Mizzou-Kansas

[Coleman]

Mizzou is ranked 3 but already lost this week. Kansas is 5.

Will we pass the loser of this game in the polls or S-Curve?

[brewcity77]

Tough to say. We'll be right on the loser's heels. Probably need another loss by the loser to make a definitive move. They both have far better top-end resumes than we do.

[MountainCreekHouse]

I'm confused who to cheer for. My initial reaction says Kansas because Mizzou lost this week already.

[Skatastrophy]

I'm confused who to cheer for. My initial reaction says Kansas because Mizzou lost this week already.

Never ever root for Kansas.  Remember 2k3.

[lab_warrior]

I'm confused who to cheer for. My initial reaction says Kansas because Mizzou lost this week already.

I can't bring myself to root for any team that a pathetic, cheating trashpile like Kim English plays for.

Missouri is eerily similar to the '08-'09 MU team.  Lots of athletic guards, a competent big guy, and they play at a very frenetic pace.

EDIT:  Mizzou's big guy is Ratliffe, is quite good, not just competent. 

[4everwarriors]

Never ever root for Kansas.  Remember 2k3.

That had more to do with Crean soiling himself than anything Kansa did.

[brewcity77]

Just heard Clark Kellogg (I think) say Mizzou was the best team in the country in the fast-paced game because they have so many guys that can penetrate with the dribble. I would absolutely love to get the chance to test that theory.

[Norm]

Just heard Clark Kellogg (I think) say Mizzou was the best team in the country in the fast-paced game because they have so many guys that can penetrate with the dribble. I would absolutely love to get the chance to test that theory.

I don't. Missouri is one team I absolutely do not want MU to have in their bracket.

[Skatastrophy]

I also don't ever want to play Missouri again until English is gone.  /shudder

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/29829092

[JWags85]

Thomas Robinson is an absolute beast.

[MUMountin]

Mizzou is ranked 3 but already lost this week. Kansas is 5.

Will we pass the loser of this game in the polls or S-Curve?

I have to think that we might get some bonus points in the polls for a tough win, on the road, at 75% strength.  Although, some of that good will/karma may have been dissipated by the reaction to Buzz's two-steppin'.  

Game just went to OT though...a little harder to knock either team down far for an OT loss.

But, my guess is that we would definitely pass Mizzou if they lose (since it is two in row), and will end up very close with KU if they lose (home loss)--maybe pass them in the ESPN/USA Today, but stay behind in the AP.

[noblewarrior]

This is another great rivalry destroyed by realignment.  so sad.  great game!

[Warriors10]

wow...

At least get a shot off.

[nyg]

Sound familiar?  KU loses their center, down 19 and comes back to win.  Great game for Robinson and Taylor, along with Denmon from Mizzou. 

[Hoopaloop]

That had more to do with Crean soiling himself than anything Kansa did.

 

Travis Diener 1 of 11
Steve Novak 1 of 7
Karon Bradley 1 of 7
Scott Merritt 5 of 14
Todd Townsend 0 of 3
Joe Chapman 0 of 3


17.7% shooting from that bunch

Coaches don't shoot for players. Players shoot.  Plenty of crapping the bed that day, starting with a team that shot well for most of the tournament but other than RJAX and Wade, couldn't hit the ocean if they were standing in a boat that day.

[Buzz Williams' Spillproof Chiclets Cup]

I used to hate KU after they embarassed us in '03, but three years of living in Missouri among the Tigers (essentially Southern Badger fans), has swung me to the other side. Rock Chalk!

[Aughnanure]

I hate KU, have hated them all my life (from Kansas) - But rooted for them today against the traitor.and sellout.

[Hoopaloop]

Great crowd.  If you haven't been to a game at Phog Allen against a solid team, put it on your bucket list.

[karavotsos]

wow...

At least get a shot off.

At least get the pass that is supposed to lead to the shot off.

[4everwarriors]

Travis Diener 1 of 11
Steve Novak 1 of 7
Karon Bradley 1 of 7
Scott Merritt 5 of 14
Todd Townsend 0 of 3
Joe Chapman 0 of 3


17.7% shooting from that bunch


'Cept as the driver of the bus, it was Crean's job to prepare his team defensively to stop their fast break and if your players aren't shooting well, maybe tweak the offensive scheme to get them better shots. Bottom line was Crean didn't and couldn't prepare this squad for the obvious tendencies of the opponent, though he had a week to prepare. That, more than his numerous character flaws, labels him as a pretender in my book.

Coaches don't shoot for players. Players shoot.  Plenty of crapping the bed that day, starting with a team that shot well for most of the tournament but other than RJAX and Wade, couldn't hit the ocean if they were standing in a boat that day.

[wadesworld]

Travis Diener 1 of 11
Steve Novak 1 of 7
Karon Bradley 1 of 7
Scott Merritt 5 of 14
Todd Townsend 0 of 3
Joe Chapman 0 of 3


17.7% shooting from that bunch

Coaches don't shoot for players. Players shoot.  Plenty of crapping the bed that day, starting with a team that shot well for most of the tournament but other than RJAX and Wade, couldn't hit the ocean if they were standing in a boat that day.

