And now comes the real hard part!

[MU82]

We've had 3 OT games (2 wins) and a 1-point win. We've had stretches of great basketball and stretches that looked like our guys were seeing the basketball for the first times in their lives.

Through it all, we're 6-1 and tied for first place in the Big East as we near the midway point of our league schedule. I admit I've been pleasantly surprised, and I know I'm not alone.

Buzz & Boyz have earned everything they've gotten so far, but the schedule has been favorable. Now things get really interesting.

We have 11 BEast games left. Seven are on the road. Three of our four remaining home games come against good teams -- Syracuse, Pitt and ND (with DePaul being the other). Nothing easy about either of those situations.

Starting Sunday, we play four games in eight days, including three road games (Louisville, USF, Georgetown). Even if we go 2-2 in that stretch, we'd be in no worse than a second-place tie.

Knowing what we know now about the team, I'm thinking a 13-5 or 12-6 league record would be realistic and very acceptable heading into the conference tourney. Obviously, I'd prefer 17-1 or 16-2, but I'm trying not to look at this as objectively as I can given my bias.

Curious to hear what others think looking forward.

[TJ]

2-2 in the next four is the minimum given that USF and DePaul are two of the four.  I am hoping they can pull off one of the road wins at the Colonelseum or at Georgetown.  We'll see.

[Coleman]

I think 12-6 is likely putting us in 3rd or 4th place range (6-5 the rest of the way). Great start, but now things get tough.

[jsglow]

I think we have every chance to be better than 6-5 over these next 11.  To begin with, I believe we have a decent chance to win this Sunday.  I'd consider us dogs at Louisville and at GTown and really believe we have a reasonable chance to be undefeated again at home.  I'd expect gritty road wins at USF and Hall with the others in the toss-up category.  Don't think that 8-3 is impossible given that outlook.

[martyconlonontherun]

The good news is even if we really struggle the worse I see us is at 11 wins.  We have to be pretty close to clinching a tourney birth which, for a down hear, is something ill be happy with.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Good news, team is 6-1.

Scary news, could be 3-4.

More scary news, 1-1 against top 7 teams in conference.  5-0 against bottom 8 teams.

Yes, now comes the hard part.

[MU82]

The good news is even if we really struggle the worse I see us is at 11 wins.  We have to be pretty close to clinching a tourney birth which, for a down hear, is something ill be happy with.

I'm with you, marty. Going into the conference season, I had trouble seeing us winning more than half our games, but this team is gritty. Ugly sometimes. Still concerned about both our bad 3-point shooting and our mediocre 3-point defense, because it's hard to win when you lose the behind-the-arc battle by 12, 15 or more points per game. But gritty and tough enough to make 11 wins the minimum and hoping for lots more.

[Lennys Tap]

Good news, team is 6-1.

Scary news, could be 3-4.

More scary news, 1-1 against top 7 teams in conference.  5-0 against bottom 8 teams.

Yes, now comes the hard part.

Team could also be 7-0.

[Goose]

No doubt the hard part is ahead of us. If we stay close I think we are mentally tough enough to steal one or two we are expected to lose. This season across NCAA crazy stuff is happening, both good and bad. Nothing will surprise me in upcoming month or two.

[MileHigh]

Tough road ahead of us for sure, but trying to be overly optimistic.  Outside the shock and awe thumping in FL, 3 losses by 5 points.  I think this team will grind it out and steal a few here and set us up for a collision with Syracuse on Feb 25.  Hopefully for outright owner of the #1 spot in the league.

[GOO]

I think 12-6 is very realistic, given that we will lose a game or two we could/should win and vice versa.  However, I would not be surprised to the upside.  I would be surprised if we don't get to 12 wins.

The reason for optimism is that this team is just starting to gel and play better.  We are now ready for the tougher part of the schedule.  We still can't seem to shoot the 3, so that limits us, and is really the only thing that limits us from being a top 10 team. 

But we have Trent coming on, Blue playing great, Junior the best he has been, Otule coming on, Taylor contributing in a big way, etc... The team and individual players have improved over a month ago.  We are just realizing how good we can be.

So, we may lose a few here in the next couple of games, but so what, we have a confident team that can play through it. 

If, if, if, Mayo gets on the court and can hit a few 3's, that will give us another player.  I know he hasn't been a great shooter for us so far, but he has the potential. 

If we could shoot jumpers, this team would be very dangerous.  And, I still have hope that we will shoot jumpers/3's better than we have so far.  From terrible to good would really help this team.  A few guys look like they can shoot it such as Trent, and I hope they start falling.

[Badgerhater]

Good news, team is 6-1.

Scary news, could be 3-4.

More scary news, 1-1 against top 7 teams in conference.  5-0 against bottom 8 teams.

Yes, now comes the hard part.

There is no true bottom 8 when that 8 includes UCONN and Pitt, who can beat anyone on any night.

A better summation is that we are 3-0 against the bottom 5.  Those teams aren't going anywhere, except when USF beats Georgetown.   Bottom line, MU won conference games it was supposed to win.   Lots of teams can't do that.

[RJax55]

A better summation is that we are 3-0 against the bottom 5.  Those teams aren't going anywhere, except when USF beats Georgetown.   Bottom line, MU won conference games it was supposed to win.   Lots of teams can't do that.

Bingo. Good teams win at home and against league bottom feeders. You can only play the schedule you're handed. Yes, the schedule has been easy so far, but MU is taking care of their business. Nothing scary about that.

[Coleman]

Good news, team is 6-1.

Scary news, could be 3-4.

More scary news, 1-1 against top 7 teams in conference.  5-0 against bottom 8 teams.

Yes, now comes the hard part.

Nothing about anything you've said is scary, its just life in the Big East.

[Sunbelt15]

The scary part is the home game streak. It's getting so much press, I hope it doesn't damage the player's mindset if or when they lose. Still more b-ball to be played.

[Dr. Blackheart]

How about we just win the damn Big East versus sneaking into the NCAA's with 10 wins.  Cripes, five of our away games are with USF, SH, RU VU, and SJU.  We might lose a few of these, but all are winnable.  Gtown, with their pace, will be a close, low scoring game...so we can escape with a W at that one.  Rather have UL now when they are reeling versus March when they are peaking.  And we have three tough squads left at home where MU has won 21 straight.  UL is the only game remaining that the odds are not close on a W.  

And, this MU team isn't even close to peaking with its depth and match-up strengths.  With the next four (three away) games in 8 days, we will need that depth.  Just Win Out, Baby!

[ChicosBailBonds]

There is no true bottom 8 when that 8 includes UCONN and Pitt, who can beat anyone on any night.

A better summation is that we are 3-0 against the bottom 5.  Those teams aren't going anywhere, except when USF beats Georgetown.   Bottom line, MU won conference games it was supposed to win.   Lots of teams can't do that.

Yes, that's a fair assessment.  I'm sure you realize I was going off of current standings.


If you go by in conference Strength of Schedule, MU has played the 11th easiest out of 15 teams in the conference per teamrankings.com.  Now comes the hard part.

[Goose]

No doubt the hard is coming. SOS this year is less of indicator IM because of crazy nature of season. Anybody in top 50 can beat anybody on given night more this year than in most years. No great team, several very good ones and a fair amount of good ones. Where we end up is a roll of the dice. Again, hopefully MU puts itself in position late in the game to steal a couple.

Have said before we can be E8 or NIT before this thing is done. One thing I am confident in is they will be entertaining to watch.