Crapshoot is what fans of teams that can't handle losing come up with to justify the loss. Another one straight out of the KU excuse handbook. My fav. is the "they just aren't missing anything from 3!!!" then you look and the team shot 30 percent or some shit.

Yes. KU fans are the only ones that say that.

Good work.

I heard this from MU fans during the Okie State game.

Just sayin...

:hmmm: Pete doesn't count

You probably heard it when Nash went into God mode. We couldn't stop him. He scored 13 points in less than four minutes. That's different than saying the whole team just got lucky.

We had no answer for the guy.

Oh.

Well...that's acceptable.

One man beat MU.

Carry-on.

Good example. Forgot about that one.

So KU gets beat by lucky teams and MU gets beat by god-like players?

Is that correct?

We got beat because we had no answer for Nash. That's not an excuse. He was great, and we weren't good enough to stop him.

I figured he was giving another example. Like what would have been said by the Chicken Pilgrims.

Thanks for clearing up the KU excuses guys.

I am not as familiar with them as you are.

KC Connection can help you out

I am sure he can.

But the MU fans seem to have a pretty good grasp on them too. They will suffice.

Mizzou has the horses for long run in NCAA Tournament

BY SAM MELLINGER
The Kansas City Star


This is twice now that Drew has played Kansas one game and Missouri the next, so it makes sense to ask him to compare. He pauses. Stares. Thinks.

Speaks.

“When Missouri is on, there’s nobody in the country as good as them offensively,” Drew says. “Nobody. Period.”

Nationally, much of the reaction after No. 4 Missouri’s 72-57 runaway from No. 6 Baylor on Saturday at Mizzou Arena will focus on the Bears’ problems. And it should. Baylor is an agonizingly frustrating team to watch, simultaneously loaded with NBA talent and devoid of the fortitude needed to respond to the biggest challenges.

But those are thoughts for another time. Another place.

These words will be about Mizzou, which means these words will be about a legitimate Final Four contender.

Believe it.

MU has famously never made a Final Four, and this is the program’s best chance in a generation. MU hasn’t been ranked this high in February since 1990. It hasn’t been this high after February since finishing the 1994 regular season at No. 3.

We always hear that the NCAA Tournament highlights guards and experience, and, you know, Missouri starts four guards and four seniors. In Phil Pressey and Michael Dixon, MU has two of the best four point guards (Tyshawn Taylor and Pierre Jackson would be the others) in the Big 12.

All the flaws we’ve heard about all season are still here, but the doubts can go somewhere else now because the Tigers’ strengths are good enough to make up for their weaknesses.

They are short, but quick. They can be overpowered around the basket, but win a game from the three-point line. They can give up baskets, but make up for it on the other end.

Or, more to the point from the Baylor game: MU can be obliterated in rebounding (40-27), but find enough other ways to beat a team that — despite all the Bears’ faults — is undefeated outside the top 10.

Against Baylor, Missouri made up for the rebounding with three-point shooting (14 for 28), efficiency (only eight turnovers), crisp offense (18 assists on 24 baskets) and persistent defense (Baylor shot 36 percent).

“We’ve got to find ways to win games,” MU coach Frank Haith says. “That’s the ultimate, is winning games.”

This MU team is hard to make out sometimes. Even for the coach.

Haith calls his a “great” team, but also one that needs to improve defensively to be a “complete” team. When the NCAA Tournament starts, Missouri’s success figures to be dependent more than most on matchups.

But you know what else? Nobody in the country — especially after Murray State finally lost — has overcome more doubts through the season’s first four months. No team has risen farther in the polls, for instance, and nobody has answered as many questions.

The last one was this: what happens when Missouri faces a bigger team that dominates the rebounds?

The answer: MU will defend with pressure, protect the basketball and play so efficiently that it won’t matter. For some teams, that’s a hot game that can’t be reasonably expected to happen again.

For MU, it’s essentially the game plan.

Missouri is one of the best and most efficient offensive teams in the country, whether you go by statistics or the eye test from basketball people like Drew. This is such an unconventional team that the tendency is to dismiss an overreliance on three-point shooting, but MU has actually hit a higher percentage of three-pointers against the best five defensive teams it has faced so far than the rest of the schedule.

