Disappointing end to a successful season

A good night sleep helps to put things in perspective and tone down some raw emotions. It was needed as last night was certainly a disappointment but does not overshadow a terrific season. Going into the contest I was nervous about Florida's shooting and whether we had enough firepower beyond the big two. After settling into the first 10 minutes of the contest, I was no longer worried. We were the better team and my confidence was high. Florida was young, athletic, but not the scary team I envisioned. No way were we going to lose this game unless we got into foul trouble or had an awful night shooting the ball. Unless. Unless.

That's the source of the disappointment. As poorly as we shot in addition to the foul trouble of Junior and Jae, we were still in this game...30% shooting and we're still in this game amazingly enough. Florida was doing everything they could to avoid stepping on our throats and letting us hang around. We would not oblige. Air-balled layups, head scratching turnovers, and a general malaise could not get us to Elite 8. I dare say we actually looked a little flat at times. The effort was always there, but the energy was absent at times. Disappointing conclusion considering the opponent and the opportunity. Last year we "peed down our leg" to borrow a Crowder quote. UNC was so much better than us that it was expected. We were happy to be there. This year, a 3 seed and an opponent that we could handle. This was not North Carolina or Kansas. Yet something was off last night...other than our shooting. Wish I could put my finger on it. Effort strong, preparation strong, but at times they seemed in a funk. Just my opinion.

For the season, what can you say. I thought Buzz deserved Big East Coach of the Year at the midpoint of the season and felt he deserved it at the end of the year. Stan Heath did a remarkable job with the Bulls, but Buzz had to deal with two important injuries, off the court issues, finished in 2nd place for a team picked in the middle of the pack, and a much tougher schedule. The play of Crowder and DJO was a joy to watch, especially Crowder. The team was nails tough and brought a strong work ethic that matches their coach. They looked like they had fun doing it as well. A successful season anyway you cut it.

Next year....we'll get into next year down the road. Certainly some question marks as well as plenty of bright spots awaiting. For now, a terrific season ends in disappointment but a terrific season nonetheless. A salute to Buzz Williams, Jae Crowder and Darius Johnson Odom in particular.

MUTV Sports recaps season finale

Brad Galli reports from Newark where the Golden Eagles' season ran its course, at the hands of North Carolina. A 40-15 Tar Heel halftime lead proved insurmountable, but Buzz Williams tells Brad he saw only resolve from his team in the second half.



Separately -- many thanks to Brad Galli, Todd Warner and the entire MUTV Sports team for their outstanding coverage of Marquette hoops this season. Brad is graduating this spring, but Todd will be back for more.

The Curse of Jim Nantz...Marquette bounced from NCAA tournament

It's rare that Jim Nantz calls a Marquette University basketball game. He's the upper crest of sports broadcasters and typically only calls the biggest matchups in sport...the Masters, the Final Four, the NFL and other major sporting events. As far as Marquette fans are concerned, we just assume he contract laryngitis the next time he is asked to do play by play for a Marquette game. For those that may not recall, the last time Jim Nantz was behind the microphone for Marquette was April 5, 2003 in New Orleans. Marquette was in the Final Four and taking on #1 seed Kansas. At the end of the first half in New Orleans, MU trailed by 29 points, 59 to 30. The coach of the Jayhawks? Roy Williams.

Fast forward nearly eight years later and the curse of Jim Nantz struck again. Or maybe it's the curse of Roy Williams and Jim Nantz together in the same venue. Against Roy Williams Tarheels, Marquette took on the #2 seed in this year's House of Horrors for MU, the Prudential Center. This was the scene of the crime where the Golden Eagles were clobbered by Seton Hall several weeks back to close out the Big East regular season.

Much like in 2003, the opening minutes Marquette was competitive. In fact, MU took a 10-8 lead with 12:43 remaining in the first half (in 2003, MU trailed Kansas 14-12 with 13:35 left.) The remainder of the first half could only be described as surreal, much like 2003. North Carolina went on a 32-5 run in the last 11:20 of the half to take a 40-15 lead into the locker room. A stunning display that rivaled the 45-18 run KU went on in 2003 to close out the half.

Curse you Jim Nantz and Roy Williams!!

The second half started out much the same as UNC scored the first six points to put MU down by 31 points as an exasperated Buzz Williams called another timeout to get the boys on track. To MU's credit, the team fought hard to get back into the game and even cut the lead to 14 points with 4:21 left to play. It was as close as MU would get. Senior walk-on, Rob Frozena, hit the final bucket for MU with a 3 pointer in the final ten seconds. A nice touch on a night when nearly everything went wrong for Marquette.

