Missouri getting worked

[This...is Steven Koren]

In a perfect world, SLU would have played Missouri earlier this season and that "tie-breaker" game would determine who now gets the at-large bid. MU is a good team, but not so much lately. If you take the Rockhurst game off our schedule and replace it with a victory over MU, that looks a whole lot better.

BTW - no more scheduling Div 2 schools from now on. Also - no more losing to Bowling Green - ever.

[Quality Is Job 1]

Because it happens all the time. Anti-MU posts tend to either start or end apologetically.

That doesn't explain why you tie me to cheesycow.

[SShoe]

And Nebraska's went up 19 spots. I know they have a relatively easier chance to climb the RPI rankings, but it goes to show that there is a chance for us to improve our RPI drastically through the tourney. Maybe SShoe or Kshoe could confirm.

Win 2 and lose in the finals gets us an RPI of roughly 70. Hard to imagine us leaping over about 25 teams, but I'd watch the show with a little more intrigue.

Other things could help - Iowa State beating Texas, for example.

[moytoy12]

Win 2 and lose in the finals gets us an RPI of roughly 70. Hard to imagine us leaping over about 25 teams, but I'd watch the show with a little more intrigue.

That's it, eh? Dang. I guess I was thinking it would be more. You and kshoe make a ton of logical sense when you say there is no at-large chance, but all of this "bubble" talk by national outlets gives me (false?) hope that a loss in the A-10 final could get us in.

Other things could help - Iowa State beating Texas, for example.

Agreed. I was trying not to jinx it by mentioning it out loud.

[doowop]

Why is Mizzou not considered to be on the bubble? Mizzou is down by 14 points against lowly Nebraska, a team our Billikens handled quite easily. Mizzou's RPI coming into this debacle was 39, only 3 ahead of Rhode Island.

And Mizzou plays an ugly brand of basketball IMO.

Clank.

Hey, we should have no reason to hesitate from bashing Mizzou when it is warranted.

When are they going to put up Bernie's neutral tent in Warrenton, MO for the resumption of the Mizzou-SLU series?

I thought we lost to Nebraska.

[b.hayes]

I thought we lost to Nebraska.

only if you are thinking of last season....we smoked them this year. and by smoked I mean I don't remember the final score but it wasn't a nailbiter.

[SShoe]

That's it, eh? Dang. I guess I was thinking it would be more. You and kshoe make a ton of logical sense when you say there is no at-large chance, but all of this "bubble" talk by national outlets gives me (false?) hope that a loss in the A-10 final could get us in.

Agreed. I was trying not to jinx it by mentioning it out loud.

I'm actually not as extreme as my brother in saying that we'd have no shot at an at-large if we got to the finals and lost. He's more cynical than I am because he's old(er).

If the NCAA is 100% consistent in their statement that it's the entire body of work, we have no shot. But if they look at the circumstances (which I believe they do to some degree) and are willing to bend on teams that are playing well, then we got a shot, albeit a long one, imo.

[cheesycow]

Why do people apologize to cheesy and thicks for ripping MU on this board? It's our board if you don't want to hear it don't visit the board.

They apologize because they love me!

From ESPN:

"There was one surprise in the opening round of the Big 12 tournament in Kansas City. Nebraska upset Missouri 75-60, a loss that probably will damage the Tigers' seeding in the NCAA tournament. Missouri has done enough to lock up an at-large bid."

[Bay Area Billiken]

They apologize because they love me!

From ESPN:

"There was one surprise in the opening round of the Big 12 tournament in Kansas City. Nebraska upset Missouri 75-60, a loss that probably will damage the Tigers' seeding in the NCAA tournament. Missouri has done enough to lock up an at-large bid."

Don't count your Boone County chickens before they're hatched.

It wouldn't hurt you Mizzou guys to sweat it out for a couple of days.

[Scoop]

Don't count your Boone County chickens before they're hatched.

It wouldn't hurt you Mizzou guys to sweat it out for a couple of days.

How about the Bills run the A10 tourney, get a 10 seed in the west region vs. the 7th seeded tiggers? Selection commitee loves parody.

[cheesycow]

How about the Bills run the A10 tourney, get a 10 seed in the west region vs. the 7th seeded tiggers? Selection commitee loves parody.

Mizzou's definitely not a 7 seed anymore. 9 or 10.

And BAB, i'm not sweating in the slightest.

[billikendave]

not saying I believe it because I agree with you cheesy but this was off cnnsi.com. Missouri to the bubble.

http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2010/03...kusspor00000002

[SShoe]

How about the Bills run the A10 tourney, get a 10 seed in the west region vs. the 7th seeded tiggers? Selection commitee loves parody.

How about this scenario - SLU is the extra league winner that forces Mizzou off the bubble and out of the tournament. Won't happen (Mizzou is secure, imo), but it'd be the cherry on top.

[Bay Area Billiken]

Mizzou's definitely not a 7 seed anymore. 9 or 10.

And BAB, i'm not sweating in the slightest.

Maybe you should be. See the post below re Mizzou now being on the bubble.

For what it's worth, I think Mizzou is in, even if it doesn't deserve to be and doesn't pass my "Eye Test."

You mentioned Mizzou's 44% shooting. Seriously, how much of that was layups from steals off the press? You guys don't have that many good outside shooters.

