MU now in 2nd all alone....

[muguru]

Nova beats UL @ Nova. It doesn't get any easier for UL as they go to Georgetown Saturday. Great opportunity over the next two for MU to distance themselves a bit.

[Tugg Speedman]

C7 baby!!!!

[honkytonk]

Nova beats UL @ Nova. It doesn't get any easier for UL as they go to Georgetown Saturday. Great opportunity over the next two for MU to distance themselves a bit.

I cant believe it looked like there was no one there. The upper deck was completely empty. I always thought VU had good attendance.

[nyg]

UL shoots 12 for 24 at the free throw line.  What is with the free throw shooting in college ball.  It is literally costing teams left and right. 

[Aughnanure]

C7 baby!!!!

C7!

[77ncaachamps]

C7 sounds like "C-section."

Nova was surgical today.

[chapman]

I cant believe it looked like there was no one there. The upper deck was completely empty. I always thought VU had good attendance.

The Pavillion is always sold out, but the capacity is 6,500.  This one was at the Wells Fargo Center; 19,500 in South Philly on a Tuesday night is tough for them to fill.

[Lennys Tap]

UL shoots 12 for 24 at the free throw line.  What is with the free throw shooting in college ball.  It is literally costing teams left and right. 

Obviously Pitino's isn't using enough of their practice time shooting free throws.

[brewcity77]

Everyone can have a bad day. This is why I feel we can beat them. Siva is turnover prone and everyone is beatable. Yes, we could lose to anyone in this league. We can also beat anyone. Winning the Big East may not be probable, but it sure as hell is possible. I think UL will stumble another time or three. Beat who we should beat, hold serve at home, hope the Orange lose 1-2 more games. It's not impossible.

[mileskishnish72]

Typical "sandwich" game for Louisville - easy for them to let down after big game with Syracuse, facing a "weak" team having a down year, and Georgetown ahead. Big win for Nova all the same.

[Goose]

I would have preferred to play a UL team with no losses or one loss. Think our chances down there just got tougher. We need to win the games we should win and battle in the rest. This is crazy season with no team like UK last year and there will be more surprise teams in E8 IMO.

[brewcity77]

I would have preferred to play a UL team with no losses or one loss. Think our chances down there just got tougher. We need to win the games we should win and battle in the rest. This is crazy season with no team like UK last year and there will be more surprise teams in E8 IMO.

I think 14-15 wins will be all it takes to win the Big East this year. Because of that, I'll take every loss by Syracuse and Louisville we can get. Even if we don't beat either of those two, we could still win the Big East if we win all the rest.

[jsglow]

I think 14-15 wins will be all it takes to win the Big East this year. Because of that, I'll take every loss by Syracuse and Louisville we can get. Even if we don't beat either of those two, we could still win the Big East if we win all the rest.

Brew.  Syracuse is 6-0.  What in their history this year suggests that they won't surpass 8-4 or 9-3 over their final 12 games?  I have to believe Kenpom has them favored in every game.  Sure they could end up 15-3.  What odds do you give that MU gets to that lofty record too?  I'd put that at about 10%. 

Look, an absolutely reasonable goal for our squad is a double bye at MSG and a 12-6 or stretch 13-5 record.  Steps one and two toward that are Saturday and Monday.

[real chili 83]

Who'da thunk it?

This team is flat out fun to watch.

A bit of a heart attack at times.

But lots o' fun.

We could be ND right now....searching for an answer.   

Go Warriors!!!

[MarquetteDano]

I got absolutely blasted in a previous thread stating that Louisville consistently underperforms in December & January.

I go to Lulville for business quite a bit and more than one fan has told me they underperform early and then more than make up for it in February and March.

Louisville will still be National Championship material in March.  This is their standard January swoon.  I just fear we get them a little late.  They probably will be playing their best ball when we get them.   

[MU82]

Everyone can have a bad day. This is why I feel we can beat them. Siva is turnover prone and everyone is beatable. Yes, we could lose to anyone in this league. We can also beat anyone. Winning the Big East may not be probable, but it sure as hell is possible. I think UL will stumble another time or three. Beat who we should beat, hold serve at home, hope the Orange lose 1-2 more games. It's not impossible.

Abso-freakin'-lutely. I feel the exact same way.

[Golden Avalanche]

I cant believe it looked like there was no one there. The upper deck was completely empty. I always thought VU had good attendance.

Nova is similar to Marquette in being a smaller school that relies on the casual fan from the metro area to sellout. Considering the 'Cats suck this year no surprise they haven't sold out the big building games.

[brewcity77]

Brew.  Syracuse is 6-0.  What in their history this year suggests that they won't surpass 8-4 or 9-3 over their final 12 games?  I have to believe Kenpom has them favored in every game.  Sure they could end up 15-3.  What odds do you give that MU gets to that lofty record too?  I'd put that at about 10%. 

Look, an absolutely reasonable goal for our squad is a double bye at MSG and a 12-6 or stretch 13-5 record.  Steps one and two toward that are Saturday and Monday.

Pomeroy has favored in all but one of their games with a 15-3 overall record. Pitt, UConn, and Georgetown all figure to be potentially tough road tests. Louisville at home won't be easy. And while they should win all of these, I could see a possible scare from Notre Dame or Georgetown at home and 'Nova on the road. Of course, we could also beat them.

