"

From that last angle on TV the entire upper bowl looked empty.

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Not as empty as the Bucks game on Monday night.

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Originally Posted by Jim Ganzer, "IWB"

Are they on some kind of break? Never seen anything like that for a game this big.

Odd crowd - the way parking was around the BC, you would think this is a sellout. Did everyone drive separately?

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We went to the first half of the Panther game that started at 7pm. It was hard to park. Had to be something else going on downtown.

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Originally Posted by MU/Panther

We went to the first half of the Panther game that started at 7pm. It was hard to park. Had to be something else going on downtown.

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Hard to park? Uhh, what about right across the street in the Convention Center surface lot. Yeah, it's $15 but ultra convenient. The lot was empty when I parked there. Also, went to Goolsby and the waitresses had Panther gear on, but the patrons were 90% MU.....

Totally agree with the Big East rule prohibiting transfers to fellow Big East schools. That said, Sterling Gibbs would be just what the doctor ordered for us (and I would be shocked if he's back at Seton Hall last season). Exact type of scoring combo guard that would be perfect for next year's team.

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Originally Posted by warriorfan4life

Totally agree with the Big East rule prohibiting transfers to fellow Big East schools. That said, Sterling Gibbs would be just what the doctor ordered for us (and I would be shocked if he's back at Seton Hall last season). Exact type of scoring combo guard that would be perfect for next year's team.

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Ummmm, highly doubt Gibbs is going to transfer for a second time.

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Originally Posted by MUBasketball

Ummmm, highly doubt Gibbs is going to transfer for a second time.

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He should be immediately eligible next year as a grad transfer (he will graduate in May).

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Originally Posted by Nukem2

Hard to park? Uhh, what about right across the street in the Convention Center surface lot. Yeah, it's $15 but ultra convenient. The lot was empty when I parked there. Also, went to Goolsby and the waitresses had Panther gear on, but the patrons were 90% MU.....

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I don't pay to park if I don't have to. The spots that are open were not and it wasn't because of the UWM & MU game.