2015/2016 Season Thoughts

[85 Fly]

BBN family what are your thoughts:

How many SEC games will we lose (if any) this season?

Which team in the SEC is the greatest threat to our goal to win the conference?

How many non-conference games will we lose (if any) and to who?

Prediction-Which teams make it to the final four?

Is this the next team to cut down the nets-National Champs?

[Joneslab]

I think we'll lose 3 or 4 SEC games.

Five to seven games total.

Vandy is the next best team in the SEC. In their gym they're going to be very tough. Also think Georgia might be a sleeper in the league.

It's a really tough field to get a feel for because so many teams got gutted by losses. Carolina and Kansas are two teams that jump out to me because of their experience. When you look at the top 25 in the preseason, there are always 3 or 4 teams that just really never pan out, and there are 3 or 4 who come out of nowhere to have really good seasons. I think Purdue could be a team that comes out of nowhere. Cal is another team that looks to have all the pieces to be a top 10 team.

Have no idea if Kentucky will win it all, but this sport is about guards. Kentucky definitely has the guardplay to be a major player. I think where UK struggles is when it runs up against teams with bulk and size on the front line.

[teamchemistry15]

Welcome to the board. I think we lose 6 or 7 games total, with 3 or 4 being in the SEC. Like Will said, at Vandy will be tough and so will LSU. We will also drop an unexpected upset or two. In recent years averaging 80 points has been a common denominator with a number of champions. I think this team can get close to that if their conditioning gets better, which it naturally will with the pace they play. As far as the title, I think we are one of a handful of teams who can. A lot of it depends on Skal and what he develops into. I think he will be a game changer, but it might take some time. With the guard play, similar to 2011 with Knight, we could easily make a run to the final four.

[KevinHall]

Welcome aboard 85 Fly.

My thought are similar to the others. The will lose two or three out of conference and about four games in conference.

Vandy will be very good this year. If LSU had a good coach they would be very good. They still will be tough to beat just because of the talent. Tex A&M,UGA and Florida will be very competitive. Also Auburn will be better with Cousin Brucie getting things together down there. The SEC as a whole will be much better. Better coaching and better recruiting is turning this conference around.

UNC,Kansas,Duke and pretty much all the usuals will be in the hunt for the Final Four. Like Will said there are always surprise teams and I have no idea who that could be this year.

I get a real good feeling about this team. They won't win 38 games but in the end they will be around 30 and be a major player for a Final Four berth. They could very well hang a banner at the end. Like always it will just depends on the match ups and breaks you receive in the tournament.

[Uncle Dave]

I'm excited about this season, as always. One thing about the OAD deal, there's no shortage of new guys to watch and see how they progress. We have as good a shot as any at the NC so let's get it on!!!

[Matt Dillon]

I think we'll lose 3 or 4 SEC games.

Five to seven games total.

Vandy is the next best team in the SEC. In their gym they're going to be very tough. Also think Georgia might be a sleeper in the league.

It's a really tough field to get a feel for because so many teams got gutted by losses. Carolina and Kansas are two teams that jump out to me because of their experience. When you look at the top 25 in the preseason, there are always 3 or 4 teams that just really never pan out, and there are 3 or 4 who come out of nowhere to have really good seasons. I think Purdue could be a team that comes out of nowhere. Cal is another team that looks to have all the pieces to be a top 10 team.

Have no idea if Kentucky will win it all, but this sport is about guards. Kentucky definitely has the guardplay to be a major player. I think where UK struggles is when it runs up against teams with bulk and size on the front line.

You didn't mention Duke?

[Joneslab]

You didn't mention Duke?

Duke has some pretty major questions. One of which is that the word out of their practices is that they may have to play a guy who's never played point guard at point.

Certainly a good team, they always are, but I think they got ripped apart by losses and it doesn't look like (on paper) that they were able to fill them the way they did last year.

[Joneslab]

I also think Indiana is a team that could be dangerous.

[KevinHall]

You didn't mention Duke?

By the end of the season they will be in the mix. They struggled early last season too. After they kicked that player off that seem to gell them and only lost once after that. UK has a good shot at them early in the season. UK has a little more experience and hopefully that will be the difference November 17th.

[catfaninin]

Duke has some pretty major questions. One of which is that the word out of their practices is that they may have to play a guy who's never played point guard at point.

Certainly a good team, they always are, but I think they got ripped apart by losses and it doesn't look like (on paper) that they were able to fill them the way they did last year.

I thought that's why it was such a big deal that Thornton reclassified. He was to be the point guard.

[catfaninin]

By the end of the season they will be in the mix. They struggled early last season too. After they kicked that player off that seem to gell them and only lost once after that. UK has a good shot at them early in the season. UK has a little more experience and hopefully that will be the difference November 17th.

Agreed, I expect UK to fairly well have their way in Chicago. But late in the year Duke will be a team to be reckoned with.

[Joneslab]

I thought that's why it was such a big deal that Thornton reclassified. He was to be the point guard.

Per a report last week, Thornton was struggling and they thought they might try Matt Jones at point.

[catfaninin]

I really only see 1 non conference game I think they will lose, at Kansas.
Probably slip up a few times on the road in conference play. I would say maybe 3 losses in the following, at LSU, at Vandy, at Tenn, at Arkansas, at Tex A&M.
4-5 losses in the regular season, a #1 seed going into the tournament, definitely a realistic shot for a championship
UNC and Kansas will both be really good as mentioned by others. Maryland is another I havent seen mentioned here. They should be good.
As for a dark horse team I will say Oklahoma.

[Roper92391]

My record prediction is: losses to Duke, @LSU, @Kansas, and @Vanderbilt. Giving them a regular season record of 27-4 (16-2). I say they'll win the SEC tournament to get to 30-4, and enter the NCAA Tournament as a 1 or 2 seed. I think they've got a shot at winning the championship, but am hoping to see this team at least make another Final Four.

[Blue Heaven]

I hate to make any predictions after what happened last season. One thing I do know is that we are going to see a more up tempo team than we have in a while. This will also probably be the best outside shooting team since Cal has been here. You win in college basketball with guards and we have some good ones. As of right now I see our weakness being down low. Skal needs to get tough in the post. It will take some time but I believe he will. I thought the first game or so with A.D. that he wasn't strong enough but boy did hw prove me wrong in a big way. Skal was more regarded than A.D.coming out of high school. That's not saying he's better, just that the potential is there.