The return of James Bouknight makes all of the difference here. I think that we can reasonably hope for a 4-1 finish to the season. With the band fully back together, they should be favored to beat Georgetown twice and Marquette. I like their chances in a revenge game against Seton Hall. With all of that being said, if the y pull off a road victory against Villanova this weekend, I think that they cement the spot in the field.
This could all go terribly wrong, but.....
I am looking forward to the Big East Tournament and a return to the NCAA. Depending on the seed and the matchups, the team could make a run. If Carlton is going to play like he did against Providence, they have depth in the post. If Cole and Martin continue to flourish as the second and third options, they will be tough to defend. With Bouknight back, everyone has a chance to be better because he commands so much attention. Floor spacing becomes so much easier. This actually helps Polley, as well. If they can score 75+ points per game, their defense will make them hard to beat.
Forgive me for getting carried away here but elite players are always part of deep tourney runs. Rip Hamilton in 1999, Gordon and Okafor in 2004, Kemba in 2011, and Shabazz in 2014. You can arguably put James Bouknight in that category. I know that I am putting the cart far, far in front of the horse here, but I, like so many of you, have bought a ticket on the bandwagon. I only wish that MSG was taking fans for the Big East Tourney.