If anything, the difference in MU’s three-point shooting at home (40 percent in conference games) and on the road (32 percent) is concerning, but that’s the kind of nitpicking you can do with any team.

After an upper class headed by Kentucky, isn’t Missouri, with its loaded group of guards and clear understanding of what it can and can’t do, as likely as any team to run through an NCAA Tournament bracket?

College basketball’s ultimate event is unpredictable enough to stay away from absolutes. But what we’re seeing this season is Missouri’s best chance since the senior class was in diapers.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/11...#storylink=cpy

Dear national media:

Shut up. Just shut the !@#$ right up right now.

Last time we reached 3, we yacked badly against OSU and frankly I'm just not willing to see expectations on this team. We're Mizzou - we always blow this. Please go back to doubting the program and underestimating everything this team can do.

Mellinger is getting bashed by some ku fans on twitter for putting this link up. Some say where's our article etc...jeez

Well that's just silly. KU gets plenty of praise.

No matter who you are, there will be fans that feel their team is disrespected.

Was MU ever in on Otto Porter?


He would have been huge for them to have this year.

Otto Porter and Tony Mitchell would have been huge on this team. You can thank MA for that error of omission.

Porter had verbally committed to Mizzou before Anderson left.

Damn that would have been a great get for you guys.


Anderson really ****ed MU recruiting wise. He could have had a top 2 or 3 class by simply locking down the state of Missouri.

Beal, Porter, McLemore, and another guy from STL that went to Ark who's name escapes me right now.

That would have probably been the number 2 class in the country behind Kentucky. In fact, there is no probably about it. It would have been the number 2 class in the country.

That would have easily been the second best class and you could argue that it would have been the top class.

Kentucky's class is pretty freaking good.

It is really really good.

But MU could have had 5 top 10 guys. That woudl have been fantastic.

My primary hope for Haith is that he locks down the state of Missouri. I know that he's never going to keep 100% of the marquis players in the state, but I want to get 2 out of 3. The talent that comes out of the state is enough to make Mizzou the best program in the country. It really is sickening how many great players we have missed just over the last handful of years.

Tyler Hansbrough
Ben Hansbrough
Alec Burks
Otto Porter
Bradley Beale
Ben McLemore
Brandon Rush

Pair them with Michael Dixon, Marcus Denmon, Steve Moore, etc., and you've got the best program in the country. It makes me want to puke when I think about what might have been.

Hopefully this seasons success will really help MU's instate recruiting.


The state of Missouri has produced really great basketball players. It's a shame that they have gotten out of the state.


Hell even a guy like Anthony Tolliver would have been a good get for MU, and he got away.

<script src="http://player.espn.com/player.js?pcode=1kNG061cgaoolOncv54OAO1ceO-I&width=576&height=324&externalId=espn:7561434&thruParam_espn-ui[autoPlay]=false&thruParam_espn-ui[playRelatedExternally]=true"></script>

Damnit. Mizzou guards never miss those little dump off passes. They love 'em.

Just sayin'.

I think if Missouri was in that position again, they would have pulled it out. Would be nice to see it happen in Lawrence this time. Beakers would go nuts

I just hope KU or MU don't **** up and slip up before next saturday. They are far and away the best teams in the conference.

Agreed.

It's so hard to win on the road in this conference. I don't think MU or KU have had an easy win on the road this season.

KU won easily at Baylor but I can't think of MU winning a road game really easily. Of course they haven't went to Ttech yet and I think that OU game was more a factor of being worn down from the previous Saturday.

If by "go nuts" you mean "complain about officiating", I would agree.

Well, when they are used to getting the calls because of the name on the jersey, anything called against them tends to look bad. See eyeball poke of doom and an NFL stiffarm...look other way.

Do tiny Jayhawks dance in your head when you sleep?

Yet, you just entered an MU thread to see if anything was posted about the Chicken Pilgrims ROFL

Looks like it's come down to the game in Lawrence now for the B12. As it should. If MU wants to win one for the first time in nearly two decades, they've got to win at AFH.

Sometimes I stop by to poke the caged animals with a stick.

Clever.

Fellow MU fans must be astounded by your wit.

Anyhow, I'm out. Try not to hum the Rock Chalk chant to yourself as you slip off to sleep.

