We're just a couple players away from being an NCAA tournament team.
This post was edited on 3/13 1:53 PM by TrailerParkBoy
This post was edited on 3/13 1:53 PM by TrailerParkBoy
This team in all reality should be 24-8 right now.
- Thread starter TheRoosterGuru
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I'm not sure what reality you're referring to. The team is getting better, but is still several (maybe many) years away from being the 2nd or 3rd best team in the league.
Simple....there are at least 6 lost games that we really should (could) have won....didn't finish or maybe ball just didn't bounce our way...we don't have to be 2nd or 3rd in league to make NCAA. We'll be a different team next year and that's in a much better way.
We are one athletic big that is a rack protector, and one scorer away from challenging for the SEC. Our defense is already there.
Record right now: 17-15
-Couldn't hold a 15 point lead at Vandy: 18-14
-Couldn't hold an 11 point lead at home vs. Ark: 19-13
-Couldn't hold a 5 point lead at LSU (2:30 minutes to go in the game): 20-12
-Couldn't hold a 5 point lead at Auburn (3 minutes to go): 21-11
These games are just off the top of my head didn't really delve into any other research; hypothetically we could very well be 21-11 right now. 24-8? Don't know about that; but we aren't that far off--hopefully we have learned from those crushing defeats earlier in the year. We are losing 1 guy next year (Johnson) and will again upgrade the roster. If we play the way we're capable of next year; we could be one of the 4 top seeds in next year's SEC Tourney (and an NCAA Tourney Team)
-Couldn't hold a 15 point lead at Vandy: 18-14
-Couldn't hold an 11 point lead at home vs. Ark: 19-13
-Couldn't hold a 5 point lead at LSU (2:30 minutes to go in the game): 20-12
-Couldn't hold a 5 point lead at Auburn (3 minutes to go): 21-11
These games are just off the top of my head didn't really delve into any other research; hypothetically we could very well be 21-11 right now. 24-8? Don't know about that; but we aren't that far off--hopefully we have learned from those crushing defeats earlier in the year. We are losing 1 guy next year (Johnson) and will again upgrade the roster. If we play the way we're capable of next year; we could be one of the 4 top seeds in next year's SEC Tourney (and an NCAA Tourney Team)
I don't care one lick about basketball, but these are not big enough leads to mention in an argument like this. Five points is nothing with that kind of time left.
Charlotte, UF, Aub would love to have back, also Bay, 1st UT,
and 2nd Ark could all have been wins.....................but they weren't
and 2nd Ark could all have been wins.....................but they weren't
Look back early in the season at Baylor, Charlotte, and Akron. Those could have easily went our way. There is the other 3 that TPB was talking about. He has a good point. Just a little good fortune and this season could have been different, Besides, our best player(Sin) has been a shell of himself this year. I expect big things next year from this team.
Why stop at 24-8? USC should (could) be 32-0!
I get the excitement after a couple of tourney wins, but getting hot for a couple of days in a tourney isn't nearly the indicator of where a team is as the regular season. The team is getting better under Frank, but there's a reason USC ended up 11th out of 14 teams. They should be better next year, but you'll just end up putting unrealistic expectations on a building team if you think this year's team should be a 24-game winner at this point in the season. USC is a legit 17-win team right now. No more, no less.
I get the excitement after a couple of tourney wins, but getting hot for a couple of days in a tourney isn't nearly the indicator of where a team is as the regular season. The team is getting better under Frank, but there's a reason USC ended up 11th out of 14 teams. They should be better next year, but you'll just end up putting unrealistic expectations on a building team if you think this year's team should be a 24-game winner at this point in the season. USC is a legit 17-win team right now. No more, no less.
Close Wins (10 points or less)
vs. Iowa State
Alabama
Missouri
@ UGA
vs. Mizzou
vs. Ole Miss
Close Losses (10 points or less)
Baylor
Charlotte
Akron
Florida
@ Auburn
Tennessee
@ LSU
Texas A&M
@ Alabama
Arkansas
I'll say we definitely should've beaten Akron and Charlotte. Akron was decent, but Charlotte ended up being terrible.
As for SEC games, we could've won a lot more, but I think it's fair to say we should've probably won maybe 2 more than we did. I don't like to say "Well we could've won so many more" because that argument cuts the other way as well, we could've easily lost some close games.
So I think this team should have been about a 20 win team, not an NCAA Tourney team, but a team comfortably in line for a bid in the NIT.
vs. Iowa State
Alabama
Missouri
@ UGA
vs. Mizzou
vs. Ole Miss
Close Losses (10 points or less)
Baylor
Charlotte
Akron
Florida
@ Auburn
Tennessee
@ LSU
Texas A&M
@ Alabama
Arkansas
I'll say we definitely should've beaten Akron and Charlotte. Akron was decent, but Charlotte ended up being terrible.
As for SEC games, we could've won a lot more, but I think it's fair to say we should've probably won maybe 2 more than we did. I don't like to say "Well we could've won so many more" because that argument cuts the other way as well, we could've easily lost some close games.
So I think this team should have been about a 20 win team, not an NCAA Tourney team, but a team comfortably in line for a bid in the NIT.
No. You can apply the what if game to any program. We lack talent at a couple positions and overall quality depth. Frank needs to continue on the recruiting trail and build. We will see improvement next season, possibly a berth in the NCAAs if things go really well. However, we will not be a threat to be a true competitor for another season or two. Imo.
We had sizable leads late against Vandy, Auburn, and Arky at home. We should have won those games and we definitely should have beat Charlotte. I know it's the old "woulda coulda shoulda," but the reality is that we really should be 21-11. I'm not sure what happened after that Iowa State game, but our team went flat. Fortunately they seem to have it back here at the end. I really think we can go NCAA next year and I don't think it is asking too much.
USC could have won those Vandy, Auburn and Arky games - if they were a better team. They weren't and USC lost. The reality is that USC is a 17-game winner right now. That's it.
They're on a nice roll right now (beating 3 of the 5 worst teams in the SEC and one bubble team), and hopefully they win tonight so an NIT berth is likely. But it's starting to look like the only "reality" is that a lot of USC fans don't know what the word "reality" means.
I agree with what others are saying. You are as good as your record. I would imagine most teams could say they should have won this game or they should have won that game. But final score is all that matters. Plus sounds like something Dabo would say. We were 2 plays from Nat'l Championship. No you werent Dabo.
When did Dabo say Clemson was 2 plays away from a NC? I have to call you out on this one. Or did you lie?
Dabo's flat out lied so many times it's hard to keep count.
This post was edited on 3/13 5:35 PM by Bleedgandb3334
This post was edited on 3/13 5:35 PM by Bleedgandb3334
That was my point. We're really only a few players away from what could have made the what ifs wins. Those players are coming in next season.
I said it before the tournament....we are the team nobody else wants to play in the tournament. We won some close games, but lost (more like gave away) something like 7 games by 6 points or less. Those were all winnable games. So, I think we are a lot better than our record shows, especially now. We also have nothing to lose, and that makes us a dangerous team.
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