which would you take right now

[jaybilaswho?]

I dont mean to jinx anything here, but I feel like in these big conference tournies, unless you have a two game bye, if you are a team like MU right now, you have to make a decision: go for the conference title (depending on seeding 3-5 games in the same amount of days) and run out of gas for the NCAA's or look to exit the conference tournament and prepare for the dance.

'What do you do?

[boyonthedock]

gotta whole week to rest. and you want to get that seed better. of course you try to win. o

[21Jumpstreet]

Have to keep playing hard.  Take your foot off the gas, someone gets hurt.  Guys are young and energized, they will not be tired. 

[jaybilaswho?]

gotta whole week to rest. and you want to get that seed better. of course you try to win. o

first round starts on Thursday. You have a three to 4 days rest period. Is that enough?

[WildBill77RT]

Of those 2 options, I would take the sweet sixteen.  However, if the choice were winning the conference tourney versus the second weekend of the ncaa's, I would have a tougher time answering.

[MUEng92]

As of next Tuesday, I won't care who won the Big East tournament, even if it was MU (OK, maybe a little).  Next week, and the following weeks are all that matters.

If you have the connections to guarantee MU a second round NCCA win if they lose tomorrow...give me a GT t-shirt! Go Hoyas!

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

You guys are nuts! Winning the Big East tournament would be an accomplishment only a step below a FF appearance! It'd much, much more impressive than a Sweet 16 appearance!

[BrandonA]

Losing anything to rest for something else is something losers say when they don't have a chance of winning.  

If you're a winner, you try to win everytime you compete. End of Story.

[jaybilaswho?]

Of those 2 options, I would take the sweet sixteen.  However, if the choice were winning the conference tourney versus the second weekend of the ncaa's, I would have a tougher time answering.

tough to answer. My basis for the poll is because i think that winning the tourny takes a great run and gases you which in my opinion puts you at a disadvantage to be on top of your game come thursday and friday.

think of this. Once the NCAA tourny is over, how would you rather MU's season have finished: with a conference championship or a second round win?

[Dawson Rental]

first round starts on Thursday. You have a three to 4 days rest period. Is that enough?

Yes, at their age.  If we get a Friday game, Buzz will probably try to work one hard practice in.

You can't "look to exit" from the conference tournament without seriously messing with the team's Mojo.

[21Jumpstreet]

You play to win the game.

[Wade4Life]

Most of these kids played 4 or 5 games in 3 days during their AAU days. No worries, they can handle it.

[jaybilaswho?]

You can't "look to exit" from the conference tournament without seriously messing with the team's Mojo.

I am not saying you throw it, but would you necessarily be that unhappy with a negative result?

[hairy worthen]

Not sure how a competitive team dosen't play to win all the time, especially this team. Winning the BET is a big thing and it would give them more tournament experience and confidence going forward.

[jtsanto]

I was debating this with a friend...if MU has a 7 seed right now and they don't move up at all with a win tomorrow then I want to lose. I remember Cuse making a run two years ago and being out of gas come the big dance. There is never a guarantee with anything so right now play as hard as they can then let's see.


The question I have is what would we get if we win out---I think it is no better than a 4....on a side note I am really liking BUZZ as a coach and think he is doing a better job than I ever imagined, Crean would have blown this game big time

[Pago Warrior]

Conference Championship = higher NCAA seed = increased chance of 2nd round game in the dance.

Full speed ahead!

[21Jumpstreet]

I am not saying you throw it, but would you necessarily be that unhappy with a negative result?

That is a more likely scenario.  You can't throw it, but a loss is not a killer.  These guys will be ready regardless of how the BET turns out.  I'm just happy we are playing well and have a chance to open some more eyes in the tourney.  Good times!

[TallTitan34]

If they aren't playing games they are practicing anyway.  Why not win?

Also in a game 5 players play 40 minutes. In practice every player plays an hour plus I'd assume.

It's not like they can begin preparing for their first round opponent.

[Peoples_Republic_Warrior]

Has it occurred to anyone that that 'Cuse team of '05 (I think?) maybe didn't run out of gas, and just wasn't that good. They weren't even going to be in the tournament before the big east tournament, and then Gerry Mcnamara pulled some crazy shots out of his ass and they played out of their minds for a few games and earned a 5 seed. Syracuse has always been notorious for either going deep in the tourney or getting upset very early. Just because they lost that first game doesn't mean they were out of gas.

[Dawson Rental]

I am not saying you throw it, but would you necessarily be that unhappy with a negative result?

I didn't take your meaning to be "throw it", but more along the lines of: "Hey, this would be a great opportunity to see how Junior does with extended minutes with the starters", or "Let's give Mbao some pressure minutes and see how he does."  It'd be like the Colts protecting their "important" players in the second half of the last game prior to the playoffs.  It can work with Pros, but I think, you can really lose a college team that's gotten excited about what their doing.

