Honestly as long as we win 2 of @Pitt, @Duke, @Maryland, @Virginia, @Florida State

[Alsacs]

and don't lose any home games Buffalo/MSG should be attained. However, I honestly believe we want Villanova to do well not because we beat them, but because if we can get Nova as our #2 seed I will be happy. I think they are a good team and program as a whole, but they aren't a team that I believe would get to the Elite Eight if they were in our bracket. The last 2 times were 1 seeds the 2 seed has made the Elite Eight both times. We are due for a busted bracket one of these years. If we could get something like 1. Syracuse 2. Villanova 3. Iowa State 4. Wisconsin 5. Texas we could see a lot of upsets.

I don't want to get ahead of myself, but I think instead of having our brackets being the ones without upsets we could catch a break this year, and worse case scenario if we won our games have to play Villanova in a regional final at MSG.

 

[raf4488]

To be a lock for Buffalo/NY I think we need:

Win the rest of our home games
3-2 on the road
1 ACCT win

I think we'll need 3 more road wins to feel comfortable only because we really haven't beaten anyone good on the road yet. Go 2-3 on the road and we may still get there, but to remove all doubt we need at least one of @Duke/@UVa/@Pitt.

 

[AZOrange]

and don't lose any home games Buffalo/MSG should be attained. However, I honestly believe we want Villanova to do well not because we beat them, but because if we can get Nova as our #2 seed I will be happy. I think they are a good team and program as a whole, but they aren't a team that I believe would get to the Elite Eight if they were in our bracket. The last 2 times were 1 seeds the 2 seed has made the Elite Eight both times. We are due for a busted bracket one of these years. If we could get something like 1. Syracuse 2. Villanova 3. Iowa State 4. Wisconsin 5. Texas we could see a lot of upsets. I don't want to get ahead of myself, but I think instead of having our brackets being the ones without upsets we could catch a break this year, and worse case scenario if we won our games have to play Villanova in a regional final at MSG.

The hell with having Nova in our bracket. I don't want to see any teams/coaches that know us.

 

[Alsacs]

The hell with having Nova in our bracket. I don't want to see any teams/coaches that know us.

Very few coaches outside of Tom Crean are not incapable of teaching their team how to do deal with our zone. A lot more teams are playing zone just because of SU's success. UCLA, Missouri, hell even Kentucky has been playing zone. I don't think it matters. Plus, as much as I respect Nova they are going to be one of the weaker #2 teams IMO. I don't want Michigan, Michigan State or Kansas before Nova.

 

[AZOrange]

Very few coaches outside of Tom Crean are not incapable of teaching their team how to do deal with our zone. A lot more teams are playing zone just because of SU's success. UCLA, Missouri, hell even Kentucky has been playing zone. I don't think it matters. Plus, as much as I respect Nova they are going to be one of the weaker #2 teams IMO. I don't want Michigan, Michigan State or Kansas before Nova.

eh I'd take any of those (except Kansas) over nova. Izzo and belien have struggled over the years vs cuse

 

[Alsacs]

eh I'd take any of those (except Kansas) over nova. Izzo and belien have struggled over the years vs cuse

I will always take the least talented teams in our bracket. Coaching matters a lot, but talent wins more than coaching.

 

[Lawrinson14]

I will always take the least talented teams in our bracket. Coaching matters a lot, but talent wins more than coaching.

Especially true in the tournament, where it always seems like the teams with the superior guards always win.

 

[dasher]

To be a lock for Buffalo/NY I think we need:

Win the rest of our home games
3-2 on the road
1 ACCT win

I think we'll need 3 more road wins to feel comfortable only because we really haven't beaten anyone good on the road yet. Go 2-3 on the road and we may still get there, but to remove all doubt we need at least one of @Duke/@UVa/@Pitt.

Bingo

 

[Eric15]

The hell with having Nova in our bracket. I don't want to see any teams/coaches that know us.

Completely agree - Jay Wright is a proven zone buster.

 

[CorduroyG]

I would love to get nova as our 2 seed. Want no part of Kansas or a healthy Sparty till F4.

 

[AZOrange]

I will always take the least talented teams in our bracket. Coaching matters a lot, but talent wins more than coaching.

Would u rather play Pitt or Michigan?

 

[Alsacs]

In terms of difficulty I would rank the 5 road games
1. @Duke
2. @Virginia
3. @Pitt
4. @Maryland
5. @Florida State

Duke is almost an automatic loss as I expect C.J. Fair, Jerami Grant, Rak Christmas to start the game with already 2 fouls on them in pre-game warmups.
I think Florida State has more talent, but the Comcast Center is a really tough arena so Maryland above FSU, and Syracuse will be playing their 1 day after the Duke game. If we can rebound decently at Pitt I like our chances there. Virginia is going to depend on they shoot the 3 ball against our zone.

I expect 3-2, but am saying 2-3 gets us MSG especially if Duke loses atleast 1 more ACC regular season game.

 

[Alsacs]

Would u rather play Pitt or Michigan?

Pittsburgh because they can't score and it took 3 tough 3's from Patterson to keep that game from getting away. Pitt's offense is a clogged toilet, and Michigan has Stauiskas, Walton, Robinson are a good 3 headed monster and the best flopper in college basketball Jordan Morgan.

