As a Marquette season ticket holder, I can get two free tickets to this game. If someone on this board would like for me to get the tickets for them, please feel free to private message me and we can work out the details.
The two free tickets have been taken.
Valparaiso at Marquette at 7:00 pm at Fiserv Forum
As a Valpo alum, but also a Marquette season ticket holder, let me offer this breakdown of Marquette.
Marquette is the only team other than the service academies not to take transfers. In fact, they have not taken any since Shaka Smart's first year. Shaka's strategy is to emphasize relationships and loyalty (both ways), along with development. He is not going to recruit a player and then go out and get a transfer to 'beat him out' for playing time when that player reaches his sophomore or junior year. He recruits very good high school players who value relationships and loyalty over even better players who he feels could leave for another program if things don't go the way they want. The strategy worked in Shaka's first four years because he had great talent that developed - four guys are in the NBA now (two of them were incoming transfers in Shaka's first season). Plus, he had two other really good players - one of whom graduated and one is still with the team (Chase Ross).
Shaka's system relies on guys developing and, so far, the next group of players have not sufficiently developed. This season is really a litmus test of whether this system works in today's game. They are 4-4 and could definitely have beaten Dayton and Oklahoma as they had the ball for the final possession with a chance to win in both games and did not get a good shot. I admire Shaka and the players for the character they show in this system, but still wonder whether it can generate winning teams for the long term.
Game strategy - As with all of Shaka's prior teams, defensive pressure nd disruption in the full and half court is constant. Marquette can force a lot of turnovers if its opponent cannot handle the pressure and can score a lot off transition. The criticism of this style is that teams who beat the pressure get open shots and Marquette has generally had high opponent FG percentages this year and during Shaka's tenure. That is how teams beat Marquette, especially this season. Further, this season's team has bad runs on defense where the pressure gets beaten even more for 3-4 minute periods. Marquette also does not rebound particularly well (overplaying on defense can leave players out of position for rebounding) and the interior players have not developed.
On offense, lots of players this season who can, but often don't, shoot well. No really great three-point shooters (Ross, Lowery and Stevens are decent). Biggest strength is driving the lane and multiple players are very good at that (Ross and James particularly). Interior offense is inconsistent with no players having developed to reliably get good shots (Gold will venture to the three point arc quite a bit). Many teams play zone against Marquette and 'pack it in' to take away drives...and Marquette has struggled against zone defenses.
Bottom line: Valpo may be able to play with Marquette if they handle the pressure and make shots when they beat the pressure. Valpo may also be able to generate some success on second chance points. On the other hand, if Valpo can't handle the pressure they could be looking at a 30+ point loss due to not getting good shots and giving up lots of easy transition baskets.
Key Players - Starters in order of performance so far this season
Chase Ross - Stud wing who also sometimes plays point guard with Sean Jones out. Best skills are driving the basket and ball pressure on defense. He'll get 20+ on Valpo unless Marquette is up big (meaning he wont play as much and will distribute more). One of the top players in the Big East and probably 50-50 for making it to the NBA. Very left handed.
Nigel James - Freshmen "shoot first" point guard. He is playing a lot because Sean Jones has been out due to an extended injury. Shows promise and seems to be developing more from game to game. Still makes freshman mistakes and doesn't get ball to teammates for open shots.
Zaide Lowery - Can be a good defender, can hit some shots, can get rebounds - but does none of this consistently. Nonetheless, he is probably the most developed of the next generation of players.
Ben Gold - Senior playing the 4 this year instead of the 5. Can make some plays on defense, but often gets pushed around. Most of his offensive production is from 3-point range, but he has not shot well this year. Gets lost on the floor with no production for long periods.
Caedin Hamilton - Sophomore 5. Still needs lots of development with footwork, defensive and rebounding positioning, etc.
Key Bench Players in order of performance this season
Adrien Stevens - Freshman wing. Looks really promising on defense and seems like he can develop into a reliable starter and outside shooter.
Royce Parham - Sophomore 4. Shows some development inside and with his shooting. Like all of Marquette's 4s and 5s, he can get lost on the floor and go a long time with no production.
Michael Phillips - Freshman wing who shows initial promise. Sort of like Stevens, but not as good at this point.
Damarius Owens, Tre Norman - Wings who have not developed while at Marquette.
Josh Clark - Raw redshirt freshman 7 footer. Will give Marquette a few decent minutes.
Likely out due to injury
Sean Jones - Senior, was supposed to start at PG this year. Missed most of his sophomore year and all of his junior year due to bad knee injury. Doubt he will play.
@vu84v2 thanks for the write up. I am really hoping we can be competitive.
If Western is proof of anything. THis team can get the looks they want if they play cool, calm, collected, while also still playing to the 4 Fs of Powell 3:16.
As it stands right now. Marquette is listed as 167 in the NET.
Valpo is at 228.
Marquette is beatable.
Western Michigan was not very talented team. Valpo is gonna have to shoot an awfully high percentage. This will be a high a scoring game, but if Valpo isn’t hitting any 3’s, concur with the other poster it is a 20 -25 point loss. Long rebounds fast break points for MU. Even though they are down for Marquette standards, Valpo needs to shoot hot for both half’s, and plus our defense is not quite there yet. Dease, Shon, Brown, Chaney, Whitaker and Barnes all need to contribute. 88-60 or 82-76 type game
Roger sat down with Brandon
Im actually quite nervous. Which team shows up tonight?
@vusolar no need to be nervous we really have nothing to lose in this situation. Like you, I certainly want our team to show up competitively and play strong. If we walk out with a win then it’s big, if we walk out with a loss even a big one, that’s the expectation and everyone will forget and we will move on. Nothing to lose here!
Marquette is no Kentucky. The analytics have Marquette in the same realm as Belmont and UNI. This is a winnable game if we play at the top of our ability.
With the Kentucky game as a good calibration for what playing against a major conference school is like, I think we come out with energy and keep it close, say 77-62.
Up 15-14 with 7 To go in the first half . We look solid , pettigrew playing extremely well. We were 18 point underdogs to start now 10 point dogs !
Okay. Two minutes to go in the half. A team called Valpo is up by 3 (THREE!) against a BigEast player. Who are these guys in brown and gold and where did they come from?
4 point lead at the half! Wow!
A pleasant start. If we can keep it close we have a solid chance. Marquettes defense is scary and aggressive but while it has given us fits we have responded well.
Can we go home now?
