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

[NineOneSeven]

Yes. It's time.

 

[phil77]

That should be the expectation every year for a school with the tradition and resources that Syracuse has. No excuses. Two seasons in a row will turn up the heat on Red and it would be a tourny or bust third season.

 

[miamicuse]

At large bid to NCAA, finish top 4 in ACC regular season, win at least 2 ACC tournament games is my expectation.

 

[Newhouser]

Making the NCAA tourney is the minimum (play in doesn't count unless we win the play-in and make the actual field).

That said I think we are going to be much better than last year.

 

[Sherman20]

Making the NCAA tourney is the minimum (play in doesn't count unless we win the play-in and make the actual field).

That said I think we are going to be much better than last year.

The play-in is just a stupid misnomer. It counts. You’re in the field even if you’re a 11 or 12 seed. Such nonsense. But yeah, I agree we need to and should make the tourney.

 

[Trueblue25]

at large bid should be the baseline. I want to finish top 6 in the ACC and spend meaningful time back in the top 25.

 

[Lukeyloo]

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)

I was speaking to the comment that it should be the goal, not the minimum expectation, every year. I agree that we need to dream small first (being this year) and just make it to the tournament, but this shouldn't be the goal every year. If that's the goal and not the minimum expectation every year then that's us still being in the rut we've been in for the past decade.

We used to have goals of FFs and nattys. We need to aim to get back to that. I'm sure that's Red's plan, but we need to work towards that whether it's Red that is able to bring us back or someone else.

 

[Goin' Deep]

Darn right...making the NCAA tournament is a bare minimum...
You've got a facility that seats 30,000, multiple final fours, the 2nd winningest coach
of all time...
AND WE CAN'T BE THOUGHT OF AS A TOP 50 RANKED PROGRAM IN MARCH...??

Not the program I know...

 

[Lukeyloo]

We used to be so good. Makes me want to cry

 

[HyattsCuse]

Agreed. For this year, a solid at-large spot and, hopefully, not on the bubble would be a successful season in Year 2 of the Coach Red era.

That being said, I'm anxious to see how our guard play shapes up. I love our frontline (on paper anyway), but hope we have someone that can lead and get us into an actual offense.

 

[PauliePeppas]

We used to be so good. Makes me want to cry

Didnt realize how good we had it….

 

[Dmcnabbrules]

I believe this team can be very good if they play any defense. Offensively they will have multiple weapons at every position. That being said I hope players are held accountable for their defensive effort. Two of our returning players are some of the worst defenders I have ever seen at SU. Lampkin and his whole Colorado team were lazy on D last year. Going to be interesting to see if there is improvement. Having a real 4 should help. Freeman looks like he will be a decent weak side shot blocker.

 

[FrancoPizza]

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

THIS.

Buzz for cuse hoops has to be at an all-time low.

 

[Melancer46]

I'm optimistic about this year's team, but just playing the role of Debbie Downer a little...it seems everyone has us pegged to finish around 8th or 9th in the conference this year which as of current projections, would not get us into the tournament. Getting in this season as an at-large bid or automatic qualifier will be seen as exceeding expectations nationally.

Again though, I tend to be pretty optimistic about this year's roster and think we'll end up surprising people.

 

[djcon57]

at large bid should be the baseline. I want to finish top 6 in the ACC and spend meaningful time back in the top 25.

Everyone wants to. To me, it's about expectations with the players we got. If you are expecting to be in the top 25 all year and we're not, you might be disappointed if we just sneak in the tourney. I don't believe that to be the case. Ultimately, yes we need to be back where you are talking about, prob needs to be in 2-3 years at min. Getting back into the tourney is a start.

 

[sabach]

I'd love to have a season where the unknown on Selection Sunday is not if we get in but what is our seed.

 

[MikeSU02]

Everyone wants to. To me, it's about expectations with the players we got. If you are expecting to be in the top 25 all year and we're not, you might be disappointed if we just sneak in the tourney. I don't believe that to be the case. Ultimately, yes we need to be back where you are talking about, prob needs to be in 2-3 years at min. Getting back into the tourney is a start.

