The Downside - MTS

[SWC75]

- Pat called into one of the radio shows this week and said that we are not yet “playing with house money”, meaning that we’ve gone as far as we could go and if we lose it won’t hurt so much. He felt we should beat Dayton and therefore we had to. Then it might be ‘OK’ to lose to a powerhouse like Michigan State. But when they went down, this game ceased to be “House Money” and we had to win this one to be happy. Now with the 11 seed, Gonzaga in the next game, it’s still not “House Money”. And if we beat them, we certainly won’t be thinking about house money any more. Really, no game is house money because if you win them, your expectations, or at least your hopes rise. The lost that ends the season, (and we’ve only had one in the JB era that didn’t end that way), will always hurt. There’s no anesthetic for it.

- THAT team beat Michigan State?


- We have seen the last team in this tournament who can’t hurt us inside.


- I’m glad we had the big second half because we blew many opportunities to give us a huge lead in the first half, the worst coming when we got an intentional foul call and Tyler Lydon missed both free throws, (part of an 0 for 6 start at the line after going 20 for 23 in the least game). Then a lay-up and then the rebound when we inbounded the ball. Then Tyler got fouled on a three point attempt and missed the first two of those free throws. (He seemed to make all of his mistakes for the game in a couple of minutes). We’d had a 24-12 lead but the Blue Raiders went on a 7-21 run to take a lead early in the second half that threatened to ruin our evening.


- Malachi Richardson, after starring in the Dayton game, came up empty in this one. He was 1 for 7 and scored 4 points after 21 against the Flyers. But there’s an upside to this downside: That game we’ve been waiting for when everyone plays well is yet to come.

 

[OttoMets]

Regarding house money, this feels a little like Alabama in 2004, which would have been followed by UConn, a good team and a bad intra-conference matchup, in the regional final.

This time it'd probably be UVa, which has been a brutal matchup for us. Still, it's best to get the chance to win that game by winning the first one.

 

[cuseinseattle]

To me the house money thing involves when we reach a place that is beyond my expectations independent of who we beat. A month ago if you had told me you will make the sweet 16 and lose I would have thought I'll take it will be a great experience for Lydon, Richardson and Roberson to build on for next year. So in my mind we are playing with house money versus Gonzaga.

 

[Sgt Cuse]

- we certainly won’t be thinking about house money any more. Really, no game is house money because if you win them, your expectations, or at least your hopes rise. .

I disagree. If we beat Gonzaga and face VA, that is a house money game, just like people were calling the MSU game a house money game.

Against VA we would not be expected to win, and if we lost it would be significantly easier to accept than most losses. We would have made the elite eight and sent an ACC team to the final four. The pain of that loss wouldn't linger as long.

And to say no game is a house money game is just not understanding what the term means. Yes, you still are hoping you win, it just doesn't hurt the same if you lose. Just like if you are ahead at the casino and are playing with what you consider their money. You still want to win, you are just not as concerned about it.

 

[SWC75]

I disagree. If we beat Gonzaga and face VA, that is a house money game, just like people were calling the MSU game a house money game.

Against VA we would not be expected to win, and if we lost it would be significantly easier to accept than most losses. We would have made the elite eight and sent an ACC team to the final four. The pain of that loss wouldn't linger as long.

And to say no game is a house money game is just not understanding what the term means. Yes, you still are hoping you win, it just doesn't hurt the same if you lose. Just like if you are ahead at the casino and are playing with what you consider their money. You still want to win, you are just not as concerned about it.

If we play Virginia it will be for a trip to the final four and a loss will hurt like the dickens, especially to that team.