The Bubble

[jsglow]

Sweeping Georgetown and Providence would make it hard for the committee to take them ahead of us.

Might actually be the key so long as we don't suffer a 'bad' loss.

[Windyplayer]

Might actually be the key so long as we don't suffer a 'bad' loss.

No bad losses anymore other than DePaul--only games we cannot lose.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Jamail Jones is at FGCU unless there's another one I forgot we recruited? 

Not Jamail, Jamal. Jamal Jones was a top 20 JUCO last season. Was down to us, TAMU, and one other if I remember correctly. Ended up an Aggie.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Lunardi had Marquette as one of the 39 teams in consideration for 30 at large spots in the mock selection committee today. It's all over his twitter. Seems we are closer to the field than most thoughts.

http://storify.com/marchmadness/2014-media-mock-selection

[ChicosBailBonds]

Jerry breaks it down


<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/JdP2t_fC_68&amp;feature=youtube_gdata" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/JdP2t_fC_68&amp;feature=youtube_gdata</a>

[wardle2wade]

Some good results for us tonight...
Byu takes a bad loss to Pacific.
Colorado gets smoked by Ucla.
Minnesota loses to Wiscy.
Vandy loses to a horrible So Carolina.
Arkansas loses to Mizzou. 

If MU beats X on Saturday, I wouldnt be surprised to see Lunardi put us in the "next four out" on Monday. 

[bilsu]

I was just looking at all the conferences and the one thing I notice that I felt was a positive was that all the typical one bid conferences did not have an absolutely dominate team that we had to worry about being beaten in conference tournament. The only one that looked like they may get consideration if they lost conference tournament was Toledo at 21-3. The Bultler game is turning out to be a bad loss. St. John's losing to DePaul is a bad loss and Providence losing at Home to Seton Hall is a bad loss.
Ohio St. NCAA lock
Arizona St. likely NCAA tournament
San Diego St. NCAA lock
Wisconsin NCAA lock
New Mexico likely NCAA tournament
Creighton NCAA lock
Xavier likely NCAA tournament
Butler likely no post season
Villanova NCAA lock
St John's bubble team

[dgies9156]

Look, we have a lot of business to take care of before we are entitled to have this discussion.

Right now, I would be shamed to see us in the NCAA. Period. We don't deserve it!

That said, I thought the SHU game was an interesting turn-around. We won a road game against a team that by all measures should have beaten us. We played strong on the boards and our senior leadership finally stepped up. Finally, there was a glimmer of hope.

Was it too late? We'll see. They have to follow it up with a convincing win against Xavier Saturday and probably start to play like they mean it. If our seniors show some maturity, we could run the table and then be a bubble team. Until then, ;et's talk about recruiting or Steve Taylor's minutes!

[KenoshaWarrior]

Not sure the wins need to be convincing, they just have to win.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

Look, we have a lot of business to take care of before we are entitled to have this discussion.

Right now, I would be shamed to see us in the NCAA. Period. We don't deserve it!

That said, I thought the SHU game was an interesting turn-around. We won a road game against a team that by all measures should have beaten us. We played strong on the boards and our senior leadership finally stepped up. Finally, there was a glimmer of hope.

Was it too late? We'll see. They have to follow it up with a convincing win against Xavier Saturday and probably start to play like they mean it. If our seniors show some maturity, we could run the table and then be a bubble team. Until then, ;et's talk about recruiting or Steve Taylor's minutes!

Sorry, but you're just flat out wrong.  I don't necessarily think MU should be in the tournament if it started tomorrow, but the fact is, they're in spitting distance.  You and the others who want to think we're still 30 or more teams away from the bubble can do that, but you're wrong.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Sorry, but you're just flat out wrong.  I don't necessarily think MU should be in the tournament if it started tomorrow, but the fact is, they're in spitting distance.  You and the others who want to think we're still 30 or more teams away from the bubble can do that, but you're wrong.

I've not seen anyone here suggest MU is 30 spots away.   I think most reasonable people have put it more like 8 to 15 spots away.  Not the first four out, not the next four out, but in that next group...as of today.

I know you guys here are HUGE Bleacher Report fans  , they have MU in the conversation as 6 through 10.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1958970-ncaa-bracket-predictions-2014-projecting-the-march-madness-field-at-week-15

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

I've not seen anyone here suggest MU is 30 spots away.   I think most reasonable people have put it more like 8 to 15 spots away.  Not the first four out, not the next four out, but in that next group...as of today.

I know you guys here are HUGE Bleacher Report fans  , they have MU in the conversation as 6 through 10.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1958970-ncaa-bracket-predictions-2014-projecting-the-march-madness-field-at-week-15

30 was a slight exaggeration, but several posters have made comments such as "we are not entitled to even have this discussion" regarding MU making the tourney.  Well, that just isn't accurate, but the line is very thin, no doubt.   

