Glad MU is done playing SJU in the Garden.

[TFlegend]

Gold was out there just getting cardio. 

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Just looking at Bracket Matrix it's a very even split between 8s and 7s. We are currently the last 7 with UConn and Creighton right behind us and one of them has to win today.

Also have to think the committee could favor Gonzaga because they are Gonzaga and then Memphis is still playing for a Conference Title. Either of those 2 could pass us as well.

Won't matter unless one of them beats St. John's tomorrow.

[NickelDimer]

Nothing bummed me out more tonight than watching Gold play as if he didn't belong. I'm just not sure he's the player Shaka thinks he is.

[warriors141]

LOL

Explain to me what is false

[The Sultan]

Scoopers hack on Willie, but he's not incorrect. MU needs shooters and bangers. Shaka is a bright guy, hopefully that's what we'll have next season.

You haven't figured out yet that willie complains about everything, so he's bound to be right occasionally. That's not exactly insight.

[Zog from Margo]

I wouldn't overstate the flagrant foul. It was a bad turn of events, but MU had chances. SJU is better than MU. They're bigger, stronger, and faster.

Lowery was good off the bench and may finally be a guard who takes it to the hoop with strength. Parham cannot play the 5 next year. He'll be solid at the 4. Need someone else to back-up Gold. 

Joplin can't keep up with SJU's players. He was a TO machine tonight.

Gold wasn't responsible for many of Zuby's points but Gold was too invisible.

MU has a lot of limitations. They play a shooting guard who can't shoot, an undersized power forward who can't jump, and only one player who creates off the bounce. They have three starters who can barely dunk the ball. They aren't as good as last year, but the whole is definitely better than the sum of the parts.

On to the next one.

[wadesworld]

50 - 50 on 1 more win before we can move on from this flailing "We peaked in December again" team.

Guy couldn't wait to bump his poll and let everyone know 0-4 was correct. Then we won yesterday and he was MIA. Sad.

[Billy Hoyle]

Pretty sure St John's would.  Or is it impossible beat a team 4 times in a season.

MSU over Bucky 4 times in 2000. Regular season twice, BTT, Final Four

[GoldenEagles03]

Nothing bummed me out more tonight than watching Gold play as if he didn't belong. I'm just not sure he's the player Shaka thinks he is.

He is sometimes. The struggle with him, and Joplin really, is bringing it every single night.

We never really know what we are going to get from either of them. But when they are good we are good.

[5DollarPitcher]

When they run into the first crew who officiates basketball like most of the world officiates basketball, they'll be in trouble

They are built to win the Big East tourney.

Not win games in the Big Dance.

Sadly, these are two very different things.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Explain to me what is false

Ben is not a "miss".

Next, we're coming off 2 seasons of #2 seeds and have still been in the top 25 all season and comfortably in the tourney.  Stop overreacting.

People always refuse to take into account the downside of Shaka pivoting on what he has built this entire culture and program on for a quick fix. 

You're the kind of guy that would have been whining to recruit over Tyler, Oso, and Omax after their first year with the program.

Stop being so impatient and soft.  Until this approach leads to multiple down years, there is no reason to pivot.

And if this is a down year sign me up for that. 

[tower912]

Zog, tie game when it was rightly called.  Boat race afterwards.  Correlation? Causality?  Coincidence?  The game changed after it.

[The Sultan]

Ben is not a "miss".

Next, we're coming off 2 seasons of #2 seeds and have still been in the top 25 all season and comfortably in the tourney.  Stop overreacting.

People always refuse to take into account the downside of Shaka pivoting on what he has built this entire culture and program on for a quick fix. 

You're the kind of guy that would have been whining to recruit over Tyler, Oso, and Omax after their first year with the program.

Stop being so impatient and soft.  Until this approach leads to multiple down years, there is no reason to pivot.

And if this is down year sign me up for that. 

Ab-so-f*cking-lutely

[wadesworld]

SJU isn't the best basketball team in NYC, but they might be the best football team.

[jimmybutlerfanatic]

Guy couldn't wait to bump his poll and let everyone know 0-4 was correct. Then we won yesterday and he was MIA. Sad.

Didn't even mention my poll dummy.

