This team has no chance at a NC and I'm okay with that.

[RC_Texas]

Since 2002, just one national title winner failed to finish in the Top 25 in both Adjusted Offense AND Adjusted Defense on kenpom.com. That was UConn in 2014 who finished 39th in AdjO and 10th in AdjD. Carolina in 2009 was the only other team in that span to fail to finish in the Top 20 in both (1st in AdjO and 21st in AdjD).

As of now, this years group of teams in the Top 20 in AdjO-AdjD are the following:

Oklahoma: 15th-2nd
Louisville: 20th-3rd
Xavier: 19th-6th
Kansas: 11th-8th
Michigan State: 9th-11th
Villanova: 10th-13th
Virginia: 2nd-15th

Dropping it down to Top 25 in both would add:

Kentucky: 22nd-12th

History says one of those teams wins in April.

 

[Federal Cat]

Nobody likes a quitter

 

[.S&C.]

We could easily make a run this year.

It's like some people have no concept of how the NCAA tournament operates.

 

[ymmot31]

You should too really. As fans, we have been very spoiled and we have come to expect excellence every year. Sometimes you swing and miss and I think Cal has done that this year. I'm expecting things to change considerably next year though. The question we have to ask is, who is going to the NBA from this years team? I see 2 to 3 tops and we will have a boatload of talent next year. I see a possible transfer or two in the near future as well. It will be too hard to get everyone playing time. Does anyone truly believe different?

You are an idiot. i'll come back and see your reply. Idiot.

 

[gracetoyou]

OP....your post is just another example of the idiotic nature of a percentage of our fanbase. Sigh!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Jkwo]

We could easily make a run this year.

It's like some people have no concept of how the NCAA tournament operates.

Right. Just leave aside all possibility of typical Cal improvement by March.

Say these guys stabilize and finish the regular season as a fringe top 10-15 level squad. (About in line with our current projected seed.)

Even if that were the case - look at the field this year. Then remember how the tourney works, and why it produces results that you won't see in any other post-season event in American sports.

In other words, the reason why it was possible for last year's team to *not* win the championship - is the same reason it's unwise to totally rule this year's team out for a trophy, even if these guys drop a few more head scratchers.

 

[FiveStarCat]

Wonder how many times this was posted during 2014 or 2011? Look around at college basketball right now, everyone "sucks." I bet we see some crazy Final Four like 3 seed, 4 seed, 5 seed, 7 seed. No reason Kentucky can't be there.

 

[The_Answer1313]

We could easily make a run this year.

It's like some people have no concept of how the NCAA tournament operates.

Exactly

 

[bucsrule8872]

Since 2002, just one national title winner failed to finish in the Top 25 in both Adjusted Offense AND Adjusted Defense on kenpom.com. That was UConn in 2014 who finished 39th in AdjO and 10th in AdjD. Carolina in 2009 was the only other team in that span to fail to finish in the Top 20 in both (1st in AdjO and 21st in AdjD).

As of now, this years group of teams in the Top 20 in AdjO-AdjD are the following:

Oklahoma: 15th-2nd
Louisville: 20th-3rd
Xavier: 19th-6th
Kansas: 11th-8th
Michigan State: 9th-11th
Villanova: 10th-13th
Virginia: 2nd-15th

Dropping it down to Top 25 in both would add:

Kentucky: 22nd-12th

History says one of those teams wins in April.

It's a little early to look at that stat. No one has played a conference game yet. Some of those teams have padded stats against terrible teams.

Let's wait and see what those stats show after playing good teams night in and night out in conference play. Some will come up, some will go down.

Those are probably your contenders, though, give or take a few.

 

[IL Wildcat]

You should too really. As fans, we have been very spoiled and we have come to expect excellence every year. Sometimes you swing and miss and I think Cal has done that this year. I'm expecting things to change considerably next year though. The question we have to ask is, who is going to the NBA from this years team? I see 2 to 3 tops and we will have a boatload of talent next year. I see a possible transfer or two in the near future as well. It will be too hard to get everyone playing time. Does anyone truly believe different?