[Dawson Rental]

I was debating this with a friend...if MU has a 7 seed right now and they don't move up at all with a win tomorrow then I want to lose. I remember Cuse making a run two years ago and being out of gas come the big dance. There is never a guarantee with anything so right now play as hard as they can then let's see.


The question I have is what would we get if we win out---I think it is no better than a 4....on a side note I am really liking BUZZ as a coach and think he is doing a better job than I ever imagined, Crean would have blown this game big time

Amen, brother.  Buzz is out coaching Crean, and he's out recruiting him too!  (Before the "big man" issue rears its ugly head; Crean couldn't get a "big" either.  Merritt the one exception in his first year.  Robert Jackson, admittedly awesome, was a one year eligible transfer who came back home after he was kicked off the Mississippi State (?) team.  I believe that Crean moved to Indiana, hoping that the school's prestige could do the recruiting for him because he was too tired of doing the "heavy lifting" himself.

[Dr. Blackheart]

You guys are nuts! Winning the Big East tournament would be an accomplishment only a step below a FF appearance! It'd much, much more impressive than a Sweet 16 appearance!

+1
Plus, it is a banner we can rightly display in the BC

[Bling]

Hands down win in Sweet Sixteen over Big East Tourney Championship, no doubt whatsoever.  That is all that matters in my opinion.  That will be remembered much more and have much more significance because that is mostly what college basketball teams are judged by. 

[rocky_warrior]

Has it occurred to anyone that that 'Cuse team of '05 (I think?) maybe didn't run out of gas, and just wasn't that good. They weren't even going to be in the tournament before the big east tournament, and then Gerry Mcnamara pulled some crazy shots out of his ass and they played out of their minds for a few games and earned a 5 seed. Syracuse has always been notorious for either going deep in the tourney or getting upset very early. Just because they lost that first game doesn't mean they were out of gas.

Thanks - I was about to post the same thing.  That Cuse team just wasn't that great.  They had a great run in the tourney, but they we out of the NCAAs without that run.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Hands down win in Sweet Sixteen over Big East Tourney Championship, no doubt whatsoever.  That is all that matters in my opinion.  That will be remembered much more and have much more significance because that is mostly what college basketball teams are judged by. 

I cannot believe how misguided you are. Other than the NCAA itself, there is no more prestigious prize in all of college basketball than the Big East tournament. Period. You just don't get it.

The only schools who care about Sweet 16 appearances are schools that rarely get there...like Marquette. The Big East tournament is much, much bigger than winning 2 games and a helluva lot more difficult.

[AlienWarrior]

There is plenty of time to rest. This is the biggest stage in the USA and well worth the effort. This will just add to our confidence when we get to the next level. We can play with anyone.

[chapman]

Give me the banner hanging in the BC that says "2010 Big East Champions".  Making the Sweet 16 isn't on that level.

Also agree with PRN.  Beating St. Johns on their home court, Nova, Georgetown, and WVU/ND in four days is head and shoulders above a path like beating OK State and Purdue in three days, especially given the competition the BE teams beat this year and in this tournament, and especially because they're Big East teams that we've played amongst all year in our conference and can say we came out on top.  The Sweet 16 is an accomplishment, the Big East Championship is a dream.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Think of the Big East Tournament as a regional in and of itself. Only it's a regional that contains the #3 team, the #7 team, #10 team, the #16 team and the #22 teams in the country...plus Louisville, ND and ourselves.

In the history of the NCAA tournament, there has never been a regional that difficult.

Maybe that'll put it in perspective for you.

[NersEllenson]

+1  - Great point

[Jacks DC]

A better question is what level of the NCAA tournament is equal to a Big East tourney championship.  I would say probably the Elite Eight is equivalent prestige.  True, the BE is more regional though.  You do not rest players in the conference tournament.  Please.

[injuryBug]

I will take the Big East Title over the second round NCAA win.  I think it would do a lot of good for recruiting out east.  Plus the BET is national TV coverage 2nd & 3rd round NCAA games are regional. 

[boyonthedock]

I can name about 9 sweet sixteen teams from last year. But i know louisville won the big east tournament. Pitt the year before that. G town the year before that. Syracuse the year before that. Big east tourny is way tougher and I'd like it much more than a sweet sixteen.

[GuamanianTerror]

Think of the Big East Tournament as a regional in and of itself. Only it's a regional that contains the #3 team, the #7 team, #10 team, the #16 team and the #22 teams in the country...plus Louisville, ND and ourselves.

In the history of the NCAA tournament, there has never been a regional that difficult.

