Last time we were 3-0 in conference play...

[broderickpresident]

1989-90, when we went undefeated in the MAAC and had a Final Four caliber team

[stlexplorer]

My god how things change in a month

[ltrain38]

I think this streak needs to extend a few more games before I'm prepared for that kind of talk. They do seem to have found something here though.

[vasalos]

Jan 15, 2014 23:33:24 GMT -5 ltrain38 said:

I think this streak needs to extend a few more games before I'm prepared for that kind of talk. They do seem to have found something here though.

Agreed. Beat Temple and St. Bonventure and then pack Gola for a critical VCU game. Win all three and then we can talk about the magical run.

[scarletexplorer]

Last night was a great win. It's night and day now that Duren isn't hurt. My friend and I are currently having this discussion at work. Looking forward realistically over the last 14 games:

Wins: Bonnies (at home), Joes (home), Joes (away), Fordham, GMU, Duquesne.

Losses: UMass, VCU, Dayton.

Flex: Bonnies (at Olean), GW, SLU, Richmond, Temple.

Looking at the flex games, we could beat GW again and could beat the Bonnies at Olean. I'm optimistic about Temple, but they always go all out against us. Richmond is good and is on the road but beatable. And this could finally be the year we get over the SLU hump now that we have both Zack and Wright healthy, and Wright is in beast mode.

If you look at that best case scenario, we're sitting at 21 wins going into the A-10 tournament. Worst case, probably around 18. If we're somewhere in the middle and we pick up a win or two in Brooklyn...

It all starts with Temple.

[vasalos]

Everyone needs to slow down a bit. Right now total wins means nothing without quality wins, road wins and a resume. Quality wins will come from GW, Dayton, VCU, St. Louis, UMASS. Away matchups will be key versus St. Joe's, Richmond, St. Bonaventure.

Get the quality road wins and start building some sort of resume. Right now all we got is GW.

[broderickpresident]

I'm not talking about a magical run here (I've laid out that highly unlikely possibility elsewhere). Just pointing out how long it's been since we won our first 3 conference games.

[theneumann64]

I'm more excited about what it is, which is wins and good basketball, than where it might lead to in terms of positioning down the line.

[coachd]

I'm not conceding any losses but 14-2 would be great... nahh, let's win the A10 by going 16-0. Then take the title in Brooklyn.

[MisterD]

14-2 is horrifically lofty but if we want inside track at an at-large, that has to be the target. We have 6 losses plus those two plus not winning the A-10s gets up 9. There's that mental gap from a 9 loss team to a double digit loss team that can loom on selection sunday.

[MisterD]

(Which of course isn't to say 14-2 is necessary to get an at-large, its just easier to bitch about getting snubbed at XX-9 than XX-10.)

[stlexplorer]

To me you can't think about Selection Sunday. My goal is getting a bye in Brooklyn because our non-conf set up we likely have to win conference tournament to get in. My goal is 1st rd bye and hope for a good 2nd rd draw

[theneumann64]

Yeah I'm not optimistic about Saturday, let alone beyond that. We need to knock off 2 of SLU, UMass and VCU before the tournament is anything but a dream in my eyes.

[nepaexplorer]

I love the enthusiasm, and REALLY love the 3-0 start...
but let's not get too excited.
GW: nice win at home.
Duquesne & Rhodey: nothing to shout about.
Beating Temple for a change would be nice, but the meat of the schedule is still to come.

[MisterD]

Trust me, not a prediction at all, boys, just a little forecasting. 14-2 (plus Temple) is what we'd need to walk into A-10s in the exact same shape we were in last year in the loss column (but up one win).

(Also, I hate "don't get ahead of yourself" for fans. Trust me, me sketching out what's needed isn't going to hurt Sam's ability to hit a 3 or Zack on the boards. Its just a realistic end goal check.)

[ltrain38]

I think the point about 14-2 is well taken. Teams with ten losses (no matter how many "quality wins" they have) or with an RPI above 50 don't make the tournament, unless they come from what used to be the BCS cartel conferences.

[scarletexplorer]

I think we can get a quality win over SLU. That's a start.

[theneumann64]

Jan 16, 2014 18:22:11 GMT -5 MisterD said:

Trust me, not a prediction at all, boys, just a little forecasting. 14-2 (plus Temple) is what we'd need to walk into A-10s in the exact same shape we were in last year in the loss column (but up one win).

(Also, I hate "don't get ahead of yourself" for fans. Trust me, me sketching out what's needed isn't going to hurt Sam's ability to hit a 3 or Zack on the boards. Its just a realistic end goal check.)

I hate that too. My thing was more "you guys are setting up yourselves for disappointment more so than "oh noes ur jinxing us!!!"

[lwc4591]

I think team is looking at NIT this season with 21 wins after A10 tourny. I wish they could go to NCAA tourny but 14-2 or winning A10 tourny are very lofty goals. Winning A10 is a possibility but going 14-2 against remaining schedule is just unrealistic.

[a10champion15]

I don't see the explorers going 14-2 in the A10 nor do I think that is what they need to make the tournament. I do think 12-4 does it with wins over 2 of the three between UMass, SLU and VCU. Leaves you with three top 50 wins including GW with no bad losses. I think many of underestimate how much of a bad loss ccsu was last year and how much it dragged down our rpi and hurt our resume.

A few wins in the A10 tourney would solidify us at 21-11 or 22-10. This month for the explorers is critical and will see what type of team they will be. I think the nit is the most likely situation but the way this team is playing right now I don't think it is impossible we get an at large bid.