Can this team run the table?

#104
#104
GoZags said:
Zags sure don’t get a “free pass” to the Round of 32 each of the last 10 years, do they? And they sure don’t get a “free pass” to the Sweet 16 (including 2 Elite 8’s, a Final Four and a National Title game) each of the last 4 years, do they?

Other than that, good point.
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Correct, I don't consider the 32 and Sweet 16 free passes for any program. I was referring to conference schedules. When all is said and done, you all and Tennessee and Duke and Virginia and a handful of other teams will make this year's tournament one of the best ever. In the end, in addition to skill, luck and injuries will play a factor, so it's all there for the taking for that team that can capitalize.
 
#105
#105
PulaskiVolFan said:
Why do folks believe that we are going to lose to LSU? Are they the better team? I just don't understand fans picking us to lose 3 more games when we'll be the favored team in every game but Ky the rest of the way. This bunch has shown that they do not lose to less talented teams.
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Vols will be a dog at LSU. 2 points.
 
#107
#107
BruinVol said:
Boy I know it's tough but have to be 5-2 to feel like this team Yep Really ready for the tourney imo
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5-2 would definitely give a better feeling, but I’m also “assuming” we win our next 4 games...if we are at 23-1 (11-0) 4-3 puts us 27-4(15-3) which is likely good enough for the 1 seed in SECT or at worst a 2 seed and would get us a 1 or 2 seed in NCAAT, hard to not be satisfied with that.

At UK is going to be really rough, at LSU is the same (they’re playing like a Top 10 team), then home against UK and MSU neither of which will be easy, and then at Auburn (don’t know what you’re going to get with them but they’re tough at home).
 
#108
#108
Run the table in the regular season? Through the SEC tournament? Through the NCAA's?

All are low percentage bets. Not many undefeated teams in modern history with a 18 game SEC schedule, particularly one where you play UK, Florida and South Carolina twice.

It's more likely that the Vols will run the table at home. All other bets are off.
 
#112
#112
PulaskiVolFan said:
Why do folks believe that we are going to lose to LSU? Are they the better team? I just don't understand fans picking us to lose 3 more games when we'll be the favored team in every game but Ky the rest of the way. This bunch has shown that they do not lose to less talented teams.
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I think the close calls to Nasty V and Avery's bunch have many fans not sold on the good guys making a clean finish. My biggest fear is catching a team with a hot 3 pt shooter. It almost got us twice. Combine that with an off night by us shooting and it COULD happen. We are good enough to win out but will be very tough. I predict a split with Ky and 1/2 from Bru ce's bombers and the school Eli played for. GO US!
 
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#115
#115
PulaskiVolFan said:
Everything you just explained is why the #1 overall seed will be so important, especially considering if we got the Louisville region as the overall #1 then Ky, Duke and Va would likely have to travel west or opposite of us. We'd be heavy favorites to make the final 4 if that happens.
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Duke has a horrible history going out West for regionals . I mean they got smoked in the Sweet 16 with a team that had Kyrie, Nolan Smith and Singler. That was a great team, but just fell apart in Anaheim. Hell, one of the first Final Fours i remember was Duke vs Seton Hall in Seattle. Duke got up big and then got blown out.

A lot of people on here will say it doesn’t matter when and where and who, but it does. Anybody can beat anyone as UMBC showed UVA last year, but I don’t think the Vols and Duke would be advantageous for either one.
 
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#116
#116
Our schedule is back loaded and we all know we our cursed history in the SEC tournament so thats agzinst us as well. Especially if we meet Kentucky its almost like Rupp Arena south for that event.
 
#117
#117
bleedingTNorange said:
I don’t think Gonzaga gets a 1 unless everyone in front of them implodes
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It's not about "everyone" it's about Michigan and Michigan State both being unable to make the case for a #1 seed.

Gonzaga doesn't need everyone else to implode, they just need those ~5/6/7 teams to falter a bit in order to to make a reasonable case that there are only 3 teams with better resumes, which are likely to be Duke, Tenn, and VA.
 
#118
#118
Very low chance of this happening.

However, they are clearly the best team in the SEC and if they execute at a high level each night they play, they certainly could.
 
#119
#119
Matt2496 said:
Very low chance of this happening.

However, they are clearly the best team in the SEC and if they execute at a high level each night they play, they certainly could.
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We are not clearly the best team in the SEC. We have had the best season of any SEC team so far. The jury is still out on that.
 
#120
#120
2014-2015 Kentucky showed a really good team can run the table. It's rare. It takes luck. It takes players who don't get caught up in the big picture and focus on each game. But again, it simply takes luck. UT could easily run the table the rest of the season. They could just as easily get upset multiple times and lose in the first or second round. That's just basketball. But the experience factor with the players and even Barnes should help. I'd be shocked if UT lost 3 more games all year.
 
