Without question, this year's team, like every Quin Snyder team before it, underachieved. Undisciplined street ball, wild three pointers, turnovers and disappearing players are the norm under Snyder. But like Mizzou's run to the Elite Eight a few years ago, this team has a chance to run the Big 12 tournament and get into the NCAA tournament and prove something. Mizzou proved yesterday that it has the talent to compete at a high level. Where has McKinney, Gardner and Conley been all season? Why has it taken Quin Snyder this long to figure out that Jason Horton doesn't have a grasp of what it means to be a point guard?

No matter, Mizzou's season begins Thursday. Harsh as it sounds, Snyder has too long of a track record of just this type of season to be patient and forgiving. Without a 4-0 run this weekend, this season gets a solid F. Make a 4 game run and win 2 or 3 in the tournament and it moves up to the D+/C- range and Quin has a straight faced argument that he should keep his job. The key is to shorten the bench and demand more out of his key players. McKinney, Gardner and Conley all have the talent to dominate a game, but not from the three point line.

Yesterday, Mizzou went 0-8 in the second half from three. We mercifully limited the three point attempts to 18 versus the usual 26+. Nearly half of the shot attempts in the second half were three pointers. Thus, we blew a huge lead in a very Quin-like fashion. However, we got to the line 34 times. Despite being thin down low, Snyder needs to realize we are not going to win jacking up 26+ threes per game. Ever. It's about breaking down the defense with guard play and creating high percentage shots and getting to the line.