College Hoops Around The Country [TN opponents, RPI, others]

#12,756
#12,756
Christian Lowe said:
GG Jackson, nations #1 recruit, commits to South Carolina.
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Boggles my mind that recruiting services still rank the explosive 6’8/9 PF who can’t stretch the floor to three or pass or dribble really but is an incredible athlete as top 5 or top 3 recruits when it’s proven that type of player doesn’t really translate to the NBA nowadays
 
#12,761
#12,761
Thing is, it’s not really a “hot take” to say that. I feel like that’s the general consensus among fans. When you lose a point guard like Kennedy Chandler, it’s almost impossible to replace him. Talent wise we are taking a step back. At the point guard position at least. Now, when you look at the schedule, it shapes up pretty well and could make us look better than we really are. In conference, I see us going 14-3. Possibly 14-2. I wouldn’t be disappointed with 14-4 considering that was your conference record with Chandler.
 
#12,763
#12,763
Dallasbowlin said:
Thing is, it’s not really a “hot take” to say that. I feel like that’s the general consensus among fans. When you lose a point guard like Kennedy Chandler, it’s almost impossible to replace him. Talent wise we are taking a step back. At the point guard position at least. Now, when you look at the schedule, it shapes up pretty well and could make us look better than we really are. In conference, I see us going 14-3. Possibly 14-2. I wouldn’t be disappointed with 14-4 considering that was your conference record with Chandler.
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CRB has a long history of successful player development. No doubt KC was an excellent PG, but he wasn’t selected all- SEC. Surely ZZZ will take another step forward as a player to help offset KC’s departure. Don’t know if JJJ & SV will play much better but there’s a good chance that ON & Aidoo are much improved. Mashack might step up also. We added Key and some promising freshmen. I think it’s possible for our team to be better this season if the stars align. JMO, TIFWIW, AARP
 
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#12,766
#12,766
Chris4Vols22 said:
Hard to imagine us not taking a step back. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't see a good argument otherwise at this time.
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4 of the first 5 regulars return and have one additional year of experience. So will Uros and Mashack. Plus add Aidoo to replace Fulk’s minutes and the newcomers of Phillips, Edwards, Key, Jefferson, and Awaka is a strong group to offset the loss of KC, BHH, Powell, DeBoundje, and Bailey. KC’s talent and potential will be missed, but the roster is really good. Just not as guard oriented as it was in 2021-22. Phillips is as high level as KC. BHH leaving won’t be a huge loss if he wasn’t going to play in the paint on the offensive end anyway.

Won the NC in 1998 after Peyton left. SEC champion in 1997.
 
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#12,767
#12,767
The rest of the SEC will probably be better. So the conference W/L might back slide. But if they win enough to make the NCAAT with a decent seed and draw it won’t surprise me if they have a really nice run.
 
#12,768
#12,768
Chris4Vols22 said:
Hard to imagine us not taking a step back. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't see a good argument otherwise at this time.
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I guess it depends on what you define as taking a step back. Does this team win an SEC Tournament? I don’t know. Odds would say most likely not. But, Fulky kind of became a background character towards the end of that season. Chandler is the only monumental loss and we just brought in Julian Phillips, another stud, as well as an experienced 6th year player in Tyreke Key.

I’m not saying we win the SEC regular season title, but we return one of the most experienced cores (if not the most experienced) in the SEC. It’s fine to set expectations lower, but I personally have every reason to believe this team can meet or exceed last year’s team. Santi and JJJ aren’t going to go quietly. They are both wayyyyyyyyy too good.
 
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#12,769
#12,769
Thunder Good-Oil said:
The rest of the SEC will probably be better. So the conference W/L might back slide. But if they win enough to make the NCAAT with a decent seed and draw it won’t surprise me if they have a really nice run.
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At this point it should be a surprise if they have a “really nice run” in the tournament. A Barnes led team hasn’t had one of those in quite some time.

This looks like much of the same. 20 wins, NCAA tourney birth but won’t make it to the 2nd weekend. To which fans on here will make the same excuse of how we got a bad draw, the team we lost to should have been seeded higher, etc. It’s the same story different year.

Honestly the program feels like it’s up against a glass ceiling right now and needs a breakthrough.
 