You've got to concede that you are limping into the post-season. You just got waxed by a bad Nebraska team, this on top of getting blown out on your home court by your arch-rival.

Sometimes teams can surprise and rebound from this, but this Mizzou team looks like first round fodder.

[cheesycow]

Maybe you should be. See the post below re Mizzou now being on the bubble.

For what it's worth, I think Mizzou is in, even if it doesn't deserve to be and doesn't pass my "Eye Test."

You mentioned Mizzou's 44% shooting. Seriously, how much of that was layups from steals off the press? You guys don't have that many good outside shooters.

You've got to concede that you are limping into the post-season. You just got waxed by a bad Nebraska team, this on top of getting blown out on your home court by your arch-rival.

Sometimes teams can surprise and rebound from this, but this Mizzou team looks like first round fodder.

You're right, the best way to look at how good a team is on offense is to discount the easy buckets and great looks that they get...

We lost to the best team in the country and a bad team on an off-shooting day. I'm not sweating.

[Bay Area Billiken]

How about this scenario - SLU is the extra league winner that forces Mizzou off the bubble and out of the tournament. Won't happen (Mizzou is secure, imo), but it'd be the cherry on top.

Now wouldn't that be justice? But it is more likely that the Fighting Illini would be the ones bumped into the NIT, as opposed to Mizzou.

Re all this Mizzou is untouchable, NCAA lock stuff, did one of those Outstate Missouri benefactors recently purchase a Teflon company?

[TheChosenOne]

You've got to concede that you are limping into the post-season. You just got waxed by a bad Nebraska team, this on top of getting blown out on your home court by your arch-rival.

Sometimes teams can surprise and rebound from this, but this Mizzou team looks like first round fodder.

Yeah, they have really struggled since losing Justin Safford. Losing a starter during the final weeks of the season is tough to recover from especially when he plays a position that you are already really thin at. Roles had been developed and Mizzou was looking like a quality team that could potentially make it through the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, but since then they have certainly not looked like a tournament level team. They still make it to the tournament, but unless something changes over the next week, they will not be making it to the weekend.

[gister]

Yeah, they have really struggled since losing Justin Safford. Losing a starter during the final weeks of the season is tough to recover from especially when he plays a position that you are already really thin at. Roles had been developed and Mizzou was looking like a quality team that could potentially make it through the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, but since then they have certainly not looked like a tournament level team. They still make it to the tournament, but unless something changes over the next week, they will not be making it to the weekend.

How much does the committee take into account the loss of a key player like Safford? Without him they aren't the same team they were a few weeks ago and the loss to Nebraska shows that.

[moytoy12]

Maybe you should be. See the post below re Mizzou now being on the bubble.

For what it's worth, I think Mizzou is in, even if it doesn't deserve to be and doesn't pass my "Eye Test."

You mentioned Mizzou's 44% shooting. Seriously, how much of that was layups from steals off the press? You guys don't have that many good outside shooters.

You've got to concede that you are limping into the post-season. You just got waxed by a bad Nebraska team, this on top of getting blown out on your home court by your arch-rival.

Sometimes teams can surprise and rebound from this, but this Mizzou team looks like first round fodder.

I know it's en vogue to rip Missouri on this board and they deserve it for some of the things that have gone on in Columbia. However, as a SLU fan, it's kind of silly to rip Missouri's success (or perceived lack thereof) over the last few years. I wish SLU's worry was falling from "definitely in" to "on the bubble".

I have no allegiance to Missouri, but don't really have anything against them.

I think RM is leading us to some great success over the next few years. I hope he is able to get a Missouri-SLU series going before he leaves.

[willie]

How much does the committee take into account the loss of a key player like Safford? Without him they aren't the same team they were a few weeks ago and the loss to Nebraska shows that.

I don't believe he's coming back this year so it can't be a positive.

[JeffinMH]

Missouri is in the NCAA. Locked in! They have a lower seed now though. It will be a tougher first round!

[MB73]

MU loss is no big deal.

Upsets like this happen a lot in conference play.

Missouri was locked in to NCAA bid.

Would be a middle seed, so what difference does it make?

Knew they had little chance to win the Big 12 Tourney this time, especially without Safford.

They had beat Nebraska twice already.

Nebraska had revenge in mind.

MU missing key forward from an already mediocre front court.

Nebraska exploited MU's weak frontcourt with big guy Diaz.

MU caught napping.

Smart investors took Nebraska + 11.

[SShoe]

How much does the committee take into account the loss of a key player like Safford? Without him they aren't the same team they were a few weeks ago and the loss to Nebraska shows that.

This is an interesting question because the NCAA has historically showed a willingness to bump teams down due to player injury. Just a couple of examples - Kenyon Martin in 00' and Robbie Hummel this year.

So that lends another question, if they're willing to bump down for injury, why not up for addition, ala Pattie Mills w/ St. Mary's last year?

[Billikenbooster]

only if you are thinking of last season....we smoked them this year. and by smoked I mean I don't remember the final score but it wasn't a nailbiter.

And we beat them before Cody Ellis arrived.

mhg

[jimbofive]

in other news, my UPS package is in Salina, KS.

http://wwwapps.ups.com/etracking/tracking....2552X0363033153

maybe i'll go meet it there and beat the ###### out of it. oh, nevermind. looks like the ***** pulled a posty and skipped town.