Hot take about the basketball team

BamaBurner1988 said:

I know everyone on here has been scrambling for someone to blame or blaming injuries but maybe…just maybe…the team isn’t that good? Down years happen from time to time. The program isn’t done after 1 disappointing season. But there’s still time to turn it around I guess.

This could be correct we’ve gotten embarrassed a few times but no way to tell since we can’t field a healthy rotation.

Don't forget the underwhelming portal additions.

They are good. Injuries are a legitimate issue. When even mostly healthy, it’s a top 10 team. The injury situation is maddening

Rsfields42 said:

This could be correct we’ve gotten embarrassed a few times but no way to tell since we can’t field a healthy rotation.

We’ve honestly only been flat out embarrassed once and that was to the number 1 team in the country. Haven’t played well in many games, but we’ve always fought hard to stay in games. I don’t think we go on the road and beat Illinois and St John’s (Illinois might as well have been a road game) and hang tight with Gonzaga and Purdue if we are a bad team. Got some flaws, but it’s also a team that could get hot and go on a deep run come March

Healthier versions of us have won in Chicago vs. Illinois and St. John's. Kentucky is playing better ball now and we beat the hell out of them. I guess we got "embarrassed" by undefeated Arizona.

BamaBurner1988 said:

I know everyone on here has been scrambling for someone to blame or blaming injuries but maybe…just maybe…the team isn’t that good? Down years happen from time to time. The program isn’t done after 1 disappointing season. But there’s still time to turn it around I guess.

But could it also possibly be the injuries are affecting the season so far? Maybe.

BamaBurner1988 said:

I know everyone on here has been scrambling for someone to blame or blaming injuries but maybe…just maybe…the team isn’t that good? Down years happen from time to time. The program isn’t done after 1 disappointing season. But there’s still time to turn it around I guess.

Late January 2024 we were unranked and had hardly any good wins up to that point. That team didn’t have anywhere near the amount of injuries that this team does. Still ended up nearly winning the SEC and made a final four run. We need our main guys to stay healthy, that’s the biggest problem. Yes there is still time to turn it around.

BamaBurner1988 said:

I know everyone on here has been scrambling for someone to blame or blaming injuries but maybe…just maybe…the team isn’t that good? Down years happen from time to time. The program isn’t done after 1 disappointing season. But there’s still time to turn it around I guess.

If we are healthy tomorrow night and Amari and Aiden both play, we will look much different than we did a couple of nights ago if Bediako plays

BamaBurner1988 said:

I know everyone on here has been scrambling for someone to blame or blaming injuries but maybe…just maybe…the team isn’t that good? Down years happen from time to time. The program isn’t done after 1 disappointing season. But there’s still time to turn it around I guess.

There is no way to know how good this team actually is — they have not yet had everyone available. Ranked in Top 25 isn’t all that bad…. for a short-handed team.

AlabamaFan2016 said:

We’ve honestly only been flat out embarrassed once and that was to the number 1 team in the country. Haven’t played well in many games, but we’ve always fought hard to stay in games. I don’t think we go on the road and beat Illinois and St John’s (Illinois might as well have been a road game) and hang tight with Gonzaga and Purdue if we are a bad team. Got some flaws, but it’s also a team that could get hot and go on a deep run come March

You could be correct but the only way any of us will ever know is if we get healthy. Vandy whipped our azz too. That was a rough watch the score doesn’t tell the story on that one.

This is a top 10 team if we are even at 80% health

Ugh anyone who has watched this team all season knows they are good.

Maybe I’m too optimistic but I honestly believe we’re a top 10 team with everybody healthy, and now we have Bediako.

Rsfields42 said:

You could be correct but the only way any of us will ever know is if we get healthy. Vandy whipped our azz too. That was a rough watch the score doesn’t tell the story on that one.

These threads are hilarious considering there college basketball has several highly regarded systems that objectively analyze every game played by every team during the season to rank teams based on their performance. We don't need to guess whether a team is good or not. We can be pretty certain.

Rsfields42 said:

You could be correct but the only way any of us will ever know is if we get healthy. Vandy whipped our azz too. That was a rough watch the score doesn’t tell the story on that one.

Sherrell was out the entire game and Philon missed the 2nd half at Vandy. I believe we win that game if both of them are 100%

SaveMeTheTrouble said:

Sherrell was out the entire game and Philon missed the 2nd half at Vandy. I believe we win that game if both of them are 100%

No doubt. It was a really rough watch in person we looked lost the first half. Made a little comeback and like you said when Philon went out it was over.

If Bediako gets eligible for the remainder of the season, I think they have a pretty high ceiling. Injuries have been a problem but they still have several weeks before the tournament begins to get everyone healthy. It’s a big if, but if the main guys are healthy in March then this team is very capable of making another run in the tournament. We have a potential top 20 NBA pick at the 1 and 3 in Philon and Allen. We have a former G-League 7 footer, Sherrell, Holloway, Trelly, I mean come on. This team will be just fine if they get healthy.

Take the #2 and #3 scorer off any team and let me know how they will do. We have not had the full roster available at the same time often. I could get this point if the season was over and we did truly have a "dissapointing season". Add Allen and Holloway on Sat and that is a very diffent outcome. Portal additiosn have been dissapointing, but our top 9 rotation when healthy and now Chuck (assuming he is allowed to remain) I will say could be a really legit threat. Philon, Holloway, Allen, Trelly, Sherrell, Mallette, TBB, Chuck and Jemison. That line up if healthy will make a run.

Tide91 said:

I’m sure you thought the Gonzaga Bama game was a close one too

BamaBurner1988 said:

I know everyone on here has been scrambling for someone to blame or blaming injuries but maybe…just maybe…the team isn’t that good? Down years happen from time to time. The program isn’t done after 1 disappointing season. But there’s still time to turn it around I guess.

What’s your bar for good? A top 25 team in the polls? Check. A top 20 team analytically? Check. A team with multiple top 25 wins? Check. A team with a top 10 win? Check. These overreactive responses to losses are so unproductive and are entirely devoid of the context of a season.

I think getting Allen back is very important. Great player and he and Mallette just make things happen for us.

If we hadn’t had multiple major contributors out for both Vandy and UT games, I believe we win both. Even if you keep the weird Texas result the same, imagine how different the outlook is right now if we’re 5-1 in the league instead of 3-3. Injuries have just wrecked us