I'm a fan. I can deal with reality not meeting my hopes. But why on earth would a fan of a 4-1 team (likely soon to be 5-1) NOT have hopes of winning a league when there's only one team ahead of them and the only game you play against them will be at home? I don't care about the odds, but if I were guessing, I think we probably have around a 20% chance of reaching 15-3. Our schedule is more favorable, IMO, than either Syracuse or Louisville.

All I know is I'm not going to stop hoping for a league title just because it's unlikely. If it doesn't happen it doesn't happen. And if you want to guard your expectations because you are afraid of the let-down, no skin off mine. But I honestly think this team is a legitimate title contender in the Big East. If I was laying money, I'd say 2nd or 3rd, with 2nd more likely. But I think just like our recent games have been coming down to one or two possessions, I think this league will come down to one or two games. And I think we can be right there in the mix. So I'll be damned if I'm going to cheer for 4th place when 1st is attainable.

[honkytonk]

Brew.  Syracuse is 6-0.  What in their history this year suggests that they won't surpass 8-4 or 9-3 over their final 12 games?  I have to believe Kenpom has them favored in every game.  Sure they could end up 15-3.  What odds do you give that MU gets to that lofty record too?  I'd put that at about 10%. 

Look, an absolutely reasonable goal for our squad is a double bye at MSG and a 12-6 or stretch 13-5 record.  Steps one and two toward that are Saturday and Monday.

Just based on SU's remaining games, I can easily see them losing 3. I think they will split with Georgetown as those games will be fought to the death considering their rivalry is ending. Then I think they will lose any 2 of the games @Pitt, home against UL and @MU (Big Monday). Everyone is gunning for them. They just broke UConn's long-standing record of going 26-1 in conference play (SU is currently 28-1 dating back to last year) but their team is not flawless by any stretch of the imagination.

[BrewCity83]

Don't forget James Southerland is out.  Cuse got to where they are so far mostly with him in the lineup.

[muguru]

Pomeroy has favored in all but one of their games with a 15-3 overall record. Pitt, UConn, and Georgetown all figure to be potentially tough road tests. Louisville at home won't be easy. And while they should win all of these, I could see a possible scare from Notre Dame or Georgetown at home and 'Nova on the road. Of course, we could also beat them.

I'm a fan. I can deal with reality not meeting my hopes. But why on earth would a fan of a 4-1 team (likely soon to be 5-1) NOT have hopes of winning a league when there's only one team ahead of them and the only game you play against them will be at home? I don't care about the odds, but if I were guessing, I think we probably have around a 20% chance of reaching 15-3. Our schedule is more favorable, IMO, than either Syracuse or Louisville.

All I know is I'm not going to stop hoping for a league title just because it's unlikely. If it doesn't happen it doesn't happen. And if you want to guard your expectations because you are afraid of the let-down, no skin off mine. But I honestly think this team is a legitimate title contender in the Big East. If I was laying money, I'd say 2nd or 3rd, with 2nd more likely. But I think just like our recent games have been coming down to one or two possessions, I think this league will come down to one or two games. And I think we can be right there in the mix. So I'll be damned if I'm going to cheer for 4th place when 1st is attainable.

Yes! You and I think alike! The BE is VERY winnable for MU. The more distance MU can put between them and UL(for now), makes it more likely they finish 2nd. Then you go to work on catching Cuse. MU beats them at home. I'm calling my shot now(assuming no one is hurt before then).

[jsglow]

Respectfully Brew, of course I hope MU wins the conference.  I'm simply saying that it isn't likely and I'll be just fine with that.  For that matter, MU could win the national championship or reach the Final 4.  But I don't see that happening either.  No worries.

Thanks for spelling out their schedule.  Agree that they have some stiff challenges facing them.  As for me, I'm trying to play this one game at a time.  Saturday is next and then Monday after that.

[boyonthedock]

Pomeroy has favored in all but one of their games with a 15-3 overall record. Pitt, UConn, and Georgetown all figure to be potentially tough road tests. Louisville at home won't be easy. And while they should win all of these, I could see a possible scare from Notre Dame or Georgetown at home and 'Nova on the road. Of course, we could also beat them.

I'm a fan. I can deal with reality not meeting my hopes. But why on earth would a fan of a 4-1 team (likely soon to be 5-1) NOT have hopes of winning a league when there's only one team ahead of them and the only game you play against them will be at home? I don't care about the odds, but if I were guessing, I think we probably have around a 20% chance of reaching 15-3. Our schedule is more favorable, IMO, than either Syracuse or Louisville.

All I know is I'm not going to stop hoping for a league title just because it's unlikely. If it doesn't happen it doesn't happen. And if you want to guard your expectations because you are afraid of the let-down, no skin off mine. But I honestly think this team is a legitimate title contender in the Big East. If I was laying money, I'd say 2nd or 3rd, with 2nd more likely. But I think just like our recent games have been coming down to one or two possessions, I think this league will come down to one or two games. And I think we can be right there in the mix. So I'll be damned if I'm going to cheer for 4th place when 1st is attainable.

Pomeroy has MU at ~2% chance at 15-3 or better. Around 45% for 12-6 or better, which is nice.