Calling Sat Bonnie game a must win...

[HuskyHawk]

We’re a third of the way into the season it’s not a must win

Unless we want a lot of league games to be must wins, it's a must win.

 

[bendm]

Unless we want a lot of league games to be must wins, it's a must win.

or what? we won't make the tourney? i guarantee we won't be a bubble team facing any "must-wins" in late feb/early march. playing for seeding does not create must wins unless you have championship aspirations, which we don't this year. otherwise we're happy to get in and hope for a good matchup.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

This my general sentiment that makes it feel like a "must win". Not as much the "power 6" because the A-10 and other conferences have legit teams but the idea that we've had 4 "legit" games that we should have won and we gave away 2 of them (MSU & WV) and almost gave away the other 2 against Auburn & VCU. This team has trouble closing against good teams which presents a problem entering BE play.

The 2 "given away" included full-game absences of 3 of our 4 most productive players, and RJ's unavailability for the MSU game's end, due to a questionable foul call.

We are what our record says we are. I'd prefer 9-2 going into BE play, especially with a sense that people in and out of this fan base will bring up Auburn & St Bona missing their best player (if that's so and we win), and ignore or disregard who was missing in our 2 losses.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

or what? we won't make the tourney? i guarantee we won't be a bubble team facing any "must-wins" in late feb/early march. playing for seeding does not qualify as a must win unless you have have championship aspirations which we don't this year.

Many, including myself, have been moved to consider this team capable of beyond Sweet 16. That's where seeding will be most influential, and is currently most at risk. It's still early, but this, stretch was seen as important even before the injuries.

 

[HuskyHawk]

or what? we won't make the tourney? i guarantee we won't be a bubble team facing any "must-wins" in late feb/early march. playing for seeding does not create must wins unless you have championship aspirations, which we don't this year. otherwise we're happy to get in and hope for a good matchup.

For our expectations of the program this season. I consider getting a bid with a 9 seed a failure. I hope Hurley does as well. I hope the players do. If we want to be comfortably in the tournament with a decent seed, we need this...or we need to dominate the league and lose maybe no more than 2-3 games. Hell, I think they need it to erase the stink from yesterday.

 

[Hi-Low]

or what? we won't make the tourney? i guarantee we won't be a bubble team facing any "must-wins" in late feb/early march. playing for seeding does not create must wins unless you have championship aspirations, which we don't this year. otherwise we're happy to get in and hope for a good matchup.

Is the season in jeopardy with a loss, no. But reason I started the thread is because it feels like a must win to take the pressure off to start the BE schedule. If we had won MSU or WV the Bonnie game wouldn't feel so important.

Of course want to start BE schedule well regardless if win or lose to Bonnies, but going into conference play losing 2 games in a row just ramps on the pressure on the first few games.

 

[bendm]

For our expectations of the program this season. I consider getting a bid with a 9 seed a failure. I hope Hurley does as well. I hope the players do. If we want to be comfortably in the tournament with a decent seed, we need this...or we need to dominate the league and lose maybe no more than 2-3 games. Hell, I think they need it to erase the stink from yesterday.

unless you're a top 4 seed, which was not a realistic expectation for the program this season, then you're not a favorite to make the sweet 16 anyways. otherwise it's a matchup dependent crapshoot. we lost in the first round last year as a 7, but UCLA made it to the final 4 as an 11. we can certainly make it to the second round as an 8 or 9, although i'm confident we'll be higher than that. i think we finish the regular season around 20-11. which would mean around 3rd in the BE (12-8) and a 6 or 7 seed.

if we can somehow make the sweet 16 then great but unless we lose in the first round again then this season shouldn't be considered a failure. we'll have won our first tourney game in 6 years and it'll be an improvement upon last season. if both cole and martin come back next year then we'll have realistic top 4 seed expectations and more.

 

[Hungryhusky99]

unless you're a top 4 seed, which was not a realistic expectation for the program this season, then you're not a favorite to make the sweet 16 anyways. otherwise it's a matchup dependent crapshoot. we lost in the first round last year as a 7, but UCLA made it to the final 4 as an 11. we can certainly make it to the second round as an 8 or 9.

if we can somehow make the sweet 16 then great but unless we lose in the first round again then this season shouldn't be considered a failure. we'll have won our first tourney game in 6 years and it'll be an improvement upon last season. if both cole and martin come back next year then we'll have realistic top 4 seed expectations and more.

How is a top 4 seed unrealistic for a team that is ranked 15th and has had chances to win every game???