#12,770
#12,770
Vols8086 said:
At this point it should be a surprise if they have a “really nice run” in the tournament. A Barnes led team hasn’t had one of those in quite some time.

This looks like much of the same. 20 wins, NCAA tourney birth but won’t make it to the 2nd weekend. To which fans on here will make the same excuse of how we got a bad draw, the team we lost to should have been seeded higher, etc. It’s the same story different year.

Honestly the program feels like it’s up against a glass ceiling right now and needs a breakthrough.
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As long as TN is making the tournament consistently, the run will happen. TN fans discount Sweet 16s as if making it that far is a failed season. Less than 5% get that far. Less than 10% of eligible teams win an NCAAT game.
 
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#12,771
#12,771
Thunder Good-Oil said:
As long as TN is making the tournament consistently, the run will happen. TN fans discount Sweet 16s as if making it that far is a failed season. Less than 5% get that far. Less than 10% of eligible teams win an NCAAT game.
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That is what Barnes stans have said about his teams for a while now and for some reason it hasn't happened. With his age and history it may not. It's blind faith and optimism to think otherwise until he shows otherwise.

Also we have had 1 sweet 16 since he has been here and that team only making it that far qualifies as a disappointment. Let's not act like we are constantly making it to the 2nd weekend and fans are upset.

Also using your 10% of eligible teams win an NCAAT game is a worthless stat in this context. That assumes all NCAA D1 teams are on a level playing field and have the same expectations and talent level. We all know that isn't the case at all. I would think that our program is viewed upon more favorably than just some random D1 team that needs to win a conference tourney to get in. However, by lumping all teams together and giving them the same odds you are implying we are no better or worse than any other program in the country.
 
#12,772
#12,772
TN won 3 NCAAT games in a 22 year stretch. Wade, KO, Buzz, and Donnie never played in a single NCAAT game. Bruce won 8x in 6 years. Jerry Green won 3x in 4 years. Cuonzo won 3x the one year out of 3 that he made the NCAAT. Barnes has won 4x in 7 years (6 tournaments). Only Bruce has more NCAAT wins than years as the head coach.

TN is historically around the 35th-40th all-time best program. They are now around 15-20 in the most recent years. TN has finished in the final AP top ten 4 times. Ever. Barnes twice. Mears and Pearl one time each. 15th or better 10x. Ever. Mears 3x. Devoe 1x. Green 1x. Pearl 2x. Barnes 3x.
 
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#12,773
#12,773
The NCAAT is a horrible measure of success. Single elimination. Seeds and draws have a huge component of luck. TN had good teams recently eliminated with lucky bounces with the center out with an injury, questionable officiating and a mediocre player having a career 3-point shooting night, and a Michigan team as a draw that was far better than their seed. It’s a small sample - 4 appearances. Still logged 4 wins though.
 
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#12,774
#12,774
Vols8086 said:
That is what Barnes stans have said about his teams for a while now and for some reason it hasn't happened. With his age and history it may not. It's blind faith and optimism to think otherwise until he shows otherwise.

Also we have had 1 sweet 16 since he has been here and that team only making it that far qualifies as a disappointment. Let's not act like we are constantly making it to the 2nd weekend and fans are upset.

Also using your 10% of eligible teams win an NCAAT game is a worthless stat in this context. That assumes all NCAA D1 teams are on a level playing field and have the same expectations and talent level. We all know that isn't the case at all. I would think that our program is viewed upon more favorably than just some random D1 team that needs to win a conference tourney to get in. However, by lumping all teams together and giving them the same odds you are implying we are no better or worse than any other program in the country.
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It’s not useless at all considering that well over half of eligible teams don’t have to battle in a conference loaded with big budget opponents.
 
#12,775
#12,775
TN has been to 24 NCAATs.

9x they didn’t win a single game.

TN has been in the Sweet 16 only 8x. Ever.

Don Devoe is the only TN coach to win an NCAAT game in 5 consecutive years. He also did it in smaller fields. Green won a game in consecutive years once. Bruce won at least one game his first 3 years. His last three were 2 one-and-dones bookending the EE. Barnes had NCAAT wins in back-to-back seasons once. Those 4 are the only TN coaches to ever win an NCAAT game in consecutive seasons.
 
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