Now the gauntlet.

[muwarrior69]

I guess we'll know what were made of after these 3 games. I hope we can at least pull one game out.

[tower912]

Don't panic if we go 0-3.

[NCMUFan]

What? Panic is our middle name.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Don't panic if we go 0-3.

Don't hyperventilate if we go 3-0.  If MU beats Butler, we are golden.

[79Warrior]

Don't panic if we go 0-3.

No panic but somewhere we need a high quality win on our resume. @ Butler would do the trick.

[forgetful]

Don't panic if we go 0-3.

Some here will go off the rails and demand heads roll if we go 2-1.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

The next 3 games we are playing with house money. No fan or media pundit should be expecting us to win any of the next three. In all likelihood we will be 3-5 on January 25th. If we are, we still have a good shot at the tournament. We would need to go 7-3 the rest of the way, but we would have gotten past 4 of the 5 most difficult games on our schedule. If we manage to steal one of the next three I am feeling very good about our tourney chances.

[Dr. Blackheart]

The next 3 games we are playing with house money. No fan or media pundit should be expecting us to win any of the next three. In all likelihood we will be 3-5 on January 25th. If we are, we still have a good shot at the tournament. We would need to go 7-3 the rest of the way, but we would have gotten past 4 of the 5 most difficult games on our schedule. If we manage to steal one of the next three I am feeling very good about our tourney chances.

MU is in 4th place in the Big East.  Run the gauntlet and we are in first. Lose all three and maybe 7th worst case.  Let's run the table for once--and we are capable of it.  Al Davis has it right:  Just win, baby...screw the participation ribbons and rebuild talk!

[muwarrior69]

Don't panic if we go 0-3.

I will be pleasantly surprised if we don't. After all the first two are on the road and road wins in the Beast are hard to come by regardless of who we play. Now beating Nova at home will take a game like we played today, but only if Rowsey, Howard, Hauser and KR shoot lights out all in the same game.

[GGGG]

Don't hyperventilate if we go 3-0. 

If we go 3-0 not only will I hyperventilate, but I will expect a national championship.  Short of that is on Wojo.

[fjm]

The next 3 games we are playing with house money. No fan or media pundit should be expecting us to win any of the next three. In all likelihood we will be 3-5 on January 25th. If we are, we still have a good shot at the tournament. We would need to go 7-3 the rest of the way, but we would have gotten past 4 of the 5 most difficult games on our schedule. If we manage to steal one of the next three I am feeling very good about our tourney chances.

Someone's drunk.

Half of Scoop will ask for WOJO's scalp and ask for Fischer or JJJ to graduate or for Howard, cheat or Hauser to transfer immediately if we lose all 3. If we lose one of them then it's only Wojo who needs to be fired.

Scoopers are dumb and irrational at best. And that's a compliment I think sometimes.

[Lennys Tap]

We'll probably be around a 9 point dog to Butler, a 10 point dog to Creighton and a 4.5 point dog at home vs Nova. Money lines will be approx 4-1, 4-1 and 2.80 -1. So we have an 80% chance to lose game 1 and 2 and around a 70% chance to lose game 3. Chance we lose all 3 = .8 x .8 x .7 (44.8%). Chance we win all 3 = .2 x .2 x .3 (1.2%) Win 2 = approx 4.5% Win 1 = approx 49.5%.

[Class71]

We hope for the best. Since we are playing with house money for these 3 games we have nothing to fear.

[Let's Go Warriors]

Someone's drunk.

Half of Scoop will ask for WOJO's scalp and ask for Fischer or JJJ to graduate or for Howard, cheat or Hauser to transfer immediately if we lose all 3. If we lose one of them then it's only Wojo who needs to be fired.

Scoopers are dumb and irrational at best. And that's a compliment I think sometimes.

obnoxious...

