I still think this is a tournament team. Yeah it hurts losing close games in all these resume builders but still have two OOC games that will help in that regard - Liberty and Texas and a I think 11-7 in conference gets us in and looking at some of the other teams in the SEC this year I have no problem believing we can achieve that record.

Then once you get in the tournament who knows. I would say Sweet 16 is the ceiling.

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Posted by kciDAtaE

Member since Apr 2017

15766 posts

Posted on 12/23/19 at 7:38 am to C3W

Disappointment

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Posted by LSU Neil

Springfield

Member since Feb 2007

2502 posts

Posted on 12/23/19 at 7:45 am to kciDAtaE

This team is exactly like 1986 team. Loads of talent that has to figure out how to play together. We need a point guard (again) (as usual) and then start playing ball. Obviously Smart is not a point guard, or does not want to be.

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Posted by pufftiger

baton rouge

Member since Aug 2006

349 posts

Posted on 12/23/19 at 7:54 am to C3W

You do not go to the dance without a solid point guard. Until that is solved I'm saying NIT.

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Posted by basiletiger

lafayette, la.

Member since Aug 2007

2141 posts

Posted on 12/23/19 at 7:58 am to C3W

when you lose 4 out of 5 starters on a sweet 16 team you will experience what we are experiencing right now.

This team really has no identity right now. The SEC is down this year so we still have an opportunity to finish 3-4 in conference.

Success this year for me would be getting into the tourney. Help is coming next year. NO one on this roster is NBA ready.

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Posted by mhc4tigers

Member since Aug 2016

4338 posts

Posted on 12/23/19 at 8:21 am to C3W

NIT

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Posted by JohnnyU

Florida

Member since Nov 2006

12350 posts

Posted on 12/23/19 at 8:32 am to redfish99

quote:
.500 in league. Bubble at best. NIT reality.

With a little luck..

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Posted by Alt26

Member since Mar 2010

28381 posts

Posted on 12/23/19 at 9:07 am to Dudebro2

quote:
How much worse can it get?

Really? You honestly believe this is rock bottom? They've lost 3 games, away from home, vs 3 potential/likely NCAAT teams by a combined 6 points and you think this is as bad as it can get? Wow!

The "ceiling" is probably an SEC championship. Is it likely? Of course not, but no one in the league has looked dominant thus far. Every team has holes

They are behind schedule relative to last year, but just barely. Last season LSU blew a lead vs. a good FSU team. They blew a big lead vs a really good Houston on the road. They laid a complete uninspired egg vs. a mediocre Oklahoma St. team.

This year they lost by two on the road to a good VCU team. They blew a big lead vs. a good Utah St. team. They laid an egg vs a good ETSU team (a better team than OSU last season). The only difference is that they beat a good St. Mary's team in Vegas right before Christmas while they lost to a good USC team this year.

Yes, they MUST shoot better from 3. Yes, the MUST get better defensively. Yes, the huge turnover numbers have to decrease. But we were essentially saying the EXACT same thing last year at this point. If you look at the numbers we are looking at virtually a mirror image of last years team: They play at a fast pace; Have turnover and defensive issues; Shoot a very good percentage from 2 point territory; are below average from 3; Score very efficiently and are a solid offensive rebounding team

The BIG question is can this team learn to win close games? They are going to be in a lot of them, just like last year's team (seven OT games!), because they have the same "problems". They don't defend well enough to close out games and they have a tendency to make poor decisions on offense in the final 6 minutes. Last year's group eventually figured out how to win them. Will this one?

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Posted by madddoggydawg