re: LSU 57 @ Syracuse 80 Final - ESPN2

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I think that's pretty much the default condition for this year's team.

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McMahon doesn't get the benefit of the doubt until he earns the benefit of the doubt. He can start on the road to doing that with a win tonight. Until he starts winning some games like this no one is going to EXPECT him to.

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Never think that preconference games are the same as preseason. Look at last year's Vandy Commodores. They finished 11-7 and tied for fourth in the SEC with Missouri, and won 10 of 11 conference games in one stretch late last season, beating Kentucky and Florida each twice, and beating Tennessee and Auburn, and making the semis of the SEC tourney. But they were an undistinguished 6-7 in nonconference action, and could not be found on the NCAA Tournament Selection Sunday.

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College basketball can be hard to predict. You never quite know when a team will get red hot (like Vandy did last season) or completely collapse (Like LSU did after an 11-1 non-conf record and beating a ranked Arkansas team to start SEC play).

IIRC, Vandy was in the discussion for a NCAAT bid. Ironically, it was probably LSU that kept them out. Vandy won 8 of their final 9 SEC games last year. Included in those wins were victories over Tennessee, Florida (2x), Kentucky, Auburn, Miss. St. The ONE loss...@ 1-13 (SEC) LSU who was in the midst of a 14 game losing streak.