Wake Forest at Miami at 2 pm on Fox Sports South. (Pregame predictions, game thread and post game reactions.)

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We need to win out for the next 6 games (finish up with a 7 game win streak).

Definitely do-able.

Wake Forest (11-13, 4-10 ACC)
AT VaTech (14-10, 5-8 ACC)
AT Notre Dame (15-9, 6-7 ACC)
AT GaTech (12-13, 6-8 ACC)
Virginia (16-7, 8-5 ACC)
Syracuse (14-10, 7-6 ACC)

Hardest game left (UVa) is at home.

Need to win all 6 and finish 10-10 in conference.
 
We need to win out for the next 6 games (finish up with a 7 game win streak).

Definitely do-able.

Wake Forest (11-13, 4-10 ACC)
AT VaTech (14-10, 5-8 ACC)
AT Notre Dame (15-9, 6-7 ACC)
AT GaTech (12-13, 6-8 ACC)
Virginia (16-7, 8-5 ACC)
Syracuse (14-10, 7-6 ACC)

Hardest game left (UVa) is at home.

Need to win all 6 and finish 10-10 in conference.

That is exactly how I am thinking. Winning a game or two in the ACC tournament would help also.

The biggest question is, which one is most beneficial to the team? Going to the NCAA tournament or going to the NIT?

Honestly, today. I feel like winning the NIT would benefit the team more than a first round loss in the NCAA tournament.
 
That is exactly how I am thinking. Winning a game or two in the ACC tournament would help also.

The biggest question is, which one is most beneficial to the team? Going to the NCAA tournament or going to the NIT?

Honestly, today. I feel like winning the NIT would benefit the team more than a first round loss in the NCAA tournament.


NCAAs.

Dejan and Stone are gone. Gak is hurt and Brooks is sitting. McGusty, Lykes, and Waardenburg are not going to somehow get a lot better just from playing a few extra NIT games, and if anything, McGusty and Lykes would benefit from a bit more time to heal.

I think the young guys, Wong, Beverly, and Walker, would get more adrenaline from making the NCAAs, even if it's just one game, then they would from playing a few extra NIT games.

I understand the "build confidence" angle, but I think they would get a bigger charge from making the NCAAs (and then thinking about how they might have had a higher seed and an easier path with fewer injuries and a fuller roster).

Just my opinion. I don't think that running the table in the NIT will be a huge difference-maker with this bunch.

The freshmen need to play, the upperclassmen need to heal, and the injured/transfers need to be eligible to play. Sign a great class, minimize the transfers-out, and we will be ready to roll next year.
 
Pretty sure even if we go 10-10 in the acc and made the acc title game we still would not go dancing. This team has some really bad losses and some blowout losses.
 
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Pretty sure even if we go 10-10 in the acc and made the acc title game we still would not go dancing. This team has some really bad losses and some blowout losses.


We beat Illinois, we almost beat The Gata. We had some blowout losses to some very good teams. We do not have any "really bad losses" EXCEPT FOR the North Carolina game. We "shouldn't have" lost to VaTech, but it was only by 10. Same with Pitt, and we only lost by 8 and by 5.

We have a storyline of "our 2 best players were hurt for 2 weeks".

If we win out, and then win our first ACC Tournament game, we have a great shot at the NCAAs.
 
NCAAs.

Dejan and Stone are gone. Gak is hurt and Brooks is sitting. McGusty, Lykes, and Waardenburg are not going to somehow get a lot better just from playing a few extra NIT games, and if anything, McGusty and Lykes would benefit from a bit more time to heal.

I think the young guys, Wong, Beverly, and Walker, would get more adrenaline from making the NCAAs, even if it's just one game, then they would from playing a few extra NIT games.

I understand the "build confidence" angle, but I think they would get a bigger charge from making the NCAAs (and then thinking about how they might have had a higher seed and an easier path with fewer injuries and a fuller roster).

Just my opinion. I don't think that running the table in the NIT will be a huge difference-maker with this bunch.

The freshmen need to play, the upperclassmen need to heal, and the injured/transfers need to be eligible to play. Sign a great class, minimize the transfers-out, and we will be ready to roll next year.

