I think we have to go 3-2 in last 5 and win 1 in SECT to get in. Ole Miss is going to be a huge game Saturday. Another must win I think. 3-2 will be a tough row to hoe with Fla and Auburn on road. I think we may have played our best game of the year tonight.
I think we go 4-1 and hope we win at Florida and toss up to Auburn. No more home loses please! We do need a win in the SEC tournament.
Saturday against Ole Miss (win)
Wed 22 Feb. Texas A&M (win)
Saturday 25 Feb at Auburn (win)
Wed Mar 1 at Florida (win)
Saturday Mar 4 Georgia (?)
The Georgia game even at home scares me good point guard JJ Frazier and great post man Matten. It would be nice to win all of these games. We can’t have another skid of 2 losses. 1 win in the SEC tournament and dance maybe. Resume is not real good with the Missouri, Vandy and Mississippi State losses. It would great to get a road victory at Florida. Then I feel good about their chances of a bid.
Dustin Thomas from 4 spot is playing very well, looking much more athletic on offense and defense due to MA’s strong encouragement and more decisive and confident with the ball in his hands, getting those rebounds , pushing/moving the ball, and hitting a shot or two to also spread the floor. Bailey providing athletic minutes at the 3 and 4-- I think NCAAT speculators understand these Hogs really have not hit their stride fully with “now talked” about lethal weapons we have at guard but “now” getting some improved energy and defense at the 4 spot to complement Moses. We’re playing much more complete now than anytime during the season based on the “past two games” so can it be our best basketball is STILL ahead of us? I hope so. Very good teams stay consistent. I REALLY hope for similar/energetic performances from these “improved” Hogs in the next 5 games : ) and see how it unfolds. Lunardi thinks we can be pretty good if the Hogs continue to improve.
Great observation on Thomas! I think he might be coming around. Has definitely helped out on the boards lately!
I played a little on the RPI Wizard. Winning 4 games no matter how we get there (Final Five plus SECT) gives us a 38 RPI. There has never been a team with 23 wins and a sub 40 RPI that has been left out. Lowest RPI to miss is a 41 since the field went to 68.
if we go 4-1, like u suggest we should be in regardless of SEC tourney outcome, especially if we win at FL. i think Ole Miss scares me more than Georgia, especially if Georgia is already on outside of NCAA’s and have nothin to play for except winning the SEC tourney. if we win our last five and end season on 7 game win streak before SEC tourney we could sneak out a 9 seed maybe. id love to see us win an 8-9 game and get shot at a #1 seed in NCAA’s. with our newfound, efficient zone defense i think we play alot better defense. as long and athletic as we are ive long wondered why we didnt dabble with more zone. i would think our roster matches up athletically with a team like Syracuse who have long, hung their hat on zone defense. as much as we switch in our man defense its easy to get confused, especially for underclassmen like Bailey. in a zone, his athleticism can shine because he cant be taken away from the rim and outside his comfort zone.
i think our RPI didnt rise like it should of because of recent losses by teams like TN and Vandy at home.