2021 Postseason Optimism Thread

[HookEm 2468]

We now seem to have two “Fire Shaka” threads. If you want to crap on this team and Shaka, post there. This thread is for people who are interested in optimistic discussion of the team, starting with us playing for a Big 12 Title tonight.

[hornbri 1418]

Is a 2 seed still possible if we win tonight? I think we might be able to sneak into one still. 

[immamac 43262]

Fuck it I know what I said on the podcast. Final 4 appearance, but not because of winning. We have the rona gods on our team. 

[HookEm 2468]

We are currently a 2 pt favorite tonight. I like our chances. OSU has been hot but we’ve had an extra day of rest and match up well with them. Ramey and Greg Brown are due for a good game.

It is crazy that no team from the state of Texas has ever won the Big 12 Tourney. Hopefully we can change that in a few hours.

[Js1 85636]

15 minutes ago, hornbri said:

Is a 2 seed still possible if we win tonight? I think we might be able to sneak into one still. 

LSU beats Arkansas

Memphis beats Houston 

Texas beats OSU

That’s the only scenario I see. Lunardi has OSU a 2 now.  If the above 3 happened, we *might* sneak in to the last 2 seed but we really needed a third KU win, I think.  Otherwise I think UH takes back their spot on the 2 seed line. Still makes no sense why, they have 2 godawful losses. 

Edited March 13, 2021 by Js1

[Machinator 32099]

14 minutes ago, hornbri said:

Is a 2 seed still possible if we win tonight? I think we might be able to sneak into one still. 

The Kansas forfeit probably hurts us there because it's one fewer quality win to add to the resume.

[Red Five 40954]

We Covid our way to the national championship, CDC declines to offer Shaka an extension, Shaka takes a job elsewhere. That is the most positive outcome I can imagine. 

[HookEm 2468]

That is the kind of optimism we are looking for here!

[Guest Lobo]

16 minutes ago, Machinator said:

The Kansas forfeit probably hurts us there because it's one fewer quality win to add to the resume.

Yeah, this.  Wins over Kansas and Baylor would have probably propelled us into a #2 seed.  A singular win over a great OSU team will help, but enough to move the needle that much.  A convincing win probably moves us up from the 3rd best #3 seed to 2nd best #3 seed, won't make much difference the first weekend but could hypothetically help us on the second weekend.  Whatever happens, I'm sure Kansas and Baylor fans will claim "asterisk" to whomever wins tonight.  But it's not like we backdoored into the title game WRT Kansas, we beat the hell out of them twice this year.  But yeah, not having to face Baylor is nice.

But as stated, above---I'd just like the damn hardware.  Not as great as a regular season conference title, but we're 0-6 in this fucking game going back 25 years.  That's pretty rough, I'd like to get rid of that donut. 

 

Edited March 13, 2021 by Lobo

[HookEm 2468]

I would love Andrew Jones to get a Big 12 Champ ring. Don’t care if it is the tourney. Same for Coleman.

[Js1 85636]

19 minutes ago, Lobo said:

Yeah, this.  Wins over Kansas and Baylor would have probably propelled us into a #2 seed.  A singular win over a great OSU team will help, but enough to move the needle that much.  A convincing win probably moves us up from the 3rd best #3 seed to 2nd best #3 seed, won't make much difference the first weekend but could hypothetically help us on the second weekend.  Whatever happens, I'm sure Kansas and Baylor fans will claim "asterisk" to whomever wins tonight.  But it's not like we backdoored into the title game WRT Kansas, we beat the hell out of them twice this year.  But yeah, not having to face Baylor is nice.

But as stated, above---I'd just like the damn hardware.  Not as great as a regular season conference title, but we're 0-6 in this fucking game going back 25 years.  That's pretty rough, I'd like to get rid of that donut. 

 

Baylor fans have no room to claim asterisk. They lost fair and square last night 

[Restinmybones 111]

24 minutes ago, Red Five said:

We Covid our way to the national championship, CDC declines to offer Shaka an extension, Shaka takes a job elsewhere. That is the most positive outcome I can imagine. 

Jesus.... Smart is also working for the Centers for Disease Control??? 

[Knoxtnhorn 6067]

1 hour ago, Js1 said:

LSU beats Arkansas

Memphis beats Houston 

Texas beats OSU

That’s the only scenario I see. Lunardi has OSU a 2 now.  If the above 3 happened, we *might* sneak in to the last 2 seed but we really needed a third KU win, I think.  Otherwise I think UH takes back their spot on the 2 seed line. Still makes no sense why, they have 2 godawful losses. 

And ONE ok win (Texas Tech).  Last I saw, Tech was the ONLY ranked team they played.

[Js1 85636]

10 minutes ago, Knoxtnhorn said:

And ONE ok win (Texas Tech).  Last I saw, Tech was the ONLY ranked team they played.

Flimsy resume. I guess I just don’t understand it. They aren’t tested at all. 

