Next 5 Games 1/28-2/11

[HowardsWorld]

Jan 28 @ DePaul
Feb 1 vs Villanova
Feb 4 vs Butler
Feb 7@ UConn
Feb 11 @ Georgetown


Next five game stretch posted. Don't want to say its the easiest part of the schedule but compared to the other 3 (5 game sets) its against the worst teams in the Big East except for Uconn. At this point I think anything less than 4-1 would be disappointing given how great we have been this year. Is this team going to eventually slip up and lose a game it shouldnt? My guess no. Going to go with 4-1 myself with a close loss to Uconn, However it wouldn't surprise me if they went into Connecticut and won, just going off the recent road games we played close and could have won but no cigar (Xavier and Providence). Nice to have a week break before going to Depaul. A place that we lost our last two games there which we all expected to win.

I posted in the last poll that I thought this team would finish with a 3-4 seed in the NCAA tournament. Well ladies and gentleman its not far fetched now that they could be vying for a 1 or 2 seed. If they finish the season 15-5 or 16-4 and win the conference that's a 2 seed at minimum. Yes we are experiencing something we have been dreaming about for 10 years. I try to cap my homerism in these threads but for the life of me I cant remember living and breathing MU basketball like I have over the last 3 months.

[tower912]

I expect to lose at UConn and win the rest.   

[Goose]

Howards

I think they go 4-1. I agree on the excitement level being extremely high. The text threads on MU ball are at a fever pitch and I love it.

[brewcity77]

Over/under has to be 4.5 and I'll go with the over. The two easiest on paper road games, two home games we should win, and a tough but fading UConn.

I think we figured some stuff out about them at Fiserv and other teams have exposed more. The question is if you lean towards Shaka or Hurley, and I'm putting my money on Shaka.

[tower912]

I will be ecstatic if MU beats UConn on the road.   I won't lose a nanosecond of sleep if they don't.  Win the other 4.

[Jay Bee]

5-0 elated, let's effin go!!
4-1 solid, keep it rollin, fellas
3-2 eh, it happens. We're fine
2-3 well this is unfortunate. Let's get back on the right path
1-4 Steve, is that u?
0-5 Cheering for St. Thomas

[DoctorV]

Over/under has to be 4.5 and I'll go with the over. The two easiest on paper road games, two home games we should win, and a tough but fading UConn.

I think we figured some stuff out about them at Fiserv and other teams have exposed more. The question is if you lean towards Shaka or Hurley, and I'm putting my money on Shaka.

If Marquette can go 5-0 in this stretch, and then goes 4-1 in the last 5 that's essentially a lock for a BE Title
Would be 25-6, 17-3 which is absolutely insane.

That would be a lock for a 2 seed right?

Would a 1 seed be plausible in the above scenario?

[brewcity77]

If Marquette can go 5-0 in this stretch, and then goes 4-1 in the last 5 that's essentially a lock for a BE Title
Would be 25-6, 17-3 which is absolutely insane.

That would be a lock for a 2 seed right?

Would a 1 seed be plausible in the above scenario?

The drawback to our remaining schedule is that while it's a great opportunity to get a Big East title, there aren't many chances to improve the resume. I did a quick crunch this morning. I think 7-3 or 8-2 keeps us on the 4-line, 9-1 gets us to a 3, and 10-0 gets us a 2-seed. Win all the way to the BET final and we'll be in the conversation for a 1.

[Shooter McGavin]

5-0 elated, let's effin go!!
4-1 solid, keep it rollin, fellas
3-2 eh, it happens. We're fine
2-3 well this is unfortunate. Let's get back on the right path
1-4 Steve, is that u?
0-5 Cheering for St. Thomas

I think this sums it up nicely. 

[Dr. Blackheart]

At this point, MU has a 45% chance of winning the Big East, per Torvik. Finish it by taking care of business.

https://www.barttorvik.com/conodds.php?conf=BE

[PJDunn]

Lose to UCpnn and DePaul. I would love to say that we get a W in Chicago, but....

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Not a legitimate poll, no 0-5 option 

[Elonsmusk]

Voted 5-0  - - As Shaka said, Oso is becoming a "dude."  Chase on the rise.  Kolek a better threat offensively.  Kam hitting peak form.  Great time for the week off to refresh the bodies.  Shaka thinks our defense still has a lot of improvement capability.  UCONN will be borderline desperate to beat us on their home floor, but I think we prevail.

[StillAWarrior]

I also went with 5-0. Just like I did in the first one...and I'm still salty about that free throw disparity @Prov.

[MU82]

5-0 elated, let's effin go!!
4-1 solid, keep it rollin, fellas
3-2 eh, it happens. We're fine
2-3 well this is unfortunate. Let's get back on the right path
1-4 Steve, is that u?
0-5 Cheering for St. Thomas

Agree with all this except what you say about 2-3. I'd be more disappointed than "well this is unfortunate," and Scoop probably would be up for grabs.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

4-1 with a loss @UCONN.  5-0 or 3-2 wouldn't shock me. 

[UWW2MU]

I went with 4-1 - Chances are for loss at UConn, but we could definitely pull that out.  At the same time, I'd say there's also a chance we lose a game we shouldn't though too, so that evens the loss out to 1.

[Uncle Rico]

1-4

[MU82]

1-4

Only winning at UConn, eh?

[Jockey]

1-0.

The next game is the only one that matters.

[BallBoy]

To win the Big East, I think we have to go 8-2.  With the next 5 being slightly easier than the 5 after that,  I think Shaka will have the team focused.  With a week off before DePaul, I think he will have them rejuvenated and focused on winning.  I think realistically the team will go 4-1 with a loss to UConn most likely but I don't see 5-0 as out of the question. 

A top 5 team hasn't won at a Top 5 teams home gym (Including UConn in that) yet the last I checked.  Xavier has that opportunity twice this week.  Hopefully MU is the first to do it in Storrs.

[mu_hilltopper]

At this point, MU has a 45% chance of winning the Big East, per Torvik. Finish it by taking care of business.

https://www.barttorvik.com/conodds.php?conf=BE

Imagine saying "MU has a 45% chance of winning the BE" .. 24 months ago.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Imagine saying "MU has a 45% chance of winning the BE" .. 24 months ago.

Funny you should mention that.  Exactly 24 months ago today, I was nodding off in the Glendale Arby's drive thru waiting for my BnC order, and I was dreaming such a thing. Only to be awakened by a voice telling me Arby's no longer sells potato cakes.

[connie]

My pessimist tells me one tough loss and one "weird things happen" loss, but this team hasn't done much to prove my pessimist side right this year, so 4-1.

[HowardsWorld]

To win the Big East MU, I think has to go 8-2.  With the next 5 being slightly easier than the 5 after that,  I think Shaka will have the team focused.  With a week off before DePaul, I think he will have them rejuvenated and focused on winning.  I think realistically the team will go 4-1 with a loss to UConn most likely but I don't see 5-0 as out of the question. 

A top 5 team hasn't won at a Top 5 teams home gym (Including UConn in that) yet the last I checked.  Xavier has that opportunity twice this week.  Hopefully MU is the first to do it in Storrs.

16-4 should take it imo. Xavier is the only team that can take the crown from Marquette. Uconn has 5 conference losses and I just don't see marquette losing 3 more games and at the same time Uconn running the table the rest of the way. That leaves Providence and Creighton but both play each other and the other top 5 in the league 5 more times which should cannabolize themselves. That Depaul win vs Xavier was huge for our chances. Xavier could very well go 0-2 this week with two huge road games. Marquette could be in sole position of 1st before they even play there next game.