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Post by gregcrow on Oct 25, 2019 10:43:54 GMT -5
We haven’t played a game yet and have to see if this squad has a cohesive team chemistry. My question: When we look back after the season is over, how will this squad compare to the 1998 team. Equal? Better? Below? Curious to hear your predictions. Yes. We could also be worse.
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Post by broguy99 on Oct 25, 2019 11:50:36 GMT -5
We haven’t played a game yet and have to see if this squad has a cohesive team chemistry. My question: When we look back after the season is over, how will this squad compare to the 1998 team. Equal? Better? Below? Curious to hear your predictions. Yes. We could also be worse. This is the kind of insight that I come here for!
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Post by IONA86 on Oct 25, 2019 12:34:54 GMT -5
This team, due its depth, could be one of the best teams in Iona history... or it could be one of the biggest disappointments.
The advantages are: We can play big or small. We have the depth to play the 2nd string and still match up well with the starting five of almost any other MAAC team. But, like many of you have emphisised, intial team chemistry, learning the system and getting enough players sufficient time will be the major challenges. We have shooters, we have athletes that can get to the rim, we have guys who can rebound and defensively alter shots... I really, really like this team on paper.
As much as we are excited to see the new players on the court, do not sell any of our players from last season short. They have been in the system and know what Cluess wants and I would expect that they will be the ones to carry the heavy lifting in most of our OOC schedule.
If we stay healthy we might get that NCAA win we have been looking for.... but we have to get there first and we need to take it one game at a time.
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Post by ic59 on Oct 25, 2019 12:58:20 GMT -5
Since we are only playing 27 games I don't think our record will be good enough for an At Large bid. So we'll have to win the MAAC. I woukd think that it will be very tough to even get to the NCAA tournament. But if we do I think we have a chance to win a game or two.
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Post by Joebird on Oct 25, 2019 15:13:43 GMT -5
Since we are only playing 27 games I don't think our record will be good enough for an At Large bid. So we'll have to win the MAAC. I woukd think that it will be very tough to even get to the NCAA tournament. But if we do I think we have a chance to win a game or two. With this schedule for an at large we would need to be 27-3, that would mean winning at either Connecticut or Colorado, losing 1 maac regular season game and losing the maac championship. Truly believe 26-4 wouldn’t be good enough. We may be ranked if we were 27-3 but barely have an net better than 40. Basically yes I think an at large is nearly impossible. It’s 3 games in ac that matter and the chance to be very very disappointed should this be cluess’s best team and we don’t get a chance at an ncaa win. And I think we all forgot how hard it is to win the maac tournament, we have become very spoiled, almost expecting to win. Good mid majors are always set up for the potential to end a great season in major disappointment. Hopefully that isn’t this year for us.
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Post by ic1983 on Oct 25, 2019 18:58:25 GMT -5
I really hate threads like this.
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Post by GuyF on Oct 25, 2019 19:50:38 GMT -5
Agree. Just silly.
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Post by Joebird on Oct 25, 2019 19:57:12 GMT -5
Now 28-2 that could get us a 4 seed and a game in Albany...
Just wanted to piss people off!
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Post by iona05 on Oct 25, 2019 20:09:43 GMT -5
This is what makes message boards fun!
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Post by iona1970 on Oct 25, 2019 21:56:50 GMT -5
This is what makes message boards fun! +1 it's just fun predictions
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Post by GuyF on Oct 25, 2019 22:59:37 GMT -5
I predict it won't be fun if we fall short of these expectations some of you have.
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Post by iona1970 on Oct 26, 2019 3:14:28 GMT -5
I predict it won't be fun if we fall short of these expectations some of you have. U have to admit best team going Into a season in A long time
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Post by iona05 on Oct 28, 2019 17:47:30 GMT -5
The 98 team was a great team and brings back fond memories. At one point we had the longest winning streak in the country, we were getting top 25 votes, we were a national story, and Mulcahy as it was known back then, was packed every game.
Having said that, the 98 team didn’t have any quality OOC wins. Our biggest wins that year were against sub .500 Providence and a decent mid major program in Hofstra.
The 99 team was supposed to be even better than the 98 team as they were returning most of the core, but Ruland took a lot of lumps that season in his first year as head coach. I always felt if Ruland had a year or two under his belt for the 99 season that could’ve been one of our best teams ever.
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Post by Gaels1997 on Oct 29, 2019 8:47:17 GMT -5
U love to speculate threads like this are ridiculous
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Post by GuyF on Oct 29, 2019 8:48:45 GMT -5
The 98 team was a great team and brings back fond memories. At one point we had the longest winning streak in the country, we were getting top 25 votes, we were a national story, and Mulcahy as it was known back then, was packed every game. Having said that, the 98 team didn’t have any quality OOC wins. Our biggest wins that year were against sub .500 Providence and a decent mid major program in Hofstra. The 99 team was supposed to be even better than the 98 team as they were returning most of the core, but Ruland took a lot of lumps that season in his first year as head coach. I always felt if Ruland had a year or two under his belt for the 99 season that could’ve been one of our best teams ever. While all true re the 98 team, the MAAC was also considerably stronger and we had an RPI of like 40 because of it. Would have to look it up but I think the MAAC had like a 14 RPI that year.
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