#121
#121
ColinS said:
We are not clearly the best team in the SEC. We have had the best season of any SEC team so far. The jury is still out on that.
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Is it the word “clearly” or the words “best team” that cause you problems? For me, using the eye test, this team is the best in the SEC. Given the chance to swap, trading this Vol Team for any team in the SEC, be it Kentucky or LSU, would be foolish.
 
#122
#122
TAD said:
NO they wont .. they have road games at LSU, KY and Auburn ... and a home game with KY ... so very unlikely they win all those ... I was just thinking ..Im enjoying this year tremendously but next year where does the inside presence come from ?? WE WILL HAVE NO INSIDE GAME !!! if Grant W goes PRO ..... Schofield will be gone thats about 40 to 50 percent of your scoring .... Bone is a great PG but not a great scorer .. and teams will guard the post without help and thus the guards will have more pressure .. just thinking ahead ..I would have thought we would have recruited better for the post than we have ... the last 2 bigs that were recruited have red shirted and we have no idea what they got ... and Pons looks to be lost on the offensive end .... Fulkerson is not a offensive threat .. and neither is Walker .. but we dont know about Burns yet or Kent
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DJ Burns was going to be a top 100 player and many think he would have been in top 50 had he stayed in HS. He’s been on campus practicing and working out with these guys. Also looks like he has grown. Appears to be a legit 6’9, 6’10” who will be around 260 once they get the baby fat off.
Walker has some offensive potential. Kent?? Who knows.
 
#123
#123
Sometimes I wonder if some of the posters on this board have watch a basketball game Tennessee wasn’t playing in.

Gonzaga is very good. They are better now than when we beat them or when they lost to UNC. They have a very easy conference schedule.

Kentucky is very good. They are still getting better. They will get help in Rupp, and we likely lose that game. They have a very legitimate shot at another SEC title. We really need them to lose at least one more besides to us.

LSU is playing great basketball. They have an easier close to the season than we do. It actually looks like they have the best chance to “run the table” though I still don’t think they do. I also see these guys as a huge threat for the SEC title.

Bama is playing great ball...they will end up a top 25 team and likely be an SECT spoiler for somebody. They will probably get somebody in the dance too. Probably the 4th best team in the SEC.

Tennessee is playing exceptional ball. Even in the close games, they find a way to close, and you watch them adjust on defense to what other teams are doing. They are a championship capable team.

There are 3 good teams in the SEC, all three of which should be in the top 15....Vols, Cats, LSU. The others didn’t start as hot as we did, but look at their January games....all 3 teams are hot. I do think Tennessee is the class of the field, but it’s close.

It is extremely likely we lose 2 more games. Almost certain. Even if we lose 3, we still have a legit shot at the regular season. If we only lose 2....it’s probably a lock. Lose less than 2...this is the best Tennessee team and season in history, regardless of what happens in the dance.

I love watching this team. I hate that we will break up this group next year. Even if we have some great seasons the next few years, I will miss watching these guys play, win, laugh and push each other. It’s an extremely special group.
 
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#124
#124
Everybody scared that this team is going to lose their focus is delusional. Y’all do know we lost in the 2nd round to Loyola and returned that entire team? This team came into the season with a mission and they aren’t going to lose that focus just because they are number 1 in the country. I have never understood this idea that we should want them to lose a game so they can have a regained focus. If they’re already focused and have kept that focus throughout the season then there’s nothing to worry about. I personally thought before the season that we would lose at Kentucky and at Auburn just because those are tough teams on the road. Good teams at home always play well and they could get 3 crazy for all we know. But I’ll say this, we won’t lose those games because of lost focus. We will lose those games because those teams are probably going to play out of their minds. This team is determined to make up for how the season ended last year and I fully expect them to push all the hype into the background and make a deep run.
 
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#125
#125
PulaskiVolFan said:
LSU is about to lose 2 or 3 games the next couple of weeks I feel. We'll be favored to win at LSU. We might be underdogs at Ky and Auburn but would not surprise me to be favored every game from here on out.
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Well you predicted correctly; with arkie taking down lsu. But; Tenn will be a slight dog at UK and at Au. You saw what burn did to bammer last night. They are tough at home. This UT team IS really something though; but squandering a lead like at A&M won't work at UK & AU. Road wins in CBB are so difficult; home court is worth 10 points; plus everyone wants to be the team to knock off #1. All that said; These are amazing times for Vol Fans. Better than ever; even Ernie/Bernie. Bernie was such a head case; and cost Ray Mears his sanity.
 
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