MU finishes the season at 22-15. The 15 losses are the most by a MU squad since Mike Deane's last season in 1998-99 when MU finished at 14-15. Conversely, it was also only the third Sweet 16 NCAA appearance for Marquette since winning the national championship in 1977. An interesting season, with many ups and downs, a solid Big East tournament, a sensational first two games in the NCAAs and a stinker to finish the campaign. There's always next year.


Game recap

Boxscore

Warriors look to go from Sweet to Elite

The Warriors have quite the tough task ahead of them tonight against the North Carolina Tar Heels. While I'm tempted to be optimistic and gushing with the enjoyment of a Sweet Sixteen run, pessimism has been working well for me lately. After all, it's never been more fun to be wrong than I was about Xavier and about Syracuse. However, I candidly struggle with ways that Marquette will be able to defeat North Carolina tonight.

And yet, considering that Marquette is undefeated against UNC in the NCAA tourney, we're busting out the spirit of Al McGuire to help preview the Marquette victory.

It's all about the defense
It is tough to look past the numbers. Before the first round games, I looked into the defensive numbers for teams that win their first game, make the Sweet Sixteen, and advance to the Elite Eight. The results were striking. Over the past five tournaments, only 25% of teams with a defense as bad as Marquette's (#54) even won their first game. Only 15% of those teams made it to the Sweet Sixteen. Since 2007, only one team with a ranking worse than 50 has made it to the Elite Eight. The average defensive ranking of Elite Eight teams is around 16. UNC has the #7 defense this season.

Of course, this year is a different year and a different tournament. More than twice as many "sub-50" defensive teams advanced to the Sweet 16, and the Butler/University of Wisconsin-Wisconsin (ha!) match-up ensured that at least one team would make it this year. Perhaps this is the year where an elite defense won't matter.

Al McGuire says:
"I went into a restaurant one night and ordered lobster, and the waiter brought me one with a claw missing. I called him over and told him about it. He told me that in the back there's a tank they keep the lobsters in and while they're in there, they fight and sometimes one loses a claw. I told him 'then bring me a winner.'"

Translation: screw stats... bring me a winner!

Signs of life from Marquette's defense
Lately there has been some further improvement from Marquette on defense. In four of the last five games, Marquette held their opponents under 0.98 points per possession (ppp). That includes holding the #24 offense (West Virginia) to 0.98 ppp and the #20 offense (Syracuse) to 0.97 ppp. It is possible that the defense is pulling things together just in time. Certainly, against Syracuse at least, the help defense was markedly improved, as the number of charges taken by the team demonstrated. The team appears to be trusting the help defense more.

Of course... last time I said the defense was showing signs of improvement, the team promptly gave up 1.18 ppp to a bad (offensively) Cincy team. Guh. Forget everything I just wrote and pretend I said the defense is still crap (rubs lucky rabbit foot).

Al McGuire says:
"The best thing about freshmen is they become sophomores."

Translation: They learn how to defend.



Will Marquette be able to exploit UNC's weaknesses?
UNC is weak in three areas. Their offensive eFG% is poor, they don't shoot the three pointer well, and they hardly ever force turnovers.

On turnovers, despite being solid all year at protecting the ball, MU was sloppy against both Xavier (24%) and Syracuse (22%). Against a team that never forces turnovers but is great defensively, that's a recipe for disaster.

But it's the effective field goal percentage (eFG%) that is the real concern. Every Marquette fan out there is can imagine the scenario of "(Jean Felix) has come off the bench to hit six three pointers for a new season high". Not to mention that Marquette's weakest area is eFG% defense and three-point defense. It is a weakness vs a weakness matchup, so let's hope that the recent defensive improvements allow MU to be more of a contender than a pretender.

Al McGuire says
"Fifty percent of the doctors in this country graduated in the bottom half of their classes."

Translation: UNC is better, but Marquette is good enough to win too.



What's the key matchup?
It's going to be whomever Jimmy F. Butler is guarding. However, while the conventional wisdom is that he'll guard highly regarded frosh Harrison Barnes, we expect that JFB will eventually end up on point guard Kendall Marshall. Since Marshall replaced malcontent Larry Drew in the lineup, UNC has gone 19-2.

