Expectations? Really??? My "expecations" prior to the start of the season were that they Gophers would have the services of Trevor Mbakwe, Royce White, and 3-yr starting PG Al Nolen for the entire season.
Absolutely. My expectations if White and Mbakwe were to play was that we were a top-15 team, with a chance to grow into a real contender for the Big Ten Championship. Without them, my expectation was that we should be a top 25 team and hopefully win a game or two in the tourney (but most certainly should be able to make the tourney). Even without those guys, the performance has fell short of reasonable expectations - it's just the truth, my man.
I have no idea what Marquette's expectations were at the start of the season either, but I would imagine they aren't playing anywhere near as "short-handed" as the Gophers have this year.
That being said, there's no discounting the fact that MU has a MUCH greater case for the tourney than the Rodents, without QUESTION. I also know that a conference with 25 teams (or however many the Big East has these days) is bound to have more chances for a tourney bid than one with 11.
I like the quotes for "short-handed".. if you don't already, realize that the Gophers are very deep - a lot of guys that aren't great, but (capable of being) solid. Much of the season they have had 5 for 5 "line changes" - that's not seen very often, guy. Minnesota is returning a ton of guys that played on a tourney team last year - two very experienced seniors in DJ and Westbrook... two big men that are going into their sophomore year... To portray Minnesota as a sob story is ridiculous. We have flat out underperformed.
Now, this isn't about Marquette vs. Minnesota... but since you imagine that "they aren't playing anywhere near as short-handed", let me help educate you a bit.. but first I will preface it by saying I don't feel 'sorry' or 'cheated' because of some of the stuff either program has gone through - things happen, you fight through and try to get better every day.
Marquette was generally picked to come in 12th or 13th in the Big East this season (out of 16 teams). They faced a daunting opening to the Big East schedule, facing Villanova twice (home and away), West Virginia (away) and Georgetown (home) to begin conference play.
Since last season ended... I'll probably forget a few things, because it's been unreal:
+ Three four-year starters - Wesley Matthews, Jerel McNeal and Dominic James - all graduated. That's 49.1 points, 13.6 rebounds, 5.0 steals per game right there, not to mention veteran leadership. Starting center Dwight Burke also graduated.
+ Assistant coach Dale Layer left for a head coaching gig at Liberty.
+ Forward Pat Hazel transferred to Boston University.
+ The MU bball career of 7'0" redshirt freshman Liam McMorrow, expected to compete for minutes for the undersized Warriors, ended before the season started due to a medical condition. The young man remains at Marquette for his education, although his playing days are over.
+ Freshman Brett Roseboro, on campus during the summer, left shortly before classes to begin to play for St. Bonaventure's. At 6'9", he would provided some size, but was probably overmatched at the Big East level.
+ 5'7" backup senior point guard, Maurice Acker, left the team on June 25th to concentrate on his studies (imagine that). On August 29th, Acker rejoined the team.
+ So...we had a backup point guard, albeit at 5'7" Acker is the smallest guy in the Big East. Luckily we had a stud freshman coming in - Junior Cadougan, considered the favorite for the starting point guard spot. He wanted to come to campus for summer school and get to know and play with his new teammates... but, getting cleared by the NCAA clearinghouse took a long time - not so much to do with his particular circumstances, it's can just be a very slow process (Junior is a Canadian). So, he got to Milwaukee in August. In mid-September, Cadougan ruptured his achilles tendon during a workout and required surgery - it appeared Junior Cadougan was lost for the entire year.
+ In mid-September, Darius Johnson-Odom, a JUCO transfer, was injured and sidelined for several weeks while the team filled with newcomers started officially practicing together.
+ 7'2" Yous Mbao, a tall skinny kid from Senegal, joined the team as a freshman. His arrival in Milwaukee was also delayed due to waiting for the Clearinghouse. Because he had played overseas on a team that included a professional player, he was served with a 2 game suspension to start the season. Despite having the only height on the team, Yous is very raw and played limited minutes. However, several weeks ago he was injured and remains sidelined.
+ Besides Mbao, there was only one player taller than 6'7" now on the team.. 6'10" sophomore Chris Otule, who had played just 9 games in his freshman year, which included a November foot injury. 3 games into this season, just after his first career start at Marquette, Chris fractured his foot in practice and is gone for the season. Now, not only short in height and experience, MU is very short on warm bodies.
+ So Junior Cadougan is a no go for the year, right? Well, we've got another solid frosh - wing (or if you asked his dad, a 2 guard headed for the NBA) Madison Memorial's Jeronne Maymon. Getting over 16 minutes a game and growing, the 6'6" Maymon and his Big East-ready body looked like it would be an important piece to the puzzle this year... but, 10 games into the season, in mid-December, he suddenly quit the team. Jeronne enrolled at Tennessee this spring semester.
...but don't worry - there is some good news: Junior Cadougan was cleared to play.. but of course is now a true freshman, coming off a serious injury, in the middle of Big East play. In 4 games he is averaging 5.8 minutes, still in search of his first FG. So, if you look at a box score, such as Sunday's game at Cinci that went to overtime, it's no surprise that 5 guys played 37 or more minutes.
Although there is just one guy (senior Lazar Hayward) on the team that started at least 10 games for us in 2008-09, we're doing quite well... even though we are playing more 'short-handed' than Minnesota and were predicted to have a 'rebuilding year' filled with struggles and a lousy finish in conference play.
And the thought of us being 12th or 13th in the conference was a common one assuming Cadougan, Otule and Maymon would be significant contributors.
