Saturday has become a play in game

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Just realized that if MU wins Saturday there is a VERY likely chance, it will(at least for now) move into the 3 spot in the BE(Creighton @ Nova). That is EXACTLY where we want them to be or at least i do.

Exactly. We now control our own destiny for finishing in 3rd in conference. Don't have to rely on anyone else losing. We win out and we are third and don't see Nova until the BET final.

[21rooster]

Not a play-in game.  Just need 2 of 3.  If MU loses on Saturday, going 2 of 3 means wins against Xavier and Creighton.  Even if Xavier wins its other games, that puts MU in a tie versus them, with MU getting the tie-breaker in the BE tourney.  Assuming a Creighton loss to Nova, that puts MU in a tie with Creighton.  If they get 2 of three, they have a very decent shot at the 3 seed in the BE Tourney.  I haven't done the work to figure it out, but in a five-team tie, I like MU's 5-3 record against the rest.  Next tie-breaker is the record against Nova (I think), and MU has a leg up there.  I'd be pretty shocked if the 3 seed in the BE tourney doesn't see its name on Selection Sunday. 

[Galway Eagle]

I know that it's cool to talk about getting the 3 seed and someone's got to take it but I almost feel like we're setting ourselves back up for disapointment like after the Nova win. I agree it's possible and would be awesome but don't get your hopes up.

[bilsu]

I know that it's cool to talk about getting the 3 seed and someone's got to take it but I almost feel like we're setting ourselves back up for disapointment like after the Nova win. I agree it's possible and would be awesome but don't get your hopes up.

Providence is playing very well now. They also control their own destiny.

[bilsu]

Georgetown RPI=77
St. Johns=123

Depaul RPI=223
BC RPI=204

Yeah, our losses look fine in comparison.

Our losses are more recent than Providence's losses. Providence is a much better team now then when they lost to those two teams.

[GoldenDieners32]

We need to beat providence

[cheebs09]

Providence is playing very well now. They also control their own destiny.

Georgetown crushed us and then lost to DePaul. We were looking like world beaters and then dropped 4 of 5. Momentum can swing quickly.

Both teams should be focused, however we have seen a number of times in games with our team or opponents that isn't always the case. I say to myself, "don't the know how big this game is? Why are they laying such an egg?"

We lost some cushion but I think what's happened is we have a little more work to do at 9-9. 10-8 and we should still be dancing.

[GGGG]

This game would be a very nice win and would make our margin for error greater to end the season.

It is not a "must win."  It is not a play in game.

[mu03eng]

Really, all this shows is how worthless the RPI has become as a metric for entrance into March Madness.

Marquette is weak from an RPI position because 3 cupcakes turned out to be way fatter than planned and sPitt sucks. Last year I killed MU for scheduling Non-con way too easy, this year they did much better(not great but should have been fine) but several buy games turned out to be clunkers which drags down the RPI.

Winning @Providence or @Xavier will help a lot because those count for more in the RPI.

If we win two out of three, our projected RPI will be in the 50s which will be good enough to get us in.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Providence is playing very well now. They also control their own destiny.

Well they control their own destiny for a tournament bid at this point. But not for third place. They need X to lose once and Creighton to lose twice for that to happen. We control our own destiny because we own the tiebreaker on both and play Creighton.

[MU82]

Why?

Nova, Butler, Creighton are locks.

X just needs to win @DPL and they are a lock.

Providence wins out and they are a lock.

Hall wins @DPL and vs. GTWN and they are a lock.

Marquette loses at Providence but wins @X and Creighton and they are a lock.

Very easy path to 7 bids for the Big East.

That's a lot of moving parts so I'm not sure I'd call it "very easy," but your point is well-taken.

We are gonna win Saturday, all but stamping our ticket, and then will beat Creighton at home. Beating X is possible, too, but I'm gonna predict what I just said, a nice 10-8 record, and a middle (7-10) seed in the Dance. We can enhance the latter with a couple of BET wins.

