Marquette Post Game Thread

[Scrutineer]

35 assists and 6 turnovers against Arizona, Illinois, Florida, and Texas.

He totally sucks.

If you isolate those four games you're right (about addressing it sarcastically), but if you look at the 8 games since Illinois (which include Florida and Texas), and the four games since Texas, something seems to have impacted Malachi's shooting and assist totals.

If the trend is your friend this trend, based on the last 8 games and last 4 games, is not going in the right direction:
His career FG% is 41.1, while this season it's 35.8%, with the last 8 games at 33.3% and the last 4 games at 18.8%.
Career three's are 38.8%, while this season it's 43.5%, with the last 8 games at 14.3% and the last 4 games at 16.7%.
Career FT's are 74%, while for this season it's 51.5%, with the last 8 games at 37.5% and the last 4 games at 37.5%.

As to the assist totals you highlighted, consider the following:
-he's playing about 2/3 as many minutes this season as he did in his full three seasons at Dayton and his average assists per game in about 20 minutes is roughly 2/3 of what he averaged in about 30 minutes at Dayton. In other words, it's a wash and he's right on his normal average.

However, 35 of his 57 assists were in 4 of our 15 games (the ones you cited). He's only had 22 assists in the other 11 games, with 7 assists and 6 turnovers in the last 4 games. It's like something happened after the Texas game.

You could say those four games simply prove he's a big game player and be OK with it since we won three of the four (Texas, Florida and Illinois) and only lost the Arizona game. But, he didn't have a very good game against BYU (0-3 on FG's, 1-2 on FT's, with 4 assists and 2 TO's) and the other games were way below his career averages.

Hopefully Dan Hurley and the staff can get him back on track because we wouldn't be 14-1 without him.

 

[Iluvsuebird]

I didn't watch this one.....freaking Peacock....but after reading 8 painful pages of this thread, I get the sense that we did not play our A game. Seems we have consensus on that point. And with that being the case, we are not happy with a 16 point margin why? Tangentially, I rather peak in March. Michigan can peak now all they want.

 

[HooperScooper]

I didn't watch this one.....freaking Peacock....but after reading 8 painful pages of this thread, I get the sense that we did not play our A game. Seems we have consensus on that point. And with that being the case, we are not happy with a 16 point margin why? Tangentially, I rather peak in March. Michigan can peak now all they want.

This game was on regular NBC, free over the air NBC, not Peacock.

 

[superjohn]

If you isolate those four games you're right, but if you look at the 8 games since Illinois (which include Florida and Texas), and the four games since Texas, something seems to have impacted Malachi's shooting and assist totals.

If the trend is your friend this trend, based on the last 8 games and last 4 games, is not going in the right direction:
His career FG% is 41.1, while this season it's 35.8%, with the last 8 games at 33.3% and the last 4 games at 18.8%.
Career three's are 38.8%, while this season it's 43.5%, with the last 8 games at 14.3% and the last 4 games at 16.7%.
Career FT's are 74%, while for this season it's 51.5%, with the last 8 games at 37.5% and the last 4 games at 37.5%.

As to the assist totals you highlighted, consider the following:
-he's playing about 2/3 as many minutes this season as he did in his full three seasons at Dayton and his average assists per game in about 20 minutes is roughly 2/3 of what he averaged in about 30 minutes at Dayton. In other words, it's a wash and he's right on his normal average.

However, 35 of his 57 assists were in 4 of those 15 games. He's only had 22 assists in the other 11 games, with 7 assists and 6 turnovers in the last 4 games. It's like something happened after the Texas game.

You could say those four games simply prove he's a big game player and be OK with it since we won three of the four (Texas, Florida and Illinois) and only lost the Arizona game. But, he didn't have a very good game against BYU (0-3 on FG's, 1-2 on FT's, with 4 assists and 2 TO's) and the other games were way below average.

Hopefully Dan Hurley and the staff can get him back on track because we wouldn't be 14-1 without him.

They are 4 of our 6 biggest games of the season.

You can eat all the cupcakes you want. I don't like cupcakes and Hurley hates them.

 

[Scrutineer]

They are 4 of our 6 biggest games of the season.

