[Phogge]

Realistically is a one and done more important than a possible run in the NIT for next year’s prospects? The team has got to learn how to win games in crunch time and it has to start believing that it could be really good next year.

[Phogge]

Realistically is a one and done more important than a possible run in the NIT for next year’s prospects? The team has got to learn how to win games in crunch time and it has to start believing that it could be really good next year.

[martyup]

Realistically is a one and done more important than a possible run in the NIT for next year’s prospects? The team has got to learn how to win games in crunch time and it has to start believing that it could be really good next year.

I agree.  More games is better.  Let our guys gain confidence with some wins to end the season.  I can't see them getting a 3rd partner in the Big Dance.

[martyup]

Realistically is a one and done more important than a possible run in the NIT for next year’s prospects? The team has got to learn how to win games in crunch time and it has to start believing that it could be really good next year.

I agree.  More games is better.  Let our guys gain confidence with some wins to end the season.  I can't see them getting a 3rd partner in the Big Dance.

[Farm93]

Realistically is a one and done more important than a possible run in the NIT for next year’s prospects? The team has got to learn how to win games in crunch time and it has to start believing that it could be really good next year.

FWIW - I think they lose right away in either event, so the NCAA 64 (not the first four in stuff) is best. 

If they are selected to the NIT my bet is they get a #2 type seed.   HOWEVER, the NIT would likely declare that Stanford can't host.   They would claim it was for Coronavirus, but they really would want to claim that because Stanford never gets fans to the NIT events while other programs can get 10K in the stands. 

An early NIT loss would be really bad, I would prefer they play with house money in the NCAAs.  If they lose early in the NCAAs at least they were in the show.   If they win one or better yet two then they could really be ready for a better NCAA experience in 2021.

[Farm93]

Realistically is a one and done more important than a possible run in the NIT for next year’s prospects? The team has got to learn how to win games in crunch time and it has to start believing that it could be really good next year.

FWIW - I think they lose right away in either event, so the NCAA 64 (not the first four in stuff) is best. 

If they are selected to the NIT my bet is they get a #2 type seed.   HOWEVER, the NIT would likely declare that Stanford can't host.   They would claim it was for Coronavirus, but they really would want to claim that because Stanford never gets fans to the NIT events while other programs can get 10K in the stands. 

An early NIT loss would be really bad, I would prefer they play with house money in the NCAAs.  If they lose early in the NCAAs at least they were in the show.   If they win one or better yet two then they could really be ready for a better NCAA experience in 2021.

[Leftcoast]

The goal is ALWAYS to go to the big dance.  

Imagine we achieve the best case scenario and even as the NCAA NIT champion we're left to wonder how far we would have gotten in the real deal.  It matters to us as fans but it matters even more to the players.

[Leftcoast]

The goal is ALWAYS to go to the big dance.  

Imagine we achieve the best case scenario and even as the NCAA NIT champion we're left to wonder how far we would have gotten in the real deal.  It matters to us as fans but it matters even more to the players.

[Phogge]

OK. And then you get Kansas and get drilled. Anybody remember?

[Phogge]

OK. And then you get Kansas and get drilled. Anybody remember?

[scorecard]

The goal is ALWAYS to go to the big dance.  

Imagine we achieve the best case scenario and even as the NCAA champion we're left to wonder how far we would have gotten in the real deal.  It matters to us as fans but it matters even more to the players.

I'm with Leftcoast on this, and I guarantee every single one of the players is too.  No player dreams of playing or winning the NIT.  Even winning one game in the NCAA tourney is a much bigger deal.

And if we get in to the Big Dance, we're not playing Kansas in the first round.  We'd get in as an 10-11 seed due to automatic bids, so we'd likely play a 6-7 seed in the first round.  With our defense, I'd give our team a chance against any 6-7 seeds.  In some ways, it would be better to be a 11 seed, because the next round most likely faces a 3 seed (whereas the 10 seed faces a 2 seed).  With the dilution of college basketball from one-and-dones, beating a 2 or 3 seed isn't as daunting as it used to be.  And there's not even a guarantee that the 2 or 3 seed wins their first round anymore.  In the history of the tournament, 2 vs 15 upsets have happened 8 times (5%) and 3 vs 14 upsets have happened 21 times (15%).  In 2015, two 3 vs 14 upsets happened in the same tourney.

We still have a lot of work to do to get to the Big Dance, but for the momentum of the program, that has to be the goal.  And once you get there, then crazy things can happen.

[scorecard]

The goal is ALWAYS to go to the big dance.  

Imagine we achieve the best case scenario and even as the NCAA champion we're left to wonder how far we would have gotten in the real deal.  It matters to us as fans but it matters even more to the players.

I'm with Leftcoast on this, and I guarantee every single one of the players is too.  No player dreams of playing or winning the NIT.  Even winning one game in the NCAA tourney is a much bigger deal.

And if we get in to the Big Dance, we're not playing Kansas in the first round.  We'd get in as an 10-11 seed due to automatic bids, so we'd likely play a 6-7 seed in the first round.  With our defense, I'd give our team a chance against any 6-7 seeds.  In some ways, it would be better to be a 11 seed, because the next round most likely faces a 3 seed (whereas the 10 seed faces a 2 seed).  With the dilution of college basketball from one-and-dones, beating a 2 or 3 seed isn't as daunting as it used to be.  And there's not even a guarantee that the 2 or 3 seed wins their first round anymore.  In the history of the tournament, 2 vs 15 upsets have happened 8 times (5%) and 3 vs 14 upsets have happened 21 times (15%).  In 2015, two 3 vs 14 upsets happened in the same tourney.

We still have a lot of work to do to get to the Big Dance, but for the momentum of the program, that has to be the goal.  And once you get there, then crazy things can happen.

