Villanova
Providence
@St. John's
Butler
@Seton Hall
Home games are in bold.
Outside of Villanova, this is probably the most winnable stretch of conference games. Going 4-1 will be difficult, but not impossible and would put us in a good position for the BE tourney and possibly NCAA's. A win Saturday would be monumental. Let's see if this team has figured it out.
Quote from: 4th and State on January 22, 2014, 08:55:38 AM
Villanova
Providence
@St. John's
Butler
@Seton Hall
Home games are in bold.
Outside of Villanova, this is probably the most winnable stretch of conference games. Going 4-1 will be difficult, but not impossible and would put us in a good position for the BE tourney and possibly NCAA's. A win Saturday would be monumental. Let's see if this team has figured it out.
I love this home cooking coming up against Nova and Providence. Providence is looking the part of a bubble team at worst right now--AKA a quality win. That G-town win was huge in gaining some momentum going into this stretch. This is MU's time to break out of its shell--and we just may have figured out the right rotations in the nick of time.
13-5. The dream stays alive. I know that KenPom and RPI look differently, I know that Creighton is playing at a very high level, but other than on the road at Nova, every single remaining conference game is winnable.
Go 4-1, we're 7-4, alive and its a new season.
3-2 (or worse) and we have a tough, uphill battle... would pretty much need to win the rest
This stretch is huge.
5-0 is possible. But I'm just hoping for 4-1 right now.
4-1 looks a lot tougher if you can't get the first (and toughest) one. Find a way to get this W Saturday and momentum could really shift though.
Not only that but this board will explode.
I was looking at this exact same thing las nnight and reached the same conclusion. Saturday is a huge opportunity and makes 4-1 very plausible.
Who would not be happy with 4-1? That would put us at 15-9 and would still be a huge reach for us to make the dance. We would need at least 3 quality wins this year, and right now we have none. Georgetown is down this year.
Villanova would be a good win and a good start.
Hoping for 5-0. Ever single one of these games in winnable...but also loseable. There is that much parity in the BEast this year. I smell some home cooking on Friday, as long as the threes aren't falling for Nova.
Quote from: TAMU Eagle on January 22, 2014, 10:50:21 AM
Hoping for 5-0. Ever single one of these games in winnable...but also loseable. There is that much parity in the BEast this year. I smell some home cooking on Friday, as long as the threes aren't falling for Nova.
Hopefully home cooking on Saturday too! ;)
Quote from: GooooMarquette on January 22, 2014, 11:14:03 AM
Hopefully home cooking on Saturday too! ;)
There will not be any home cooking Saturday if Burr shows up with his hate Woody for MU and Gardner.
Quote from: willie warrior on January 22, 2014, 11:23:41 AM
There will not be any home cooking Saturday if Burr shows up with his hate Woody for MU and Gardner.
Villanova is evil and must be destroyed!
Not to pee all over everyone, but in the 4-1 scenario, Nova is a must win. The only way MU can get back into the discussion of a tourny bid is if they beat Nova. Without Nova they only have two quality wins, GW and @Georgetown and that GTown will get very shaky unless they kill their next 4 games (@Creighton, Nova, Michigan State, and @DePaul).
The record at the end of the day could get to the "right numbers" but we'll be bounced on quality wins if MU can't win at least 2 out these 4 (Nova, Xavier, Creighton, and @Nova).
That butler collapse is going to prove costly. 4-2 would be looking great.
8-3 and 16-8 would look fantastic if we pulled off the 4-1.
Quote from: mu03eng on January 22, 2014, 11:26:42 AM
Not to pee all over everyone, but in the 4-1 scenario, Nova is a must win. The only way MU can get back into the discussion of a tourny bid is if they beat Nova. Without Nova they only have two quality wins, GW and @Georgetown and that GTown will get very shaky unless they kill their next 4 games (@Creighton, Nova, Michigan State, and @DePaul).
The record at the end of the day could get to the "right numbers" but we'll be bounced on quality wins if MU can't win at least 2 out these 4 (Nova, Xavier, Creighton, and @Nova).
