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[quote="Ray Morgan" post=316488][quote="Mike Zaun" post=316471]20-10 (8-10) is what I expect at this point. Not good enough for tourney. I would be hopeful for the BET, but this team just cannot get any consistency and we have a long history of bowing out early in the BET. Really got fooled again and thought this year would be different. I'm going to have to start treating SJ like the Mets. Don't ever buy the hype, just assume the worst and hope for best. This way it's not as disappointing. This is not the ACC, these are beatable teams we consistently lose to. Down year for conference and we still can't break through even with this roster speaks volumes.[/quote]
There were plenty of warning signs for those who don't wear rose colored glasses, even before the season started. No size was number one, although the lack of bench strength was a little unexpected. Then there were last minute victories against so-so VCU and Georgia Tech, and closer than expected wins against mid majors. All at home or on neutral courts. We all hoped that the close games were us playing down to our competition. As for a down year, perhaps at the top, yes. Only 2 ranked teams at the moment., and no one near the top 10. But Depaul is surprisingly good, and the teams at the bottom, including us at the moment, all have talented rosters that can beat you on any given night. Forget the hype machine. Look at the roster, see the lack of size and depth, and not making the dance could never be unimaginable. I still believe that it's more likely we go on a big losing streak than a nice win streak. That's what happens to teams with exploitable deficiencies. Season not over, but margin for error gone, and back up plan for Big East tournament run looking unlikely.[/quote]
Bowling Green, Cal, GaTech and VCU were all red flags but the first red flag may have been the scrimmage loss to Rhode Island.
Not playing the freshmen early also gave hints that any injury would have a big impact. Trimble has been a non factor and the fact he is being used as a 6th man just validates the lack of bench talent. The comparison between the Butler bench and ours shows how this staff has had a very hard time constructing a complete competitive roster in comparison to the rest of the conference. We have Wright and Caraher along with Steere, and a bunch of other untested players to support Figueroa next season. Without any major impact addition like Precious the team's star power will be greatly reduced when Ponds leaves. How the 5 -out positionless game will be beneficial with that roster remains to be seen.
All the players mentioned above will need to be coached up. There would have to be a major coaching addition to the staff for that to happen.
There were plenty of warning signs for those who don't wear rose colored glasses, even before the season started. No size was number one, although the lack of bench strength was a little unexpected. Then there were last minute victories against so-so VCU and Georgia Tech, and closer than expected wins against mid majors. All at home or on neutral courts. We all hoped that the close games were us playing down to our competition. As for a down year, perhaps at the top, yes. Only 2 ranked teams at the moment., and no one near the top 10. But Depaul is surprisingly good, and the teams at the bottom, including us at the moment, all have talented rosters that can beat you on any given night. Forget the hype machine. Look at the roster, see the lack of size and depth, and not making the dance could never be unimaginable. I still believe that it's more likely we go on a big losing streak than a nice win streak. That's what happens to teams with exploitable deficiencies. Season not over, but margin for error gone, and back up plan for Big East tournament run looking unlikely.[/quote]
Bowling Green, Cal, GaTech and VCU were all red flags but the first red flag may have been the scrimmage loss to Rhode Island.
Not playing the freshmen early also gave hints that any injury would have a big impact. Trimble has been a non factor and the fact he is being used as a 6th man just validates the lack of bench talent. The comparison between the Butler bench and ours shows how this staff has had a very hard time constructing a complete competitive roster in comparison to the rest of the conference. We have Wright and Caraher along with Steere, and a bunch of other untested players to support Figueroa next season. Without any major impact addition like Precious the team's star power will be greatly reduced when Ponds leaves. How the 5 -out positionless game will be beneficial with that roster remains to be seen.
All the players mentioned above will need to be coached up. There would have to be a major coaching addition to the staff for that to happen.
