Count me as one that believes Utah State will be tough

[Wareagle]

I understand the rankings an such,but it's hard to figure that they would have had a tougher non conference then us considering we played Dayton,Wisky,Northern Iowa and Tenn. that's 4 tourney teams.And they played 2.

It's because the bad teams we played were some of the worst in D-I and they severely dragged down our SOS

[DaCoach]

Their strength is offensive eFG%, where they are #4 in the country.

Our weakness is defensive eFG%, where we are #253 in the country. 

Mix an opponent's strength against our weakness and you get bad things.

Almost all Wilkinson's buckets are within 2-3 feet. He was bigger and stronger than his opposing big men in the WAC. Look at their team blocks...very low. Their PG is new and our defense will create nightmares for them getting up the court. They can't stay with our penetration. They're an excellent low level team from a lousy conference. Add to that our anger after the last game and it looks like a blowout to me.

[ChicosBailBonds]

I understand the rankings an such,but it's hard to figure that they would have had a tougher non conference then us considering we played Dayton,Wisky,Northern Iowa and Tenn. that's 4 tourney teams.And they played 2.

Texas Southern
IUPUI Ft. Wayne
Houston Baptist
Western Carolina
Central Michigan
Presbyterian
Chicago State

We played an absolutely dreadful non conference schedule when you get past the teams you mentioned above.  6 schools at 240 or worse, a 7th at 225.

[T.V. Diener 34]

Guys, let's also remember that Wisconsin is playing in Boise too.  While I realize that a lot of MU fans cheer against UW and vice versa, I feel that we will have a stronger home following than usual in Boise because Wisconsin also plays there.  For this reason, I feel that we can somewhat balance the home court advantage.

[muwarrior87]

Guys, let's also remember that Wisconsin is playing in Boise too.  While I realize that a lot of MU fans cheer against UW and vice versa, I feel that we will have a stronger home following than usual in Boise because Wisconsin also plays there.  For this reason, I feel that we can somewhat balance the home court advantage.

I believe we play on different days though. Unless someone wants to buy two sessions of tickets, which I guess if you're going to Boise there probably isn't much else to do...will have to find out when i get there, we probably won't have any Wisky fans cheering for us

EDIT:  same day, we have earliest game, they have latest game

[NotAnAlum]

I would expect a very hostile crowd.  Boise is a WAC town and the WAC has a big chip on its shoulder that they don't get respect from the big conferences.  I would expect the hometown crowd to be very pro Utah St and of course Utah St fans will drive up in droves.

[bamamarquettefan]

They scare me in that they are a team that could just start lighting it up from behind the arc and get the crowd fired up to surge to a lead.  I also get paranoid about how refs who haven't seen MU play before will call a game because we are so quick at picking the ball that it sometimes looks like we must have fouled, and we can't get in foul trouble.

A quick glance back at the preseason books said they had a lot of jucos coming in, so that may explain the "old but inexperienced."  I loved how Acker stayed in McInerney's grill at South Bend - I think this is a much better matchup for him than an AJ Price type overpowering guard who can also drive.

[Robyrd5]

Yeah I was too lazy to edit it... going with my last two posts, has there ever been a "God's on our side" chant during any of our victories?  I went to a Catholic HS and that was a very popular chant to use towards the end of any game that we were going to close out as winners.  Interesting that it hasn't made it to the Collegiate level yet.

I've heard us chant that once or twice at the BC, just not this year. It usually happens when we play ND at home.

[ATWizJr]

I think they will be twice as good as St. John's so we will only beat them by half as much.

[LON]

We just need to steal their magic underwear!

[SaintPaulWarrior]

Warriors are a 4.5 point favorite on sportsbook.com.

[downtown85]

kenpom predicts a win by 6.  (72% chance of a win)

http://kenpom.com/team.php?team=Marquette

[Buzz Williams' Spillproof Chiclets Cup]

We SHOULD win, but I have a hard time believing that this one won't still be in doubt with 5 minutes to go.

[Wareagle]

kenpom predicts a win by 6.  (72% chance of a win)

http://kenpom.com/team.php?team=Marquette

I am one of the  biggest KenPom fans on the board, but I will be the first to say do not take that prediction for much of anything. 

His 6 point win is based on MU's total body of work thus far, which is based on 28 games with DJ, and 5 without him, therefore the averages are tilted towards reflecting a team with DJ, not than the situation we face now.  Essentially, his model still assumes DJ is on the team.

[BuzzSucksSucks]

I think we have to concede a big home court advantage to Utah State, and from the 2003 regional final we know what an advantage that can mean in the tourney.  I think we'll still win, though.  I wouldn't put it past NDSU to beat Kansas for the same reason.