I voted 1 - 3 in my poll before the XU game. Try to keep up. I was right.

I'll be right again after the early exit.

Only a basketball mid-wit thinks this team has a NCAA run in them.

[panda2.0]

Roster construction malpractice. No depth on display yet again with no answers as we get punched in the mouth.

[nyg]

A couple of things:

We have no answer for Zuby.  Give the kid credit.

We got sped up and lost our composure in the 2H.

I wouldn't glean much from this game as far as future tournament success. 

Except the fact I don't even want to think about a matchup against the frontlines of Houston and Auburn, and other #1 or #2 seeds, which could happen.

6 for 29 from three.
17 turnovers, 6 by Jop
Gold no shots, no points, foul trouble.  No shots is insane.
Offense again Kam dribbling around line, and dribbling...

Thought some sequences hurt:

MU up 7, Shaka puts in Norman, not Lowery after Ross number two foul.  two minutes later, Norman three fouls and game tied. Maybe just a bad line change, but failed.

The hook and hold foul

MU made nice comeback, got within four and Kam made two putrid passing turnovers leading to five points. ballgame

NCAAT should be interesting, wish them hopeful first rounder opponent.

[panda2.0]

Ben is not a "miss".

Next, we're coming off 2 seasons of #2 seeds and have still been in the top 25 all season and comfortably in the tourney.  Stop overreacting.

People always refuse to take into account the downside of Shaka pivoting on what he has built this entire culture and program on for a quick fix. 

You're the kind of guy that would have been whining to recruit over Tyler, Oso, and Omax after their first year with the program.

Stop being so impatient and soft.  Until this approach leads to multiple down years, there is no reason to pivot.

And if this is down year sign me up for that. 

He's not a miss - but he's definitely not deserving of starters minutes. He's been on a milk carton for half the season.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

He's not a miss - but he's definitely not deserving of starters minutes. He's been on a milk carton for half the season.

Looking forward to you being back as Panda 3.0 with more awful takes. 

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Amidst all the negativity, more confident than ever about Zaide over the next two seasons. 

[warriors141]

Ben is not a "miss".

Next, we're coming off 2 seasons of #2 seeds and have still been in the top 25 all season and comfortably in the tourney.  Stop overreacting.

People always refuse to take into account the downside of Shaka pivoting on what he has built this entire culture and program on for a quick fix. 

You're the kind of guy that would have been whining to recruit over Tyler, Oso, and Omax after their first year with the program.

Stop being so impatient and soft.  Until this approach leads to multiple down years, there is no reason to pivot.

And if this is a down year sign me up for that. 

We will see about next year. Hope you are right and I'm wrong

Anyways, Kam doesn't have enough help and it sucks. I'm sorry, Ben isn't good enough for a high level team. This team is limping to the finish line and that is a big reason why

[Zog from Margo]

Zog, tie game when it was rightly called.  Boat race afterwards.  Correlation? Causality?  Coincidence?  The game changed after it.

It didn't help for sure, but they'd already blown a 15-pt lead. The momentum had swung. I'd say the TOs were bigger issues. Kam's attempted pass to Stevie when Kam had a path to the basket.  Joplin with bad TOs all night and particularly when the momentum turned. The number of 3s attempted with poor results. These were all big factors. MU isn't very athletic or physical and SJU makes them pay.

[panda2.0]

Looking forward to you being back as Panda 3.0 with more awful takes. 

I wish I could count on him next season as he has flashes that make me believe, but then he has games like tonight where he is completely overmatched and a non factor. For a player who sits on the perimeter hunting shots, he needs to shoot the ball much more consistently to earn minutes. But of course there is no front line depth so he gets default minutes.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

We will see about next year. Hope you are right and I'm wrong

Anyways, Kam doesn't have enough help and it sucks. I'm sorry, Ben isn't good enough for a high level team. This team is limping to the finish line and that is a big reason why

Ben went for 13 and 7 with 2 blocks and 2 steals against St. John's less than a week ago.  Was he good enough that day?

His issues or consistency and confidence.  I'm more than happy to roll with him next season and you should be, too. 

[Vander Blue Man Group]

If the team doesn't get good Jop and Gold against high level teams they're not going to win. 

Jop had been shooting much better - let's hope tonight was an outlier.