lukeduke 8 Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 If 20 wins is the benchmark, can this team win six out of nine the rest of the year to get there. I haven't really heard any of the talking heads mention us as a contender, but with a few wins over ranked teams and a big win tonight to get the road monkey off of our backs, I think this team may be able to get into the NCAA. I think they will have to remain hot and make it out of the first round of the SEC tourney to finish with 20 or 21 wins to get in. If we come in with 18 or 19, I think we get left out. At this point, I would say it looks good for at least an NIT bid. It is good to see Lebo finally getting the team he wants and the results he deserves. WAR EAGLE!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
autkidd 0 Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 I'm thinking I would rather do the NIT thing this year. Let the younger guys get some postseason experience. They will more than likely make more noise in that than in the Big Dance. Give them a few more games for experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinCrimson 61 Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 20 wins is not really a benchmark anymore. If you guys can get to 9 wins in the conference and make a decent showing at the SECT, then you might (might) have a shot. Although tonight's win was good, the 1-6 record away from BEMC won't help. The current RPI ranking of 98th certainly won't help. I honestly think AU is a "next year" team. While there's no question that you guys are greaaaaatly improved, the national media/selection committee is going to give you little cred. The remaining schedule and my unwanted $.02 on wins in bold... Feb 3 Mississippi Feb 7 @ Arkansas Feb 10 Mississippi St Feb 17 @ Georgia Feb 21 Arkansas Feb 24 @ Alabama Feb 28 LSU Mar 3 @ Mississippi That'd put you at 7-9 in the conference. 16 wins and a bad RPI is a ticket to the NIT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RadioWryn 0 Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 Well, I think if this team goes 9-7 in conference play, it's awfully tough to leave us out. And 9-7 in this side of the west may get us a first-round bye in the SEC Tourney. Remaining schedule: vs Ole Miss @ Arkansas vs Miss State @ Georgia vs Arkansas @ Alabama vs LSU @ Ole Miss Win the home games and you're 8-8. It helps to have the big boys (Arkansas and LSU) as the last two home games, should have really good crowds if this team's still in contention. Georgia's not an impossible place to win at, neither is Ole Miss. Win the home games, take one of two from Ole Miss or Georgia, and I think we're in the Dance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowegl 4 Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 I'm thinking I would rather do the NIT thing this year. Let the younger guys get some postseason experience. They will more than likely make more noise in that than in the Big Dance. Give them a few more games for experience. Yeah but if you make the dance you always have a shot to win a couple games and make the sweet 16. This team has played several of the very best teams in the nation this year, so it wont be anything they havent seen. Look what playing in/winning the NIT did for USC. Id rather go to the tourney and create some real excitement. I think we can beat ole miss twice and have a good shot at Georgia. But if we want to win the west were gonna have to beat arkansas at least once. A win at arkansas would say a lot about our team and chances at winning away from home. I know its not easily done, but a little upset could happen. If we did all that itd make 4 SEC road wins and possibly a division title. I think that would get us in. I hate that we lost to USM. If we get to about 19 wins that could be what keeps us out. I think 20 wins gets us in with the brutal schedule we had at the beginning of the season (especially with such youth) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DKW 86 7,419 Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 Goal: IMHO is the NIT this year. Said this earlier. We could get to the 64 and get wiped out. Or We could go to the NIT and play a few games, maybe even win. A real confidence booster no doubt! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tgr4lfe 220 Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 I think if our guys finish the SEC at 8-8 and maybe win the first game of SEC tourney (of course teh way it is looking 8-8 in the West could very well win the West!!) so that first game would be a bye. I think barring a complete meltdown in the last half, AU is a lock for the NIT. Good showing in the SEC Tourney they might get a NCAA bid. I would love to see and NCAA tourney bid, but NIT might be better. HAving played Texas A&M, Okie St, Wisconsin, and Pitt, not to mention SEC ranked teams of Florida, bama, and LSU. Good chance of making the big dance. I will be thrilled with this team finishing 8-8 in SEC and going to the NIT. Lebo has this program steered in the right direction!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaReAgLe83 0 Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 Don't forget that 4 years ago snuck in the Dance with an 8-8 conf. record and one tourney win (despite the teeth-gnashing of Dick Vitale). