I hate tomorrow night’s game

[Cheeks]

Hated it last year, hate it this year.   Feels like a game MH is in foul trouble a lot to me.

[KampusFoods]

This is exactly the kind of game we have lost the past few years. Coming off a couple solid wins. Will be decently big favorites. Big opportunity in the next game. Absolutely stinks of a trap game.

That said, I feel so much better about this game with Ponds being gone.

[MU82]

This is exactly the kind of game we have lost the past few years. Coming off a couple solid wins. Will be decently big favorites. Big opportunity in the next game. Absolutely stinks of a trap game.

That said, I feel so much better about this game with Ponds being gone.

Well, we did have two 8-game winning streaks and a 4-game winning streak just last season, so there were plenty of times we kept winning after a couple of solid wins.

But point taken: These kinds of games can be real challenges. I agree that Ponds being gone is pretty big here, and St. John's is not as good a team this year.

That said, I realize that any win, any way, is a good thing, and certainly is not guaranteed.

We Are Marquette!

[Not A Serious Person]

This is exactly the kind of game we have lost the past few years. Coming off a couple solid wins. Will be decently big favorites. Big opportunity in the next game. Absolutely stinks of a trap game.

That said, I feel so much better about this game with Ponds being gone.

Following on this ... KenPom gives a 78% chance of winning, the highest winning percentage of any game the rest of this season.
Kenpom projected final score, MU 79, SJ 71

---

The next highest winning % is Depaul at home Feb 1 at 70%.
The game we are least likely to win, at Butler on Friday, Jan 24, just 26%

KenPom has us finishing 19-11 (9-9)

[Elonsmusk]

We are favored by 8 in KenPom. 78% win probability...which is our highest win probability the rest of the season.  We've all been told by the Intelligencia how impossible it is to win on the road this year in college hoops.

Enough with the chicken little crap.  Expect to win.  We should.  End of story.

[lawdog77]

My spidey senses are feeling that Koby has found his role. Facilitator, drive the lanes, only shoot the completely wide open jumper. I look for him to have a big game assist wise, and MU wins in a landslide.

[NickelDimer]

We are favored by 8 in KenPom. 78% win probability...which is our highest win probability the rest of the season.  We've all been told by the Intelligencia how impossible it is to win on the road this year in college hoops.

Enough with the chicken little crap.  Expect to win.  We should.  End of story.

This. Dreading a game like this is an indictment on the state of the program in my opinion.

[Dr. Blackheart]

So, the expectation is that MU will go 2-2 at home to start the Big East?  Sheesh

[Elonsmusk]

My spidey senses are feeling that Koby has found his role. Facilitator, drive the lanes, only shoot the completely wide open jumper. I look for him to have a big game assist wise, and MU wins in a landslide.

I agree with this analysis.

[nyg]

This is exactly the kind of game we have lost the past few years. Coming off a couple solid wins. Will be decently big favorites. Big opportunity in the next game. Absolutely stinks of a trap game.

That said, I feel so much better about this game with Ponds being gone.

And Justin Simon.  Simon guarded Markus in the two losses last year and shut him down.  Markus shot 2 for 15 in first game and 5 for 17 in the second. 

St. Johns will press, trap and double team from the start and it is imperative that MU break those without constantly turning it over.  If St. Johns fouls MU while doing their aggressive defense, and gets in trouble, their bench is basically
 zero. 

Break the press, get transition baskets and limit the anticipated turnovers.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

I love these games because they tell us MU is progressing and can handle success.  Let's rip the Johnnies.

[brewcity77]

Following on this ... KenPom gives a 78% chance of winning, the highest winning percentage of any game the rest of this season.
Kenpom projected final score, MU 79, SJ 71

---

The next highest winning % is Depaul at home Feb 1 at 70%.
The game we are least likely to win, at Butler on Friday, Jan 24, just 26%

KenPom has us finishing 19-11 (9-9)

What I found interesting is he has us at 47+% in 10 of our last 12 games. Win those 50/50 type games and we'll have something. That said, also means a lot of potential "close but not quite" moments.

[Not A Serious Person]

What I found interesting is he has us at 47+% in 10 of our last 12 games. Win those 50/50 type games and we'll have something. That said, also means a lot of potential "close but not quite" moments.

Yes, I was going to note that as well.

Four of these projected losses we are 47% to 49%

* at X (Jan 29), 49%
* Butler at home (Feb 9), 49%
* Seton Hall at home (Feb 29), 48%
* at Depaul (Mar 3), 47%.

On the other side,

* at Prov (Feb 22), 53%
* AT StJ (Mar 7), 55%

This suggests if we play well, we can do better than 19-11 (9-9).  21-9 (11-7) is possible without an "out of body experience," and, of course, no significant injuries.

