MU vs Villanova game thread

[IWB]

Starting lineups...

Marquette
Wilson
Fischer
Johnson
Cheatham
Ellenson

Villanova
Brunson
Jenkins
Hart
Arcidianacono
Ochefu

Refs...
Michael Stephens
Earl Walton
Evon Burroughs

[IWB]

Got to hand it to MU, the Marquette Lights App deal was beyond cool. Amazing!

[IWB]

The BC is packed, crowd is amped - thank you students for bringing it today!

[MU/Panther]

Thanks for listing the refs. I thought one was Lamer Simpson.

[IWB]

I know its early for stats, but with MU down 7-4, 4 of Nova's points are off of turnovers, 3 of their points are 2nd chance points.

[IWB]

Why was Villanova allowed to sub guys in and out after a made basket? Jajuan Johnson dunks, Nova was allowed to sub.

[ge1974]

After 8 minutes Henry and Luke have taken a total of 2 shots. Wojo as coach has to figure out a way to get them more.

[IWB]

Nova now up to 8 pts off of turnovers - MU with 5 turnovers, 3 unforced - PROTECT THE BALL!

[IWB]

After 8 minutes Henry and Luke have taken a total of 2 shots. Wojo as coach has to figure out a way to get them more.

At one point Nova switched off of a screen, and Luke was posting up Archie in the paint - feed him the ball!! No, instead Cheatham drove and shot was blocked.

[IWB]

Henry Ellenson now MU's all time freshman scoring leader.

[IWB]

Anybody else happy that Jajuan Johnson stuck around? 9 points already, 4-4 from field, 1-1 from 3pt

[IWB]

As good as Cheatham is, his decision making has got to get better!

[ge1974]

Agree on CheAtham. He is a bad passer.

[IWB]

And often takes it to the hole instead of dumping it off to the open man on opposite block, resulting in a miss/blocked shot.

[DCwarrior]

MU playing well at the half (so is Nova). Turnovers are still frustrating but at least they're forcing Nova into committing a lot as well.

Traci really needs to work on his outside shot this offseason. Cohen needs to work and improve on everything...he's honestly useless out there at this point.

[ge1974]

Only 4 total fg attempts officially for Henry and Luke in the first half. Can't win with that few shots

[IWB]

At the half saw Howard, Herro & one other recruit, 6'8 kid, not sure who he is. Did not see Hausers.

[IWB]

What does Luke have to do to pick up a charge?

[IWB]

MU hanging in there with rebounds, only down two at this point.

Odd stat? 5 minutes into the second half:

Offensive rebounds

Villanova 1
Marquette 1

[ge1974]

Wojo should have called a timeout. We are out of synch on offense.

[DCwarrior]

Turnovers just kill this team

[DCwarrior]

What does Luke have to do to pick up a charge?

Be quicker. That was a block

[IWB]

Thanks - Here at the BC we don't get replays.

[MKE_GoldenEagleFan]

This game has stayed close till now, but it always had that feel that Nova was in control.

[kneelb4zerg]

Nova is torching us on D. And our defense has been good this year.

[MayorBeluga]

Nova is torching us on D. And our defense has been good this year.

Yup. Shocked at the inability to defend the pick & roll, but I think it's more Nova's execution than MU's failings.

[IWB]

So many people rip MU for taking Wally "only so they could get Henry".

Wally just put up 13 & 3 rebs againts the #1 team in the country. Wally is worth the schollie on his own.

[DCwarrior]

Hard to fault MU too much today. They played hard and with the exception of a few too many unforced TO's and ole defense they played well. They simply got beat by a better and more experienced team. They're ranked #1 for a reason.

[TedBaxter]

MU forced turnovers, but Villanova shot it well.

[mufan2003]

So many people rip MU for taking Wally "only so they could get Henry".

Wally just put up 13 & 3 rebs againts the #1 team in the country. Wally is worth the schollie on his own.

He deserves the playing time over Cohen right now, good for Wally.

