Okay, I've had about enough...

[Moonboots]

Reading here and the other Marquette boards, including the one being invaded by USU fans who feel they're a legitimate sweet 16 (and, according to a few looneys over there, a legitimate final four contender...), I've just about had it.  I just took the last hour to watch the USU-Nevada game replay on ESPN360. 

I don't care if they have a playbook double the thickness of a Marquette organic chemistry book.  We're going to run circles around this team.  All I've heard from prognosticators all week is upset this and upset that.  I've heard people here who talk about how they feel this will be a "really tough game." Screw karma, screw respect, we're going to win this game by 20.  I'll be the first in line to take my helping of crow if things don't go that way, but I'm confident I won't have to because we're that much better than these guys. 

By 5 minutes into the game, I watched Nevada go 1/6 on layups, and the slow-as-molasses forward from USU put a "move" (I use that term loosely) on the slower-than-molasses defender from Nevada and take him baseline time after time after time.

I understand the sexy upset pick, and I was heavy on the nerves just like everyone else until I actually took the time to watch this team play.

Sure, 30-4 deserves some measure of respect, but I'm sick of some projections for this game putting USU at a 55% success rate or something ridiculous like that.  This is the equivalent of the really, really good 7th grade basketball team deciding to join the high school varsity tournament.

I guess I might have to lock myself out of message boards for the next few days because I don't want to hear about how we have to worry about their size, their discipline, their set plays, whatever.  THEY should be the ones worrying about US.

WE ARE MARQUETTE.

[rocky_warrior]

I'm with you.  And oddly, Bruce Pearl put it best.

Yes they are 30-4 -- but actually 29-4 in Div 1.  25 of their 29 wins come from the 100+ RPI teams.  3 more come from RPI 76-100.  So they are 28-2 against RPI 76+ teams.  They are 1-2 against teams with an RPI lower than 75.  The one win?  A 2 point victory against #9 Utah at home.

Color me unimpressed.

Of course, it's only fair do the same analysis for Marquette.  We are 24-9 against Div 1.  15 of our 24 wins come from the 100+ RPI teams.    2 more come from RPI 76-100.  So we are 17-1 against RPI 76+ teams.  We are 7-8 against teams with an RPI lower than 75.  The 7 wins?  #13 Nova (+7), #20 WVU (+22), #48 WI (+3), #60 UNI (neutral+30), #65 @Gtown (+6), #65 Gtown (+12), #72 @Prov (+9).

I understand they'll still play the game, and we need to play better to win.  But barring a monumental collapse (ala USF), this isn't a game to "worry"** about.

** - Naturally, I worry about every game Marquette plays.

[ATWizJr]

Warriors by 15.

[tower912]

Assuming Buzz is telling the truth when he says the defense is getting better everyday, and Jerel and Wes regain their shooting touches, we win. 

[downtown85]

I have scanned the scout board and I get a real kick out of USU fans.  I couldn't think who they remind me of and then it dawned on me.   On a whole, they remind me of Buddy or "Incrediboy" from "The Incredibles."  For those of you haven't seen the movie or can't remember, he is the boy with no super powers who so badly wants to be a superhero he keeps interfering with Mr. Incredible's escapades.  USU fans want their team to be something they can't possibly be and so badly want respect. 

I just hope that MU turns out to be Mr. Incredible and sends Buddy home.

[GGGG]

Why insult the USU fans?  What do you expect of them?  If we're playing Memphis next week, they'll be a good portion of people on this board acting the same exact way. 

[downtown85]

I am just saying who they remind me of. Didn't mean it as an insult. Perhaps when we were in the MEAC or whatevertheheck the conference was we were in their shoes.  I am glad we are not now.  Hopefully we won't be in the future. 

Regarding Memphis, they don't scare me.  They are a good team but beatable because of their soft schedule. 

I will agree that I will be feeling like cinderella if we get as far as beating Memphis though.  However, I won't go to our future opponents' fans message board to explain how good we are and why we deserve respect.  Perhaps some of us will.  I will call them Buddy too.