I respect your opinion and greatly appreciate it. I just want to see how other fans think.

I personally think going to the NIT helps on multiple fronts. You gain valuable experience from winning the NIT plus playing in MSG helps build the Miami brand in the northeast plus a few extra games at the Watsco Center build local interest for next season.
Of course, health is a factor but winning always helps the healing process.
 
I respect your opinion and greatly appreciate it. I just want to see how other fans think.

I personally think going to the NIT helps on multiple fronts. You gain valuable experience from winning the NIT plus playing in MSG helps build the Miami brand in the northeast plus a few extra games at the Watsco Center build local interest for next season.
Of course, health is a factor but winning always helps the healing process.


There's no absolute "right" or "wrong" here, but this is what I think.

First, our attendance at Watsco has been SOOO bad that I don't think a couple of extra NIT games will make a difference. I have been going to games since the 1980s (though none recently), and making the NIT never made a difference in the past, at least as far as building attendance. Signing local kids like Stevie Edwards helped, and, of course, WINNING helps, but a couple of games in the NIT have never impressed Miami crowds. It's almost like comparing a "really great" win in a bowl game in Idaho to, say, a loss in a bowl game played in Florida. I guarantee you that the the Idaho win isn't going to help attendance for the next year (and, yes, I realize that the football-hoops comparison isn't ideal).

Also, I would point out that we made it to the NIT Finals in 2015, and it didn't turn the next year into an attendance bonanza.

Second, and more importantly, the "advantages" of the NIT are predicated upon going very far, at least with getting experience for the younger players. There are 32 teams, so that is 5 games if you make it to the final. NCAA is a guarantee of 1 game. And, depending on the seeding, there is no guarantee as to how many games would be in the Watsco. Miami has not exactly played like road warriors this year. So that is a LOT of conditional stuff that would have to happen in order to have 2 or 3 or 4 NIT games be "superior" to one NCAA game. I don't think that a couple of extra games would build SO MUCH experience. Yes, it could be good for CONFIDENCE, but I think that even one NCAA game is good for ENTHUSIASM.

Final argument. Look at how NCAA bubble teams react when they MAKE IT to the NCAAs during the Selection Show. They go nuts, even though they are likely to be one-and-done. Have you EVER seen a comparable celebration over the NITs? Maybe if a team wins the entire NIT Tournament.

I just think that the emotional accomplishment of making the NCAAs...with a 4-10 ACC start...with the 2 best players hurt for 2 weeks...with a partially filled roster....would be HUGE for this team, even bigger than the incremental confidence boost that would come from going deep into the NITs.

Again, just my opinion. I state my case strongly, but I can definitely respect other points of view. I'm just telling you why I think the way that I do.
 
NCAA tournament? We aren't close to good enough to string together all of those wins. There's always absurd spotlight on schedule here -- football and basketball -- compared to the very simple criteria of caliber of our own team.

If the team is good enough the schedule can be overcome. If the team isn't good enough the schedule doesn't mean anything.
 
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Nothing beats the buzz and pressure of the NCAA tournament. Only an NIT finals appearance would be more useful to the kids and more fun for the fans than a hasty first round exit in the NCAA's.

With that said, the Illinois win was crucial. Besides winning out, we'd need at least 2 wins in the ACC tournament to reach 20. And one of those wins would have to be against a ranked opponent. Even if those things happened there's still a chance we won't get invited.
 
We need to win out for the next 6 games (finish up with a 7 game win streak).

Definitely do-able.

Wake Forest (11-13, 4-10 ACC)
AT VaTech (14-10, 5-8 ACC)
AT Notre Dame (15-9, 6-7 ACC)
AT GaTech (12-13, 6-8 ACC)
Virginia (16-7, 8-5 ACC)
Syracuse (14-10, 7-6 ACC)

Hardest game left (UVa) is at home.

Need to win all 6 and finish 10-10 in conference.
Ain't going to happen. 4-2 maybe
 
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Thanks for the feedback on the NIT/NCAA question. We will talk more about it in a week or two as Miami extends its winning streak.

