What, me worry?

[MarquetteDano]

He played 62 minutes against Marquette last year in his 7 for 25 9 TO efforts

Well we can both agree it would be awesome if he has another clunker in DC against us.

[GB Warrior]

Definitely one we could've given away the way it was going. Great second half effort. Georgetown is tough. Even when we got momentum they would not go away.

Kudos to GT. When we went up 51-48 I thought we were going to steamroll them from there on out. They hung tough and then some. Good for the big east for them to be relevant again.

[wisblue]

I get that teams have bad games and that good teams find a way to win even when not playing well.

But, I think there is some cause for concern that MU has been winning ugly in almost every conference game (except PC) and the depth hasn't developed the way it must to get through the long season.

There's no question that this team is tough and always fights hard, but I'm not convinced that that would be enough against the very best teams in the country. When I see games like Florida-Kentucky I wonder if MU would be able to keep up teams like that. I question whether those teams would be forced to grind out wins at home against the likes of Butler, Creighton, and Georgetown.

[wadesworld]

I get that teams have bad games and that good teams find a way to win even when not playing well.

But, I think there is some cause for concern that MU has been winning ugly in almost every conference game (except PC) and the depth hasn't developed the way it must to get through the long season.

There's no question that this team is tough and always fights hard, but I'm not convinced that that would be enough against the very best teams in the country. When I see games like Florida-Kentucky I wonder if MU would be able to keep up teams like that. I question whether those teams would be forced to grind out wins at home against the likes of Butler, Creighton, and Georgetown.

The Kentucky team that just lost to the Georgia team Marquette beat?

[MU82]

I understand your concerns, and I don't think Marquette is a super-team by any measure. But I'm very comfortable where we stand on Jan. 7.

[Big Papi]

Some very ugly moments in this game but I feel better about this team than most in here after this win.

1.  We are a top 10 team. We are going to get everyone's best shot.

2.  Kam was bottled up most of the game but Chase came up huge tonight. I want to see him be this aggressive offensively a lot more.

3.  Tre has improved. I liked the way he played. I watched him shooting in warmups and he should be a better shooter.  Him and Zaide are getting close to being consistent contributors.

4. I don't know if any team has 2 better defensive disruptors at the guard positions than us with Chase and Stevie

5. Lastly, for as bad as Ben and Jop can look on the offensive end they do bring it defensively

We will lose a few games this year but we are a top 10 team and a title contender.

[CAGASS24]

Kam and Stewie - having dreams they make big big names for themselves this spring !

[Shooter McGavin]

I understand your concerns, and I don't think Marquette is a super-team by any measure. But I'm very comfortable where we stand on Jan. 7.

This! 

82 you are on a roll!

[GB Warrior]

Kam isn't going to stay bottled up forever. Being able to win while the others figure it out is very very positive

[MuggsyB]

Portugal, The Man version.  Not Mad Magazine version.
1.  Bad halves happen.
2.  Good halves happen.  Making shots and getting stops helps.
3.  Chase was a man tonight.  One more thread that can be 'accidentally' deleted.
4.  The team is tough minded and resilient.   So is the coach.
5.  Turnovers, not usually a problem, were tonight.  Out of character.
6.  Tre had a game.  Not quote SOTG worthy.  Too bad.  That would have been an epic prediction to get right. Only productive sub in the second half.
7. Jean Felix night for the whole Georgetown team.  Crazy.
8. I don't gamble.  Games like this reinforce that decision.
9. I trust there were no hot takes in the game chat.  I will read it tomorrow.
10.  W.  Get Thievie healthy and develop the rest of the bench behind Tre.
11.  Did they find anything on Oak Island?

Ty for the synopsis Tower.

[CAGASS24]

Home record under Shaka is special - down 1 with 243 left and opponents ball and you win by 8 - MU RAH

[CAGASS24]

The beauty of showing the youngsters the effort it takes to shut the door and then actually closing it ! 

[DoctorV]

I saw this one from the eyes of a 4 year old.

Another fun game to be at inside FiServ, this time with my wife and 4 yo son.
The young lad didn't deserve the carnage he saw in the first half...