 

[pfister1]

eh I'd take any of those (except Kansas) over nova. Izzo and belien have struggled over the years vs cuse

I don't want any part of MSU before the final four. I think they are easily a #1 seed caliber team, especially once healthy.

Adreian Payne has missed last 7 games including 2 of their 3 losses.
Branden Dawson has missed last 3 games including same 2 of 3 losses as Payne.
Gary Harris has missed 3 games this season
Travis Trice has missed 2 games

That would be their 1st (Harris), 2nd (Payne), 4th (Dawson) and 6th (Trice) leading scorers on the season along with their 2nd (Harris), 3rd (Payne), 5th (Dawson) and 6th (Trice) mpg guys.

Something tells me that if they get healthy they are going to be a huge force to be reckoned with.

 

[Alsacs]

Completely agree - Jay Wright is a proven zone buster.

Your ignoring my premise. I like Villanova's team, but I don't think they would get to the Elite Eight if Syracuse was lucky enough to win its first 3 games.

 

[OrangeYaGladi]

I would love to get nova as our 2 seed. Want no part of Kansas or a healthy Sparty till F4.

For this reason it would be helpful if Cuse could finish strong and gun for that top overall #1 seed. Means we'd likely be pared with a weaker 2 seed. I too wouldn't like to see Mich St. or Kansas as the #2 in our bracket.

Finishing 2-3 on the road would be good enough for a 1 seed, but not the top 1 seed.

 

[Eric15]

Your ignoring my premise. I like Villanova's team, but I don't think they would get to the Elite Eight if Syracuse was lucky enough to win its first 3 games.

I personally see no reason why they couldn't make it to the Elite 8 - this is a club with some solid wins (Kansas, Iowa)

 

[OttoinGrotto]

People are setting their sights too low. This isn't about getting the path through New York anymore.

 

[Garbs]

Your ignoring my premise. I like Villanova's team, but I don't think they would get to the Elite Eight if Syracuse was lucky enough to win its first 3 games.

lots of teams "might" not get to the elite eight, doesn't mean I want them in our bracket

if I got to choose the 2-3 seeds for our brackets nova would be near the bottom of the list

 

[Alsacs]

I personally see no reason why they couldn't make it to the Elite 8 - this is a club with some solid wins (Kansas, Iowa)

I have watched Nova a lot and they rely a lot on James Bell. I think in the tournament they will get beat by a team that plays a slower pace and grinds them out. Pinkston is there only post player and even he takes quite a few jumpers. Ochefu their other big guy is still developing and isn't much better than Keita offensively. They know how to play the zone, but Villanova will be the weakest or 2nd weakest 2 seed come Selection Sunday.

 

[Alsacs]

lots of teams "might" not get to the elite eight, doesn't mean I want them in our bracket

if I got to choose the 2-3 seeds for our brackets nova would be near the bottom of the list

Out of these 8 teams rank where Nova would be for you.
Kansas, Michigan, Michigan State, Villanova, San Diego State, Duke, Creighton, Cincinnati.

Those are 2/3 seeds in Palm/Lunardi. I have Nova 7th ahead of only Cincinnati because they have James Bell.

 

[jekelish]

In terms of difficulty I would rank the 5 road games
1. @Duke
2. @Virginia
3. @Pitt
4. @Maryland
5. @Florida State

Duke is almost an automatic loss as I expect C.J. Fair, Jerami Grant, Rak Christmas to start the game with already 2 fouls on them in pre-game warmups.
I think Florida State has more talent, but the Comcast Center is a really tough arena so Maryland above FSU, and Syracuse will be playing their 1 day after the Duke game. If we can rebound decently at Pitt I like our chances there. Virginia is going to depend on they shoot the 3 ball against our zone.

I expect 3-2, but am saying 2-3 gets us MSG especially if Duke loses atleast 1 more ACC regular season game.

I would put Pitt ahead of Virginia but otherwise I'd probably agree with that order. I'm more confident in beating Virginia than I am in beating Pitt.

 

[Alsacs]

People are setting their sights too low. This isn't about getting the path through New York anymore.

I am not sure what the problem with my opinion is. I expect whomever we play in Buffalo we should be able to get by and advance to the regional at MSG. I think of the potential 2 seeds I would prefer Nova to the others because we have played them and while they are a great team they aren't as talented as those other teams are. I want to get to Dallas. Once you get to Dallas its all elite teams I think we have a better chance to get to Dallas if we have Nova as our 2 seed that is my point nothing outrageous here.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I am not sure what the problem with my opinion is. I expect whomever we play in Buffalo we should be able to get by and advance to the regional at MSG. I think of the potential 2 seeds I would prefer Nova to the others because we have played them and while they are a great team they aren't as talented as those other teams are. I want to get to Dallas. Once you get to Dallas its all elite teams I think we have a better chance to get to Dallas if we have Nova as our 2 seed that is my point nothing outrageous here.

No worries, I think we're just talking about different things.

 

[Garbs]

Out of these 8 teams rank where Nova would be for you.
Kansas, Michigan, Michigan State, Villanova, San Diego State, Duke, Creighton, Cincinnati.

Those are 2/3 seeds in Palm/Lunardi. I have Nova 7th ahead of only Cincinnati because they have James Bell.

ignoring Duke because they cannot be in our bracket

SDSU
Kansas
MSU
Michigan
Creighton
Cincy
Villanova