In order to make the tournament

[Tenspro2002]

Now that we're more than half-way through BE play, we can assess what realistically needs to happen for us to make the Tournament. To grossly oversimplify, we have 4 easy games remaining (vs. Depaul. @ Nova, @ Prov, vs. Pitt) and 4 difficult games (@ Ville, @Cuse, vs. Marq, vs. Cuse).

We're 15-7 (5-5) right now; my feeling is that we need to go 5-3 in our last 8 regular season games to be a lock for the Tournament, sweeping the easy games and winning one of the difficult games (for that elusive signature win). If we lose one of those "easy" games, we'd need another good win to offset the bad loss.

If we only go 4-4 the rest of the way, I think the BET semis are a must. If we're 3-5, it's 5-in-5 (again) or bust.

Thoughts?

 

[aceboon]

Pitt isn't an easy game, they're a completely different team w/ Woodall in the lineup.

 

[MarieM]

i just hope we beat Cuse at least one time

 

[RabidHusky]

I think the tourney will bend over backward to get the defending champs in. Plus we're a draw and we travel well. Hope it's out west.

 

[mauconnfan]

4 in 4........in.........3-5.....may need to win 2, 1 may do it......

 

[RuffRuff]

The only game I consider "easy" in that bunch is the Depaul game. The Seton Hall game would have been lumped in there. PU on the road is never an easy game - didn't they destroy UL at their place earlier? Nova in Philly will not be a walk for this team either. Not sure if you recall but this team lost to Rutgers/Hall on the road and just because they beat up on a down Hall team yesterday doesn't reclassify them as even a top 25 team. Pitt will likely be playing to get in and hungry. This team needs 4-4. Just as important, they need to show they've righted the ship some to build some confidence.


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[BFieldHusky]

We need to win our home games. Yes that is a tall task with Marquette, Syracuswe and Pit being tough games, but that gets to you 9 wins right there. You look to steal a win on the road v.s. a Louisville, or Nova/Providence. Then you are looking at double digit wins in the conference.

One thing people aren't mentioning...UCONN is currently 25th in the RPI, with a strength of schedule of 3. I know this was brought up earlier in the year and people expected this to change. If you look at their remaining 8 opponents, they have 4 games against top 30 RPI teams. A couple of wins there and UCONN's resume is going to be solid.

 

[uconNYC]

Need to be .500 in the league including the tournament. So 4-4, 1-1 or 5-3, 0-1 or 3-5,3-1.

 

[mets1090]

Just win the Big East Tournament and no one will even be able to have this discussion

 

[Yonick]

Now that we're more than half-way through BE play, we can assess what realistically needs to happen for us to make the Tournament. To grossly oversimplify, we have 4 easy games remaining (vs. Depaul. @ Nova, @ Prov, vs. Pitt) and 4 difficult games (@ Ville, @Cuse, vs. Marq, vs. Cuse).

We're 15-7 (5-5) right now; my feeling is that we need to go 5-3 in our last 8 regular season games to be a lock for the Tournament, sweeping the easy games and winning one of the difficult games (for that elusive signature win). If we lose one of those "easy" games, we'd need another good win to offset the bad loss.

If we only go 4-4 the rest of the way, I think the BET semis are a must. If we're 3-5, it's 5-in-5 (again) or bust.

Thoughts?

I don't think games @ Nova or @ Prov are considered easy. And, for UConn, Pitt anywhere will be difficult. We should win these games, but it doesn't always happen that way. Hopefully, we can win 1-2 of the supposed tough games, but it'll be difficult for this team to win all of the games @ Nova & PC, and win vs Pitt.

 

[jibsey]

Syracuse is a tall task, I mean they beat St. John's by 25 on the road yesterday, and I don't care what you say about them but they hung with Duke pretty well which while not a great Duke team is solid enough. Let's just worry about Ville.

 

[zls44]

Stop looking at UConn in a vacuum.

If UConn goes 4-4, even 3-5 depending, they are still comfortably in.

 

[rip7774]

Isn't th field bigger now too? I agree 4-4 is lock and 3-5 prob ok.

 

[zls44]

Isn't th field bigger now too? I agree 4-4 is lock and 3-5 prob ok.

It is, and there are some terrible teams at the end of it.

 

[uconngb]

We just beat a team in a horrible slump, without by far their best player. I think it would be wise to view the rest of the season as one game at a time. Besides DePaul at home, i don't see any other gimmees. Right now I think we can just as easily lose to as beat any team in the conference. I hope yesterday was a stepping-stone and a good blueprint for the remainder of the season, but have to bring the same energy level every night. Louisville will be a great test.

 

[RuffRuff]

I think you still have to look at this team as where can they get as far as potential goes now with Boatright back and likely running the PG versus playing the math to get in the tourney. Because I'm not sure it's the type of team I want just squeezing in and getting knocked out in the first round just for the sake of making the tourney. They have some great benchmark games coming up and I see them as opportunity more than anything.

The basis of this team becoming dangerous will be the transition to Boat running the team and if Shabazz can suck it up and play well off him/in more of a 2G spot.

Louisville will be interesting - I don't think they're a great team and very beatable if this Uconn team can play well.

I will say this - if this team does get in and figures some things out, you know no one in the tourney wants to see them in their bracket as a 5-6-7 seed.