Can we all agree making the tournament at large is the bare minimum expectation this season

[Cusefan0307]

Someone posted on another thread that it’s crickets around here so I figured I would get the conversation started.

Red needs to make the tournament next year to show that he’s turning the ship around.

We have a top 10 Freshman PF and brought in a very expensive center. JJ needs to perform to his reputation coming in. Bell needs to show some fight. Those guys will in all likelihood be the backbone of the team.

It’s not asking to contend for a conference title, but making it as an 8-10 seed is the expectation. Anything more than that is gravy. Anything less than that and the seat gets extremely hot in 25-26.

 

[jdubs30]

Yes. Especially with the expanded field. This team has Red fingerprints all over it.

In reality, if we don’t get in this year or next year, he should be gone. However, this was going to be the issue with hiring Red. But getting rid of him could make some alumni very cranky. He may get a longer leash than he should

 

[DCUNITED13]

Not the Bare Minimum. This should be the GOAL every year. Once we are in, its survive and move on. We have to play our way up to become one of the BIG BOYS again. We are now a has been, just like Indiana, UCLA and CCNY.

 

[Lukeyloo]

Absolutely. It's unfortunate how low our expectations/standards have fallen around here, but if we want to continue a trajectory back to relevance then Red needs to get back to the tournament ASAP. Much like Fran, we need results quick in order to change perception and help us get to where we want to be.

If a new coach has a slow start it makes it that much harder for the them to get the ship turned around. The top recruits want to know that they're committing to somewhere they can experience success.

 

[Lukeyloo]

Not the Bare Minimum. This should be the GOAL every year. Once we are in, its survive and move on. We have to play our way up to become one of the BIG BOYS again. We are now a has been, just like Indiana, UCLA and CCNY.

no offense, but this is just more evidence of how low our expectations have fallen. A program of our (historical) standing should have higher aspirations.

 

[grepal]

Someone posted on another thread that it’s crickets around here so I figured I would get the conversation started.

Red needs to make the tournament next year to show that he’s turning the ship around.

We have a top 10 Freshman PF and brought in a very expensive center. JJ needs to perform to his reputation coming in. Bell needs to show some fight. Those guys will in all likelihood be the backbone of the team.

It’s not asking to contend for a conference title, but making it as an 8-10 seed is the expectation. Anything more than that is gravy. Anything less than that and the seat gets extremely hot in 25-26.

Providing we are healthy. Health has derailed so many seasons recently.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Yeah, and ideally not sweating the selection or needing a crazy ACC tourney run to get there.

 

[NKR1978]

Yes. Especially with the expanded field. This team has Red fingerprints all over it.

In reality, if we don’t get in this year or next year, he should be gone. However, this was going to be the issue with hiring Red. But getting rid of him could make some alumni very cranky. He may get a longer leash than he should

UConn alumni were unhappy with the firing of Ollie. They're quiet now.

But I don't think that will be an issue. We're dancing this year.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Providing we are healthy. Health has derailed so many seasons recently.

We have a veteran team that should be able to handle a nagging injury or two. No excuses. We weren’t making it with McLeod, Benny, or Westry last year even if they were healthy.

 

[SUOrangeSU]

Red's seat is going to be awfully hot if he doesn't make the tourny this year

 

[littlereg]

UConn alumni were unhappy with the firing of Ollie. They're quiet now.

But I don't think that will be an issue. We're dancing this year.

Different circumstances big time though, Ollie won a title in his second season and got an Extension (with mostly Calhoun leftovers) and that gave him support and a leash. It was only after all the Calhoun leftovers and shabazz was gone that people realized he couldn’t coach and develop the big time recruits he could recruit. Then they fired him for the violations, he sued the school and won the lawsuit!

I do agree though I don’t think it’ll matter here either way.

 

[djcon57]

Someone posted on another thread that it’s crickets around here so I figured I would get the conversation started.

Red needs to make the tournament next year to show that he’s turning the ship around.

We have a top 10 Freshman PF and brought in a very expensive center. JJ needs to perform to his reputation coming in. Bell needs to show some fight. Those guys will in all likelihood be the backbone of the team.

It’s not asking to contend for a conference title, but making it as an 8-10 seed is the expectation. Anything more than that is gravy. Anything less than that and the seat gets extremely hot in 25-26.