All good here. The K-State ballas will have a nice future at brick layin when thier basketball careers are over. No doubt about that.

Yeah... gonna be an EPIC game. I'm not crazy about our odds at your place... but we'd better go ahead and play it just in case. :D

Honestly, both teams are pretty great, You guys just aren't used to being challenged.

Both teams are clearly NC contenders no matter what happens, but I'd prefer to keep the streak going, particularly this year.

There have been a few Texas teams that are as good as this MU team, BTW. Most have failed at AFH. One did win last year, though. The last win before that at AFH was Acie Law and A&M in early 2007.

AFH is just a different kind of animal, when it's big game time.

KcMiz have you ever been to AFH for a game?

Well it's been admitted that they do have the refs in their back pocket for some home cooking there.

http://cdn2.mamapop.com/wp-content/u.../oh-indeed.jpg

Nothing like it.

No, but I believe you. It'll probably match what you guys faced at Mizzou. Electric.

Still.. might as well go ahead and play the game and see what happens. I'm not ready to concede a loss just yet.

You don't get to claim Omar, damnit.. LMAO

I wasn't trying to be an ass or cynical, I was just wondering if you have ever been there for a game.

I know the MU KU hate is strong, but if you like college basketball it's a really fun experience.

And it's gonna be epic when MU comes in there in a couple weeks.

Oh, I know.

And I'm sure you're right. It's just not the place for me. I respect the hell out of it... don't care to experience it.

Shit,me going to AFH for an MU/KU game would be like me going to a Chiefs game in Oakland.

Not going to happen because I prefer seeing life without bars blocking my view :)

When was the last time Bill Self won at Gallagher-Iba?

Oklahoma St. is having a worse year than they've had in well over a decade (12-13, 5-7 in conference, 100 in KenPom). There's no better time than now to do it.

Yeah, I agree. Just don't think it's a given, especially given the fact that they completely took us apart in that second half. Yeah, it might have been due to us losing focus, but man...

Also...the last time was in 2006. They lost in 2008 (I can't remember how that happened to the NC group, must have been an awful game) and 2010 (James Anderson took over).

OSU has way less depth than I've ever seen them have. The only real chance they have to win, IMO, is if Le'Bryan Nash goes off like he did against Missouri.

Well, they were 13-12 (4-7) in 2008 when KU lost in Stillwater. They had just won @A&M though, who ended up as a 9 seed.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bask...-state-cowboys

I think you all are a little lost. :p

After replying, I was like, wait... didn't I click on the MU thread? Did I end up in the wrong place?

True story.

Assimilate...

Just don't ban me for pointing it out. :p

Or do, I need to get to bed anyway. :)

They were also #57 in KenPom, though. Had a lot of quality players in Anderson, Eaton and Muonelo. This year...they're 100. They've just got Keiton Page and a raw (though talented) freshman in Nash.

I'm not saying they can't beat KU (because any B12 road game is tough), but the quality it wasn't it was in either of those years.

I wish KU could have closed the deal on Nash. We've been super close on so many recruits lately only to somehow lose out in the end. NOT COOL.

They probably sold him on being able to have control of the offense while taking a lot of shots at OSU. Which he certainly has done...he just hasn't done it that well. He's no Durant.

Yeah, he came out and said as much. Still hurts, though. Hopefully B-Mac can make us forget all about Nash next year.

Oh yeah, Eaton... I was going to ask about kenpom, since I assume you pay for the extras, but after looking at their schedule I figured it was about the same, outside of winning @A&M. Was that end of year, or before the KU game? Before A&M?

He should have looked at what KU did for X a few years ago. X played great defense and played within the offense on the way to being a lottery pick.

They're playing better lately (with the victory at home over ISU and near victory at home over Baylor), but this is still the kind of down year that we haven't seen from OSU in a long time. KU should win that game.

We need to contain little Piggy on the 27th.

http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/...ples-champion/

Perry Jones is a projected NBA lottery pick who was named Big 12 preseason player of the year, a dazzling athlete with a 7-foot-2 wingspan and a 30-plus-inch vertical leap. Steve Moore is the everyman reserve who averages 3.1 points and inspires the student-led chorus of “Steeeeve!” every time he dashes off the bench.

Advantage: Missouri.