[Moonboots]

Why insult the USU fans?  What do you expect of them?  If we're playing Memphis next week, they'll be a good portion of people on this board acting the same exact way. 

I don't even mean the post as an insult to them.  If I were an outsider looking in, everything about this game would scream "put USU into the round of 32."  But it's just not right.  Watch them play once, and you'll see just how far ahead of this team we are.  It really isn't even close. 

Meanwhile, go read anywhere else on the internet, and you'd have a hard time convincing me that we're supposed to be the favorite here.  There's guys on the scout board that believe that "the committee did them a favor and they're the true 6 seed, playing at home because of their near flawless record."  I'm all about respecting every opponent we play, but I don't want to have to wait two more days to put them in their place.

It just reminds me of a quote I read from former Packer safety LeRoy Butler when they were in Super Bowl XXXI.  Holmgren made it mandatory to be complimentary to the Patriots in the media, and finally during one meeting about Wednesday of Super Bowl week, Butler stands up and says "coach, I know you told us to be all nice to them in the media and everything, but I'm sick of it.  I've watched the film on these guys.  They're not good." 

I'll give them respect, but I'll never say I'm scared of this or scared of that when in reality there's not much about this team that scares me at all after watching them.

[BrewCity83]

USU's coach said in the MJS today that MU's penetration is scary, and he hopes that they can control it and keep the game close for a while.

[MarquetteDano]

I agree with most sentiments here, if that makes sense.  Yes, fans will be fans and there will be always those who post trash on the other team's board.  The prognosticators like the 6-11 game for upset potential.  No suprises really.

I have only one thing to add:  I used to travel to Vegas every year for the tourney in the nineties.  I had one lock bet every year and I think I won 80% of those.  My lock this year is Marquette minus 4.5 half (current line) versus USU.  Unless we have a bad free throw ending to the game, I just can't see us not winning by 5 or more.

We are going to give up some points to this team.  Our defense can be pedestrian at times.  However, they are not going to stop our offense consistently throughout the game.  I can't see us scoring less than 77 or so against these guys. 

[mu_hilltopper]

The big reason any MU fans are worried about this game is because of past March performance, where we've lost games we were favored to win.  

I just don't see us losing this game.  USU is not nearly as battle tested, has not played anywhere near a team as quick and athletic, nor a team as hungry as our Warriors.  

If MU plays as "well" as it has over our past 5 losses, we win this game.

[AlumKCof93]

I think it's clear why others are picking us as potential upset victims;

1) There are always upsets, you have to pick one,
2) Why not an 11-6 game,
3) MU lost its starting point guard,
4) MU lost 5 of 6 heading into the tourney,
5) MU has an inexperienced coach, while USU has a veteran one,
6) not all of the BE teams are going to win, right?
7) Its a virtual home game for Utah St.

Of course, none of this has to do with players on either team.  I expect Marquette to win handily.

[ecompt]

After looking at all the stats we really should win this game. I do not think I would feel the same going into a matchup with Memphis.

[MR.HAYWARD]

ok so we have lost 5 of our last 6 or whatever.  Mostteams would especially when trying to readjust on the fly to losing a great player.  But the way i look at it is the USU game will look more like the SJU game in NYC than the Uconn, Louisville, Nova, Syr, etc games.  Plain and simple.  We have 5 starters that would star for that team.  Will we wiin, maybe not but I compare this game more to the SJU game than the other 5, i think we blow there doors off.  Lastly, let them play slowdown, makes our quick and easy baskets all the more valuable...see the Wisconsin game. 

[Moonboots]

Here to have my helping of crow... sort of. 

Watching USU on film, I thought this game would be a blowout.  I thought we were more athletic, more intense, and just flat out better than these guys. 

Turns out, we shot cold (except Lazar) and USU brought it a lot harder than I thought they might.

Luckily, I can take this bite of crow without a heavy heart... we play on Sunday.

Go Warriors.