Path to the Tourney

[BM1090]

I know everyone is down after last night but we still have three realistic avenues to a bid.

1. 5-0 to close the season.
2. 4-1 to close the season with a win or two in NY
3. BET title

#2 is probably the most realistic option. Starts on Saturday. 1-0 for the next 5 games. I have faith, even if I am alone. I believe in this team. Go Marquette.

[AirPunches]

I look at it in terms of wins. I think MU needs 5 more. 6 puts us in for sure. There are 6 guaranteed games left. Any way they can get to 5 puts them in a decent spot.

[ecompt]

I think all of them are completely unrealistic. Other than DePaul, what game will MU be favored in? We'll be double-digit underdogs at Nova, 2-to-3-point dogs at Providence, and pick 'em at home against Gtown and SJU.

[BM1090]

We were 6 point favorites against Xavier so we'll be favored in both remaining home games and @ DePaul.

[willie warrior]

Follow the yellow brick road.

[copious1218]

I look at it in terms of wins. I think MU needs 5 more. 6 puts us in for sure. There are 6 guaranteed games left. Any way they can get to 5 puts them in a decent spot.

I said this before in "The Bubble" thread before the Xavier game:

I'm viewing the remainder of the season as having to win 7 games.  Go 7-0 in the Regular Season and we can lose in the first round of BET and still be safe (I think).  Go 6-1 have to win 1 game.  5-2, have to make the championship game.  4-3 or worse - must win BET. 

So, for me, 7 more wins means we're in, however we get them.

So, I'm with you, we got the Xavier win.  6 almost certainly puts us in. Problem is - I don't see six more wins on the schedule. 

[CTWarrior]

So, I'm with you, we got the Xavier win.  6 almost certainly puts us in. Problem is - I don't see six more wins on the schedule.  

Agreed.  Most likely finish for us is 3-2 or 2-3 (win at DePaul, lose at Nova and win 1 or 2 of Georgetown, Saint Johns and at Providence), plus 0-1 or 1-1 in BET.  That leaves us 2 to 4 wins short.  Will still be rooting, but don't see evidence of how we could go 4-1 and 2-1.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I think all of them are completely unrealistic. Other than DePaul, what game will MU be favored in? We'll be double-digit underdogs at Nova, 2-to-3-point dogs at Providence, and pick 'em at home against Gtown and SJU.

My guess would be favored by 5-10 at Depaul, favored by 3-6 against GTWN, huge dogs at Nova, 1-3 point dogs at Providence, and favored by 1-3 against SJU.

Win the ones we are supposed to and "upset" Providence, and we are golden.

Providence doesn't scare me. I think we are terrible matchup for them. We roll 11 deep and they only have 7 scholarship players.

[ecompt]

My guess would be favored by 5-10 at Depaul, favored by 3-6 against GTWN, huge dogs at Nova, 1-3 point dogs at Providence, and favored by 1-3 against SJU.

Win the ones we are supposed to and "upset" Providence, and we are golden.

Providence doesn't scare me. I think we are terrible matchup for them. We roll 11 deep and they only have 7 scholarship players.

St. John's scares the hell out of me. At this point in the season, they are simply better than we are.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

St. John's scares the hell out of me. At this point in the season, they are simply better than we are.

Agreed. They actually scare me more than Providence on the road. I'm hoping for the annual SJU player(s) does something stupid off the court to derail the season routine.

[Nevada233]

Path to the N.I.T. Would have been more fitting.

Nothing about this team says 5-0 down the stretch. 

[ecompt]

Agreed. They actually scare me more than Providence on the road. I'm hoping for the annual SJU player(s) does something stupid off the court to derail the season routine.

Agree 100 percent. That is always a possibility with the Red Storm.

[wardle2wade]

St. John's scares the hell out of me. At this point in the season, they are simply better than we are.

I agree, and they are much more talented.  I know they whooped up on Depaul, but it will be interesting to see how they do the next few games without Obepka.  It's a big loss.

[ChicosBailBonds]

My guess would be favored by 5-10 at Depaul, favored by 3-6 against GTWN, huge dogs at Nova, 1-3 point dogs at Providence, and favored by 1-3 against SJU.

Win the ones we are supposed to and "upset" Providence, and we are golden.

Providence doesn't scare me. I think we are terrible matchup for them. We roll 11 deep and they only have 7 scholarship players.

It is definitely possible, I just have trouble with the golden part.  We would certainly be in better position, but that puts us at an RPI of about 54....say we did just that and lost to St. John's in our first game in the BET?  I don't think the presents a golden scenario. 

[dgies9156]

MU has three logical paths to the NCAA tournament:

1) Pope Francis is a Jesuit. He intercedes directly with God to make it happen (oh, and he brings Georgetown and Boston College with us)

2) St. Al of Brookfield intervenes for a third miracle (the Kentucky and Davidson games were his first two). We make it to the tournament and then Todd Mayo steps out of bounds and we lose to Ohio State in the last minute.

3) Bubonic Plague takes out 40 of the top 50 NCAA teams. Davante becomes NCAA tournament MVP as Marquette squeaks by the Duke University intramural all-stars in triple overtime of the championship game.

[swoopem]

Agreed. They actually scare me more than Providence on the road. I'm hoping for the annual SJU player(s) does something stupid off the court to derail the season routine.

I don't know about someone doing something stupid, but their big shot blocking center hurt his ankle the other day and is out for 2 weeks. So there is a slight chance he'll be out when we play them, or at least he'll be a little rusty