NIT . . . too early?

[brewcity77]

What I'm saying is that 7 seed or higher is a high NCAA seed.

People talk all the time about being a top-25 team. To get to 25, you need the top 6 seed lines (6x4=24) and one off the 7 line. I agree that 7 or better is a high seed because that's right around the cutoff for being ranked (and thus the perception that you're one of the best teams in the country).

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Yeti

Sacar was a benefactor of the outside shooting skills on this team. Hauser also saw more open looks due to the little guys. Very similar to HC looking awfully good when Luke and HE played him and not so much beyond that. Don't over estimate guys without looking at the big picture. Sacar could slash because it was wide open and happy he did. Might not be so wide open next season.

Agreed on Sacar but not on Sam. Sure he benefitted but he is an elite offensive player and has all conference type talent

[fjm]

My goal this season was a high seed in the NIT. Everything else is gravy. If we sneak in, which I am hoping for, that would be amazing.

Having said that I am also a Large Wojo supporter. This stuff takes time.

Annnd having said that, next year will be a very judgmental year for me with him. I agree with most in the sentiment that I would like us to be atleast ranked top 25 for a bit (1-2 weeks atleast) hang around the top 30 and get a top 7 seed or so in the tourney.

[Floorslapper]

What I'm saying is that 7 seed or higher is a high NCAA seed.

For the 2nd paragraph,  that's your opinion and you are welcome to it. But no one in the business projected us making the tournament last season but we did. No one in the business projected us making the tournament this season and we are now in the conversation. Your expectations were higher,  nothing wrong with that. But I trust the opinions of the collective professionals more.

Some solid goal post shifting.  A 7 seed is now considered a "high seed."  Got it.  Think most would disagree.  A high seed to me is a 3 or 4.

As for your second paragraph.  Fair enough.  Those same experts picked Buzz's last team to win the Big East - it missed NIT.  Granted, Buzz was way off his game coaching that season, but preseason prognostications are a crapshoot at best.

I suspect we will never be as elite offensively under Wojo as we have been the past two years.  I expect slight improvement defensively next year, but not enough to mitigate offensive regression.

[Dish]

I'm betting we'll be a 1 seed in the NIT with Notre Dame the 2 seed in our group.

Meaning your last MU game at the Bradley Center potentially could be MU vs ND.

[Its DJOver]

Some solid goal post shifting.  A 7 seed is now considered a "high seed."  Got it.  Think most would disagree.  A high seed to me is a 3 or 4.

As for your second paragraph.  Fair enough.  Those same experts picked Buzz's last team to win the Big East - it missed NIT.  Granted, Buzz was way off his game coaching that season, but preseason prognostications are a crapshoot at best.

I suspect we will never be as elite offensively under Wojo as we have been the past two years.  I expect slight improvement defensively next year, but not enough to mitigate offensive regression.

Agree that our D still might not be there next year, however I believe that we can be just as good offensively.  We've got to make up 20 points and five assists.  Ed should contribute 10 points (a 1 point improvement from 2 years ago at Nebraska), I think Sam can make the jump from 15 up to 18, Greg and Jamal should combine to improve by 5(I'm not sure who will end up getting more minutes, but a 3 point and 2 point improvement isn't out of the question), and if we get anything from Theo, Joey, Harry or Brendan that will equal 20. Assuming that we dont get a grad transfer and Markus is the primary ball handler I think he can improve from 3 apg to 5, Sam can go from 3 apg to 5, and Greg/Jamal can improve one assist.

Now obviously that is an ideal scenario that is likely not going to happen exactly as a described, but we should be much more balanced offensively with a legit post presence, and Sacar, Jamal, and Greg all getting better at slashing/ off the ball movement.  As good as we were offensively we pretty much had one trick, we were just very good at it.  We'll still have two elite shooters next year, but more importantly, we'll have a much more balanced attack. 

Now, we still could regress offensively, I just don't think its a sure thing.

[Goose]

TAMU

We will see on Sam, but without a solid PG I do not see him get anywhere the wide open looks next season. Either a upper end PG or finding someone to play center would change my opinion.

[BM1090]

TAMU

We will see on Sam, but without a solid PG I do not see him get anywhere the wide open looks next season. Either a upper end PG or finding someone to play center would change my opinion.

I think this is fair, but Markus played 68% of the PG minutes last year per Kenpom. Reinhardt also had some point guard minutes. Andrew greatly improved as a distributor this year and we will miss him, but Sam got open looks in 2016-17 with Markus, Andrew, and Katin running point.

[cheebs09]

TAMU

We will see on Sam, but without a solid PG I do not see him get anywhere the wide open looks next season. Either a upper end PG or finding someone to play center would change my opinion.

