Would S16 feel….

#7
#7
Dougie_D said:
Underachieved , overachieved or right on par?
Click to expand...
I personally think second weekend is the target with this team.

I don't know how to explain it but we are about to go 7-1 since we dropped the game at home vs Kentucky. I am not sure that had we won that game, we would have gone on to win 3 games on the road against Bama, Georgia, and Mississippi State. Those Kentucky losses were gut punches and I think they did more to help our team than it did to hurt our team. We should easily be a 2 loss SEC team tied with Florida, but I'm not sure that we would be considered as good as Florida.

This team is tough and I think they are just ham and egging it to get thru the season. If we wind up finishing a 3 or 4 seed in the SEC given the December we had, I think we would be peaking right at the right time going into the tourney.

Vanderbilt has somewhat fell off a good bit given their start. I think the only trap game left for us would be the 24th at Mizzou. But if we finish, 23-8 at worst and top 4 finish in the league, I think the expectation should be second weekend.

We can all talk about the schedule, but if were to finish 12-2 after that Kentucky loss in Knoxville, I would be very confident going into March Madness.


One thing I have noticed since the loss at home to Kentucky, JG, Ament, Player 3 getting a combined 60+ points leads to us winning. Some games it has been Boswell, others it has been Estrella.
 
  • Like
Reactions: QCD61, CobbWebb71, esarmstrong and 2 others
#9
#9
JRVOL11 said:
this team should only have 3 losses honestly. Illinois, Arkansas, Florida. put together a full game with Ament & JG on we absolutely should be able to make sweet 16
Click to expand...
That's the beauty of Ament being 5 star and JG being seasoned vet. They are talented and experienced enough to get on a scoring streak. Hopefully they get in that groove to finish the regular season and at the conference tourney
 
#11
#11
Anything is possible once you get into the NCAAT, but the S16 feels about right for this bunch. The inconsistencies, turnovers, FT woes, and lack of shooters isn't likely to carry them thru any further, but who knows what of breaks you catch.

My fear is that our ceiling is capped at a 4 seed, meaning we likely play a 13, 5, and 1 barring any upsets along the way to help us. It's why getting to that 3 line is so important, though seemingly unlikely unless we close 6-0. There's a path at 5-1, but the margin gets razor-thin, IMO, based on the teams ahead of us for those spots.

I've mentioned it before, but heard it recently gaining some traction elsewhere. This team reminds me of Cuonzo's last team. This team is better and will likely finish with a better record barring a total collapse, but the similarities are there. That 2013-14 team had 3 guys who all got a taste of the NBA. They rebounded the ball well but lacked shooters. That team got hot and played their best basketball at the right, though, and came a whisker away from the E8. I think if Gillespie, Ament, and JP all get going at the same time and show some consistency, this team is capable of a similar run.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TheMookieMonster, BrianVol94, walkenvol and 6 others
#12
#12
Sweet 16 with a shot at the Elite 8 is where I would put this group if they get to the tournament healthy. The free throw shooting and ability of the bigs to finish will be the things that determine how far we go, because you know the defense and rebounding will be there and Ament is getting better and better.
 
  • Like
Reactions: VolCalls and will-you-shut-up-man
#13
#13
Dougie_D said:
Underachieved , overachieved or right on par?
Click to expand...
I'm leaning more towards overachieved. It really depends on our seed line and who we match up against in the Round of 32.

I think that our Round of 32 opponent could give us problems, particularly if we and our opponent are a 4 or 5 seed.

Teams like Alabama, Arkansas, Michigan State, Virginia and Texas Tech are projected on the 4 or 5 seed line, which are all tough matchups.
 
  • Like
Reactions: OrangeBeachVol
#15
#15
Anything less than a S16 is an underachievement for this program, IMO. Barring a bunch of injuries. The S16 should be the floor for this program. If Rick Barnes is the true HOF that everyone believes him to be, we should expect nothing less than a S16.
 
  • Like
Reactions: orangemadam
#17
#17
orangemadam said:
Ament makes them S16 probable.
If JP and JG are consistent, E8 is in play.

Trying to stay positive and predict E8 with SEC record 13-5
Click to expand...
The only thing "probable" in the NCAA Tournament is the improbable. Yes, we could make the Sweet 16, but we could also lose in the first round or crash the Final Four.
 
  • Like
Reactions: will-you-shut-up-man, walkenvol and DMcVol
#20
#20
get in as a 4 seed, go to the sweet 16 and lose in respectable fashion to Michigan or Arizona - I think that's the most likely scenario here, and honestly, I'll take it.
 
#22
#22
This team is damn near impossible to predict, IMO. Way more so than any other UT team in recent memory. If we stay healthy & get consistent games from Gillespie, Ament & Estrella, this team could go to the Final 4. But, they’re just as likely to have a terrible showing in the 1st round & get bounced by a 12 seed.

We shall see, we seem to be putting it all together(for the most part) at the right time.
 
#23
#23
VolCalls said:
The only thing "probable" in the NCAA Tournament is the improbable. Yes, we could make the Sweet 16, but we could also lose in the first round or crash the Final Four.
Click to expand...

That is the definition of probable. It means, you have different outcomes, but PROBABLY they will make the S16. You are confusing the
issue by throwing in possibilities. It is possible that the plane could blow up, but it is NOT PROBABLE. It PROBABLY won't.
 
New Posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

Advertisement



Back
Top