While Jones performed his latest big-game vanishing act, Moore gave the home team — and crowd — a major lift in the fourth-ranked Tigers’ 72-57 victory over sixth-ranked Baylor yesterday at Mizzou Arena.

Moore’s rumbling two-handed slam early in the second half was just one energy play in a day filled with them.

“He was outstanding tonight,” MU Coach Frank Haith said. “He was a live wire. He got his hands on a lot of balls, he deflected balls, he kept the rebounds alive tipping it, took a charge … ”

Moore, who finished with three points and two rebounds, stood in contrast to his more heralded foil. The sophomore Jones scored four points on 2-of-12 shooting — three days after he had five points and four rebounds in the Bears’ 68-54 loss to Kansas. Jones, who averages 14.3 points, finished with eight points in MU’s victory at Baylor.

Bears Coach Scott Drew said he does not know why Jones struggles against Missouri. But the Tigers’ players hinted at one explanation when asked to discuss the play of Moore.

“Steve’s going to bring it with his enthusiasm and just his hard work ethic,” Phil Pressey said.

While Moore is a man of the people — he joins the student section after big wins — the 6-foot-9 center has an aggressive edge on the court. On the possession before his dunk put Missouri ahead 43-37, Moore ripped a rebound out of the clutches of Baylor forward Quincy Miller.

Jones is often criticized for being too passive, as nice a person on the floor as he off. Yesterday, when he nudged over Missouri’s Kim English on the low block — English was whistled for the foul — he immediately extended a hand to help his fallen defender. And moments later, when a teammate rifled an uncatchable pass over his outstretched arms, he pointed to his chest to bear the blame.

Jones was benched the final three minutes after a blown layup and a turnover.

“He’s got such great potential for the future because everyone knows when he’s 24 or 26, the sky is the limit for him,” Drew said. “Problem is, he’s judged on that potential sometime, and that’s hard on everybody.”

TROUBLE ON THE GLASS: MU and Baylor reversed the first-half rebounding script from the earlier meeting in Waco.

In January, the Tigers outrebounded Baylor 21-11 in the first half. Yesterday, the visitors at one point held a 15-3 edge.

Haith refused to use the Bears’ height advantage as an excuse.

“So much is made about length, and they have length and were playing above us,” he said, “but if we do a good job of pushing those guys back and keeping balls alive, then our little guys can come scoop them up. Our effort wasn’t where it needed to be.”

The message came through at halftime. MU outrebounded Baylor 19-17 in the second half.

MOVING ON UP: Marcus Denmon surpassed Jon Sundvold for 10th on Missouri’s career scoring list.

With 16 points, the senior guard now has 1,605 points — eight more than Sundvold scored from 1979-83.

Denmon and Sundvold, a television commentator for the game, spoke afterward.

“I never really look at that stuff,” Sundvold said of the school’s all-time scoring chart. “It’s not a big deal because it happens. He’s had a pretty solid career. I didn’t expect him not to pass that. … Marcus is a great kid. I’m partial because I’m a Kansas City guy.”

KenPom gives KU an 85% chance of winning the OSU game. I imagine the 2008 team had a % in the 90s, though, before that game.

http://sports.cbsimg.net/images/visu...ouribaylor.jpg

Missouri’s supposed to struggle against teams with size. Baylor is supposed to dominate smaller teams.

None of that happened on Saturday, as Missouri knocked down 14 3-pointers en route to a 72-57 win.

Baylor stubbornly stayed in its zone defense throughout the game, even when it was clear it wasn’t doing much to stop Missouri’s shooters. The Tigers consistently found open gaps in the corners, and exploited the lack of perimeter defense Baylor was showing. Marcus Denmon, Mike Dixon and Phil Pressey combined to shoot 12-for-22 from 3-point range, scoring 51 points between them.

Baylor’s size was a major factor early on, but the Bears simply couldn’t guard Missouri’s guards. How Missouri would match up with Baylor’s size populated much of the pregame discussion, but it was the other way around – Baylor couldn’t match up with Missouri’s four-guard lineup. Perry Jones was invisible for most of the game, while Baylor was unable to knock down jumpers at key points in the game. Gary Franklin, Pierre Jackson and Brady Heslip combined to shoot 2-for-13 from behind the arc for Baylor.