The player who benefits the most by any extra games would be Anthony Walker. He is getting closer with each game to breaking out like the other freshmen have.

There will be some great questions that we will be discussing during the off-season :

Who starts at the 5? Miller or Brooks

Best backcourt? Lykes and McGusty or Beverly and Wong

Who will start next season?

Who is the 5th starter as Coach L will have atleast 4 seniors in the starting lineup?

Open competition at the 4, who wins? Sam or Anthony

One thing for sure, depth and competition in practice will make the team better.
 
Thanks for the feedback on the NIT/NCAA question. We will talk more about it in a week or two as Miami extends its winning streak.

The player who benefits the most by any extra games would be Anthony Walker. He is getting closer with each game to breaking out like the other freshmen have.

There will be some great questions that we will be discussing during the off-season :

Who starts at the 5? Miller or Brooks

Best backcourt? Lykes and McGusty or Beverly and Wong

Who will start next season?

Who is the 5th starter as Coach L will have atleast 4 seniors in the starting lineup?

Open competition at the 4, who wins? Sam or Anthony

One thing for sure, depth and competition in practice will make the team better.

Brooks.

Beverly & Wong > Lykes & McGusty but Coach L heavily values experience.

I think Anthony, Beverly, and Wong will play a TON... but may not start.

Predicted Starting 5?:
Lykes
Beverly
McGusty
Sam
Brooks

Lots of minutes for:
Wong, Anthony, Miller

Edit: the starting lineup may vary by opponent/matchup.

Increasing minutes as the season progresses for Cross and Timberlake.

Top 10 quality team by the end of the regular season.

Not sure what to expect from Gak.
 
Brooks.

Beverly & Wong > Lykes & McGusty but Coach L heavily values experience.

I think Anthony, Beverly, and Wong will play a TON... but may not start.

Predicted Starting 5?:
Lykes
Beverly
McGusty
Sam
Brooks

Lots of minutes for:
Wong, Anthony, Miller

Edit: the starting lineup may vary by opponent/matchup.

Increasing minutes as the season progresses for Cross and Timberlake.

Top 10 quality team by the end of the regular season.

Not sure what to expect from Gak.
At this point you can't expect anything from Gak. Anything you get from him is gravy.
 
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Don’t know what y’all are smoking but 4-2 or 3-3 and winning a game (or two) in the ACC tourney to finish over .500 overall is probably our best case scenario right now.

This team doesn’t have the depth or consistency to play in the NCAA’s and the NIT honestly a really nice outcome given how depleted this team has been.

Now next year, this team should go at least 9 deep with the additions of Brooks, Cross and Timberlake (assuming we don’t add anyone else and not counting on Gak), and if the current freshman continue on the trajectory they are on, this will be a tourney team
 
Brooks.

Beverly & Wong > Lykes & McGusty but Coach L heavily values experience.

I think Anthony, Beverly, and Wong will play a TON... but may not start.

Predicted Starting 5?:
Lykes
Beverly
McGusty
Sam
Brooks

Lots of minutes for:
Wong, Anthony, Miller

Edit: the starting lineup may vary by opponent/matchup.

Increasing minutes as the season progresses for Cross and Timberlake.

Top 10 quality team by the end of the regular season.

Not sure what to expect from Gak.
Timberlake will play right away next year. I see:

Lykes - Beverly
Wong - Timberlake
McGusty - Walker
Sam - Stone
Brooks - *Gak

Probably still need another ball handler behind Lykes and perhaps another big to be available for spot minutes should Gak continue to be injury prone.
 
Timberlake will play right away next year. I see:

Lykes - Beverly
Wong - Timberlake
McGusty - Walker
Sam - Stone
Brooks - *Gak

Probably still need another ball handler behind Lykes and perhaps another big to be available for spot minutes should Gak continue to be injury prone.

Any reason you left out Miller? He is indisputably a valuable rotation big at this point. He may even get better.

We will go 11 deep with Cross (who the coaches are very high on) by the end of next season. We’ll heavily rotate 10 (including one of Cross or Timberlake) by the time we get into conference play next year.
 
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