Possibly 11-3 to start the season?

[thetorch]

Have all your games been at home?

Bears have played all but one at home, the exception at Arkansas Little Rock. Afte rtheir thumping of Tenn Martin tonight they start a 4 game road trip, @Arkansas St, @SLU, @ Arkansas, @ Evansville which starts MVC play.

Weems will be a tough matchup for us. Conklin will have to chase him around the perimeter.

[troutangler]

I think they will roll in here next week undefeated (they really haven't played anyone, or will by next week). I told my buddy that we will be the best defense they will have played to date and it will be interesting to see how they play it.

I think Tulsa would qualify as "anyone". We also beat an SEC team. (Albeit a weaker one)

Tulsa's fans said the same thing about their defense on their board before we played them. We were up by 21 on them in the second half at one point if that tells you anything.

Should be fun, I'm disappointed that I can't make it.

[bleedtheblue]

I think an 11-3 start is very realistic. Granted MO State is playing well this year, we are playing at home. Keep in mind we have only lost one home game and that was a game when KM did not play (if i remember correctly). we have played some tough teams at home and always seem to come out on top. Last year we played a decent Boston College, a ranked Dayton, and a solid St. Joes and won. I find it very easy to count 95% of our home games as a W. But that is just me. and I really hope I am right on this!

[DBear]

Yes, we've only had 1 road game so far and have 4 coming up. Not sure about the quality of Arkansas State but as much as I'm still wondering about the Bears, I think we'll learn a lot on December 19. I know the Bills are tough at home and we are catching a break with the students being gone for the game. Winning @SLU would be great but I also know that this game, as well as the game @Arkansas will tell us a lot about MSU going into Valley play.

[cheeseman]

Yes, we've only had 1 road game so far and have 4 coming up. Not sure about the quality of Arkansas State but as much as I'm still wondering about the Bears, I think we'll learn a lot on December 19. I know the Bills are tough at home and we are catching a break with the students being gone for the game. Winning @SLU would be great but I also know that this game, as well as the game @Arkansas will tell us a lot about MSU going into Valley play.

While playing all but one game at home is a big advantage for any team, no one can deny that MSU is playing good ball this year so while I will be out town for the game I know it won't be a cake walk by any means.

[bauman]

Yes, we've only had 1 road game so far and have 4 coming up. Not sure about the quality of Arkansas State but as much as I'm still wondering about the Bears, I think we'll learn a lot on December 19. I know the Bills are tough at home and we are catching a break with the students being gone for the game. Winning @SLU would be great but I also know that this game, as well as the game @Arkansas will tell us a lot about MSU going into Valley play.

Sorry to get a little off base but seeing MSU a few times reminds me that changing that name was just wrong. Who can see MSU and not think you are talking about Michigan State? In a similar fashion, who can see USC and not think Southern Cal instead of South Carolina?

Sorry to digress.

[Box and Won]

Sorry to get a little off base but seeing MSU a few times reminds me that changing that name was just wrong. Who can see MSU and not think you are talking about Michigan State? In a similar fashion, who can see USC and not think Southern Cal instead of South Carolina?

Sorry to digress.

I disagree. It's way better for them than being a directional in terms of prestige and name recognition.

Thank goodness SLU locked down www.slu.edu before Southeast Louisiana and St. Lawrence University got to it.

[Clock_Tower]

Yes, we've only had 1 road game so far and have 4 coming up. Not sure about the quality of Arkansas State but as much as I'm still wondering about the Bears, I think we'll learn a lot on December 19. I know the Bills are tough at home and we are catching a break with the students being gone for the game. Winning @SLU would be great but I also know that this game, as well as the game @Arkansas will tell us a lot about MSU going into Valley play.

SLU not only has the advantage this year of playing at home but we appear to have played stronger competition this year. Wins against NE and SIUC were good. Losses against ND, Iowa State and Georgia were not good but taught our young team some valuable lessons. In contrast, your Bears have won all your games but they really not been tested much.

[slu72 fan]

Yes, we've only had 1 road game so far and have 4 coming up. Not sure about the quality of Arkansas State but as much as I'm still wondering about the Bears, I think we'll learn a lot on December 19. I know the Bills are tough at home and we are catching a break with the students being gone for the game. Winning @SLU would be great but I also know that this game, as well as the game @Arkansas will tell us a lot about MSU going into Valley play.

