Big East OOC tracker

[nelsonmuntz]

Is Smart this good or was Wojo that bad? Maybe both.

 

[shizzle787]

Marquette outscored WVU 47-24 in the second half.

 

[Jimdish255]

Even if they lose the Final Marquette should be in the top 25. If they win top 20. They've been great. All due credit to players and coaches.

 

[MJ1]

Marquette beats WV and is now 5-0 with wins against Illinois (11), Ole Miss, and WV all P6 teams. Picked 9th in Big East pre season poll.

 

[mussels]

aNoTHEr wiN fOR tHE NoOBEe.

 

[shizzle787]

If this ridiculous winning percentage continues, the Big East may get as many as 8 teams in the field.

 

[JMick]

i don't know if anyone expected the conference to be this deep, but it's going to be a fun year.

I've always thought the problem with Texas was Texas. If Shaka can keep this going, it's just more proof that the place has major issues.

 

[gtcam]

Even though it was Sienna, GTown took care of business and looked good in stretches

 

[shizzle787]

Lunardi has six Big East teams cleanly in the field as of this morning. Only teams not are Creighton, Providence, DePaul, Butler, and Georgetown.

 

[Jimdish255]

We just keep running into teams with zero or one loss and it will continue for the next couple of days. Would like to see Providence and Creighton keep knocking them off and Hall bury OSU. But the Bucks will be frothing after the last smackdown.

 

[huskdogs]

I wonder if Marquette is actually this good or just extremely hot right now. Love Shaka for them long term but I cannot see them keeping this us

 

[gtcam]

I wonder if Marquette is actually this good or just extremely hot right now. Love Shaka for them long term but I cannot see them keeping this us

They will live and die with the 3. Tonight they hit a bushel of them. Won’t always be like that but it is nice to see all this NBE success

 

[shizzle787]

4 games tomorrow. Need four wins.

 

[ecasadoSBU]

4 games tomorrow. Need four wins.

Why do you guys keep saying NEED? It would be nice to have four wins. But there is no way that right now the Big East finds itself in a position that it NEEDS four wins.... four wins would be nice... 3 should be the target. 2 would be less than optimal... 1 would be bad

 

[Hey Adrien!]

I wonder if Marquette is actually this good or just extremely hot right now. Love Shaka for them long term but I cannot see them keeping this us

Fair question. Four players in particular: Morsell, Lewis, Kolek and Prosper, are making the best of their new opportunities at Marquette.

Morsell's MO is defense and one thing is for sure: Morsell won't keep shooting 54.5% from the field and 52.2% from 3. However, he's finally given an opportunity to expand his role offensively and he's shining with it. A little bit of shooting, passing, attacking the rim...

I also can't imagine Justin Lewis maintaining a 17.8 ppg, but he's a very good college player with a real chance to be an excellent college player and even a possible NBA pro. Garcia and Cain transferring has really helped him become the to-go forward on offense, plus he brings a level of versatility that can plug him into three spots, if needed.

We knew Kolek could shoot, but he's vastly surpassing expectations as the team's PG. A 6.2/2.8 A:TO is incredible, and then you add his perimeter shooting and his willingness to attack the rim, great pick up.

Prosper is a top-100 prospect from the '20 class who averaged just 9.7 mpg his freshman year, but w/ Marquette he's getting close to starter's minutes and is shining in a Whaley-like role: an athletic big who attacks the boards, hyper active on the defensive end and a respectable enough shot to help space the floor.

I've already talked about Kuath in another post: rivals Whaley and Obigau as the best defensive big in the Big East.

Personally, not many teams worked the waiver wire as well as Shaka Smart. Did he acquire the four best transfers? No, but with a rebuilding, young roster the combination of vets Morsell/Kuath with long term pieces Kolek/Prosper fit perfectly with the players Smart retained and the '21 class he brought in.

Plus, their shooting will get even better w/ senior Greg Elliott (career 42 3p%) returning.

 

[ChrisSmithsPart]

Fair question. Four players in particular: Morsell, Lewis, Kolek and Prosper, are making the best of their new opportunities at Marquette.

