Alright Otf What Do Ya Think?

[Smalliebigs]

This next game against Arkansas is huge at home.....the Tigers must avenge the road loss to the Hawgs. OTF what's your opinion is this a must win for Mizzou??? I love your synopsis....you are a true college roundball fan.....I love your insight......So what do you think????

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/conferences/teams/_/id/23/sec-conference

Missouri could still finsh second in the confrence if all things play out right and a good run in the confrence tourney would help them to be sitting pretty,,,,,a lot of big ifs....but they could do it easy.

[Jerry Rapp]

I am not OTF and I did not stay in a Holiday Inn last night, but if you lose to any lower ranked team at home it is a huge loss, especially this time of year when time is short. Missouri will be fine, as long as they don't have to play that stud school in the first round of the NCAA's again.

[ozark trout fisher]

This next game against Arkansas is huge at home.....the Tigers must avenge the road loss to the Hawgs. OTF what's your opinion is this a must win for Mizzou??? I love your synopsis....you are a true college roundball fan.....I love your insight......So what do you think????

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/conferences/teams/_/id/23/sec-conference

Missouri could still finsh second in the confrence if all things play out right and a good run in the confrence tourney would help them to be sitting pretty,,,,,a lot of big ifs....but they could do it easy.

Thank you Smalliebigs. Pride-wise and for the purposes of the SEC standings, it's a must win, but I think that's about it. Based on the past I just don't think that the conference standings are going to play a significant role in tournament selection. It's always seemed ridiculous to me, but they just seem to care about wins over top 50 teams, bad losses, non-conference schedules, and a million other things more.

I think Missouri needs either one or two more wins to feel good about making the tournament including these last two regular season games and the SEC tournament. Winning at Tennessee is probably too much to ask for this specific team, so we'll have to win a game or two in the SEC tournament if we lose to Arkansas. But I don't think we'll lose to Arkansas at home given how much this game means to this team and especially Laurence Bowers and Phil Pressey... and I think we'll do enough in the conference tournament to the NCAAs even if we do somehow lose. In reality the Florida win might get us in no matter what.

[Smalliebigs]

It is unusual some the alleged criteria the "commitiee" uses to determine who's in and who's going to the NIT. I haved come around to your opinion.....Missouri's in because of the Florida win but, a total colapse and I would be freaking on Selection Sunday . What scares me is if Missouri thinks like we do......"they are in"......I would like to see them beat Arkansas and Tennessee. I also agree with you this game Tuesday is huge for Bowers and Pressey.....the town of Columbia, the team and the coach all need to come out blazing and roll in this game.....I see a new, very intense rivalry begining to develope.......it's going to be a great game IMO

p.s. OTF wasn't trying to put you on the spot....just enjoy your musings on the college basketball scene

[ozark trout fisher]

Yes, this is a huge game. Missouri had better not let that home winning streak end now...as you're saying, this is developing already into quite the rivalry, and it would hurt to start 0-2. And I'd just assume Missouri not back its way into the postseason.

[Al Agnew]

I think they're in if they win one more game, whether it be Arkansas, Tennessee, or the first round of the SEC tournament. If they lose the next three it could put them on the bubble. Having said that, it would really surprise and disappoint me if they lose to Arkansas. I think beating Tennessee is doable, because they've played better teams than Tennessee very close on the road and they're due to finally make a play or two at the end of a close game. I think they beat Arkansas and Tennessee both.

[Quillback]

As far as Arkansas is concerned this is a must win game. From a physical standpoint, MO holds the edge, but will they play physical ball? Arkansas will be motivated, but I can't see them pulling this one off. I'm just hoping AR doesn't get blown out, a close, physical game in a packed, noisy fieldhouse, and non-biased refs - this is my wish.

[ozark trout fisher]

As far as Arkansas is concerned this is a must win game. From a physical standpoint, MO holds the edge, but will they play physical ball? Arkansas will be motivated, but I can't see them pulling this one off. I'm just hoping AR doesn't get blown out, a close, physical game in a packed, noisy fieldhouse, and non-biased refs - this is my wish.

Yeah, about that last thing... home teams always get the calls and I think we've seen it's considerably more true in the SEC than most other conferences. Especially considering there will be a very packed and loud Mizzou Arena tomorrow-the atmosphere should be at Missouri-Kansas levels after what happened in the first meeting. Arkansas has the talent to beat Missouri as we've seen, but can they handle Mizzou Arena and get out of there with a win? It's would be shocking, but weirder things have happened. Arkansas is desperate for a big road win, but it's not like Missouri doesn't have anything to play for. It should be a good game but it's hard not to see Missouri avenging it's earlier loss. I'll go 83-78 MU.

[stlfisher]

I am pulling for MU to win enough games to move off the 8 or 9 seed. There is no one in the SEC tournament they can't beat. If they keep trending in the right direction I think they run the table and win the SEC tournement. Then again it is MU and like Pinkel says "We do what we do"....so we could lose the next 3 games.

[joeD]

1. Not a must win. Remember, you could be 0-25, then win your conference tournament, and go to the NCAA Tournament.

2. Mizzou Arena will not be sold out. Guarantee you will see many empty seats in the lower bowl.

3. Arkansas is not a rival. Kansas is.

4. The reality of Missouri basketball defies analysis. They could easily dispatch Arkansas and Tennessee and mow through their conference tournament. Likely? No. Within the realm of probability? Yes.

5. Will we watch with both enthusiastic support and muttering negativity?

6. Of course.