Five Points for a National Championship...

[Dr. Blackheart]

1.  MU will be the most experienced team in the Big East, starting a third year Senior, a second year Senior, a true Senior, two Junior prep school guards, with two Juniors and a fifth year Senior off the bench with significant playing time.  MU is actually much older than last season despite losing three starters (two true Seniors and a very young Junior).  Experience wins on the road as the players have been there in crunch time.  Buzz's system is well known and understood, and teamwork, communication and offensive and defensive efficiency improves with experience.

2.  Home win streak second in the nation at 25.  With more Saturday games, the BC will be a very intimidating place, especially for young teams or new conference teams.  Cuse, Georgetown and ND were shaken, let's see how a Creighton will do.  TOSU will be an early challenge, but MU will be deep with resolve with its experience.  High seed is necessary for a national championship so locking up home takes MU a long way.  St. Louis and Indianapolis would be ideal as a 1 seed with MU's strong OOC and if they can run through the conference with only a few divots.  Does the B1G and MSU steal that seed?  MU has not seen a Midwest site in a while...and Milwaukee takes up one of those. 

3.  Turnovers will be down and efficiency will be up. MU was a crazy 234th last season in turnover rate at 20.6%.  As much as we all love Junior, that was way too high. As a comparison, Michigan was #1 at 14.6%, or 82% better than Marquette.  This was Buzz's worst turnover rate team including New Orleans by a wide margin (and eFG%, most likely related). His best team was 2010 team with a 16% TO rate. Yikes!

4.  Depth...McKay, Taylor, Anderson, Thomas, the Fab Freshman are all more offensively skilled than the crew off the bench last season, even the returnees...and certainly are better outside shooters than who they replace.  If two or three step up with their scoring contributions, look out.  Anderson, DuWilson and Burton are my picks to click...but JJJ is the highest rated MU recruit since Doc Rivers.

5.  Three NBA players.  The book "Scorecasting" statistically shows you need three all stars to contend for a championship.  Wade, Diener, Novak.  Whitehead, Ellis, Lee.  Lucas, Tatum, Ellis.  Who will be the NBA players to take MU to Dallas?  Jamil, Gardner, and ???  Mayo, Otule, Juan, McKay, one of the frosh?  It will have to be a guard for MU to make the final weekend.  So, based on projected minutes, Mr. Mayo better be ready to step up...MU needs his shooting to be on, and family will be nearby to push him.  Burton is a man-beast and DuWilson could make the offense hum in the open court as a PG not seen since DJ, except with a better shot.  This is MU's biggest question mark...although there are plenty of answers waiting there.

[4everwarriors]

Show of hands here-----who doesn't have their tix for Texas yet?

[Dr. Blackheart]

Show of hands here-----who doesn't have their tix for Texas yet?

. 

Says the medical professional who said/bet that Wes, Zar, Jimmy, Trent and Dwight were NOT NBA talents.  Did I miss any?

[4everwarriors]

It might just be gas, but I feel a wager comin' on.

[Dr. Blackheart]

It might just be gas, but I feel a wager comin' on.

Although betting is against the Scoop guidelines and will get you banned...I note that Vegas had MU at 100:1 odds.  I would be good for that action.  The old lady open up her purse for you with that kind of bling?  Maybe you should start on JayBee's investment plan in preparation?

http://www.vegasinsider.com/college-basketball/odds/futures/

[ChicosBailBonds]

Although betting is against the Scoop guidelines and will get you banned..

It is, since when?

[The Lens]

I think a FF run is very much in the cards but I think that means Duane Wilson becomes a PG starter and an extremely consistent one at that.  I just don't think Derrick Wilson can get you to the 3rd Weekend.  I don't want to knock Derrick, but I personally do not see his ceiling being high enough to lead a FF team.  

Nonetheless we have an AMAZING front line with decades of experience.  And we have talented but unproven guards.  If these guards come around, look out.  3-4 years ago Jamil Wilson would have been playing center, now he's poised to destroy the BE from the 3 spot.  

[mu_hilltopper]

It is, since when?

Yeah, if that's true, we'd better update the handbook.

BTW .. Really?  They peg UW having a better shot?   Pass me some of that..

[ChicosBailBonds]

Yeah, if that's true, we'd better update the handbook.

BTW .. Really?  They peg UW having a better shot?   Pass me some of that..

UW will beat MU this year if I had to bet, which may or may not be illegal and banishable by death here.

We'll go as far as our guards take us....that's what worries me.  How good are our guards?  If they are good, we'll be really good.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Yeah, if that's true, we'd better update the handbook.

As quoted from the top of the page. Under that little section that includes the word "Rules". So ZFB is free to ignore the porn restrictions?  

No illegal activities (duh)

[Dr. Blackheart]

UW will beat MU this year if I had to bet, which may or may not be illegal and banishable by death here.

We'll go as far as our guards take us....that's what worries me.  How good are our guards?  If they are good, we'll be really good.

UW is an imperfect team. 

[State Street Warrior]

Although betting is against the Scoop guidelines and will get you banned...I note that Vegas had MU at 100:1 odds.  I would be good for that action.  The old lady open up her purse for you with that kind of bling?  Maybe you should start on JayBee's investment plan in preparation?

http://www.vegasinsider.com/college-basketball/odds/futures/

Wish I would have seen that, I got 70-1 this weekend at Caesars, they had Bucky 90-1, Georgetown was the favorite for big east at 60-1. Creighton opened at 25-1 but is now at 100-1.

