Tennessee NCAA Tournament Scenarios

If Cuonzo makes the Tourney and wins a game or two, it will be the basketball equivalent of Dooley pulling off that win in Baton Rouge, instead of suffering the freakish loss.


Had Dooley won that game, he is likely still the coach last season, and may still be, even now. The orange-colored masses would have used that as a means to prop him up for at least another year, regardless of how calamitously and clearly obvious that it would later be evident that he was in over his head at so many points hereafter.

And the same will hold true for Cuonzo. Martin, too.

Here's what I see as the long-term repercussions of how the rest of this season may play out:


If Cuonzo missed the tourney - which is almost impossible at this point, IMO - I say he's still back next season.
If he makes it, he's definitely back.
If he catches lightning in a bottle and pulls off an upset, he'll be back with a bump and likely an extension.
If he lands a miracle and pulls off two upsets in the tourney, he's going to be here for another 4-5 years, absolute minimum.

I simply cannot openly root against Tennessee - even if it makes (overwhelmingly) more sense to do so on an intellectual level - at least once the ball is in play, so to speak. But damn, I can't help feeling like we're about to be saddled with a very bad hire, held in a very bad spot, in the coming weeks, if things fall a certain way.

Go Vols?

 

Can't be serious.

 

Not impossible for us to get in because the field is garbage. Sadly, we're probably the most talented of the wannabes so we'll pass any eyeball test as a team that can win a game or two.

The fact that we're riding the bubble is plenty testament to the ineptitude of our staff, but it is lost on the clowns who should care because more CM is a revenue drain.

 

TD said it's almost impossible for us to miss the tourney. Lose either of the next two and i think we're more than likely out.

 

Agreed. Out is easier than in.

 

I have long-suspected that the Committee is going to go out of its way to help the SEC this year, sort of a balancing the scales for the slight which some (foolishly) believe has been given them in the last few years. I think that Cuonzo and Tennessee will be the specific beneficiary of their doing so, if my hunch is correct.

Short of winning the SECT, I do not believe that Tennessee is worthy of an at-large selection. I think that the SEC should get two teams in, and that's it.

I just think that the conference is just so shitty as to make it nearly impossible for Tennessee to not win Saturday, and should be favored to win at least two in the SECT, against anyone but UK and FL. If they win Saturday, and one in the Tournament, I personally feel like they are 95% sure to make the field.

 

I agree with this. But I'd put the odds of winning those those two at ~48%. (.83*.55)

 

Or less. Any must win tight game will see McRae shooting recklessly and ignoring that we win from inside out.

 

i bet you are in. the field is just terrible

 

Losing either of our next two would not be good, especially with so many bubble teams getting big wins this week. At least Cal choked on a fat one.

 

the team has given up on it's coach. i'd be surprised to see us win another game.

 

I don't see any way that sneaking into the tournament this year guarantees him another 4-5 years.

 

This is where many of us are, I'm afraid. I'd actually like to see a poll of how UT hoops fans view the rest of the season with regard to CCM's future.

 

i'd rather lose every game, and lose big as long as that meant that CM is out at the end of the season

 

Dooley wins 4 games max if he had been coach in 2013.

 

Peay

Name another.

 

Every win other than USCjr.

 

I dunno but he probably wouldn't go 1-11. Maybe 3-9.

 

WKY whips us and South Alabama gets a close win.

 

A Tourney berth + TWO (2) wins in Tourney = raise and extension, saddling us with him for 4-5 years.