[jsglow]

Crashing the dance has us 17th on the Out list.  They would argue that our fate is still in our own hands.  We are not yet in the "Must Win Conference Tourney" mode but any bad loss would do it.  Tuesday at SHU was an elimination game.  Perhaps tomorrow against Xavier is the same.  So we better not lose.

http://crashingthedance.com/select.php

[dgies9156]

Sorry, but you're just flat out wrong.  I don't necessarily think MU should be in the tournament if it started tomorrow, but the fact is, they're in spitting distance.  You and the others who want to think we're still 30 or more teams away from the bubble can do that, but you're wrong.

If we're in spitting distance, you've got one heck of a set of lungs.

We have work to do, dude. Flat out, period. We don't win virtually all our remaining scheduled games, we better win the Big East tourney. Period.

The only loss we can tolerate left on our schedule is Creighton or Villanova. Not both. Just one. Lose to both or anyone else and it's hello NIT!

[MarquetteDano]

If we're in spitting distance, you've got one heck of a set of lungs.

We have work to do, dude. Flat out, period. We don't win virtually all our remaining scheduled games, we better win the Big East tourney. Period.

The only loss we can tolerate left on our schedule is Creighton or Villanova. Not both. Just one. Lose to both or anyone else and it's hello NIT!

We may be able to lose two more times,  the problem is then we MUST get to the final of the BET tourney which means probably beating X, Creighton, or Nova on a neutral court.  And you might have to beat two of them on a neutral court to get to the final.

We have a tough road ahead.

[PGsHeroes32]

On one hand it would have been nice for St. Johns to lose

On the other hand they are starting to really creep up that so if we can beat them it is starting to look better

If I had a 3rd hand....they only beat Seton Hall by 1 point so us having trouble with SHU for 30 minutes then breaking away doesn't look bad at all.

[wardle2wade]

I actually don't mind the St Johns win over Seton Hall, and I would have been more upset if Butler had beaten Creighton.  The standings separation from SHU, Depaul, and Butler is important to keep the resumes up for the 7 teams actually in contention for NCAA bids.

Thinking longterm, it's important this first year of the NBE to get as many teams into the big dance as possible.  Right now, there are 7 BE teams in contention with 5 teams "IN" on Lunardi's latest bracket.  Each BE team that dances has chance to do some damage in the tournament... getting 5+ teams in would be great exposure and street-cred for the Big East.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

If we're in spitting distance, you've got one heck of a set of lungs.

We have work to do, dude. Flat out, period. We don't win virtually all our remaining scheduled games, we better win the Big East tourney. Period.

The only loss we can tolerate left on our schedule is Creighton or Villanova. Not both. Just one. Lose to both or anyone else and it's hello NIT!

I never said we didn't have work to do, dude.  We have a lot of it.  6-1 is the only way I am comfortable going into the BET.  5-2, and we probably have to win it.  But my point is, every team in and around the bubble have major flaws in their resume, just like us.  A win versus Xavier this weekend and we are legitimately in the conversation (for the time being), in fact, I would expect us to appear on the Bracket Matrix.  That doesn't mean our work is done, or even close to it, but the opportunity is there for the taking with some good basketball the next month. 

[MUfan12]

From what I can tell, the Big East got at least 5 in the Mock Committee, six depending on St. John's. I gotta wonder if the door is a little more open than we think.

[muguru]

I believe if they beat Xavier, then beat Creighton next Wednesday, that as of that moment they would be IN(if the tourney started day after Creighton). That being said, there's still a lot of ball to be played after that, but I for one would much rather be presumed in and have to play your way out, then to be considered out and have to play your way in.

[MUMountin]

I never said we didn't have work to do, dude.  We have a lot of it.  6-1 is the only way I am comfortable going into the BET.  5-2, and we probably have to win it.  But my point is, every team in and around the bubble have major flaws in their resume, just like us.  A win versus Xavier this weekend and we are legitimately in the conversation (for the time being), in fact, I would expect us to appear on the Bracket Matrix.  That doesn't mean our work is done, or even close to it, but the opportunity is there for the taking with some good basketball the next month. 

Agreed.  I think this is ultimately the main point--despite all of the painful losses this season, we're still in a position that we can control our own destiny.  Go on a nice streak at the end of the season here, and we should be in.  Continue to do the up-and-down of the rest of the season, and we obviously don't deserve to make it.

Its nice to know that we still have a shot at this point.  Now, whether we have the ability to put together such a streak is the main question.  But, we'll know a lot more about that after tomorrow.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

I really wish Creighton wasnt a midweek game. Need the Bradley Center to be in full force for that one.

[PGsHeroes32]

I really wish Creighton wasnt a midweek game. Need the Bradley Center to be in full force for that one.

Its Thursday night. It should be pretty packed.

Not exactly mid week.

[Coleman]

Its Thursday night. It should be pretty packed.

Not exactly mid week.

If we win tomorrow, Creighton will be packed. If not, doubt it.

[MUfan12]

Its Thursday night. It should be pretty packed.

Not exactly mid week.

Creighton is Wednesday night. Exactly mid-week.