[MU82]

We'll probably be around a 9 point dog to Butler, a 10 point dog to Creighton and a 4.5 point dog at home vs Nova. Money lines will be approx 4-1, 4-1 and 2.80 -1. So we have an 80% chance to lose game 1 and 2 and around a 70% chance to lose game 3. Chance we lose all 3 = .8 x .8 x .7 (44.8%). Chance we win all 3 = .2 x .2 x .3 (1.2%) Win 2 = approx 4.5% Win 1 = approx 49.5%.

So you're saying there's a chance!

Thanks for those percentages, Mr. Spock. Live long and prosper!

[real chili 83]

We got this.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

obnoxious...

Accurate

[D'Lo Brown]

Someone's drunk.

Half of Scoop will ask for WOJO's scalp and ask for Fischer or JJJ to graduate or for Howard, cheat or Hauser to transfer immediately if we lose all 3. If we lose one of them then it's only Wojo who needs to be fired.

Scoopers are dumb and irrational at best. And that's a compliment I think sometimes.

Getting tired reading these kinds of comments. You're totally not mad, you're just mad at others for being mad.

It must have been pretty frustrating to attend MU, being so much smarter and more rational than your peers.

[jficke13]

Getting tired reading these kinds of comments. You're totally not mad, you're just mad at others for being mad.

It must have been pretty frustrating to attend MU, being so much smarter and more rational than your peers.

trolls not able to take a trolling?

[vogue65]

MU is in 4th place in the Big East.  Run the gauntlet and we are in first. Lose all three and maybe 7th worst case.  Let's run the table for once--and we are capable of it.  Al Davis has it right:  Just win, baby...screw the participation ribbons and rebuild talk!

Yes we are in 4th place, but in the loss column we are better than that.   

[MUBigDance]

So far Ws and Ls have gone according to typical expectation...if we continue at that pace we will run out of games and finish 9-9.

We need to break the mold somewhere somehow. SH away was our first chance...ugh, so close.

Let's do it Butler away!

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Someone's drunk.

Half of Scoop will ask for WOJO's scalp and ask for Fischer or JJJ to graduate or for Howard, cheat or Hauser to transfer immediately if we lose all 3. If we lose one of them then it's only Wojo who needs to be fired.

Scoopers are dumb and irrational at best. And that's a compliment I think sometimes.

I said should lol

[🏀]

We'll probably be around a 9 point dog to Butler, a 10 point dog to Creighton and a 4.5 point dog at home vs Nova. Money lines will be approx 4-1, 4-1 and 2.80 -1. So we have an 80% chance to lose game 1 and 2 and around a 70% chance to lose game 3. Chance we lose all 3 = .8 x .8 x .7 (44.8%). Chance we win all 3 = .2 x .2 x .3 (1.2%) Win 2 = approx 4.5% Win 1 = approx 49.5%.

Well done.

[Milkshakes]

We'll probably be around a 9 point dog to Butler, a 10 point dog to Creighton and a 4.5 point dog at home vs Nova. Money lines will be approx 4-1, 4-1 and 2.80 -1. So we have an 80% chance to lose game 1 and 2 and around a 70% chance to lose game 3. Chance we lose all 3 = .8 x .8 x .7 (44.8%). Chance we win all 3 = .2 x .2 x .3 (1.2%) Win 2 = approx 4.5% Win 1 = approx 49.5%.

The hardest thing about this is we have to win one of these that we shouldn't. If we don't then there are 7 games upcoming most of which our likelihood of winning is lower than the favored team in any of these 3 games.  I'd love to know the odds of us winning all 7 of those.  Even the best teams loose games they should win.  I am hoping for a shocker at Butler. 

[jutaw22mu]

I don't think we will go 0-3.  I think we have a great shot to beat Butler at their place tomorrow.

[fjm]

Getting tired reading these kinds of comments. You're totally not mad, you're just mad at others for being mad.

It must have been pretty frustrating to attend MU, being so much smarter and more rational than your peers.

I definitely don't think I'm smarter than any on this board when it comes to basketball.

I am probably annoyed with the posts that occur after a loss. Any loss.
When we lose there are some that immediately want Wojo to be fired, someone even made a thread about JJJ and Fisch not graduating soon enough.

