uvm4life20

I think its funny a lot of people being down on UVM. UVM was the favorite heading into the season. UVM only lost 1 more game than people with high expectations and as many games as most people expected. I agree they havent played their best ball. I think most people though are so down on their offense that they dont realize their defense helped them win as many games as expected. Besides looking prettier on offense what else could UVM had done to be rated higher??? Serious question.

UVM Hoop Cat

In many cases UVM finished OOC the same way they did as last season- people knew we had a good team but no idea "how good". That said, relative to last season our OOC schedule this year is much, much weaker. We played like 5 or 6 NCAA teams- this year we play at best 1- if Harvard can beat Princeton. UConn would be another most likely but they are banned this season. I just don't see this team going 13-3 again based on OOC play- maybe, but I don't know. As others have said, this particular team will need to have everyone bring it every single game.

I also don't think it's so much as people being down on UVM so much as it is on paper both SBU and Albany have performed better thus far OOC- bottom line. Last year Vermont was probably the most impressive performer OOC.

This year, SBU has the best RPI, has played the toughest OOC, and has more wins. Albany has more wins and has played a relatively same OOC SoS as us, but a marquee win and a few other solid Ws to go around it. BU is always going to compete in top of league and this year is no different, and Hartford is improved and Maine has shown some flashes. So, picking us 3rd seems pretty fair and reasonable. I think picking us 5th as some people have done is wishful thinking on opposing fans part

That all said, I could care less because I think the more people that sleep on us, the better. I think we play better in that role and I think we play better w/ out the bulls eye.

__________________
"Let's win this game for all the small schools that never had a chance to get here"
- Hoosiers,
& UVM mens basketball NCAA's 2005

VT Cats Fan

I don't necessarily disagree with any of this, but what this doesn't seem to take into consideration is the apparent improvement of the rest of the league. I think most would concede Albany has been a surprise with their record, especially given the players they lost. SBU seems to be what everyone expects, BU can't be overlooked and Hartford may well be in the mix by the season's end. I feel like UVM could finish anywhere 1-4 based on what I've seen of our play so far. Fortunately, we usually get better throughout the season and it matters most how we play on two weekends in March.

I heard an interview with Becker just in the last week and he said he feels pretty good about where the team is right now. I trust his judgement and feel like he's a pretty good coach, but my gut tells me this might not be our year.

UVM Hoop Cat

I feel that way right now as well- and that this year's team is going to be about getting ready for a big 2013-14, but at the same time I also certainly feel like this season we can beat any of the teams in this conference on any given day, so I'm optimistic anything is possible.

__________________
"Let's win this game for all the small schools that never had a chance to get here"
- Hoosiers,
& UVM mens basketball NCAA's 2005

ccd494

My predictions:

UMBC 9-7
Stony Brook 8-8
Albany 8-8
*New Hampshire 8-8
*Maine 8-8
Boston 8-8
Hartford 8-8
Binghamton 8-8
Vermont 7-9

Every home team will beat every road team by 2 points, all season, on buzzer beaters. Except, on January 12, UVM will accidentally score at the buzzer on the wrong basket, resigning them to a 7-9 conference season and 9th place (8th in the tournament). UMBC will use that victory to clinch the #1 seed and NIT berth. Seeds 2-7 will be determined by a coin flip, except in the case of the flip between Maine and UNH in which event the coin invariably ends up landing on its edge, making it impossible for the league to differentiate between the two teams. To solve the discrepancy, the league decides to declare both teams ineligible for the NCAA tournament, figuring that in a combined 200+ years neither team had made it before, and therefore were statistically unlikely to win the tournament anyways.

iBOsbu

1. Stony Brook/Vermont
2. Stony Brook/Vermont
3. Albany/Boston
4. Albany/Boston
5. Hartford/NH
6. Hartford/NH
7. UMBC/Maine
8. UMBC/Maine

DanesRGood

UVM
SBU
Albany
BU
Maine
UNH
Hartford
etc..........