Sometimes you eat the cupcake and sometimes the cupcake eats you

[Badgerhater]

Maine in 1997:

http://journaltimes.com/news/national/maine-stuns-marquette/article_c8e4f1db-2838-549f-9cd5-4742cffe3486.html

Thought about using Remember the Maine as a subject name, but people suck at history today.

[CAGASS24]

True true- with today's 3 point shooters and our young team anything can happen if we don't bring the focus, intensity, execution every day.  Some people here like to think these games are already won and project everything out from here till the end of the season but every game matters.

Get your ass in the seat, cheer loudly, and GO Marq!!!!

[MerrittsMustache]

Maine in 1997:

http://journaltimes.com/news/national/maine-stuns-marquette/article_c8e4f1db-2838-549f-9cd5-4742cffe3486.html

Thought about using Remember the Maine as a subject name, but people suck at history today.

That Marquette team made the NCAA Tournament though. I'd take a loss to Maine if that was the end result...as long as they don't match-up against Austin Croshere again.

[MarquetteDano]

as long as they don't match-up against Austin Croshere again.

I just got a shiver down my spine.  Never forget watching that game in Vegas with my friends and Croshere hit a turnound J from 22 feet and thinking we are done.

[jsglow]

True true- with today's 3 point shooters and our young team anything can happen if we don't bring the focus, intensity, execution every day.  Some people here like to think these games are already won and project everything out from here till the end of the season but every game matters.

Get your ass in the seat, cheer loudly, and GO Marq!!!!

Damn straight.

[naginiF]

Maine in 1997:

http://journaltimes.com/news/national/maine-stuns-marquette/article_c8e4f1db-2838-549f-9cd5-4742cffe3486.html

Thought about using Remember the Maine as a subject name, but people suck at history today.

Start of the Spanish American war when the battleship(?) Maine blew up in a Cuban harbor.  Accident or Spanish mine?  discuss (of course i'm 49 so i don't think i fit in the 'today' category).  I'm going with accident given the ship design of having the munitions right next to the engine.

[SaveOD238]

Doesn't really matter if it was a mine or an accident (most evidence points to accident).  It only matters that the press, who had a financial incentive to go to war, convinced the rest of us it was an attack.

"Dang (enter liberal/conservative) media!"

[naginiF]

Doesn't really matter if it was a mine or an accident (most evidence points to accident).  It only matters that the press, who had a financial incentive to go to war, convinced the rest of us it was an attack.

"Dang (enter liberal/conservative) media!"

It is an awesome example of "the more things change the more they stay the same"

[bobnoxious]

maine is 6th in the country for tempo according to kenpom, looking forward to a fast paced game

[rocky_warrior]

It will be an interesting turnaround.  Maine is likely our toughest remaining cupcake, and Grambling was the easiest.  How the boys handle the uptick in competition will be key.

Yes is should be a win - as long as the team didn't convince themselves that they were world beaters because of Grambling.

[Badgerhater]

That Marquette team made the NCAA Tournament though. I'd take a loss to Maine if that was the end result...as long as they don't match-up against Austin Croshere again.

That is a team that made the tournament because they won the CUSA tournament, not because of what they did prior.

[MerrittsMustache]

That is a team that made the tournament because they won the CUSA tournament, not because of what they did prior.

If it takes winning the BET to get in, I'd be fine with that.

[BM1090]

That is a team that made the tournament because they won the CUSA tournament, not because of what they did prior.

They were a 7 seed so I'm sure they would have been in regardless.

[Badgerhater]

They were a 7 seed so I'm sure they would have been in regardless.

1997 was the last year Mike Deane made the tournament.   While MU ended up 22-9 that year, they were 18-8 going into the CUSA tournament.  MU had lost four in a row in February and had bad losses to Santa Clara and Maine with good wins against Louisville and Iowa State.   MU did beat DePaul, Memphis, #10 Cincy and Charlotte to win the CUSA.    Only #10 Cincinnati, #20 Louisville, Charlotte and MU made the NCAA that year from CUSA.   Without a tournament championship, MU was a total bubble team from a conference that didn't get many at-large bids -- Tulane was 20-11 with two more regular-season conference wins than MU, beat MU, and was ranked for two weeks during the season and didn't make the tournament. 

