@ Mizzou Saturday Feb 4th

Well, it's here. The game that Mizzou fans have been drooling over all year. THIS is their Super Bowl their National Title game, all wrapped into one. Mizzou Arena will be offensively loud and raucous for Saturday night's matchup with Kansas. The ESPN College Game Day crew will also be in Columbia all day to carry the game.

My HOPE is that after having screamed like maniacs from 9:00am for Game Day that the crowd will have a little less steam in them come game time, but I doubt that will be the case. My HOPE is that Kansas realizes that they are the masters of their fate in this game, as they are in almost every game they play. If they execute their game plan they should come out of Columbia with a hard fought victory. If they fail to execute their game plan they will lose big time.

I really have ZERO expectations for this game. I truly have no idea if KU has what it takes to execute under the kind of pressure they will face. I have no idea if Teahan or Releford or EJ will hit some shots. I have no idea if our bench will give us anything productive at all. I have no idea if Taylor will get back to attacking the rim and getting to the line. I have no idea if T-Rob will snap out of this mini funk he's been in, turning over the ball left and right and missing countless bunnies. I have no idea if Withey will be "Mr. Most Improved" or "Mr. Invisible". Can you tell I have no idea how this might end?

IF we get at least a good number of these issues addressed and fixed for the game, KU has a great chance at winning. That's a big IF. Let's just say I am not putting any money down on the game. If KU really wants to get in the drivers seat for winning the Big 12 they need to win either this game or the game @Baylor,. A win @ BOTH would be awamzing, but highly unlikely based on how we have been playing the last two weeks.

We'll see.

I see you've set aside this special time to humiliate yourself in public

That all guard team can't play half court basketball against bigger and more athletic teams, SWEEP for the hawks again this year!!! No get on to the SEC and more irrelevance in athletics...

After watching last nights game, Mizzou is really quick.  They spread the floor out and make you guard.  I wouldn't be surprised if we ran some zone just to catch them off guard alittle bit. I mean 1 or 2 possessions each half, not mintues of zone.  I actually from a strategy standpoint would like to see us use more zone since we don't have enough fire power off the bench, but I know Self is a MAn2MAn coach, why go away from what is our  best defense, but zone does allow more rest for our starters and does have its place.  Not a big zone fan, but can see sometimes its advantages as well.  Mostly when you have no bench, and have limited fouls to give zone does work in your benefit some. 

I think we can beat them over the top all night long.  TExas could have, but chose not to play that way.  WIthey and TROb have to maintain solid position and this game will be easy on the offensive end I think.  Not to mention I take there little guard and post them up If im Tt and EJ.  Make them match us, more than us matching them.  Hard to do, easy to say.

The last time we go to Mizzou for a conference game...........Sorry to see this game and series wind down to the end, but thats the way it is.  Amazingly enough though Self has only lost one time in this new building, and we do play well there.  So that being said, we do have the upper hand in the series for a reason.  The game comes down to execution, like you said TWocoach.  I like our chances right now, but will feel better when we get a W tommorrow night against OU.

OU is playing better, and with Kruger as coach, you know that they will get better as the season goes.  They have a scary team if they get to clicking towards March.  Not scary good, but scary the fact  that they do have some pieces and with a good coach will challenge come tourney time in conference. 

My expectations for Saturday are this.  If MU shoots it really well they are extremely difficult to beat and I'm sure in that arena the shots will be falling.   If they don't shoot it well they have no chance of beating us because of the size differential and that will probably be more like how it plays out in Lawrence.   I know that is Captain Obvious stuff but I really think this matchup is that simple.   I personally love Withey on Ratliffe and TRob on English.   English is having a great season but he is not explosive off the bounce which makes it much easier for a bigger guy like Robinson to defend on the perimeter as opposed to Royce White who can dribble by guards much less post players. 

OU is playing better, and with Kruger as coach, you know that they will get better as the season goes.  They have a scary team if they get to clicking towards March.  Not scary good, but scary the fact  that they do have some pieces and with a good coach will challenge come tourney time in conference.

OU is playing a lot better now but I think you are overly concerned with them.   If we can't beat them at home coming off our first conference loss then we have to dramatically redefine our hopes and expectations for the season.

KU just needs to play really tight, agressive perimeter defense and make it hard for Mizzou to get good looks or turn the corner and drive. If MU beats us hitting contested jumpers, I can live with that. If we are slacking off by cutting under screens really slowly, then I'll be pissed.

