Projections

[Weatherdemon]

Just for the hell of it here are some scenarios from rpiforecast...


Best case, finish the regular season 19-11 losing vs SMU and @ Cincy but winning the rest.
19-11 RPI 62, SOS 71
Good for an NIT lock heading into the AAC tourney.

Best case 19-11 but adding the AAC Tourney. Beating UConn 1st round, SMU 2nd round, losing to Cincy in finals: 21-12, RPI 50, SOS 58
NIT Lock, Edge of NCAA Bubble



18-12 with the other loss @ SMU. (Basically the same when adding the AAC tourney with a UConn win and 2nd round loss to SMU.)
RPI 70
Still good for NIT.

18-12 but adding the AAC Tourney. Beating UConn 1st round, SMU 2nd round, losing to Cincy in finals. 20-13,
RPI 60, SOS 60
NIT Lock



22-11 with miracle AAC Tourney run.
RPI 41, SOS 56
10 seed?

21-12 with miracle AAC Tourney run.
RPI 47, SOS 58
12 seed?

 

[tufan56]

18-12 with the other loss @ SMU. (Basically the same when adding the AAC tourney with a UConn win and 2nd round loss to SMU.)
RPI 70
Still good for NIT.

This scenario seems reasonably attainable. Aside from @SMU & @Cinci, @Memphis scares me, but not much else.

NIT would be a fantastic achievement for this team considering how we started out.

 

[TU_BLA]

This scenario seems reasonably attainable. Aside from @SMU & @Cinci, @Memphis scares me, but not much else.

NIT would be a fantastic achievement for this team considering how we started out.

The way this team played last night, we seriously can win every remaining game. Cincy plays one of those unique high pressure match up zones and it basically forces you to go one on one to beat the defender and then find a passing lane but Cincinnati overplays those as well. It's a great defensive scheme and as many players we have that are capable of getting hot and being the one to carry our team, we simply don't have that one dynamic go to scorer that we know the ball is going to every game in that situation. I thought Henderson should have had the ball in his hands at the end of the game because his stop and pull-up jumper is fantastic.

That said, I don't see any other team that plays the Cincinnati level of defense and certainly only UCF is capable of defending us inside (but they have a lot of vulnerabilities in other places). Igbanu, when playing confidently as he has the last 2-3 games, is virtually unstoppable, especially when he goes to that Kevin McHale dipsy-do move. TK may have been the best athlete on the court last night, including Clark. Couple of the rebounds he grabbed I swear his head was above the rim. Heck the Wheeler block against the 3-pointer...I haven't seen anything like that since Dante Swanson was here. This team isn't afraid of anyone, they certainly don't back down against anyone and while we are one of those fringe teams this year in the AAC because of all the unknowns, I'd be shocked if we aren't picked top 3 next year.

 

[mcane]

Before I look ahead, I'm waiting to see how the team bounces back for SMU. That game is a rivalry, made more intense by SMU's local recruiting. It will take another high level effort to beat SMU, but I don't think they are as good as Cinncy.

We really need Taplin to rest and heal.

I love these scenarios but I also know 16-14 with a final 17-15 (1-1 in AAC tourney) is possible. By the way, that was the Woodard-Harrison freshman final record.

 

[Barlass]

Before I look ahead, I'm waiting to see how the team bounces back for SMU. That game is a rivalry, made more intense by SMU's local recruiting. It will take another high level effort to beat SMU, but I don't think they are as good as Cinncy.

We really need Taplin to rest and heal.

I love these scenarios but I also know 16-14 with a final 17-15 (1-1 in AAC tourney) is possible. By the way, that was the Woodard-Harrison freshman final record.

17-16 with a blowout loss to Wright State in the first round of CBI.

 

[Gold*]

Before I look ahead, I'm waiting to see how the team bounces back for SMU. That game is a rivalry, made more intense by SMU's local recruiting. It will take another high level effort to beat SMU, but I don't think they are as good as Cinncy.

We really need Taplin to rest and heal.

I love these scenarios but I also know 16-14 with a final 17-15 (1-1 in AAC tourney) is possible. By the way, that was the Woodard-Harrison freshman final record.

Against much worse competition. I'd argue that team wasn't that talented, either, but that was pretty much the same team we had for four years. I don't think that team had anyone as developed as Etou, Wheeler, Henderson, and Birt (other than Haralson and Peete)

 

[Tu Geo]

My projection is to beat the F out of SMU on Saturday!!!!!!

GO TU!!!

 

[red dirt]

The talent on this team is FAR more advanced than the Woodard-Harrison teams

 

[mcane]

I totally agree about the talent level of Manning's frosh team and the competition (which was CUSA). It does encourage me that the frosh team then made the NCAA at large. It would be outstanding if this year's team could reach the NIT for experience, setting up the NCAA next year.

 

[hotterthanyourhusbandTU]

I don't think that Freshman team made the NCAA tourney.

I think they made the dance their Sophomore and Senior years.

 

[mcane]

correct then (later) made the NCAA

 

[hotterthanyourhusbandTU]

Got it!