 

[Chosen]

I think this game is a must win. Not for getting into the tournament or seeding; we need this win for our mojo to get something positive going into conference play.

 

[bendm]

How is a top 4 seed unrealistic for a team that is ranked 15th and has had chances to win every game???

news flash but we aint gonna be ranked 15 next week...if we lose to St B's we won't be ranked at all. we've only played 2 good teams and split the pair but i added that we'll finish the season around 20-11. good for around 3rd in the BE and a 6 or 7 seed, not a 4.

 

[Hungryhusky99]

new flash but we aint gonna be ranked 15 next week...i added that i think we finish the season 20-11. good for around 3rd in the BE and a 6 or 7 seed.

It would a very disappointing season if we get fully healthy and lose 11 games.

 

[HuskyHawk]

unless you're a top 4 seed, which was not a realistic expectation for the program this season, then you're not a favorite to make the sweet 16 anyways. otherwise it's a matchup dependent crapshoot. we lost in the first round last year as a 7, but UCLA made it to the final 4 as an 11. we can certainly make it to the second round as an 8 or 9, although i'm confident we'll be higher than that. i think we finish the regular season around 20-11. which would mean around 3rd in the BE (12-8) and a 6 or 7 seed.

if we can somehow make the sweet 16 then great but unless we lose in the first round again then this season shouldn't be considered a failure. we'll have won our first tourney game in 6 years and it'll be an improvement upon last season. if both cole and martin come back next year then we'll have realistic top 4 seed expectations and more.

I think you are using the word "must" too literally. It is a really, really, really important game. Without it, we'd be 1-3 against all decent OOC competition. That's horrid. UConn would also enter league play following two straight losses and that could lead to disaster. When you lay a stink bomb in a game, it's important that you win the next game to avoid losing becoming a habit. This is a critical game.

 

[Kembacity]

I think you are using the word "must" too literally. It is a really, really, really important game. Without it, we'd be 1-3 against all decent OOC competition. That's horrid. UConn would also enter league play following two straight losses and that could lead to disaster. When you lay a stink bomb in a game, it's important that you win the next game to avoid losing becoming a habit. This is a critical game.

So who’s going to be in Newark to scream with me?

 

[Waquoit]

This is a must-win game for the Yard. A loss will make this place untenable. I'll need to take a sabbatical.

 

[HooperScooper]

This is a must-win game for the Yard. A loss will make this place untenable. I'll need to take a sabbatical.

If you lasted through the last 2 Ollie seasons then I’m sure you’ll get through whatever lows the team has this season.

 

[BonniesFan]

So who’s going to be in Newark to scream with me?

Me

 

[BlueDogs]

Every game is a must-win if you have a winning mindset. But, Saint Bonnie is important from a psychological standpoint.

 

[navery12]

If you lasted through the last 2 Ollie seasons then I’m sure you’ll get through whatever lows the team has this season.

The last 2 seasons have been so much worse here after losses than the Ollie years

 

[HuskyHawk]

So who’s going to be in Newark to scream with me?

Never been to Newark, and I hope I can say the same when I die.

 

[bendm]

I think you are using the word "must" too literally. It is a really, really, really important game. Without it, we'd be 1-3 against all decent OOC competition. That's horrid. UConn would also enter league play following two straight losses and that could lead to disaster. When you lay a stink bomb in a game, it's important that you win the next game to avoid losing becoming a habit. This is a critical game.

i agree it's really important but i dont think i'm using it too literally, i think people are throwing the term around too liberally

 

[bendm]

It would a very disappointing season if we get fully healthy and lose 11 games.

finishing .600 or better in BE will never disappoint me unless i think the team's really special

 

[Hankster]

We’re a third of the way into the season it’s not a must win

True but I would hate to lose against 2 unranked teams in a week.

 

[polycom]

This game isn't a must win from a W-L sense. This game is a must win from if the game is a close game in the last 4 minutes we can't throw it away or it will continue to show the problem we have closing out games. It seems we have a mental block during close games and we need to break that.

 

[SubbaBub]

If you want to bank Quad 1 wins for seeding purposes, it's a must win.

 

[gtcam]

Lofton will probably see the floor. All the starters and top 3 off the bench are experienced players. It will be difficult no matter which way you look at it. This team needs Martin firstly. He is the Iron Man on this team and he changes the game in multiple ways. Wish DH had given the young kids more run when they should have played rather than killing teams by 50 points. I don’t see this a must game. To me, every NBE game is a must game