Lunardi Says..

[real chili 83]

ND sucks

[bilsu]

My drean scenario would be to win enough games to play UCLA. I am been waiting for over 50 years to play UCLA. My nightmere scenario would be to draw Louisville in the first round. That is of course assuming they are still playing their pressing style.

[brewcity77]

My drean scenario would be to win enough games to play UCLA. I am been waiting for over 50 years to play UCLA. My nightmere scenario would be to draw Louisville in the first round. That is of course assuming they are still playing their pressing style.

I think this is about the best press breaking team we've had in my memory. Rowsey is shaky, but when you can put Howard, Reinhardt, and Cheatham on the floor together, that's an effective press break.

EDIT: UCLA would be insane. Might set a record for combined points in a Tournament game.

[Loose Cannon]

  Time to put the Sugar Plums away.  St John beat Providence
                                                       Georgetown runs over Creighton

   Maybe it's time to Focus Forward.  We had our Fun with the Nova win, right now that's History.  Our season is in front of us.  Let's Go MU,  Time to Go to Work.

[PGsHeroes32]

Louisville length would be a really bad match up for us.

I'll be glad just to be in this year. But really hope we don't get them

[wadesworld]

This isn't your father's Gonzaga. They are legit. Might prefer them to the other 1 seeds, but I'd rather avoid seeing them until the sweet 16.

Hear it every year.

[brewcity77]

Hear it every year.

+1

By the time the tournament rolls around, Gonzaga will have gone over three months without real competition. Sure, they beat Florida and Arizona in November and December, but who've they played since? St Mary's? The team whose best win to date is Dayton? BYU? Ugh.

Maybe this Gonzaga will be different, or maybe they will be the team that hasn't won by less than 15 in the last 3+ months and doesn't know what to do when challenged. I'd much rather play them the first weekend than anyone else on the top two lines.

[mu03eng]

I think this is about the best press breaking team we've had in my memory. Rowsey is shaky, but when you can put Howard, Reinhardt, and Cheatham on the floor together, that's an effective press break.

EDIT: UCLA would be insane. Might set a record for combined points in a Tournament game.

Somewhat ironically, I think we'd have the better defense on the court in that match up.

And I agree, while Rowsey is not ideal, I would have zero issue playing a pressing team with Katin and Howard bringing the ball up and Cheatham as a secure outlet (should we mention how much Haanif has cut down on TOs, wow)

[MU82]

You, guys, stop jinxing us!

Let's not count our chickens before they hatch.  It's bad mojo.

Cleverly done, chickadee.

If we keep rolling, you can say you were glad to be wrong about the mojo.

If we stumble, you can say "I told you so!"

For the record, I'd rather be an 11 seed than anything from 5-10. But yes,  beggers can't be choosers, and I'll be happy with any NCAA tourney seed. (While retaining my right to beyotch about it on Selection Sunday.)

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Hear it every year.

Fair, but I have been right there with you every year until this one. Preseason I thought they had top 5 talent but wasn't sure if they could play together with all the incoming transfers. They have shown they can.

[MU82]

Maybe TAMU, but it all goes back to my favorite two words in sports:

We'll see!

The great thing about sports is that it's always prove-it-to-me time!

[wadesworld]

Fair, but I have been right there with you every year until this one. Preseason I thought they had top 5 talent but wasn't sure if they could play together with all the incoming transfers. They have shown they can.

I certainly don't think they're a bad team, but they lost Wiltjer and Sabonis and they lost in the S16 last year.  They're a good team, but they're more a 15-25 ranked team in my mind than a number 1 team in the country.

If you give Gonzaga the BE schedule we've played so far, I'd be very surprised if they were any better than the 5-3 we are currently at.  At Nova, vs. Nova, at Creighton, at Butler, at Seton Hall, vs. Seton Hall, vs. Georgetown, and vs. DePaul.

In my opinion, they're more on par with Butler (nothing wrong with that) than they are with Villanova.

[TallTitan34]

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/bracketology

8 Marquette              Tulsa
9 Virginia Tech

[Benny B]

I'd rather be an 11 than a 5.  That chit historically spells trouble every year for a few teams.  Might as well add a sports illustrated cover to it while we're at it.  Give me a 6 or 7 and I'll breathe a little easier.  I doubt a 4 is within reach unless we run da table, eh'ner?

This.  Unless you're a top 4 seed, the 3/6/11/14 pod is where you want to be... you won't face a 1-seed until at least the regional finals, and that's a prime opportunity to knock them out (if someone else hasn't already).  Although same concept for the 2/7/10/15, the 7/10/15-seeds typically don't fare as well against the 2-seeds as 6/11/14 does against the 3's in the opening weekend.

If MU runs the table and wins BET, they're an easy 3-seed.  That's the ceiling.  Their floor is probably 14 if they lose every remaining game but get the A-Q.

[goldeneagle91114]

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/bracketology

8 Marquette              Tulsa
9 Virginia Tech

This would be a game that anyone with a lick of basketball knowledge would want to watch! would love to see JJJ and Wilson have the game of their lives.

[SaveOD238]

By the time the tournament rolls around, Gonzaga will have gone over three months without real competition. Sure, they beat Florida and Arizona in November and December, but who've they played since? St Mary's? The team whose best win to date is Dayton? BYU? Ugh.

