How far can this team go?

[leopold]

Being as that it's February, I don't think this is an inappropriate question. Frankly, if it were any other school with a top-25 team they would have asked this alot more.

So we're now 19-5 and just physically manhandled a top-10 team, but we also lost to a team that we should have beaten. We have one of the most suffocating defenses in the country, but we can be streaky and have NO experience as a ranked team. We've played some decent teams and I don't think have truly been blown out by anybody, and we seem to only be getting better. So how do we end up?

Frankly, I'd think a sweet 16 appearance is a realistic goal, anything else more being icing on the cake.

[SMU Section F]

I think the round of 32 is fairly realistic and Sweet 16 would be amazing, but any NCAA appearance will satisfy me.

With a team like this anything is possible, especially if we can start playing half as well on the road as we do at home.

[smusportspage]

Fun to think about. BEAT RUTGERS!

[smitty329]

I wish all my exam questions had been this easy: 2014 National Champions

[LHS81]

23.3 miles to the Southwest of the SMU campus. . . Modesty aside, I nominate this for post of the year

[East Coast Mustang]

Can you imagine the atmosphere at Jerryworld if we made the Final Four? It would be unreal

[The PonyGrad]

Come on with the road gaem problem scenario. We lost an early road game to a good Arky team, a last second neutral game to a very good UVa team. Two early, close games to Cincy and Lousville where I think we were a bit tight. The only problem was that USF game.

Let's see how we do at UConn and Memphis (assuming we do not have another problem vs. Rutgers...) before we decide we have a road game problem.

[Harry0569]

The funny thing is I have NO IDEA how far we can go. I could see us bowing out in the first round in a close game, or putting on Cinderella's shoes and strolling all the way to Jerry World.

Two things make me optimistic:

1) we defend SO WELL, and that alone will keep us in every single game. Aside from Cinci, we also clean up on the defensive glass. The pace slows in March and a lack of extra possessions will help.

2) Larry Brown - For the vast majority of the games we have played SIGNIFICANTLY better in the second half. LB and co. are making adjustments during intermission and we are executing. It is so refreshing to see us put the foot on the gas.

[SMU Section F]

Come on with the road gaem problem scenario. We lost an early road game to a good Arky team, a last second neutral game to a very good UVa team. Two early, close games to Cincy and Lousville where I think we were a bit tight. The only problem was that USF game.

Let's see how we do at UConn and Memphis (assuming we do not have another problem vs. Rutgers...) before we decide we have a road game problem.
8)

We've played better at home than on the road. You've watched the games, so you know that. I don't think anyone says we can't play just as well on the road (the second half of the Houston game proves that we can), just that in general we haven't. I think the @UConn & @Memphis games will tell us a lot.

[The PonyGrad]

Come on with the road gaem problem scenario. We lost an early road game to a good Arky team, a last second neutral game to a very good UVa team. Two early, close games to Cincy and Lousville where I think we were a bit tight. The only problem was that USF game.

Let's see how we do at UConn and Memphis (assuming we do not have another problem vs. Rutgers...) before we decide we have a road game problem.

We've played better at home than on the road. You've watched the games, so you know that. I don't think anyone says we can't play just as well on the road (the second half of the Houston game proves that we can), just that in general we haven't. I think the @UConn & @Memphis games will tell us a lot.

And I am not meaning to call you out, it is just that this is a narrative I have heard from various sources and which I think is over blown and can be used to undervalue SMU.

[Harry0569]

Is anyone going to the Memphis game? It's a 11 CST tip - I may wake up at the crack of dawn and drive from ATL. I also may wait until we play for the AAC champ and drive up the next weekend

[SMU Section F]

And I am not meaning to call you out, it is just that this is a narrative I have heard from various sources and which I think is over blown and can be used to undervalue SMU.
:?

No worries. Your points are fair. I just tend to think that at present we have failed to prove ourselves on the road, but the remainder of the season will provide ample opportunity. If SMU is being undervalued because of this perception, it is in the teams' power to fix it. (And I think it's likely that they do just that.)

[SMU Section F]

Is anyone going to the Memphis game? It's a 11 CST tip - I may wake up at the crack of dawn and drive from ATL. I also may wait until we play for the AAC champ and drive up the next weekend

I'm planning on making it to the Memphis game. I'd rather be in Memphis for the AAC tournament, but I think that weekend is gonna be impossible for me.

[Pony_Law]

It's all about match ups when it comes to predicting how far this team could go in the NCAA tournament. I'm already thinking I don't want smu to be an 8 or 9 seed because of the possibility of then having to play a 1 seed in the 2nd round. Best scenario is to be a 10-12 seed so we get to play 2 good but flawed teams to make the sweet 16. Other possibility is to win out and jump up to probably a 4 or 5.

[Pony ^]

The city would literally burn to the ground if we went to the final 4. Right now I'm just worried about road games..