Morsell's MO is defense and one thing is for sure: Morsell won't keep shooting 54.5% from the field and 52.2% from 3. However, he's finally given an opportunity to expand his role offensively and he's shining with it. A little bit of shooting, passing, attacking the rim...

I also can't imagine Justin Lewis maintaining a 17.8 ppg, but he's a very good college player with a real chance to be an excellent college player and even a possible NBA pro. Garcia and Cain transferring has really helped him become the to-go forward on offense, plus he brings a level of versatility that can plug him into three spots, if needed.

We knew Kolek could shoot, but he's vastly surpassing expectations as the team's PG. A 6.2/2.8 A:TO is incredible, and then you add his perimeter shooting and his willingness to attack the rim, great pick up.

Prosper is a top-100 prospect from the '20 class who averaged just 9.7 mpg his freshman year, but w/ Marquette he's getting close to starter's minutes and is shining in a Whaley-like role: an athletic big who attacks the boards, hyper active on the defensive end and a respectable enough shot to help space the floor.

I've already talked about Kuath in another post: rivals Whaley and Obigau as the best defensive big in the Big East.

Personally, not many teams worked the waiver wire as well as Shaka Smart. Did he acquire the four best transfers? No, but with a rebuilding, young roster the combination of vets Morsell/Kuath with long term pieces Kolek/Prosper fit perfectly with the players Smart retained and the '21 class he brought in.

Plus, their shooting will get even better w/ senior Greg Elliott (career 42 3p%) returning.

Overall I agree with you partner. I just think Justin Lewis is a star in the making especially in Smart's system. He showed flashes last year but Wojo sux as a coach. Morsell is playing for the pro scouts which means he's motivated. He is a heck of an athlete but he plays under control and his game is so mature. He's the prototype 2-way player. He should wind up on one of the all BE teams.

I agree with your insight on Kolek, Kuath, & Elliot, but Prosper I'm not too sure about. A player I didn't see you mention that has been a revelation is top 100 freshman Kam Jones. Kam was killer last game and looks to be a reliable college sharp shooter already.

I don't see any reason to doubt Marquette at this point. They've shown an ability to play their best down the stretch in big games coming back from double digits multiple times. They look good now and they're still figuring it out. It's not like coming in they were stacked with no talent players and a bad coach. They were simply a team with unknown potential because of the roster and coaching turnover.

 

[tykurez]

I wonder if Marquette is actually this good or just extremely hot right now. Love Shaka for them long term but I cannot see them keeping this us

I remember Marq beating #4 Wisconsin last year early and thinking they’d be tough in the BE and they weren’t. New year, new coach though so we’ll see.

 

[shizzle787]

35-4. Need three more.

 

[Friarsnoop]

The Big East made two huge coaching upgrades, going from Wojo to Shaka, and Leitao to not Leitao.

 

[McLovin]

Nova currently playing #17 UT at Mohegan. Will play either Purdue or UNC tomorrow.

 

[auror]

Nova handling KenPom #11 Tennessee, especially on defense.

 

[ChrisSmithsPart]

This Nova game is brutal. Bricks everywhere, fouls every second, one on one every trip down by both teams. Didn't know how unathletic most of Nova's roster is either, especially their guards.

Just get the W nova and let's go home.

 

[tzznandrew]

This Nova game is brutal. Bricks everywhere, fouls every second, one on one every trip down by both teams. Didn't know how unathletic most of Nova's roster is either.

Just get the W nova and let's go home.

They're absolutely slaughtering a ranked team.

 

[ChrisSmithsPart]

They're absolutely slaughtering a ranked team.

With 42 points at the under 12 in the 2nd. Vols shooting 24% & Nova shooting 36% horrible game. Get the W and go home.

 

[auror]

This Nova game is brutal. Bricks everywhere, fouls every second, one on one every trip down by both teams. Didn't know how unathletic most of Nova's roster is either, especially their guards.

Just get the W nova and let's go home.

Nova's guards can move, but they're stronger than they are vertical.