You can eat all the cupcakes you want. I don't like cupcakes and Hurley hates them.

Why not consider what I said in the context in which I said it rather than getting your back up because you think I'm not agreeing with you?
I acknowledged his great play in those four games and said we wouldn't be 14-1 without him.
But, over the last 8 games he's had two great ones and six that were nothing to write home about. It's still a long season and we need him consistently playing near his best if we want the obvious prize at the end of the season.
It's almost like someone flipped a switch and he lost his edge.

 

[uconnfan68]

We’re lucky we didn’t get shot clock violations and instead scored on uncontested shots at the rim?

With 1 second on the clock. I used to love it when we did his a few years ago, because I knew we'd score easily when we wanted to. I don't have that same feeling these days. But, I'd rather be lucky if that's what we need.

 

[superjohn]

Why not consider what I said in the context in which I said it rather than getting your back up because you think I'm not agreeing with you?

My back isn't up. I don't care about cupcake games, I never have.

I also don't think he forgot how to play.

 

[thekollieman]

I would just hope his advisors aren’t short sighted about these kinds of things and look at the long term play.

Philon from Alabama is a pretty good example of someone who was probably in the back half of the first round range but came back and is now a top 10 mocked guy. Mullins would be even better.

That’s a very fair perspective in the money for college ball era, and no doubt they’ll have to weigh the possibilities. Even in the old days, Calhoun convinced Rip Hamilton he’d be “the Michael Jordan of college basketball” (or something along those lines) if he came back for his junior year, and we all know how that paid off for him and us. That’s also an example of wild maximization, and Hamilton did that at even greater risk (forego all income another year and risk injury, etc).

With all that, I’m excited to see what happens with Mullins, and I concede it’s not set in stone. But if what I believe will happen - we win a championship and he’s a significant reason why we did - then he’ll cement his place in the lottery range and bid UConn a fond farewell.

 

[UDann]

I didn't watch this one.....freaking Peacock....but after reading 8 painful pages of this thread, I get the sense that we did not play our A game. Seems we have consensus on that point. And with that being the case, we are not happy with a 16 point margin why? Tangentially, I rather peak in March. Michigan can peak now all they want.

Bottom line our shooting was as cold as the weather. Certainly not our best game. Players and fans all seemed low energy. We will be fine.

 

[ctchamps]

Hes not a great passer. Hes really good when hes in the lane after penetration, because hes smaller and can see the space better. On the perimeter hes not good. Entry passes and finding our guys when we're running our sets, hes bad.

I’ve observed some things to think he has the potential to be an incredible passer. Certainly in this game he had three bad passes. I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t show it consistently as he gets more game experience.

 

[UCLJ0211]

The mass exodus at 3:57 was embarrassing! I have never left a game early. Those who do are lousy fans.

Many of those people hang out on the concourse and watch the rest of the game from there to beat the traffic out.

 

[GlastonTim]

As you know, they leave in order to make a preposterous amount of money. I completely agree with you that Mullins would be a superstar at UConn next year and rise even higher in the draft and become eligible for an even more preposterous amount of money. However, I simply doubt he waits in order to do that. Obviously, it’ll all come down to how he’s projected at the end of the season. But I just feel like if he’s even sniffing top 15 range then he’s gone and I couldn’t presume to assess that as anything but a wise choice (if that’s how it plays out).

He’s got a minimum of 18 games left and 25 if we go deep in the tournaments. Lots of time to showcase his skills. Could still be a star this year. I’ll be cheering for him all the way. We’re better if he’s better.

 

[GlastonTim]

Many of those people hang out on the concourse and watch the rest of the game from there to beat the traffic out.

Way less than many. So they can get home 10 minutes earlier. It was a Sunday afternoon. Crappy fans!

 

[thekollieman]

He’s got a minimum of 18 games left and 25 if we go deep in the tournaments. Lots of time to showcase his skills. Could still be a star this year. I’ll be cheering for him all the way. We’re better if he’s better.

