Mizzou............

[ozark trout fisher]

Missouri has a second half lead on the road and can't hold onto it. Then we find ourselves down by a bucket late, take a desperation shot, and lose. How many times has this happened? Missouri falls to 3-6 in games decided by three points or less (or in overtime) and is 0-6 in such games on the road. What can you really say about that? Is it bad luck, or poor play down the stretch? Some of both, for sure, but that doesn't make it any less frustrating. We can never seem to get a decent shot off when we need it late in a game.

Missouri ends the regular season 22-9 and 11-7 in the SEC. The quality wins still keep us safely in the tournament for now, but the six seed in the SEC tournament is hardly inspiring. They're probably looking at about a 9 or 10 seed in the tournament if things ended now. If they can win a game in the SEC tournament (against the winner of Texas A&M and Vanderbilt), they should be a lock. With a loss in their first game, they should still be in very good shape for a tournament bid-but selection Sunday isn't going to completely stress-free. Falling out of the tournament would be very unlikely, but one of those "First Four" play in games would suddenly be a real possibility. I don't want to cut it that close...Just win at least one more game, guys.

I would cheer for Texas A&M in the first round game against Auburn, which will determine Missouri's first opponent. Auburn's RPI is outside the top 200, so if we did lose to them in our first game, it might doom us to the NIT. But if it's Texas A&M, we can almost certainly weather a loss-even if a loss might be more likely in that scenario.

Meanwhile, congrats to SLU, who beat a good LaSalle team and won the Atlantic 10.

[Al Agnew]

Today's game was lost in two plays. First one was Pressey's really stupid three point shot that he jacked up eight seconds into the possession with Mizzou up by eight and threatening to pull away. That started a 17-3 run by Tennessee. The second was his jacked up three without even trying to find a real shooter at the end, five seconds into the possession, just as he's done with the same results in two or three other games. You would think he'd learn. You would think that Haith would tell him not to do it. You would hope he'd listen. But he wants so badly to be the hero at the end that he's apparently incapable of NOT taking that shot.

The other inexplicable thing is that the defense always goes south in the last five minutes of close games on the road.

I really thought they'd finally get over the hump this game, and start making intelligent plays in that last five minutes. Instead, it was forced shots, throwing up threes, and matador defense again.

I wish making the tournament was a sure enough thing that Haith would simply put Pressey on the bench for the first round SEC game and let the chips fall where they may. But they can't win without him. It's just that they are just as likely to lose because of his bonehead plays. He's not the only reason they lost today, but those two stupid threes just burn my toast.

[ozark trout fisher]

Today's game was lost in two plays. First one was Pressey's really stupid three point shot that he jacked up eight seconds into the possession with Mizzou up by eight and threatening to pull away. That started a 17-3 run by Tennessee. The second was his jacked up three without even trying to find a real shooter at the end, five seconds into the possession, just as he's done with the same results in two or three other games. You would think he'd learn. You would think that Haith would tell him not to do it. You would hope he'd listen. But he wants so badly to be the hero at the end that he's apparently incapable of NOT taking that shot.

I'm starting to think you're right. Generally you do want the ball in the hands of your best player in the last few seconds...but when your best player happens to be a mediocre three point shooter, maybe it's time to look another direction. I think Haith is a good coach most of the time, but honestly it doesn't seem like he draws anything up at the end of game...he simply trusts the team to handle it themselves. That worked last year, with a rotation full of guys who had played with each other for years. It really doesn't this season. That's not an insult of this team. I think some teams just need a coach who is a bit more involved, and this is probably one of them.

I don't want to play coach, but with 20 seconds left and a three point deficit, I'm getting the ball inside to get a high percentage shot or a foul. Then foul, and maybe you're only down two when you get the ball back, with 10 or so seconds to go. Then you can get it in the lane one more time to force overtime. Worse case scenario with a two there, is that you're basically back in the same position, with the ball down three. But missing a three with 15 seconds left basically ends the game, because all they need to do is make one free-throw to ice the game. Just get some points as quickly as possible, and extend the game.

Anyway, I'll cheer like heck for them in the SEC and (probably) the NCAA tournament. They might break all our hearts, but who knows...teams like this have been able to suddenly get things together in the postseason before. I'm not saying it's going to happen, but the talent is still there. They'll play next on Thursday.