While Baylor possesses as much talent as anyone in the country, it’s troubling that Scott Drew’s troops can’t break through against the top teams in the Big 12. The Bears are now 0-4 against Missouri and Kansas. While that would not be a problem for most teams, it’s worth mentioning when you’re a Final Four hopeful. Baylor has all of the ingredients to make a deep run in March – except a killer instinct. Jones is the Bears’ best player, but he has never been a killer and he disappears in the biggest games. Freshman Quincy Miller was good tonight, but he can’t be the only player scoring. Does Baylor have enough mental toughness and intestinal fortitude to beat teams that punch back after taking the Bears’ initial punch?

Missouri is at the opposite end of the spectrum. The Tigers are simply fearless. Going against the bigs of Baylor wasn’t an issue – they gave up 15 offensive rebounds and were outrebounded by 13. It didn’t matter. Missouri makes teams adjust to them, not the other way around. Sure, Kim English is too small to really compete with Jones and Quincy Acy and other big guys inside, but they can’t guard him at the other end. Denmon was giving up plenty of height to Miller, but he’s also far too quick for the Baylor freshman. For every potential matchup problem, they respond with “well, what about when we’re on offense?” And fortunately for the Tigers, they’re the most efficient offensive team in the country.

Saturday’s game was a perfect contrast. There was one team that maximized its talent and didn’t back down, and another one that seemed to shrink on the biggest stages despite its size.

Since we're in the MU thread, KenPom gives KU a 73% chance of winning the MU game (and predicts a 7PT win). That's pretty much as low a percentage as you'll see at AFH.

Bowers recognized with Mizzou '39 recipients at Missouri men's basketball game

COLUMBIA — When Laurence Bowers took to center court during the Missouri men’s basketball game against Baylor, he wasn’t being recognized as a player but as a recipient of the prestigious Mizzou '39 award.

During a timeout in the first half of the game, Bowers stepped away from Missouri’s huddle and walked slowly over to the line of students being recognized as recipients of the award. He pumped his fists in the air then pointed with two fingers toward his family in the stands.

The Alumni Association Student Board presents the award to seniors who have displayed outstanding service to the community and the university, academic achievement and leadership.

Tami Chievous, an assistant director of academic services for intercollegiate athletics, nominated Bowers, who is recovering from a season-ending ACL injury, because of the support he has provided for the basketball team, as well as his academic achievement and the work he has done in the community. When Bowers found out he won the award, she was the first person he contacted.

“I told Miss Tami first, then I told my girlfriend, then I told my family,” Bowers said.

Bowers has given back to the community in a variety of ways, including reading to children in Columbia schools, helping with Special Olympics, visiting the Children’s Hospital and assisting with basketball camps in the area.

Missouri junior forward Andy Rosburg sits next to Bowers during games and rooms with him during road trips. He said Bowers has made his experience with the team an enjoyable one.

“On the basketball court, he’s a leader. He’s a vocal guy. But then, also, he’s very dedicated to the community. He goes out and does a lot of community work, extracurricular things along with getting good grades in school and getting into grad school now. He’s worked very hard in the community,” Rosburg said.

Bowers will graduate in May with his bachelor’s degree in sociology. He’s also dual enrolled in graduate-level classes this semester, and he plans to pursue his master’s degree in psychology or health education.

“Anything dealing with people, I think I’d do well,” Bowers said about his future career path.

After Missouri defeated Baylor 72-57, Bowers took time to reach up into the stands to high-five fans before heading to the locker room with the team. Afterward, he came out and greeted the children waiting for autographs and made sure to give each one his undivided attention.

Bowers’ outgoing personality is one of his aunt’s favorite things about him. Mary Ann Bowers is a seventh-grade teacher, and when Laurence Bowers was growing up, she helped him study and worked hard to instill in him a strong work ethic.

“I got on his nerves a whole lot, but you see what it ended up being,” Mary Ann Bowers said. “Me being an educator, it’s just in me to make sure that he would rise to the occasion. I always wanted him to be on top and do his best.”

His mother, Nancy Rita Bowers, said Laurence Bowers has been a high achiever throughout his life.

“I am extremely, extremely proud of him,” she said of him receiving the award.

Bowers plans on finishing his master’s degree within the next year as he plays his final year with the Missouri basketball team. After finishing his time with the Tigers, he wants to play in the NBA.