I agree with many of your points, but I have to disagree with you here.  Yes, some of the blame goes to the guys who missed the shot.  But the team was clearly unprepared for an opponent they had a full week to prepare for and a full season of video to use to help them prepare for.  It's not like they played a UW-style slow it down offense and then all of a sudden they make it to the Final Four and bust out a ridiculous fast break that caught us completely off guard.  We should have known exactly what was coming at us, but somehow Crean had them entirely unprepared.  He also made absolutely no in-game adjustments.

As far as liking or disliking Kansas, I hated them after they handed it to us for a while, but then they have had a couple of guys go through some really tough situations.  Really "feel good" stories about Thomas Robinson and Darnell Jackson.  I also really enjoyed watching the Morris twins last year.

Robinson:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJ-kMt8HDME&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL2B0F67DE0DD8771A

Jackson:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/luke_winn/02/05/jackson0211/index.html

[Hoopaloop]

I agree with many of your points, but I have to disagree with you here.  Yes, some of the blame goes to the guys who missed the shot.  But the team was clearly unprepared for an opponent they had a full week to prepare for and a full season of video to use to help them prepare for.  It's not like they played a UW-style slow it down offense and then all of a sudden they make it to the Final Four and bust out a ridiculous fast break that caught us completely off guard.  We should have known exactly what was coming at us, but somehow Crean had them entirely unprepared.  He also made absolutely no in-game adjustments.

Don't disagree with you at all.  I was merely saying that when you shoot like we did, there is plenty of blame to go around.  It only makes their break even better. When the ball goes through the hole, you have a few seconds to setup.  When we shoot only 26.1% for the half, that leads to rebounds and quick breaks which we couldn't recover from. 

Last year when we were demolished by North Carolina, was the Buzz crapping the bed?  The criteria used here is often puzzling.  We were losing 40-15 at halftime, had a week to prepare for them.  Many similarities.  Same opposing coach, Roy Williams.  In both games, MU was tied or ahead through the first 7 minutes or so before the implosion started.

The team definitely knew what they were getting into based on the comments from Wade, Diener, Crean but they couldn't simulate it well enough in practice to overcome in the game.


"They had a great game," Wade said. "Their transition game was unbelievable. They got back and they made us take tough shots."

"As hard as we tried to (simulate) that in practice, I'm sure I learned now what so many other teams learned in the past playing a Kansas team - you cannot prepare for how good that break is," Crean said. "Today, I don't have a lot of answers for how good their break was."

"It was just one of those days," Diener said of the loss to Kansas. "A week before that we couldn't have played any better against Kentucky, we beat them by 20-plus, and the next week everything went right for them and went wrong for us.


An awful day but a great tournament run that I'll never forget.  Can we duplicate it this year?

[wadesworld]

Don't disagree with you at all.  I was merely saying that when you shoot like we did, there is plenty of blame to go around.  It only makes their break even better. When the ball goes through the hole, you have a few seconds to setup.  When we shoot only 26.1% for the half, that leads to rebounds and quick breaks which we couldn't recover from. 

Last year when we were demolished by North Carolina, was the Buzz crapping the bed?  The criteria used here is often puzzling.  We were losing 40-15 at halftime, had a week to prepare for them.  Many similarities.  Same opposing coach, Roy Williams.  In both games, MU was tied or ahead through the first 7 minutes or so before the implosion started.

The team definitely knew what they were getting into based on the comments from Wade, Diener, Crean but they couldn't simulate it well enough in practice to overcome in the game.


"They had a great game," Wade said. "Their transition game was unbelievable. They got back and they made us take tough shots."

"As hard as we tried to (simulate) that in practice, I'm sure I learned now what so many other teams learned in the past playing a Kansas team - you cannot prepare for how good that break is," Crean said. "Today, I don't have a lot of answers for how good their break was."

"It was just one of those days," Diener said of the loss to Kansas. "A week before that we couldn't have played any better against Kentucky, we beat them by 20-plus, and the next week everything went right for them and went wrong for us.


An awful day but a great tournament run that I'll never forget.  Can we duplicate it this year?

Good points and I agree.  The players were also to blame, just as Crean and the coaching staff were.  The one point I somewhat disagree with is even after the few makes by Marquette in that 1st half Kansas still ran right past us and got an easy bucket in transition.  Make or miss, we were not getting back and made no adjustment to it.  I was at the game and remember watching as Kansas had the ball past half court before the shotclock even read "34" multiple times.  Crazy.

And yes, Buzz was crapping the bed last year.  I was not happy with how we played.  Started the game out OK, but then got completely lost and did not adjust until it was too late.  Buzz did make an adjustment and we made a little run to make it semi-interesting at one point, but Crowder got T'd up for talking trash after a 3 (that really made me angry.  The odds were completely against us as it was, and doing that not only gave them 2 freebies but also completely stopped any momentum and thus any tiny chance we had to make it really interesting).

And agreed.  I would take the same NCAA Tournament results, even if it meant a 33 point loss.  Just saying, it wasn't just poor shooting that caused a blowout.