Basketball Discussion: Why we will make the Tourney/why we won't...

[DeviousDawg]

Why we will make the Tourney:

Depth at guard. This team will have the ability to get hot enough to beat anyone in the country, including Kentucky. We have a bunch of long guards that can shoot and also help with rebounding. Our guards will carry this team, hopefully talent will be able to mask lack of experience, and fortunately that can happen in basketball.

Why we won't make the Tourney:

Im going with a combination of weak OOC scheduling and lack of depth down low. We really need Datcher to overachieve and I think the key to the season might be getting Ado cleared to play, and it looks like that decision will be delayed past our first game of the season. If we had Ware for one more year, I would be confident that this is at least a fringe Tourney team.

[Irondawg]

It's going to really depend on having no injuries down low and hoping when all guys go through freshmen moments it's against teams we can scrape by without our best efforts.

The OOC is going to make it a really tough climb though I think. Not many chances to get quality wins and lots of chances to have a bad loss on the resume.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

For us to make the tourney we're going to have to have no more than 2 OOC losses & go 12-4 or better in the SEC to have a legit shot.

[drummerdawg]

Idk if we'll make the Tourney or not but I love seeing quotes like this from our players..."With our freshmen, we have junior or senior mindsets," Wright said. "We look at the competition and say why can Kentucky play freshmen and win a lot? They are people just like we are. So we can do the same thing and that's the way we look at it. That is all of our mindsets."

Makes me feel like this is going to be a special season.

Link
http://247sports.com/Article/Bulldog-freshman-Eli-Wright-Inexperience-is-not-an-excuse-48668897

[SaintDawg]

Idk if we'll make the Tourney or not but I love seeing quotes like this from our players..."With our freshmen, we have junior or senior mindsets," Wright said. "We look at the competition and say why can Kentucky play freshmen and win a lot? They are people just like we are. So we can do the same thing and that's the way we look at it. That is all of our mindsets."

Makes me feel like this is going to be a special season.

Link
http://247sports.com/Article/Bulldog-freshman-Eli-Wright-Inexperience-is-not-an-excuse-48668897

Agreed. It's going to be great to finally be excited about basketball again. I hope that it's like it was back in the days of Shane Power, Lawrence Roberts, Michael Ignerski, etc. That was a fun team to watch.

[Bothrops]

This is a new era, and new blood for MSU basketball. The losing days are over.

[MarketingBully]

I think the chemistry of this team is what has me most excited. These guys like each other, want to improve, and want to be coached. Coach Howland probably hasn't had that kind of combination since his three straight final fours at UCLA. Now I'm not comparing this team to those teams but I could see us winning between 22-24 games pretty easily. Coach Howland also confirmed today what we knew all along last year which was the seniors were initially jealous of Newman which ruined our chemistry last year and set the tone for the season. Glad that we have a fresh start with talented focused players who want to be coached and want to improve! I'm ready for this basketball season to start!

[smootness]

For us to make the tourney we're going to have to have no more than 2 OOC losses & go 12-4 or better in the SEC to have a legit shot.

Yeah, we basically have to treat ourselves like a mid-major. Because our entire schedule is probably going to end up looking a lot like a mid-major's.

[SheltonChoked]

I love that Howland took the overseas trip this year. The extra practice time and the team building from being together for 2 weeks will show.

It's only year 2. Howland's big year is year 3.

But I'm optimistic.

[shannondawg]

There are still a couple of games open for the steak dinner if any want to get up a group and sponsor, good way to meet the players and coaches

[preachermatt83]

We will not only bc of our lack depth down low and our schedule. I think we are a bubble team left out. Next yr I look for us to make a deep tourney run. On the other side of things, I think our ladies team will be a final 4 team this year.

[JoseBrown]

I like Wright's quote. If Cal can make the tourney every year with freshmens, the why can't Howland?

[Political Hack]

We are going to run the floor. If we're great in transition, we'll be a tough tea to beat. Get down the floor fast and spread the court. If we can make shots on the edge in transition, we'll be almost impossible to defend in transition.

Ado doesn't need to cross half court. Just stand down there and throw every shot taken in the paint into the rafters.

[Liverpooldawg]

I think I'm going to wait and see a few games before I even begin to form any opinions. There are just too many unknowns.

[smootness]

We are going to run the floor. If we're great in transition, we'll be a tough tea to beat. Get down the floor fast and spread the court. If we can make shots on the edge in transition, we'll be almost impossible to defend in transition.

Ado doesn't need to cross half court. Just stand down there and throw every shot taken in the paint into the rafters.

Ado won't be playing, right?

[DeviousDawg]

Ado won't be playing, right?

There is still a chance, it's a different situation than dealing with football eligibility. He has been cleared for school, so he is in school and on the team but he is waiting to get cleared to play due to amatuturism issues I believe. Regardless of the reason why he has not been cleared to play, as soon as he is the decision is made by the NCAA, he can play. The decision will go into the season, so if he is cleared during the season, the only reason he wouldn't play would be if Howland redshirted him, which won't happen.

