Wojo wants to keep MU’s momentum going
The Marquette Golden Eagles are undoubtedly Steve Wojciechowski’s program now.
The head coach is in his fourth season at the school and every player on the roster is someone he chose.
After a 13-19 first season, Wojciechowski has gone 39-26 and last year led the Golden Eagles back into the NCAA Tournament.
“First of all, it’s hard to remember (when he was hired in 2014), it seems like an eternity ago. Certainly our program has made progress in every area,” Wojciechowski said. “Our teams have gotten better with each year. I think you’ll continue to see that trend.
“Our kids have done a terrific job in the classroom and in the community they’ve represented themselves well. So I am pleased where the program is at, we certainly have a lot more work to do, but I think we have a group of guys in here who will continue to move the program
forward on the floor and off the floor.”
The challenge is to maintain success, and the next logical step for Wojciechowski is to get that elusive first victory in the NCAA Tournament.
The Golden Eagles had been absent from college basketball’s biggest stage for three seasons before last year’s 9373 loss in the first round to eventual Final Four participant South Carolina.
“The NCAA (Tournament) is the standard. I’m not saying it is the only standard, but it’s certainly something that every college program aspires to be a part of at the end of the year, to give yourself a chance to be the last one standing,” Wojciechowski said.
has a good program building resource in one of his mentors, Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski.
Wojciechowski played at Duke from 1994-’98 and then was on Krzyzewski’s coaching staff from the 1999-2000 season until being hired by MU.
“College coaching is difficult. We all eventually have to reach certain goals,” Krzyzewski said. “My goals, the first ones, weren’t met until my fourth year at Duke and then they have been met pretty much ever since. And so it’s just a matter of when that next level starts happening for Steve and his program.”
Krzyzewski took over at Duke in the 1980-‘81 season and went 17-13. He then struggled to 10-17 and 11-17 seasons before breaking through with a 24-10 record and his first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1983-‘84.
Does his former point guard and top assistant ever ask for guidance?
“It’s not a matter of advice. We’re friends, “Krzyzewski said. “He’s part of my family. He’s been on my staff forever, and with the Olympics. So it’s more of us just talking – I ask him for advice probably more than he asks me for advice.
“What he’s doing is building a program. He loves Marquette, the school, the people, the tradition. He’s every bit Marquette now. I’m really happy for him and the fact that he’s been accepted so well there.”
Getting to the NCAA Tournament this season likely will require the Golden Eagles to improve defensively.
Last season, MU was 257th in the nation in scoring defense at 75.6 points per game. The Golden Eagles were No. 225 in defensive two-point field-goal percentage (50.6%) and No. 274 in three point percentage (36.8%).
“Outstanding defensive teams have to be able to make multiple efforts,” Wojciechowski said. “Our pressure on the ball, moving as the ball moves, pickand-roll coverages and finishing possessions with rebounds – those are all things we should be capable of being better at this year.”
The Golden Eagles return plenty of shooting with sophomore guard Markus Howard (13.2 points per game, 54.7% three-point shooting), senior guard Andrew Rowsey (11.6, 44.7%) and sophomore wing Sam Hauser (8.8, 45.3%).
But the MU players know the season hinges on the defensive end.
“Just communication and rotation is a big key for us,” junior guard Haanif Cheatham said after MU’s 81-79 exhibition victory over Lindenwood in which the defense struggled.