Not trying to troll or upset anyone. I'm just saying, I hope we win them all! But some on here will be irrational if MU can only squeak one win out.

Sorry if I bothered anyone with that post.

And I personally think we steal 1 of the 3.

[1SE]

Listen, coming off two encouraging wins (gutting out a W when it looked like we would give it away and then taking care of business in a game we should take care of business of) I'm optimistic of stealing one. Losing all three could be fine, but just because we are expected to lose doesn't give anyone a free pass for anonymous internet message board criticism. If we hang tough, keep it close, take good shots, keep improving on D and lose all 3 that's fine - we're well positioned for the run we need to make. If we don't show up, blow leads via boneheaded play, or fail to make adjustments then there's certainly legitimate cause for concern.

I'm hopeful it will be the former and we steal one (or even two - I think 'Nova at home with a rocking atmosphere and some hot shooting could be a W). We have 4/5 guys that could explode on any given night and a few guys who are starting to become solid role players. If we can keep our focus and we get lucky with shots falling we should have a chance in ANY game.

I want to believe. Win one of these Wojo and I think you'll grab a few new converts.

[RushmoreAcademy]

I don't think we will go 0-3.  I think we have a great shot to beat Butler at their place tomorrow.

Anyone interested in seeing MU best Butler should turn on FS1 right now. The women are playing and off to a good start.

[muwarrior69]

I don't think we will go 0-3.  I think we have a great shot to beat Butler at their place tomorrow.

It's MLK day...We Shall Overcome!

[Spaniel with a Short Tail]

Anyone interested in seeing MU best Butler should turn on FS1 right now. The women are playing and off to a good start.

Go for the sweep tomorrow! Women's team looked good. Play fast and fun to watch. Not UConn caliber but good enough to compete with DePaul. Thinking about going to see their game against DePaul next Saturday.

[naginiF]

We'll probably be around a 9 point dog to Butler, a 10 point dog to Creighton and a 4.5 point dog at home vs Nova. Money lines will be approx 4-1, 4-1 and 2.80 -1. So we have an 80% chance to lose game 1 and 2 and around a 70% chance to lose game 3. Chance we lose all 3 = .8 x .8 x .7 (44.8%). Chance we win all 3 = .2 x .2 x .3 (1.2%) Win 2 = approx 4.5% Win 1 = approx 49.5%.

I just saw +8 for tomorrow....nice call!  O/U was NA. 

[Buzz Williams' Spillproof Chiclets Cup]

At 3-5 in the league, MU would likely need to go 7-3 over its last 10 to be in the conversation for the tournament. Worth noting that presently, Barttorvik has exactly that record (losing the next three, at Xavier and Georgetown, and Butler at home. The Butler and Georgetown games are essentially tossups with MU the underdog by less than a point).

That would put MU at 19-11 heading into the Garden. In that event, RPIForecast says MU would likely have an RPI of 53.3. If MU can steal even one game "that it's not supposed to win," the projected RPI drops to 42.7. A 20-win Big East team with an RPI in the low 40s should feel good about their chances heading into the Garden.

[LloydsLegs]

Listen, coming off two encouraging wins (gutting out a W when it looked like we would give it away and then taking care of business in a game we should take care of business of) I'm optimistic of stealing one. Losing all three could be fine, but just because we are expected to lose doesn't give anyone a free pass for anonymous internet message board criticism. If we hang tough, keep it close, take good shots, keep improving on D and lose all 3 that's fine - we're well positioned for the run we need to make. If we don't show up, blow leads via boneheaded play, or fail to make adjustments then there's certainly legitimate cause for concern.

I'm hopeful it will be the former and we steal one (or even two - I think 'Nova at home with a rocking atmosphere and some hot shooting could be a W). We have 4/5 guys that could explode on any given night and a few guys who are starting to become solid role players. If we can keep our focus and we get lucky with shots falling we should have a chance in ANY game.

I want to believe. Win one of these Wojo and I think you'll grab a few new converts.

