Marquette Basketball 2022-23

[nate82]

My fear of Marquette came true.  The offense for whatever reason juts has these games for stretches from time to time.

I believe the Smart just chokes is overblown.  I am not sure there is much Smart could have done here.  The turnovers were the problem not Smart choking.  I think this team was a bit overrated and were really a typical 5-8 seed team in past tourney’s.  This is not a knock against the team but a knock against the entirety of the NCAA this year.  There really wasn’t any true 1’s or 2’s in this tourney.

The program is going in the right direction now.  

[HarryDoyle]

A lot of chirping from from people watching their team play in the Not Invited Tournament. Par for the course for them.

[PeaveyFury]

4 hours ago, HarryDoyle said:

A lot of chirping from from people watching their team play in the Not Invited Tournament. Par for the course for them.

It is pretty unfair to rob Marquette fans of the ability to celebrate their first NCAA tourney win in 10 years....

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

7 hours ago, nate82 said:

My fear of Marquette came true.  The offense for whatever reason juts has these games for stretches from time to time.

I believe the Smart just chokes is overblown.  I am not sure there is much Smart could have done here.  The turnovers were the problem not Smart choking.  I think this team was a bit overrated and were really a typical 5-8 seed team in past tourney’s.  This is not a knock against the team but a knock against the entirety of the NCAA this year.  There really wasn’t any true 1’s or 2’s in this tourney.

The program is going in the right direction now.  

Agree completely.

Look, I wasn't exactly a neutral watching that game (I follow Wisconsin much more closely but always hope Marquette does well), but just as someone who doesn't watch every possession of Marquette basketball, I thought Kolek made a lot of bad decisions. Jones was the best player for Marquette and didn't get enough touches in that middle portion of the second half (though he also hoisted some bad shots at the end, mostly in desperation mode). Some of that's on the coaching staff, maybe, just from a scouting, in-game adjustment perspective, but overall Marquette just seemed a little overwhelmed by how hard MSU defended in the halfcourt. That's happened to plenty of UW teams over the years.

Big picture: I'm both happy for and envious of Marquette's position right now. Basketball-first league, essentially immune to any type of realignment that doesn't directly benefit men's hoops (say, adding a team like Dayton or Gonzaga (a long-shot, yeah, but always a rumor in an area of unbalanced schedules)), a roster without a single senior, pretty much destined to be a preseason top 10 team (I could see them being #1 honestly), and with a young coach who really fits in. You can't make good things happening. The NCAA Tournament is a random results generator for the most part (look at Bill Self, who's had the best team maybe nine times and won the thing twice), but Marquette is as well-positioned as anyone.

I'll be following Marquette more closely next year, that's for sure, and, trust me, as a Badger fan who's generally happy with where the Badgers are given the larger MCBB landscape? I'd trade places with Marquette in a heartbeat.

 

[Fear The Chorizo]

Too many conclusions are reached in 1 and done tournament scenarios, particularly with so much parity across college basketball.  Last year's national title winner gets bounced by a team that can't score but turned the game into a helter skelter 2nd half.  Purdue gets dominated by a 16 seed.  Zona, a quasi 1 seed gets bounced by Princeton who then rolls another mid seeded team.

Props to Marquette for the quick turnaround, winning their league and their own conference tourney.  They looked primed for a deep run in this year's tournament, but when your best player is dealing with any sort of injury it's going to impact the team.  Also, when your point guard is your best offensive player and he has a bad game, you're going to struggle beating anybody.  Kolek was overmatched yesterday.

Something about MSU being seeded in that 5-7 seed range that makes them an incredibly tough out in the NCAA tournament - so much depends on how the zebras manage a game Sparty plays, and they didn't get too whistle happy, allowing for physical defense that basically shut down Marquette's best offensive player.  Marquette wasn't aggressive enough with the ball, leading to too many TOs and not enough free throw attempts.

