Tues night is a hoops lover's dream

[Wade for President]

On top of seeing MU play, you're also treated to #1 UK vs #2 MSU, and Wiggins vs Jabari (Kansas vs Duke).  Can't wait to see manchild, Julius Randle and UK's other frosh, against G-Harris and B-Dawson.

You also get #10 Florida @ #20 Wisco and #14 VCU @ #24 UVA, and a slew of other ranked teams in action.

Has there ever been a night (outside the tourney) with so many marquee games?  I only wish there was a way to turn-off the ticker. 

[Dawson Rental]

On top of seeing MU play, you're also treated to #1 UK vs #2 MSU, and Wiggins vs Jabari (Kansas vs Duke).  Can't wait to see manchild, Julius Randle and UK's other frosh, against G-Harris and B-Dawson.

You also get #10 Florida @ #20 Wisco and #14 VCU @ #24 UVA, and a slew of other ranked teams in action.

Has there ever been a night (outside the tourney) with so many marquee games?  I only wish there was a way to turn-off the ticker. 

???

[MUHoopsFan2]

On top of seeing MU play, you're also treated to #1 UK vs #2 MSU, and Wiggins vs Jabari (Kansas vs Duke).  Can't wait to see manchild, Julius Randle and UK's other frosh, against G-Harris and B-Dawson.

You also get #10 Florida @ #20 Wisco and #14 VCU @ #24 UVA, and a slew of other ranked teams in action.

Has there ever been a night (outside the tourney) with so many marquee games?  I only wish there was a way to turn-off the ticker. 

Treated to what? By who...? LOL...I have no idea what you're typing about or what relevance this has here? Sorry... we are only focused with MU here.

[GGGG]

Treated to what? By who...? LOL...I have no idea what you're typing about or what relevance this has here? Sorry... we are only focused with MU here.

Don't be so myopic.  Plenty of college basketball fans here who appreciate the information.

[forgetful]

???

Pretty sure he is talking about the scores at the bottom/top during the game you are watching.  So that you don't know how other games are proceeding and can watch them on tivo later.

I've thought the same thing before.  I don't want to know the final score before I watch the game.  I try not to look at the scores, but inevitably habit makes me do it.

Would be nice to be able to turn it off.

[farmdaddy]

Don't be so myopic.  Plenty of college basketball fans here who appreciate the information.

+1

[frozena pizza]

Don't be so myopic.  Plenty of college basketball fans here who appreciate the information.

True, and not to be a downer but on that night I'm not going to be focused on MU / Grambling.  We have no business playing a team like that and it will be a loss for us SOS and RPI-wise regardless of the outcome.

[MerrittsMustache]

True, and not to be a downer but on that night I'm not going to be focused on MU / Grambling.  We have no business playing a team like that and it will be a loss for us SOS and RPI-wise regardless of the outcome.

Yes!!! I LOVE schedule-questioning posts by ignorant basketball fans!  

[jesmu84]

Calipari's complaints about this game are a joke. I'm glad Izzo told him go to f**k himself.

[frozena pizza]

Yes!!! I LOVE schedule-questioning posts by ignorant basketball fans!  

Yep, I'm ignorant.  Playing the team that was dead last in the RPI last year will be a great thing for us.

[MerrittsMustache]

Yep, I'm ignorant.  Playing the team that was dead last in the RPI last year will be a great thing for us.

It will be completely irrelevant by the end of the season. So yes, you're ignorant for thinking otherwise.

[Lennys Tap]

Calipari's complaints about this game are a joke. I'm glad Izzo told him go to f**k himself.

Link?

[Wade for President]

Pretty sure he is talking about the scores at the bottom/top during the game you are watching.  So that you don't know how other games are proceeding and can watch them on tivo later.

I've thought the same thing before.  I don't want to know the final score before I watch the game.  I try not to look at the scores, but inevitably habit makes me do it.

Would be nice to be able to turn it off.

Yes...exactly what I was referring to.  Maybe I found yet another application for duct tape.

Have we ever seen a college game played between two players (Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker) who have both graced the cover of SportsIllustrated before their first game of college ball?!?  There will arguably be more college talent on display at the United Center on Tues night, than in the history of the college game.  Yeah...I said it.

I love MU as much as anybody on this board, yet I'm contemplating recording the MU game to watch later.  Call it MU bball heresy, but it's the truth.

[jsglow]

Some great games on the tube.  I'd still personally rather spend my time at the BC hopefully 'scouting' our Freshmen play serious minutes but absolutely understand Plan B (TV time) if the 6p start proved too early.

[MerrittsMustache]

Yes...exactly what I was referring to.  Maybe I found yet another application for duct tape.

Have we ever seen a college game played between two players (Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker) who have both graced the cover of SportsIllustrated before their first game of college ball?!?  There will arguably be more college talent on display at the United Center on Tues night, than in the history of the college game.  Yeah...I said it.

I love MU as much as anybody on this board, yet I'm contemplating recording the MU game to watch later.  Call it MU bball heresy, but it's the truth.

As long as you're still willing to come on Scoop to join in on the complaining and nit-picking after watching the MU game, it should be fine.

[GGGG]

Link?

http://www.kentucky.com/2013/11/07/2917913/notes-calipari-claims-early-season.html

I'm pretty sure he's just bad mouthing his team

[frozena pizza]

It will be completely irrelevant by the end of the season. So yes, you're ignorant for thinking otherwise.