I completely agree with that. Just saying I see where HW611 is coming from with the hypothetical sophomore Braylon and the potential personal upside there for him. But I think by default he’s on the lottery radar already, more than likely will only improve his standing from here, and thus will almost certainly be in the NBA next year.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

With 1 second on the clock. I used to love it when we did his a few years ago, because I knew we'd score easily when we wanted to. I don't have that same feeling these days. But, I'd rather be lucky if that's what we need.

Does it not count at the end of the shot clock? I’m not sure what the complaint is. They didn’t make desperation shots to beat the buzzer - they got wide open layups and dunks after moving the ball. Just seems like searching for something to complain about.

 

[REB1094]

Funny enough Silas was a pretty poor three point shooter but his 3-3 heater against Marquette has bumped up his stats to good numbers

He’s now averaging 9.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.7 assists per game on 45.5% FG, 34.8% 3P, 78.3% FT

Year 1 Tristen Newton was 10.1 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 4.7 APG on 37.4, 36.6, 81.6

 

[caw]

He just needs the ball. It's constantly annoying that our PGs just ignore him when he's open and are overly focused on getting the ball to AK or Solo. Stew has shown some real ability to create at the foul line, like Daniel Hamilton lite and we need to get him the ball. He keeps making good cuts off of screens to get to that open spot and rarely gets the ball. From that position he can feed the 5, distribute to the shooters outside or just score himself.

The first two years (aside from flashes) he was hesitant, or at least hesitating quite often. He was also doing that a bit in the first few games this year. I'd say he really started to click on offense right before his injury. Hurley went out of his way to say he wanted to run plays for him. I imagine with Silas learning to run the offense and trying to incorporate Mullins into it, Stewart is a bit on the backburner, not to mention Ross also seeming to blossom (before his injury).

I do think he will be slowly incorporated more but honestly he is still behind three-four other players most of the time he is on the floor (Reed, Ball, Mullins and Karaban).

I've said for awhile I'm happy with a combined 12ish ppg from Ross/Stewart this year but if either can contribute more I'm all for it.

 

[80shusky]

His dish to Tarris through two defenders for the dunk right before halftime was honestly one of the slickest passes I’ve ever seen.

Between the two defenders too it looked like. An absolute beauty.

 

[cp176]

Who is Demarcus? I don't think we have a Demarcus on the team.

Check the edit.

 

[imno1]

Who is Demarcus? I don't think we have a Demarcus on the team.

Who else plays the game of doing a shot every time hooperscooper corrects a mistake 😂

 

[uconngb]

My back isn't up. I don't care about cupcake games, I never have.

I also don't think he forgot how to play.

Sure seems like he has. You can’t possibly deny that his last few games have been concerning.

 

[DGRU]

Not sure if anyone posted this, but listening to Tom Moore after the game at The Graduate with Connecticut Spaces was fantastic. Great insight into the NIL landscape, his role, what Calhoun would've done, and thoughts on a double big line up. He was generous with his time and the comments were in depth and interesting. Big thanks to Hurleymania and Mr HotBalls for hosting. Loved it.

 

[cp176]

Who else plays the game of doing a shot every time hooperscooper corrects a mistake 😂

I’ll remember that for next time.lol

 

[boog204]

Not sure if anyone posted this, but listening to Tom Moore after the game at The Graduate with Connecticut Spaces was fantastic. Great insight into the NIL landscape, his role, what Calhoun would've done, and thoughts on a double big line up. He was generous with his time and the comments were in depth and interesting. Big thanks to Hurleymania and Mr HotBalls for hosting. Loved it.

Interesting to think about how JC would've handled this mess... I think his frustration would boil over, and he wouldn't be long for it.

 

[Punkbo]

I hate to be a broken record, but I feel great about this team. We had a bad shooting night and won by 16. Yes, we have 2 PGs who play different styles and can be less effective at times, but they’re both solid players and being able to show opponents different looks at the PG position is a good thing. AK, Mullins and Ball will get their points and spread the offense. Ball’s ability to drive to the basket and score is much improved from last year. That’s a good thing. Reed can be a bully inside. Reibe has been much better than expected. Ross and Stewart are great plug-and-play options with the ability to provide more at any given time. What is there not to like? All is good!