[Political Hack]

There is still a chance, it's a different situation than dealing with football eligibility. He has been cleared for school, so he is in school and on the team but he is waiting to get cleared to play due to amatuturism issues I believe. Regardless of the reason why he has not been cleared to play, as soon as he is the decision is made by the NCAA, he can play. The decision will go into the season, so if he is cleared during the season, the only reason he wouldn't play would be if Howland redshirted him, which won't happen.

I thought I read where Howland had a decent timeline on when they expect a decision. Hopefully they get it quick.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

If he isn't cleared until after Christmas he'll RS. If they can get him cleared this month he'd probably play.

[turkish]

What record signifies underachievement?

[confucius say]

For us to make the tourney we're going to have to have no more than 2 OOC losses & go 12-4 or better in the SEC to have a legit shot.

we play 18 conference games now. Will 12-6 do it?

[Ifyouonlyknew]

we play 18 conference games now. Will 12-6 do it?

Yea brain fart

[messageboardsuperhero]

We will not make the NCAA tourney because:

1) We are not experienced enough

2) We do not have enough post depth

3) Our schedule is weak as hell (and I don't necessarily have a problem with that this season)

An NIT appearance would be a very good year.

[HoopsDawg]

We will not make the NCAA tourney because:

1) We are not experienced enough

2) We do not have enough post depth

3) Our schedule is weak as hell (and I don't necessarily have a problem with that this season)

An NIT appearance would be a very good year.

Spot on post. We are just going to have to be patient with this team.

[KentuckyDawg13]

The guard comments are spot on. We are LOADED at that position.

In terms of making the NCAA, 21 is probably the magic number. With Howland as coach, that will have some pull with the selection even though the SOS will be weak.

The Ado delay, it definitely hurts our chances. I have never understood how when MSU gets a player with a scenario like this, it is ALWAYS delayed versus other teams like UNC that gets them pre-season. Is this a flaw in our internal process or is it just the ineptitude/favoritism of the NCAA?

We will be in the finals of the SEC tourney (w UK, and will lose since we will beat them in Starkville) and will be a 6 seed in the tourney.

[smootness]

The guard comments are spot on. We are LOADED at that position.

In terms of making the NCAA, 21 is probably the magic number. With Howland as coach, that will have some pull with the selection even though the SOS will be weak.

The Ado delay, it definitely hurts our chances. I have never understood how when MSU gets a player with a scenario like this, it is ALWAYS delayed versus other teams like UNC that gets them pre-season. Is this a flaw in our internal process or is it just the ineptitude/favoritism of the NCAA?

We will be in the finals of the SEC tourney (w UK, and will lose since we will beat them in Starkville) and will be a 6 seed in the tourney.

It's just perception. Kanter wasn't ruled ineligible until Nov. 12 that year and wasn't ruled permanently ineligible until January.

As for the wins, I don't think 21-8 or 21-9 gets us in. For that to happen, we would almost have to win the tournament (including a win over Villanova) and beat Kentucky. But that would also mean we'd have a sizable number of weak losses. I think IYOK is right, I think it needs to be something more like 24-6.

[Dawg-gone-dawgs]

Spot on post. We are just going to have to be patient with this team.

Most of our fans don't understand "patient". You might want to explain.

[Political Hack]

It's just perception. Kanter wasn't ruled ineligible until Nov. 12 that year and wasn't ruled permanently ineligible until January.

As for the wins, I don't think 21-8 or 21-9 gets us in. For that to happen, we would almost have to win the tournament (including a win over Villanova) and beat Kentucky. But that would also mean we'd have a sizable number of weak losses. I think IYOK is right, I think it needs to be something more like 24-6.

If we go 21-8 and make an SEC tourney run, we'd damn well better get in. If not, you're going to see the SEC with 2 teams in max. That can't happen.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

If we go 21-8 and make an SEC tourney run, we'd damn well better get in. If not, you're going to see the SEC with 2 teams in max. That can't happen.

Well we only got 3 teams in last year. The bubble team was a 19 win Vandy team. The reason they got the nod was because they played 6 Tourney teams in their non conference schedule. Our schedule is going to be our biggest issue.

[MCsMGs]

South Carolina won 25 last year and didn't get in....

[Ifyouonlyknew]

South Carolina won 25 last year and didn't get in....

Yep & the main reason is because they only played 1 Tourney team in the non conference. The non conference is very important.

[HoopsDawg]

We aren't making the tourney this year and that's ok. It was a complete rebuild job after Rick Ray. This should be a fun group to watch develop and eventually be a good team next year.

[louisvilledawg]

Most of our fans don't understand "patient". You might want to explain.

I understand patient. It's what you become when you go see a doctor.

http://i.imgur.com/SMnMBxW.gif