Where UNC suffers offensively is when they either shoot poorly (duh) or cough up turnovers. Marshall's play has been a catalyst for the Tar Heels' late season surge but realize that UNC does not have many effective ballhandlers, so harassing him with JFB and others might be the ticket to an advantageous turnover margin for MU. Marshall has a turnover rate of 30%, but was stellar in the first two rounds. Just like when Butler guarded Kemba Walker, it's entirely possible that Marshall may get premier defensive attention to disrupt the UNC offense.

Al McGuire says
“I think everyone should go to college and get a degree and then spend six months as a bartender and six months as a cabdriver. Then they would really be educated.”

Translation: Folks with a chip on their shoulder or folks who take the unconventional route to success are tougher.

Further translation: Buzz' brand of players have the moxie that the Tar Heels can't match.

UNC is the glamor program. Marquette is not. UNC has a bushel of McDonald's All-Americans. Marquette does not. Few think Marquette can win. Marquette does not believe that.

Moxie rules. Let's get ready for the game. Congratulate the temporary and just live life in the moment. Seashells and balloons.




Additional links of note

• Buzz Williams has a $.3.8 million buyout in his current contract with MU. Rosiak with just about all you need to know about Buzz in the Silly Season. $3.8 million buyout. Huge.
• The Houston Chronicle says that MU's Texas contingent is aiming for a homecoming at the Final Four.
• The Journal-Sentinel looks at the UNC/MU matchup.
• The Star-Ledger has a Q/A with JFB.
• The New York Times on how MU grit could trump star power.
  
• The Chicago Trib says MU's D is the key.
  
• Did MU's late season charge start with a loss at Seton Hall? Perhaps.
  
• New Jersey loves Buzz.
• The Philly paper files an article on the most obvious angle heading into tonight's game. MU and UNC have different recruiting strategies!
• The Washington Post talks about Buzz staying true to his roots.

Know your opponent: Q/A with theTar Heel Fan Blog

Heading into the Sweet 16 we're pleased to welcome The Tar Heel Fan Blog to our blog for a fan's take on one of college basketball's most storied programs. Enjoy ...

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There were a number of times this season where UNC overcame big deficits in the last 5-10 minutes to win. What is different about this team offensively and especially defensively in clutch time that makes them so effective at the comeback win?

I wish somebody knew so they could play the whole game that way. There is a tendency for this team to come out slow. It happened several times earlier in the conference schedule, went away then reared its head again in the ACC Tournament. The easy answer is the players are not focused until the win is at risk then a switch flips and they find enough offense to dig out of whatever hole they find themselves in. The fact UNC plays a faster pace and is very good defensively makes rallying a little easier. The surprising part is UNC is not a good three point shooting team except when it really needs a few threes to make up ground as was the case versus Miami in the ACC Tournament.

UNC has a great defense and an effective, yet comparatively mediocre offense. How do you see the match-up happening against a Marquette team with a good offense and a mediocre defense?

UNC's offense hinges on scoring in transition and working the ball inside first in the halfcourt. It suffers when the team loses focus and starts shooting quick shots. The key for UNC is to be patient especially if the Marquette defense is mediocre. On the flip side UNC is very good defensively but does not turn opposing teams over that much. Providing that remains the case, Marquette will get some looks, it becomes a matter of hitting them.

UNC opponents have shot well (>50% eFG%) in three of the last four games. Why do you think that is, and/or what's the UNC kryptonite defensively?

UNC's troubles in the past few games were less about the defense and more due to the offense turning the ball over too much. I also think UNC's defense is less effective when the other team wants to run with the Heels. In the past, UNC was so good at the faster pace it was suicide to try and match them. This season the offense is less powerful which means running with UNC is not necessarily a bad idea since teams can get to the hoop before the Tyler Zeller and John Henson set up shop. Once in the halfcourt it becomes a tougher proposition of either shooting threes or risking blocked shots on the interior.

UNC's strength lies with its defense, which carries the Tar Heels even when the offense struggles. When the offense struggles it seems that the Tar Heels are prone to the turnover, poor shooting or both. What's the inside scoop there?

It is usually turnovers though poor shooting has been an issues especially from beyond the arc. Much of the poor shooting results from settling for outside shots instead of getting the ball inside to the bigs or working for a better shot than a quick three.

UNC started the season 4-3, then endured the mid-season transfer of starting point guard Larry Drew ..... yet the Tar Heels rolled in the last ten weeks of the campaign. What were the drivers in the unexpected Tar Heels surge?