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abrnfanatc 6 Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 20 wins is not really a benchmark anymore. If you guys can get to 9 wins in the conference and make a decent showing at the SECT, then you might (might) have a shot. Although tonight's win was good, the 1-6 record away from BEMC won't help. The current RPI ranking of 98th certainly won't help. I honestly think AU is a "next year" team. While there's no question that you guys are greaaaaatly improved, the national media/selection committee is going to give you little cred. The remaining schedule and my unwanted $.02 on wins in bold... Feb 3 Mississippi Feb 7 @ Arkansas Feb 10 Mississippi St Feb 17 @ Georgia Feb 21 Arkansas Feb 24 @ Alabama Feb 28 LSU Mar 3 @ Mississippi That'd put you at 7-9 in the conference. 16 wins and a bad RPI is a ticket to the NIT. Most likely right, but at this point if they can keep the confidence level high, I would say they have a better than average shot at wins vs Arkansas and @ Ole Miss. If they get to 9-7 and possibly win a 1st round SEC Tourney game, they could slip in as a 10 or 11 seed. Making the NIT would probably be better preparation for their future IMO, but it would be great to see them make the big dance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCWarEagle 0 Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 I really don't think we will make the NCAA Tourney this year, though there is an outside chance. I see us as an NIT team. Which is a GREAT improvement over the last two years. Kind of exciting to have a competitive basketball team. I just wish we were on tv more often. So far the only one I have seen is the Bama game (but that was a good one to see). WDE! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lukeduke 8 Posted February 1, 2007 Author Share Posted February 1, 2007 I agree, the NIT would be a great stepping stone for next year. With that being said, if I remember correctly, the last trip we had to the Dance ticked off a few people. I also remember them being shut up after we took out the 7 seed (I forgot the team) and then knocked off a 2 seed Wake Forest to get into the sweet 16. In the sweet 16 game, they hung with eventual national champ Syracuse the whole game, hit a three at the buzzer to lose by 1. My point in that history lesson is that this team is athletic enough to get hot and make the sweet 16 if they get to the dance. Of course, they are young enough to get mistake prone and get bombed by 30 in the first round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimsjus 0 Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 Im pulling for a tourney appearance. How can playing in the NIT be better preparation for the dance next year than playing in the dance this year? I can't follow that logic. The USM loss hurts and I think the AUM loss might be held against us even though it was exhibition. I think those two nights crush our tourney bid even if we finish even or 9-7. For whatever reason, I think we end up 1st/2nd in the west and somehow still on the bubble and get slighted bad. I dont think there is a game left on the schedule that is completely un-winnable. I would call us even money or favorites for all of the home games(LSU isnt what anyone thought they would be) and I would say the same for Ole Miss and Ark away. The toughest of those games will be UA away followed by UGA away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AU alum 2 Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 I'd rather see us go to the NIT. We need a confidence booster, and in my opinion, building our confidence is more important than going to the NCAA. I feel the chances of us being blown away are greater in the NCAA tournament. Besides, I'd rather see Alabama get blown away first round of the NCAA, and us play PAST the first round in the NIT. Maybe even win it, who knows? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saniflush 0 Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 Expect the NIT. I think that will be better for this team. I would love to see us actually make the real tourney but as others have said I think playing in the NIT for a few games is better than playing one in the tourney and getting bounced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowegl 4 Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 i just dont buy that the NIT is preparation for the tourney. What can be better than the real thing. If we slip in there as an 11 seed or so wed play about a 5-6-7 seed..those are teams barely at the edge of the top 25 - a very winnable game. With our athleticism and if we shoot well we could pull another win. I think a couple wins in the real tourney would do a lot more for the future than even going all the way in the NIT (which i dont think will happen because we arent very consistent and tend to play closer to the level of our opponent) Im not saying I expect us to make the dance, but I'M pulling for us to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
