Undefeated December...?

[APieperFan3]

It is the teams job to not look past any opponents...so I think MUScoopers should!

[brewcity77]

Green Bay without CO will be tougher than most people expect, but Vandy with a healthy Ezeli is the obvious threat. I think we're a completely different team defensively without him, and suspect we'd drop one.

[MUMac]

I don't care if we lost a game or two in April.  I just want an undefeated April.  Heck that is only one game.  I don't think that's too much to ask for.

[Skatastrophy]

Moot point, Otule will be back by Saturday.  (Says me)

[TallTitan34]

What is LSU's story.  How much would a Otule loss hurt us in that game?

[Marqus Howard]

Green Bay without CO will be tougher than most people expect, but Vandy with a healthy Ezeli is the obvious threat. I think we're a completely different team defensively without him, and suspect we'd drop one.

Can't look past Milwaukee either. They have some glaring weaknesses, but they haven't looked awful this year (They're 8-1), and they gave us a scare last year.

[MUMac]

Can't look past Milwaukee either. They have some glaring weaknesses, but they haven't looked awful this year (They're 8-1), and they gave us a scare last year.

Milwaukee concerns me a heck of a lot more than Green Bay does.

[JD]

Only have 2 losses on the poll, I see 3 good chances for a loss.

[Goose]

Goose said undefeated first time this poll was up and voted undefeated again. Set the bar high...who knows we might just reach it.

[brewcity77]

Milwaukee concerns me a heck of a lot more than Green Bay does.

UW-M has the gaudy record, but all their wins are to teams rated 148 or lower by kenpom. Let's see how they do in their next two before we get too nervous. And the odds of Otule missing GB is higher than Milwaukee.

I think UW-M is decent, but I'm not sold they're much better than UW-GB and I think what the Phoenix want to do is exactly what will give a team like ours trouble.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

I think they can. I don't see UWGB, No. Colo, LSU or Milwaukee as a serious threat. But, Vandy with Ezeli if Otule is out could be very tough. I said they lose one, but I could easily see them remaining undefeated heading into Big East play.

[tower912]

I'm not voting until I know the extent of CO's injury.

[Tulsa Warrior]

Green Bay's 7 footer, Alec Brown, will give Marquette some trouble.  MU will have to muscle him.  They also have a 6-9, 270 kid who transfer from Iowa via a juco.  That said while the team has some talent they a pretty young and Marquette should be able to run on them.  Vandy will be the toughest test for Marquette particularly if Otule is not available of less than 100%.  Crowder, Gardner and JW should have a fiield day with UWM's front court.

[downtown85]

This whole thread is a jinx. 

[MUMac]

UW-M has the gaudy record, but all their wins are to teams rated 148 or lower by kenpom. Let's see how they do in their next two before we get too nervous. And the odds of Otule missing GB is higher than Milwaukee.

I think UW-M is decent, but I'm not sold they're much better than UW-GB and I think what the Phoenix want to do is exactly what will give a team like ours trouble.

You FAR over rate UWGB.  They have some talent, but are young and the talent is no where near MU's level.  But, be afraid, be very afraid if you like.

[Lennys Tap]

You FAR over rate UWGB.  They have some talent, but are young and the talent is no where near MU's level.  But, be afraid, be very afraid if you like.

UWGB just got smoked by Wisconsin, 70-42.

[wojosdojo]

I don't care if we lost a game or two in April.  I just want an undefeated April. 

?

[MUMac]

?

Oops.  Computer issues and did not catch that.  Should have read "I don't care if we lost a game or two in December." 

Lost any pizzazz.   

[Wade for President]

I know they aren't that good, but I see the road game in Baton Rouge as trouble.

The mere logic behind winning in Madison, and losing at LSU is wack...but I just don't have a good feeling about that one.  Hope I'm wrong.

[brewcity77]

You FAR over rate UWGB.  They have some talent, but are young and the talent is no where near MU's level.  But, be afraid, be very afraid if you like.

I'm going to hope that was just a LOTR reference, because at no point have I said I'm afraid of either UW-GB or UW-M. Neither of those teams are anywhere near our level talent-wise. Honestly, I don't believe there's a mid-major in the country that is. There are two ways to beat our team, the first is to try to run with us, out-athletic us, and beat us at our own game. Washington almost did that, but let's be honest, there aren't a lot of teams (and zero mid-majors) that have the horses to do that. So that leaves option B, which requires three things:

1) Have a solid front court -- Norfolk State did with O'Quinn, Green Bay does with Brown and Cougill, I'm not sold on a (relatively) undersized Haarsma and Kelm.
2) Slow it down -- NSU tried this to great effect, both Green Bay and Milwaukee will want to do the same.
3) Shoot the three -- Here's the advantage for UW-M over UW-GB. Milwaukee is an okay three-shooting team, Green Bay is awful.