I've been pondering this idea for a while now and I'm curious what you all would think:

Gonzaga should sign a deal with the Big East to play two non-con games vs Big East teams every year for 5 years.  One home, one away.  One in the middle of conference season instead of during the fall.  It would give Gonzaga some late-season seasoning against quality teams and it would provide another chance for conference RPI boosting for the Big East on a yearly basis.  Plus, it would build the bridge between us and another similarly minded Catholic basketball school.

Hell, MU should sign a perpetual home-and-home with Gonzaga ourselves, to build up a rivalry between the top two Catholic basketball schools in the nation.

[Pakuni]

Not Lunardi, but might as well put this here ... MU up to 32nd in SI's power rankings.

http://www.si.com/college-basketball/2017/01/26/power-rankings-gonzaga-baylor-villanova-kansas-arizona

[mu03eng]

I've been pondering this idea for a while now and I'm curious what you all would think:

Gonzaga should sign a deal with the Big East to play two non-con games vs Big East teams every year for 5 years.  One home, one away.  One in the middle of conference season instead of during the fall.  It would give Gonzaga some late-season seasoning against quality teams and it would provide another chance for conference RPI boosting for the Big East on a yearly basis.  Plus, it would build the bridge between us and another similarly minded Catholic basketball school.

Hell, MU should sign a perpetual home-and-home with Gonzaga ourselves, to build up a rivalry between the top two Catholic basketball schools in the nation.

I'd sign up for either in a heart beat....much better option then making them a full member

[mu03eng]

Not Lunardi, but might as well put this here ... MU up to 32nd in SI's power rankings.

http://www.si.com/college-basketball/2017/01/26/power-rankings-gonzaga-baylor-villanova-kansas-arizona

With Dayton at 31...jesus Luke Winn, get your head out of your ass 

[MUMountin]

I've been pondering this idea for a while now and I'm curious what you all would think:

Gonzaga should sign a deal with the Big East to play two non-con games vs Big East teams every year for 5 years.  One home, one away.  One in the middle of conference season instead of during the fall.  It would give Gonzaga some late-season seasoning against quality teams and it would provide another chance for conference RPI boosting for the Big East on a yearly basis.  Plus, it would build the bridge between us and another similarly minded Catholic basketball school.

Hell, MU should sign a perpetual home-and-home with Gonzaga ourselves, to build up a rivalry between the top two Catholic basketball schools in the nation.

The defending champs might have something to say about this claim. 

That said, it's not a bad idea in concept.  The reality is probably harder, but not insurmountable. 

[Benny B]

I've been pondering this idea for a while now and I'm curious what you all would think:

Gonzaga should sign a deal with the Big East to play two non-con games vs Big East teams every year for 5 years.  One home, one away.  One in the middle of conference season instead of during the fall.  It would give Gonzaga some late-season seasoning against quality teams and it would provide another chance for conference RPI boosting for the Big East on a yearly basis.  Plus, it would build the bridge between us and another similarly minded Catholic basketball school.

Hell, MU should sign a perpetual home-and-home with Gonzaga ourselves, to build up a rivalry between the top two Catholic basketball schools in the nation.

This would be great for BE bubble teams and at best a break-even for the locks.  For Gonzaga, it would be great if they were playing the locks and at best a break-even if they were playing the bubble teams.

The only reason you're going to convince everyone to play along is if the networks are willing to shell out for it, which I doubt.  Otherwise, the last thing Gonzaga wants to do in their situation is to play DePaul every 5 years.

[UticaBusBarn]

Just beat Providence!

[SaveOD238]

The only reason you're going to convince everyone to play along is if the networks are willing to shell out for it, which I doubt.  Otherwise, the last thing Gonzaga wants to do in their situation is to play DePaul every 5 years.

I think there would be money in it.  FS1 would pay for it, and if not them then ESPN or CBS.  I think you could rope St. Mary's (and/or BYU, San Fran, etc) into the deal too.

Playing DePaul every five years isn't so bad if you a) have to go on the road to Chicago where you'll get eyeballs and recruits' attention and b) get a road win and c) also get to play Villanova as part of the deal.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

This would be great for BE bubble teams and at best a break-even for the locks.  For Gonzaga, it would be great if they were playing the locks and at best a break-even if they were playing the bubble teams.

The only reason you're going to convince everyone to play along is if the networks are willing to shell out for it, which I doubt.  Otherwise, the last thing Gonzaga wants to do in their situation is to play DePaul every 5 years.

Depaul would fit in well in the WCC.  They'd be a middle of the road team.  I don't think playing them 2x in a decade is going to outweigh their ability to add a good game in conference season 9/10 times.

I think its a pretty great idea, honestly. But I am also of the opinion that if the BE ever expanded, they should add Gonzaga and St. Mary's.  BE teams could do a 2 game WC road trip.  But it would be a logistic nightmare for Gonzaga and St. Mary's travelwise. 

[TSmith34, Inc.]

This would be a game that anyone with a lick of basketball knowledge would want to watch! would love to see JJJ and Wilson have the game of their lives.

Would they be able to withstand Buzz's mind games as he whispers to them from the opposing bench?