[Wulaw Horn 19153]

13 minutes ago, Knoxtnhorn said:

And ONE ok win (Texas Tech).  Last I saw, Tech was the ONLY ranked team they played.

Humans are stupid animals unable to see past the number of losses a team has and conceptualize what a record actually means. 

[Blotto 23585]

Personally I could give a shit whether we are a 2 or a 3. If the seedings hold up you will still play the same team in the sweet 16. Much bigger significance in getting a 3 seed instead of the 4. I'm just hoping we make it out of the first weekend.    

[HookEm 2468]

What would Houston’s record be playing our schedule? Don’t think it would be 19-7. Would they beat Indiana? And UNC? And WV? And OSU? And sweep Kansas? Not one chance IMO. Their resume is weak AF. I’m gonna fade them big time in the tourney.

[JohnnyRage 1617]

That made zero sense

Edited March 13, 2021 by JohnnyRage

[NAVY 6747]

Great, an optimism thread. Thanks for dooming the post season 

[Hornlover 8849]

A 2-seed is certainly possible. We need to beat Ok. State and then hope Tennessee beats Alabama and Michigan beats Ohio State today. 

[Hornlover 8849]

4 hours ago, Red Five said:

We Covid our way to the national championship, CDC declines to offer Shaka an extension, Shaka takes a job elsewhere. That is the most positive outcome I can imagine. 

Wrong thread. You're looking for this one: 

 

 

[HookEm 2468]

We win! 4 more wins to go.

[hobbes2702 13084]

10 hours ago, Red Five said:

We Covid our way to the national championship, CDC declines to offer Shaka an extension, Shaka takes a job elsewhere. That is the most positive outcome I can imagine. 

[orangecat92 306]

Huh?  I thought it took six....anyway, we are right on track.  I said there was a good chance for us in conf. Tourney because Baylor would lose interest.  Next, I forecasted we win 3 in big tourney and game 4 is a coin flip.  

[Hornlover 8849]

Big XII Champs!!! 

[Juke_Em 47]

I would say this team is scary and very few teams will want to play us on a neutral court. This is the best team we've had in 10+ years...simply because we finally have elite PG play from an experienced PG like Coleman. That has always been the weakness for us in this conference...we could never get a PG to stay longer than 2 years.

Experience, good shooters on the wings, good big men, this team has it all. And then the potential of Kai Jones and Greg Brown are the icing on the cake that will put us over the top vs. the teams like Gonzaga, Baylor, etc. who rely on execution over pure talent.

 

[Slacks 6888]

Fo, Fo, Fo

Rip Mo

[HookEm 2468]

The good free throw shooting by our perimeter players is a huge advantage over previous years. Coleman, Ramey, A Jones, Febres and Williams all shoot well over 80%. Kai Jones and Greg Brown are around 70%. That is huge.

Coaches get grief when players suck at free throws, so I’m going to give them a lot of credit for where we are with this squad. Ramey was a 58% FT shooter as a freshman. The others were mid 70s. They have been putting in WORK to get to this point. We would have lost last night in previous years for this reason.

[Homercles 10206]

12 hours ago, orangecat92 said:

Huh?  I thought it took six....anyway, we are right on track.  I said there was a good chance for us in conf. Tourney because Baylor would lose interest.  Next, I forecasted we win 3 in big tourney and game 4 is a coin flip.  

I’m not sure Baylor lost interest so much as we (osu) caught them on a night when the 3’s weren’t falling.  They don’t live/die by them, but score in massive spurts when they get hot behind the line.  They were 6/28 that game. 
 

What I think bodes well for y’all is you can have a stout inside game and a senior guard like Coleman can go off / direct traffic effectively.  Being able to exploit multiple scoring avenues gives you flexibility vs a more guard-heavy slashing offense that osu employs.  Then again guard play is hugely important in March.  
 

And of course, two games in three days is more reflective of what the NCAA is like. Honestly feels like it more depends on putting it all together like y’all did last night, than the draw.  

[Restinmybones 111]

Good win. Congratulations to the team and to Coach Smart. I think the talent on this team is kicking in. Prior to the Big 12 tournament, I thought this team might win one NCAA tournament game and then go home. I think I was wrong. Although bracket groupings are very important for most tournament teams, I think this team is easily capable of making the "sweet 16" and possibly the "elite 8". If they get some luck and favorable match-ups, they are capable of a final four birth. Smart earned himself at least another year.

Hook 'em.

[Tailgate 3024]

I feel like they are heating up again at the right time...I believe we win three games in the tournament...or more.

Also, may have been asked in another thread...what type of watch is that Shaka is wearing on sideline? Or is it even a watch?

[HookEm 2468]

I haven’t seen it, but likely a contact tracing device.

[Js1 85636]

4 minutes ago, HookEm said:

I haven’t seen it, but likely a contact tracing device.

Correct. It’s the Kinexion contract tracing device 

[HookEm 2468]

It would be nice if the Fire Shaka thread moved down the page a bit for at least the next week (and ideally the next 3).