Do we make the BIG dance this year?

[Bowfishinghogfan]

I'll admit to not seeing the new guys together yet. Those that follow the recruits or that have seen the team, do we make the big dance. NIT and the other lower level tournaments aren't what we should consider progress.
So what say you? Yes or No

[Hawg Red]

Haven't watched either exhibition game, but it does not sound like it.

Still really early, though.

I have us pegged as a bubble tournament team, so naturally, we'll miss the NIT.

[Hawgndaaz]

I think so

[HawgAdvocate]

I say no

Portis is a grand addition, but Kingsley isn't ready and neither should be counted on to successfully anchor the paint all alone this season.

The guards, while plentiful in number, will once again be a revolving door of hopeful hot hands.

Shooting %, defensive lapses on the road, and keeping opposing teams off the the FT line will be the primary culprits.

[MikePiazza]

We will know after seeing how they do in Maui.

[Modsquad24]

I say yes, portis and Kingsley won't have to control the paint, we got Harris and Clarke who are men down low..also bell is a different player this year as well as qualls and I mean different as in better

[Smithian]

I say no

Portis is a grand addition, but Kingsley isn't ready and neither should be counted on to successfully anchor the paint all alone this season.

The guards, while plentiful in number, will once again be a revolving door of hopeful hot hands.

Shooting %, defensive lapses on the road, and keeping opposing teams off the the FT line will be the primary culprits.

But we lost Powell and BJ = championship

[sooiepig_12]

No.  I think the only way is if Mike swallows his pride and slows it down and plays big on the road.  Get it to Bobby, Coty, or Alandise nearly every possession.

[HawgAdvocate]

But we lost Powell and BJ = championship

Breems won't like this. You may have just lost your wedding invitation, or possibly demoted to the kiddie table.

[poloprince]

Anything is possible right.

[poloprince]

No.  I think the only way is if Mike swallows his pride and slows it down and plays big on the road.  Get it to Bobby, Coty, or Alandise nearly every possession.

Slowing down isn't going to happen so you can drop this off the list.

[Breems]

NIT and the other lower level tournaments aren't what we should consider progress.

Progress isn't progress? This mindset has always confused me. Does that also mean that not making postseason play a year after making the NIT is not a step backwards? Or that making the NCAAT a year after making the NIT is not progress?

Regardless, we have a chance. Frontcourt has to stay healthy, Bell has to stay hot, and Madden has to step up. Can't drop a single cupcake and have to win a couple of road games. This is the best shot we've had in years.

[Breems]

Breems won't like this. You may have just lost your wedding invitation, or possibly demoted to the kiddie table.

I'm just waiting to see if he latches onto Portis/Clarke or another post-2011 addition in the same manner.

[Breems]

Stupid double post.

[HawgAdvocate]

I'm just waiting to see if he latches onto Portis/Clarke or another post-2011 addition in the same manner.

It's hard, if not impossible, for anyone to not like Portis.

[k.c.hawg]

After years and years of spending a couple of weeks of vacation in March to go to conference tournaments and NCAA opening weekends I got tired of sitting at home on opening NCAA weekend. Five years ago I started going to Vegas for the Thurs thru Sunday games. Now I do Wednesday thru Sunday. I booked my Vegas trip 2 weeks ago. The way I see it is they are going to have to give me serious hope before I plan on NCAA trips again.......I can still watch the Hogs at the Sports Book if they can break this awful dry spell!! It seems like a long time ago that we opened each season wondering what seed we would be.....hell it has been a long time. I can see a last 4 in, first 4 out range for this team.

[elksnort]

I say yes, portis and Kingsley won't have to control the paint, we got Harris and Clarke who are men down low..also bell is a different player this year as well as qualls and I mean different as in better

May I ask, "How do you know Bell is a different player this year?"

[elksnort]

I'm going to predict that we will not make the NCAAT.

And if we don't make the NIT, then I think the Hogs might just ought to give up basketball.

[Breems]

There's also the pending idea that we will see a team out there.