[AbovetheRim]

So many people rip MU for taking Wally "only so they could get Henry".

Wally just put up 13 & 3 rebs againts the #1 team in the country. Wally is worth the schollie on his own.

Love you Jim and agree with you 99% of the time, but this has the feel of a Dodds like cherry pick. Why are we ashamed of doing what it took (within the letter of the law) to get Henry? Since when do Badger fan's opinions matter? Let them continue to be miserable. It's the Madison way.

[mufan2003]

Villanova's 3/4 court trap and pressure D did not allow MU to take advantage of our size mismatch with Fischer and Henry. 6'6" Jenkins on 6'11" Henry and MU could not really take advantage of it.

[WindyCityGoldenEagle]

Love you Jim and agree with you 99% of the time, but this has the feel of a Dodds like cherry pick. Why are we ashamed of doing what it took (within the letter of the law) to get Henry? Since when do Badger fan's opinions matter? Let them continue to be miserable. It's the Madison way.

Sorry Jim but I agree with ATR on this one.

[ge1974]

Hard to fault MU too much today. They played hard and with the exception of a few too many unforced TO's and ole defense they played well. They simply got beat by a better and more experienced team. They're ranked #1 for a reason.

I am going to disagree a bit. I don't think they played hard the entire 40 minutes. Even Wojo alluded to their lack of effort during one of the huddles. There was a stretch in the second half when Wojo should have called a timeout and didn't. Then, they went up double figures.

Nine official FG attempts combined for Henry and Luke. That's not going to get it done. Now, obviously Villanova's D had a lot to do with that. However, the turnovers were disappointing and the offensive game plan to get our big guys touches was a failure.

Positives:

Wally played great! More minutes for him, please. Henry did the best he could without getting any help from the refs again. JJJ had his moments both ways (19 points 4 turnovers) . Carter did play hard (10 assist, 5 turnovers). Cheatham had his moments but needs to play more under control and pass better.

Negatives: Luke, Duane and Sandy were all bad. Luke especially. Six points and 2 rebounds is very subpar. I also saw some MU matador defense and lack of hustle when we played man to man D.

A few more thoughts:
1) The crowd was excellent but we really didn't hear the fans much on TV until that late first half run. Could have been due to Fox's crowd mike.
2) I didn't think Gus Johnson and Jim Jackson were that good today as announcers. They mentioned very few stats during the game (like fouls, had Reynolds number of fouls wrong, mentioning player points, fg percentage, etc.) and didn't question the officials enough when they made questionable calls.
3) I continue to hate Big East refs. It continues to be my biggest disappointment with this league. Although the refs weren't as bad as during our victory over Creighton this week you'd think they could hire better officials. Really. I wish Wojo would work them harder and more often.


This team needs to let it all hang out against Georgetown next week. I'd hate to lose yet another conference home game.

[Gato78]

G E: This game was awfully officiated. Worst this year IMO. Stephens warned a guy behind the scorer's table and stared him down for a couple of possessions which was emblematic. Really, worst officiating this season and it was both ways. Unfortunately, because we needed to get breaks being behind and trying to come back, it affected us more than Villanova. Al wouldn't have made it through the first half.

[TheSultan]

Gato I honestly don't know what you expect for reffing. I thought it was evenly called and pretty much to the letter of the rules. I know the reffing in the BE has been poor, but I don't think this game was an example of it.

[Nukem2]

I am going to disagree a bit. I don't think they played hard the entire 40 minutes. Even Wojo alluded to their lack of effort during one of the huddles. There was a stretch in the sceon half when Wojo should have called a timeout and din't. The they went up double figures.

Nine official FG attempts combined for Henry and Luke. That's not going to get it done. Now, obviously Villanova's D had a lot to do with that. However, the turnovers were disappointing and the offensive game plan to get our big guys touches was a failure.