“I want to pursue professional basketball,” Laurence Bowers said. “But after that, it’s wherever God takes me.”

Men's Health: The Secret to the Tigers’ Surprising Turnaround

http://news.menshealth.com/missouri-...GPn0y0.twitter

Another game, another unexpected outcome for the Missouri Tigers. This time it was a 72-57 win at home Saturday against #6 Baylor. A week before, it was a close win against archrival Kansas. Two weeks before that, it was a road win against Baylor at a time when the Bears were ranked #2.
These are games the undersized (only two players are 6-8 or taller) and undermanned (only seven scholarship players suit up) Tigers are supposed to lose. Especially with a first-year head coach, Frank Haith, who was widely considered to be a disappointing choice. (Are you underrated at work? Find out How One Celebrity Survived a Career Meltdown.)

So why are the Tigers an astounding 23-2 in mid-February, and about to become the #3-ranked team in the country?

Eric Kapitulik has a thought: Missouri attacks.

Kapitulik knows a bit about attacking, having spent eight years as a Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance officer, retiring as a major. Before that he was a four-year letterman in lacrosse at the U.S. Naval Academy.

Today he runs The Program, a business he founded that teaches athletes and corporate warriors how to become better leaders and helps teams become more cohesive. Among his company’s clients: the Mizzou basketball team.

Last fall Kapitulik and former Army sergeant Sam Cila put the Tigers through “Judgment Day,” a two-day team-building exercise. It’s like Outward Bound as imagined by SEAL Team Six. “The men at Missouri basketball, they wanted to be challenged, and they attacked it over the two days we worked with them,” Kapitulik says. “They’re good guys. They’ve got a high care factor.”

More from MensHealth.com: Navy SEALs: The Men Who Killed Bin Laden

The Tigers are just one of about 200 sports teams to sign on with The Program, and although their success so far exceeds expectations, Kapitulik is careful not to take credit for it. “We also work with plenty of teams that don’t accomplish anything,” he says with a laugh.

“Nobody from the outside is going to come in and fix your team,” he explains. “The teams we do have a big impact on are the ones whose coaches already believe in what we’re doing.”

For that, he gives all the credit to the players (“They’re talented young men”) and to Haith. “The ship sails the direction the captain points it in,” he says.

Still, there’s something different about Missouri this year that goes beyond talent and coaching. The players were never this good in previous years, and Haith’s teams at Miami never showed this kind of discipline, efficiency, and teamwork.

It may come down to a word Kapitulik uses more than any other: leadership. “What do great leaders do?” he asks. “They accomplish the mission, and they take care of their teammates. Those two things are not mutually exclusive. You make every decision with your teammates’ best interests at heart.” (If you’re looking after your ownbest interests, you need to know The 7 Secrets of Self-Made Millionnaires.)

That, more than anything, explains why Missouri’s players often pass up a good shot if a teammate has a better one. (They currently rank third in the country in assist-to-turnover ratio.) They also protect each other on the defensive end, pressuring opponents to cough up the ball (they’re 14th in steals per game) while staying out of foul trouble, committing six fewer fouls per game than last year’s team.

And there’s something else about this team that becomes apparent if you watch them often enough: With cold-blooded efficiency, they wait for opponents to make the kind of mistake that suggests they’re losing their composure. They’ll turn that single miscue into a series of turnovers and poor shots, time and again transforming a close game into a rout. (Transform your mundane workout into an incredible fat-blasting routine. All you need: The Men’s Health Spartacus Workout Series.)

At those moments, you aren’t surprised to learn they’ve spent time with people who once pulled triggers for a living.

Kapitulik is quick to point out an obvious difference in what he teaches vs. what he once practiced. “No basketball game is about life and death,” he says. But he also notes that the best military officers are often those who played sports in high school and college. Those who learn leadership in either milieu—catching balls or dodging bullets—tend to take it with them.

“Those same lessons will make you a successful person in life,” he says. “Life is a team sport.”

How the hell did we lose to the Ecokats? That loss might be worse than Okie Light.

KSU set the sport back 50 years with their offensive performance last night.

At the time they were decent.

They should be forced to become a Legend or Leader...

KU has the best D in the league, MU has the worst. That was the difference, champ.