What are your expectations for this year?

[Wall2Boogie]

diallo, bamba, and whores have been dominating the front page, lets switch it up.

What are your expectations for this year? Yes, I know we all want and expect a national championship, but if they don't win one, how far do you expect this team to go in the tournament?

Personally, anything past an eliete 8 would surpass my expectations. We are very very young and anything can happen especially in the tournament. Based on right now, without having witnessed them playing together as a team, what would satisfy your expectations for this years team?

 

[AlbanyWildCat]

40-0

 

[Wall2Boogie]

40-0

Yeah I figured that answer would come up, but I'm sure we will run into Higgins atleast twice so I guess it could be 38-2 lol

 

[Pulaski Cat Fan]

Get shit right. Make some noise.

 

[wromanp7]

Quade Green and Nick Richards have a great season. Chips fall where they may. Heh.

 

[Fox2monk]

I can see a final four this year. Good fortune after last year and were due based on our Cal pace.

 

[mrdavisanddd]

I really have no idea, I'm hoping for a elite 8 plenty of talent but awful young

 

[TIE543]

Been a couple years since a final four, I'm hoping we can break through again.

 

[Wall2Boogie]

Been a couple years since a final four, I'm hoping we can break through again.

I'm praying for the same. Similar to 2014 but a different ending of course

 

[JohnBlue_]

To achieve a top 20 ranking, or make a post season tournament would be making history. I don't think you're going to find another program that has done that starting at the point UK is right now.

Expecting anything more than that would be illogical.

 

[kev69]

Top ten team, with a chance to get to the Final Four if everything comes together.

 

[mdlUK.1]

58, 78, 98 NC years. Every 20 years. 2018 is the year.

 

[78Gooses]

My expectations include freshman mistakes, chemistry issues, inevitable injuries and roster changes, as always. Our greenest team ever has me focusing on their athleticism and a roller coaster journey to March. My overall expectations are high.

For us fans, I expect the season to test our patience as we debate player potential and minutes played, etc. l'll be defending them, as usual. I welcome the uniqueness of this year's challenges. I expect I'll be proud of our coaches and team.

 

[WildcatfaninOhio]

Roster is extremely young. Precious little returning scoring and experience. I think the team is loaded with young talent and could be entertaining to watch, but will lose some games to teams with experience. 10 total loses and a S16 finish would not shock me.

 

[kats23]

Wait till at least January before making that decision. Let's all remember last year. World beaters at the beginning then a mid season struggle where many posters claimed we just weren't very good, then a good finish to the season.

Enjoy the process

 

[Ky-troutbum]

A Final Four.

 

[Chuckinden]

I expect us to win the NCAA Title every year.

 

[UKrazycat2]

The fact that we have talent at every position as well as depth has me very excited. We'll struggle some early but given time and barring injuries we could see a very special team with no weaknesses.

 

[catrecruit]

While not sexy, it all depends on how much SKJ and Gabriel improve....They've already been thru Cal's learning curve and will be invaluable in terms of experience; not necessarily tons of PT....Diallo having been there for it all helps as well

 

[TBCat]

I think this year will be much better than people think. I've always felt the key to winning titles is at the wings. With the exception of his title team Cal's teams have been really weak at the wing spots. In Diallo, Knox, Vanderbuilt and Gabriel we have have 4 legit star level players at the wings. Our title hopes now rest on how well the PG play develops and if we have a true rim protector. I think we do but we'll have to see.

 

[JC CATS]

Just like every year that Cal has been here, FF and a chance to win it all

 

[irishcat1965]

I expect another exciting year with growing pains early then another run for a NCAA title in March.

 

[Blue Decade]

Calipari is giving his usual offseason narrative about having the youngest team in Ametica, because he knows this team will need at least 5-6 weeks to begin developing the chemistry required to beat other ranked teams consistently. We have a solid point guard, although he probably won't be a dominant player. The biggest test for Quade will be on the defensive end of the floor. We have 3 talented post players (and therefore 15 fouls to give), but none of them will be dominant. Wynyard is a solid defender and rebounder who must learn to score. SKJ is a scorer who must learn to defend. Richards needs to master fundamentals on both ends. Our wings are very good, and might become dominant. Diallo is probably the best player on our team, but Washington is the sleeper. I think the key players will be Washington, SKJ, Diallo, SGA, Vanderbilt, Knox. This is a SS team almost for sure, maybe an EE team. It can be a FF team if at least 1 of our post players overachieves. That's where Coach Payne is an X-factor.

 

[ulismyman]

10 losses????...crazy talk

 

[FrankUnderwood]

5 losses during the season

FF appearance. From there ... it's up in the air

 

[UKcatXXXL]

This year with the roster we have a National Championship is very realistic and that is my expectation.

I felt last season's team was 1 good player short. Not so this time.

 

[Wall Knight Teague]

Early struggles slowly coalescing into a juggernaut and another Final Four berth...

