This team can absorb some BE losses

[b52legend]

Really a tough loss last night, but I think we'll be ok.

The truth is, the Big East is brutal, and we can absorb up to 8 conference losses and still be decently ranked going into the NCAA tournament. Once we get to the tourney, this team has shown that when they get it rolling, we can beat anyone, so one loss does not overly concern me. As to if we can be consistent enough to make a run, that may be the most concerning part of the loss.

There are some very notable teams that finished Big East play with average league records. In 2007-2008 Pitt was 10-8 in conference and won the league tournament. West Virginia was 11-7 that year and had a great tournament and made the sweet 16. Villanova last year had 5 conference losses and made the Final Four. In 2005-2006 Georgetown had 6 conference losses and made the sweet sixteen, and should have beaten eventual champion Florida.

I don't mean to say there are not some worrisome things to come out of last nights game (and the USF home loss), but I think that this team has proven their potential on the court. The ultimate judge of this team's success will be its ability to make a run in the BE and NCAA tournament, and I am still optimistic that we can do both. Ultimately I would rather have a team like this one that is explosive enough to have a legitimate shot to win it all, as opposed to a team like Duke or West Virginia, who while I think both are good, have no realistic shot in my mind to win the tournament.

[757hoyafan]

I agree. We will be ok.

[lichoya68]

but ITS VERY HARD TO LOSE THE ONE THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO WIN AS NOW WEVE GOTTA BEAT THOSE WHO ARE MUCH TOUGHER BUT MUST MOVE ON OUCH goh ohyas beat cuse cuse ville west va there..... who knows if gody will be back for our game OUCH but time to move move move and move on cant absorb TOO MANY big east losses .. and MUST NOT PLAY ON TUES AND HOPEFULLY WED BUT THAT LOOKS VERY TOUGH.. go hoyas

[tjm62]

Sky is falling, one and done, etc. etc.

[lichoya68]

no i did not say the sky is falling but we go from snow blowouts to us being frozen out and im TIRED OF WINTER. go hoyas beat cuse pleaseeeeeeeeeeee

[lichoya68]

and it is a game of inches.. we need to make sure were feet ahead to not allow the other team to make it by a few inches that DAMNED THREE POINTS is getting freaking old TOO CLOSE just lacking a little which costs a lot but MOVE MOVE MOVE AND MOVE ON PLEASE

[skyhoya]

Our Final Four team with Jeff was ranked 14th with a 18-5 record at this point in their year. So other than two, recently, really disappointing losses for this year's team, what's all the complaining about. Greg showed a huge heart in the Duke and Nova games.

[b52legend]

The difference between this year and our Final Four year, was that the 2007 team was really starting to come into form after some early season poor play. However, even that team had an inexplicable road loss to USF, who was then the worst team in the Big East.

I agree with lic...clearly the sky is not falling, but it would be great to see this team keep the foot on the gas for every game. I just know that even if we lose some more games, we have a big ass engine that can make some noise in March.

[lurkerhoya]

Feb 15, 2010 10:08:45 GMT -5 skyhoya said:

Our Final Four team with Jeff was ranked 14th with a 18-5 record at this point in their year. So other than two, recently, really disappointing losses for this year's team, what's all the complaining about. Greg showed a huge heart in the Duke and Nova games.

True, but that team dropped the obligatory ODU game (NCAA 1st Rd) and had losses to Oregon (Elite 8), Duke on the Road (NCAA 1st Rd), a Tourney-bound 'Nova team and a No.7 Pitt team on the road (Sweet 16). Those losses don't trend anywhere near the RU and USF losses, and it's understandable to wonder what happens in early BET games and 1st and 2nd Round NCAA games when the opponent is not necessarily as flashy.

[tjm62]

Perhaps it's a blessing in disguise. Our chance for a top 2 seed are probably now on life support (maybe even ditto for the 3-seed). But considering we tend to play up to better opponents, maybe we'd be better served with a crappy seed.

[PopeJohn2]

im not so worried about the mental game. i think this team plays down to the moment not down to the other team. we will be pumped and mentally prepared for BET and NCAA games because it will be big games even if it is a crappy team.

[Dhall]

I'd agree with the original post except for two things:

1. You have to look at the remainder of our schedule and really wonder if this team will finish better than 10-8 in the Big East. If not, that's pretty poor and will place us in 7th-9th place probably. A disappointment.
2. It would be nice to win the Big East tournament since we will not win the regular season. Finishing below 4th makes it very very hard given this team's inability to string together wins.

For the NCAAs, I agree that the rest of the BE season doesn't matter.

[GUJook97]

I agree with the point, but let's be fair, the Final Four team was firing on all cylinders at this point of the season. And, that wasnt the team that lost to USF.

The comparison for me is that we are a better version of the 2006 team in the same type of season. In other words, this is the type of year that a #3 seed (Florida) could win the whole thing, and instead of going in to the tourney as a #7 seed (as in 2006), I think we are more like a #3. Long story short, even though we arent as good as the Final Four team, I honestly dont think there are 8 teams better than us. Remember, there was a good Big East team that year (UConn), but they were taken down by Mason. I feel like this year is pretty wide open.

[GUJook97]

Feb 15, 2010 15:16:36 GMT -5 Dhall said:

I'd agree with the original post except for two things:

1. You have to look at the remainder of our schedule and really wonder if this team will finish better than 10-8 in the Big East. If not, that's pretty poor and will place us in 7th-9th place probably. A disappointment.
2. It would be nice to win the Big East tournament since we will not win the regular season. Finishing below 4th makes it very very hard given this team's inability to string together wins.

For the NCAAs, I agree that the rest of the BE season doesn't matter.

True, but to be fair, even 10-8, which would take some bad play on our part, would probably keep us in the top 6 of the Big East. There are just too many other top teams playing each other for this not to be in our favor.

[b52legend]

good points. Got the years mixed with the USF loss. That really was an interesting year, 2006. UF won as a 3 seed and we gave them their biggest scare as a 7. I honestly believe that in the tourney, we were one of the 4 best teams in the country at that point of the year. Still my favorite teams of recent memory because of those seniors and their redemption.

Feb 15, 2010 20:45:36 GMT -5 GUJook97 said:

I agree with the point, but let's be fair, the Final Four team was firing on all cylinders at this point of the season. And, that wasnt the team that lost to USF.

The comparison for me is that we are a better version of the 2006 team in the same type of season. In other words, this is the type of year that a #3 seed (Florida) could win the whole thing, and instead of going in to the tourney as a #7 seed (as in 2006), I think we are more like a #3. Long story short, even though we arent as good as the Final Four team, I honestly dont think there are 8 teams better than us. Remember, there was a good Big East team that year (UConn), but they were taken down by Mason. I feel like this year is pretty wide open.