How many wins should the fans expect this year?
- Thread starter Tim0808
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I'm going to go the high end on the basis it should be one of, if not the best, shooting team in the country. I worry a little bit about lack of overwhelming athleticism that Cal relied on and that honestly, I don't see in what little I've seen from this group but good spacing, passing, and shooting will make up for that and then some. Also, this will be of the oldest teams we have had so that's a plus, they just haven't done it together. Hopefully, they can pick up defense quickly and right now from BBM and other UK videos, chemistry looks good. So far, so good until we lose a game or two and we start picking things apart.
UK plays fourteen teams ranked in KenPom's top 50 and ten teams ranked in the AP Top 25 (and they play Alabama and Tennessee twice). Regardless of what you think of KenPom and the AP, that's still absolutely brutal. So temper your expectations and give Coach Pope time to settle in and find his groove, because he very well not do it this season.
22-24 is my expectation. Although I wouldn't be shocked if they go on a tear this is an experienced team for the most part.
I expect a better season than the last several UK seasons. I expect this team to be at least as good as Pope's BYU team. So I am expecting at least 23 wins and at least a couple tournament wins.
Even though we didn't finish, last seasons team won 23, year before 22. So you do not make too much sense.
So your "better than the last several UK seasons" is a little confusing.
21-22 season 26 wins
22-23 season 22 wins
23-24 season 23 wins (with wins over #9 UNC, @ UF, @#13 Auburn, Final 4 team #3 Alabama, @ #4 Tenn.
I will bet any amount you want to lose, we do not win more than last years team, or win as many big games. ( beat 4 top 10 teams).
Not that I am defending Cal, it is just this team this year has so many unknowns and will take time to adjust to each other. So do not act like the last 3 years WIN total (not tournament success) was a bad 3 year run. As a matter of fact, you picked the number 23 as wins we should get, but then say better than the last several years ?????? 23 is not greater than 23 or 26. Simple math.
"as good as last years BYU team" They went 23-11 / 10-8 in the Big 12.
Wins v/s ranked opponents :
#17 SD State
#24 Iowa State
#11 Baylor
#8 Kansas
1(ONE) win v/s a top 10 team. So do not be too quick to pretend that BYU last year was better than UK. I said UK will win 20-21 this year. I hope we win more than 23, but with the tough rebuild of the roster and new faces, I am not anticipating that. To me, a good year would be 20-21 wins, Sweet 16. Anything above that would be exceptional. My prediction has nothing to do with Mark pope, but having to do with the roster and tough SEC schedule.
Considering that we are going to play 12 ranked teams plus UL , Ohio State and Clemson , 20 plus seems about right.
Just think how many it could have been with our 2 top ten draft picks starting every half.
You bennies think you know so much. Stop watching game film.
You bennies think you know so much. Stop watching game film.
I voted for 25+. I just like the team Pope has put together, great shooting and some really good defenders.
23 wins this year with more tournament wins is better than the last few seasons with Cal.
The fans will expect more than 25. The SEC is going to be brutal this year and we have some very tough non-conference games.
Personally, I think it will be 22-24. I hope I am wrong. Happy to be wrong about this.
Rupp will need to be really loud this year to make home games very difficult for opponents!!! Go undefeated at home and we have a shot to get 25 and above.
This team, while experienced and not devoid of talent, is going to have some up’s and downs. I fear more than most are willing to admit.
I do think Pope is going to get everything this team has in it. If that is 25, that is what he will get! If it has a Final Four, he will get it. I have not thought that about Cal since 2015.
Personally, I think it will be 22-24. I hope I am wrong. Happy to be wrong about this.
Rupp will need to be really loud this year to make home games very difficult for opponents!!! Go undefeated at home and we have a shot to get 25 and above.
This team, while experienced and not devoid of talent, is going to have some up’s and downs. I fear more than most are willing to admit.
I do think Pope is going to get everything this team has in it. If that is 25, that is what he will get! If it has a Final Four, he will get it. I have not thought that about Cal since 2015.
25+ is the right answer for this team... No that is not expecting too much from coach Pope... if they don't get that much I may be disappointed but not irate with those results... Winning only 9 like Cal did would make me very angry... But I don't expect total failure from a team coached by Pope... Only a C al team could do that...
20+ regular season wins are not expecting to much... What is expecting too few ??? Getting 25+ is not out of line with UK fans expectations... We all hope for a 40 win season, but we all know that is almost impossible... To ask for 20-25+ is not asking too much or expecting too much... I think Pope is a good enough coach to get that done...
If he wins it all in his first year how many fans will expect that for every season???
So for me I think 20-25 regular season wins is not asking too much...
