Must Win Game

[akgopher]

We need this game if we are going to be among the 64 in March. Iowa is huge and should set the tone for our conference road mentality. I think we might need to go 10-6 the rest of the way to get in. We might need to win five of six road games at Iowa, Northwestern, Indiana, Ohio State, Penn State, and Illinois to get to 22-7 and 11-7 in conference. Maybe 10-8 the rest of the way for 21-8 gets us in just past the bubble.

 

[station19]

We might need to win five of six road games">>>>>>

No way. Four at the most.

 

[akgopher]

Five of those six could likely puts us at 5-4 on the road. Do they let us in with a 4-5 record?

 

[SelectionSunday]

4-5 Big 10 road record would be solid

Among bubble teams, typically a 4-5 conference road record in a major conference would be pretty decent. 3-6 would be serviceable (as long as you protect your home court, say 7-2) but dicey. The bubble teams that find themselves in the most trouble every Selection Sunday are the ones who only have 2 or 3 road/neutral wins. The committee likes teams that play away from home during the nonconference (the Gophers didn't, only 2 of 12 away from The Barn), especially ones that win on the road.

The Gophers are off to a good start in that regard, unbeaten at 3-0. No complaints here, so far. The biggies would be if the Gophers can somehow beat Michigan State or Wisconsin on the road. In affect, those'd almost count double because of the quality of the program, team & arena.

 

[watertown 1987 guy n]

If we play like we did last night at Northwestern, Michigan, and Penn State, they will spank us. Hopefully it was just jitters and they can move past it - quickly! Iowa will finish either 10th or 11th in the big ten this year, as I said before it was a must win for them if they are to have any chance at getting into the 64 (unless they win the bigten torunament).

 

[SelectionSunday]

That's why we love sports

Each game is its own entity. Yes, if the Gophers play like that again on the road, they probably have no chance to win, save for Indiana (if "Lipscomb" Indiana shows up). There's also the possibility that the Gophers could play the game of their lives in Madison, East Lansing or Champaign-Urbana and still lose. Take road wins any way you get 'em and walk away smilin', that's for sure.

 

[Friend Of Tubby]

Among bubble teams, typically a 4-5 conference road record in a major conference would be pretty decent. 3-6 would be serviceable (as long as you protect your home court, say 7-2) but dicey. The bubble teams that find themselves in the most trouble every Selection Sunday are the ones who only have 2 or 3 road/neutral wins. The committee likes teams that play away from home during the nonconference (the Gophers didn't, only 2 of 12 away from The Barn), especially ones that win on the road.

The Gophers are off to a good start in that regard, unbeaten at 3-0. No complaints here, so far. The biggies would be if the Gophers can somehow beat Michigan State or Wisconsin on the road. In affect, those'd almost count double because of the quality of the program, team & arena.

4-5 OTR and 7-2 ITB would be 11-7 (with 12-0 OOC) and 23-7 headed into B10T play.

I still think 22-8 but...

 

[Big Play]

I think 21-9 on the bubble.

 

[TheHofferette]

you are allowed road losses, even as a bubble team. I think if you for the most part hold serve at home, have a big win or 2 against the best teams in your conference, and win a few on the road you are good to go in March, so long as your non-conf schedule wasn't total butt and you managed to beat the one or 2 decent teams you played. thank God for L'ville...we are so far doing the things we need to do to get in...a win against PSU will help. if we drop it on Sunday, we have to make up for it elsewhere (like stealing it back from them on the road or making sure we don't drop another "middle" team at home)

 

[HLGopher]

I think they are all MUST-WIN games. There's no reason to go into a game thinking it's OK to lose unless you're playing the Globetrotters.

 

[The Big L]

I think they are all MUST-WIN games. There's no reason to go into a game thinking it's OK to lose unless you're playing the Globetrotters.

But there is no reason to think that if we lose, the season is over. I think it's a bit early to be talking about must win games, although it is a pretty big game.