1 of 1- Gwmayhem
- Buff & Blue Club
Offline - Registered: 7/22/2019
- Posts: 2,517
The Ceiling?
Any thoughts on the ceiling for this year's team? 9-9 in conference? Better? Worse?
Any chance they can get hot in March? Reach the A10 semis if things broke right?
- MG14
- Buff & Blue Club
Online! - Registered: 7/22/2019
- Posts: 801
Re: The Ceiling?
I don't see us getting anywhere close to 9-9 in conference. Personally, I'm going to focus more on the gameplan and player progression than record this year.
- PKGW
- Buff & Blue Club
Offline
- Registered: 7/23/2019
- Posts: 440
Re: The Ceiling?
I agree with not worrying about record this year as the new coach has only 1 recruiting class to play his system. I think it will be very hard to get road wins in the A-10. I think 6-7 wins in conference is a solid season.
- GW Alum Abroad
- Buff & Blue Club
Offline
- Registered: 7/22/2019
- Posts: 1,250
Re: The Ceiling?
In theory, this team could go undefeated and win the National Championship. (In theory, I am good looking, trickle-down economics reduce inequality and Adam Sandler movies are entertaining. In theory).
W´s and L´s are so unimportant this season that even keeping track of them seems like a waste of time...
- dmvpiranha
- Moderator
Offline
- Registered: 7/23/2019
- Posts: 1,136
Re: The Ceiling?
Agree that this year should be most importantly used for laying a foundation for the future. I hope to see (and somewhat expect to) Jameer, Shawn, Jamison, and Chase get quite some run right away, especially during OOC play.
Having said that, it's always fun to predict W's and L's, so based on the conference schedule released today, I'll say:
1/5 vs. St. Bonaventure (L)
1/8 @ St. Louis (L)
1/11 vs. Duquesne (W)
1/15 vs. George Mason (W)
1/18 vs. UMass (W)
1/22 @ Fordham (W)
1/25 vs. St. Joe's (W)
1/29 vs. Davidson (L)
2/1 @ Richmond (L)
2/5 @ St. Bonaventure (L)
2/8 vs. Rhode Island (L)
2/15 @ George Mason (L)
2/19 @ Duquesne (L)
2/22 vs. La Salle (W)
2/26 vs. Richmond (L)
2/29 @ VCU (L)
3/4 vs. Fordham (W) (Funny how we go from the hardest possible game @ VCU to easiest possible game at home against Fordham in consecutive games)
3/7 @ Dayton (L)
That would put us at 7-11, so 9-9 is definitely possible if we can win some games we shouldn't, which seems a lot more doable under JC. Getting to play Fordham twice instead of Davidson or VCU definitely helps (we have struggled with those two teams probably more than anyone other teams in the A10).
Having said that, I don't see us getting hot in March (of course anything can happen if team chemistry is strong). While we do have quite a few seniors, this team's identity is still pretty young with a new coach. Experience matters in March and while I can say our team in roster construction might be better than last year, every A10 team has improved and gotten more experienced.
I could have seen a scenario last year of reaching the semis had JC been coach. Yes, JC took Siena to the semis in the MAAC last year which was his first with the team, but that league was atrocious last year. Every team had lost at least 15 games, and even Iona barely finished above .500 overall. Also, keep in mind we haven't made the semifinals of the conference tournament since the 2013-14 season. The more games we have to play in the tournament, the harder it will be to get there and I don't see this team escaping the first two days, let alone get a bye. Again, would love to be wrong.