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Whats with this Missouri team quietly sneaking up on the top ten? At 25-5 and 12-3 in big twelve, what do folks think of their chances heading into post-season? For that matter, outside chance at a number one seed if folks at the top keep losing periodically? I have not watched them play for one minute.
It's the Big XII. Overrate it at your own risk.
Mizzou's nonconference losses are to Xavier and Illinois, both on neutral courts. Their decent nonconf wins are Southern Cal and Cal/Berkeley.
The obvious comparison is Kansas... KU has lost to almost every decent nonconf opponent it has played, with the exception of U of Washington. There's an embarassing loss to UMass in there.
I don't see much of a difference in their intra-conference results. They've both held their home courts and lost a smattering of road conference games to decent teams.
IOW, both have typical "decent Big XII team" profiles. Yes, that is a backhanded compliment. Once in awhile the Big XII really is strong, but I don't see it this year in anyone's results.
I'd seed Mizzou distinctly above KU right now. Maybe make Mizzou a weak 2/strong 3 and KU a weak 3/strong 4. Both would merit serious "get bounced out by a scrappy 13/14 seed" consideration. If Oklahoma drops out of 1-seed discussion there are better teams around to fill the void.
Mizzou plays a very unique style of basketball, very frenetic, an evolution of the old Nolan Richardson 40 minutes of hell. Unfortunately from when I have seen them this year, they dont necessarily commit to 40 minutes of defensive hell that the old Arkansas teams could bring.
Mike Anderson had a nice run in the tournament a few years ago with UAB playing this style of ball. It will be interesting to see how they do in the tourney this year. As we all know, the tournament is a different game when you are the hunted, not the hunter.
Kansas has five new starters, and multiple freshmen in the rotation. They've genuinely improved a ton from the beginning of the season.Quote:
Originally Posted by hurleyfor3
Like DUKE! :DQuote:
Originally Posted by hurleyfor3
But sadly, Memphis is ahead of us. If Memphis remains undefeated the rest of the way, we may need to win the regular season and ACC tournament to leapfrog them. Or perhaps it's more like we exchange spots with UNC, and Memphis remains a one seed.
Michigan State is the other possible one seed contender.
Fair point, and I did see Kansas play in person a couple weeks back. But they're improving against other Big XII teams, and Blake Griffin didn't play when they won at Oklahoma.Quote:
Originally Posted by Wander
True, but they certainley looked awful last night. Last night was pretty interesting in the Big 12.Quote:
Originally Posted by Wander
Is OU losing thier grip on a #1 seed? I realize they were without Griffin for 2 of these 3 losses, but how much of a slide can they go on before someone else slips in for a #1?
Bold predicition: If OU continues to slide (tough game left against OkSt which they could lose, or a hiccup in the Big12 tourney) and Duke wins at UNC, then gets to the finals of the ACC tourney the one seeds are UNC, UConn, Pitt and Duke.
Discuss.
EDIT: Wait, no, that will never happen. I forgot about Memphis. OK... so better question: would/can Memphis steal OU's one seed?
I agree. KU is really nothing like Missouri outside of their record and conference affiliation. KU is a very young team, Missouri's best players are almost all seniors and juniors. KU also beat Missouri by 25 4 days ago and is at the top of the conference right now... I can see KU getting as high as a 2 seed depending on what happens from here on out.Quote:
Originally Posted by Wander
Tough to justify this after the embarassment that KU handed Missouri last weekend--won by 25, up 45-19 at halftime.Quote:
Originally Posted by hurleyfor3
KU now is much better than KU was when they played UMass--only one player in their top 7 is not a freshman or sophomore.
(Of course, they ran into a TTech team that couldn't miss last night on Senior Night.)
Seedings aren't based on one game. Otherwise, I look forward with glee to when BC gets a 1 seed over UNC. Of course, Clemson will get seeded over us, so it's a wash.
There's some discussion between me and CandB about Mizzou in this thread, with a linked story on Mizzou:
http://www.dukebasketballreport.com/...ad.php?t=14636
Who's suggesting that they should be? I don't see anyone even hinting at that.Quote:
Originally Posted by throatybeard
It makes complete sense to say that Kansas has to have a higher seed than Missouri because of their recent domination of Mizzou once you consider that their profiles are pretty similar (Kansas' a little better, actually).
You would have to link to that. I was wrong on Mizzou being unlikely to win two of three from KSU, KU and OU. Interestingly, they were a 4 to 4.5 point fave over OU last night. I would have thought the money would all pour in on OU with that line. But then, maybe that was a sucker line.Quote:
Originally Posted by throatybeard
If KU drops the ball on Saturday against Texas (on top of getting drilled last night, we had two guys get dinged up, so this could be a real possibility), all Mizzou has to do is beat A&M at A&M and they share the conference reg season title. I'm braising a bowler in anticipation.
Mizzou is a good, solid team. But I don't think they will do much in the tourney. Maybe a couple wins (which is a pretty good accomplishment for Anderson's bunch). Next year will be interesting. They lose Carroll and Lyons up front and a good shooter in Lawrence. They'll be thin, literally, up front. No beef at all. I doubt they can duplicate this year's accomplishments.
I think Mizzou may be the fourth best team in the North next year, with KU, KState and Nebraska ahead of them. But there's some hope built into that thought.
This may give Anderson reason to consider other jobs in his offseason. Alabama?Quote:
Originally Posted by crimsonandblue