***Official BORDER WAR Smack Thread***

[eazyb81]

Now that we got ISU out of the way, Mizzou fans can finally focus on hosting our hated rivals to the west.

I know it's early, but it's been years since us Mizzou fans can actually look forward to this game, let alone basketball at this point in the season.



We're about 48 hours away......

[Over-Head]

Whewwwwwwwww
For a in I thought you big bad Yanks were gona pick on us poor defenceless "Canuck's" again

[Mizzou_8541]

Originally Posted by Lzen

You're right. Home court usually makes a big difference in teams' play in this conference. KU has been doing decently well on the road lately. But none of those teams have been as good as MU. It will be a good test for this young KU squad. So, will MU sell out the building? Have they even come close to selling out this year?

IIRC correctly, they have sold out once.

That beind said... there still may be some empty lower-level seats as those are all corporate seats and have been purchased by people who don't really give a shit.

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by Mizzou_8541

I've never been one to blame refs for a loss, however, you have to admit that Big 12 refs have been wildly inconsistent this year. I mean, they are just awful.

Agreed.

[Lzen]

Border War should be a blast

By JASON WHITLOCK

The Kansas City Star


LAWRENCE | If you came to Allen Fieldhouse on Saturday looking for clues to predict Monday’s ginormous Border War pitting Jayhawks and Tigers, you left confused and eager to watch Mizzou at Iowa State later in the evening.Kansas had little trouble slapping Oklahoma State 78-67, but the Jayhawks didn’t exactly display the midseason precision that will be necessary to derail the red-hot Tigers inside Mizzou Arena.
The Big 12-unblemished Hawks turned the ball over 17 times, unspooled 23 threes and went too many stretches without Cole “Young McHale” Aldrich flicking a turnaround jumper. A repeat of that recipe will get the Jayhawks spanked at The Zou.
The Morris Twins still look a little lost and timid when catching the ball in the low post. It’s easy to envision them getting rattled on the road in a big-game atmosphere.
I came to Saturday’s game determined not to nitpick Sherron Collins. He’s in tremendous physical condition. His on-court, verbal and body-language leadership is obvious. It’s his team. He knows it, takes pride in it and does his very best to provide confidence to his inexperienced playmates.
On Saturday, I liked the way he didn’t force anything offensively. He shot just 12 times. What I didn’t like was he settled for too many three-pointers (eight attempts) and failed to go aggressively to the hole.
I’m sorry. I can’t help but nitpick Collins. He’s as physically gifted a player as has played at Kansas since Danny Manning. I watch Sherron and I see Chris Paul. You can’t be Chris Paul without savagely going to the hole and diming Aldrich and the Morris Twins for dunks.
I suspect we’ll see some of that Monday. The Tigers are going to force the tempo with full-court pressure. The pace will scream for Collins to go 30-n-10. But will he? We have no clue. On Saturday, he shot four of 12 from the field and finished with just two assists.
The best thing about the Jayhawks on Saturday was swingman Mario Little. It was my first time seeing the junior-college transfer in person. Love his game, love his energy, love his savvy, love his creativity.
In 26 minutes, Little scored 13 points, sank six of eight shots, grabbed five rebounds and passed out three assists.
Kansas’ best shot at winning on Monday is with Little starting, playing 30-plus minutes and scoring 20 points.
Little can score from anywhere on the court. He has the range to drain threes, the body to post inside, the handle to get in the lane and the athleticism to finish at the rim.
Little can play at Mizzou’s pace. The Morris Twins? Not so much. They’re likely to get sped up and erratic. Markieff Morris turned the ball over three times in six minutes of action on Saturday.
Little was signed to get heavy minutes this season. He’s supposed to be a high-impact player. He’s played 30 minutes one time this season — at Nebraska, an important, gritty road victory for KU. With road games at Missouri and Kansas State this week, Bill Self might as well unleash the Full Mario.
Mizzou is going to have plenty of problems trying to contain Aldrich. The Tigers don’t have a big man equipped to deal with Aldrich’s size. Little’s craftiness could create a different kind of problem for DeMarre Carroll and Leo Lyons.
I’m writing this column as I watch the Tigers do what they rarely do — win at Ames. It’s been a long, long time since we’ve seen a Missouri team playing at this high of a level in conference play. Quin Snyder had a team make a nice tournament run. But good teams reveal themselves during the grind of conference play.
The Tigers, 20-4 overall, 7-2 in the Big 12, are good. They’re better than Kansas right now. Collins and Aldrich have far more professional potential than anyone on the Missouri roster. Carroll, Lyons and head coach Mike Anderson have more to prove than Collins, Aldrich and Bill Self.
I’m not going to pick the Tigers to win in a squeaker because I don’t want to be accused of jinxing their breakthrough season.
Monday night is going to be the most fun Kansas and Mizzou have had since Norm Stewart retired.


http://www.kansascity.com/sports/col...y/1023519.html

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by KcMizzou

I'm not much for talking trash, but I'd bet Mizzou will give you Beakers all you can handle Monday night.

