bsullyok Posted February 25, 2006 Share Posted February 25, 2006 Yes, I know it's still a bit early - there's still hoops to be played. But the thread on best surprises and worst disappointments has gotten me to thinking. How should we label this year's Golden Eagle team? The motto was "unfinished business," and by that criteria, all we have to do is win the conference tourney, and we will have "finished business." Yet, somehow, I'm not buying that - will just getting to the NCAA make this a good season - mission accomplished? Or should we have realistically expected more quality wins from a team with so much returning talent, so much potential? Is there anything this team could still do to make it a good-to-great season, rather than just the sort-of-OK (at best) season it's been thus far? Anyone can make the NCAA tourney by winning the Mid-Con tourney - witness last year - but that doesn't mean they deserved an NCAA bid (it's a fluke of the system, undeserving conference tourney champs going to the Big Dance). But winning the conference tourney alone cannot define a successful season. If we'd won the MidCon tourney last year, I think anyone would have to admit we had a great season - I think most of us, looking back, would say we had a pretty good season despite that crushing disappointment at the UMAC, and if we'd won against Oakland, we would have felt as if we really deserved to be in the NCAA tourney. We haven't beaten very many good teams this year. One win vs IUPUI, what turned out to be a good win over USC which didn't look as good at the time but looks better now, and a bunch of close call losses to the other good teams on our schedule, not to mention some blowouts where we were the blowee rather than the blower. All the talk about the tougher schedule preparing us for the postseason would mean more if we'd picked up a win or two against that tougher schedule. So, I'll be the first to answer my own question. There are only a few things that could help make this season not be about a team that's disappointing in many ways: 1. win tonight against Valpo, win the conference tournament, and get an upset win in the NCAA tourney. That would feel like redemption to me. 2. win the consolation postseason tourney, also known as the NIT - I mean win the whole thing. That's unlikely, because if we don't win the conference tourney, we're unlikely to go to the NIT at all. Otherwise, I think this will have to go down as a team that didn't come close to meeting expectations. What do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORU Eli Posted February 25, 2006 Share Posted February 25, 2006 I think a win in the NCAA or NIT, just one win, would make this season seem 10x better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texasgrip Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 I think a win in the NCAA or NIT, just one win, would make this season seem 10x better. I think the season just got 10x better tonite! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orumom Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 bsully, get over yourself. I don't see where you did anything to help. Let the rest of enjoy that we are definitely in post season play and over the last month we had so many whiners on this board that thought we were dead in the water, I plan on enjoying the moment. I'm with Texas grip -----it's already 10X better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUTex Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 You can start by labeling them REGULAR SEASON MID-CON CHAMPS!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbone77 Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 Yo billy. Welcome to the board. Another good basketball mind with Shekinah roots joins the conversation!!! You must not be preachin' tomorrow as you are up too late. Appreciate your analysis as always. It was awfully good to see Tutt back in scoring form. Ironically, although his injury hurt us badly in the first Valpo game, it helped Chris and Moses gain some confidence. Moses didn't get many minutes tonight, but Chris was vital. I don't think we would have been blowee status if Tutt hadn't been hurt for the first Valpo game. No matter what it is definitely time to take care of the Mid-Con tourney. But we will be lucky if we are not a 16 seed if do make the NCAA. That is tough going for anybody. I am relishing the night. GO EAGLES!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EasyTELGuy Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 ...But we will be lucky if we are not a 16 seed if do make the NCAA. That is tough going for anybody. I am relishing the night. GO EAGLES!!!! tbone, you really think we'll be at the bottom of the heap should we make the NCAA's. I'm figuring we'll be a 15 seed. Wouldn't it be fun though if we were the first 16 seed to beat a 1 seed ever in the history of the 64/65 tournament era? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
praetorfenix86 Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 If we win the mid-con tourney and go dancing I think we will be a 15 seed. There are always enough upsets in conference tourneys to put a bunch of Oaklands in the tournament and they will take up all the 16 seeds. No matter what seed we get we are going to scare the crap out of some powerhouse. When we do go dancing it will screw up my bracket though, I don't think I have to heart to pick against ORU, even if we are playing Duke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EasyTELGuy Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 When we do go dancing it will screw up my bracket though, I don't think I have to heart to pick against ORU, even if we are playing Duke. I don't want to play Duke! I'd take almost any team rather than Duke! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest EagleBackr Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 ...I think before the year a lot of us might have agreed with the idea that "just getting to the NCAA" would not be enough to make this year "special". But after all the injuries, the realization that our non-conference schedule was suicide, IUPUI distancing themselves from the pack, and the unfortunate distractions of late for Coach Scott Sutton, I think the regular season co-championship alone is a SPECTACULAR achievement!! I mean, 13-3 in conference for the regular season is THE EXACT SAME RECORD we had last year! I predicted going into conference play that 12-4 might win the league outright! (of course, I thought that champion would be Valpo, but who knew what a paper tiger they would prove to be?). Hey, do we need to win the Mid-Con tourney? Of course. That's the obvious validation. But whether we do or not should NOT detract from how effectively this team and coaching staff have overcome SEVERAL serious obstacles... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmh8286 Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 Here, here, Backr of Beaks, I couldn't agree more! If there's anyone that isn't thrilled at what this team has managed to accomplish, and that they were able to fight through numerous challenges this season and still end up Co-Champs and number one seed, then there may be little hope for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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