Nailed it

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

MU is in 4th place in the Big East.  Run the gauntlet and we are in first. Lose all three and maybe 7th worst case.  Let's run the table for once--and we are capable of it.  Al Davis has it right:  Just win, baby...screw the participation ribbons and rebuild talk!

I hate participation ribbons. Would never support my team getting them unless they won. However, I wouldn't put them in front of the firing squad if they lose a game that they were expected to win.

[Dr. Blackheart]

I hate participation ribbons. Would never support my team getting them unless they won. However, I wouldn't put them in front of the firing squad if they lose a game that they were expected to win.

This team has more Top 100 recruits (or did at season's start) than any team in the Big East. It has a strong core of experienced upperclassmen with three strong underclassmen starting. It can shoot lights out. Three players been on a All Big East team

Now, is the roster a bit mishapened? Is the coach the youngest in the Big East? Is our frontline depth short? Is team continuity an issue? Can the team defense be better?  Yes.

What is wrong with high expectations, which the team is capable of?  I am pretty sure Wojo isn't worried about a message board meltdown...or already explaining future losses. 

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

This team has more Top 100 recruits (or did at season's start) than any team in the Big East. It has a strong core of experienced upperclassmen with three strong underclassmen starting. It can shoot lights out. Three players been on a All Big East team

Now, is the roster a bit mishapened? Is the coach the youngest in the Big East? Is our frontline depth short? Is team continuity an issue? Can the team defense be better?  Yes.

What is wrong with high expectations, which the team is capable of?  I am pretty sure Wojo isn't worried about a message board meltdown...or already explaining future losses.

I don't care about top 100 prospects but that's besides the point.

You can have whatever expectations you want. And you can respond to the results of the game in whatever way you want. All I said is that I personally will not be handing out any participation ribbons or trips to the firing squad based on the results of this game.

[1SE]

Listen, coming off two encouraging wins (gutting out a W when it looked like we would give it away and then taking care of business in a game we should take care of business of) I'm optimistic of stealing one. Losing all three could be fine, but just because we are expected to lose doesn't give anyone a free pass for anonymous internet message board criticism. If we hang tough, keep it close, take good shots, keep improving on D and lose all 3 that's fine - we're well positioned for the run we need to make. If we don't show up, blow leads via boneheaded play, or fail to make adjustments then there's certainly legitimate cause for concern.

I'm hopeful it will be the former and we steal one (or even two - I think 'Nova at home with a rocking atmosphere and some hot shooting could be a W). We have 4/5 guys that could explode on any given night and a few guys who are starting to become solid role players. If we can keep our focus and we get lucky with shots falling we should have a chance in ANY game.

I want to believe. Win one of these Wojo and I think you'll grab a few new converts.

 Uuggh.

[fjm]

Game less than 24 hours from now.
I'm really hoping for a W, which would be great!
But also trying to remember that most if not all MU fans figured we would be 3-5 or even 2-6 after This Tuesday night. Anything better is gravy.

Now granted we could have another one or even two conference wins at this point, we are ontop of our projection and even sitting better than most thought, currently 5th.

Keep plugging along team! And keep being positive Scoop! (Even though I'm taking that butler game a bit hard...)

[Loose Cannon]

Keep plugging along team! And keep being positive Scoop! (Even though I'm taking that butler game a bit hard...)

Yep,  Very Easy to be Positive when we're Winning, much harder when we're not.

[mu03eng]

We're still on schedule, obviously stealing at least one win out of the Butler, Creighton, Nova three would put us ahead of schedule...but we're in the hunt.

Keep the faith.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Preseason I said we would lose three non conference games, start conference play 2-6 and then finish 8-2 for a 10-8 conference record. We are slightly ahead of that right now. Still have a very good shot at the tourney.

Tomorrow is a huge opportunity. While I don't expect a win, this is about the best chance I would ever give us at winning a road game against a top ten team.

[Babybluejeans]

It's nice to hear some people are thinking positively about tomorrow but no one should expect or be upset with a loss. Creighton is a Final Four contender and is a far better team this year than MU, even with Watson out. Unless a miracle happens we'll take an expected loss and it means very little about this season.

