Who Do You Blame for the Murray State Loss?

[Mr. Sand-Knit]

None of the above
Roster construction, some skilled players but very little athleticism.  Their 400 pounder was more athletic than theo n morrow and on and on.  We are sorely lacking athleticism.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

NM

[Cheeks]

First triple double by a G in tourney since....D Wade. Can’t make that shiit up. What a clown show

The kid can play, why dis on the kid...he is a superior player. Give him his due.

[5DollarPitcher]

None of the above
Roster construction, some skilled players but very little athleticism.  Their 400 pounder was more athletic than theo n morrow and on and on.  We are sorely lacking athleticism.

Isn’t that technically Wojo’s fault then? He built a midmajor roster at a high major basketball school.

[Billy Hoyle]

First triple double by a G in tourney since....D Wade. Can’t make that shiit up. What a clown show

Draymond Green, 2012. He had one in 2011 as well. Cole Aldrich had one in 2009 with 10 blocks, so yes, you can.

[dgies9156]

OK, I am extremely disappointed at this one. We came in flat, looked worse and let them play to their strengths while we just, well, stank the joint up. My thoughts:

1) Wojo is still a coach in training. He's going to be good and damn if I don't want another Majerus situation, where we chase a guy who ends up taking someone else to the final four. I think it's a tough call for Marquette if we do not continue to improve but he deserves at least another year or two.

2) Our guys looked winded. Look at the way we were missing shots. Balls clanged off the front of the rim time and time again. My view is this is a very fatigued team. The Big East will do that but that means we have to get tougher, stronger and better conditioned. It showed in the last month. It showed in the Big East tournament and it showed today.

3) We do not have a point guard. At the beginning of the season, we  thought Joseph Chartouney would solve our point guard problems. Nice kid who did not live up to his billing. If Koby McEwen steps up, OK, we were where we were last year. If Greg Elliott matures, we're far better. If they don't, we're one and done again and then this Wojo be gone episode restarts. Markus Howard is not the answer at point guard and we are wearing him out. He's a great college 2-guard and I'm confident of his abilities across an entire season if we can get Elliott or McEwen to assume the point.

4) Please, please, would someone get Theo into the offense. Teach him offense if you have to, but he looks totally lost on the offensive end of the court. Almost to the point where Matt Heldt offensively would be an improvement. Theo is all-world if he can score 10 points a game. He needs to stay out of foul trouble, but that's hopefully coming.

5) Joey Hauser and Brendan Bailey looked like the freshman they are. Both showed flashes of brilliance at times this season. Bailey looks like he's been on a Mormon mission for two years. I'm optimistic both will show considerable growth next year.

6) What today proved was Goose's theory -- we're not close to an elite team. With the exception of Virginia last year, elite teams DO NOT lose games like today.

All this said, I'm still pleased we're on an upward trajectory. Angry about today's game (and if I'm angry, I can only imagine how Wojo feels) but Marquette has but two choices. Stay on the same path and see how things play out -- and give Wojo credit for getting us here -- or start over and wait another four years until we get to where we are today, assuming everything goes well.

I've said it before -- I'm too old to start from scratch yet again!

[rocky_warrior]

OK, I am extremely disappointed at this one. We came in flat, looked worse and let them play to their strengths while we just, well, stank the joint up. My thoughts:

1) Wojo is still a coach in training. He's going to be good and damn if I don't want another Majerus situation, where we chase a guy who ends up taking someone else to the final four. I think it's a tough call for Marquette if we do not continue to improve but he deserves at least another year or two.

2) Our guys looked winded. Look at the way we were missing shots. Balls clanged off the front of the rim time and time again. My view is this is a very fatigued team. The Big East will do that but that means we have to get tougher, stronger and better conditioned. It showed in the last month. It showed in the Big East tournament and it showed today.

3) We do not have a point guard. At the beginning of the season, we  thought Joseph Chartouney would solve our point guard problems. Nice kid who did not live up to his billing. If Koby McEwen steps up, OK, we were where we were last year. If Greg Elliott matures, we're far better. If they don't, we're one and done again and then this Wojo be gone episode restarts. Markus Howard is not the answer at point guard and we are wearing him out. He's a great college 2-guard and I'm confident of his abilities across an entire season if we can get Elliott or McEwen to assume the point.

4) Please, please, would someone get Theo into the offense. Teach him offense if you have to, but he looks totally lost on the offensive end of the court. Almost to the point where Matt Heldt offensively would be an improvement. Theo is all-world if he can score 10 points a game. He needs to stay out of foul trouble, but that's hopefully coming.

5) Joey Hauser and Brendan Bailey looked like the freshman they are. Both showed flashes of brilliance at times this season. Bailey looks like he's been on a Mormon mission for two years. I'm optimistic both will show considerable growth next year.

6) What today proved was Goose's theory -- we're not close to an elite team. With the exception of Virginia last year, elite teams DO NOT lose games like today.

All this said, I'm still pleased we're on an upward trajectory. Angry about today's game (and if I'm angry, I can only imagine how Wojo feels) but Marquette has but two choices. Stay on the same path and see how things play out -- and give Wojo credit for getting us here -- or start over and wait another four years until we get to where we are today, assuming everything goes well.