One good thing is that Ratliffe is going to have to draw Withey away from the rim by pulling out of the lane. He won't be as available for easy dump offs as he normally is when guarded by smaller players. Honestly, we shouldn't guard Ratliffe outside of about 10-12 feet. The last I saw, he had made about three shots outside of the lane ALL YEAR. That leaves T-Rob to take English out of the game and for Withey to help on any drivers to the rim. Tyshawn HAS to do a good job keeping P. Pressey in front of him and EJ needs to keep Denmon in the funk he has been in lately. Releford should be able to handle the other Pressey and maybe switch with EJ on Denmon from time to time to put a little more height on him here and there and keep his shot off target.
"OU is playing a lot better now but I think you are overly concerned with them.   If we can't beat them at home coming off our first conference loss then we have to dramatically redefine our hopes and expectations for the season."

Agreed. I may be looking past that game, but I assure you that KU isn't. OU is better than the horrible they were last year, but they are still pretty bad. If we can't kick their butts at home then we don't need to worry about Mizzou or anyone else.

Yeah, I have NO IDEA either what KU's gonna do.  I'll just HOPE for the best...which is, I'll hope we BLOW THEM OUT!

KU's gonna get run out of the gym......I hope I'm wrong, but MU is good and KU is terribly inconsistent.  I'll be happy to eat some crowe if it works out that way.

Yep it's tiger and bear hunting season, can't wait till Saturday bag some kitties and the take home some teddy bears on Wednesday, college hoops I love it.

Kansas just needs to be patient for a change. If Mizzou comes out and hits a few threes and KU tries to respond and misses a few threes, Mizzou will be up ten before we can blink. KU needs to go out and run the OU 2nd half offense to start the game against Mizzou. Feed the beasts early and often and force THEM into foul trouble before WE get in foul trouble. Get Ratliffe to the bench with two fouls as quick as possible!

Then we need Releford, Taylor and EJ to play velcro defense. Once Dixon gets in the game, force him into a few fouls because he gets pissed off and frustrated when things aren't going his way. He is an emotional player and we need to get his emotions going the wrong way. Denmon has been in a serious slump lately, so we need to be extra tight on him. If he hits a few early, he might light on fire with confidence.

I don't know, I've got a good feeling about this one. I really liked what I saw out of Kansas in that 2nd half of basketball last night. I've got a feeling that we are going to punch them in the face right out of the gate. My hope is that they keep their foot on the gas longer than they normally do and can stay on top when Mizzou answers. They are too good to get rolled at home, but if they are down and the shots aren't falling, Mizzou is prone to some REALLY bad decisions. They lost all ability to run their offense when they we struggling against Illinois and Kansas State and Oklahoma State. We need to back them into the same corner with RELENTLESS defense.

Young and Wesley better put on their big boy pants Saturday. We are going to need them to be SERIOUS contributors when they are in. It is critical that we do not lose ground when Withey and T-Rob get breaks. I don't care if they score a single point, so long as they keep THEM from scoring as well. We can't go in the toilet like we did when Withey and T-Rob went to the bench in the first half last night.

I also want to see MORE of EJ handling the ball as the primary point guard to free Tyshawn to get in a position to score. Pressey and Dixon are big enoguh s--t talkers that I think Tyshawn is going to be hungry to light them up. My guess is that Taylor hangs 26 on Mizzou, T-Rob gets 20+ points and 15+ boards and Withey has a double-double as well and Kansas wins by 6 points after a furious rally by Mizzou cuts into a double digit lead.

Mizzou fan here. I think that the Tigers will have problems with the KU front court, especially if Ratliffe gets into early foul problems. But, I expect Mizzou to gather more than a few turnovers from the KU guards.  This should be a good game, I'm looking forward to it.

     Mizzou has played like crap the last few games.  We're gonna KILL THEM,,,, on their home-court.  Get on to the SEC, Mizzery scum.

BASTYD:

We're on our way to the SEC....with the following:

1. 2012 Big12 Conference Title

2. 2012 Final 4

3. Dorial Green-Beckham

4. SEC football schedule.... basketball rivalries with Arkansas, Florida, and Kentucky.... I think that makes up for KU :)

5. A TOP 25 FOOTBALL and BASKETBALL PROGRAM!!!!   About to get better...SEC $$$$$$$$$  coming to Columbia!!!!   Good-bye Jayhawks...you'll come calling for a basketball and football game in 3-4 years!