autkidd 0 Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 I just feel the NIT would be better. Don't get me wrong... I would LOVE to make the tourney. But I feel we are a year away from that. To be honest just even making postseason play would be incredible, considering where we have come from the past two years. Here's to Lebo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinCrimson 61 Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 The NIT is never a good thing. Even if you win it... it's just kinda "blah." Having an NCAAT banner hanging from the rafters, being able to show it to recruits, getting regional/national exposure, is much better than playing Eastern Washington in front of 4k fans at home. For AU, going to the NIT is a definite step in the right direction... but you want to make the NCAA's. Always. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BanditQb 13 Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 Playing and losing in the NCAA tourney is better than going deep into the NIT. Playing just one game under the pressure/lights of the NCAA tourney would be better for this team than any confidence they would get from playing in the NIT. They would have confidence next year just knowing they were good enough to make the NCAA, even if they lose first round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AU alum 2 Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 The NIT is never a good thing. Even if you win it... it's just kinda "blah." Having an NCAAT banner hanging from the rafters, being able to show it to recruits, getting regional/national exposure, is much better than playing Eastern Washington in front of 4k fans at home. For AU, going to the NIT is a definite step in the right direction... but you want to make the NCAA's. Always. Sure, if you've been going to the NCAA tournament for a few years, going "down" to the NIT is not a good thing. But, if it's been a couple of years since you went to the NCAA, I'd be excited for us to go to the NIT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DKW 86 7,419 Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 OKay, lets just say ANY post season play will be a HUGE step forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AU! 0 Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 so wait, we're on top of the sec west. Above LSU and Alabama, but we aren't going to make the big dance and they will? How does this all work out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUBURNJAC 53 Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 Im pulling for a tourney appearance. How can playing in the NIT be better preparation for the dance next year than playing in the dance this year? I can't follow that logic. The USM loss hurts and I think the AUM loss might be held against us even though it was exhibition. I think those two nights crush our tourney bid even if we finish even or 9-7. For whatever reason, I think we end up 1st/2nd in the west and somehow still on the bubble and get slighted bad. I dont think there is a game left on the schedule that is completely un-winnable. I would call us even money or favorites for all of the home games(LSU isnt what anyone thought they would be) and I would say the same for Ole Miss and Ark away. The toughest of those games will be UA away followed by UGA away. I completly agree. Who the hell cares about the NIT? Nobody gets any attention or credit for playing in it or even winning it. I think a great "confidence booster" would be to MAKE the tourney. I also think we have beaten some ranked teams so why couldn't we beat a couple in the tourney? I think exactly what this team needs is to go back to the tourney, win or lose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUChizad 0 Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 Im pulling for a tourney appearance. How can playing in the NIT be better preparation for the dance next year than playing in the dance this year? I can't follow that logic. The USM loss hurts and I think the AUM loss might be held against us even though it was exhibition. I think those two nights crush our tourney bid even if we finish even or 9-7. For whatever reason, I think we end up 1st/2nd in the west and somehow still on the bubble and get slighted bad. I dont think there is a game left on the schedule that is completely un-winnable. I would call us even money or favorites for all of the home games(LSU isnt what anyone thought they would be) and I would say the same for Ole Miss and Ark away. The toughest of those games will be UA away followed by UGA away. I completly agree. Who the hell cares about the NIT? Nobody gets any attention or credit for playing in it or even winning it. I think a great "confidence booster" would be to MAKE the tourney. I also think we have beaten some ranked teams so why couldn't we beat a couple in the tourney? I think exactly what this team needs is to go back to the tourney, win or lose. I agree with these guys. I definitely want to see us in the dance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saniflush 0 Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 Let me clarify. The post asked for EXPECTATIONS. I do not EXPECT us to make the tourney. I wish we would but I do not expect it. I do expect us to make the NIT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.