Bracketology - 3/10

[buckchuckler]

Has MU as a 7 seed playing UNLV, with a second round matchup with 2 seed Kansas.
The other 7 seeds are WVU, Cal, and Butler.
I really don't think this represents how we've played without DJ, as 'Ville, UCONN, and Pitt are all 1 seeds.  So we lost to three one seeds.  most teams would have, and not been at competitive as MU was.  But then again, no moral victories here, just losses.

Villanova as a 3, Syracuse is a 6, WVU is a 7.  So I guess I Cuse beating us automatically pushes them ahead of us.  Even MU has a better conference record and they got swept by Nova, split with GU, and lost to PC.  Really MU was the only good conference win Syracuse had.  Pity they got it.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/bracketology

[Big Papi]

Syracuse beat us at our house and deserve a higher seed than us but we are getting a bit screwed on this DJ injury.  We have been extremely competitive against the now ranked (I think) 2, 4 and 5 teams in the country with two of them on the road.  I guess its just too bad that the injury occurred when it did.  If it happens two weeks earlier and the outcomes are the same, I believe they would be, we would not be as punished as we are now.  Timing is everything and it sucks but if we beat Georgetown/St.Johns, we get our win without DJ and probably secure a 6 seed which is not that bad of a seed as we can compete and beat any of the 3 seeds out there.

[mugrad99]

But we have to win our next game, just to get the team over that mental block. If we win the next game, I look for it to be a springboard to win a few more (Villanova, Louisville)

[Buzz Williams' Spillproof Chiclets Cup]

With the exception of the Pitt game, each one of the DJ-less games was a 4 point game or less with 2:30 to go.

[Bob "Big Daddy" Wild]

The committee doesn't care very much about 'tough' or 'close' losses.  It is about road wins, record, SOS, and how they think we will play in the future.

Syracuse was definitely the better team on Saturday - without DJ, we should not be seeded higher than them, no matter what our resume is.  We needed that game, because right now we are 0 for DJ's injury...and should be praying not to get an 8 or 9 seed.  We need to beat Nova, or I am happy with a 7 seed.

[lab_warrior]

I know that is pure BS and speculation, but I'd take that draw right now.  UNLV is beatable, and I'd love to match up with Kansas, Bill Self being one of the dumbest coaches around.  Although some on the boards may stroke out about facing--GASP!--Tyshawn Taylor!

[Norm]

I'd love that bracket because I'll be in Kansas City that weekend. But, if we get by UNLV and faced Kansas, who covers Cole Aldrich? He worries me more than Taylor.

[Big Papi]

I read Forde Minutes today and I am feeling good and confident no matter who we play in the first round.  Its our seeding and our second round game that I am worried about. 

By the way here is some small tidbits that make me think that we are not as bad as our last 4 games.

COY: Jay Wright, Villanova (17). The Minutes loved what Buzz Williams did in his first year in charge at Marquette, but Wright gets the nod for bringing his team on strong at the end and earning a top-four seed for the tournament.

Team that could bust the bracket: Syracuse might be the most talented No. 6 seed in league tournament history. The Minutes gives the Orange a solid shot to upset UConn in the quarterfinals Thursday night.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=3966875&sportCat=ncb


After reading through a majority of the posts the last 11 months and the last 2 weeks in particular, I really started thinking that maybe we had the dumbest, most inexperienced coach in the history of college basketball.  Between all the posts of only using 7 players with most playing 40 minutes a crack, not practicing free throws and not knowing how to use a timeout along with a plethora of other reasons, it is good to read that someone actually was impressed with his coaching ability. 

It was also good to get reinforcement that Syracuse is a very good and talented team and while it sucked losing to them, it wasn't like we lost to South Florida for the second time this year.  I don't think we will play a team as talented and experienced as Syracuse, Pitt, Louisville or UConn in the first round.  And if we can somehow get a 6 seed, there is a chance we might not face a team as talented and experienced in the second round either.

[bamamarquettefan]

Agreed, and particularly the bloggers who were set and determined that Buzz's unwillingness to practice free throws was the demise of the team.  Well, here are the facts:

MU shot 71.1% from the line this season, well above the national average.

MU has shot better than that only once in the last 5 years, and that one year (2006) everyone on the team not named Steve Novak shot 70% - Novak's 74 of 76 pushed them ahead of this year's team.

MUs opponents shot 66.9% from the line this year, so it's not even close.

[NavinRJohnson]

Agreed, and particularly the bloggers who were set and determined that Buzz's unwillingness to practice free throws was the demise of the team. 

Where you been? That practicing FTs argument is soooo January. Now Marquette loses because Buzz doesn't call enough timeouts.

[DatLadyTBaby]

UNLV CAN BE A GOOD TEAM, BUT I DONT THINK THEY WAS AS GOOD AS THEY WHERE LAST YEAR AND THE YEAR BEFORE. IF MU PLAYS UNLV THEY WILL WIN EVEN THOUGH UNLV BEAT LOUISVILLE, BUT FOR THE PAST FEW GAMES UNLV FEEL OFF... MU CAN GO FAR IN MY EYES IF THEY PLAY HARD.

[reinko]

That you MR.HAYWARD with a new screen name?

[bamamarquettefan]

Good point NavinRJohnson, the critics just keep changing their attack on Buzz.

I guess Buzz's critics think he should have anticipated that Acker, with 7 assists and 1 turnover in the game, would suddenly commit his second turnover by dishing the ball off to Flynn.  Now yes, I do actually believe he should have called a timeout because he no longer has a pointguard with 128 games under his belt that has seen everything.  But to make it some incredible mental lapse is wrong.

Norm, I missed at first that the bracket actually had us playing Kansas IN KANSAS CITY.  I had thought you just meant you would be with Kansas fans you could taunt.  I'll be staying with Kansas grads if we end up there, but I don't like that at all - and I don't think I could handle it if Taylor ended up being the hero in front of a near-home crowd with Dominic watching from the stands.  Give me some other scenario.