MU vs Xavier game thread....

[IWB]

Starting lineups....

Marquette (wearing the baby blues)
Luke Fischer
Juan Anderson
Jujuan Johnson
Duane Wilson
Derrick Wilson

Xavier
Matt Stainbrook
Trevon Bluiett
Remy Abell
Dee Davis
Myles Davis

Referees
Brian O'Connell, Mike Stuart, Tom Eades

[IWB]

Apparently Val Ackerman is in the house tonight.

watching pre-game warmups, is anyone having as much fun this year as Wally Ellenson? The guy isn't always 'just' smiling, he always looks like he is having the absolute greatest time ever.

[kneelb4zerg]

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

[IWB]

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

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?

[IWB]

Early on in the world of stats....

Points in the paint: MU 14-2. (All of MU's points are in paint)
MU up on the glass 7-4.
6 of MU's 7 shots have been assisted.
MU has already forced 3 turnovers, a great start!

[Mucrisco]

Great start. Couldn't make it to the game because I'm sick in bed. So, while watching on TV, I can see you every other possession IWB. Do people still want to ship out JJJ? He's playing great.

[IWB]

Misix stat of the game - pulled it down too early, but was something like, "In 6 of 9 of Xavier's losses, the Muskateers have shot 38% from three. MU holds teams to 34.3% at home this season."

Not accurate, but along those lines.

[IWB]

11:06 stat mark - MU up 16-10

Points in paint: MU up 16-4
Rebounds: MU 7-5
Turnovers: Xavier 5, MU 3 (2 are team turnovers)

Mu currently shooting 57.1% from field, Xavier at 40%

[MKE_GoldenEagleFan]

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?

Is this a big game? I think with the way the season is going the students may be losing interest. Sure we won this weekend, but knowing there is no NCAA at the end of the year will turn the fair weather fans off.

[IWB]

Yes - Xavier should be a big game regardless of record. Go to the games. As a student, its just what you do. It is a social night out. Get a hipper and head to the game!

[IWB]

at the 7:39 mark, the stat factors are starting to change and is reflected in the score....

MU up 16-14

Points in paint: MU up 16-4
Rebounds: MU 10-9
Turnovers: Xavier 5, MU 4 (2 are team turnovers)

Mu currently shooting 47.1% from field, Xavier at 33.3%, but 50% from 3pt

[MayorBeluga]

Watching from afar, student section is beyond embarrassing.

We just cannot afford these extended offensive droughts.

[IWB]

There is a player on Xavier's bench that, when Xavier is on defense, constantly barks. Yes, barks. Freaking crazy. Non stop. Two teammates noticed me laughing, they started laughing, the guy stops, looks at me, laughs, and continues barking.

[MayorBeluga]

How the hell does a senior PG just pick up his dribble that often?

[Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"]

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

[pbiflyer]

And now a 21-6 run by X. Dang we are offensively challenged.

[IWB]

Upper bowl? Up until 10 mins into the game the entire lower bowl on the side behind the band was completely empty.

[Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"]

Nice final shot for Juan.

[Mucrisco]

Upper bowl? Up until 10 mins into the game the entire lower bowl on the side behind the band was completely empty.

That's a return to the Mike Deane years.

[MayorBeluga]

Been contending for years that the announcer is misreading card: it's the best student section in the COUNTY

[Markedman]

We really need a point guard.....I know we have other problems but never again can we get stuck with a role player playing the whole game because we have nobody else who is better.

Sandy has hit a rough patch.......2 3s that go in and out along with a couple of bad turnovers.

[mufan2003]

Reported 15,000+ tonight, does not look like it. NBA size arenas are great when team is good to very good, will look bad at times when the team is bad, as we see this year for weeknight games.

[MayorBeluga]

Sandy just going through freshman slump. He just needed to keep playing hard and taking open shots

[79warrior]

Watching from afar, student section is beyond embarrassing.

We just cannot afford these extended offensive droughts.

Pathetic student attendance tonight. Looks like they have thrown in the towel on the team.

[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."

[IWB]

A look at the same stats from the first half.....

The stat factors are starting to change and is reflected in the score....

Xavier up 28-25

Points in paint: MU up 18-12
Rebounds: XU 16-14
Turnovers: Xavier 7, MU 7 (2 are team turnovers)

MU shooting 40.7% from field, Xavier at 42.3%, but 50% from 3pt

[Markedman]

Thbis looks like it is going to get ugly.....

[TedBaxter]

Just turned the game on and another bad call resulting in a technical.

[2012Warrior]

Man, that's a quick trigger on Wojo. Mack has been super demonstrative too.

[IWB]

Wojo gets his first T, Juan restrains him. He had been asking for one all year, finally gets one from Eades? Was it Eades that called that?

[Mucrisco]

We really need a point guard.....I know we have other problems but never again can we get stuck with a role player playing the whole game because we have nobody else who is better.

Sandy has hit a rough patch.......2 3s that go in and out along with a couple of bad turnovers.

I would pair up Duane with a dead eye shooter. Are there any 6'8 snipers out there? I'd love a lineup of Duane, JJJ, 6'8 shooter, Ellenson, and Fischer. That's a lot of length.

[TedBaxter]

Stainbrook looks around like he didn't foul?

[Mucrisco]

I think we have another run in us.

[MayorBeluga]

Watching the replay, there is no way the ref was in position to see a foul of Fisher. To compound it with the t is, unfortunately, just another day in the Big East

[TheSultan]

Val Ackerman is a handsome woman.

[WindyCityGoldenEagle]

Val Ackerman is a handsome woman.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ws5pimN4mw

[DCwarrior]

The returning players need to live in the weight room during the offseason...getting killed underneath.

[TedBaxter]

I asked someone earlier today if Wojo could afford to try to sign Anim and not sign a JUCO player(s) by going with the current group of guards. I think I have my answer. Need Anim, a point guard and another player who can give you some offense and toughness.

[WindyCityGoldenEagle]

If people ever doubted we played 4 vs 5 on the offensive end bc of derrick, going against this 1-3-1 defense really magnifies it.

[TheSultan]

There are no options.

[RJax55]

There are no options.

Yep. Life without Carlino is bad.

[IWB]

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

[MayorBeluga]

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

[DCwarrior]

Wow our ball handling is terrible.

[IWB]

Very true

[2012Warrior]

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.

[Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"]

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

[IWB]

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.

[IWB]

Final Xavier 64, MU 44.

[Mucrisco]

We need a shooter.

[RJax55]

We need a shooter.

We need a lot more than that

[DCwarrior]

We need a shooter.

And a ball handler, a rebounder,...

[TedBaxter]

We need a shooter.

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.

[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.

[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.

[RJax55]

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.

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.

[Nukem2]

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

[Mucrisco]

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.

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.

[RJax55]

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.

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.

[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.

[Mucrisco]

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.

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.

[Nukem2]

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.
Yes, your last point was rather noticeable.

[Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"]

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.

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.

[WindyCityGoldenEagle]

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

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.

[TheSultan]

A shooter, a badass rebounder, a point guard.

[TheSultan]

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


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

[Goose85]

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

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

[TedBaxter]

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

Thank you.

[Nukem2]

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.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.

[MU/Panther]

From that last angle on TV the entire upper bowl looked empty.Not as empty as the Bucks game on Monday night.

[MU/Panther]

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?

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.

[Nukem2]

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.
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.....

[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.

[MUBasketball]

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.

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

[warriorfan4life]

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

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

[MU/Panther]

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..... 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.