Maybe we're due...Conference Tourney

[The Lens]

Since joining the MCC in 1990, we've won 1 conference tourney - Mike Deane's Miracle run in 1997.

Maybe we're due for a run?

If you look at realistic shots, we could have reasonably won in:

1993
1994
1996
2002
2003
2008
2012
2013

Not to mention other years of just getting hot.  Has any other team in America been so bad in Conf Tourneys relative to their NCAA success?  Maybe we're due...

[KampusFoods]

Since joining the MCC in 1990, we've won 1 conference tourney - Mike Deane's Miracle run in 1997.

Maybe we're due for a run?

If you look at realistic shots, we could have reasonably won in:

1993
1994
1996
2002
2003
2008
2012
2013

Not to mention other years of just getting hot.  Has any other team in America been so bad in Conf Tourneys relative to their NCAA success?  Maybe we're due...

Relative to NCAA success, at least recently, UNC comes to mind. They've won the same amount of NATIONAL championships (2) as ACC tournament titles since 2000.

[GooooMarquette]

A couple other teams with fewer conference tournament championships than you'd expect:

Arizona:  One Pac 12 tournament championship in the past 13 years.
Indiana:  Has never won the Big Twelethirfourteen tournament (started in 1998).

[GGGG]

Villanova has only won two BE conference tournaments in its history, and one was last year.

Maryland only won three ACC tournaments since 1953.  Virginia only won two over the same time span.

Texas has never won a B12 conference tournament - they are 0-6 in championship games including one stretch where they lost three straight to Kansas.

[jsglow]

I don't think we've ever been in the BEast final, correct?

[GGGG]

I don't think we've ever been in the BEast final, correct?

No we haven't.  We have been to the semis twice.  2008 we lost to Pitt after upsetting ND in the quarters.  2010 where we upset #10 Nova in the quarters only to get hammered by Georgetown in the semis.

[tower912]

The problem is 4 games in 4 days.   IMO, stamina is and will be an issue.   The only thing that can help is for somebody  (duane, JJ, looking at you) to get ridiculously hot, win the first game in a walk, allowing Wally, Sacar, and Matt to take some minutes and the other 7 to play <30 mpg.   Then an upset in a walk, again not requiring 35 mpg from anybody.   Then game on.      The idea of winning the Big East tourney with Luke, Henry, Haanif all playing 140 minutes in 4 games?   Not possible. 

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

The problem is 4 games in 4 days.   IMO, stamina is and will be an issue.   The only thing that can help is for somebody  (duane, JJ, looking at you) to get ridiculously hot, win the first game in a walk, allowing Wally, Sacar, and Matt to take some minutes and the other 7 to play <30 mpg.   Then an upset in a walk, again not requiring 35 mpg from anybody.   Then game on.      The idea of winning the Big East tourney with Luke, Henry, Haanif all playing 140 minutes in 4 games?   Not possible.

That's why you get the 6 seed.

[bilsu]

The problem is 4 games in 4 days.   IMO, stamina is and will be an issue.   The only thing that can help is for somebody  (duane, JJ, looking at you) to get ridiculously hot, win the first game in a walk, allowing Wally, Sacar, and Matt to take some minutes and the other 7 to play <30 mpg.   Then an upset in a walk, again not requiring 35 mpg from anybody.   Then game on.      The idea of winning the Big East tourney with Luke, Henry, Haanif all playing 140 minutes in 4 games?   Not possible.

I think it is an advantage to having played a game vs. the team you play in the second round that has not played yet. After that you could start feeling the fatigue. However, I am not that confident we will be playing in the second round, especially if we get a first round game against St. John's.

[rocky_warrior]

I am not that confident we will be playing in the second round, especially if we get a first round game against St. John's.

I just don't get the fear of the Johnnies @ MSG.  Yes, they play hard - but THEY ARE A BAD TEAM!  8-20 overall, they've won ONE game in conference (lost 14).

Of course there's a chance we could lose to them.  But I'm certainly not scared to play them.

[Nukem2]

I just don't get the fear of the Johnnies @ MSG.  Yes, they play hard - but THEY ARE A BAD TEAM!  8-20 overall, they've won ONE game in conference (lost 14).

Of course there's a chance we could lose to them.  But I'm certainly not scared to play them.