[Leftcoast]

And don’t forget sometimes those loaded Kansas teams LOSE.  Just ask new Warrior Andrew Wiggins and Philadelphia center Joel Embiid about their last college game.

Scorecard is right in his post above - the players want this. You play big time NCAA basketball to measure yourself against the best not to play in the tournament that decides who is #69. Nor do you decide to attend the middle school sock hop instead because you might get in a few more Nae-Naes.

.

[Leftcoast]

And don’t forget sometimes those loaded Kansas teams LOSE.  Just ask new Warrior Andrew Wiggins and Philadelphia center Joel Embiid about their last college game.

Scorecard is right in his post above - the players want this. You play big time NCAA basketball to measure yourself against the best not to play in the tournament that decides who is #69. Nor do you decide to attend the middle school sock hop instead because you might get in a few more Nae-Naes.

.

[PVTree]

OK. And then you get Kansas and get drilled. Anybody remember?

Yes, just like the last time we played Kansas in the Big Dance.... ;)

[PVTree]

OK. And then you get Kansas and get drilled. Anybody remember?

Yes, just like the last time we played Kansas in the Big Dance.... ;)

[JJJ]

Paging Chasson Randle for honorary captain!

[JJJ]

Paging Chasson Randle for honorary captain!

[76lsjumb]

OK. And then you get Kansas and get drilled. Anybody remember?

Yes, just like the last time we played Kansas in the Big Dance.... ;)

a

I forget... Who was our coach in that game?  Oh yeah, the two-time NIT champ coach that we fired to get... pretty much the same thing (except without the NIT championships).

[76lsjumb]

OK. And then you get Kansas and get drilled. Anybody remember?

Yes, just like the last time we played Kansas in the Big Dance.... ;)

a

I forget... Who was our coach in that game?  Oh yeah, the two-time NIT champ coach that we fired to get... pretty much the same thing (except without the NIT championships).

[SamuelMcF]

OK. And then you get Kansas and get drilled. Anybody remember?

Yes, just like the last time we played Kansas in the Big Dance.... ;)

a

I forget... Who was our coach in that game?  Oh yeah, the two-time NIT champ coach that we fired to get... pretty much the same thing (except without the NIT championships).

That Kansas team was without superstar C Joel Embiid that game, and we barely won. With Embiid they run us out of the gym.

That team started FOUR future NBA players and 7-foot beast Stefan Nastic (3 seniors and 2 juniors), and they went 10-8 in the PAC. AYFKM? (For comparison, Haase's current team has zero seniors on it at all, starts 2 frosh, a soph, and 2 juniors, and will be 9-9 in the PAC barring a hell of an upset in Eugene tonight.)

I dunno man, Haase's team feels different to me. Every single player comes back next year. They're clearly bought into the system (I don't know if Dawkins even HAD one), playing great defense and keeping track of floor burns. It just feels like there's an actual identity there.

Meanwhile, Dawkins gets a ton of transfers at UCF and they're doing pretty crappy right now in a much weaker conference.

[SamuelMcF]

OK. And then you get Kansas and get drilled. Anybody remember?

Yes, just like the last time we played Kansas in the Big Dance.... ;)

a

I forget... Who was our coach in that game?  Oh yeah, the two-time NIT champ coach that we fired to get... pretty much the same thing (except without the NIT championships).

That Kansas team was without superstar C Joel Embiid that game, and we barely won. With Embiid they run us out of the gym.

That team started FOUR future NBA players and 7-foot beast Stefan Nastic (3 seniors and 2 juniors), and they went 10-8 in the PAC. AYFKM? (For comparison, Haase's current team has zero seniors on it at all, starts 2 frosh, a soph, and 2 juniors, and will be 9-9 in the PAC barring a hell of an upset in Eugene tonight.)

I dunno man, Haase's team feels different to me. Every single player comes back next year. They're clearly bought into the system (I don't know if Dawkins even HAD one), playing great defense and keeping track of floor burns. It just feels like there's an actual identity there.

Meanwhile, Dawkins gets a ton of transfers at UCF and they're doing pretty crappy right now in a much weaker conference.

[ATLcardinal]

Why are we still talking about Dawkins?  Good man, didn't get it done at Stanford, he and we moved on.  For the first time in many years I really like watching this team play;  yeah too young, not enough depth, too many mistakes, blah blah blah.  I really like watching this team play.  I'll take it.

[ATLcardinal]

Why are we still talking about Dawkins?  Good man, didn't get it done at Stanford, he and we moved on.  For the first time in many years I really like watching this team play;  yeah too young, not enough depth, too many mistakes, blah blah blah.  I really like watching this team play.  I'll take it.

[BostonCard]

Why are we still talking about Dawkins?  Good man, didn't get it done at Stanford, he and we moved on.  For the first time in many years I really like watching this team play;  yeah too young, not enough depth, too many mistakes, blah blah blah.  I really like watching this team play.  I'll take it.

What he said.

BC

[BostonCard]

Why are we still talking about Dawkins?  Good man, didn't get it done at Stanford, he and we moved on.  For the first time in many years I really like watching this team play;  yeah too young, not enough depth, too many mistakes, blah blah blah.  I really like watching this team play.  I'll take it.

What he said.

BC

[burger]

Utah State just beat San Diego State in the Mountain West tourney final.  Lunardi had USU out of the tourney, so the bubble may have just gotten smaller by one.

On a related note, I freaking hate conference tournaments.  I remember Monty saying the same thing when they brought it back to the Pac 10.  Smart guy.

[burger]

Utah State just beat San Diego State in the Mountain West tourney final.  Lunardi had USU out of the tourney, so the bubble may have just gotten smaller by one.

On a related note, I freaking hate conference tournaments.  I remember Monty saying the same thing when they brought it back to the Pac 10.  Smart guy.