When did you first think

[lawdog77]

Looking over the preseason predictions, the funny thing is that realchili's undefeated conference season may come the closest to actual results.

[Uncle Rico]

Looking over the preseason predictions, the funny thing is that realchili's undefeated conference season may come the closest to actual results.

Real Chilli knows ball

[Dr. Blackheart]

Looking over the preseason predictions, the funny thing is that realchili's undefeated conference season may come the closest to actual results.

#drunkpredictionsnomatta

[Lennys Tap]

Baylor game.   Thought either aberration or they are really good.  The later it is...

I knew then that if we brought our best game we could beat anybody. And when Scott Drew said after the game that our offense was special and we were really, really hard to guard it made me take notice.

But did I think we'd be 16-3 in the Big East, #6 in the country good? No way. This team has taken us on an amazing ride.

[wadesworld]

Not sure I have a real answer for that.  When did I think it was a possibility?  Probably after playing tough at Xavier.  When did I really believe we'd get a share?  Probably after Xavier at home.  Outright?  Didn't believe that until we essentially wrapped it up at Creighton.

When I knew I was completely wrong about this team?  At Notre Dame.  I was obviously encouraged by the Purdue and Baylor games, but we didn't know how good Purdue was at that time, and like others have said, beating Baylor by 26?  Thought that was just a once in a season type of game.  When went to South Bend and totally dismantled them, even knowing they weren't a great team, I knew I was wrong about this team.

[brewcity77]

First thought it? The 'Nova win, because of how hard that win has been to get in recent years. Really believed it? The UConn win. Even losing at Xavier didn't really shake my believe of the possibility because we were tied with under a minute to play and we got them again at home. Clearly it was going to take things going right, but that stretch really got me to the point of thinking "yeah, we're a contender for this."

[UticaBusBarn]

It wasn't so much a moment, or a particular game. It was watching TKO evolve this season. At some point in the last few games, I realized TKO was on his way to becoming the reincarnation of Bob Cousy. If you don't know, or never saw Cousy, go to YouTube. They both have same unique floor prescence and passing ability. Well, TKO still has a way to go, but ... !

[BLWarrior91]

The Baylor game was huge but then we followed it with the loss to Wisconsin. 

I'd say the first UConn game as well.  Then we started winning the close ones that we lost earlier in the year.  They've shown they can play with and beat anyone.

[Vino-D]

The early losses by fewer than 5 points max in any game, and by 5 at Purdue was kinda saying to me this team had something we haven't seen in quite some time at MU...and that's the Shaka effect. You can see it in the way the players look to him, respect him, listen to him, just know he's the "Man". I sort of had confidence they would beat UCONN, but the back-to-back road wins at SH and SJ, that said, okay, this team is for real, and Shaka's in game adjustments are amazing. No coach is perfect, but his knowledge of his players, their strengths and weaknesses, and when to substitute is one of his and this team's strengths...and the players never complain, because they believe in him big time!  My expectations coming into the season was for MU to be competitive, and I felt that with Shaka they would be just that, but this is unreal...he's taking the program back to the glory years of the original "Man", and I was there for those home games between '66 and '70 (yes, I'm and old fart!), and the feeling is the same. Shaka is so humble, b-ball cool, and the best thing to happen to MU b-ball since AL...period, end of story!

[wisblue]

For me it was a gradual process from (1) having very little idea whet to expect when the season started to (2) realizing the team was going to be somewhat better that expected after the Purdue and Baylor games, and (3) being encouraged that they were playing competitive games on the road against some of the league's better teams.

The UConn game was a big one because they were the team more than any other that I thought MU would have trouble keeping up with.

The idea that MU might be in contention for the league title really took hold on the night that MU beat Providence while Xavier lost to DePaul. Before that I thought Xavier with its veteran roster was going to be the team to beat once UConn hit its losing streak.

Then MU spanking Seton Hall on the road added to the feeling because MU was then facing the softest part of its schedule.

Because the top teams in the league were generally beating each other at home and winning all of their other games, I saw the real possibility of a 4 way tie for the title at 16-4. Then Xavier and Providence stumbled at Butler and SJ, and the path to the title was opening up. When Xavier had the ball with a minute left and a 3 point lead at the FF, the title dream was in danger. But the last minute of that game and then the win at Creighton turned the dream into a near certainty.

The ebb and flow of the season reminds me why I value regular season championships more relative to NCAA success than a lot of others do.

[real chili 83]