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@BBaranowski @PaintTouches I knew there was a practice incident involving James Matthews, leading to his MU tenure being incredibly short.

@CrookedNumbers @PaintTouches I forgot about James Matthews, who famously bit Brian Wardle in practice. Marcus was a nice player, and super nice guy too that’s done great for himself as well.

This feels harsh, and it isn't meant to convey ill will to the players themselves, but the junior class completely failing to develop the last 2 seasons was a huge part of this season's #mubb issues.

@BBaranowski @PaintTouches You forgot James Matthews. And for those who don't know, Marcus Jackson was solid. Excellent rebounder and defender.

@PaintTouches 2023’s recruiting class with Hamilton, Amadou, Lowery, and Norman is an all time disaster class for #mubb up with the likes of the 2003 class (Brandon Bell, Carlton Christian, Daemon Mason, Marcus Jackson)

It's amazing that Duke lost on a nearly identical shot.

@on_jonesy @BigEastBarroom BUT... SJU was properly seeded. Losing to every tournament team on their non-conference schedule (Alabama, Iowa State, Kentucky) prevent SJU from being seeded higher than a 5. Plus, I doubt they get past either Arizona or Michigan. That leaves the South as their one FF path.

@on_jonesy @BigEastBarroom Actually, that would have changed things. SJU would have been placed in a different region. Top 4, based on the tournament S-Curve, in the same conference and 4 seeds or better (both criteria must be met) must be placed in different regions.

The second place team in this conference is going to a final four. We’d probably have two final four teams if St. John’s was seeded correctly in the correct region. Run from it. Hide from it. The Big East is inevitable.

@PaintTouches Chase Johnston watching UConn beat Duke:

I'm shaking. Are you kidding me???

@scottwdowling @GeryWoelfel A lot of good points, but the last sentence is pure silliness. Wade was well on his way to being a 1st round pick well before the Kentucky game. Source: The NBA scouts attending his junior year games that told fans Wade was a lottery pick.

Find Wade? Nobody looked at him after junior year injury. He tells the story about his academics. Coach Crean didn’t quit on him. Not a chance Wade was certified blue chip. Great for MU then and now and to the future. Wade wasn’t a first round pick until Pat Riley saw the Regional Final against Kentucky.

When Marquette advanced to the Final Four in 2003, it had an NBA lottery pick in Dwyane Wade. When Wisconsin advanced to the Final Four in 2015, it not only had an NBA lottery pick in Frank Kaminsky but a mid-first round selection as well in Sam Dekker. Having a player who eventually becomes a high NBA draft pick is perhaps the biggest key for a team to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. This year's Final Four field is a classic example. Seven of the Elite Eight teams boast at least one player who'll be either a Lottery pick or likely mid-first-round pick in the June draft. The only outlier is Purdue. Here are those seven teams and their prime-time players: * Arizona -- Brayden Burries. * Michigan -- Yaxel Lendeborg. * Tennessee -- Nate Ament. * Duke -- Cameron Boozer. * Connecticut -- Braylon Mullins. * Iowa -- Bennett Stirtz. * Illinois -- Keaton Wagler. If Wisconsin coach Greg Gard and Marquette coach Shake Smart are to end their school's Final Four droughts, they'll need to step up their recruiting game and land a certifiable blue-chip player.

Isaac Newton level take here.

@clairemezz @itsallstraw After a quick investigation, I don't think he's good enough. A poor defender, mediocre shooter...just don't see how he improves the team. I agree with Claire about needing older players. I want to see 2 seniors, 1 junior.

@itsallstraw Makes sense but it also creates a backlog in the younger classes. I think it would depend on what openings there are. An older player like a senior would only take up playing time for one year but could be a good leader. It will be interesting to see the approach for sure.

Wondering if #mubb looking at Jackson Rasmussen for the portal. 6'7" true freshman in 2026 leaving Idaho and could be a good fit?

@jzambnio I don't see why that should be the case. DO hasn't proven to be starting caliber. If he shows a ton of improvement in the off-season, that's a huge bonus, but banking on Owens to step into a starting role would be repeating the same mistakes that lead to this past season.

I’m guessing with DO back & presumably Phillips too we won’t get a wing in the portal, I think we will go combo backup guard & starting big. Hope we still swing for a starting wing but seems unlikely to me for MUBB

The Dieners did this when NIL wasn't even a thing. #mubb

@NCAABuzzerBters In order left to right, starting with the top row: Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, Arizona, Michigan State, Iowa State, Houston, Alabama, Texas, Tennessee, UConn, Duke, Arkansas, St. John's, Illinois Easy Peasy

Where every Sweet 16 Team's Starting-5 began playing college basketball. (Try to figure out which teams are which)

@patrickksl Nah, I just think it's funny that Florida lost right after an article touted them as some kind of genius trendsetter. As for rebounding, it remains the third most important of the four factors. They breakdown as follows: eFG%: 40% TO%: 25% O-Reb%: 20% FT Rate: 15%

@CrookedNumbers Yeah, you’re right, being bad at rebounding is fine because Florida didn’t repeat as champions

Shaka Smart’s Marquette teams at rebounding rate, national ranks: 2022: 324th O/313th D 2023: 251st O/311th D 2024: 285th O/270th D 2025: 179th O/245th D 2026: 215th O/331st D Dominating the glass is becoming a priority for top teams, but isn’t even on the radar at MU.

Marquette fans call this "Rowsey Range"

@JBRBracketology I have 3 of the same Final Four teams. Arizona over Duke in the Final.

My official bracket: Final Four - UConn, Arizona, Michigan, Houston National Title 🏆- Arizona over Houston

@BobbyMarks42 Technically, the Bucks did draft Kevin Porter in the first round.

The Bucks have the least favorable first of their own or New Orleans. Currently: New Orleans is no. 7 and Milwaukee no. 9 They have no control of their own first until 2031. There are no players under the age of 21 on the roster and Antetokounmpo is the only player on the roster they drafted in the first round.

@GoTestarossa @JBRBracketology @TylerSmith_ISL Steph Curry helped me win a bracket with 10 seed Davidson making the Elite 8.

@JBRBracketology @TylerSmith_ISL The multiplier by seed is a good way to reward the risk takers though.

The correct way to score March Madness brackets (or something similar to it). The default scoring is trash lol

@RGVStorm @itsallstraw We will see how things play out, but anywhere from 2-4 transfer additions wouldn't surprise me.

@CrookedNumbers @itsallstraw We aren't getting 3 incoming transfers after refusing to get any. Not how it works when our mission is RGV. Not gonna happen. 5 Freshman next year too. Keep dreaming.

Finley Bizjack to #mubb?

@RGVStorm @itsallstraw You know, you can get all three.

@itsallstraw Why would we go after a 6'4 Guard? We need a rim running, shot blocking, rim protecting anchor at Center and a Backup PG with experience. End of story.