Sima is back for SJU.  He and Yakwe put a lot of fear into a superior SHU team at MSG yesterday.  Yakwe alone gave MU fits at the BC.

[brewcity77]

I just don't get the fear of the Johnnies @ MSG.  Yes, they play hard - but THEY ARE A BAD TEAM!  8-20 overall, they've won ONE game in conference (lost 14).

Of course there's a chance we could lose to them.  But I'm certainly not scared to play them.

Sima and Yakwe is a very tough defensive combination. They made life hell on a Seton Hall team that dominated us twice. St. John's has gotten better as the season has gone on. They've given tough games to Xavier and Villanova of late. I would much, much, much rather see DePaul if we have to play a Wednesday game.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

Based on the principle that "its hard to beat someone three times in one season", I like our path.

[brewcity77]

Based on the principle that "its hard to beat someone three times in one season", I like our path.

Go for the 6-seed, hope to get Seton Hall, Xavier, and Creighton/'Nova/Georgetown (whomever we lose to before the end of the regular season) for certain success?

[rocky_warrior]

Sima is back for SJU.  He and Yakwe put a lot of fear into a superior SHU team at MSG yesterday.  Yakwe alone gave MU fits at the BC.

Sima and Yakwe is a very tough defensive combination. They made life hell on a Seton Hall team that dominated us twice. St. John's has gotten better as the season has gone on. They've given tough games to Xavier and Villanova of late. I would much, much, much rather see DePaul if we have to play a Wednesday game.

Still not buying it.  DePaul also gave Seton Hall a run for their money (losing by4 on the road).  The tough games to  Xavier and Villanova they lost by 7 and 10.  The transitive property doesn't work, but Marquette also played admirably against those two teams.  SHU seems to be the only team MU really sucks against.

Maybe I'll eat my words, but I'm not scared of a matchup with SJU.  They suck.

[GGGG]

Look, if Marquette is going to win four in a row and get to the NCAA tournament, debating whether they play St. Johns or DePaul in the first round is kind of silly.

[The Lens]

It's been 19 years, WE'RE DUE!

[GooooMarquette]

Look, if Marquette is going to win four in a row and get to the NCAA tournament, debating whether they play St. Johns or DePaul in the first round is kind of silly.

Agreed.  If either team can give us a run for our money, our visit to NYC will be brief.  Might just as well keep the suitcases packed.

[GWSwarrior]

Go for the 6-seed, hope to get Seton Hall

How can our play against the pirates this season give you any semblance of hope?

[BM1090]

How can our play against the pirates this season give you any semblance of hope?

It doesn't, but it's one less game and still better than Nova/Xavier.

[Golden Avalanche]

Still not buying it.  DePaul also gave Seton Hall a run for their money (losing by4 on the road).  The tough games to  Xavier and Villanova they lost by 7 and 10.  The transitive property doesn't work, but Marquette also played admirably against those two teams.  SHU seems to be the only team MU really sucks against.

Maybe I'll eat my words, but I'm not scared of a matchup with SJU.  They suck.

Agreed. Johnnies are a clown show. Mullin is a figurehead and St. Jean is still getting feet wet. The play he drew up to beat Hall was grade school, which is why it failed. They had multiple opportunities to get a two possession lead on Hall in the final two minutes and turned it over every time.

The bar had been set so low for them with the losses to Incarnate Word and NJIT (not to mention 13 straight in conference) that people think they're a tough out simply cause they're not losing by 15 or greater.

[Herman Cain]

I would prefer to get the first round game with one of either St. Johns or DePaul in the BET.   We have a winning season now and the optics of another win are helpful to our interests.

[brewcity77]

How can our play against the pirates this season give you any semblance of hope?

Did you even read the post I quoted?

[bilsu]

Sima and Yakwe is a very tough defensive combination. They made life hell on a Seton Hall team that dominated us twice. St. John's has gotten better as the season has gone on. They've given tough games to Xavier and Villanova of late. I would much, much, much rather see DePaul if we have to play a Wednesday game.

Yes and the other thing about St. John's is that they are very quick and have the ability to press us. We should be very afraid of St. John's. Remember we lost an opportunity to get a game under our belt at Madison Square Garden, because of the snow storm. Who knows if this will add to opening round jitters for MU.