GBB
20+ regular season wins are not expecting to much... What is expecting too few ??? Getting 25+ is not out of line with UK fans expectations... We all hope for a 40 win season, but we all know that is almost impossible... To ask for 20-25+ is not asking too much or expecting too much... I think Pope is a good enough coach to get that done...
If he wins it all in his first year how many fans will expect that for every season???
So for me I think 20-25 regular season wins is not asking too much...
GBB
20 wins (regular season) and 2-3 wins in post season tournaments and I’ll be happy. Tough schedule.
Depends on how quickly these Seniors pick up and understand the offense and defense. This team is talented and has 9 double digit scorers from other teams. How quickly can they gel and find their rolls on this team. I think it was very smart to have as many upper classmen as this teams have this year. I think that is going to be a huge challenge. Who is the go-to guy when the games on the line? I think most expect that to be Jaxson Robinson, but is it? Who are the defensive stoppers late in the games? Some of these questions will only be answered when the bullets start flying. Who's the best starting 5? best ending 5? What is the rotation going to be?
This is an entirely new team, with a new head coach, and everyone is playing with all new teammates. What I do know is it is going to be fun watching those questions getting answered.
What I don't ever want to see again. Is every team they play control the tempo and play at their pace. I think Pope understands this is Kentucky force your pace and your style of play on your opponent. He played for Pitino, and no one did that better than Pitino. When you have the depth press and speed up your opponents. I think Pope will do this often.
I am going to say 22 wins and a 4 seed in the NCAA tournament like last year. 3rd or 4th place in the SEC regular season and a much tougher out in the SEC tournament and NCAA tournament.
This is an entirely new team, with a new head coach, and everyone is playing with all new teammates. What I do know is it is going to be fun watching those questions getting answered.
What I don't ever want to see again. Is every team they play control the tempo and play at their pace. I think Pope understands this is Kentucky force your pace and your style of play on your opponent. He played for Pitino, and no one did that better than Pitino. When you have the depth press and speed up your opponents. I think Pope will do this often.
I am going to say 22 wins and a 4 seed in the NCAA tournament like last year. 3rd or 4th place in the SEC regular season and a much tougher out in the SEC tournament and NCAA tournament.
15, Pope will have to draw on his Mormanism when SEC stripes get finished with him.
Im thinking around 22-24, maybe 25. Now Texas is in the mix. This conference is so deep.
No clue.
Probably about as many losses as last years team. Tough schedule.
It's impossible for me to project sec and ncaa tourney wins without knowing the matchups.
Probably about as many losses as last years team. Tough schedule.
It's impossible for me to project sec and ncaa tourney wins without knowing the matchups.
25 or more. I expect UK to win the all. lol
I have since 1975 when i really started following UK the most. I was born back in the 1960s (lol) way back when. I remember a game from 1968 watching with my dad, I remember Rupp in a recliner at a game (after Hall took over). But 1975 was my favorite team (I think because being 10 playing in the back yard) my brother (bryan Station guy) knowing Jack Givens and all that. Just really starting to read about the games in the Leader (back then we had the Lexington Herald and the Lexington Leader (afternoon paper) which we got at my house. After dad would read I would read, get ready to listen to games, hanging on Cawood's words during the games. Staying up late to watch highlights or if lucky enough watch the replay. I remember hating for a full summer UCLA and Wooden. I remember thinking I will never see in my youth a UK championship.
I remember my dad hating Joe B Hall, hated the style and did not really pull for UK much (even in 1978) because Rupp was gone.
My dad had friends at UK and would go watch Rupp run practices all the time, he did the same with Hall for a bit but just did not like the guy. Said Hall was a quitter as a player (at UK) and just did not want him here. I never watched a game with dad after 1978 as he would almost pull for Hall to lose a game. Never understood until we got to deal with Billy Clyde and then the last 6 or so years with Cal. I did not really pull for UK to ever lose but man I would pile on when Cal team would look horrible. So I got it.
POPE rejuvenated me. I loved Pope at UK. I loved him after his career was over doing media for UK. Final 4 in 1997 my brother and I had good seats to the only final four I have been to live. We got tickets for a UC fan once their big guy Martin broke his leg. Got tickets at face value. Pope told me and my brother before the finals that he thought UK would end up losing a close game due to Ron Mercer being flat out wore out. His body was just done for the season. UK played really decent (not great) until the final minutes when guys like Epps stepped up and almost willed UK to the victory. OT was too much for the team. Anyway Pope saw me do an interview with local media in Indy before the game, thought I was funny and hung around to talk to me. He really spent time like we had known each other and discussed things for a few minutes as we walked into the arena (many hours before tip) to do the final four fan stuff. He was pumping up UK fans from about 3 or 4 pm till tip when he was not doing his TV duties. Knew then he was a guy not born a Kentuckian but had become one in 3 years and bled blue just like the rest of us. That is why I loved the hire for second 1 the day the news broke.
