2024-25 College Basketball Thread

Z-O-U!

 

Mizzou opens on a 12-0 run, wins the game by 12 with a whole bunch of batshit insane stuff in between.

Alabama’s rim protector and glass eater almost didn’t play and he clearly wasn’t 100 percent. That left the Tigers free to score at will inside in addition to already being a good 3-point shooting team.

 

The Tigers have four more winnable games and end with Kentucky, which can be beaten. If Mizzou wins the next four and a game or two in the SEC tourney, they should be no worse than a 4 seed and maybe a 3 if everything falls right. Either way, not bad for a team picked 13th in the SEC in the preseason.

 

The biggest thing now is locking up a top-four spot in the regular season SEC standings, right? To get them the double-bye into the quarterfinals?

I wonder how many coaches and ADs are (and will be) cursing Gates and Mizzou for what they've done this year. To go 0-for-SEC to what they've done this year really makes the narrative that you've got to be patient while building a program look like a load of bullshit.

 

Went to VCU-UMass last night, and the Rams just toyed with the Minutemen, who admittedly stink. I still think there's a road to an at-large for VCU. They have five games left and only leave the city once (3/4 at Duquesne). They have to win out and probably get to the A-10 final to feel safe, but I think a path is there. They'll be a dangerous draw if they get in. Deep with multiple outside shooting threats and some athletic bigs. Going to the George Mason game on Saturday, which will decide the regular-season title.

 

The wild thing is it isn’t a clean rebuild story. Gates went 11-7 his first year in the league (and blew a golden chance at the Sweet 16 against Princeton), 0-18 last year and now 9-4 and counting in the hardest year ever to win in the SEC.

I don’t know that many schools are going to be using this as a pressure point since so much depends on remaking the roster each year and how much NIL cash there is to work with. But imagine Lamont Paris at South Carolina is going to be haunted by this ghost next winter if he can’t bounce back.

As for Mizzou, they are already at 20 wins now. Four or five more with a bunch of quad 1 wins could put them in the mix for a 2 seed.

 

The biggest differences this season are getting Grill back and nabbing Mitchell in the portal. It isn’t just Bates and a freshman point guard out there anymore. Perkins and Crews have been pretty good this season, too.

As for last night, if it could hit its free throws, Mizzou wins going away. This team is legit.

I was all-in with Gates after his first season. Last season’s debacle didn’t dissuade me because I had faith he was building it right. Some of my Mizzou crew wavered, but I didn’t.

 

As a lifelong Iowa guy, and a relative newcomer to liking Mizzou, I'm enjoying so much seeing Perkins finish his college career like this. Really love that guy. Plays hard, the right way and seems to be a great person.

 

Perkins is built like Dame, just thick in the chest and shoulders. He’s great in transition, drives hard to the basket and can hit a three. Perfect fourth or fifth option behind Grill, Bates and Mitchell, plus Franklin.

If Mizzou gets way ahead (or behind) in their next five games, I’d like to see them working in the freshmen because they’re going to be needed next season when the roster turns over with all the departures.

 

One last thing: I think Gates telling the crowd not to rush the court was his way of saying, This isn’t an upset. We expect to do this, and you should expect it, too.

 

Also, we don't want to pay $500k to Alabama.

 

I hated that. Daddy needs a rotation OL piece.