Yep I don’t want to see “actually Stanford is pretty good” type posts over here during basketball season. I don’t expect us to win the chip or be ranked all year or even be a top 8 seed. I do expect us to win the games we should especially at home and at worst be on the bubble. No excuses this year

 

[pearl31]

Yeah.
There isn't nearly the "let him establish himself, it takes a few years" leeway for coaches now like there was pre portal and NIL. If you're a brand school in one of the big conferences there's just no excuses anymore. Pretty sure Red knows this but we'll see if he's capable of achieving it - i.e. making the tourney at a bare minimum

 

[two3zone]

Someone posted on another thread that it’s crickets around here so I figured I would get the conversation started.

Red needs to make the tournament next year to show that he’s turning the ship around.

We have a top 10 Freshman PF and brought in a very expensive center. JJ needs to perform to his reputation coming in. Bell needs to show some fight. Those guys will in all likelihood be the backbone of the team.

It’s not asking to contend for a conference title, but making it as an 8-10 seed is the expectation. Anything more than that is gravy. Anything less than that and the seat gets extremely hot in 25-26.

We need to start off well or I don't know how we can get 15k in the door most games.

 

[Orangezoo]

Someone posted on another thread that it’s crickets around here so I figured I would get the conversation started.

Red needs to make the tournament next year to show that he’s turning the ship around.

We have a top 10 Freshman PF and brought in a very expensive center. JJ needs to perform to his reputation coming in. Bell needs to show some fight. Those guys will in all likelihood be the backbone of the team.

It’s not asking to contend for a conference title, but making it as an 8-10 seed is the expectation. Anything more than that is gravy. Anything less than that and the seat gets extremely hot in 25-26.

Yep this is the bare minimum and the pieces are there to make it happen. The 20 wins amidst a drama filled , not fully bought in team, if that was indeed the limiting factor should convert to a tourney team with an older and talented group in year 2 along with some new ideas on the coaching staff.

 

[Nicknack]

I'm so damn sick and tired of not being able to pick cuse to win the natty on a bracket. The first two rounds of the tourney used to be my favorite time of the year, by far.

 

[cusefan88]

Competitive schedule, good veteran team, and an excellent HC.

I stand by Red. He got a lot of out of a roster last year with no centers, some bad apples, and pieces that didn't have complementary skills. He did a great job and I can't wait to see this team develop.

 

[baggerbob]

Competitive schedule, good veteran team, and an excellent HC.

I stand by Red. He got a lot of out of a roster last year with no centers, some bad apples, and pieces that didn't have complementary skills. He did a great job and I can't wait to see this team develop.

We need to get back to being a team that is a lock to be in the tournament, and just wondering how high a seed we are.

 

[NKR1978]

We need to get back to being a team that is a lock to be in the tournament, and just wondering how high a seed we are.

The fact the last time we experienced that was 2014 is so crazy

 

[two3zone]

The fact the last time we experienced that was 2014 is so crazy

It's crazy but it feels like it was 20 years ago.

 

[syrBossHogg]

I think that's a fair expectation

 

[OrlandoCuse]

Yes. Especially with the expanded field. This team has Red fingerprints all over it.

In reality, if we don’t get in this year or next year, he should be gone. However, this was going to be the issue with hiring Red. But getting rid of him could make some alumni very cranky. He may get a longer leash than he should

I don’t think the field was expanded. There’s a proposal to expand to 72 or 76 starting in the 2025-26 season.

 

[jncuse]

no offense, but this is just more evidence of how low our expectations have fallen. A program of our (historical) standing should have higher aspirations.

Mid and long term our aspirations need to be higher. But for 24/25 only? I think the "just make it in" aspiration is reasonable.

We have to remember the relatively poor situation that Red inherited... at the same time acknowledge that things can turn around more quickly in the current environment (but at times for shorter periods of excellence)

 

[jncuse]

I don’t think the field was expanded. There’s a proposal to expand to 72 or 76 starting in the 2025-26 season.

I read the same comment by JDub and thought the same as you. Can't see anything beyond 68 in my research... its possible that JDub is just commenting on the current expanded field of 68.

 

[OrlandoCuse]

I read the same comment by JDub and thought the same as you. Can't see anything beyond 68 in my research... its possible that JDub is just commenting on the current expanded field of 68.

It expanded to 68 in 2011, so it’s been a while