SECT Thread

I bet it is 50-50 this year.

 

We always do in the SECT. That’s not a reason and I’m not conceding, but they just own that thing

 

History is your friend

 

to be sure, I am not conceding shit to those checker-stealing Judds.

 

I'm going to keep saying it. I think we win if Reid Travis doesn't play, and it's looking more and more like he won't.

 

Kentucky has seemingly won every one since the Reagan administration other than the Georgia freak show in 08 and State in 09

I've yet to see anything the last month that makes me think they can beat 3 NCAAT teams in 3 days to win it.

 

I'd rather they show you something this week, anyway.

 

I would love to be proven wrong the next 4 weekends.

 

They are a tournament team. I'll believe when I see it and as you, would love to be wrong.

 

History certainly favors Kentucky, but this has been a historically abnormal time in UT athletics.

Football: Worst it’s ever been.
Women’s Hoops: Worst team ever.
Baseball: Best start in program history.
Basketball: Best regular season in program history.

 

it's funny how the last 3 losses have made the season feel like many Pearl ones.

 

Football and Women's basketball certainly had their worst coaches in program history simultaneously. We've remedied one and the other probably soon. This wasn't the best basketball regular season ever, but probably top 2 or 3.

 

Yep. On the whole, this team has been the best we've seen in at least a couple decades, and I'm not sure it's close. But three February losses plus a couple of narrow escapes make it feel like same ol', same ol'.

And I'm pretty sure our record isn't what it is just because our schedule was weaker. We were absolutely throttling teams like we never have before. It takes a good team to win four conference games by a combined 100 points.

Because I'm curious, I started poking around KenPom's site for our efficiency ratings this year compared to our past seasons. His data goes back to 2002, so I took a look at all of our teams since then that have at least won a game in the NCAA tournament. This is how they stack up.

2005-06: 19.44 (17th nationally, would be 26th this year)
2006-07: 18.29 (31st nationally, would be 27th this year)
2007-08: 22.17 (13th nationally, would be 14th this year)
2009-10: 18.50 (30th nationally, would be 27th this year)
2013-14: 23.69 (10th nationally, would be 13th this year)
2017-18: 22.27 (13th nationally, would be 14th this year)
2018-19: 27.93 (7th nationally, would've been top four in seven of the last ten years)

After looking at that, (1) I forgot how much the advanced stats were in love with that Cuonzo team that putzed around enough to end up in Dayton despite having top ten talent, (2) I also forgot how much the advanced stats weren't especially impressed by the 2008 team that was in the hunt for a #1 seed despite not having a point guard worth a damn, and (3) this team appears to be a pretty significant cut above anything we've seen before.

(Also for my money the '07 and '10 teams are a lot better than the stats showed, because the '07 team had a mid-season losing streak when Lofton was hurt and the '10 team had the whole "we're going to have half the team suspended and then decide to be good" thing)

 

Looks like we've had a pretty easy road this year

http://realtimerpi.com/rpi_362_Men.html

Last year's schedule was more challenging

http://realtimerpi.com/2017-2018/rpi_362_Men.html

This year's average opponent RPI was 108.5 and last year's was 92.8. RPI has its flaws but I don't think it's far off in this case.

 

Nice work Tar. I loved a couple Pearl teams, but vandy was the only decent SEC team in '07 ranked at #19 when we played them. This team goes undefeated in conf play that year imo.

 

That said, this is the most accomplished group in my lifetime. I just still believe they have a disadvantage this time of year when most of the tournament teams find another gear.

 

Imagine this team with a Lofton at #2 guard.

 

wouldn't help if Turner is shooting transition and contested 3's.

 

Lofton would be shooting them. Which is aight.

 

so I think you see what I'm getting at