Maybe that'll put it in perspective for you.

PRN has it right. You have to know that Island Boys have a much better perspective on life.

[CTWarrior]

Think of the Big East Tournament as a regional in and of itself. Only it's a regional that contains the #3 team, the #7 team, #10 team, the #16 team and the #22 teams in the country...plus Louisville, ND and ourselves.

In the history of the NCAA tournament, there has never been a regional that difficult.

Maybe that'll put it in perspective for you.

Actually, an average regional that had the number 3 team in the country would have #3, #6, #11, #14, #19 & #22, plus 4 more teams in the top 40.  So this year's Big East field is a little weaker than an average regional, and nothing like the best regional ever.

If I could only choose one, I'd rather have the Big East title than a sweet 16, though.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Good comments.  I agree with PRN from a difficulty perspective, it's harder to win the Big East Tournament.

From an exposure perspective, obviously there is more national prestige to getting to the Sweet 16.  Right now the BET is being played with a myriad of other tournaments.  It's very big, but it's lost in the shuffle.

The benefit of the Sweet 16 is everyone talking about you for an entire week at the national level, plus knowing you only need two more wins to get to the Final Four.

As a basketball accomplishment, I'd say Big East Tournament.  Which would I prefer?   Tough call.  Can I say both?   

[Eye]

I'd say the Sweet 16.

[HylianHero]

Big East Tournament championship here.

Think about this. This team was picked to finish 12th in the BE this year. If we were able to win the tourney, that would be a 1st place finish (sort of, of course all the regular season mumbo jumbo). I think that they team would just get more hyped up for the NCAAs then. They're 18-24ish year old kids. I'm that age and not as in shape, but I can be energetic any time I want to. With 4 days rest, I could literally do anything. They'll be fine!

[redddog13]

Good comments.  I agree with PRN from a difficulty perspective, it's harder to win the Big East Tournament.

From an exposure perspective, obviously there is more national prestige to getting to the Sweet 16.  Right now the BET is being played with a myriad of other tournaments.  It's very big, but it's lost in the shuffle.

The benefit of the Sweet 16 is everyone talking about you for an entire week at the national level, plus knowing you only need two more wins to get to the Final Four.



As a basketball accomplishment, I'd say Big East Tournament.  Which would I prefer?   Tough call.  Can I say both?   

Everybody knows, MU by now, Mr Soft Bubble Man..   NOTHING about the, BEast tournament is lost in the shuffle..   Only thing lost at Tourney time is the Big Ten.. Nobody gives a tanned ass about it except you for the most part.   

Chico, you spin more tricks than a corner tramp..   Remember in chat, when you were a douche earlier this season in a loss?   And said, Dodds board is better than the scoop over and over?   You're nothing but a, Tom Crean, and DIRECTV fail and deserve every ounce of crap you get here, mr spin man.   

[nycwarrior]

As a fan and as a player (I'd imagine), you'd love to enter the Big Dance as the Big East Champions. You want the committe to have every reason in the world to reward MU's late season run, the post-season perfection and the mounting hype with a significantly better seed.

The seed helps your match-up so that we can get more of a mid-major or second-tier BCS team. And regardless of who we get, Buzz only has about three days to teach his scouting report.

Buzz has built a consistent team by made his boys into creatures of habit. (Listen to Lazare and Cubie talk about doing the exact same kind of work every day. It's like they share a brain.)

Tonight is all and only about Georgetown. Tomorrow will be all and only about West Virginia. Sunday will be about getting home and getting seeded...

Looking longer term, thinking in terms of what helps the program, the exposure during the NCAAs would be great but I think the Conference championship helps more and I'll tell ya why.

To date, despite the 10 wins per year that the Big 3's squads and this year's teams pulled off, I still feel that we're considered an Big East also-ran. We're not considered in the same breadth as Syracuse, Pitt, Georgetown, or even fellow new-comer Louisville etc.

Playing for the whole thing, on Saturday night in the World's Greatest Arena, taking on all challengers and coming out on top?

That's something that can't be dismissed. That's when we can legitimately claim to be "a force," "a threat," and annual contender.

That's something that Buzz can point to pushing next year's team, on the road recruiting, etc.

[muwarrior69]

That's something that Buzz can point to pushing next year's team, on the road recruiting, etc.

Ah, but Buzz is already being touted for that next coaching job. UCLA anybody?

[Woodgreen Warrior]

I have to agree with Rocky Warrior on this one, that cuse team wasn't that great which is why they had to make a run in the conference tourney to get into the NCAA tournament.  They didn't run out of steam, they simply stopped playing out of their minds good.

