MUScoop

Right before the Vandy game I started a Poll asking about our record over the next seven games.

http://www.muscoop.com/index.php?topic=29330.0
46% said 5 - 2
32% said 4 - 3
We wound up 4 - 3.  All in all not bad a prediction.

So, let's do it again!  Here are the next seven games.  What do you think our record will be?

Saturday, January 21    Providence    Away    6:00 PM          
Tuesday, January 24    South Florida    Home    7:00 PM             
Saturday, January 28    Villanova    Away    11:00 A.M.       
Tuesday, January 31    Seton Hall    Home    7:00 PM             
Saturday, February 4    Notre Dame    Away    12:00 P.M.             
Monday, February 6    DePaul    Away    8:00 P.M.             
Saturday, February 11    Cincinnati    Home    2:00 P.M.    

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My prediction ... 3 home games and 4 away games.  I want to say 7 - 0 but we never know what team we get.  So, 'll say 6 - 1.  5 - 2 is acceptable (meaning we would be 9-4 after this stretch).  Anything less than that would be unacceptable.

Thoughts?

My guess is 6-1. 5-2 would be acceptable, anything less honestly would be a disappointment. If we manage to go 7-0, we'd best be cheering for ND to beat Syracuse. If either them or Cincy could knock off the Orange in that road trip, and then either UConn or GTown could do the same favor at the Carrier Dome, we could be tied for the Big East lead by Feb. 11.

I like to take 'em one game at a time, even as a fan.

I take it 7 games at a time, but only as a player.

Quote from: boyonthedock on January 16, 2012, 10:21:53 PM
I take it 7 games at a time, but only as a player.

I hope you remember to keep a running total of each made shot's effect on your scoring average during the game, as well.

Quote from: LittleMurs on January 16, 2012, 10:20:16 PM
I like to take 'em one game at a time, even as a fan.

Buzz takes them 1 paint touch at a time.  Or is it 1 Turkey at a time?  Or, 1 ATO at a time?  I forget.

Its only 3 at home during that stretch unless you are counting Depaul. As hot as we are, I like to set expectations low for things out of my control and hope to be pleasantly surprised.  I see losses at ND (just because.. I hate that place), at Nova (Cheek break out game), and Cincinnati at home (No answer for Gates). 4-3. However, this is the first time ever in the Big East, I do have a tiny bit of hope that the team might possibly win out. Looking at the schedule, there is not a game where you think the team will have to play out of their mind to win. It was hard seeing us match up with Cuse, but there's nothing else like that on the schedule. I think you go into every game the rest of the year disappointed if they lose. Obviously at Uconn is the toughest out, but they are prone to throwing up some stinkers.

I voted 6-1.  Here's how I see it playing out:

WIN at Providence.  We have a four day layoff to prepare and we're simply a better team.

WIN vs. USF.  Short turnaround (2 day layoff) with travel mixed in, but we're the better team and it's at home.

WIN at Nova.  Three day layoff with travel, but we've seen them before so scouting isn't a huge problem and we're the better team.

COIN FLIP vs. Seton Hall.  Short turnaround (2 day layoff) with travel mixed in.  Seton Hall will be looking for a signature road win as well, as we are their only shot aside from @UConn.  We're a better team, but not by much.  Theodore and Pope will be a handful.

WIN at ND.  Three day layoff with travel, but they're basically a worse version of Wisconsin.  Yeah it's at the Joyce, but unless they shoot 75% from three I think we win this one by 10+.

WIN at DePaul.  Short turnaround (2 day layoff) and the second straight road game.  DePaul tries to play an uptempo game, which plays right into our hands so the fact that it's on the road with little prep time doesn't matter.

COIN FLIP vs. Cincinnati.  Four day layoff to prepare, but they're the kind of team MU has struggled against this year.  They're long, athletic, and won't get worn down by a press.  We're a better team and it's at home, but Cincy has played very well since the brawl and they could come in full of confidence off a probable 3 game win streak.  Slight chance of a Vandy redux.



Not like I'm breaking any ground here but this 7 game stretch really hinges on how we handle two home games against tough competition in Seton Hall and Cincinnati, both of which gave us trouble last year.  I think we split, with Cincy being the more likely loss, but 5-2 or 7-0 wouldn't shock me either way.  After that, we have a full week off before a crucial 2 week stretch featuring games at UConn, WVU & Cincy finishing with GTown at home.  That mini gauntlet will likely decide who comes in second behind Syracuse.

I will repeat myself again, if we lose to Seton Hall that is a MASSIVE letdown. They have always been a formidable home team, but nothing on the road. Id be less disappointed losing at ND or maybe even Nova.

Well, I finally went with my heart and not my head and said 6-1.  I believe 5-2 is really more realistic, but really think we need to go 6-1 because the rest of the schedule after that could be very difficult.  We don't do well against teams that are big offensive rebounding teams, meaning these next 7 are manageable - just hard to not have a couple of off nights in that stretch - but after that we are really going to have to box out the rest of the way.

Quote from: Jamailman on January 17, 2012, 12:24:13 AMWIN at ND.  Three day layoff with travel, but they're basically a worse version of Wisconsin.  Yeah it's at the Joyce, but unless they shoot 75% from three I think we win this one by 10+.

Worse version of Wisconsin...not so sure about that. Notre Dame is the team that most scares me in this 7-game stretch. They've got two legitimate scoring guards in Atkins and Grant, and Jack Cooley doesn't just look like Luke Harangody, he's starting to play like him. And while Martin isn't ever spectacular, he's a solid senior leader. In addition, they haven't lost consecutive home games since January 2009. With Syracuse their next game at home, there's a good chance that happens for the first time since then. Not sure they've ever lost 3 straight at home since Brey took over (definitely not since 02-03). We can win, but it certainly won't be easy.

If they get Abro back next year, it wouldn't surprise me at all to see them back in the top-4 of the Big East.

Quote from: brewcity77 on January 17, 2012, 06:52:47 AM
Worse version of Wisconsin...not so sure about that.

I am.  They both rely on not turning the ball over and hitting threes, except Wisconsin does it much better.  ND is a much worse defensive team as well.  The teams that have given us fits this year are very long and very athletic.  ND is neither.  Even though it's at the Joyce, I'd be shocked if we lost that game.  Will I go all willie warrior if we don't?  No, but it's just not a team that matches up well with us in the least.  Cincy (x2), GTown, UConn and to a slightly lesser extent WVU are the teams left on the schedule that will give us the most trouble.