Well, you may be right, and yes, I'm not gonna lose my mind if you are. However, it's just too early to tell. The year the Cats lost Wall, Cousins, Bledsoe, and etc. and then lost Kanter before we even got to see him play, I thought there was no way that team would be good. Even during the season that year, there were many losses, but that team got on a roll in February and rode it to the Final Four. Now, that wasn't a title, but they were right there with a very good shot.

That team wasn't deep at all but had one great scorer in Knight and several other complimentary players. Sound familiar? It should. Murray can be that guy who can carry scoring, and this team has the potential to be a great perimeter defense.

Also, I still don't think we've seen all that Labissiere is going to be by season's end. This is not to mention that Poythress is progressing still from that injury and Lee is still figuring out how to play with more minutes than he's gotten in 2 years at UK.

Now, I'll agree that, based on the play we've seen so far, this team isn't a title team and wouldn't even have a shot. If they keep doing what we've seen, you're right. But they will improve. How much will they improve? That remains to be seen and will determine the fate of this team and season.

 

[DS849]

skal. rumors already swirling about wynyard transferring. what the he!!

 

[blueblood65]

You should too really. As fans, we have been very spoiled and we have come to expect excellence every year. Sometimes you swing and miss and I think Cal has done that this year. I'm expecting things to change considerably next year though. The question we have to ask is, who is going to the NBA from this years team? I see 2 to 3 tops and we will have a boatload of talent next year. I see a possible transfer or two in the near future as well. It will be too hard to get everyone playing time. Does anyone truly believe different?

No chance? I respectively disagree. There are no guarantees in sports so just because this team isn't what we thought right now doesn't mean that they can't make a serious run in the tournament. We have all seen over the years that the favorites don't always win the Championship. Believe in Coach Cal, I do.............GO CATS!

 

[The_Answer1313]

It's a little early to look at that stat. No one has played a conference game yet. Some of those teams have padded stats against terrible teams.

Let's wait and see what those stats show after playing good teams night in and night out in conference play. Some will come up, some will go down.

Those are probably your contenders, though, give or take a few.

While it's true no one has played conference games and some teams will get better and some worse I still think you can look at these and have a good idea of which teams will be there in the end. These efficiency numbers are adjusted for SOS.

And to be honest. If I filter stats non conference vs conference you'll find some difference but they aren't as drastic as you'd think. If you don't turn it over in non conference most likely you won't turn it over in conference play either.

 

[SparksCat]

I agree with the original post if we don't figure out how to score when the opposing team packs the lane the entire game. The Louisville game and Kansas game will speak volumes

I'm expecting a 20 point pounding at Kansas.

 

[bucsrule8872]

One of my favorite seasons was 1998. I didn't think we had a shot that year either. Turned out pretty good.

 

[WildmanWilson]

There is no way to predict how things will unfold. I just love the fact we are in the running every year. Maybe some of you forget the Tubby years when we got 100+ ranked recruits and knew we had no shot. No team is going to be in better position than UK year after year to win it all. Just being in the race is a great thing.

 

[aikenite4uk]

Probably one of the silliest posts on this board by the OP. That's sayin' something. Our team has plenty of upside.

 

[UKWildcats#8]

Today we wouldn't win the NCAA Tourney.
It isn't played today though...so who cares.

 

[bucsrule8872]

There is no way to predict how things will unfold. I just love the fact we are in the running every year. Maybe some of you forget the Tubby years when we got 100+ ranked recruits and knew we had no shot. No team is going to be in better position than UK year after year to win it all. Just being in the race is a great thing.

This.

Nobody else has as many Final Fours since Cal took over at UK. Only K has more titles (and should have with the talent he has had and his coaching experience).

Just to have a shot about every year is important. People who do not see this must not remember the BCG/Tubby years.

 

[wesr]

That Julius Randall team had no chance to get past the 1st weekend.....

Didn't they play Ksu? If they did what are you talking about?