We've had some good talent over the past decade, but it's been a while since we've seen a team truly gel.

[Marshfieldhog]

We just gave our AD his 2nd raise in a year. Of course we are going to the NCAA?

[Bowfishinghogfan]

are we one good point guard away from being good. Seems we have needed a good Pg that won't turn us over out of a game for years. I'm excited about the youth and in state players but we need a true PG. Can we put a rule in that we can never recruit a 6'10" or taller white guy from in state again. Seems they are always soft. Go to a KY recruit that is a prized PG and offer him a Tyson or wal mart suit job if he doesn't make the pros. Seems we could be dancing with some decent pay play.

[z1on]

IMO we make the tourney, this team looks better than last years squad (the flow of the offense is much better). Rebounding will also be much improved this season.
I think we finish either 4th or 5th in the SEC this season. Behind UK, Florida, LSU and Tennessee. I have watched Mizzou and Bama's exhibition games and we look much better than them.

[Modsquad24]

In answer to the guy that asked how do I know bell is better this year...he is better defensively, more confident, scoring mid range as well as long range this year and Anderson trusts him alot more with playing time

[CDBHawg]

Should. But I'll say we should every year.

[Modsquad24]

This team does have more talent top to bottom than last 4-5 yrs IMO

[thebignasty]

 Its going to take 3-4 road wins. Its been the hump we cant get over year after year. Hard to say anything after 2 home games.

[Modsquad24]

Got plenty of opportunities @ Texas a & m, @ Georgia, @ miss state, @ Vanderbilt And @ bama all winnable games

[Hawgdrummer7]

After sitting through the game last night, I'd saw we were given an unfair representation of what we'll be seeing this year. Everybody has seen us lose to teams we should't have because our guys "knew" we were gunna win. I think they had a "we won't have to try that hard" mentality going into the game, causing us to play fairly sloppy. I will remain hopeful for a bid this year, and believe it's not impossible.

[thebignasty]

Got plenty of opportunities @ Texas a & m, @ Georgia, @ miss state, @ Vanderbilt And @ bama all winnable games

We have road games against bad teams every year.  We're in the SEC.

[kuhog]

I don't think so. Our non-conference schedule is so pitiful, we'll have to excel in SEC play.

[jjdlc]

I'll admit to not seeing the new guys together yet. Those that follow the recruits or that have seen the team, do we make the big dance. NIT and the other lower level tournaments aren't what we should consider progress.
So what say you? Yes or No

The NIT isn't progress for a team that hasn't been in post season play since 2008?  I want to get back to the dance as bad as anyone, but that kind of thinking is just....

Anyway, it's way to early to tell for sure right now, I like what I've seen, except for the offensive performance last night.  The offense has a much better flow to it, and last night the defense looked very good.  Still, they have to win on the road.  I think this team has the talent to do that, and based on what I've seen, the team chemistry looks much better, which should help.  I think we can, but we have to win all the games we are supposed to, win a few we might not be supposed to at home, and then get 5-6 on the road, including a couple in Maui.

[HogCaller13]

Yes we will make it. We win 1 game in the big dance.

[elksnort]

Yes we will make it. We win 1 game in the big dance.

I would see this as a success.

[Hollywood_HOGan45]

Yes as a number ten seed. Alandise>Powell

[Boston RedHogs]

We will know after seeing how they do in Maui.

We won't KNOW after Maui, but I look to that tourney as a great litmus test early on.  The results there will not necessarily define the season, but if we win some big games there I'll be more optimistic about our post season potential.

[PonderinHog]

Screw the NIT.  NCAA or bust.  Thanks, I feel better. :razorback:

[FineAsSwine]

I'll admit to not seeing the new guys together yet. Those that follow the recruits or that have seen the team, do we make the big dance. NIT and the other lower level tournaments aren't what we should consider progress.
So what say you? Yes or No

No big dance.

