Is there any danger of GW getting underseeded this season because of an easy schedule? I think if GW gets any seed (even a 16-seed) that all of us here will be estatic. So instead, let´s see what kind of a schedule the coaches and circumstances allow the team to cobble together and take it for what it is.

Knowing the turnover in our roster, how do we know that these 4 teams are going to be “cupcakes”

If these teams have message boards, they are probably complaining about the weak A-10 team that is I. Their tournament based on our last several years.

We are living in a glass house - avoid throwing stones.

PKGW, am not sure which four teams you are referring to, but it's important to understand that the vast majority of last year's team will not be back in 2021-22.  Nobody can say for sure at this point that we'll be better but if you're suiting up 6 players who once played for major programs and then adding some talented freshmen to the mix, it stands to reason that next year's team should be far more talented.  Will JC makes the parts fit?  That needs to be seen.  Do I think he can do it?  Absolutely.

jf wrote:

At least from appearances now, seems like the tournament we will play in would make Hobbs blush.
  If all these high major transfers,plus whomever else we might still pick up are real finds,then we should show it,along with returnees and Knapp.
  We can play a couple of top 50ish teams,maybe even with one in the Top 25. Good experience. And certainly play those in Top 100 or 125.
  It's less painful to lose to at least moderately good teams,than some of our recent OOC losses. And maybe we can pick up some surprise wins.
   This is the coach's third year. Time for us to start being solid. Lowered expectations may bring lowered performance.
  And if we catch lightning,the schedule matters, prob even on the NIT bubble as well as the NCAA (if our long lost dreams come true),so let's at least play some decent teams.
That could be what we are actually doing,along with the (hopefully) confidence builders.We'll see when the schedule is finalized.
But it's not unreasonable that we don't want to foreclose even an NIT bid.
And we should certainly expect to perform quite well the season after this. So playing some decent teams will give us a chance to grow and learn, even if it results in losses this year.

To be fair, Wright State was a top 100 team last year (78).  If they are just as good, then they are exactly the kind of tram you are saying we should be playing. Only problem is I don’t know they’ll be that good again with their big guy gone. Maybe they have a nice transfer to come in or the rest of their guys step up. 


I will say, while I want a schedule upgrade commensurate with the on-paper talent we are bringing in, something like the NIT really doesn’t depend on SOS anymore. Since advanced metrics are such a factor - and you can build your rating by crushing weak teams about as easily as beating good ones, i weak schedule isn’t the death sentence it once was. However, when it comes to the ncaa, it’s still quad 1/2 wins that get you in so we need more of those games - especially winnable ones (I.e road game at Kansas really doesn’t help, unless you shock the world).

This is a thread worth archiving.

If this team goes let's say 27-6 and receives a 16 seed (it wouldn't be a 16 but let's use this based on GWAA's post), would we really be ecstatic?  Or, with this same record, if we ended up in the NIT due to having played too weak a schedule, would everyone really be OK with that?

Some of you weren't OK with an NIT Championship, still harping over late-season failures that knocked that team from the NCAA at-large pool.  Practically everyone was outraged after being awarded an 8 seed with a 26-2 record.

This team will be a retooled team, not a rebuilt team in the traditional sense.  It will not be an extension of last year's team at all.  It has been constructed to win right away.  This is what it means when transfers figure more into the immediate future than freshmen.  

I understand that the jury is still out on the schedule which we know little about for a fact at this point.  Plenty of time before we all see how this plays out.

What's hilarious here is we have people opining about a schedule that probably no one has seen. I am aware of most of it. It won't be the strongest schedule in GW history but I don't believe it is the weakest either. There is a trip to CA with games against a couple of WCC members. There is the tournament in Naples. And then there are probably 1 or 2 solid OOC games. Other than that it is the usual local/regional suspects. Of course, it is still a fluid situation so some of it could still change. Again, probably about the right mix for a team trying to break in the win column early with a bunch of new players. 

Gwmayhem wrote:

Do you know if there will be an A10-Mountain West challenge this coming season, and if so, whether GW will be participating?

Rothstein already reported it was cancelled.  At this point I doubt it ever happens.

Jon Rothstein @JonRothstein 
Sources: The Atlantic 10-Mountain West Challenge is not expected to be played during the 21-22 season. The inaugural event was cancelled last season due to COVID.

Thank you GW0509.  I had either missed that or had forgotten about it.

Dumb (Dude) and dumber (BP) hate being ignored so they jump into the conversation with their typical irrelevant dribble!

Good news here is this new format has isolated the 2 of them and is preventing the 20 different monikers each they used on the last board.

As for the schedule, I don't care who we play. We have a lot of new pieces, are coming off a crazy COVID limited season and have no idea if the chemistry of these players will work. I will be happy if JC can just establish his system and the team shows progress as the season goes on. Let's just get out of this hole we have been in the last 5 years. We are all out of patience.

Methinks thou dost protest too much.