What are the realistic expectations for men's basketball

[BulldogBites15]

Basketball is probably my favorite sport, and I've been dying for a good basketball team for the last five years. Not sure if this team can make the tournament this year, but I do believe they should be much improved from last season.
http://trumaroontakeover.com/2017/11/09/what-are-the-realistic-expectations-for-mississippi-state-basketball/

[Liverpooldawg]

Basketball is probably my favorite sport, and I've been dying for a good basketball team for the last five years. Not sure if this team can make the tournament this year, but I do believe they should be much improved from last season.
http://trumaroontakeover.com/2017/11/09/what-are-the-realistic-expectations-for-mississippi-state-basketball/

I'm not sure they do much more than they did last year. The inside game still looks to be lacking.

[Madisonmd]

NIT

[msstate7]

No lower than 2nd in the Sec, 2-seed or higher in the NCAA tourney, and at least elite 8...

I will settle for NIT/NCAA bubble though

[tcdog70]

We going to the Big Dance.. same Dogs that said we might win 6 in football. We have some negative ass fans.

[Lord McBuckethead]

Round of 32.

[ATTILLA THE DOG]

NIT

yep

[Madisonmd]

This team seems to be missing that low post, power presence . We are thin on the block. Ado out, really limits our rebounding and post defense. Herard is a testament to the fallacy of the "star" system.

[msstate7]

This team seems to be missing that low post, power presence . We are thin on the block. Ado out, really limits our rebounding and post defense. Herard is a testament to the fallacy of the "star" system.

Think you guys are giving up on herard waaayyy too early. Last year during the aTm, Kentucky, and tenn stretch, herard scored 37 points in 55 mins of action. He has shown ability

[BulldogBites15]

We going to the Big Dance.. same Dogs that said we might win 6 in football. We have some negative ass fans.
It's not being negative necessarily. I think most fans believe we will be better this season, but what I think ultimately will hurt us come Selection Sunday will be the strength of schedule. I think this is a 20 win team, but I feel like to make the tourney we will have to be closer to 24 which is tough to do.

[Political Hack]

At least 21 wins.
Top 25 ranking.
Not a losing season in conference.

Do that, get a birth, and build from there. That would be a big step forward.

[MarketingBully]

I think we go 22-9/10-8 this season. This team has a ton of potential and once Howland realizes the three headed monster of Peters/Nick W/Q gives us the best chance to win, we will reach our full potential.

[Liverpooldawg]

I think we go 22-9/10-8 this season. This team has a ton of potential and once Howland realizes the three headed monster of Peters/Nick W/Q gives us the best chance to win, we will reach our full potential.

Maybe, but they aren't inside players. I may be old school but to me good basketball starts in the paint. I haven't seen anythiing there to really get excited about since BEFORE we ran Stans off.

[MCsMGs]

Think you guys are giving up on herard waaayyy too early. Last year during the aTm, Kentucky, and tenn stretch, herard scored 37 points in 55 mins of action. He has shown ability

Absolutely! Some seem to forget that big men tend to develop slower and that Herard has only been playing basketball since he was in high school. He has big time skills and athleticism. He has huge upside. Once he develops his footwork and figures out how and where he needs to be(especially on defense), he's gonna be a beast... It's just gonna take more time.

[MCsMGs]

I think we go 22-9/10-8 this season. This team has a ton of potential and once Howland realizes the three headed monster of Peters/Nick W/Q gives us the best chance to win, we will reach our full potential.

What makes you think Howland doesn't know what he has in that group(plus Eli and Nick)? He has said on numerous occasions that he felt like our best play would come from when we went "small". These guys still aren't listening to him about movement. They run through the first set and if they don't get a shot off, they stop. He's on the sideline yelling his head off to MOVE!!!! When they continue moving and making the extra pass, they get good shots and convert a high percentage of them.

[Quaoarsking]

NIT is the expectation, NCAA is the hope.