G'Town could go 0-4 in those games. If Payne is still out for M St, they might go 2-2. Don't see them beating Creighton on road or Nova in their current free-fall.
I do not think we should overlook Providence. They are ahead of us in standings and beat Creighton. They gave away the first game to Seton Hall in overtime. They would only have one conference loss if they did not lose that one.
Quote from: HaywardsHeroes32 on January 22, 2014, 03:19:09 PM
That butler collapse is going to prove costly. 4-2 would be looking great.
8-3 and 16-8 would look fantastic if we pulled off the 4-1.
Easy to look at that Butler game and say what if, (that's our job of course) but as much as we dropped the ball in that one, we stole the Gtown game.
If there's one thing Buzz's teams have taught us it's to expect anything, which is why the 5-0 wouldn't shock me.
Quote from: bilsu on January 22, 2014, 05:14:18 PM
I do not think we should overlook Providence. They are ahead of us in standings and beat Creighton. They gave away the first game to Seton Hall in overtime. They would only have one conference loss if they did not lose that one.
You are right about Providence. All the more reason we need to beat them. If we want to get to the dance, we are going to have to get some wins against the better teams in the league: Villanova, Xavier, Creighton and Providence. Tall order! Still believe we will need at least 21 wins regular season, which means we must go 10-2. So we can afford to lose once to Villanova and one to Creighton, but must sweep the rest.
Quote from: bilsu on January 22, 2014, 05:14:18 PM
I do not think we should overlook Providence. They are ahead of us in standings and beat Creighton. They gave away the first game to Seton Hall in overtime. They would only have one conference loss if they did not lose that one.
PC has four wins, two of which came against the worst teams in league and a third against a Creighton team that had McD and Wragge at half speed with illness. They beat GTown too but we all know their issues. Doubt it's an overlook but there is nothing scary with Friars.
Every team in the league other than CU is suspect in my eyes. Hell, even Nova's record is shaky considering they've feasted on the bottom of the conference and their first real test was failed miserably. Second one comes Saturday.
I continue to think we need to do the following to insure our berth in the NCAA. First win all our home games, Second on the rest of our road schedule we need to go no worse than 3-2, and then win at least two in the BET. My logic is that gives us enough quality wins and road wins to justify our invite.
That means for the next five games we really need to go 5-0 at worse 4-1 but absolutely need to win Villanova.
At this point the destiny of the season is up to Buzz. If he goes with something similar to the rotation he had at Georgetown we will be fine. if he sticks with the same old same old we are going to be in for tough times. The kids on the team are giving it their all. Hopefully our coach will take his ego out of it.
Quote from: Chris Columbo on January 22, 2014, 08:10:37 PM
Hopefully our coach will take his ego out of it.
Is this where we're at as fans? Buzz's ego is the reason for our losses? Was it the same ego that took us to S16, S16, E8? Infallible Buzz? No. But good lord. Tough to please everyone at all times, I suppose.
Quote from: jesmu84 on January 22, 2014, 08:38:04 PM
Is this where we're at as fans? Buzz's ego is the reason for our losses? Was it the same ego that took us to S16, S16, E8? Infallible Buzz? No. But good lord. Tough to please everyone at all times, I suppose.
I think he was more humble in the past actually. I am just saying that if he takes his ego out of it, admits the Derrick experiment was a mistake and moves on we will be better off. And actually so will Derrick. I am not a big believer in his whole theory of those who practice hard get the minutes, the reason is every single one of those kids practices hard. That is just a throw away statement on his part to justify poor rotation decisions.
Quote from: jesmu84 on January 22, 2014, 08:38:04 PM
Is this where we're at as fans? Buzz's ego is the reason for our losses? Was it the same ego that took us to S16, S16, E8? Infallible Buzz? No. But good lord. Tough to please everyone at all times, I suppose.
