Only losses to ranked teams

[NCMUFan]

The UCLA game was a disappointment.
But I can't feel horrible sitting at 8-3 with only losses to ranked teams.
Maybe we improve.   Maybe other teams figure out how to play us.
Looking forward to conference play.
No regrets hiring Shaka.
This is the bed we made for ourselves.

[tower912]

Thank you for a reasoned perspective.

[The Sultan]

The problem with the three losses weren't that they were losses.  It was that they were blown out of the gym and uncompetitive in all three.  I would feel better if a couple of these were closer affairs that just fell apart at the end.

But yeah, in the end this is a better record than I thought they would have.

[Goose]

Fluff

I said a handful of years ago that the team was fools gold and this team got ahead of itself with a couple of nice wins early. The Badger game was the worst of the three losses, but in my heart I knew the other two were likely losses. Their record is better than many expected and I think their BE record will surprise on the upside as well.

My optimistic talk is solely based off of guys giving it all and overachieving and Shaka.There is enough talent to hang with 90% of the programs out there and they need to want it more. I have seen nothing that makes me think these guys don't have heart to steal a few more games.

Truthfully, I think this team has provided more reasons for optimism than I have seen in a long time. I did not think we would be hosting UCLA with an 8-2 record and couple of quality wins.

[Mr. Nielsen]

After being down 33-10 to UCLA, Marquette kept fighting. Got it down to 12. Bruins pushed it back to 20. MU got within single digits. If MU can finish defense by getting a rebound. 14 offense of boards in the 2nd half for UCLA and hit some three's this game would have came down to the wire. This game was a different loss compared to St. Bonaventure & Wisconsin.

[The Sultan]

I don't disagree with anything you are saying Goose.  Even the offense is moving the ball and getting good looks.  They just aren't hitting the shots.

Looking at how Tyger Campbell has developed his game to become a better shooter leads me to believe that the rest of the year and this summer is going to be a real important time for the development of these guys.

[Elonsmusk]

The UCLA game was a disappointment.
But I can't feel horrible sitting at 8-3 with only losses to ranked teams.
Maybe we improve.   Maybe other teams figure out how to play us.
Looking forward to conference play.
No regrets hiring Shaka.
This is the bed we made for ourselves.

Right on.

This coaching staff and team are winners.  Considering none of our starting lineup ever played together before this season, 4 of which weren't even on MU's campus until this year, and being 8-3 with wins over Illinois, West Virginia, Ole Miss, and KState?  Outstanding results.

Consider that after this season, we could potentially have THREE more years of Lewis, Kam, Oso, Kolek, Emarion, Joplin, O-Max, and Stevie.  Three more years to gain more cohesion, strength, skill.  This program has a very bright future.

[Goose]

Mr. Nielsen

I agree this game was different than the other two. They came out like a deer and headlights and dug themselves into a big hole. I never thought they could pull it off in the second half, but losing 4 D rebounds out of bounds and Kolek supply play kept them from making a bigger run.

They are a much better team but I liked what I saw in the last 25 or so minutes. Again, it comes down to being accountable to your teammates and they have that intangible.

[geps]

No team in the country has played 4 non con games vs. ranked opponents FWIW.

[GB Warrior]

Not worried, as we all know that this is not Shaka's ideal roster construction. The team is doing plenty with the hand they've been dealt. I would not have suspected we won quite a few of the games we did.

I will quibble about the disjointed look of our offense where it is either PnRs (with roll men that don't roll and shooters that aren't hitting) or Lewis backing down from the elbow. But I think much of this is based on the bodies we are able to put on the floor this season.

Fresh start with conference play, but hard for me to say non-con was anything but a success

[bilsu]

UCLA may be the only one ranked at year end.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

My take on this is that we have the ability to ugly up games and win them against bubble level teams and lower. We simply don't have the firepower to keep up with teams that are likely tournament locks. Maybe that changes if we find our outside stroke but we're simply not as good as those times right now.

[NCMUFan]

With the Big Dance being 64+ teams, I like our chances to make the dance.
Our first-round dance partner may be brutal, but I hope we have the chance to worry about that when the time comes.

[Shooter McGavin]

UCLA may be the only one ranked at year end.

I disagree with this.  I think at least three will be ranked and possibly all four. The Bonnie's due to being in the A10 should be as the rack up wins in conference.  Wisconsin is pretty legit with Davis and Illinois should be back in once they are healthy.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

I'm very pleased with the record, but MU is two coinflips away from being 6-5.  Both Illinois and Kansas State were down a quality starter and it still took two bigtime defensive plays at the end to win.

In the other 5 non-cupcake games, MU has 2 hot shooting nights and 3 blowouts. That doesn't give me much optimism for Big East play.

I'm expecting 6 to 8 wins in BE play with a couple close losses and several blowouts.  Not expecting any postseason play, just hoping to see some player development throughout the year.

[Goose]

Juan
No doubt he are fortunate, or lucky, to be 8-3. Very easily could be 6-5. Need to do that 2-3 more times and it is a successful season. Anyone that truly thought we be playing at UCLA with an 8-2 record would be stretching the truth a bit. As TAMU said, ugly up some games against better teams and you can surprise somebody.

IMO, that is the recipe for success moving forward. If they keep games close they will have a fighting chance. Winning close games is a mindset and thus far they have a high passing grade in that area.

[79Warrior]

My take on this is that we have the ability to ugly up games and win them against bubble level teams and lower. We simply don't have the firepower to keep up with teams that are likely tournament locks. Maybe that changes if we find our outside stroke but we're simply not as good as those times right now.

Agree. Greg needs to start. He can put the ball in the net. Getting clobbered by UCLA out of the gate buried the team. If not for Greg shooting lights out, the final score would have been dreadful.

[GB Warrior]

I found myself wondering yesterday how good Jamal Cain could have looked on this roster

[NCMUFan]

I looked at his current stats for Oakland University via ESPN.
Looks like he is averaging near 20 points a game.
Definitely the stud on Oakland.

[tower912]

I found myself wondering yesterday how good Jamal Cain could have looked on this roster

Catch and shoot in this offense.   I am not sure how he would do beating people off of the dribble.   

[rocky_warrior]

So, we're basically just like Villanova.  Got it. 

[Boston Warrior]

Villanova with 34 points against Baylor...
Baylor looks really good.

[CountryRoads]

I can only imagine how bad it would be on this board if MU lost a game by 20+ and scored only 36 points.

[Elonsmusk]

I found myself wondering yesterday how good Jamal Cain could have looked on this roster

Would have been a fantastic fit in all ways.  His rebounding would have been a tremendous help.  He's averaging 21.2 ppg, 10.2rpg, and 2.3 steals per game.  110.9 O-Rating on 28% usage and eFG% 55.5%

[dad's couch]

Yes the losses were to ranked teams but:
1) We don't have any Quad 1 wins although there's a decent chance Illinois and maybe WVU will become Quad 1 wins.
2) The three losses saw us down at least 16 points late in the 2nd half. Out scoring teams by 10 in the last 3 minutes may be good for the computers but it doesn't change how we were outclassed.
3) Two of our Ws were 1 pt wins against teams that were playing without their best player.
4) Most of the Big East teams will be as good or better defensively than any team we faced.

That said. Only our 3pt shooting has been atrocious and if we get it to just bad we'll be able to play with any one in the conference. It we get it to just OK we can beat any Big East team.

Going to be an interesting two month.