It's that other "gauntlet" starting next Saturday of eight straight eminently winnable games--Prov, @SJU, @DePaul, Butler, @Gtown, Xavier, SJU, and @Prov--that will define this season. So my theory is: stay healthy, work out some of the problem areas in these next two games (to the extent that's possible),and be ready to kill it during that eight-game stretch.

[ATL MU Warrior]

Preseason I said we would lose three non conference games, start conference play 2-6 and then finish 8-2 for a 10-8 conference record. We are slightly ahead of that right now. Still have a very good shot at the tourney.

Tomorrow is a huge opportunity. While I don't expect a win, this is about the best chance I would ever give us at winning a road game against a top ten team.

I am afraid that Creighton is going to come out on fire and ride a huge surge of emotion (both the players and their crowd) to a big win.  Hope I am wrong, but I don't think this is going to be particularly close.

[willie warrior]

I am afraid that Creighton is going to come out on fire and ride a huge surge of emotion (both the players and their crowd) to a big win.  Hope I am wrong, but I don't think this is going to be particularly close.

Why can't we beat these mid majors who hardly deserve being in our league. Back in Al's day we owned Creighton
 And McDermott comes no where close to the pedigree of Wojohowdyski.

[tower912]

Teal, right?

[BM1090]

I am afraid that Creighton is going to come out on fire and ride a huge surge of emotion (both the players and their crowd) to a big win.  Hope I am wrong, but I don't think this is going to be particularly close.

Kenpom had Creighton by 9 WITH Watson. You're underselling us. We probably will lose, but it's gonna be a fight. Creighton is not all the great on defense so we will score points, we just need to hope their offense doesn't run smoothly in their first game without MW and we can pull off the upset.

If I had to guess, I'd say CU by 3

[Babybluejeans]

Kenpom had Creighton by 9 WITH Watson. You're underselling us. We probably will lose, but it's gonna be a fight. Creighton is not all the great on defense so we will score points, we just need to hope their offense doesn't run smoothly in their first game without MW and we can pull off the upset.

If I had to guess, I'd say CU by 3

Ha. I wish you were setting the lines and not Vegas.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Myles Davis has officially left Xavier, he killed us the past couple years. X at home looks very winnable if you can contain at least one of Sumner and Bluiett.

[naginiF]

Ha. I wish you were setting the lines and not Vegas.

i show MU +5.5.  honestly seems like a suckers bet (not in a good way)

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

i show MU +5.5.  honestly seems like a suckers bet (not in a good way)

Vegas is usually spot on, and I know they place their line based on betting trends, but the worst line I ever saw was when Iowa was +1 last year at MU. Only time I ever bet against Marquette and the easiest money I've ever made.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Wojo will win us 2 of the last two!

#justwinbaby

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I am afraid that Creighton is going to come out on fire and ride a huge surge of emotion (both the players and their crowd) to a big win.  Hope I am wrong, but I don't think this is going to be particularly close.

Certainly possible. Losing a point guard like Watson Jr is like losing a franchise QB. Sometimes Dak Prescott comes in and leads you to a 1 seed (and an early playoff exit!). But for every Dak, there are four Matt McGloins who come in and tank your promising season.

Creighton will need to either run a banged up Isaiah Zierden at point despite him being a SG with little speed and no playmaking ability or hand the keys to true freshmen Davion Mintz who was ranked #340 coming out of high school and has only averaged 5.8 minutes a game this season. Mintz either has to really step up or they need to completely change their play style because Zierden cannot do what Watson Jr. did for their offense. I'm still expecting a loss because they have that much talent, but Creighton will take a yuge step back.

[BM1090]

Ha. I wish you were setting the lines and not Vegas.

To clarify I wouldn't have set the line at 3. Probably 6 or 7. CU by 3 is my prediction for tomorrow.

[tower912]

Don't hyperventilate if we go 3-0.  If MU beats Butler, we are golden.

No longer a worry.  Phew.

[Dr. Blackheart]

No longer a worry.  Phew.

Just when I just got over my four day Butler hangover, you have bring this back up.