[stlfisher]

i not sure what to say anymore...just really frustrating to watch. bowers and oriakhi picking up two quick fouls in the first half really hurt as well.

[Al Agnew]

There was bad refereeing going both ways in this game, but sometimes you have to wonder about bias. Bowers starts the game hitting everything and playing lights out, and six minutes into the game he gets two phantom fouls called on him in a row. Neither looked like a foul to me in real time, and neither WAS a foul when looked at on the instant replay. Oriakhi's two fouls were probably fouls, but he was getting pounded on the other end with no calls. Then Criswell tweaked a knee or ankle and had to sit for much of the half. So all of a sudden Mizzou is down to Rosburg as their only big man, and he couldn't handle the Tennessee center. They were lucky to be tied at the half, while if they'd had Bowers and Oriakhi playing most of it they would have probably been well ahead.

Another key non-call was when Pressey was mugged near center court after Mizzou had gotten the turnover late in the game, and as a result turned the ball back over and Tennessee scored. How do you not make that call?

The SEC refereeing is horrible. I didn't see one well-called SEC game this whole year, and that includes the ones at Mizzou. There's a reason why the away records of every SEC team are bad, not just Mizzou. I believe even Florida ended up with three or four losses on the road, and other than Florida, I believe Kentucky was the only team with a winning or even road record.

[snap]

my thoughts exactly Al!!! the mugging of pressey was BIG...crucial time in the game where mizzou either extends their lead or takes the lead!!!...and right on with Oriaki....be gets beat up all the time....he has to be confused about what is a foul and what is not!!! I AN SO GLAD THE SEC IS FINISHED THE HOME GAMES......lets put these teams on the neutral floors and start playing some real basketball!!! where I think mizzou will show that they are one of the top two teams in the league!!! It makes me think that they get hosed on the road because they are new to the league!!! In the last month, they win at home by 20+, with no games in doubt except Florida (who is not as good as they were a month+ ago) and lose by 2 on the road!!!.....no one else in the country is playing that well right now........a 7 or 10 would not be bad....would not want to play them in the NCAA tourn!!!!

[ozark trout fisher]

I agree that the refereeing has left plenty to be desired in many of our games...and I've gotten just as angry about it as anyone. But I just can't blame these losses on that. If you don't want to lose because of a couple of bad calls on the road, win by ten points, don't leave it to the last minute. Missouri has gotten the calls on its home floor, and it has not gotten the calls on the road. It does work both ways. It's a bigger disparity than usual in the SEC, but you just have to understand that going in. Missouri wins its close games at home (admittedly there have only been three that match that description) and loses on the road. There is a reason for that.

So simply put, don't be involved in extremely close games in the majority of your road games if you don't want to go 2-8 on the road. That said, there are no more road games, so I'm not going to think about them for the rest of the season. Win a few games in the SEC tournament, and we might move up to a 7 seed, and everyone will be reasonably happy again. Their RPI didn't drop at all from the loss, so I guess we are not as close to the bubble as I thought-very few teams in the top 30 ever get left out. But I really don't want to deal with even a slightly stressful selection Sunday... please beat Texas A&M/Auburn!

[Al Agnew]

Trivia question, that I heard the answer on one of the game broadcasts today...

Which team from this part of the country that had an RPI ranking under 30 DID get left out of the tournament a few years ago?

[snap]

mo state or SIU i am thinking!!!

[ozark trout fisher]

Trivia question, that I heard the answer on one of the game broadcasts today...

Which team from this part of the country that had an RPI ranking under 30 DID get left out of the tournament a few years ago?

I think it was Missouri State (then "Southwest" Missouri State I guess.) Their RPI may have only been below 30 once, but it was within the top 40 multiple times in the past decade, and they got left out each time. If you're anywhere close to the bubble in the Missouri Valley, you had better win the conference tournament because chances are you won't get in otherwise. It seems to be a trend. I have no idea why, but it just seems to be true.

Honestly, this year Wichita State fans should be prepared for the possibility of an unpleasant surprise, even though I think they're pretty clearly deserving of a bid.