[ATrain]

Yeah, its early, but why not start anyway:

Virginia Intermont W
Notre Dame South Bend, L
UNC Wilmington Wilmington, L
Southern Virginia W
Texas Tech South Padre Island Invitational L
South Florida South Padre Island Invitational Tampa L
Mississippi Valley State SPI Invitational W
Georgia Southern/Chicago State SPI Invitational - Either one is W
Presbyterian* W
Winthrop* L
George Mason W
William & Mary L
Hampton W
Union College W
Gardner-Webb* W
UNC Asheville* L
Charleston Southern* W
Coastal Carolina * W
High Point* L
Radford* W
VMI* W
UNC Asheville* W
Gardner-Webb* W
Coastal Carolina* L
Charleston Southern* W.
Radford* W
High Point* W
VMI* W
Winthrop* L
Presbyterian* W

Overall: 19-11, 13-5 BSC, 3rd/4th place. Yes, I am drunk on the kool-aid, and I will also admit that some of these games are just guesses b/c I honestly have no clue about how good/bad UNCW and Hampton have become or what George Mason and W&M may have picked up or lost. This records currently does not count the Bracketbusters b/c that could go either way, just depends on who we're matched up against and where.

[SuperJon]

I don't know about picking each individual game, but I think we've got a shot at winning 19 games. I don't think that's an unreasonable expectation. If we can get 19 wins in the regular season and then win a conference tournament game to put us at 20 wins I'll be more than happy for this year.

[From the class of 09]

I don't know about picking each individual game, but I think we've got a shot at winning 19 games. I don't think that's an unreasonable expectation. If we can get 19 wins in the regular season and then win a conference tournament game to put us at 20 wins I'll be more than happy for this year.

For me it's still the NCAA tournament or bust to call it a successful season...I know some years its more realistic, but at some point we will get a team peaking at the right time and they can win the BS tournament. Although a 20 win season is nothing to scoff at.

[jcmanson]

Don't forget that Presby will be much improved this year. The two games against them aren't automatic W's.

[SuperJon]

I don't know about picking each individual game, but I think we've got a shot at winning 19 games. I don't think that's an unreasonable expectation. If we can get 19 wins in the regular season and then win a conference tournament game to put us at 20 wins I'll be more than happy for this year.

For me it's still the NCAA tournament or bust to call it a successful season...I know some years its more realistic, but at some point we will get a team peaking at the right time and they can win the BS tournament. Although a 20 win season is nothing to scoff at.

I think we'll get to that point but we're not there yet. We've had too much turnover with players and coaches. We've got to build to that level, and we're on the right path, but we need another year or two before we are. I would think that next year I may put the NCAA tournament as a successful season in my mind but give me top four and a competitive game in the second round of the conference tournament and I'll be happy.

[WinterIsComing]

Ditto SJ's post. Competitive, top four. At that point you always give yourself a chance of getting hot and winning the BS Tournament and heading to the Big Dance.

[Chippy]

I think they'll be hard pressed to beat Mason and Presby returns two of their best players who sat out last year in anticipation of being eligible for conference title this year now that they are full members of BSC. Is Intermont an exhibition game or does NCAA no longer have those? I guess wins against D2, D3 and NAIA teams still count. I think a winning record would be good to build on for the future. This is still a very young team.

[BJWilliams]

Virginia Intermont W
Notre Dame South Bend, L
UNC Wilmington Wilmington, W
Southern Virginia W
Texas Tech South Padre Island Invitational L
South Florida South Padre Island Invitational Tampa L
Mississippi Valley State SPI Invitational W
Georgia Southern/Chicago State SPI Invitational - Either one is W
Presbyterian* W
Winthrop* W
George Mason L
William & Mary W
Hampton W
Union College W
Gardner-Webb* W
UNC Asheville* L
Charleston Southern* W
Coastal Carolina * W
High Point* L
Radford* L
VMI* W
UNC Asheville* W
Gardner-Webb* W
Coastal Carolina* L
Charleston Southern* W.
Radford* W
High Point* W
VMI* W
Winthrop* L
Presbyterian* W

20-8 (12-6)

[WinterIsComing]

Nine W's in a row?!?! I'll have whatever kool-aid BJ is drinkin if it makes that happen!

[olldflame]

It's obvious that you think that the team will get better as the season progresses BJ, but picking us to lose at home and win on the road against both Presby and CCU?

[BJWilliams]

I'll flip those around but I do think that a split with both of those teams is the pretty likely scenario.

[grm]

Do I have to make a prediction?

I haven't scutintized the scedule, but I wouldn't in any way say that it is "soft."

I believe Dale did a great job last year, and that things will be better this year.
Honestly, I wouldn't bet money on that NCAA bid, but I will predict they will play very hard,
and that they will be very competitive.

[Sly Fox]

Welcome back, grm. We've missed you.

[grm]

Thank you, Sly. Always extremely pleasant to hear from you & the others.

Our best to the Flames, Coach, players & all Flames Fans.

[g-webb1994]

No doubt at this point, I would put LU in the top three of the conference.

I think Holtmann will have G-W playing very competitive, we'll be around .500 at season's end and a very tough out in the tourney.

[Hold My Own]

For me it's still the NCAA tournament or bust to call it a successful season...I know some years its more realistic, but at some point we will get a team peaking at the right time and they can win the BS tournament. Although a 20 win season is nothing to scoff at.

Holy cow I really hope these arent the expectations from everyone. I think we're going to have a great team...in the discussion for the title....but we're still a sleeper pick and by no means a "lock" so that to me cant be a "all or fail" type of expectation.

We need much more stability before we can have a legit feeling of NCAA or bust.

[From the class of 09]

For me it's still the NCAA tournament or bust to call it a successful season...I know some years its more realistic, but at some point we will get a team peaking at the right time and they can win the BS tournament. Although a 20 win season is nothing to scoff at.

Holy cow I really hope these arent the expectations from everyone. I think we're going to have a great team...in the discussion for the title....but we're still a sleeper pick and by no means a "lock" so that to me cant be a "all or fail" type of expectation.

We need much more stability before we can have a legit feeling of NCAA or bust.

I realize it isn't going to happen every year but all they have to do is win the BS tourney. That’s why I think the NCAA tournament should be the goal ever year, because with any stability LU should be in a position to compete for the BS title year in year out. While calling the season a bust (if we don’t win the BS tourney) is maybe a little extreme I definitely feel it is an attainable goal when you compare LU to other schools in the BS going forward.

[olldflame]

With 10 games left in the regular season, I thought I'd bump this thread. It looks like the guys are basically equalling or exceeding even our most optomististic expectations. We need:

3 more regular season wins to assure a winning record.

6 wins counting the tourney for our 2nd 20 win season in 3 years.

(IMHO) A win over CCU, no more than one more conference loss, and some help to get the #1 seed for the tourney.

6 more conference wins to guarantee us the #2 seed, (but 5 would almost certainly do it and 4 would likely be enough.)

My expectations are way up now. I will frankly be disappointed if we aren't playing postseason basketball this year.

[BJWilliams]

Ive only missed I think on three games so far

[olldflame]

Ive only missed I think on three games so far

Try 6.

[BJWilliams]

ah yes...I went back through and I forgot I picked HPU and Radford as road losses...in any case, we are WAY beyond anyone's expectations...and with 6 of our last 10 games at home (and a major buzz generating on campus after the win last Thursday) Vines is going to be a tough place to play and that CCU game could end up being our only loss at home in conference this year (and one of only two losses at home overall to this point I think)