A couple of reasons why:

We are far more tested and prepared this year as compared to any of the years Pastner has been here playing in this conference and playing two games against: Cincy, Louisville, UConn and SMU. Only two of those games were we outmatched. We had the road game at UConn.

Neutral site games:

Our best games (outside of Louisville and UConn on the road and a few games at home) we had our best games on neutral sites. LSU, Ok State and Florida. In fact, our best game was probably against Florida. At this time, both Florida and Memphis are better than we were at that time.

Playing in this conference with the experience we have will prove to help us this year regardless of what has happened at Cincy and at Houston.

I tend to agree this year. I feel like the Tigers won't fold in a tight game regardless of seed and regardless of competition. The ONLY way I see us NOT having a chance in the NCAA tourney is if we get paired up with a team who plays a similar style to Cincinnati (hard nosed defense, force you into bad shots, etc). This Memphis team just isn't tough enough for games like that, and I've accepted it. But give us any other team, and we have a shot.

This team doesn't quit, regardless of how it looks. They actually didn't quit against Cincy last night either. Weathered the first Cincy run, got back into it. Then the second Cincy run happened late, but we still fought to the end. We didn't play great after the horrible start. Cincy dictated what we did most of the game after that point. But we didn't "fold" like we did in the OkSt game earlier in the year. Cincy had guys (Rubles, Jackson) hitting shots I haven't seen them hit consistently all year... on senior night for them no less.

So yeah, I'm a "glass half full" type guy... but I think Memphis has a shot at getting to Sweet 16 in March regardless of their seed. The only thing stopping them is matchups.

I think we have a good shot at the Sweet Sixteen. I don't expect more, but I'll take it.

Pastner is riding the 4 horseman all the way.

I'd feel a whole lot better if we knew how to play defense for any length of time. Our rebounding has gotten better from last year and the beginning of this year, but with truly now "everyone being good" in the NCAA, defense is even more important. I have more confidence in our offense (half court too) than previously, but the defense is just a fiasco right now.

I don't expect anything, especially when we haven't even played the conference tourney and have no way to predict matchups & seeding.

Maybe Biff will drop a 2015 sports almanac off our way this week in the Delorean, but I kinda doubt it.

depends on the matchup, we dont want a long perimeter team that excels in half court slow games.

(03-07-2014 03:50 PM)tiger2000 Wrote:  I don't expect anything, especially when we haven't even played the conference tourney and have no way to predict matchups & seeding.

Maybe Biff will drop a 2015 sports almanac off our way this week in the Delorean, but I kinda doubt it.

Biff's almanac wouldn't help... it stopped in 2000...

http://backtothefuture.wikia.com/wiki/Gr...ts_Almanac

(03-07-2014 04:02 PM)LegolElf Wrote:  

(03-07-2014 03:50 PM)tiger2000 Wrote:  I don't expect anything, especially when we haven't even played the conference tourney and have no way to predict matchups & seeding.

Maybe Biff will drop a 2015 sports almanac off our way this week in the Delorean, but I kinda doubt it.

Biff's almanac wouldn't help... it stopped in 2000...

http://backtothefuture.wikia.com/wiki/Gr...ts_Almanac

I feel like we will do really well in the tournament, regardless of any bad games we have played. Our team has played in a really tough conference, and all but a couple of games have been really competitive. Losses happen, with good players on good teams.

We need to continue to learn from our losses, and continue to improve. Unlike the last few years, I can't really identify a team that I feel like we just can't compete with. Yes, even Cincinnati. I really hope we get to play those guys in the conference tourney.

futurepedia

now ive seen it all

(03-07-2014 05:12 PM)bobby jo Wrote:  I feel like we will do really well in the tournament, regardless of any bad games we have played. Our team has played in a really tough conference, and all but a couple of games have been really competitive. Losses happen, with good players on good teams.

We need to continue to learn from our losses, and continue to improve. Unlike the last few years, I can't really identify a team that I feel like we just can't compete with. Yes, even Cincinnati. I really hope we get to play those guys in the conference tourney.

If we do play Cinci again - and win - then it will be a hell of a confidence booster.

I think we are a top 20 team.

I don't think anybody, except for extreme homers, expects this team to make a sweet 16. We have given ourselves an unfavorable draw in the NCAA as it stands right now (right now is all we have to base that decision)...

We don't have the record against top teams this year for anyone to honestly say "expect a strong tournament run"

So I really struggle to see this team making it to the 2nd weekend. Much less a strong tournament run.. I consider a strong tournament run the Elite 8.

I don't see this team making it passed the first weekend but it is what it is.

(03-07-2014 03:41 PM)TigerTimmy Wrote:  Pastner is riding the 4 horseman all the way.

Pastner has repeatedly said that he's going to stick with the 3 guard line-up and if the they make shots we will probably win and if they don't then we will struggle.

I disagree with this philosophy but it is what it is. This team could go to the elite 8 or it could lose it's first round game. They have been consistently inconsistent all year and it's not going to change now.

(03-07-2014 07:30 PM)tigerderek Wrote:  I don't see this team making it passed the first weekend but it is what it is.

Great insight!!

(03-07-2014 05:29 PM)hopeum Wrote:  I think we are a top 20 team.

I don't think anybody, except for extreme homers, expects this team to make a sweet 16. We have given ourselves an unfavorable draw in the NCAA as it stands right now (right now is all we have to base that decision)...

We don't have the record against top teams this year for anyone to honestly say "expect a strong tournament run"

So I really struggle to see this team making it to the 2nd weekend. Much less a strong tournament run.. I consider a strong tournament run the Elite 8.

Team reminds me of the Penny team.

Could rise up and beat Arkansas but finished with double digit losses- you never knew what to expect game to game.

And got handled by Cincinnati.

(03-07-2014 07:30 PM)tigerderek Wrote:  I don't see this team making it passed the first weekend but it is what it is.

Past


Oh yeah, great insight!

People "expecting" a deep run are setting themselves up for disappointment.

I am expecting monkees to fly out of my butt....