I wonder if Morrow helps here. I don't think he's a pound it inside type of guy, but he's a threat inside the arc. That could open up some things if he's a good passer.

[muguru]

Some solid goal post shifting.  A 7 seed is now considered a "high seed."  Got it.  Think most would disagree.  A high seed to me is a 3 or 4.

As for your second paragraph.  Fair enough.  Those same experts picked Buzz's last team to win the Big East - it missed NIT.  Granted, Buzz was way off his game coaching that season, but preseason prognostications are a crapshoot at best.

I suspect we will never be as elite offensively under Wojo as we have been the past two years.  I expect slight improvement defensively next year, but not enough to mitigate offensive regression.

Amen...since when is a 7 seed a high seed?? A high seed to me, is a top 4 protected seed.

[Lennys Tap]

People talk all the time about being a top-25 team. To get to 25, you need the top 6 seed lines (6x4=24) and one off the 7 line. I agree that 7 or better is a high seed because that's right around the cutoff for being ranked (and thus the perception that you're one of the best teams in the country).

Who thinks that the 25th, 26th, 27th and 28th best teams are "one of the best teams in the country"? Nobody I know.

[muguru]

I think part of the problem that permeates this whole discussion is that not so long ago, a win over the overall #1 would not have been that big of a surprise.  We were a consistent top 25ish team and while it would have been a tough win, it was not "charge onto the court to celebrate" tough.

Ding ding ding! I'd like MU to be the team that other fans rush the floor for after beating..

[D'Lo Brown]

Ding ding ding! I'd like MU to be the team that other fans rush the floor for after beating..

Since you don't settle for mediocrity, what will you do to ensure that?

[MattyWarrior]

No way we get in with the losses we have, no consistency with the team this year

[Dr. Blackheart]

Did MU miss the NIT Buzz's last year or let it be known we wouldn't mind missing it knowing he was gowne?  Cords communicated before the BET there was going to disruptions upcoming but that we would be fine...

[BM1090]

Ding ding ding! I'd like MU to be the team that other fans rush the floor for after beating..

While this is obviously the goal for every program, I can only imagine your rage if we got beat by an unranked team while ranked in the top 5.

[4everwarriors]

Beetin' Bucky in Madison in 1977 afta losin' 3 straight at home, wen da Tourney looked bleak, wuz a program definin' moment, aina?

[Goose]

4ever

DJO has different opinion. Homer told him the 'nova win was best regular season win. Creighton win was somewhat important that season.

[Goose]

Dr.

MU was ending Buzz relationship and NITwas not an option.

[4everwarriors]

The 1977 Warriors finished the season with 5 straight road games after losing 3 straight at the Arena. Following the win at UW there were victories at Virginia Tech, Tulane, and Creighton. Final game was lost in Ann Arbor by 1 point. Altough, MU learned at halftime that they were in the Tourney. I, along with many, contend that winning that all important game vs. Madison helped propel them to the National Championship. Thus, beating the Badgers, at that time, was a program changer.

[Its DJOver]

4ever

DJO has different opinion. Homer told him the 'nova win was best regular season win. Creighton win was somewhat important that season.

Come on goose. Homer and I have the same opinion, I don't have that opinion because homer said it was the biggest, I truly believe it no matter what homer says. Just because I agree with homer and homer isn't the end all be all of mu hoops doesn't mean that were both wrong. 

Based on what 4ever said, it sounds like that uw game was pretty big too. Other wins being big does not make the nova win smaller.

[Goose]

Doc

I agree on Badger win, but think the Va Tech was of equal importance. All were big and Badger game was awfully important. Earlier in the thread I mentioned that there were 4-5 bigger regular season wins in a month than the upset last year.

As you know, that if we needed to close the Michigan deal, it would have been sealed. Beat them for as long as needed on that selection day.

[Goose]

DJO

The win last year can be favorite, most fun or whatever you want to call it. It is not a top ten regular season win in program history. Sorry to burst bubble, just stating facts. Ask 4ever...he is elder statesman of this crew.

[4everwarriors]

Yes, Rickie Green and Michigan were toast had we needed to school them.

[Its DJOver]

DJO

The win last year can be favorite, most fun or whatever you want to call it. It is not a top ten regular season win in program history. Sorry to burst bubble, just stating facts. Ask 4ever...he is elder statesman of this crew.

It sounds like the uw game in 77 was huge but thay we also needed a couple wins after it, so you can say that it was the biggest 3 game winning streak in program history, and we all know that wojo can't win 3 regular season games in a row, so you got me there, but you can't say that my opinion is wrong, that's not how opinions work, and deferring to another old timer may help you reinforce your opinion, but it won't really affect my opinion if 4ever agrees with me or not. No offense 4ever