[TreesAndBirds]

[quote author=winflop link=topic=18534.msg221084#msg221084 date=1515732343]
I was really happy with this win:
- 3 game conference win streak (something Dawkins maybe did once in 8 years)
- road win
- close win

I will pay more attention to where we are in pac12 standings after the first half of the conference season. After only 2.5 weekends it matters a lot who you have played.

But I think we are 9 wins from a ticket to the Big Dance.

The 3-game winning streak has been a positive sign, but we dug ourselves a deep hole with our showing in non-conference play. We have 4 RPI sub-100 losses (of which 2 are sub-150), including a home loss to the #184 ranked team in RPI. Furthermore, we lost all four non-conference RPI top 50 matchups, with all but the Ohio State game being uncompetitive routs. Finally, it took a half-court heave and 2 OT's to record our two best wins. Otherwise, our best win from the non-conference is a home win over Northeastern (ranked #120 in RPI).

Having said all of that, I will be happy with just seeing the team develop and build for the future, regardless of the postseason. Unless we go on a substantial, and arguably unprecedented, run in a pretty mediocre Power 5 league (2, maybe 3 bid league currently) with only 2 elite teams to make up at least 80-90 spots in the RPI, we are going to have to win it all in Vegas to make March Madness.
[/quote]

But we can win the NIT, we havent done that in a couple years. It would be 3 times in 7 years and would start to rival our runner up success for the H award :)

More seriously, it would be a nice springboard for next year. Obviously  the Big Dance would be far preferable, but I agree it looks pretty unlikely now.

[TreesAndBirds]

[quote author=winflop link=topic=18534.msg221084#msg221084 date=1515732343]
I was really happy with this win:
- 3 game conference win streak (something Dawkins maybe did once in 8 years)
- road win
- close win

I will pay more attention to where we are in pac12 standings after the first half of the conference season. After only 2.5 weekends it matters a lot who you have played.

But I think we are 9 wins from a ticket to the Big Dance.

The 3-game winning streak has been a positive sign, but we dug ourselves a deep hole with our showing in non-conference play. We have 4 RPI sub-100 losses (of which 2 are sub-150), including a home loss to the #184 ranked team in RPI. Furthermore, we lost all four non-conference RPI top 50 matchups, with all but the Ohio State game being uncompetitive routs. Finally, it took a half-court heave and 2 OT's to record our two best wins. Otherwise, our best win from the non-conference is a home win over Northeastern (ranked #120 in RPI).

Having said all of that, I will be happy with just seeing the team develop and build for the future, regardless of the postseason. Unless we go on a substantial, and arguably unprecedented, run in a pretty mediocre Power 5 league (2, maybe 3 bid league currently) with only 2 elite teams to make up at least 80-90 spots in the RPI, we are going to have to win it all in Vegas to make March Madness.
[/quote]

But we can win the NIT, we havent done that in a couple years. It would be 3 times in 7 years and would start to rival our runner up success for the H award :)

More seriously, it would be a nice springboard for next year. Obviously  the Big Dance would be far preferable, but I agree it looks pretty unlikely now.