Nostradaumus I Is/Ain't. 2019-2020 Predictions

[AGEE11]

So it's a slow day at work this morning and this s what I banged out to predict this season. Let me know what you think.

November (6-1)

Lose first game to Michigan St. They pull away late and show we are still inexperienced. Offense struggles but defensive pressure is incredible.
Win rest of the games by large margins as Hagans, Maxey, Quickley ball pressure forces lots of turnovers
​

December (5-0; 11-1 Overall)

First two games are cakewalks, too much D for Utah, no one is sure if offense is clicking now or it is because of the last 9 games being against sub-par competition.
Ohio St in Vegas, we win a nail biter. Hit our FTs and stop them a few times down the stretch. First real competitive games since MSU. Offense still question marks.
U6 in Rupp is our statement game. We blitz them early forcing several TOs and take a double digit lead into the half. We slow down in the second half, but still coast to and easy win as the offense starts looking better. Statement game.
​

January (8-0; 19-1 Overall)

Despite three tough SEC road games, our D holds true against overmatched teams and we win out and move to #1 by this time as MSU has dropped a couple with everyone else. (@Georgia has the potential for an upset)
The Texas Tech game is another close one, but UKs pressure is too much. (I do fear a Big 12 officiating hose job here)
​

February (7-2; 26-3 overall)

(As much as I hate to type this after last year) Tennessee hands us our first SEC loss on the road. Auburn almost gets us, and we run over Miss St before UT catches us in Knoxville.
We follow that up with a couple easyish wins at Vandy and against Ole Miss before we slip again in Baton Rouge due to looking ahead to the top 5 matchup with Florida
The slip in Baton Rouge helps as we beat Flordia in Rupp and pull away late to win by double digits.
End the month by beating A&M in a tight road game and blasting Auburn at home
​

March (1-1; 27-4 overall)

Payback game against UT and we blitz them
Go to UF and lost a tight one as they repay the favor from earlier in the year
​

SEC Tournament (3-0; 30-4 overall)

Florida gets upset in the semifinals by the #3 seed LSU
Beat LSU in the finals to lock up a #1 seed
​

NCAA Tournament

We have the tools / talent to win the whole thing. We make the Elite 8 pretty easily, but as we all know it's anyone's game from there. I really think this is Izzo's year and I hate it. What he has let go there should land him in prison much less him winning a title. I think we make it to the Final Four but the will match us with Michigan St and we lose there. Final Four picks: UK, Mich St, Florida, Random Team that gets hot no one expects
​

All in all, I really like this team.

Defense

Our three guards can apply insane pressure on the ball and that will overwhlem most teams we play. I really think our defense will be feared all year. Lots of blocks for EJ and Nick helping out on contested drives. Whitney, Juzang and Brooks can all hold there own on D as well. We will be a great defensive team this year.​

Offense

We can run so many different looks. All three PGs on the floor could be fast, frenetic, and fun. We can go small ball with Whitney/Brooks at the 4 and and of the 3 bigs. We have a zone buster team with IQ, Maxey, Juzang, Sestina, and EJ. Setina, EJ, and Nick all showing they can shoot will open up driving lanes for the guards and allow Whitney and Brooks to exploit mismatches down low when the play the 3.​

 

[MWes11]

Nice breakdown. Would be extremely happy with that. I actually think we beat MSU first game of the year. I like Cassius Winston, but I think our long guards give him trouble. If you shut him down and limit his effectiveness, MSU just isn't the same team.

Will be a fun year for sure.

 

[Wall2Boogie]

Our biggest problem is going to be down low. Hopefully we can get something out of nick and ej. They determine how far we go this year

 

[HerrosHeroes]

UK will expose Sparty as a fraudulent #1 as Mich St seems to always struggle early in the season under Izzo.
Louisville is in Rupp so yeah the Cards get plucked.
As for the SEC I just dont see anyone capable of beating Kentucky.
Once the Cats hit the post season they will be peaking and no one will be able to stop us!

40-0

 

[kl40504]

So it's a slow day at work this morning and this s what I banged out to predict this season. Let me know what you think.

