Would the Real Milwaukee Panthers Please Stand up?

[uwmplanner]

Ok we got 8 conference games left and the bracketbuster and we currently stand at 10-11 and 5-5 in conference. We are good enough to beat anybody on our schedule and we can play bad enough to get beat by pretty much anybody left on our schedule as well.

Now is the time to bring it, play some consistent and finish as strong as possible because when it gets to tournament time I could see us being a force in the conference tourny.

I have been really frustrated, as I'm sure pretty much everybody is, with the inconsistencies that have plagued this team. But we got roughly a month to go and if we start playing well I think we could be a very tough out.

So I ask the real Panthers to step up because I think this team is alot better then their record and now is the time to prove it.

[GoPanthers33]

I want us to win the Bracket Buster and go 5-3 the rest of the way in conference play.

That would put us at 16-14 (10-8)

We would have a decent shot at a 1st round home game and hopefully move swiftly through to the semis like we did last year.

Then hopefully we show up in the Semi's and pull our another win!

[Super King]

I don't care about the Bracketbuster. I've long since moved beyond that point. We should look straight past it and use that week as extra time to prepare for our conference stretch run.

Unless we draw some obscenely good team, like San Diego State or something. Then I'd be all for it.

[GoPanthers33]

I can see why you wouldn't care about it as it really means nothing since we aren't playing for an NCAA at large this year.

But I always love the bracket busters and when we get to play someone new I want to use that chance to win.

If we can't win the HL Tourney then I will still hold out hope for a CIT bid... (Which the Bracketbuster would have an effect on)

[Super King]

I'd care for the Bracketbuster game if A) we were on the bubble for at-large consideration, which is the point of the series, B) there wasn't a lot of late-season pressure on us, or C) our season was 2006-2007 levels of atrocious and we were in desperate need of SOME accomplishment or other. As it is, we should treat the game like a scrimmage, rotate players often, and use it as a learning experience and a momentum boost. I'm pretty sure it's how we approached the Niagara game last year, aside from the usual extended minutes for Ricky.

[Rawls]

We won't draw the Aztecs. The Mountain West is not participating.

[SRT4driver]

Jan 24, 2011 13:15:31 GMT -6 Super King said:

I don't care about the Bracketbuster. I've long since moved beyond that point.

That is only because we as a program have since moved beyond being in the position every February to draw an opponent worth caring about in the Bracketbuster. I remember the Hawaii game in 2005, and it was amazing! Ditto for the 2006 BracketBuster, the atmosphere for the national TV home game against Missouri State was great.

This event is meant to match up only the top teams in the country year to year and provide them with a marquee national TV opportunity, and if you don't find yourself with a quality record and RPI come selection time, then you won't get a BracketBuster game, just a crappy, non-conference, non-televised game "resulting from participation in the BracketBuster pool" (ESPN's words, not mine).

Believe it or not, this game could be the difference between Milwaukee getting an At-Large bid to the Dance or going to the NIT some day. It might be exactly that THIS YEAR for two teams in the Horizon League: Valpo if they can win the HL regular season title outright, and CSU if they can finish Top 2. (If you just read that and scoffed, perhaps you need to check their current RPI's and resumes before you post.)

Butler had to drop out of the BracketBuster pool this year to make room on its schedule for the addition of the Duke rematch game. I bet a lot of Butler fans right now are wishing they had a shot at one more Top 50 win... and you can bet your a** they will all feel that way come Selection Sunday if they don't win the automatic bid!

Bottom line? Complaining about the BB is silly, shortsighted, and a sign of a low basketball IQ. (That one's for u drocks!)

[ghostofdylan]

Smiling and laughing, srt.

I talked to Herm Edwards earlier and he reminded me once again, "You play to win the game!"

[SRT4driver]

Jan 25, 2011 22:40:56 GMT -6 ghostofdylan said:

I talked to Herm Edwards earlier and he reminded me once again, "You play to win the game!"

Paging our coaching staff's mentality about the non-conference schedule... Coach Edwards is on line 1!