Kendall Marshall is given a lot of the credit for moving the team up a notch. Harrison Barnes is shooting better since Marshall entered the lineup. The way he runs the offense and passes the basketball adds a different dynamic. Chemistry is underrated as a factor team success. Larry Drew did not mesh with the team and there is a sense his leaving really put everyone on the same page. Plus it put Marshall on the court more which ended up being a good thing.

What type of opponents tend to give the Tar Heels trouble? (...and do you foresee trouble from the Warriors)

Generally it has been three point shooting teams or teams with physical big men. Not many teams have the size to match UNC's interior play so generally teams that can shoot threes are problematic. However if a team has players who can push Zeller and Henson around while controlling the boards it makes life difficult for UNC if the offense is sputtering. Oftentimes even if the shot is not falling, UNC can collect offensive rebounds for putbacks.

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Thanks very much!

Sweet 16 prep: Four Myths About UNC

It should surprise no one that all of Marquette is keenly focused on one thing right now: Friday's game with the North Carolina Tar Heels. Well, maybe two things with all the coaching rumors, but we're going to discuss UNC. As everyone tries to break down the game and figure out how Marquette can win, it seems that our expectations of Marquette playing their game is clouding the truth about what UNC's game actually is.

Here are a few myths that should be dispelled before the UNC game.

Myth 1: Get UNC in a hole and you can beat them

Okay, if it's a big enough hole, and you're good enough, this is somewhat true. But plenty of teams this year have had UNC down and made the mistake of thinking they were out. Virginia was up 50-44 with 6:40 to play at home, but then succumbed to an 18-6 run to end the game. Virginia Tech led by as many as 16, and had a 52-47 lead with 5:01 to play before a 17-9 UNC run closed out their upset bid at Chapel Hill. Miami had two chances, leading by as many as 14 in the first half before being held to just 4 points in the final 4:17 of a 74-71 home loss, and in the ACC Tournament led by 19 with 9:56 to play before a 27-6 UNC run left them heartbroken. Clemson also got a double-dose, being held scoreless for 4:35 in the waning moments as a late lead turned into a home loss in February, then saw a 73-66 lead disappear as they went scoreless in the final 3:56 before falling in overtime in the ACC Tournament a month later. It happened most recently to Washington, who took lead after lead in the second half against the Tar Heels only to be held to 4 points in a 4:06 stretch late as UNC took back the lead and put away the game.

Marquette has had their share of close losses and late collapses. Notre Dame, UConn, and most painfully Louisville all stand out as bad memories. This team needs to put together a full 40 minutes to be UNC, because no team in the nation has been better at finishing the comeback. The teams that bet UNC did so by scoring consistently in the second half, not by coasting on a big lead. If Marquette gets up, they have to keep scoring consistently, avoid the 2+ minute droughts, and put their foot on UNC's throat.

Myth 2: Foul Trouble and Free Throws Will See Us Through

If we can get UNC in foul trouble and win the battle at the free throw line, we should win this game. However, that's a very tall order. UNC is second in the nation in terms of defensive free throw rate. Their starters don't foul much, and getting them in foul trouble will be very difficult. John Henson and Kendall Marshall have never had more than 3 fouls in a game this year. Neither Tyler Zeller nor Harrison Barnes have fouled out even once. The only starter to foul out was Dexter Strickland, and he's only fouled out once, on the road against Duke. In fact, the only other player to foul out all season was Justin Knox against Minnesota in November.

Marquette thrives on getting their opponent in foul trouble, and making more free throws than their opponent takes. But against a team that rarely fouls and doesn't give you chances at the line, it will be far more important that Marquette make their shots from the field, because the odds are those calls won't be there come Friday.

Myth 3: Slow UNC Down to Beat Them

Quite simply, playing at a slower pace does not improve your chances for beating UNC. Instead, it makes it more likely that they will win. In games with 72 or fewer possessions, UNC went a stunning 12-1, including 7-0 in games with 68 or fewer possessions. Marquette, on the other hand, was 15-12 in games with 72 or fewer possessions. Why play a slow-down game when UNC barely ever loses those games and Marquette only wins a little over half the time? On the other hand, in games with 73 or more possessions, UNC is 16-6 while Marquette is 7-2.

The bulk of UNC's losses come in faster-paced games, while Marquette's odds of winning also improve when the game is played at pace. MU needs to be able to match UNC's pace to have a chance of winning.

