Sweet 16 Was a Triumph

[Yahtzee43]

The way we were playing early in the year, who would have thought we would have won 5 of the last 6, win the SEC, get a 5 Seed in the NCAA tourney, and get to the Sweet 16.

For all those saying Calipari can't coach because we have so much talent, are ignoring the fact that this team got so much better througout the year and at the end.

Sure, they came up short, but came a sliver from going to the Elite 8, and if they beat KSU, likely would have gone to Final Four.

This from a team that early in the year were playing very inconsistent and at one point, no one expected anything, and commentators were saying we may miss the tourney.

It could be a lot worse but the team came together and played well at the end.

 

[RoyKent]

We beat a 12 and 13 seed and lost to a 9 seed.

That’s not a triumph. That’s a failure.

 

[TNCatfanforever]

So the Sweet 16 is our new goal

 

[Yahtzee43]

We beat a 12 and 13 seed and lost to a 9 seed.

That’s not a triumph. That’s a failure.

That is true, but there were tons of upsets this year. I think it just means that there was an unusual amount of parity this year in college basketball.

Plus, I think it is often about matchups. We played big and KSU was able to play fast with their 4 or 5 guard lineup that they played for a lot of the game.

We had not seen that all year, and I don't think we were ready for the speed and Defensive pressure.

We would have probably played better against Kansas or Michigan. It is all about matchups, at times.

 

[Fgpoe03]

I remember a lot of people on this board saying, if we made the sweet sixteen, this was Cal's best coaching job ever. I know we all got excited because of our path, but it doesn't really change what was accomplished. Injuries all year, and a group that wasn't getting it. Cal got them there and we were in the conversation. I also don't think, we lose as many players this year as we are accustomed to. So with what I think we have coming back and our recruits, plus at least actual two pure shooters. I think our future is bright, and the year after that looks even better. Even in a down year, we played our way into talk that we could win it all. If that's our down year, I'll take it.

 

[IYAOYAS1]

Whatever helps people to deal with this. Even this UK team should have beat KSU and advanced to the EE. There’s so much wrong with the program right now and Cal needs to clean house and do some soul searching of his own.

 

[oboroCATfan]

Sweet 16!! The new standard!

 

[eppsfan]

We beat Davidson and Buffalo. Whoopti-freaking-do.

 

[BourbonBalz]

Just no. This season was not a success. If ending the season to the likes of K State is success, our standards have really plummeted.

 

[TankedCat]

 

[brianpoe]

Whatever helps people to deal with this. Even this UK team should have beat KSU and advanced to the EE. There’s so much wrong with the program right now and Cal needs to clean house and do some soul searching of his own.

He already has with the current group.

This what a team looks like without a bunch of OADs. It’s a bridge year.

We will be fine.

 

[RoyKent]

We should be like IU and make popcorn cups and banners for our awesome SWEET 16 season!!!!!

 

[Cal4Pres.]

Still proud of our boys! Some years it’s tougher than others. I think most of these kids will be back and driven by this

 

[Cats_2010]

The way we were playing early in the year, who would have thought we would have won 5 of the last 6, win the SEC, get a 5 Seed in the NCAA tourney, and get to the Sweet 16.

For all those saying Calipari can't coach because we have so much talent, are ignoring the fact that this team got so much better througout the year and at the end.

Sure, they came up short, but came a sliver from going to the Elite 8, and if they beat KSU, likely would have gone to Final Four.

This from a team that early in the year were playing very inconsistent and at one point, no one expected anything, and commentators were saying we may miss the tourney.

It could be a lot worse but the team came together and played well at the end.

Love the fact that we likely win the next game when we don’t even win the game that would have gotten us to the next game. And no this team struggled to beat a 12 seed, didn’t put the 13 seed away until the last 8 minutes of the game and was horrendous all night long against a bad KState team, we weren’t likely to win the next game. Loyola probably beats KState by 10. Unlike us tonight they will play their perimeter game and knock down 3’s.

 

[Yahtzee43]

Now, that is funny.

 

[FrankUnderwood]

I’m disappointed but somewhat agree

 

[chroix]

It’s funny that the sweet 16 seemed overly optimistic a month or two ago. Then we were a game or two from it being coaches greatest coaching job ever. But now it’s a failure?

Cal is not the only one that needs to do some soul searching.

 

[brianpoe]

It’s funny that the sweet 16 seemed overly optimistic a month or two ago. Then we were a game or two from it being coaches greatest coaching job ever. But now it’s a failure?

Cal is not the only one that needs to do some soul searching.

When the upsets occurred that changed things and rightfully so...

 

[TankedCat]

It’s funny that the sweet 16 seemed overly optimistic a month or two ago. Then we were a game or two from it being coaches greatest coaching job ever. But now it’s a failure?

Cal is not the only one that needs to do some soul searching.

I would say sweet 16 being overly optimistic and the season being a failure are two sides of the same coin.

It appears to me that some people saying sweet 16 is great are the ones revising the narrative to make the mutually exclusive

 

[chroix]

When the upsets occurred that changed things and rightfully so...

I get that but we had people thinking we wouldn’t make the tournament. Now they’re pissed we didn’t make the Final Four. We are spoiled.

 

[The_Answer1313_rivals]

I don't know

On one hand when the brackets came out and Arizona and UVA was in our half of the region, it would have been surprising to go very far.

But when you have Davidson, Buffalo, K state and Loyola Chicago in the way, that's where it becomes a disappointment. We were a 5 seed. Losing to an Arizona or UVA........ok. Losing to a Kstate team that didn't even outscore their opponents in conference play......a bit disappointing.