I hope he kills it here for many a year till he want to hang em up for good.
I have since 1975 when i really started following UK the most. I was born back in the 1960s (lol) way back when. I remember a game from 1968 watching with my dad, I remember Rupp in a recliner at a game (after Hall took over). But 1975 was my favorite team (I think because being 10 playing in the back yard) my brother (bryan Station guy) knowing Jack Givens and all that. Just really starting to read about the games in the Leader (back then we had the Lexington Herald and the Lexington Leader (afternoon paper) which we got at my house. After dad would read I would read, get ready to listen to games, hanging on Cawood's words during the games. Staying up late to watch highlights or if lucky enough watch the replay. I remember hating for a full summer UCLA and Wooden. I remember thinking I will never see in my youth a UK championship.
I remember my dad hating Joe B Hall, hated the style and did not really pull for UK much (even in 1978) because Rupp was gone.
My dad had friends at UK and would go watch Rupp run practices all the time, he did the same with Hall for a bit but just did not like the guy. Said Hall was a quitter as a player (at UK) and just did not want him here. I never watched a game with dad after 1978 as he would almost pull for Hall to lose a game. Never understood until we got to deal with Billy Clyde and then the last 6 or so years with Cal. I did not really pull for UK to ever lose but man I would pile on when Cal team would look horrible. So I got it.
POPE rejuvenated me. I loved Pope at UK. I loved him after his career was over doing media for UK. Final 4 in 1997 my brother and I had good seats to the only final four I have been to live. We got tickets for a UC fan once their big guy Martin broke his leg. Got tickets at face value. Pope told me and my brother before the finals that he thought UK would end up losing a close game due to Ron Mercer being flat out wore out. His body was just done for the season. UK played really decent (not great) until the final minutes when guys like Epps stepped up and almost willed UK to the victory. OT was too much for the team. Anyway Pope saw me do an interview with local media in Indy before the game, thought I was funny and hung around to talk to me. He really spent time like we had known each other and discussed things for a few minutes as we walked into the arena (many hours before tip) to do the final four fan stuff. He was pumping up UK fans from about 3 or 4 pm till tip when he was not doing his TV duties. Knew then he was a guy not born a Kentuckian but had become one in 3 years and bled blue just like the rest of us. That is why I loved the hire for second 1 the day the news broke.
I hope he kills it here for many a year till he want to hang em up for good.
Yes, yea it is. lol. And if I read correctly, you said “at least 23”. I think you are really close personally. Maybe a game or two low. All we can do is watch and hope for the best and that’s why I picked 25/over. I definitely don’t think we go undefeated like some act like we’re picking but I’ve saw these guys play and think they’re an almost perfect fit together. Of course there’s a couple guys who I would’ve loved to have but it is what it is. I still think we’ll be in every game and have a chance to have a great season. These guys want to be here to win basketball games and I do believe they’ll surprise a lot of people. Thanks.
Same. And it’s realistic this first year
Although a few less won’t be the end of the world this year.
20-11. The team will be fun to watch but will need to do very well in the SEC Tournament.
A couple of months ago I said we would finish the regular season with 24-25 wins. That could still happen, but I have decided that we will likely finish with a record of 22-9.
I’m gonna say 22-8 regular season. After that, who knows. But even a single postseason win will be an improvement over Cal.
I expect two wins.
When we do well, I expect to see the coaching staff trying their asses off to do more of whatever that was that just worked.
When we lose, I expect to see the coaching staff saying, "We're so sorry, this is killing us, please give us a chance to do better." With no cringe comments about dog walking and no passive aggressive instructions about whether to blame them or the players. Just committed human hearts dealing with adversity.
That's two wins. Both of them for the fans. As long as I get that I'm happy.
(But I did vote 25/+ coz Pope's a guy you can believe in.)
When we do well, I expect to see the coaching staff trying their asses off to do more of whatever that was that just worked.
When we lose, I expect to see the coaching staff saying, "We're so sorry, this is killing us, please give us a chance to do better." With no cringe comments about dog walking and no passive aggressive instructions about whether to blame them or the players. Just committed human hearts dealing with adversity.
That's two wins. Both of them for the fans. As long as I get that I'm happy.
(But I did vote 25/+ coz Pope's a guy you can believe in.)
Amen Brother!!! Any wins in the NCAA is Better than the last few years. I don’t give a crap if we only have 20 wins going into the tournament. You can’t win it all if you don’t win the first game.
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