[79Warrior]

We are favored by 8 in KenPom. 78% win probability...which is our highest win probability the rest of the season.  We've all been told by the Intelligencia how impossible it is to win on the road this year in college hoops.

Enough with the chicken little crap.  Expect to win.  We should.  End of story.

Agree. We should take the SJU at home.

[BM1090]

Hated it last year, hate it this year.   Feels like a game MH is in foul trouble a lot to me.

I think we'll win but I do expect us to struggle a bit. 5-7 point win.

[MU82]

Enough with the chicken little crap.  Expect to win. 

Dreading a game like this is an indictment on the state of the program in my opinion.

I don't think all that many Scoopers have "chicken little crap" or "dread" going into this game -- beyond the normal worry any fan of any team has about any game. Y'all don't think Duke and Kentucky fans worry about "trap games" or upsets? Given what we've seen so far this season, perhaps they should.

Many Scoopers talked about the importance -- and "easiness" -- of this Xavier-Georgetown-St. John's stretch. I expected to win the first two, I expect to win this one coming up Tuesday. But despite those who think there are "zero" reasons to think we should lose any of the games, all one has to do is look around college basketball to receive a quick dose of pragmatism. Besides, fans are worrywarts in general.

I'm pretty sure that every Butler fan expected to beat DePaul, and I doubt many "dreaded" the game, but the realistic ones knew that the Big East schedule is a tough gauntlet, that DePaul was improved despite their 0-4 start, and that losing was a possibility. Not a pleasant possibility, but a possibility nonetheless.

So with all due respect -- and not speaking for all Scoopers but probably for a majority of us -- having a realistic amount of respect for the quality of the BEast, top to bottom, is not the same as "chicken little crap" or "dread."

But sure, I am sure there are a few Scoopers approaching this game with "dread" ... just as there are a few who think that if we don't go at least 14-4 in the conference it is a sign that we have the worst program, run by the worst coach, in all of college basketball.

[Galway Eagle]

Less dread than the past few years but still dreading it.

[MU82]

Lots of dread going into the St. John's game in the BET last March. The vast majority of Scoopers, especially the NoJos, flat out predicted a decisive loss.

The Dread-O-Meter went on tilt when we won that one by 841 points.

[KampusFoods]

Well, we did have two 8-game winning streaks and a 4-game winning streak just last season, so there were plenty of times we kept winning after a couple of solid wins.

But point taken: These kinds of games can be real challenges. I agree that Ponds being gone is pretty big here, and St. John's is not as good a team this year.

That said, I realize that any win, any way, is a good thing, and certainly is not guaranteed.

We Are Marquette!

Fair enough - but until last year, winning streaks in conference were few and far between. I believe Wojo didn't have a 3-game Big East win streak in his first 4 years? Or something crazy like that.

Hoping we make quick work of the Johnnies. I'll be at Hinkle on Friday hoping for some magic.

[Elonsmusk]

I don't think all that many Scoopers have "chicken little crap" or "dread" going into this game -- beyond the normal worry any fan of any team has about any game. Y'all don't think Duke and Kentucky fans worry about "trap games" or upsets? Given what we've seen so far this season, perhaps they should.

Many Scoopers talked about the importance -- and "easiness" -- of this Xavier-Georgetown-St. John's stretch. I expected to win the first two, I expect to win this one coming up Tuesday. But despite those who think there are "zero" reasons to think we should lose any of the games, all one has to do is look around college basketball to receive a quick dose of pragmatism. Besides, fans are worrywarts in general.

I'm pretty sure that every Butler fan expected to beat DePaul, and I doubt many "dreaded" the game, but the realistic ones knew that the Big East schedule is a tough gauntlet, that DePaul was improved despite their 0-4 start, and that losing was a possibility. Not a pleasant possibility, but a possibility nonetheless.

So with all due respect -- and not speaking for all Scoopers but probably for a majority of us -- having a realistic amount of respect for the quality of the BEast, top to bottom, is not the same as "chicken little crap" or "dread."

But sure, I am sure there are a few Scoopers approaching this game with "dread" ... just as there are a few who think that if we don't go at least 14-4 in the conference it is a sign that we have the worst program, run by the worst coach, in all of college basketball.

The intention of starting this thread was cover your ass material by Cheeks, so he can rationalize a potential loss to a team we have no business losing to tomorrow night.  Now, if he sincerely feels nervous about this game, well, that sure illustrates a lack of confidence in our coach/program here in Year 6.