 

[brianpoe]

I would say sweet 16 being overly optimistic and the season being a failure are two sides of the same coin.

It appears to me that some people saying sweet 16 is great are the ones revising the narrative to make the mutually exclusive

I was an early S16 predictor, but that was based upon playing the 4 seed...

We had an opportunity for the FF like no other and this squad would have been favored over Loyola just like we were versus K State...

Definitley not a successful season with what actually transpired.

 

[KingOfBBN]

I remember a lot of people on this board saying, if we made the sweet sixteen, this was Cal's best coaching job ever. I know we all got excited because of our path, but it doesn't really change what was accomplished. Injuries all year, and a group that wasn't getting it. Cal got them there and we were in the conversation. I also don't think, we lose as many players this year as we are accustomed to. So with what I think we have coming back and our recruits, plus at least actual two pure shooters. I think our future is bright, and the year after that looks even better. Even in a down year, we played our way into talk that we could win it all. If that's our down year, I'll take it.

We beat Davidson and Buffalo and lost to K-State. We didn't beat a power five team. If we lost to Virginia, I don't think anyone bats an eye but losing to K-State? Pathetic.

 

[isonator35]

If we had been beaten by Virginia, I would agree. We got beat by a 9 seed in Kansas State, with a shot to play an 11 seed for a FF...

 

[brianpoe]

I get that but we had people thinking we wouldn’t make the tournament. Now they’re pissed we didn’t make the Final Four. We are spoiled.

And rightfully so...

All we had to do was beat a poor KState team and a Missouri Valley team... both games we are the favorite.

Thats not spoiled, there are many other examples you could use for spoiled with our posters but not this one...

 

[The_Answer1313_rivals]

Turnovers were big.

During our win streak, we took care of the ball.

Last night we turned it over on nearly 1/4th of our possessions.

You can't win like that.

 

[The_Answer1313_rivals]

Yeah it's not really spoiled when you are the favorite and expected to win the games lol.

 

[ManitouDan_anon]

We should be like IU and make popcorn cups and banners for our awesome SWEET 16 season!!!!!

dang it , you beat me to it .. Banners and popcorn tins !

 

[kyhunter88]

I wish I could be as positive as the OP but it's too soon for me. This still stings and I'm gonna need some time.

 

[king of cali]

I was an early S16 predictor, but that was based upon playing the 4 seed...

We had an opportunity for the FF like no other and this squad would have been favored over Loyola just like we were versus K State...

Definitley not a successful season with what actually transpired.

I don’t see how that can even be argued. UK had a gift path and pissed it away.

 

[TankedCat]

I was an early S16 predictor, but that was based upon playing the 4 seed...

We had an opportunity for the FF like no other and this squad would have been favored over Loyola just like we were versus K State...

Definitley not a successful season with what actually transpired.

I was actually thinking about late in the season when people were questioning the ceiling of the team, not the likelihood of facing UVa or Arizona.

But in either case I can't personally define this season as successful in any form. There wasn't a player on the floor last night aside from perhaps Washington (and that's debatable) that was prepared to face Kansas St in that type of environment.

 

[brianpoe]

I was actually thinking about late in the season when people were questioning the ceiling of the team, not the likelihood of facing UVa or Arizona.

But in either case I can't personally define this season as successful in any form. There wasn't a player on the floor last night aside from perhaps Washington (and that's debatable) that was prepared to face Kansas St in that type of environment.

The SEC Tournament was very promising. Thats about it..

 

[kydmb99_rivals103809]

I mean let's be brutally honest. The last 3 years have basically been Tubby.

 

[cardkilla_rivals379685]

We beat Davidson and Buffalo and lost to K-State. We didn't beat a power five team. If we lost to Virginia, I don't think anyone bats an eye but losing to K-State? Pathetic.

and this same mentality is probably what got our guys beat last night. Power five means squat in the tournament.

 

[Xception]

S16 with initial draw is fine but once our bracket crumbled every beneficial way it turned into a failed season.

 

[BigBlueFanGA]

The way we were playing early in the year, who would have thought we would have won 5 of the last 6, win the SEC, get a 5 Seed in the NCAA tourney, and get to the Sweet 16.

For all those saying Calipari can't coach because we have so much talent, are ignoring the fact that this team got so much better througout the year and at the end.

Sure, they came up short, but came a sliver from going to the Elite 8, and if they beat KSU, likely would have gone to Final Four.

This from a team that early in the year were playing very inconsistent and at one point, no one expected anything, and commentators were saying we may miss the tourney.

It could be a lot worse but the team came together and played well at the end.

This is UK, a sweet 16 is never a triumph.

 

[BlueRunner11]

We beat a 12 and 13 seed and lost to a 9 seed.

That’s not a triumph. That’s a failure.

Not to mention had an 11 waiting on us to play to hang a F4 banner. F@#$!!

 

[KingOfBBN]

It’s funny that the sweet 16 seemed overly optimistic a month or two ago. Then we were a game or two from it being coaches greatest coaching job ever. But now it’s a failure?

Cal is not the only one that needs to do some soul searching.

Not difficult to understand. If we beat Arizona and lost to Virginia, it would go as expected. Beating two mid majors and losing to a bad K-State team when you had Loyola awaiting you in the Elite 8 is what makes it bad.

 

[FrankUnderwood]

It’s funny that the sweet 16 seemed overly optimistic a month or two ago. Then we were a game or two from it being coaches greatest coaching job ever. But now it’s a failure?

Cal is not the only one that needs to do some soul searching.