[hairy worthen]

Winning the BET would get us national attention. We are already getting quite a bit of national attention for making the semis. Chicos is probably right though more national attention for making the sweet 16. Winning the BET means we won the top prize whereas making the sweet 16 really only means we have to win another game to get to the next step. I think I would rather have the BET title although the sweet 16 would be an awesome accomplishment.

I don't understand the thinking of "not going for it so the team is rested for the NCAA tourney" Why would you not take something that is right in front of you for something that may or may not happen? Kind of like qualifying a coaches accomplishments because of something he may or may not screw up three years down the road. Right Chicos.

[NavinRJohnson]

I don't understand the thinking of "not going for it so the team is rested for the NCAA tourney" Why would you not take something that is right in front of you for something that may or may not happen?

Agreed. Especially given the makeup of this team. There is no half way. There is no tomorrow. If they are out of gas when the NCAA tournament rolls around, so be it. I never thought they would get there to begin with, so as far as I'm concerned, any wins are gravy. If they could somehow win a BET Title on the way, this season just becomes even more of an overwhelming success than it already has been.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Everybody knows, MU by now, Mr Soft Bubble Man..   NOTHING about the, BEast tournament is lost in the shuffle..   Only thing lost at Tourney time is the Big Ten.. Nobody gives a tanned ass about it except you for the most part.   

Chico, you spin more tricks than a corner tramp..   Remember in chat, when you were a douche earlier this season in a loss?   And said, Dodds board is better than the scoop over and over?   You're nothing but a, Tom Crean, and DIRECTV fail and deserve every ounce of crap you get here, mr spin man.   

Mommy should keep you away from the keyboard.  I never said the Dodds board was better but in the few chats that I have been on where there has already been a poster there under the name of ChicosBailBonds (you perhaps?) it wouldn't surprise me at all if that person said that.  I would NEVER say that.

Let me guess, are you my pal that wrote this to me about a month ago?

"Chicos, we're going to bury you.  We will continue to create new usernames and push you to 50 ignores by the end of February.  Frack off douche"

You didn't quite hit your goal, but whatever floats your boat if you want to play games, fine.  Pretend to be me on a chat room, whatever.  Enjoy life if that's what you want out of it.

[GoldenWarrior]

I'll take both, thank you very much 

[DJO's Pump Fake]

Big East Championship by FAR.

They are still talking about West Virginia not winning one.  If we can win a Tourney Championship 5 years into the Big East, it will cement our status in the Big East.

Think about it, Sweet Sixteen and everyone is done talking about you by next week or the Big East Conference Tournament Champions where you are talked about all week and all tournament.

[MUEng92]

Big East Championship by FAR.

They are still talking about West Virginia not winning one.  If we can win a Tourney Championship 5 years into the Big East, it will cement our status in the Big East.

Think about it, Sweet Sixteen and everyone is done talking about you by next week or the Big East Conference Tournament Champions where you are talked about all week and all tournament.

Sure, if you lose the Sweet Sixteen game, everyone will be done talking about you the next week.  But, if you win the conference tournament and lose in the first round of the NCAA, "everyone" is done talking about you a week before that.  That is unless what they are saying is, how could they play so well one week and then suck when it really mattered.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Remember in chat, when you were a douche earlier this season in a loss?   And said, Dodds board is better than the scoop over and over?

There is zero chance that Chicos ever said that.

[Skatastrophy]

There is zero chance that Chicos ever said that.

Chicos loves Dobbs as much as Crean!  Better watch out Chicos... I'm going to ignore you on the Internet!  That'll show ya!

[Bling]

I cannot believe how misguided you are. Other than the NCAA itself, there is no more prestigious prize in all of college basketball than the Big East tournament. Period. You just don't get it.

The only schools who care about Sweet 16 appearances are schools that rarely get there...like Marquette. The Big East tournament is much, much bigger than winning 2 games and a helluva lot more difficult.

I respect your opinion, but strongly disagree.  I'm not saying it wouldn't be absolutely amazing to win the Big East Tournament, but if pressed, I would prefer advancing to the Sweet 16.  However, if I had to chose Big East Tournament Championship or losing in the 1st or 2nd round of NCAAs, hands down BET amigo.

[warriorfred]

You should always try to win, no matter the situation.  That being said, the team that wins the Big East tournament typically disappoints in the NCAA Tournament.  The Big East tournament is brutal, 3-4 games in 3-4 days against NCAA Tournament teams.  If I was filling out a bracket, I would take WV to exit early.  MU losing in the semis may be a good thing, but winning the Big East tournament would have been special.

[Badgerhater]

Considering that you most likely have to beat 2 teams capable of making the Final 4 to win the BET, I would take a BET Banner at the BC over a Sweet 16.

Plus, a BET title gets you a seed that makes it easier to make the Sweet 16.