Not to be a jerk, but the Arkansas game won't show you much. They have a 300 RPI, THREE home losses to terrible teams and a strength of schedule at nearly 300. Frankly, this may be the worst Arkansas team in many years. If you lose there, you should be very worried.

[Quality Is Job 1]

I think an 11-3 start is very realistic. Granted MO State is playing well this year, we are playing at home. Keep in mind we have only lost one home game and that was a game when KM did not play (if i remember correctly). we have played some tough teams at home and always seem to come out on top. Last year we played a decent Boston College, a ranked Dayton, and a solid St. Joes and won. I find it very easy to count 95% of our home games as a W. But that is just me. and I really hope I am right on this!

You aren't remembering correctly.

The Billikens haven't lost any home games this year, but they lost three last year. They did lose one home game when Mitchell was out, but if you're talking about non-conference games only, the only non-conference home loss was to Kent State, and everyone was available for that one.

[cheeseman]

You aren't remembering correctly.

The Billikens haven't lost any home games this year, but they lost three last year. They did lose one home game when Mitchell was out, but if you're talking about non-conference games only, the only non-conference home loss was to Kent State, and everyone was available for that one.

If memory serves me right, we had the game won against Kent State and let them come back from some large point difference to lose the game.

[Quality Is Job 1]

If memory serves me right, we had the game won against Kent State and let them come back from some large point difference to lose the game.

I think they won in overtime. They had a senior guard who went nuts.

[Box and Won]

I think they won in overtime. They had a senior guard who went nuts.

That was rough. We also lost two very winnable games against Richmond and LaSalle. Fortunately, we avenged the LaSalle loss in the conference tournament a few days later.

[willie]

I think they won in overtime. They had a senior guard who went nuts.

That was not Rick's greatest coaching job. He had to take the ball out of that guys hands and he didn't do it.

[billiken_roy]

That was not Rick's greatest coaching job. He had to take the ball out of that guys hands and he didn't do it.

i disagree willie, we did everything humanly possible short of fouling and/or bodily harm to stop that guy from getting the ball and scoring. that might have been one of the best one man gang performances ever that night. lisch guarded him, kwamain guarded him, both guarded him at the same time, rickma threw nate latch in for a triple team once i think when the refs werent looking. no way i fault rickma for that super effort. that was all that kid's credit period.

[Westy03]

i disagree willie, we did everything humanly possible short of fouling and/or bodily harm to stop that guy from getting the ball and scoring. that might have been one of the best one man gang performances ever that night. lisch guarded him, kwamain guarded him, both guarded him at the same time, rickma threw nate latch in for a triple team once i think when the refs werent looking. no way i fault rickma for that super effort. that was all that kid's credit period.

I agree Roy but it also helped when he was allowed 4 steps on the game winning basket. What a terrible non-call that was...

[bleedtheblue]

You aren't remembering correctly.

The Billikens haven't lost any home games this year, but they lost three last year. They did lose one home game when Mitchell was out, but if you're talking about non-conference games only, the only non-conference home loss was to Kent State, and everyone was available for that one.

right. thanks for the clarifying that. i completely forgot about that game.

we should have won that game but kent state made that last second shot on a travel

[billikenfan05]

With decent guard play we'd be undefeated.

[DBear]

Not to be a jerk, but the Arkansas game won't show you much. They have a 300 RPI, THREE home losses to terrible teams and a strength of schedule at nearly 300. Frankly, this may be the worst Arkansas team in many years. If you lose there, you should be very worried.

Point taken. But from the stand point of it being a road game, something we haven't had many of, it will still be a test for us. No team in collegiate sports should be taken lightly, especially when playing on the road. If we lose there, it won't be the end of the world.

[willie]

i disagree willie, we did everything humanly possible short of fouling and/or bodily harm to stop that guy from getting the ball and scoring. that might have been one of the best one man gang performances ever that night. lisch guarded him, kwamain guarded him, both guarded him at the same time, rickma threw nate latch in for a triple team once i think when the refs werent looking. no way i fault rickma for that super effort. that was all that kid's credit period.

I obviously disagree. We never doubled him. Yes,he threw in crap from everywhere,but we never made him pass the ball. And yes, fouling was an option.

[billiken_roy]

I obviously disagree. We never doubled him. Yes,he threw in crap from everywhere,but we never made him pass the ball. And yes, fouling was an option.

we did double on him. at least two of his trips to the free throw line was a result of help running over and reaching in. as to "making him pass", that kid wasnt going to pass even if you ran out there with a revolver and tried to make him.