Positives:

Wally played great! More minutes for him, please. Henry did the best he could without getting any help from the refs again. JJJ had his moments both ways (19 points 4 turnovers) . Carter did play hard (10 assist, 5 turnovers). Cheatham had his moments but needs to play more under control and pass better.

Negatives: Luke, Duane and Sandy all stunk. Luke especially. Six points and 2 rebounds is very subpar. I also saw some MU matador defense and lack of hustle when we played man to man D.

A few more thoughts:
1) The crowd was excellent but we really didn't hear the fans much on TV until that late first half run. Could have been due to Fox's crowd mike.
2) I didn't think Gus Johnson and Jim Jackson were that good today as announcers. They mentioned very few stats during the game (like fouls, had Reynolds number of fouls wrong, mentioning player points, fg percentage, etc.) and didn't question the officials enough when they made questionable calls.
3) I continue to hate Big East refs. It continues to be my biggest disappointment with this league. Although the refs weren't as bad as during our victory over Creighton this week you'd think they could hire better officials. Really. I wish Wojo would work them harder and more often.


This team needs to let it all hang out against Georgetown next week. I'd hate to lose yet another conference home game.MU plays way too high on defense. Brings on steals but ends up allowing guys to go by too easily or for easy passes to the corners. Also, Nova's guys are physically much stronger than MU. MU kept getting backed down on defense. Ochefu was a real man out there on both ends. Nova is really going to miss him next year.

[Nukem2]

Gato I honestly don't know what you expect for reffing. I thought it was evenly called and pretty much to the letter of the rules. I know the reffing in the BE has been poor, but I don't think this game was an example of it.
The reffing was consistent even if poor. Once again, these refs are letting too much physical play in the post. Going to hurt BE teams in the NCAAs. The one inconsistency was relative to traveling Nova players take a long step before the first dribble. Got called twice, but MU got called every time.

[TheSultan]

Maybe I don't watch enough non-Marquette games to know how it should be called. I thought they were consistent. Missed calls here and there, but that happens.

[Gato78]

The reffing was consistent even if poor.

Consistently poor. Exactly! I believe this is the worst year for college officiating I've seen. At times it benefits us, at other times, not so much. Today it was awful. So many missed calls that at other times would be called. The group today often anticipated calls. Mike Stephens was doing well this year in my estimation. Seemed to tone down "the Show". Today, he was back to being "The Show". Wojo griped twice that the refs had "swallowed your whistle". Once he complained that they were not making calls on our end that they were making on the other. He was clearly frustrated during the game. He apparently was starting in on them at the post game presser and then caught himself.

[ge1974]

Archidanacio should have had a flagrant one on the elbow to Cheatam, IMO. Although it wasn't intentional, he elbowed him good above the neck....and they gave Henry a flagrant two against Creighton. Geez.

[TedBaxter]

Archidanacio should have had a flagrant one on the elbow to Cheatam, IMO. Although it wasn't intentional, he elbowed him good above the neck....and they gave Henry a flagrant two against Creighton. Geez.

Didn't see it that way. He was going up for the shot.

[WindyCityGoldenEagle]

Archidanacio should have had a flagrant one on the elbow to Cheatam, IMO. Although it wasn't intentional, he elbowed him good above the neck....and they gave Henry a flagrant two against Creighton. Geez.

What happened to Henry the other day was bs. But I strongly disagree with you re Archie - it was a basketball move - he was going up for the shot.

[ge1974]

I thought he hit him before he went up. My bad, then.

[IWB]

Responding to Wally comments... First off, I don't mind at all that you guys disagree, but don't assume I was talking about Badger fans. I was more referring to MU fans who have been making the comments. Yes, getting Wally on board certainly helped with Henry. But let's not forget that Wally landed a D1 schollie to Minnesota out of high school. He is a D1 player. It bothers me that people make it sound like Woo took a used ball bag in hopes at landing Henry. Was it a factor? Of course it was, but let's not sell Wally short - he is a D1 basketball player and he proved that against Nova.