[Dawg61]

I want to see a much better defensive team and an actual identity on offense. I want to see Peters live up to his hype every game and I want to see Q play like he did as a freshman. I want to see Tyson not disappear for twenty minute gaps and I want to see Holman dunking it way more than jacking 3's. I want to see Herard catch the ball every time and move his damn feet on defense and stop acting like it's nuclear science formulas out there. I want to see Stapleton not foul out every game. I want to see Eli close the gap between him and the rest of the sophomores. He was a big prospect coming outta HS and he had a slow freshman year to start out. Oh and I want to see a mean Howland kicking the refs asses every game and demanding his players play to their potential. I want to see a lot of things I guess.

[Schultzy]

We’re goin dancin

[MarketingBully]

What makes you think Howland doesn't know what he has in that group(plus Eli and Nick)? He has said on numerous occasions that he felt like our best play would come from when we went "small". These guys still aren't listening to him about movement. They run through the first set and if they don't get a shot off, they stop. He's on the sideline yelling his head off to MOVE!!!! When they continue moving and making the extra pass, they get good shots and convert a high percentage of them.

The reason I say that is because of the five he put out on the floor in the two exhibition games. Starting later today, every game counts and we can’t afford to drop any of these early games if we want to do anything this year. It’s time to start the dynamic trio with Stapleton and Holman. Once Ado gets back, start him. It’s not rocket science on the five that give us the best chance to win.

[mparkerfd20]

Miss the NIT, again. In Howland I don't trust, yet.

[Lance Harbor]

The reason I say that is because of the five he put out on the floor in the two exhibition games. Starting later today, every game counts and we can?t afford to drop any of these early games if we want to do anything this year. It?s time to start the dynamic trio with Stapleton and Holman. Once Ado gets back, start him. It?s not rocket science on the five that give us the best chance to win.

Injured?

[louisvilledawg]

I still think NIT should be about the expectation this season. I know Howland has his 3 year jump, but i think MSU will be a four year gig where it jumps dramatically.

I (having not watched the nebraska game or the exhibition) think the starting 5 should be lamar, q, tyson, holman, ado.

Have Stapleton and Nick weatherspoon come off the bench for a spark.

I know (i think) Ado is out for this game so i say give Datcher a start. I shitted on that guy all last season, but apparently he's greatly improved, so let the boy play.

Looking forward to an exciting (but turbulent) season!

[MCsMGs]

The reason I say that is because of the five he put out on the floor in the two exhibition games. Starting later today, every game counts and we can?t afford to drop any of these early games if we want to do anything this year. It?s time to start the dynamic trio with Stapleton and Holman. Once Ado gets back, start him. It?s not rocket science on the five that give us the best chance to win.

I understand where you're coming from...I just don't think what we have seen represents what this team is gonna look like by the time conference play starts.

[MCsMGs]

I know Howland has his 3 year jump, but i think MSU will be a four year gig where it jumps dramatically.

I think you're probably right on this observation. Having to bring in that large class has left us without any seasoned leadership and we're having to work with a lot of inconsistent play.

[CarolinaDawgs]

Maybe, but they aren't inside players. I may be old school but to me good basketball starts in the paint. I haven't seen anythiing there to really get excited about since BEFORE we ran Stans off.

You mustve missed Kemba Walker and Shabazz Napier single handedly win titles at UCONN

[msujan]

Absolutely! Some seem to forget that big men tend to develop slower and that Herard has only been playing basketball since he was in high school. He has big time skills and athleticism. He has huge upside. Once he develops his footwork and figures out how and where he needs to be(especially on defense), he's gonna be a beast... It's just gonna take more time.

I commented to friends last year that Herard was going to be good next year (?17-?18). I saw improvement in that season and am expecting much more this year.

[BulldogBacker]

I commented to friends last year that Herard was going to be good next year (?17-?18). I saw improvement in that season and am expecting much more this year.

I think we will have SEC quality players at 5 positions, with 3-5 SEC level players on the bench. We are still thin in the post, at 4 and 5. We may have the best 1,2 players in the SEC at the 1 and 2. We have a good team player at the 3, in Stapleton who may be the leader of this team. I think ado, Herard, and Holman will all play well, with Ado being the defensive presence we have needed. We will once again be a perimeter oriented team, but better defensively. I think we win 20-23, with a 50:50 chance at the Big Dance, and 95% chance at the NIT. This team should hit the floor with the NCAA Tournament as their goal.