New goals for this season

[SRT4driver]

Now that we're over 25% done with the HL season, I think it's time to re-evaluate the goals many of us had in the preseason for this team.

I think it's obvious that even with the loss of a starter, this team is a much better unit now than the team that lost 7 staright and went 3-10 in non-conference play. Never mind that 7 of those ten losses were to teams currently in the top 80 of the RPI... www.kenpom.com/sked.php?team=Wisconsin%20Milwaukee

Our guys are currently 2-3 in HL play, with possibly two of their three toughest games done (vs #15 Butler and at Loyola). I think a realistic goal for this team is an 8-8 finish in conference and a win in its ESPN BracketBuster game. Those two things would likely give them a 4 through 6 seed in the HL tourney and therefore a first round home game. It would also prevent a 20-loss season (a 13-19 finish at worst, assuming a loss in the HL quarterfinals).

That would mean an 11-8 finish to the season. And it could be even better than that with a HL tourney quarterfinal win, which I wouldn't put past this team w/their improved play of late!

What say you?

[teddyp00]

I say I agree with you per my post I just made in the game thread from tonight. A strong finish and a win in the conference tourny would go a long way in making this a strong team next year and show to the casual fans that this year was nothing more than a reloading year.

[Deleted]

SRT,
I too would agree with you post, however I'm still holding out for 9 or 10 conference wins with a little luck.

[brewtownbrian]

I think 8-8 in the HL would be great! I wish they could replay that Youngstown St. game that was in Milwaukee though.

Don't take this as pessimistic or negative, but I just don't see them having more than 6 or 7 wins in conference play. They still have lots of tough games left on the road...

at Butler, at Detroit, at Wright St., at UIC and at GB. Plus they still have to play Wright St, UIC, Loyola and GB at the Cell. Those games are in no way easy. And as our team gels as the season progresses, so will the other teams.

Don't get me wrong, I think this team has the potential to pull off a couple upsets, but who knows if that will actually happen.

Hopefully I'm waaaay off and they prove me wrong, but I'm just looking at things realistically and guessing they finish 5-11 in conference play, maybe 6-10.

Feel free to blast me for predicting this...it's not like I'm hoping that's how they finish...I'm obviously hoping for much better.

[uwmfutbol]

If UWM finishes with 8 wins this season, I'll be happy. I certainly hope they get better, but unfortunately they still have to play Butler once, Loyola twice, UWGB twice (they're not very good this year, but they're our rival and will play us tough), UIC twice (see UWGB) and Wright State twice (tied for 1st in conference right now).

The Horizon League is not as tough as some originally anticipated, but there are some decent teams in this conference that are simply more talented than UWM at this point.

I originally wanted a winning season, then 10 wins, now 8. Hopefully it doesn't go any lower.

[pantherdon]

We already played Loyola once.

Folks, realisticaly I can only see us winning two more conf games this year.
Any one of 5 other games could be possible wins if we get lucky.

UIC - loss ?
WSU - loss ?
@ Detroit - loss ?
UWBG - win
CSU - win
@ Butler - loss
@ WSU - loss
Loyola - loss ?
@ UIC - loss
@ UWBG - loss ?

[uwm9]

I think uwm goal should be to get to 500 in the conference

[franklinthefuture]

exactly, UWM basketball is turning around, they could win half maybe even more of those games, Their playing the kind of basketball jeter wants and its paying off.

[blackcatinorange]

I agree. At this point in time, .500 would be a realistic and challenging goal.