Wrong.  So if we lose and that's the only game Grambling wins all year the selection committee won't consider that?  On the other hand, if we win, it's basically a non-event but has a drag on our RPI.  On the flip side, if we beat Ohio State, will that be irrelevant by the end of the season?  I get that a win over a cupcake team is not going to hurt us in the long run, but the truth is that we'd probably be better off not playing Grambling than playing them and winning.  Not that complicated.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

http://www.kentucky.com/2013/11/07/2917913/notes-calipari-claims-early-season.html

I'm pretty sure he's just bad mouthing his team

Just when you thought you couldn't like Coach Cal any less...

[GGGG]

Just when you thought you couldn't like Coach Cal any less...

I don't think he's truly complaining about having to play Michigan State.  (I mean, he has a say on who they play right?)  And I think Izzo's return comment was pretty much a joke as well.

You guys are reading way too much into this.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Wrong.  So if we lose and that's the only game Grambling wins all year the selection committee won't consider that?  On the other hand, if we win, it's basically a non-event but has a drag on our RPI.  On the flip side, if we beat Ohio State, will that be irrelevant by the end of the season?  I get that a win over a cupcake team is not going to hurt us in the long run, but the truth is that we'd probably be better off not playing Grambling than playing them and winning.  Not that complicated.

I agree that it hurts our RPI but that's not the only factor that goes into scheduling. Early season matchups against cupcakes are a necessary evil in college basketball. You wanna give your players a few warmup games before facing the opponents that matter. But these cupcakes will not come and get pummeled in the Bradley for free. We need to pay them. And the worse the team, the cheaper the cupcake. And Grambling is about as cheap as it comes.

So if the administration decided that they needed to save some money by scheduling a team that will drain our RPI slightly, that is fine by me.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I don't think he's truly complaining about having to play Michigan State.  (I mean, he has a say on who they play right?)  And I think Izzo's return comment was pretty much a joke as well.

You guys are reading way too much into this.

Oh I was referring to his comments about academic achievements in the classroom and staying connected to the Lexington, KY. Complete hogwash

[MerrittsMustache]

Wrong.  So if we lose and that's the only game Grambling wins all year the selection committee won't consider that?  On the other hand, if we win, it's basically a non-event but has a drag on our RPI.  On the flip side, if we beat Ohio State, will that be irrelevant by the end of the season?  I get that a win over a cupcake team is not going to hurt us in the long run, but the truth is that we'd probably be better off not playing Grambling than playing them and winning.  Not that complicated.

If Marquette loses to Grambling, there's no sense in worrying about the selection committee because MU will be a 5-win team at season's end. Yes, a win over OSU would be irrelevant if OSU ends up being terrible this season. If OSU is a top 10-15 team at season's end, a win will be very big.

Like most non-conf games, the Grambling game is a glorified practice for Marquette. That's it's value. It gives MU a tally in the W column and gives Buzz a chance to work out some kinks and try some new/different things to see what has potential. It will not be held against them in any way, shape or form come March.

[The Lens]

Wrong.  So if we lose and that's the only game Grambling wins all year the selection committee won't consider that?  On the other hand, if we win, it's basically a non-event but has a drag on our RPI.  On the flip side, if we beat Ohio State, will that be irrelevant by the end of the season?  I get that a win over a cupcake team is not going to hurt us in the long run, but the truth is that we'd probably be better off not playing Grambling than playing them and winning.  Not that complicated.

I am guessing you have no idea how the schedule is made.  And by that I mean, after signing us up for

Ohio State at Home
@ASU
Chicos 3 Game Tourney
@UW  
New Mex (N)

Those games get the priority, then they have to fill in the buy games and do that making sure the dates open for those opponents are open at the BC and open for MU.  Something tells me that Buzz, Broeker and even Larry Williams knows very well that Grambling's RPI is the worst but you "need" to play 16 home games and I bet this was essentially the last game set in place.

[brewcity77]

Something tells me that Buzz, Broeker and even Larry Williams knows very well that Grambling's RPI is the worst but you "need" to play 16 home games and I bet this was essentially the last game set in place.

Not only that, I'm willing to bet they got a bit of a deal on it since Grambling just played at DePaul on Saturday. Saves Grambling travel costs by having their team play 2 games in 4 days that are a bus ride apart. I don't like playing pure RPI drags, and while the cream in our schedule this year is great, we have a lot of chaff as well, but I get why we have Grambling there. 2-3 of these types of teams isn't bad, it's to be expected, I just hate seeing 5-6 of them.

[frozena pizza]

Okay.  I certainly understand that putting together a non-conference schedule involves balancing several competing priorities, such as TV exposure, opportunities for "statement" wins, budgeting, providing opportunities for experimentation in a game environment.  I also know that trying to project RPI ratings is not easy, but we shouldn't underestimate how toxic these RPI hits can be when you look at our full "body of work" at the end of the year.  We no longer play Louisville, Syracuse, UConn, Pitt, Cincy, etc., so whereas in the past we really didn't need to worry too much about our non-conference RPI for buy games but this becomes more of a factor now. 

The fact is that despite having some nice matchups such as tOSU, Wisc, New Mexico and ASU, we have 4 home non-con games against teams that were outside of the RPI top 275 last year (Grambling, UNH, IUPUI and Samford).  Sure, if we put together a good enough record and the BE ends up with a solid conference RPI then maybe none of this matters.  But there are a ton of examples of teams that either didn't make the tournament or were negatively impacted in the seeding process almost solely due to RPI considerations, even though almost everyone seems to agree that RPI is an inherently flawed metric.  The articles below on Oregon and BC / Virgina provide good examples.

http://www.addictedtoquack.com/2013/3/18/4119322/oregon-ducks-basketball-gaming-the-rpi-is-key-to-tourney-seeding

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2013/11/07/boston-college-toughens-schedule-enhance-ncaa-tournament-chances/gCj1PKQKsfIPb0tsWHnwiI/story.html