Marquette Basketball Offense

The Marquette basketball offense is outlined with clinic notes from head coach Steve Wojciechowski, and a video edit created by Basketball Immersion. Coach Wojciechowski outlined Marquette’s missed shot offense, and what he calls their after action offense. The missed shot offense is not run just on missed shots. They also go to their missed shot offense after a set that doesn’t work.

Marquette Basketball Offense Concepts

Three roles on a missed shot:

1. Pusher – Outlet and leads the break. Outlet as deep as possible. The outlet should be ball side and get their butt to sideline. The pusher goes middle when they get to half and have not made a pass ahead.
2. Wide Runner – Sprint to corner or a specific spot.
3. Rim Runner – Usually 5 man. If they don’t get the board, they rim run. If they are a trail, they run a drag ball screen or or they get wide.

The immediate progression of reads for the outlet are:

1. Advance the basketball with a pass ahead.
2. Look to pass to the rim runner.

For both the wide runners, and the rim runners, they emphasize the first three steps. The goal is win the race with those first three steps, and than have ball awareness.

What happens on a Drag Screen?

The four man pops and has these available reads:  

• Downhill.
• Pop and roll.
• Five man between slot – end up with a paired side – slot exchange with the corner – keep the D moving and looking
• Reverse/throw back and cut away – 5 man low post position
• A throw back catch leads to a shoot or drive decision.
• Five man deep post.

What happens if the ball goes in the post?

• On a low post entry they run a split action.

What happens on the paired side?

• Dribble exchange to sprint out ball screen.
• Pass to wing means a slice cut [to same side corner] – hopefully leads to drive.
• Through cut opens middle or baseline drive – if post is strong side then you have to middle cut.

What is the wide concept?

• Wide means a wing ball screen.
• It is triggered on a pass that is advanced up the floor.
• When they run wing ball screens, the first goal is to refuse the ball screen and to attack the baseline.
• The second goal is to use the ball screen.

Concept on the Drag Screen

• When a drag screen is run, the four man will pop out, and the five man will roll.

Marquette Basketball Offense Fundamental Beliefs

1. Value the Ball – No turnovers. At practice they have 10 balloons and pop a balloon for every turnover. There are consequences when all ten balloons are popped.
2. Play with Pace and Honor Spacing – Attack the defense before the defense gets down the floor. They want to create an advantage to make it hard for one defender to guard two offensive players.
3. Catching and Facing – Eyes must get to the rim. Not catch and hold – face to drive / shoot / pass
4. Multiple Ball Reversals, Ball Screens and Paint Touches – Drivers not dribblers – force them to have 2 people guarding the ball. Make defender make decision with ball screen action 
5. Thoughts on Shot Selection – Their slogan is to “Let the ball find the BEST shot.” Three High percentage shots: Layups, Free throws, Open threes.