Mizzou 71  Kansas 69    Mizzou will have a huge conference advantage, since the Tigers have already played @ K-State and @ Baylor.....KU has to have this game.    Mizzou's last true road game is in Lawrence..... gonna be tough to leave this conference with the TITLE on the way out... everyone only remembers what you've done lately

Then we need Releford, Taylor and EJ to play velcro defense.

KU is, and always has been, at it's best when committed to playing defense. It's just that the need to play aggressive D is more exaggerated this season due to a relative lack of talent and depth. At many times this season, they have been able to suffocate opponents (stretches of the Baylor game come to mind). Unfortunately, it's not possible to replicate that kind of effort for forty minutes, but it's a thing of beauty when the fellas are locked in. That kind of defense is going to be the key to beating mu on Saturday night.

Pressey and Dixon are big enoguh s--t talkers that I think Tyshawn is going to be hungry to light them up.

There is no doubt that Taylor's competitive nature is such that he's going to want to get the best of those two. Let's just hope it doesn't become personal and disintegrate into a Taylor vs. mu guards grudge match causing Taylor to forget to share the ball and turn it over a half-dozen times. KU needs an on-point and focused TT spending that energy in a positive way on the defensive end to win the critical guard matchup.

mu's biggest advantage is going to be the emotion of an insane Paige Sports Arena, but KU shouldn't be intimidated. They lead the overall series in Columbia 65-54 and have won four of the last five at The Paige including 18 and 21-point blowouts among the wins in that stretch, with the lone loss being a two-point affair.

Bottom line is we can't count on other conference teams to take out the Puddytats. It's squarely on the shoulders of the Jayhawks and they need to own it and make it their mission to restore order. At all cost they must avoid the unthinkable...a conference title for Mizzery in their final Big XII season.

Let's send 'em to the SEC the right way, Jayhawks! mu hasn't won a Big XII conference title in its fifteen year existence; no reason to start now.

I may not have the same hatred for MU fans as most KU fans do since most of my family is from the Ozarks, but if you think that moving to the SEC is going to do anything to improve your standing in sports you're delusional. I'm going to miss the rivalry and all the made up hate between the fans, but I'm going to enjoy watching MU get slaughtered by the SEC in football. I don't care how good this kid they signed is in football becasue he is going to have to stand with his mouth wide open as the Tigers get killed over and over again. I do respect the kid for wanting to stay close to home, but it isn't going to change the outcome.

MU has a chance to compete in basketball as one of the top teams in the conference, but they will always be stuck playing second fiddle to UK, kinda like they've had to do to KU all these years.

I love how fans of teams like to harp on the fact that the school will be getting "more money". It's not like that is going to put money in your pockets, but at least the school will get a little more for being consistently mediocre I guess.

The simple fact is that MU will still be looking up at sports programs better than theirs and wishing they could be them. I'm just sad KU won't be one of them anymore. We'll see about that Big 12 title too, but I fear you may be setting yourselves up for disappointment. I'm sure that isn't uncommon for you though.

MU has a chance to compete in basketball as one of the top teams in the conference, but they will always be stuck playing second fiddle to UK, kinda like they've had to do to KU all these years.

Yep, Kentucky is going to replace Kansas as the next team to make Mizzou their little brother.

Except, the fact the Florida is better than KSU so really Mizzou, your the redheaded step child.  Yes, Mizzou might compete  better, but then again, they may not.  We will see in about 11 months!

Slippy, Are you serious with that post? Let's say Mizzou does win the Big 12 title, that would make one out of 17. KU has 11! Not to mention 7 straight. Also, Mizzou needs this game more than KU does. This is a home game for Mizzou and losing at home would damage their chances big time. So as I see it, more pressure is on Mizzou in this game. Now, I'm not even going to touch the Final Four statement, just take a look at Mizzou's strength of schedule, not very good at all. Anyway, I look forward to an intense game on Saturday night.

Well folks Saturday marks the first installment of the passion of the christ marathon @$$ whippin KU will impart on MU before handing the @$$ whippin duties over to fellow blueblood UK, sure am gonna miss the annual deflation of MU hoop dreams but hey over a hundred years memories of domination well have to warm our Jayhawk hearts as we move forward. Stay thirsty my friends.

The stakes are pretty high for me personally.  I live in Florida yet somehow ended up working in the same office as two a Mizzou fans.  How does that happen?!?!?  A loss on Saturday will mean smack talk in both ears for me.  However, if KU wins I'll compose myself with quiet dignity and grace...........YEAH RIGHT!!!!  These two will be posting resumes on monster.com when I'm through with them! GO KU!!!