Conference Tourney --- We're Due

[The Lens]

In 2002 TC got MU to the CONFUSA Tourney finals (shocker we lost to Cinci).  It capped a nice ten year stretch where MU usually won a few rounds and even messed around in some championship games (96, 97, 02).  Then UAB happend, then TCU happened (TWICE!!).

From 2003-2017 we went 10-15.  Considering you can only lose once and you can win as many as 5 games a year, THAT'S NOT GOOD.

Rare highlights:

2008 2-1, beat ND and played on Friday night in the Garden 
2010 2-1, As a 5 seed played on Friday night in the Garden losing to 8 seed Georgetown
2011 2-1, We were the 11 seed so we played on Tuesday, beat 14 seed PC, 6 seed West Va (commonly thought as the game that made us dance and lost on Thursday to 3 seeded Louisville

That's it.  3 times we've gone 2-1. 

So I know I say this every year but WE ARE DUE.

Beat DePaul!

[PGsHeroes32]

2010 and 2011 we also needed to get wins to help ourselves.

2010 we were going to be in regardless tho.

So hopefully this year we can muster up a few wins as well

[barfolomew]

Perhaps recent coaching staffs have just been a little confused about what it means to follow the "one and done" model.

[BM1090]

I haven't really been confident in any game this year. Just the reliance on 3 point shooting and the inconsistency has made every game feel like a toss up to me.

I'm very confident in Wednesday. We have everything to play for. We lost to DePaul a 11 days prior, so we won't be taking them lightly. Rowsey is distributing the ball. We're playing with a lot of passion. I think we win by 12-15 in a game that is never really close after the first 10-12 minutes.

[skianth16]

I haven't really been confident in any game this year. Just the reliance on 3 point shooting and the inconsistency has made every game feel like a toss up to me.

I'm very confident in Wednesday. We have everything to play for. We lost to DePaul a 11 days prior, so we won't be taking them lightly. Rowsey is distributing the ball. We're playing with a lot of passion. I think we win by 12-15 in a game that is never really close after the first 10-12 minutes.

In addition, I'm hoping to see as wide an allocation of minutes as we can get away with if things are going well in the second half. It's tough enough to beat Nova, but to have to play Nova on short rest when they've had several days off, is an even harder. I'm not saying we should look past Depaul at all, just that if we really start to run away with the game, hopefully we can limit minutes for some of our starters to make sure they've got a little extra in the tank for Thursday.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

In addition, I'm hoping to see as wide an allocation of minutes as we can get away with if things are going well in the second half. It's tough enough to beat Nova, but to have to play Nova on short rest when they've had several days off, is an even harder. I'm not saying we should look past Depaul at all, just that if we really start to run away with the game, hopefully we can limit minutes for some of our starters to make sure they've got a little extra in the tank for Thursday.

I actually think tired legs become more of an issue in game 3.  Sometimes the team that has played the night before has a bit of an advantage over the team that hasn't played for 5 days.  Not sure this particularly holds when you're playing the best team in the country that probably isn't going to be nervous for big moments, but we can only hope.

[GGGG]

I'm just glad we are playing the late evening game so we don't have an afternoon tip if we win.

[NickelDimer]

2010 and 2011 we also needed to get wins to help ourselves.

2010 we were going to be in regardless tho.

So hopefully this year we can muster up a few wins as well

A few? I'm not greedy. Give me two and I'm happy

[BM1090]

I'm just glad we are playing the late evening game so we don't have an afternoon tip if we win.

Same. I hope we split the conference title with someone for the next 5 years, but always get the 2 seed for BET viewing purposes.

[Its DJOver]

I actually think tired legs become more of an issue in game 3.  Sometimes the team that has played the night before has a bit of an advantage over the team that hasn't played for 5 days.  Not sure this particularly holds when you're playing the best team in the country that probably isn't going to be nervous for big moments, but we can only hope.

Honestly, in order to win 4 games in 4 days, we just need somebody to go all 2011 Kemba Walker.  Fortunately we have 3 players who could.  Unfortunately there's a reason that 2011 was the only year someone won 5 in 5 in the BEast.

[Silkk the Shaka]

Honestly, in order to win 4 games in 4 days, we just need somebody to go all 2011 Kemba Walker.  Fortunately we have 3 players who could.  Unfortunately there's a reason that 2011 was the only year someone won 5 in 5 in the BEast.

