“I’m worried that Marquette will miss the 2025 NCAA Tournament.” -Field of 68

[brewcity77]

I may be misremembering but I think Morsell and to a lesser extent Lewis had the green light for mid-range jumpers.  Maybe it was just the transition to the new system but maybe Shaka trusts certain guys to take them.

Those were guys with more established games in year one of a new system. They needed the proven guys to score because the kids weren't ready. But since then, these guys have been drilled on paint and threes. They know what the offense wants and what they are supposed to do in it. I don't expect any radical shot chart changes.

[jfp61]

I may be misremembering but I think Morsell and to a lesser extent Lewis had the green light for mid-range jumpers.  Maybe it was just the transition to the new system but maybe Shaka trusts certain guys to take them.

Yes, that team that didn't have a top 60 offense.

[#UnleashSean]

Sounds like a hot take to drive viewership

[MuMark]

Goodman has got a great track record.......i mean he picked Virginia to be a final 4 team last season in their preseason show!

[Hards Alumni]

It's May and it's just idle conversation.

That said, the conversation appears to be around three tiers being set up for 2024-25:

Well Positioned for NCAA
UConn
Creighton
Xavier (if Hunter and Freemantle stay healthy)

Positioned for NCAA Consideration
Marquette
St. John's
Providence
Butler

Not Positioned for NCAA Consideration
Villanova
Seton Hall
Georgetown
DePaul

A team that is ranked inside the top 20 is only being considered for NCAA is a brain dead take. 

These pundits are just trying to rile up engaged fan bases (read: Marquette) so they can get views.

[Hards Alumni]

Sounds like a hot take to drive viewership

Exactly.  Learning from Skip Bayless and Stephen A Smith.

[El Guerrero 2]

Field of 68 puts out a ton of content but it's low quality. It gives me something to listen to on my commute but no one on that platform provides anything of real substance in terms of analysis.

[Scoop Snoop]

Goodman has got a great track record.......i mean he picked Virginia to be a final 4 team last season in their preseason show!

Hey, give the guy a break. He meant to say, "last 4 in". Just a simple mistake.

[Uncle Rico]

Guess Dung was right

[rocky_warrior]

A team that is ranked inside the top 20 is only being considered for NCAA is a brain dead take. 

Wait, you're quoting preseason rankings to prove a point? haha

After losing Oso and Tyler, I still expect the team to "overachieve" as usual per Shaka.  But I can understand some skepticism.  The remaining guys still have a lot to prove without those two.

[tower912]

The projected starting 5 went toe to toe at Creighton with next to no bench help.  Proof of concept, for me.  I trust Tre and Zaide.   If some combo of the young bigs can progress well enough to combine for 30 productive minutes, I can see a continuation of the last two seasons.

[Herman Cain]

Sometimes I think pundits overemphasize players a program loses. I think the pundits underemphasize how a team rates to the rest of the conference, and other programs, after those other programs have their own players losses. 

MU bringing back 3 Senior Starters and 2 Junior Experienced Rotation Players. That is an Excellent Foundation.

In addition MU may possibly be bringing back another Junior who was injured as well as 2 sophomores who had non garbage time experience playing in meaningful games.

So a total rotation of 7-8 players who have chemistry, and played successfully in big games , should be more than enough to compete in The Big East and make The 2025 Tournament.

My guess is the performance of The Juniors will determine the 2025 MU season achievements. Seems like the Juniors still have a higher  potential level they can reach in terms of their individual performance.

[Shooter McGavin]

The projected starting 5 went toe to toe at Creighton with next to no bench help.  Proof of concept, for me.  I trust Tre and Zaide.   If some combo of the young bigs can progress well enough to combine for 30 productive minutes, I can see a continuation of the last two seasons.

That is the hope.  I tend to agree with you because I trust Shaka knows what he is doing and his track record so far at MU is impressive.  He has learned from his other stops and is sticking to his plan.


Who will be right?  Shaka or Willie?  Only time will tell. 

[bilsu]

I hope the Big East gets more than 3 bids.

[Big Papi]

We won't miss the tournament, but I would be very surprised if we finish in the top 3 in the Big East.  Definitely a step back from the last 2 years. 

Too many unanswered questions at this point in time and need a lot to go right and very little to go wrong.  I just don't see anyone matching or surpassing Kolek and Oso in production on this roster, but we are a long way away from the start of the season.

[Hards Alumni]

The projected starting 5 went toe to toe at Creighton with next to no bench help.  Proof of concept, for me.  I trust Tre and Zaide.   If some combo of the young bigs can progress well enough to combine for 30 productive minutes, I can see a continuation of the last two seasons.

Yes this.

Wait, you're quoting preseason rankings to prove a point? haha

After losing Oso and Tyler, I still expect the team to "overachieve" as usual per Shaka.  But I can understand some skepticism.  The remaining guys still have a lot to prove without those two.

Yeah, fair enough.  I still think there is no way they miss the tournament, and are likely vying for a 5 or higher seed.

[Goose]

I think that having an experienced, older team will once again play big for MU. My expectations are firm NCAA bid locked up by mid BE season and see what happens. In addition, I am expecting the new guys to play bigger roles than the past couple of seasons.

[Hards Alumni]

I think that having an experienced, older team will once again play big for MU. My expectations are firm NCAA bid locked up by mid BE season and see what happens. In addition, I am expecting the new guys to play bigger roles than the past couple of seasons.

Same, I think Tre is our leap forward guy next year.  Alternatively, we may get a surprise out of one of the young big guys... Caedin Hamilton.

[Uncle Rico]

I have them as a .500 team at the moment.

[Goose]

Hards

I think the two incoming guys, especially Owens will very nice roles this year. The last two years there has not been much available playing, especially in TK and Oso spots. I can see Jop, Ben getting 25+ minutes and Owens being 15 minute guy this year. We are going to start to see what a long team looks like under Shaka vs. a guard run team.

[JTJ3]

https://x.com/BBall_Movement/status/1795872005780037788?t=osD1JPDRZw-0NLpsR6po_A&s=19

Pickup games so obviously ignore the level of ball being played, but physically Zaide sure looks like a "dude" now as Shaka would say.  He's going to be ready for an increased role this year.  Cant wait to see the growth from him and Tre.

[muwarrior69]

I think that having an experienced, older team will once again play big for MU. My expectations are firm NCAA bid locked up by mid BE season and see what happens. In addition, I am expecting the new guys to play bigger roles than the past couple of seasons.

We have not had that for a very long time.

[The Sultan]

We won't miss the tournament, but I would be very surprised if we finish in the top 3 in the Big East.  Definitely a step back from the last 2 years. 

Too many unanswered questions at this point in time and need a lot to go right and very little to go wrong.  I just don't see anyone matching or surpassing Kolek and Oso in production on this roster, but we are a long way away from the start of the season.

I don't think you have to match or surpass TK's or Oso's production to have a quality team. As Goose says, experience matters. Kam and Stevie are three year starters. Joplin is a two year starter and was sixth man of the year. Chase has logged nice minutes and definitely made contributions in his first two seasons.

[MU90620]

I think the people that cover college basketball have become lazy (not to be critical, just for lack of a better word) in covering the offseason. They look at individual replacement. This guy averaged 15 and he is replaced by this guy averaging 15 in the portal so they will be fine.

Marquette's replacement will be done in the aggregate which is a little more difficult to see.

[The Sultan]

We have not had that for a very long time.

We had it last year. Our starting line-up was two seniors and three juniors.