pnkranger
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2008
- Messages
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...Yesterday's win was a nice statement about the improvement we've made, especially defensively. Here's the status report:
Here's what's exciting to me: we have shown that we can defend at a very high level. Combine that with the fact that NONE of our returning players are playing at or near the level they played at last year offensively yet. Our ceiling is a long way from where we are, but we are still winning games. We have a series of games coming up at home, where we can begin to gel...
One other thing that sticks out to me: this team has great poise, even when things aren't going right. We've got experience, we've got depth, and this season's schedule has the team playing with an understanding of how to win games.
This sunshine pumping is not to say that we'll win 30 games and make it to the Elite Eight. I'm a realist...But I am saying that we are getting better with a lot of room to grow. And our next 6 games gives us a chance to enter the meat of our schedule at 12-3 with 3 wins over conference opponents.
This reminds me of a lot of Kelvin's seasons, where we constantly harped on the offense, but the team ended up winning 20 games and getting an NCAA bid.
All this to say: I like our team...
- 7-2 overall, 5-2 road + Neutral. We are probably the only major conference team in the country to play 7 of its first 9 games away from home.
- We are ranked 17 in the RPI with a 24 SOS
- We have done all this only shooting 42% from the field, with only two players averaging double figures. Romero is tops at 13 ppg.
- 10 players are averaging 10+ minutes/game and no one is playing more than 25 mpg.
- 7 players are averaging more than 6 points/game.
- Our opponents have a combined record of 38-29.
- Our next two opponents are RPI top 100 teams. Neither are world-beaters, but both have played well so far.
- 5 of our next 6 games are at Lloyd Noble, with the road game coming at West Virginia, who we have already beaten.
Here's what's exciting to me: we have shown that we can defend at a very high level. Combine that with the fact that NONE of our returning players are playing at or near the level they played at last year offensively yet. Our ceiling is a long way from where we are, but we are still winning games. We have a series of games coming up at home, where we can begin to gel...
One other thing that sticks out to me: this team has great poise, even when things aren't going right. We've got experience, we've got depth, and this season's schedule has the team playing with an understanding of how to win games.
This sunshine pumping is not to say that we'll win 30 games and make it to the Elite Eight. I'm a realist...But I am saying that we are getting better with a lot of room to grow. And our next 6 games gives us a chance to enter the meat of our schedule at 12-3 with 3 wins over conference opponents.
This reminds me of a lot of Kelvin's seasons, where we constantly harped on the offense, but the team ended up winning 20 games and getting an NCAA bid.
All this to say: I like our team...