+10,000
Quote from: Chris Columbo on January 22, 2014, 08:54:00 PM
I think he was more humble in the past actually. I am just saying that if he takes his ego out of it, admits the Derrick experiment was a mistake and moves on we will be better off. And actually so will Derrick. I am not a big believer in his whole theory of those who practice hard get the minutes, the reason is every single one of those kids practices hard. That is just a throw away statement on his part to justify poor rotation decisions.
How was he anymore humble before this season? And, you're definitely wrong in calling it the "Derrick experiment." Unless Duane blew everyone away pre-season, Derrick was going to start this season (and from what we heard, Duane wasn't doing that anyway). Buzz was humble enough to end the Jamil at point experiment. Is that humble enough for you? A throw away statement? That's been Buzz's M.O. his entire time here. So, no, it doesn't justify anything. What in the WORLD are you talking about?
Quote from: jesmu84 on January 22, 2014, 09:35:07 PM
How was he anymore humble before this season? And, you're definitely wrong in calling it the "Derrick experiment." Unless Duane blew everyone away pre-season, Derrick was going to start this season (and from what we heard, Duane wasn't doing that anyway). Buzz was humble enough to end the Jamil at point experiment. Is that humble enough for you? A throw away statement? That's been Buzz's M.O. his entire time here. So, no, it doesn't justify anything. What in the WORLD are you talking about?
I just think Buzz's line about starting guys who play hard in practice is a throw away statement. He says things like to provide cover for his rotation decisions. My experience is that in Division 1 college sports almost every player tries as hard as they possibly can in practice. Seriously, would Chris Otule, Juan or Derrick be starting at any other high major. I am not saying there isn't a method in his madness, what I am saying is he was to personally involved in the fact that Derrick is a good kid and does everything a coach could want, to see what the whole rest of the world saw, which is a kid who can't, and won't ever be able to, shoot effectively at this level. Yes, his ego wouldn't let him take the kid out of game . Buzz is a young guy and full of hubris at this stage in his life. That can take a guy to a certain level but eventually you crash.
Quote from: Chris Columbo on January 22, 2014, 09:59:47 PM
I just think Buzz's line about starting guys who play hard in practice is a throw away statement. He says things like to provide cover for his rotation decisions. My experience is that in Division 1 college sports almost every player tries as hard as they possibly can in practice. Seriously, would Chris Otule, Juan or Derrick be starting at any other high major. I am not saying there isn't a method in his madness, what I am saying is he was to personally involved in the fact that Derrick is a good kid and does everything a coach could want, to see what the whole rest of the world saw, which is a kid who can't, and won't ever be able to, shoot effectively at this level. Yes, his ego wouldn't let him take the kid out of game . Buzz is a young guy and full of hubris at this stage in his life. That can take a guy to a certain level but eventually you crash.
fair enough.
Quote from: Chris Columbo on January 22, 2014, 09:59:47 PM
Seriously, would Chris Otule, Juan or Derrick be starting at any other high major.
I don't know about your ego/hubris theory, but I do know the answer to this question.
Neither Juan nor Derrick would be likely to start at any other high major -- and, in fact, Juan no longer starts at our high major.
Otule, however, might start at any number of high majors depending upon which other players are on the court with him. Many coaches who have otherwise talented offensive players might start a 6-foot-11 defense-first center, especially if the alternative was, say, a 6-7 offensive-minded forward who would be forced to start out of position. Shot-blocking, space-eating, 6-11 guys are not that easy to come by.
I mean, he started every game for an Elite Eight team just one year ago, and he was a pretty valuable contributor in the minutes he played.
Don't fool yourself. He'd start on a ton of teams.
Derrick, on the other hand ...
Quote from: RushmoreAcademy on January 22, 2014, 05:17:15 PM
Easy to look at that Butler game and say what if, (that's our job of course) but as much as we dropped the ball in that one, we stole the Gtown game.
If there's one thing Buzz's teams have taught us it's to expect anything, which is why the 5-0 wouldn't shock me.
Expect anything? 5-0 is not a shocker--so then either is 0-5. I will hope for 4-1 and even be glad at 3-2. But IMO 3-2 will put almost the last nail in the coffin for dance consideration.