 

[JonathanW]

My (realistic) expectations:
- should be one of the more fun teams to watch
- I expect to see as many as 8 who at some point we think "this guy is really good" in one game and then "this guy needs a lot of work" the next game
- I expect a couple of losses before SEC play, not only due to our youth but also from Cal figuring out who does what & who should be on the court together
- I expect 2-4 SEC losses in an improved SEC, w/ a young team, who come March will again be ready to have a realistic chance to win it all.
- My best GUESS is a team that wins 30-34 games, and makes it to the E8.

I think it is rare 2012, 2015, 1996, 1984, 1978 where we have a team that you think this team should win it all (or should be one of 2-3 teams who can win it all). Most years all you can hope for is to have a team that has a realistic chance. There is a lot of LUCK involved in winning a OAD 6-round tournament. That is why the best team wins it all less than half the time.

 

[KentuckyRLD]

diallo, bamba, and whores have been dominating the front page, lets switch it up.

What are your expectations for this year? Yes, I know we all want and expect a national championship, but if they don't win one, how far do you expect this team to go in the tournament?

Personally, anything past an eliete 8 would surpass my expectations. We are very very young and anything can happen especially in the tournament. Based on right now, without having witnessed them playing together as a team, what would satisfy your expectations for this years team?

I have been a fan for over 60 years and my demands for each season is always the same: Undefeated with a National Championship.

 

[TheAnonymous13]

Probably win sec in close battle w Florida.
Elite 8 type tourney run.

 

[Smashcat]

6-10 losses. Could be very strong in March but a team this green with little NCAA game experience won't win it all. Perhaps a FF if we really come together.

 

[JeffGoodmansVestigialTwin]

diallo, bamba, and whores have been dominating the front page, lets switch it up.

What are your expectations for this year? Yes, I know we all want and expect a national championship, but if they don't win one, how far do you expect this team to go in the tournament?

Personally, anything past an eliete 8 would surpass my expectations. We are very very young and anything can happen especially in the tournament. Based on right now, without having witnessed them playing together as a team, what would satisfy your expectations for this years team?

32-8, how ya been W2B

 

[Dakota25]

UK has a very young team with virtually no experience at this level. Pre season wise they resemble the 13-14 and 12-13 (with Noel) teams. 13-14 had a tougher non conference schedule and ended the regular season terribly. 12-13 was actually having a decent season and were gaining momentum until Noel went down. In other words even though this team is similar to those they simply need to take advantage of a less challenging non conference schedule, don't play poorly in the final five regular season games, and avoid season ending injuries then the 17-18 regular season could end up being a better regular season.

All in all 22-9 regular season, and a second weekend of the tournament finish. To make the final four they will need some luck as in the one seed getting upset, someone such as Diallo playing out of his mind against the elite eight opponent, or a good draw for once where we match up well with the second weekend teams.

This season will set up 18-19 well. I expect most of these guys back.

 

[truebluewildcat]

Something similar to what we've seen.

28 wins give or take
finish top of conference
Sweet 16 or elite 8

When we're running through Canyon College and YMCA Tuesday/Thursday night all stars we'll feel pretty good and historic expectations/predictions will be on the table.

When we hit some bumps in the road against a competitive OOC and Conference rival it will be doomsday and we'll be lucky to make the CIT at years end.

Just a short time after the apocalypse when the team hits its mid season stride and picks up some momentum heading into march destiny will be back on the table and inevitable.

All season long we'll argue about who's going pro, who is not and why all season. We'll crown some 17/18 year old up and coming high school kid "the one" and talk about how he'll be the difference.

We'll also be over sold on one or two kids as Cal tries to get them drafted, and a couple kids won't quite get the run that they should.

 

[Catsgloves1]

Sad the goal is a final four. Smh

 

[bluebornwildcat]

We will go as far as our defense takes us. Whether that is the 2nd round or a title depends on it.

 

[JerseyCat84]

Had Bamba signed I would've felt a FF was almost guaranteed.

With that said, I think this team reaches the EE depending on the draw (and when is it ever decent?)

 

[nickhorvathsuxazz]

40-0

I like where your head's at, albanycat...

 

[nickhorvathsuxazz]

58, 78, 98 NC years. Every 20 years. 2018 is the year.

Based on this metric, and the fact that UK wins championships the year after meeting UNCheat in the elite 8: '77 elite 8 loss to heels, '78 champs; '95 Elite 8 loss to heels, '96 champs; 2011 elite 8 win over heels, 2012 champs; 2017 elite 8 loss to heelgins, '18 champs.

book it

 

[Roe07]

I'm gonna say we finish the regular season 25-6 (14-4). Win the SEC Tournament and we enter the big dance with a 28-6 record. With a tough non-conference schedule, and what looks to be a much improved SEC, this team is going to drop some games, might even look a bit ugly at times throughout the process, but I'm totally cool with that. Like always, Cal will have these boys ready to make their run in March.