Two Baylor Post-Game Thoughts
I wish I was around for the live thread for this game. How exciting. Thank goodness for ESPN3 though.
1. Mizzou has what Clark Kellogg calls "spurtability". I'm one of those people who thinks the NCAA tournament, as unique and as wonderful as it is, degrades the regular season a little. I'm doing my level best to enjoy this truly magical season for what it is without looking too far ahead to "brackets" and "seeding" that only end up sending my anxiety skyrocketing and taking my focus off what is going on right now. Fortunately, with Kansas on the near horizon even the fans--much less the players--can't get too terribly far ahead of what's going on right now. Having given that preamble, I'll give one little nugget that leaves me hopeful about Missouri's tournament chances. It isn't the "senior leadership" that commentators love to go on about. We've seen experienced teams play tight when the moment becomes a little too big, while some inexperienced teams play great precisely because they're "too stupid" to know how big the moment is. It isn't talent either. Missouri is plenty talented, but I doubt there is a first round NBA talent on the roster. Nope. What leaves me hopeful about Mizzou is spurtability--that ability to get on runs that, for the most part, the other team can't really defend, only try to limit. I remember Kellogg coining this term with the '97 Arizona title team. As evidenced yesterday, in a game that is sputtering along without much flow, out of nowhere Missouri can hit you with a run--and all a defense can do is try to keep it from getting out of hand. To my mind, the biggest component of wading through the opening weekend minefield is the ability to spurt against "inferior" opponents. 14-0, 15-0 runs are harder to come by against quality defenses, but as a high seed in the early rounds you need separation if for no other reason than to keep the upset vultures at neutral site arenas from circling.
2. Don't weep for Baylor. They are built for tournament play. I'm not so sure that I agree that their problem is toughness. They're not the toughest team around for sure, but they're not punks. I think their issue--such that they have "issues" with losses to KU and Mizzou--is that their talent isn't the most complimentary. It's hard to be great in the regular season with a front court-dominated team in college hoops, which is so guard friendly. (It's not impossible--KU and UNC does it all the time.) Their guards are turnover prone, not only do they personally turn it over, they put their bigs in situations where they are likely to turn it over. For all the barbs thrown at PJIII, it really is kinda easy to take an inexperienced big out of his comfort zone. (That's no excuse for his disappearing acts on the boards and on defense.) A team that can't figure out how to involve a young big man, especially when they don't run, and they don't have guards who limit turnovers, isn't terribly uncommon. Having said all that, come March they're likely to look a lot like they did in non-conference. They're not going to see many teams that can match their perimeter quickness like Mizzou or leverage them into horrendous shots AND keep them off the glass like Kansas--both of whom know the Baylor playbook as well as Baylor. Don't be shocked if they make a run, maybe even farther than us. Tournaments aren't about overall quality. They're about matchups.
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I think your comments on Baylor are particularly accurate
Too much talent not to make some talent, but good teams can take them out of their comfort zone.
Reconcile. By. Winning.
cakeat eator
Follow @FullbackU
They feel like a team that can make an Elite 8
or get upset first round. Almost nothing in between.
Proud Meth Aggie since 2011.
You lost me...
"Those who fear disorder more than injustice inevitably produce more of both." -- Rev. William Coffin
i like our mix of young and "old".
i think having flip, for all his misadventures, isn’t capable of playing tight at the most important position in college basketball. then, to counter that, we have upperclassmen to reel him in at times, and a coach that isn’t afraid to sit him down and dixon let run the show for a bit. i don’t know, this team feels different than any we’ve seen at mizzou in a long time. a team that knows how to win a close game instead of always tossing them away, especially on the road. of course, having said all that, we’ll get bounced by multidirectional U. in the second round. :-) oh, and rec’d btw, dcrockett. you need to tell bill to get you on the payroll.
Genesis 1:1
Hey, Multidirectional U has good shooters and a senior leadership and plays for their new coach.
They’re going to surprise a lot of teams in the tourney this year.
Missouri is a state in the South
Follow @FullbackU
We only lose to Big East teams in the tourny
"You have to remember, basketball to the University of Miami is like football to the University of Kansas." - Kim English
I'm not scared of Notre Dame this year.
But that WVU they’re replacing us with…
Never forget Wolf Island, or pie! #AHAMF, it's vaguely sordid.
by Spider_Monkey on Feb 13, 2012 1:16 PM CST up reply actions
Threadkiller, I'm already trying to negotiate getting "Two Thoughts" considered as part of my community service
"Those who fear disorder more than injustice inevitably produce more of both." -- Rev. William Coffin
that's already two more
than a kansas convict is capable of having.
Genesis 1:1
by threadkiller on Feb 13, 2012 10:13 AM CST up reply actions
I also love our mix of young and old
and just as importantly, our mix of different skill sets. Fundamentally, we’re a jump shooting team but even then guys don’t need to shoot from the same area of the floor. Also, between Dixon and Big Pressey we have juuuuussstt enough slashers to take advantage of over aggressive perimeter defenders.
"Those who fear disorder more than injustice inevitably produce more of both." -- Rev. William Coffin
"I'll take adjectives to describe porn stars for $200 Alex"
"Those who fear disorder more than injustice inevitably produce more of both." -- Rev. William Coffin
by dcrockett17 on Feb 13, 2012 9:33 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs

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