How good is this team?

Casey388

Casey388

Well-Known Member
I am having trouble figuring out how good this team really is. I was about to hop off the bandwagon before big ten play started, now I'm thinking of making steps to help people get on. I know we are just beginning our most brutal stretch of the season but I am slowly becoming optimistic. I don't think we will be able to win the title away from Wisconsin, Maryland or Michigan State but I think we have a good shot of getting third or fourth.

What is everyone else's thoughts?
 
I think we are a matchup problem for most teams. How many teams have terrible guards and can't shoot but play great D and have length at all positions? Teams with great guards will massacre us but we can beat the rest.
 
As good as they believe they are....Big Ten bball is brutal, and to survive you have to have grit and toughness, determination to finish games.....we've seen the backlash of having leads and then relinquishing them....today was a good measuring stick.....I'm actually kind of surprised how they've been playing, long ways to go, but the kids are fighters, and we've gotten a good look at some of the younger guys under pressure situations, and so far, they're passing the test.....
 
Good enough to win 6 of their next 13 conference games to go 10-8, pick up a win in the BTT, and nab a #7seed in The Dance.

Bank it.
 
Still can't hit jumpshot consistently, which could still kill them but they've found ways to overcome that by getting to the line. That's how they are going to win and if that continues they are a lock to dance. I'm skeptical about continuing to get to the line with more road games to come and this conference's obsession with being physical.
 
I don't know how good they are overall, but I hope it is a continuing upward arc from blowing an 11 point halftime lead and getting blown out to blowing an 11 point halftime lead but hanging on for the win. Then getting the big lead, absorbing the rally and winning the game with a little more space and a lot less drama. Now, get the lead and step on the throat. I want to see Charlie Rose play. :cool:
 
When it is all said and done, I would still expect to see around 9-9 or 10-8 (winning at North Carolina and OSU really helps thus far). Slight bubble team, but I think at this point they look like they are going to get in. But, I would never guessed 4-1 at this point either. Iowa looks like an 8 or 9 seed. Maybe 7.
 
Casey388 said:
I am having trouble figuring out how good this team really is. I was about to hop off the bandwagon before big ten play started, now I'm thinking of making steps to help people get on. I know we are just beginning our most brutal stretch of the season but I am slowly becoming optimistic. I don't think we will be able to win the title away from Wisconsin, Maryland or Michigan State but I think we have a good shot of getting third or fourth.

What is everyone else's thoughts?
Click to expand...


We are tall all over the place... this is our advantage against 90% of the teams.

We don't shoot from the outside very well.

Our defense is decent but our guards have trouble with quick penetrating guards.

In the end how far we go will depend on our ability to be any kind of threat from the outside.
The 2nd factor would be our defense... if we can put two defensive halves together consistently instead of just 1 then we will be hard to beat regardless of our shooting problems.
 
NEIChawk said:
As good as they believe they are....Big Ten bball is brutal, and to survive you have to have grit and toughness, determination to finish games.....we've seen the backlash of having leads and then relinquishing them....today was a good measuring stick.....I'm actually kind of surprised how they've been playing, long ways to go, but the kids are fighters, and we've gotten a good look at some of the younger guys under pressure situations, and so far, they're passing the test.....
Click to expand...

It was nice to see them not give a lead all the way up.

they seem to finally be getting over the hump in terms of mental toughness. Only took two and a half years.
 
Casey388 said:
I am having trouble figuring out how good this team really is. I was about to hop off the bandwagon before big ten play started, now I'm thinking of making steps to help people get on. I know we are just beginning our most brutal stretch of the season but I am slowly becoming optimistic. I don't think we will be able to win the title away from Wisconsin, Maryland or Michigan State but I think we have a good shot of getting third or fourth.

What is everyone else's thoughts?
Click to expand...

Good enough to have a bandwagon, inconsistent for certain folks to jump off, good enough for them to jump back on, etc. etc.
 
We are one of the best first half teams in the country...period. Our first halves are incredible...we just own teams. I'm for proposing we petition the NCAA to call games at the half. The good thing is that the team is learning how to win in the second half...but we have to be able shut down a hot shooter. Russell, Trice, the entire Minny team...someone needs to become the shutdown defender.
 
This is funny. Bubble team? We already have better resume wins than last year with at Carolina and OSU sweep and I giarante we arent done. If we go 9-9 or 10-8 there is no way we don't get in. We don't have 1 bad loss. This team DOMINATED today. They look confident now and they look like a top teir B1G team. No player is playing bad ball right now. Replace Russell with just a good player for OSU, we win by 15 or 20. This team is on the incline and I think they'll be better than last year by the end of the season.
 
We play Nebby, NU twice, Minny, PSU, Pur, Rutgers. That should be 5-6 wins right there. Thats already 9-10 wins without including 2 Wisky games, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Maryland.

This team should at a minimum win 9-10 games. They've put themselves in a good position with this good confrence start.
 
I think they're a good team. 10-8, 11-7 possibly. I still worry about long offensive and defensive stretches hurting them. Their keys to winning will always be their length on D and FT shooting.

If they could get Jok going in the mid-range game, well I'll just leave that be. Thats where things could get exciting.
 
They'll make you think they are world beaters one half and then look like Lick's old teams in the second. They'll win some they shouldn't, and lose some they shouldn't.

I think they are a good team who at times plays great, and at others plays terrible. At the beginning of the season I saw 18 to 19 wins, but now I think they can get 20 to 21. They can be hard to match up against which is a positive and could really help them in the Big Ten Tourney as well as the NCAA Tournament.

I fully think this is a NCAA Tournament caliber team and they are better then last year even though they have some of the same issues.

When all cylinders are firing they are really fun to watch.
 
I still am not sure. Obviously, they can be a pretty good team if they play to their potential, as we saw today. It's going to be about playing tough defense consistently, and playing as a team on offense - taking care of the ball, getting to the foul line, and being opportunistic on outside shooting rather than firing away too much.

I'm not sure if they can win the Big Ten (but so far so good) but are good enough IMO to be in the Top 3-5 or so, and end up a solid NCAA seed.

Just gotta keep bringing it for 40 minutes every game.
 
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