[Samurai Bucky]

Smart has done a good job at Marquette.  From what I have seen, he puts a good product on the court and does it the right way.  Kolek had a rough game.  Izzo does that to even the best players.  He is a sophomore and will only get better.

[RobDeer 45]

Badger fan here but never wish anything bad for Marquette.  I always cheer them on, I just don't watch them like I watch UW.  I hate the talk about choking, that's not fair at all.  Turnovers killed them for stretches of the game and that's why they lost.  They battled and should be proud of their effort and season.  I hope they take another step forward next year!

[owbc]

Agree, there's no shame in losing to that experienced MSU team. Penn State or Northwestern would have been much more favorable draws for sure. 

I wish patrickgpe a full and speedy recovery! 

[brewcrewdue80]

Think it's tough to rate the team making the NCAA for the 1st time in a decade facing a coach who won it all and has players that are playing their 3rd or 5th game experience at the tourney. Add that Kolek had immediate foul trouble again besides his thumb(the Big East PoY) struggles out the gate. I find they showed great heart overcoming a 13pt deficit early, coming out of halftime and taking a lead. They just didn't carry that through as an inexperienced team will do as one with experience. 

It's a fantastic year that reminds how good Smart is as a coach. One would believe recruiting will improve as a result of this season so long as Smart remains. One key addition that strengthens them as final 4 contenders for a few years or more.  

Personally I fear I'm bad MOJO as I follow a game intently it seems they go down for awhile, I go away and they return to winning.  Down 13 yesterday? Yep I was following. The run after halftime? I wasn't til I seen they were ahead by 3? was it? Immediately they are down 4 and I give up. Same way in Big East Championship.  Sorry MU fans.

[HarryDoyle]

3 hours ago, RobDeer 45 said:

Badger fan here but never wish anything bad for Marquette.  I always cheer them on, I just don't watch them like I watch UW.  I hate the talk about choking, that's not fair at all.  Turnovers killed them for stretches of the game and that's why they lost.  They battled and should be proud of their effort and season.  I hope they take another step forward next year!

Thank you. It was pretty asinine to blame this loss on Smart being a perennial choker. What exactly did he do to lose the game? It wasn't him turning the ball over 16 times and missing bunny layups. It was pretty much a green team that was dare I say not ready for the bright lights, and certainly not against a seasoned team like MSU coached by a Hall of Famer. I admit I got caught up in the fever and didn't take that into account. But I don't need to hear it from privileged Badger fans, and especially not on this thread. I don't go to the Badger thread and talk trash there, and believe me I've had a ton of opportunity to, mainly because we are all fans of the Brewers and Packers. But the fact they come here to do it just shows their privilege shining through. Wisconsin: the Duke of the Midwest.

[LouisEly]

24 minutes ago, HarryDoyle said:

I don't go to the Badger thread and talk trash there

No, you talk trash here in this thread:

On 2/17/2023 at 4:57 AM, HarryDoyle said:

Smart can coach circles around the Dukie Woj and Gard as well.

No one had taken any type of a shot at Marquette before that comment.

On 3/8/2023 at 7:50 PM, HarryDoyle said:

LOL at the Badgers getting their clock cleaned by tOSU. Maybe now the fans will quit lying to themselves about getting into the dance like they have the past three weeks. If they're lucky, and I mean really lucky, they'll get a play in game.

Who's the one talking trash?

I root for Marquette.  They're my #1-B.  But you started it by talking trash on the Badgers before anyone said anything about Marquette.  When you talk trash, you have to eat some.

 

[MrTPlush]

18 hours ago, HarryDoyle said:

A lot of chirping from from people watching their team play in the Not Invited Tournament. Par for the course for them.

My team won the national championship last year and I have watched more Shaka Smart over the the years as any Marquette fan has.

Shaka Smart has ZERO Sweet 16 appearances since his Final Four appearance…the only time he has seen the second weekend. He has lost in the first round 6 times. This is his first time making the round of 32 in a decade. Not exactly impressive for a guy that has typically been a fairly decent seed.