You're cocky, and for good reason... but I just have the feeling you're walking into a hornet's nest here.

I'm gaining confidence that they can at least stay in any game, but it's not like the Jayhawks have really played anyone lately. KSU is playing better now than when KU played them, and we played Baylor when they weren't playing well. I'm surprised they haven't lost a couple of conference games already, and I'll be shocked if they're still undefeated after going to Mizzou and KSU.

Last year I wanted to skip the last month of the season and get on with the tournaments, but this year I'm taking it all in, because I know they could lose in the first weekend.

Originally Posted by luv

I know he'll show up eventually, so I'm going to call out Bearcat for booing me on my facebook page for becoming a Mizzou fan. Friggin' beaker.

I noticed you were missing a picture in your Vegas album. How convenient.

[Nzoner]

I have to take a dump

[Reerun_KC]

Originally Posted by Nzoner

I have to take a dump

You would miss.....

[Nzoner]

Originally Posted by Reerun_KC

You would miss.....

Not with the beer shits I have

[Chiefless]

MU wins this game easily. I've been a KU fan all my life and for as long as I can remember MU always raises their play for this game. It really doesn't matter how much better a team KU has at the time...they almost always lose in Columbia. This has always been one of those "throw all the stats out the window" kind of games.

[Nzoner]

Originally Posted by Chiefless

MU wins this game easily. I've been a KU fan all my life and for as long as I can remember MU always raises their play for this game. It really doesn't matter how much better a team KU has at the time...they almost always lose in Columbia. This has always been one of those "throw all the stats out the window" kind of games.

I have to say though as a MU fan that I'd gladly take a loss tomorrow night if it guaranteed MU could win in Lawrence March 1st since I'll be in Vegas with 1/2 dozen beaker fans.

[Chiefless]

Originally Posted by Nzoner

I have to say though as a MU fan that I'd gladly take a loss tomorrow night if it guaranteed MU could win in Lawrence March 1st since I'll be in Vegas with 1/2 dozen beaker fans.

This would be the year for it, IMO.

[Mizzou_8541]

Originally Posted by Chiefless

This would be the year for it, IMO.

So you are picking MU to win and Lawrence, and KU to win Monday?

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by Chiefless

MU wins this game easily. I've been a KU fan all my life and for as long as I can remember MU always raises their play for this game. It really doesn't matter how much better a team KU has at the time...they almost always lose in Columbia. This has always been one of those "throw all the stats out the window" kind of games.

Yeah, it's their Super Bowl.

The only two losses for the Jayhawks this decade in Columbia were during Self's transition (the 'B' years), so I wouldn't be surprised if we swap home wins again this year.

Yeah, it's a tough game, but I don't think there's a need to go overboard... Mizzou hasn't played in a big statement game in a while, and they'll make stupid inexperienced decisions just like Kansas. I assume they haven't sold out many, or any, home games this year, so it'll more than likely be a 'weather the storm' type of game for KU. I think it'll be close, and it'll probably come down to the fewest mistakes in the last few minutes, making free throws, etc.

[Chiefless]

No, just saying this is one of the better years for MU to knock off KU in Lawrence. KU looks more vulnerable than usual.

I EXPECT MU to beat KU in Columbia and for KU to win in Lawrence. But this rivalry has a history of surprises and this year looks as good for an MU win in Lawrence as any in recent memory.

[ExtremeChief]

Baylor was sold out in Columbia and the upcoming game with Kansas is too. I was going to go with my son, who is a student there, but he couldn't get tickets due to the sellout.

Should be a hell of a game. But the advantage at Mizzou Arena is nothing compared to the crazyness of Allen Fieldhouse. Hopefully MU is on the way to being competitive again and can start building some tradition at home and get the folks in Columbia interested in Mizzou basketball again.