November (6-1)

Lose first game to Michigan St. They pull away late and show we are still inexperienced. Offense struggles but defensive pressure is incredible.
Win rest of the games by large margins as Hagans, Maxey, Quickley ball pressure forces lots of turnovers
​

December (5-0; 11-1 Overall)

First two games are cakewalks, too much D for Utah, no one is sure if offense is clicking now or it is because of the last 9 games being against sub-par competition.
Ohio St in Vegas, we win a nail biter. Hit our FTs and stop them a few times down the stretch. First real competitive games since MSU. Offense still question marks.
U6 in Rupp is our statement game. We blitz them early forcing several TOs and take a double digit lead into the half. We slow down in the second half, but still coast to and easy win as the offense starts looking better. Statement game.
​

January (8-0; 19-1 Overall)

Despite three tough SEC road games, our D holds true against overmatched teams and we win out and move to #1 by this time as MSU has dropped a couple with everyone else. (@Georgia has the potential for an upset)
The Texas Tech game is another close one, but UKs pressure is too much. (I do fear a Big 12 officiating hose job here)
​

February (7-2; 26-3 overall)

(As much as I hate to type this after last year) Tennessee hands us our first SEC loss on the road. Auburn almost gets us, and we run over Miss St before UT catches us in Knoxville.
We follow that up with a couple easyish wins at Vandy and against Ole Miss before we slip again in Baton Rouge due to looking ahead to the top 5 matchup with Florida
The slip in Baton Rouge helps as we beat Flordia in Rupp and pull away late to win by double digits.
End the month by beating A&M in a tight road game and blasting Auburn at home
​

March (1-1; 27-4 overall)

Payback game against UT and we blitz them
Go to UF and lost a tight one as they repay the favor from earlier in the year
​

SEC Tournament (3-0; 30-4 overall)

Florida gets upset in the semifinals by the #3 seed LSU
Beat LSU in the finals to lock up a #1 seed
​

NCAA Tournament

We have the tools / talent to win the whole thing. We make the Elite 8 pretty easily, but as we all know it's anyone's game from there. I really think this is Izzo's year and I hate it. What he has let go there should land him in prison much less him winning a title. I think we make it to the Final Four but the will match us with Michigan St and we lose there. Final Four picks: UK, Mich St, Florida, Random Team that gets hot no one expects
​

All in all, I really like this team.

Defense

Our three guards can apply insane pressure on the ball and that will overwhlem most teams we play. I really think our defense will be feared all year. Lots of blocks for EJ and Nick helping out on contested drives. Whitney, Juzang and Brooks can all hold there own on D as well. We will be a great defensive team this year.​

Offense

We can run so many different looks. All three PGs on the floor could be fast, frenetic, and fun. We can go small ball with Whitney/Brooks at the 4 and and of the 3 bigs. We have a zone buster team with IQ, Maxey, Juzang, Sestina, and EJ. Setina, EJ, and Nick all showing they can shoot will open up driving lanes for the guards and allow Whitney and Brooks to exploit mismatches down low when the play the 3.​

Must be a non work day today.

 

[HerrosHeroes]

Our biggest problem is going to be down low. Hopefully we can get something out of nick and ej. They determine how far we go this year

Dont forget Sestina is a 6’9 chiseled grad transfer who will be able to bang for boards and draw opposing teams big men away from the paint with his 3 point shooting ability.

 

[Wall2Boogie]

Dont forget Sestina is a 6’9 chiseled grad transfer who will be able to bang for boards and draw opposing teams big men away from the paint with his 3 point shooting ability.

Agree on that, the four spot will be good, it’s just the 5 I worry about

 

[bigbluedon]

The small ball stuff is way over blown. If we don’t get offensive production in the post we won’t win. Period. Our 3 bigs must stay out of foul trouble and our guards must contain people off the dribble. Double digit losses if we are real inconsistent.

 

[HerrosHeroes]

The small ball stuff is way over blown. If we don’t get offensive production in the post we won’t win. Period. Our 3 bigs must stay out of foul trouble and our guards must contain people off the dribble. Double digit losses if we are real inconsistent.

2018 Villanova says hi there...

 

[ConRay9]

I disagree with the whole notion that our bigs will determine how we do this season. The BEST players determine how we do. Our bigs determine where our floor is as a team, but Maxey and Hagans determine our ceiling. Guards and wings are much more integral to pace and scoring. We’ll have two ball stoppers at guard. Nick and EJ will certainly need to improve but I think they have.

I mean just look at last year case in point. Despite two separate injuries to PJ and Reid the only game we lost, collectively, was at Tennessee. We played something like 7 or 8 games with at least one of them injured and lost 1 game. IMO we just need the bigs to collectively be a decent unit for this team to do big things.

 

[nickhorvathsuxazz]

UK will expose Sparty as a fraudulent #1 as Mich St seems to always struggle early in the season under Izzo.
Louisville is in Rupp so yeah the Cards get plucked.
As for the SEC I just dont see anyone capable of beating Kentucky.
Once the Cats hit the post season they will be peaking and no one will be able to stop us!

40-0

MSU aren't the only ones prone to not playing their best early. Look no further than last year's season opening debacle for proof of our own slow starts.