However, he learned a hard lesson in sticktuitiveness and resilience. I had to answer a lot of "why babas (dad in Greek)" but I think he got his answer in the end.
On the way out he said "they've been pretty quiet since the Eagle started doing good" as he pointed to the obnoxious Georgetown fans behind us, they kept screaming "let's goooo" for every basket made in the 1H, and it was worth its weight in gold.

Anyhow, my main takeaway from tonight is that, in the end it was substantially closer than we hoped. Brutal 1H, we all kinda knew a comeback was coming and it only took 4/5mins to get it back squared away in the 2H, but GTown really had a chance tonight and led super late (under 3?) and things got dicey.
So, resilience was the key and one other thing that has shaped this team all season...
DEFENSE.

It travels, even to its home court walking distance from campus. As I've said all year, it's much easier to win when you hold teams to the 60s and low 70s, and tonight was living proof.

Aside from that- let's get Kameron right, very soon please. Everyone is allowed a slippery stretch but it's more so in when he decides to attack than how he does- he's not doing stupid stuff or forcing or throwing it away, he's just picking his spots, angles, shot attempts a bit more errantly than before.
He needs to find his comfort again, and as 82 pointed out that pass to Stevie late tonight, when everyone in the building including himself likely expected him to shoot, was a good start.

Chase- well done young man. You made us all happy tonight and we are all happy for you.
Keep that cool, calm, collected but killer on D and aggressive on O Mr Ross alive.

Benny- just grab the ball dude, and be hungry and aggressive. Be the guy that was destroying shots at the rim defensively on the offensive end. You don't have to do much, just get nasty in there.

It's an ode to Shaka that Benny and Jop are on the court because of their defense as opposed to their offense...

[MU82]

Love that stuff about your son, DrV. You're already helping him build great MU hoops memories. Over the years, you'll have so many to share. Fantastic!

[Herman Cain]

Was delighted with the hard fought win. Mr.Cooley is an Excellent Coach, so is Shaka . Nice to see us on the positive end of these kinds of Big East battles especially against teams with this kind of length.

Shaka has taught this team how to fight hard every play for 40 minutes. That is what it takes at this level to dominate.

Week of rest and hopefully MU faithful show up in mass at Wintrust.

[willie warrior]

Great win. Games against Cooley won't be easy. He's really establishing a culture there. I think Providence fans are just starting to realize that they got the short end of the stick on that trade.

Guess Cooley didn't get the thesis memo that you cannot build a team and culture through the portal.

[willie warrior]

Chase and Stevie stepped up big when we needed them.

Ben Gold just needs to forget all about tonight. He couldn't even catch the ball or make simple passes. Hope he shakes that one off soon.

This team just figures out ways to win. Very impressive. But we should probably work on breaking down a zone D..

GoooolllldddBrick

[tower912]

12/12 FTs in the final 4 minutes

23-27 for the game.  Really good offense.   Who realized that Joplin was 90% from the line?

[SaveOD238]

Georgetown may be a legitimate tournament team.  I need to see more evidence, but I will pencil them in.

Winning on the road at a top ten team would have helped that cause immensely.  They don't really have any good wins yet, so they probably need to get us, UConn, or SJ a couple times.

[tower912]

Shaka, post game.  Sometimes the game is too big for the young guys.  It was for Kam, too.    Sang Ben's praises for doing everything else on a bad shooting night.

[The Sultan]

Guess Cooley didn't get the thesis memo that you cannot build a team and culture through the portal.

Who's claimed that?

[Uncle Rico]

Who's claimed that?

Willie doesn't think Shaka is very good at his job

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

Who's claimed that?

To be somewhat fair Shaka has claimed that his POV is that transfers in should be avoided unless they can't be.   Shaka has not said that others are doing something wrong or can't be successful. 

I kinda like that we have a POV (pay to retain) and are attempting to build a culture and system.  Will it work? Idk but so far can't argue with it. 

[TallTitan34]

Shaka has claimed that his POV is that transfers in should be avoided unless they can't be.   

I don't believe he has claimed that. 

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

I don't believe he has claimed that. 

I am taking liberty but going off his quote where he was asked to respond to words...to "transfer portal" he said 'avoid it'