I was actually surprised this was his first ever conference championship. All those years at VCU never resulted in a regular season champion team. I must be missing who was dominating that conference back then.

[MVP2110]

I think a lot of us are fans of Wisconsin & Marquette. I think it's fair to say Smart & Gard are fairly similar coaches who have had a lot of regular season success and have come up short in the tourney recently. I don't think either should be fired and I think Marquette fans should be darn proud of the season they had, but it ultimately ended up in disappointment and I do think it's fair to criticize Shaka. His teams consistently under perform in the tourney and that reputation will stick with him until he disproves it. 

Coming into this tourney Smart was 377th out of 405 coaches since 2000 in performance in regards to seeding, he hasn't been good, but he had a great year this year, expectations will now be raised going forward. 

https://barttorvik.com/cgi-bin/ncaat.cgi?type=coach

 

[patrickgpe]

16 hours ago, owbc said:

Agree, there's no shame in losing to that experienced MSU team. Penn State or Northwestern would have been much more favorable draws for sure. 

I wish patrickgpe a full and speedy recovery! 

dude, its just sports, i was over the loss right after it happened. thanks for your concern though.  Also all of the badger fans that came here to dance on marquette's grave is pretty petty. 

[Samurai Bucky]

12 hours ago, MVP2110 said:

Coming into this tourney Smart was 377th out of 405 coaches since 2000 in performance in regards to seeding, he hasn't been good, but he had a great year this year, expectations will now be raised going forward. 

https://barttorvik.com/cgi-bin/ncaat.cgi?type=coach

 

I had not seen that site before.  It was interesting to note Dick Bennett is at #25, Bo Ryan at #33, Greg Gard at #100, and Brad Soderberg at #347.   

Tony Bennett is at 403... third from last.  Tony's rating does not surprise me.

[MrTPlush]

41 minutes ago, Samurai Bucky said:

Tony Bennett is at 403... third from last.  Tony's rating does not surprise me.

Losing to a #16 seed is not going to help your rating. 

[stoutdude04]

On 3/20/2023 at 4:02 AM, HarryDoyle said:

A lot of chirping from from people watching their team play in the Not Invited Tournament. Par for the course for them.

Is this actually happening?

[Oxy]

6 hours ago, MrTPlush said:

Losing to a #16 seed is not going to help your rating. 

Also, if you're a 1 ,2, or 3 seed every year it's a lot easier to underperform than over perform...

[patrickgpe]

Shaka named USBWA coach of the year.

https://gomarquette.com/news/2023/3/22/mens-basketball-shaka-smart-named-usbwa-coach-of-the-year

Clearly his history in March isn't the best, but considering where this program was under Wojo, I don't think there can be many MU fans not happy that he isn't Marquette's coach. 

 

[stoutdude04]

Not mens related, but top Freshman from the Badgers womens team, Maty Wilke is in the portal - rumors are Marquette is a potential landing spot.

[patrickgpe]

Itejere, Ellis, and Wrightsill have all entered the transfer portal which fixes the issue of being 1 scholarship over the max and gives MU one extra one if a big guy is in the transfer portal that appeals to them. 

[HarryDoyle]

In a surprise to no one, Smart named AP Coach of the Year.

[MrTPlush]

Should have gone to the Kansas State coach. Both had great years though

Smart certainly benefits that the award is voted on prior to the tourney (which I don’t have a problem with).

[Oxy]

Matt Painter has a claim as well...I mean Purdue wasn't very good and everybody knew it yet they were a 1 seed, and it was hard to deny their resume.  That's basically the definition of great coaching (if this truly was a pre-tourney vote/award, of course)

[patrickgpe]

ESPN released their "way too early" rankings for 23-24 and Marquette slots in at #2. 

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/36058691/uconn-huskies-no-1-2023-24-way-too-early-top-25-men-college-basketball-rankings