To me it doesn't matter if we win 13,14,15,16 games and make the NIT or not. it will be enjoyable to have a team that is competitive on the floor and not have the string of totally embarrasing losses that we've experienced in recent history.
Sagarin and wrap up of Nonconference slate
- Thread starter RUBigFrank
- Start date
Scary. That reads like an NCAA Tournament resume some years, especially had they managed one more conference win.
Ohio State was 11-7 in league last year and did not make the NCAA...sos was weak and they didnt have quality wins so they settled for the NIT
I don't like looking so far ahead. I am concerned about Stony Brook. I know their home court seats 4,000 but they will be having 4,800 tickets available for Saturday. They just beat a decent Lehigh team and the place should be wild on Saturday. We need to just get this one and keep focusing on each game.
I know we can lose to almost anyone, still (Hartford showed that), but if we play reasonably well, we should win the 3 low/mid-majors and have a decent shot at SHU. I'd be disappointed, now, with anything less than 11-2 OOC (predicted 10-3). My original prediction was 5-6 B1G wins and I think I'll stick with that, although our ceiling is likely more like 7-8. If we went 11-2 OOC and won 7-8 in the B1G, we'd go to the NIT, I think, given how long it's been since we had a winning season.
Degaz, I hear you. It will not be easy in the conference and just temper expectations ! I have been to all the games and shooting is a concern but my opinion is that it has to get better. MIKE, Nigel and Corey and Issa can all shoot better and more in the 30 % range from 3. We are going to have to hit on average 6 threes to be right there with the other teams in the conference. But what I see from our defense, rebounding, hustle, and energy along with depth at Coach's disposal , has not been seen around these parts in a long time , and will keep us in those games.In those 9 games it has been consistent and I do not believe will disappear come conference time.. I am not saying we are an NIT team but I expect us competitive every night. We are all rooting for the same team but we all see things a little different. Let's hope they perform more like I am expecting than what you are expecting. But all is good, I like the banter and so much more interesting than the last number of years on this board
Listen I agree that it is highly unlikely we are going to the NIT this year but we will be competitive in the conference games.
Your example of the Miami game and the analogy you try to draw is not even close. We were in the game the entire first half and were down 3 when they hit a layup and foul near the buzzer to go down 6. If it wasn't for Deshawn missing at least 3 uncontested layups early that is a lead we likely have at the half. They went on a run and we went into a drought and woke up too late. What is mind boggling is that we refused to shoot from outside and were so tentative not confident. Until Mike hit a 3 with 6 minutes to go in the game , we had not hit a shot from the field outside 5 feet. That is not indicative of what will occur in conference since it is almost impossible to duplicate that feat . When we started shooting, Mike hit 3 threes in 2 + minutes. If that game was 5 minutes longer we might have caught up.
Regarding the Hartford game, that game should give you more hope not less. The other team was hitting everything in sight , 65% from 3 , but we didn't give up and scraped our way to a win. That game will pay dividends down the road .
By the way , Penn State lost by 19 at home to George Mason tonight. Seems like the conference foes are losing games to teams they and the experts think they should beat.
Congrats on a great start to the year! I've been saying for weeks now that there's no chance Rutgers is the worst team in the Big Ten. Too well coached and a clear go-to guy in Sanders.
Hope the fan support catches on, I know you guys could use it. Looking forward to making the trip when the Terps are in town later this year.
Hope the fan support catches on, I know you guys could use it. Looking forward to making the trip when the Terps are in town later this year.
Good luck to the Terps in all games except against us.. The newcomers need to make their presence felt in the Big. Your Terps clearly have and hopefully the Scarlet Knights can slowly make an impact and once recruiting picks up, I am really looking forward to the battles down the road. I think both games this year will be very competitive . Good luck Shimmy! You have always been classy and appreciate your posts.
I saw SHU play last night against Cal ( SHU won) and they looked very good . Length, athleticism, tough on defense and some decent players, especially Delgado who will give us problems. Big physical player with some decent moves around the basket.
Wow, I love the optimism. I'm not there yet and don't see a 17-win season. I'd be happy with 13-15 wins and long as we continue to progress and Pickell can recruit. As everyone knows, there schedule is going to get much tougher.
They also have guys that can absolutely fill it up on the offensive end (Carrington and Powell). That's what scares me about that game -- SHU has the ability to blitzkrieg us with 3-pointers, and we're just not going to be able to keep pace.
Coach Pikiell, mentor Jim Calhoun, and assistant Karl Hobbs have to be amused to see Sagarin ratings with (#105) Rutgers higher-rated than (#108) UConn as of today.
It has been a nice surprise to be competitive and show more than a mere semblance of actual offensive and defensive schemes. But I must say, if we were to make the NIT I would be thrilled. It wold be a stepping stone toward believing in ourselves, recruiting, and creating a culture of winning.
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