Good news.

[NickelDimer]

I would hope so, it would also be the first time in the Buzz era that he would improve his record.  He needs to do that by year 4.  I certainly would hope we have a better record, because that hasn't been the case from years 1 to 3.  Need to start going the other way.

???

Sorry, but I could argue this was Buzz's BEST season as head coach.  Don't get too lost in the W-L record.

[ChicosBailBonds]

???

Sorry, but I could argue this was Buzz's BEST season as head coach.  Don't get too lost in the W-L record.

I'd love to hear that argument.

I thought last year was a phenomenal coaching job by him.  This year I don't think ranked anywhere the same.  Just my opinion.  Too many games that we should have won that we didn't.  Too many defensive lapses or games where the effort was there but the sense of urgency was missing.  I realize the schedule was tougher (though not the elite teams of last two years in the Big East) and there were new parts, but there are almost always new parts of the puzzle to put together, that's the deal with college basketball year in and year out (SJU as an exception this year). 

[ChicosBailBonds]

DJO's 3 pt shooting regressed.   Buycks, though his 3pt % was solid, never looked comfortable at the one.    No one envisioned Blue not being able to shoot.     Jamail Jones can shoot the 3.   Jamil Wilson is rumored to be the best player in practice (many people whispering), Singleton the top guard (ok, just one guy whispering).    Derrick Wilson, Todd Mayo, and Juan Anderson are all reputed to be able to shoot the 3.    I look at that collection and think we will again have an extremely athletic team.   They just have to hit their open shots.    And somebody is going to have to be able to create their own.    When you are in one of your anti-Buzz moods, you disparage switchables.   I look at next year's roster and see 9 guys (counting Singleton) who have the potential to get their own shot.    I see 8 who have the potential to hit the 3.    I can live with that philosophy.   

I hope you are right...I don't buy all the "best guy in practice stuff", however.  I've heard that so much the last ten years to know to take those observations with a grain of salt.  Every year we hear "XYZ has bulked up, ABC is hitting everything from deep, 123 has lost 10lbs and is extra quick"....we can literally replay the same paragraphs every year and just change the players.  Hopefully it's true, but we need real action to determine that.

I think I'm on record saying we will be better next year AND a Top 25 team (someone I'm sure will claim I'm setting Buzz up for failure with those predictions  ) based on JC's play the second half of the year, DJO as a senior, Crowder as a senior, DG able to get into shape, Wilson coming on board, etc.  I have higher expectations this coming year.  I expect an upper half division finish and hope it will be no worse than 6th, but we'll have to see who else in the Big East is coming back.  I expect a return trip to the NCAAs, once we get there...it's a crapshoot.  No predictions until we see who we play.

[tower912]

I'm hoping I'm right, too.   Lots of things can go wrong.   Coach leaves, bad chemistry, girl problems, (right Doc and Marotta?)  egos, transfers, injuries.    Games aren't played on paper.

[NickelDimer]

I'd love to hear that argument.

I thought last year was a phenomenal coaching job by him.  This year I don't think ranked anywhere the same.  Just my opinion.  Too many games that we should have won that we didn't.  Too many defensive lapses or games where the effort was there but the sense of urgency was missing.  I realize the schedule was tougher (though not the elite teams of last two years in the Big East) and there were new parts, but there are almost always new parts of the puzzle to put together, that's the deal with college basketball year in and year out (SJU as an exception this year). 

I think the postseason success speaks for itself.  And while there are always new parts, some years are more extreme than others, like this year. Losing three seniors, one of which was your backbone and a 1st round NBA talent, and being left with no PG...wow.  VERY tough spot.  Then having to rely heavily on players who weren't here last year or didn't play last year.  We essentially returned a total of three players from last year's team, (one of which was a minimal contributer).  We won two games in the BE tourney and made the Sweet 16.  While not always conistent, Buzz got this team to deliver in big spots.  And when they started executing his defensive schemes I think any thought that he was a defensively flawed coach went out the window.