This is where I am.

This year - just make it into the tournament. With our roster, anything above that is cream cheese.

In the near future? Yes, I want to be easily in, ranked in the top 25, and the goal should be second weekend.

 

[hoopsupstate]

At large bid to NCAA, finish top 4 in ACC regular season, win at least 2 ACC tournament games is my expectation.

We’ve only had one top four finish in the ACC and that was year one. I don’t think we’ve ever won two tournament ACC games. History is not on your side. It would be nice, but I’m not holding my breath. Duke and North Carolina will almost always finish in the top four and we can’t beat Virginia. We only need to beat out the other 14 teams for a top four finish. Not happening without top 10 recruiting classes and an enormous NIL budget.

 

[Cusefan0307]

We’ve only had one top four finish in the ACC and that was year one. I don’t think we’ve ever won two tournament ACC games. History is not on your side. It would be nice, but I’m not holding my breath. Duke and North Carolina will almost always finish in the top four and we can’t beat Virginia. We only need to beat out the other 14 teams for a top four finish. Not happening without top 10 recruiting classes and an enormous NIL budget.

I hate this point of view. UNC has had a few duds since we joined the conference. Red has improved the talent. He can improve it more by winning games. They know what they have to do. It’s about executing their plan and game day coaching.

 

[baggerbob]

I'd love to have a season where the unknown on Selection Sunday is not if we get in but what is our seed.

That needs to begin to be the expectation every year, no more just barely getting in.

 

[Cusefan0307]

That needs to begin to be the expectation every year, no more just barely getting in.

Agree, but we have to make it first. It will be the 4th anniversary of us last making it in March.

 

[FrancoPizza]

This is where I am.

This year - just make it into the tournament. With our roster, anything above that is cream cheese.

In the near future? Yes, I want to be easily in, ranked in the top 25, and the goal should be second weekend.

Consumer apathy for college hoops and the SU fan base interest is at an all-time low right now. Not a good combination. Going forward the best bet is going to be landing "splash" transfers in the portal (a la McCord) in tandem with top 50 recruits. Not sure Red and staff can get this done, and I think a big part of this is the NIL wagon does not seem to be energized with the program.

 

[grepal]

I used to enjoy when hoops season ended right around the start of the Red Sox season and the Sox season ended just about the time the hoops season began. Oh, for those wonderful days again.

 

[two3zone]

Consumer apathy for college hoops and the SU fan base interest is at an all-time low right now. Not a good combination. Going forward the best bet is going to be landing "splash" transfers in the portal (a la McCord) in tandem with top 50 recruits. Not sure Red and staff can get this done, and I think a big part of this is the NIL wagon does not seem to be energized with the program.

If we were a team that was willing and ready to fight for a championship, Kadary Richmond would be our point guard. Hell, the Reynolds kid would've done.

I don't see how we can compete with top 25 teams with rosters like our current one.

Our defense last season was one of the most pathetic things I've ever seen on a basketball court so what did we do? We kept the two worst defenders and they are going to play 65-70 minutes a game.

I want to be excited, and Freeman is exciting, but, I didn't like our "stars" last year, and I don't even know anyone else. This sucks.

 

[Orangezoo]

If we were a team that was willing and ready to fight for a championship, Kadary Richmond would be our point guard. Hell, the Reynolds kid would've done.

I don't see how we can compete with top 25 teams with rosters like our current one.

Our defense last season was one of the most pathetic things I've ever seen on a basketball court so what did we do? We kept the two worst defenders and they are going to play 65-70 minutes a game.

I want to be excited, and Freeman is exciting, but, I didn't like our "stars" last year, and I don't even know anyone else. This sucks.

Talking with buddies who are fans of other schools and used to be die hards - even some who are still top 25 now- they are all losing interest and becoming more casual. It’s turning everyone off - glad it’s better for the kids at least