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thank god- back to Saturday-Wednesday conference games.

I like the schedule. We could realistically come out of non-conference 10-3. We get Tulsa, Rice and UTEP as our double games (which is better than Memphis, UAB and UCF). Assuming an 7-7 conference record we could be looking at 17-10 going into the conference tournament. We play Memphis, East Carolina, Tulane and Houston on the road. USM, UCF, UAB and Marshall at home. I could see us possibly sweeping at home and even possibly winning two on the road. That would make us 9-5 in conference which would give us 19 wins going into the tournament.

EastStang wrote:I like the schedule. We could realistically come out of non-conference 10-3. We get Tulsa, Rice and UTEP as our double games (which is better than Memphis, UAB and UCF). Assuming an 7-7 conference record we could be looking at 17-10 going into the conference tournament. We play Memphis, East Carolina, Tulane and Houston on the road. USM, UCF, UAB and Marshall at home. I could see us possibly sweeping at home and even possibly winning two on the road. That would make us 9-5 in conference which would give us 19 wins going into the tournament.

I think a lot of that will depend on whether we have learned to play basketball during the off season....

Seriously, our defense has to get better, rebounding much better (think of all the scond chance points we gave up last year), and FT shooting needs to become existent. We need some frosh to step up as well. I hope Williams can give us an outside shot to keep other D's honest.

jtstang wrote:

EastStang wrote:I like the schedule. We could realistically come out of non-conference 10-3. We get Tulsa, Rice and UTEP as our double games (which is better than Memphis, UAB and UCF). Assuming an 7-7 conference record we could be looking at 17-10 going into the conference tournament. We play Memphis, East Carolina, Tulane and Houston on the road. USM, UCF, UAB and Marshall at home. I could see us possibly sweeping at home and even possibly winning two on the road. That would make us 9-5 in conference which would give us 19 wins going into the tournament.

I think a lot of that will depend on whether we have learned to play basketball during the off season....

Seriously, our defense has to get better, rebounding much better (think of all the scond chance points we gave up last year), and FT shooting needs to become existent. We need some frosh to step up as well. I hope Williams can give us an outside shot to keep other D's honest.

Jstang.. Please end your comments with "the football team sucks" or I will think someone is using your computer while you are out.

Based on SMU's talent, or lack thereof, I find it hard to believe SMU can gather more wins than losses next season. With Hopkins in the library (or the dorm room playing video games) during the first half of the season, I do not have much faith in the other guys. No inside game usually does not provide great results in basketball. If you don't believe me, then retrace SMU's last ten seasons.

mrydel wrote:Jstang.. Please end your comments with "the football team sucks" or I will think someone is using your computer while you are out.

Touche'. But god I've had it up to here with how awful our football team is year after year after year....

jtstang wrote:

mrydel wrote:Jstang.. Please end your comments with "the football team sucks" or I will think someone is using your computer while you are out.

Touche'. But god I've had it up to here with how awful our football team is year after year after year....

My optimism level is higher than yours (why I do not know so do not ask me to justify it) but I sincerely feel your (our) pain. And that goes for both football and basketball. ( Hopefully that will keep me from being criticized for talking football on the basketball board.)

My guess is the Ponies are looking at 8-6 or so when they come down here to play Pan Am.

.....I glanced at Athlon's preseason magazine-they have us at 8th in the 12 team conference

I read Athlon every year because its the first preview magazine to come out, but I'm afraid that going to print early is also its biggest weakness. Most of the articles are written over the summer, and they tend to miss alot of late developments.

I'm not saying that I disagree with where they have us picked. Given where we finished last year, and who we lost, i'm surprised we werent picked lower. Any success this year will require 2-3 of the newcomers to step up immediately.