Playing with a purpose. Cincy over Louisville by 14 right now

[TJ]

You're right, I did not check Kansas ... overlooked them.

I don't understand your second comment.  This year I thought MU was a middling BE team with around a .500 record.  We are 6 and 7 with the easier part of the BE schedule coming.  I also still believe this is good enough for the NCAA tourney bid.

Sure I was disappointed about last night and about Louisville.  But I did not forget about WVU, ND and Syracuse or about pulling it out against USF.  So, in the end, it all balances out.

The vitriol and booing last night suggests the many expected much more than me.  Otherwise, why get upset like a lot are on this board.  Too many had this unrealistic expectation about how any games we were going to win and failure to meet this is dominating the threads on this board.

The point is that they're not just losing games, they're blowing games.  They looked good for 30 minutes again last night, had a 7 point lead, then played 10 of the worst minutes of basketball they've played this year.  Even the win against Syracuse featured a blown double-digit lead that they overcame because of some magic from Jimmy and DJO.  Every game has had the same theme.

That's the point of my second comment.  You seem to watch the game and then forget about it and formulate your opinion based on how well we did compared to what you thought would happen before the game.  I can't do that.  I saw them build a 7 point lead and then give up a 20 point swing down the stretch of the current most important game of the season.  It's not that they lost, it's how they lost.  It's the fact that they look so darn good that you get a little hopeful, yet again - and then they collapse and take the floor right out from under you.  It's the fact that they make 19 of their first 21 free throws and then they miss the front ends of their 1 and 1's down the stretch when they needed it the most.  It's watching them lose out on every single hustle play in the last 5 minutes - getting a stop and then missing the rebound, poking the ball away and letting them chase it down first.  It's seeing them turning the ball over and playing sloppy instead of giving themselves a chance to even attempt a comeback.  I could go on.  I know St. John's was trying to win too and their good play caused some of these things, but that make it feel better.  

[Tugg Speedman]

I saw them build a 7 point lead and then give up a 20 point swing down the stretch of the current most important game of the season.  It's not that they lost, it's how they lost.  It's the fact that they look so darn good that you get a little hopeful, yet again - and then they collapse and take the floor right out from under you.  It's the fact that they make 19 of their first 21 free throws and then they miss the front ends of their 1 and 1's down the stretch when they needed it the most.  It's watching them lose out on every single hustle play in the last 5 minutes - getting a stop and then missing the rebound, poking the ball away and letting them chase it down first.  It's seeing them turning the ball over and playing sloppy instead of giving themselves a chance to even attempt a comeback.  I could go on.  I know St. John's was trying to win too and their good play caused some of these things, but that make it feel better.  

Would you feel better if we lost like Kansas did Monday night ... never leading, down by 9 at half and losing by 16.  Never in it and outclassed for the entire 40 minutes?  Of course not, this would be worse.

Their is no such thing as a good loss.

This is a young team.  5 of the 9 regulars were not on the team last year (I'm counting Junior in this).  We have talent.  That is why we play so well for 30 minutes.  We lack experience which is why we cannot close out the game.  This will change next year.

[TJ]

Would you feel better if we lost like Kansas did Monday night ... never leading, down by 9 at half and losing by 16.  Never in it and outclassed for the entire 40 minutes?  Of course not, this would be worse.

Sometimes I'm not sure.  A one game thing like Kansas did wouldn't be so bad (as long as it's not against MSU in the tournament), but doing it every game would get old real fast.  So probably not, but the roller coaster ride we're on hasn't exactly been smooth sailing.

[willie warrior]

Which means wins like tonight really help them alot. We have one more shot to help ourselves. After that we have potential "bad losses"

We also have 5 more shots to shoot ourselves in the other foot!

[mu03eng]

We also have 5 more shots to shoot ourselves in the other foot!

Or to right the ship and feel confident going into the Big East tournament

[Tugg Speedman]

If we right the ship, Willie will be wrong on another 200 posts.