But we will have two wins in the little dance (NIT)

[TheRazorback500]

I'm leading toward "no". I really haven't been impressed with Portis and Harris, and Scott and Wade are still liabilities IMO. I'll reserve judgment, however, until I see any improvement when Madden gets back. They seem to be still kind of lost at times in the half-court offense.   

[The Boar War]

No.  We'll be on the bubble and firmly in the NIT.

[Smithian]

No.  We'll be on the bubble and firmly in the NIT.

Progress!

[pigture perfect]

I have a hard time getting my Hopes up.

[-Blu]

I think we do make the tournament this year.  Seen a lot of things from the past few weeks from the team that was really encouraging.  Our big men all seem to be as advertised. Portis is actually better than what I thought he would be coming in.  Harris looks really good, Coty Clarke is much improved, and Qualls and Williams are also better players as well.  On top of that Bell has just wowed me with his improvement, he had arguably the best off-season on the team, and I think him with consistent minutes is really going to help us in the back court.

I originally predicted our record as 22-9 (12-1 OOC, 10-8 Conf).  But, after seeing our teams pre-season games/practices, and seeing Mizzou and Bama in action, I think we'll find one more conference win, so I have us as 23-8 now in regular season with an 11-7 in conference record.  And I think we get 2 wins in the SEC tourney as well, giving us a 25-9 record going into selection Sunday.

[1highhog]

If we don't make the Tourney this year, MA's seat should start getting very warm.

[HogCaller13]

If we don't make the Tourney this year, MA's seat should start getting very warm.

Some people will be calling for his head if we don't make the big dance this year.I will give him a couple more years.

[Nipsey Mussle]

Some people will be calling for his head if we don't make the big dance this year.I will give him a couple more years.

I agree, I'll be in favor of more time. Some people will always be calling for the coach's head. But I don't see any way he doesn't have this job for at least 2 more seasons after this one.
MA has led us to 18 and 19 wins in his first 2 seasons, respectively. I know most on here see it as NcaaT or bust but the success scale doesn't stop there. If we had won 13 and 14 games in MA's first 2 seasons, then I'd say his seat has potential to be warm.
I've said it before and this is coming from a MA fan, but I feel like he rested on his laurels a bit the first 2 seasons. It's pretty common, actually. New coach, seen as the savior, knows the pieces aren't in place, and relaxes a bit. That's my hope going into this season, that I'll get more of an All-in feel from MA.

[Boarcephus]

No.  I think the only way is if Mike swallows his pride and slows it down and plays big on the road.  Get it to Bobby, Coty, or Alandise nearly every possession.

It has nothing to do with pride.  Mike believes in this system and has been very successful with this system and will continue to run it. 

As far as post season goes, we'll have a pretty good idea when we have our first winnable  road game.  In the past when we have had a winnable road game we folded.  We lacked toughness, attitude, confidence or something as simple as not enough talent. Mike has been successful wherever he's been and will be successful here.  This could be the start of something good.

[The Boar War]

Progress!

I agree.  We had a long way to go.  I don't foresee a lose to East Tenn this year.

[cardsNhogs]

I like our Bigs but guard play not so much. I think Bell is gonna be good. I don't expect much from Wade and Scott. Haydar will get the most out of his potential and prolly same for Gulley but that isn't much. Madden might be the key if we are to make the tournament. I say we do not this year.

[ThreeWayInn]

This team is going to be a pleasant surprise.  We have a top 5  coach...he now has his talent, talent that fits the system, and a team that is playing for the name on the front of their jerseys.

We finish no lower than 3rd in the conference....Sweet 16 a minimum.

[MikePiazza]

This team is going to be a pleasant surprise.  We have a top 5  coach...he now has his talent, talent that fits the system, and a team that is playing for the name on the front of their jerseys.

We finish no lower than 3rd in the conference....Sweet 16 a minimum.

Love Mike, but he's not a top five coach.

Top five off top of my head:
Coach K
Self
Boeheim
Williams
Pitino

That's leaving off Calipari, Donovan and a host of others.