2/11/2021 basketball Edit

Blowin' Smoke Presented by Weston Tobacco

Gabe DeArmond & Mitchell Forde

Staff

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What's more fun than us giving you a chance to mock us every single week? In our new feature, Blowin' Smoke presented by Weston Tobacco, we will do that each and every Thursday. Gabe DeArmond and Mitchell Forde will make five predictions almost sure to go wrong every week in this space. These will range from big games to big picture predictions with a bit of the comedic and absurd mixed in most weeks as well.

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1) What's your updated prediction for Missouri's NCAA Tournament seed?

Mitchell: I'm going to go with a 3. I've been saying for a little while I felt like they might slide back to a five or so but they're now through the toughest part of the schedule in a really good spot and, aside from Baylor and Gonzaga, there aren't a lot of teams out there just tearing it up.

Gabe: I agree with a three. I think the ceiling is a two and they could get there depending on what happens with some other teams, but I'd bet on a three as of today. I think a four might be more likely than a two.

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2) Give me your new top four in the SEC at the end of the regular season

Gabe: Alabama, Missouri, Tennessee in that order. I'm torn on the fourth team between Florida and LSU. After looking at the schedules for a combined six seconds, I'll go with LSU.

Mitchell: Alabama, Missouri, Tennessee, Florida. There's a group of six that are really vying for those four spots at this point, but I think Florida's schedule down the stretch is a bit easier than Arkansas' and I don't trust LSU at all because they play no defense.

3) How many SEC teams make the NCAA Tournament?

Mitchell: If the season ended right now, I think six would get in: Alabama, Missouri, Tennessee, Florida, LSU, Arkansas. I think the first four teams I mentioned there are almost certainly getting in, while LSU and Arkansas could still play their way out. I'd be pretty stunned if it's more than six. I suppose Ole Miss or Mississippi State could still play their way in, but they'd have to be pretty close to perfect down the stretch.

Gabe: I'm going to say conference tournament week is crazy and five get in. I'll go with Bama, Mizzou, Tennessee, Florida and LSU with the Razorbacks wondering why they didn't get in.

4) What's Mizzou's record over the final six games of the regular season?

Mitchell: I'll say 5-1. It's a pretty manageable stretch, with the two toughest opponents both coming to Columbia (Arkansas and Florida). I figure they're probably due to have one off day in there, and 4-2 wouldn't be a disaster by any means, but it shouldn't be worse than that.

Gabe: I think that's the right call. I think Missouri will lose once, probably most likely at Florida, but not more. The back third of the schedule is the lightest. Then, of course, there are two more games out there, but we don't even know if they'll be played at this point.

5) How many Super Bowls will Tom Brady have by the time he retires?

Gabe: Is infinity a number? Because after Sunday, I assume he'll just win them all. Common sense says seven. Everything Brady has done for two decades defies logic so I'll go with eight. He wins one more at some point.

Mitchell: I would very much like to say seven. That sort of felt like his last hurrah to me. But I have also learned my lesson about doubting Brady by now. I guess I'll say eight? I don't know, the answer might just be as many as he wants.