Tulane gets that fourth bid (if one had even been given) if MU didn't win that tournament.

[BM1090]

1997 was the last year Mike Deane made the tournament.   While MU ended up 22-9 that year, they were 18-8 going into the CUSA tournament.  MU had lost four in a row in February and had bad losses to Santa Clara and Maine with good wins against Louisville and Iowa State.   MU did beat DePaul, Memphis, #10 Cincy and Charlotte to win the CUSA.    Only Cincinnati, Louisville, Charlotte and MU made the NCAA that year from CUSA.   Without a tournament championship, MU was a total bubble team from a conference that didn't get many at-large bids.

Fair enough. I was 7 years old at the time so I just looked at seed and record and assumed they were a lock regardless.

[brewcity77]

Fair enough. I was 7 years old at the time so I just looked at seed and record and assumed they were a lock regardless.

They might have got in had they lost the final, but had they lost the first game, unlikely. They were from 14-3 and ranked #24 before losing 4 in a row. They did come into the CUSA Tourney with momentum, winning 4 of 5 and their only loss to a great Cincy team. Avenging the Cincy loss in the semis may have got them in the NCAAs win or lose, but they certainly weren't a lock before the Tourney started.

[Badgerhater]

Fair enough. I was 7 years old at the time so I just looked at seed and record and assumed they were a lock regardless.

Not a problem.  That was my first year at MU.   That team had good talent with Anthony Pieper, Chris Crawford, Aaron Hutchins and Faisel Abraham.   There were some injury issues that limited them, but they still should have been a better team overall.  One thing that was evident was that the Mike Deane recruits at the FR and SO level were never going to measure up to that team's upper classmen.  I had great seats to a lot of bad MU hoops for the following years.

[GooooMarquette]

They might have got in had they lost the final, but had they lost the first game, unlikely. They were from 14-3 and ranked #24 before losing 4 in a row. They did come into the CUSA Tourney with momentum, winning 4 of 5 and their only loss to a great Cincy team. Avenging the Cincy loss in the semis may have got them in the NCAAs win or lose, but they certainly weren't a lock before the Tourney started.

Yep.  The first three wins were the minimum we needed to get into the dance, but we were still a bubble team until we won it all.

[Windyplayer]

That Marquette team made the NCAA Tournament though. I'd take a loss to Maine if that was the end result...as long as they don't match-up against Austin Croshere again.

That Providence game was a little before my time at MU, but interesting read:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/colbask/men/articles/provmarq.htm

[GGGG]

Maine in 1997:

http://journaltimes.com/news/national/maine-stuns-marquette/article_c8e4f1db-2838-549f-9cd5-4742cffe3486.html

Thought about using Remember the Maine as a subject name, but people suck at history today.

I hope that someone sends this to Wojo to hang on the bulletin board.  There can be no greater motivation than paying Maine back 18 years later.

[warriorchick]

[geps]

Was at that game with girlfriend . Told her I would break up with her if we lost. Still married but she has not attended any more MU games with me

[forgetful]

It will be an interesting turnaround.  Maine is likely our toughest remaining cupcake, and Grambling was the easiest.  How the boys handle the uptick in competition will be key.

Yes is should be a win - as long as the team didn't convince themselves that they were world beaters because of Grambling.

I think that is where getting our butts kicked by Iowa really helped.  Anytime complacency sets in Wojo can show the kids the tape of that game and remind them of how it felt to be embarrassed.

[Loose Cannon]

I think that is where getting our butts kicked by Iowa really helped.  Anytime complacency sets in Wojo can show the kids the tape of that game and remind them of how it felt to be embarrassed.

Or take away their basketball shoes.