[Jay Bee]

Although betting is against the Scoop guidelines and will get you banned...I note that Vegas had MU at 100:1 odds.  I would be good for that action.  The old lady open up her purse for you with that kind of bling?  Maybe you should start on JayBee's investment plan in preparation?

100:1 does sound lovely for someone betting MU. Marquette could be excellent.

Saw Steve, John-Daw and Buzz on Friday. They are flat out ready to play.

If anyone is nervous and wants to short something for the upcoming weeks, WFM asking $59.45 in after hours; looks ripe for a tumble. Stock has gotten out ahead of itself.

If anyone can bet on Northwestern making the NCAA tourney for a nice payoff, I'd consider that one. Wonder what kind of odds are out there for that bet?...

[keefe]

flat out ready to play.

You've been listening to too much Digger, my friend.

[ChicosBailBonds]

UW is an imperfect team. 

So are 347 other D1 teams, and the Miami Heat for that matter

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Show of hands here-----who doesn't have their tix for Texas yet?

I do!

Oh...you mean the final four, I'm just in Texas

[Dr. Blackheart]

So are 347 other D1 teams, and the Miami Heat for that matter

Except IU, who is a Final 4 team.  Witty you are. 

Why don't you try discussing your Badgers merits?  Like their unbalanced line up, skewed even more to the perimeter?  Who their point guard is?  How will replace their three starters in the front court? Will Gasser be 100% early on?  Will Koenig get off the bench to start?  Their match up advantage to Marquette?  How they will gel after a sluggish Canadian trip?  Can Dekker be the man?  They lost a lot of defense, how will they adjust?

I think the B1G will be down from last year.  MSU is #1 overall, IMO, preseason.  Michigan has talent but lost a lot too.  Illinois and NU on the rise.  Iowa maturing.  OSU lost its best player early to the draft and may start there guards.  The rest of the teams are sideways or down.  Maybe Bucky finishes Top 4 but they have major holes, especially early.  Ulthoff leaving upset the Bo master plan.  Looks like he too will go three guard without one being a natural point.

[willie warrior]

UW will beat MU this year if I had to bet, which may or may not be illegal and banishable by death here.

We'll go as far as our guards take us....that's what worries me.  How good are our guards?  If they are good, we'll be really good.

Never fear Chicos--Derek Wilson owns the Wisc. guards. MU will dominate Bucky.

[GGGG]

UW will beat MU this year if I had to bet, which may or may not be illegal and banishable by death here.

Which by no means indicates that they have a better shot at the Final Four.  They very well might win that game - it is in the Kohl Center after all.  However their lack of front court depth and experience is really going to harm them later down the road.

[bilsu]

While it is certainly possile that Duane will be less turnover prone than Junior he is still a freshmen with no experience. The one advantage he will have over Junior is that he will not be facing Louisville or Uconn.

[Skatastrophy]

banishable by death

My favorite form of banishment

[77ncaachamps]

UW is an imperfect team. 

There you go.

- Tom Oates

[ChicosBailBonds]

Except IU, who is a Final 4 team.  Witty you are. 

Why don't you try discussing your Badgers merits?  Like their unbalanced line up, skewed even more to the perimeter?  Who their point guard is?  How will replace their three starters in the front court? Will Gasser be 100% early on?  Will Koenig get off the bench to start?  Their match up advantage to Marquette?  How they will gel after a sluggish Canadian trip?  Can Dekker be the man?  They lost a lot of defense, how will they adjust?

I think the B1G will be down from last year.  MSU is #1 overall, IMO, preseason.  Michigan has talent but lost a lot too.  Illinois and NU on the rise.  Iowa maturing.  OSU lost its best player early to the draft and may start there guards.  The rest of the teams are sideways or down.  Maybe Bucky finishes Top 4 but they have major holes, especially early.  Ulthoff leaving upset the Bo master plan.  Looks like he too will go three guard without one being a natural point.

I don't disagree with a word you said.  You are taking a great leap and extrapolating on all kinds of stuff when I said nothing of the kind about UW, IU, the Big Ten in general.   I think MU is a better team than UW-madison, but as we all know the best team doesn't always win.  I think UW-madison will beat us this year in Madison.  That is all I said...that I think UW will beat MU this year.   All the other stuff you said, sure.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Which by no means indicates that they have a better shot at the Final Four.  They very well might win that game - it is in the Kohl Center after all.  However their lack of front court depth and experience is really going to harm them later down the road.

Correct.  Not sure why they have better odds, though as we know with odds, they change based on bettors.  If a bunch of people are putting money on Becky, the odds move.  Maybe that is part of the reason their odds are better, because they have a bunch of fans betting on them?  Who knows, but we agree, I would have MU as a better bet to make the Final Four than UW-madison even though its a total crapshoot, no one knows who is playing who, where, etc.

[NotAnAlum]

Forgetting about the Badgers and getting back to the topic!

Think of this.  If Junior doesn't waste a year of eligibility coming back his freshman year.  If Vander stays in school.

You then start 2 seniors and 2 redshirt seniors with a point guard that has played in 10 NCAA tournament games.
THAT is a Final 4 team with a real shot at the title.
What might have been.