Only need to win 4 in 4 now that it's a 10 team league. We got this!

And to beat Nova and/or Xavier, we'll have to have all 3 of those guys go all 2011 Kemba at the same time. They've basically all done close imitations simultaneously the past two games and we barely beat against lesser teams than Nova/X so.... we got this!

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Nothing was worse than the beatdown by ND in 2013. The early exits in the tournament have been really frustrating, especially when they were getting double-byes.

[DCHoopster]

Only need to win 4 in 4 now that it's a 10 team league. We got this!

And to beat Nova and/or Xavier, we'll have to have all 3 of those guys go all 2011 Kemba at the same time. They've basically all done close imitations simultaneously the past two games and we barely beat against lesser teams than Nova/X so.... we got this!

Only way MU can beat Villy is if Brunson is hurt.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

Only way MU can beat Villy is if Brunson is hurt.

Don't think that is entirely fair to say.  We lost to them by 1 possession in Milwaukee and played them fairly tight in Philly.

Tall task, no doubt. But its doable.  Creighton just beat them and we swept Creighton.  Hall would have beat them last week if they could hit some free throws.  We swept Hall. 

I do, however, think that MU would need to be hit north of 15 3s and shoot a strong percentage to win.

[DCHoopster]

Don't think that is entirely fair to say.  We lost to them by 1 possession in Milwaukee and played them fairly tight in Philly.

Tall task, no doubt. But its doable.  Creighton just beat them and we swept Creighton.  Hall would have beat them last week if they could hit some free throws.  We swept Hall. 

I do, however, think that MU would need to be hit north of 15 3s and shoot a strong percentage to win.

Sure MU can win, but need somebody to stop Brunson from getting into the lane.   Agreed, we will have to have all 3 shooters to shoot the ball really good that
game.  Anything is possible.  The problem I have is that against Villy we need to play Elliott, not the midgets most of the game.  So it will be important that the remaining cast plays well.

[MUBigDance]

I think we need to recognize how special that Creighton win was. Creighton was playing well. Not phased by away court (hit shots ok). I think they were solid. Yet we beat them.... we had some amazing highlights.

Will assume we will beat DePaul..we should...so Nova we will need another incredible game. Can we do that 2 out of three games?

If we do, I'll tell you we could be onto something special...BET win...sweet-16....I predict both if we win the next two.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

I think we need to recognize how special that Creighton win was. Creighton was playing well. Not phased by away court (hit shots ok). I think they were solid. Yet we beat them.... we had some amazing highlights.

Will assume we will beat DePaul..we should...so Nova we will need another incredible game. Can we do that 2 out of three games?

If we do, I'll tell you we could be onto something special...BET win...sweet-16....I predict both if we win the next two.

I see Dayton to S16 far more likely than BET championship: Just need to get there. Playing teams that don't know how to guard our guys and with minimal time to prepare is a huge plus for a team like Marquette.

[MUBigDance]

I see Dayton to S16 far more likely than BET championship: Just need to get there. Playing teams that don't know how to guard our guys and with minimal time to prepare is a huge plus for a team like Marquette.

"...don't know how to guard our guys..."   good observation. They'll see tape but you're right...they just won't know it like the BigEast fraternity.  If we can just get in...surprise!

[GoldenZebra]

We'll see...lets not get carried away...they still have to be DePaul, and then Nova.

[skianth16]

I see Dayton to S16 far more likely than BET championship: Just need to get there. Playing teams that don't know how to guard our guys and with minimal time to prepare is a huge plus for a team like Marquette.

You've got to think the matchups would be easier to go from Dayton to the second weekend than it will be to get to the BET championship. Playing in a top conference is a blessing and a curse.

[MU82]

The Lady Warriors are showing us how it's done.

We got this!

[warriorfred]

Come to think of it, we are due.

[Its DJOver]

Gotta have the same mentality that Andrew, Markus and every other three point shooter has. You're either hot or you're due, right now, we could be both.

[cheese ball chaser]

Let's beat DePaul first before we talk about Nova

[GoldenZebra]

Let's beat DePaul first before we talk about Nova

Thats what Im saying. DePaul beat MU in front of what was basically a pro-MU crowd.