Myth 4: UNC has a Great Offense and Mediocre Defense

While North Carolina can score a ton of points, they actually have a more efficient defense than they do offense. According to kenpom.com, they have the #7 defense in the country, and they do almost everything well, limiting effective field goal percentage, shooting percentage from both 2 and 3, offensive rebounds, and getting blocks. Defense will be a huge key to this game, and it seems the magic number for efficiency is 99. When UNC holds their opponents below a 99 offensive efficiency, they are 23-1, but only 5-6 when their opponents break 99. Marquette has a similar resume, going 18-1 when holding opponents below 99 but only 4-13 when allowing above 99.

Defense will be a huge factor, and UNC's is one of the best. One interesting additional note here, in UNC's four worst defensive performances, they won all the games. Those four games also featured four of their seven best offensively efficient performances. That should serve as a reminder of how dangerous they are late in the game: UNC trailed in three of those games with under 5:00 to play.

A dose of reality

.....Also if you're interested in downloading your own three-point goggles, click here. \\\OO///

These goggles are kind of a big deal these days.

Warriors are in demand

One of the greatest weeks for any alum (at least one who is a basketball fanatic) happens when your team reaches the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. The Warriors had been away from this limelight for far too long. With MU back in the mix the program as well as the university are garnering more than their share of attention. Let's just hope the Warriors handle the spotlight with a minimum of distractions, as Alan pointed out yesterday.

To die hard fans many of the storylines are tired or at least familiar, but to the casual college basketball fan, this week offers a week of glowing coverage and attention to the program and the institution. We'll have more substantive coverage coming leading up to the game, but in the meantime enjoy a sampling of the high-profile coverage of Marquette hoops.

• Good morning Oliver Purnell! Enjoy this fawning article about our Marquette Warriors from this morning's Chicago Tribune.
• DJO earns the spotlight in his home state of North Carolina.
• Badger Andy Katz looks at the Warriors and their toughness.
• Mike DeCourcy of The Sporting News looks at how MU stacked up just enough wins to off-set the 14 losses.
• The Greensboro paper doesn't think MU is a pushover. Gee, thanks.
• The whining in Syracuse continues.
• The AP talks about MU's heavily weighted JUCO roster.
• Buzz was on PTI yesterday -- get the download here.
• Junior Cadougan gets love from the Canadian press -- and his mother.
• Buzz thinks transition D is the key.
• It is a couple days old, but Gary Parrish of CBS Sports talks up the Warriors.

Finally, CBS Sports also has this video preview of Friday night's game. Jon Rothstein picks the Warriors to pull off the upset.

MUTV Sports continues Sweet 16 coverage

Todd Warner reports from Centercourt as the players react to students, faculty and fans cheering them on as they walk through campus. Marquette is embracing the underdog role once again as they have perennial college basketball powerhouses Kentucky, Ohio State and North Carolina in their region.




Brad Galli found a surprising but welcoming face at the Buzz Williams Radio Show Monday night. Current Minnesota Timberwolves forward Lazar Hayward decided to spend time during a three-day NBA schedule break to visit his former team as they prepare for the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

MUTV Sports covers the Warriors' trip to the Sweet 16

Brad Galli, Todd Warner and the entire MUTV Sports crew worked through the night to recap the Warriors' thrilling win over Syracuse to advance to the Sweet 16. The game recap and team reaction is embedded here, but be sure to watch the impressive series of interviews linked below.




Junior Cadougan Interview
Dwight Buycks Interview
Chirs Otule Interview
Vander Blue Interview
Joe Fulce Interview
DJO Interview
Jimmy F. Butler Interview

MU reaches 14th Sweet 16 in school history

Marquette played an inspired game tonight against Syracuse and defeated their Big East brethren to earn their 14th Sweet 16 in school history and their first since Tom Crean's Warriors went to the Final Four in 2003.

The final score read 66-62 and it was every bit that close for most of the contest. Syracuse jumped out to a 7-0 lead and lead by as many as 10, but Marquette fought back to tie the game at 21-21. The remainder of the contest saw 11 lead changes in this back and forth affair.

With the game tied 59-59 and under a minute to go, the Warriors got a huge break as Syracuse failed to in-bound the ball properly and committed an over the back infraction. MU ran a play and freed up DJO for the biggest three pointer in his life with 27 seconds remaining in the game. It was golden. Syracuse attempted to answer with a three of their own, but Scoop Jardine's shot was errant. MU salted the game away with four critical free throws from Junior Cadougan and Jae Crowder.

DJO led MU with 17 points and Jae Crowder chipped in 16. MU's defense forced Syracuse into 18 turnovers.

Marquette is now on it's way to New Jersey to play the North Carolina Tar Heels on Friday night.

ESPN Game recap

Box Score