I don't think Milwaukee has enough up front to beat us, I don't think Green Bay shoots well enough to beat us. But in the past, some poor three-point shooting teams have gotten red-hot against us. If Milwaukee does, no big deal, it'll only add a bit to their game. If Green Bay gets hot, it is a big deal because it adds a lot to their game.

And honestly, Milwaukee's schedule doesn't come close to Green Bay's so far. Milwaukee's best win (kenpom #142 DePaul) is 34 spots worse than Green Bay's worse loss (#108 ND State). Heck, Green Bay's best win (#117 Wyoming) is better than Milwaukee's best win. If Green Bay was playing Texas Southern, Northern Illinois, and UALR instead of Virginia, Indiana State, and Duquesne, they'd be 8-1 too.

Don't be fooled by the record disparity. I'm going to hold off on proclaiming Milwaukee a decent team until they actually beat someone. Saturday at Northern Iowa, for example.

And as for LSU...they're really tough to figure. They beat a pretty good Georgia Tech team at a neutral site, they lose to a bad South Alabama at home. They also hit the offensive glass really well. Here's hoping we don't look past them with the Cross-City Classic coming up a few days later.

[MUMac]

Brew, you have several posts expressing concern about UWGB.  It may have been hyperbole when I made the comment, but not by much.  UWM does not concern me.  UWGB concerns me much less.  You seem to think they are better than they are.

BTW, Norfolk State did not bother us when we won by 31.

Anyway, I think this debate is silly.  MU wins easily Saturday.  You think differently.  Fine.  We will see on Saturday.

[chapman]

Vandy will be tough.  LSU is a true road game.  Still, we're way too good to drop more than 1, even without Chris.

[brewcity77]

Brew, you have several posts expressing concern about UWGB.  It may have been hyperbole when I made the comment, but not by much.  UWM does not concern me.  UWGB concerns me much less.  You seem to think they are better than they are.

BTW, Norfolk State did not bother us when we won by 31.

Anyway, I think this debate is silly.  MU wins easily Saturday.  You think differently.  Fine.  We will see on Saturday.

I think UW-GB is better than their record because they've played a tough SOS, just like I think UW-M isn't as good as their record because they've played a god-awful schedule. And NSU gave mid-majors a blueprint on how to beat us. The first game is irrelevant, the won where they came within a missed three of beating us is not.

If you look back at my actual posts, all I said was that GB would be tougher than people might expect (W by 15 instead of 30) and that Vandy is the real threat. Then I said that UW-M has played a soft schedule while GB has played tougher teams. If you look at the numbers, that's not really debatable. Neither team should beat us, I agree with that.

All I'm saying is upsets happen (just ask Cincy, 'Nova, or Pitt) and in the unlikely event that we lose either, I think the combination of Otule more likely being out and Green Bay's size up front makes them more dangerous to us than Milwaukee. I'd still be shocked, and likely very irritated, if we lost either.

[CTWarrior]

We'll be favored to win them all, but figure we'll stumble once either at LSU or homer against Vandy.

[MUMac]

I think UW-GB is better than their record because they've played a tough SOS, just like I think UW-M isn't as good as their record because they've played a god-awful schedule. And NSU gave mid-majors a blueprint on how to beat us. The first game is irrelevant, the won where they came within a missed three of beating us is not.

If you look back at my actual posts, all I said was that GB would be tougher than people might expect (W by 15 instead of 30) and that Vandy is the real threat. Then I said that UW-M has played a soft schedule while GB has played tougher teams. If you look at the numbers, that's not really debatable. Neither team should beat us, I agree with that.

All I'm saying is upsets happen (just ask Cincy, 'Nova, or Pitt) and in the unlikely event that we lose either, I think the combination of Otule more likely being out and Green Bay's size up front makes them more dangerous to us than Milwaukee. I'd still be shocked, and likely very irritated, if we lost either.

Have you compared the two schedules?  I have.  They are comparable.  UWM would not be 4-5 with UWGB's schedule and UWGB would not be 8-1 with UWM's schedule.

Yes, upsets happen.  Based upon that, you could comment every game that the other team concerns you.