[mileskishnish72]

I almost totally agreed with the premise of the post, 32, but as has been pointed out it really doesn't fit the true definition of a play-in game because if we win the last two, we should be OK.
With 10 wins, I think we're OK. I am deathly afraid of getting into a megatie with a bunch of teams at 9-9 - if the tiebreakers don't work out, we could go from our present lofty 4th position to finding ourselves playing on Wednesday again at MSG. Just win, baby.

[GoldenDieners32]

We need to win these last few games

[Eye]

There's way too much time left to declare anything a play-in game. A lot can change.

Very much agree on this. Probably nothing that could be quantified as an at-large play-in game until probably the Tuesday before Fumbel does his thing.

[bradley center bat]

I highly doubt they take 7 BE teams.

We ain't getting the nod over Providence if we lost both to them.

Hall is looking great barring completely unraveling.

MU could lose at PC. Win at Xavier and beat Creighton at home, MU will be in!!

[MU82]

This will be the first game this season I won't have been able to watch, as the missus and I will be in transit to Hawaii.

We change planes in LAX and are supposed to land there at 3:04 PT, right about when the game will have ended. So as soon as they tell me I can turn on my phone, I'll be doing just that and checking the score. If the game is still going on and competitive - which very well could mean OT - I will be scurrying out of the plane as fast as possible to find an airport bar with a TV ... and then hoping they get CBSSN.

Travel is always a little stressful (sometimes a lot stressful), and this will add to it. When Wojo's lads deliver my win, I'll chill out nicely. It will be a great start to the trip!

[PGsHeroes32]

I almost totally agreed with the premise of the post, 32, but as has been pointed out it really doesn't fit the true definition of a play-in game because if we win the last two, we should be OK.
With 10 wins, I think we're OK. I am deathly afraid of getting into a megatie with a bunch of teams at 9-9 - if the tiebreakers don't work out, we could go from our present lofty 4th position to finding ourselves playing on Wednesday again at MSG. Just win, baby.

It was probably a little exaggerated.

But I truly believe 7 ain't getting in.

So this one becomes massive. Providence really does need to win it. And while we would almost certainly still be fine with winning the last 2 it makes our chances much slimmer.

So yeah, for us we still have hope. But this is a massive one.

I'd like to be 10-8 and know that Providence does have some claim over us.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

Losses to St. John's and Georgetown by MU is not good either.

Meh.  PC also lost to SJU, and Ohio State (who is at best similar to Georgetown).  I don't think a road loss @ Gt hurts much, and if a road loss @ SJU is your worst loss, you're doing OK.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

We need to win all 3 of our remaining plus 1 BET game to get in. That would give us 21 wins.

You're high. 

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

We need to win all 3 of our remaining plus 1 BET game to get in. That would give us 21 wins.

We are currently in the tournament according to 107 out of 115 bracketologists. Why would you think that we need to win 4 games in a row in order to make it? 2-2 likely does it. 3-1 to be sure. 1-3 give us a shot. 4-0 would likely get us to 7-9 seed range depending on how other teams do.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

This will be the first game this season I won't have been able to watch, as the missus and I will be in transit to Hawaii.

We change planes in LAX and are supposed to land there at 3:04 PT, right about when the game will have ended. So as soon as they tell me I can turn on my phone, I'll be doing just that and checking the score. If the game is still going on and competitive - which very well could mean OT - I will be scurrying out of the plane as fast as possible to find an airport bar with a TV ... and then hoping they get CBSSN.

Travel is always a little stressful (sometimes a lot stressful), and this will add to it. When Wojo's lads deliver my win, I'll chill out nicely. It will be a great start to the trip!

Dude, just buy plane wifi and watch it online!

[MU82]

Dude, just buy plane wifi and watch it online!

I checked into that. On United's site, they say one cannot access streaming sites.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

I checked into that. On United's site, they say one cannot access streaming sites.

Ahhh.  Bummer. 

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

I checked into that. On United's site, they say one cannot access streaming sites.

I have been known to buy the wifi and follow via gamecast.

I would also try wifi with the ESPN Mac & Homer radio stream -- believe sometimes that is not blocked.

[tower912]

We need to win all 3 of our remaining plus 1 BET game to get in. That would give us 21 wins.

Just like JjJ should start at the point, right?