Our issue is not to lose the game simply by a free throw disparity. Theirs is not to lose the game simply by a rebounding disparity. My guess is that we get much more freedom of movement to run our offense than we got in Big East play and look like a better team than we've been most of the year.
The SEC's metrics are deserved, but they are deserved based of how well its members were playing before Christmas. Christmas was a long time ago. I don't even remember what I gave as gifts to anyone except my wife. Yes, the ACC stunk then and is quickly proving that it stinks just as badly today, but losses already by Texas and Mizzou might be hinting that, while the SEC may very well be the best conference this year, it's not the best conference ever as it looked to be in November. Similarly, the Big East may be better now than it was in November. This is why we play the games.
Do I have confidence in this bunch? Not really. Am I making plans for any of the days when we'd be playing the next six games if we keep winning? Heck no.