P.S.  I personally don't think Duke or Kentucky fans worry too much about losing games on their home court against the 77th ranked team in the country with a coach in his first year on the job.

[Silkk the Shaka]

My spidey senses are feeling that Koby has found his role. Facilitator, drive the lanes, only shoot the completely wide open jumper. I look for him to have a big game assist wise, and MU wins in a landslide.

I like what you're serving up here

[MU82]

The intention of starting this thread was cover your ass material by Cheeks, so he can rationalize a potential loss to a team we have no business losing to tomorrow night.  Now, if he sincerely feels nervous about this game, well, that sure illustrates a lack of confidence in our coach/program here in Year 6.

P.S.  I personally don't think Duke or Kentucky fans worry too much about losing games on their home court against the 77th ranked team in the country with a coach in his first year on the job.

I do not try to get in the heads of individual Scoopers, and the one you mentioned certainly doesn't represent any significant percentage of us.

Duly noted about your feelings re Duke and Kentucky fans. I guess they should have dreaded their games against SF Austin and Evansville, though. Fans are fans. Most of us worry some.

[muguru]

This. Dreading a game like this is an indictment on the state of the program in my opinion.

Bingo!! Way too often do I see posters here talking about "I don't expect them to win this game, or that game etc". EXPECT to win. Especially playing at home against teams you are better than. They already pissed away the PC game(that one will piss me off for a long time yet), a good team takes care of business at home...I don't give a damn what the rest of college hoops is like. I EXPECT Marquette to take care of business at home. Period.

[MU82]

Bingo!! Way too often do I see posters here talking about "I don't expect them to win this game, or that game etc". EXPECT to win. Especially playing at home against teams you are better than. They already pissed away the PC game(that one will piss me off for a long time yet), a good team takes care of business at home...I don't give a damn what the rest of college hoops is like. I EXPECT Marquette to take care of business at home. Period.

I totally expected us to beat Providence, so my expectations had nothing to do with us losing.

I am guessing that 1 million out of 1 million Kentucky fans expected their heroes to beat Evansville at home. A lot of good it did them.

Curious, guru ... we have 12 games left in the regular season. How many do you expect us to win?

I'll go first ...

Barring some catastrophic injury to a key player, I will go into each game expecting us to win it. And I mean it. I think we are good enough to win at Nova, at Butler, SH at home, etc, etc, and I will expect victories.

However, as I look at the big picture, I am realistic enough to know that we almost surely will not go 12-0. We will have a really bad shooting game, or we will turn the ball over too much, or we will miss a couple big FTs, or Wojo will mess up, or players won't execute a perfectly good play, or the refs will blow a game-changing call. Or -- and I know this is a particularly difficult concept for some, because it actually gives credit to the other well-paid coach and the other talented athletes -- the opponent simply will play really well against us.

But today, as I look at this game and that game and the other game, I fully expect us to beat that day's opponent.

And if we don't win, I will be ticked off ... but I will not be all "We might never win another game" ... "Koby is the worst" ... "Markus is a cancer" ... "Theo is bad at basketball" ... "We suck without the Hausers," etc. And I also will not be all "Fire Wojo!" ... partly because I don't think he should be fired, but also because I know he won't be fired, so it would be wasted energy.

We Are Marquette!

[NickelDimer]

I don't think all that many Scoopers have "chicken little crap" or "dread" going into this game -- beyond the normal worry any fan of any team has about any game. Y'all don't think Duke and Kentucky fans worry about "trap games" or upsets? Given what we've seen so far this season, perhaps they should.

Many Scoopers talked about the importance -- and "easiness" -- of this Xavier-Georgetown-St. John's stretch. I expected to win the first two, I expect to win this one coming up Tuesday. But despite those who think there are "zero" reasons to think we should lose any of the games, all one has to do is look around college basketball to receive a quick dose of pragmatism. Besides, fans are worrywarts in general.

I'm pretty sure that every Butler fan expected to beat DePaul, and I doubt many "dreaded" the game, but the realistic ones knew that the Big East schedule is a tough gauntlet, that DePaul was improved despite their 0-4 start, and that losing was a possibility. Not a pleasant possibility, but a possibility nonetheless.

So with all due respect -- and not speaking for all Scoopers but probably for a majority of us -- having a realistic amount of respect for the quality of the BEast, top to bottom, is not the same as "chicken little crap" or "dread."

But sure, I am sure there are a few Scoopers approaching this game with "dread" ... just as there are a few who think that if we don't go at least 14-4 in the conference it is a sign that we have the worst program, run by the worst coach, in all of college basketball.

You do understand the premise of the thread, yes?

Oh and, ahem...

Less dread than the past few years but still dreading it.