I've said it before -- I'm too old to start from scratch yet again!

Also a good take.  Especially about #3, Point Guard ...

[warriors141]

wojo sucks

[warriorfred]

Also a good take.  Especially about #3, Point Guard ...

It's all true, but it is also year 5, so it is also excuses.  Think maybe Wojo could have found a PG on the recruiting trail?

[Babybluejeans]

The team's nosedive is on the old ballcoach.

[vogue65]

The Big East debacle did not help.
Markus does all the heavy lifting, the rest of the team are prima donnas.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

The Big East debacle did not help.
Markus does all the heavy lifting, the rest of the team are prima donnas.

Mr. Heavy Lifting was 9-27 (2 for his last 17) with 2 assists and 3 turnovers.  He is simply not a point guard.  Touney was supposed to let him play off the ball, but that experiment never left the launch pad.

[nyg]

Markus's wrist
Sam's hip
Ed's hernia
Matt's toe,
Jamal's wrist
Bailey missing two years
Joe not a major PG transfer
Joey a freshman
Theo's fouls
Sacar's ankle after Morant turned him
Elliott redshirting
Wojo can't coach
Of course the referee conspiracy

That should cover it.

[willie warrior]

He showed enough potential at certain points to be safe. Plus, he's not gonna have any offers to draw him away any time soon. He's ours now, for better or for worse. Although I don't want to find out what's worse than the last 3 weeks he managed to pull off this year.

It will get worse. Last month shows how we are "trending"

[MULaw14]

Ja took 9 shots. That’s it, and they still won by 19. By the metrics, we had the best defense in our conference. Why we tried to play a trap heavy man defense for the first time all season is beyond me. Especially trapping that fat ass center whenever he got the ball like he’s Shaq or something? You gotta dance with the girl who took you to the dance. We shied away from what got us here and didn't deserve another game to play, simple as that.

[TreeGhost]

Markus's wrist
Sam's hip
Ed's hernia
Matt's toe,
Jamal's wrist
Bailey missing two years
Joe not a major PG transfer
Joey a freshman
Theo's fouls
Sacar's ankle after Morant turned him
Elliott redshirting
Wojo can't coach
Of course the referee conspiracy

That should cover it.

You forgot one thing.   I thought the cheerleaders were not loud enough.  I could never hear them. 

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Ja took 9 shots. That’s it, and they still won by 19. By the metrics, we had the best defense in our conference. Why we tried to play a trap heavy man defense for the first time all season is beyond me. Especially trapping that fat ass center whenever he got the ball like he’s Shaq or something? You gotta dance with the girl who took you to the dance. We shied away from what got us here and didn't deserve another game to play, simple as that.

This is a really good post.  I couldn't understand their defensive game plan today either.  No idea why they decided not to go under picks and lay off Morant.  They should have made him beat them with his shooting and not his passing.

Sacar and Theo with 0 points didn't help either but this game was lost on the defensive end.

[NickelDimer]

The kid can play, why dis on the kid...he is a superior player. Give him his due.

We were a clown show. That’s irrefutable

[NickelDimer]

Draymond Green, 2012. He had one in 2011 as well. Cole Aldrich had one in 2009 with 10 blocks, so yes, you can.

As I said, guard

[Stretchdeltsig]

It seems that so no is not very good at preparing the team and is not a good game coach.  Wish he was better.  I think after five years, we know that he just isn't very good.

[AZMarqfan]

Marquette needs a PG badly.  I blame it on no ball-handling, distribution, etc. 

[warriorfred]

Marquette needs a PG badly.  I blame it on no ball-handling, distribution, etc.

Year 5 and we are still waiting for a point guard  . . .    That is a complete Wojo failure.

[4everwarriors]

I don't know which is a greater indictment of Wojo's ineptitude, his inability to construct a complete roster or his ineffective game planning and in-game adjustments. In any metric of measurement, he's fails miserably and is simply out if his league

[warriorfred]

I don't know which is a greater indictment of Wojo's ineptitude, his inability to construct a complete roster or his ineffective game planning and in-game adjustments. In any metric of measurement, he's fails miserably and is simply out if his league

As concise an assessment that was ever written on this Board.

It is time for a new coach.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Ja took 9 shots. That’s it, and they still won by 19. By the metrics, we had the best defense in our conference. Why we tried to play a trap heavy man defense for the first time all season is beyond me. Especially trapping that fat ass center whenever he got the ball like he’s Shaq or something? You gotta dance with the girl who took you to the dance. We shied away from what got us here and didn't deserve another game to play, simple as that.

The doubling of Cowart I didn't mind. He's a load in the post and is prone to turning it over. Other than offensive boards in the second half, I thought we did well on him.....

Of course if that's the best thing you can say about a game that's a huge problem. I agree with the aggressive double team on Ja. Didn't make sense to me. I get that they wanted to make everyone else beat us but why go away from a defense that has worked all season? Joey wasn't nearly quick enough to double and then try to get back to his man.