This team seems well positioned for an exciting tournament run, except for one important factor: lack of tournament experience. TG is 0-1 as a head coach and the players have very little tournament experience. Both Clayton and Samuel are 0-1. No one else has played a single March Madness game, including ZP. Something to consider when setting expectations for the tournament.
I think that's where playing so many neutral site games against teams that play different styles will help us. There is an additional bit of jitters because of the state but the atmosphere in those early round games shouldn't overwhelm us.
Good point but that collection of characters were uniquely special. Technically they had experienced the atmosphere the year before even if they didn't play so they had already cracked the ice as far as that goes.
Not much tourney experience, but tons of games played as starters Zyon - 98 Micah - 59 Will - 90 Tyrese - 66 Walt - 65
I remember the days when most folks were very frustrated with Billy’s lack of tournament success 2001-2005. I think it is a good thing to set realistic tournament expectations and experience is definitely a factor.
The expectations are clear. If Golden doesn’t make the Final 4 he can take his analytics back to San Francisco and reset his calculator.
Our 94 team had zero experience and made a final four, our 2000 team had our best five players as freshman and made th championship game. I think once they get out there, basketball is basketball. The only question is whether we have a good matchup or not. Do not want a senior laden mid major who makes you earn everything on both ends. Those games are always nightmares.
I agree that it's good to temper expectations and to not value a season on how far a team goes in March. A single elimination tournament is just too random and chaotic to use as a single data point to gauge a team/season. Once there are lots of data points (tournaments played) a team can be judged, but alas - it's college, so those teams are ever changing - so a coach owns the results. What I like about this team is the backcourt. Not that I don't love our front court; I have a man crush on all of them! It's just that solid guard play is likely one of the single bigggest predictors of tournament success. I hope it's something TFG (it's grown on me) values as well.
Let's see who we play in the first round and how experienced they are. Would like to have some SECt success before the ncaas.
Might as well let it all hang loose and have a blast playing basketball for as many games as possible, starting Saturday.
They won the Jimmy V classic tournament to start the year and the SEC tournament to end the regular season. And Billy knew a little something about the tournament.
I think tourney experience is overrated. Sure, maybe some jitters in the first couple of minutes but after that, I don't think they'll be thinking too much about where they are as they are shooting the ball.
Tourney experience is a plus, but it's one of many variables to be successful. Another is strong guard play and a tough conference- 2 things where we excel. And while the individual 04s might not have had much tourney experience, Billy and the program had a ton. We had made a bunch of tourneys in a row- even if we couldn't get out of the first weekend. IMO- if we can get out of that first game I think we can do well. (Like final 8.) OH- and someone said the 2000 team had very little experience. That's true- but we were quite lucky to beat Butler in the first round. (Went to OT.) Then we rolled. The tourney's high pressure atmosphere cannot be replicated and experience is big. But it's not the only factor. For the record, I think we will do well in the tourney. (Win at least 2.)
