We wouldn't own the A10. If we moved to the A10, Mullin would step down and no legitimate coach is going to coach at a school that just dropped in conference prestige. Ponds, would transfer or try to go pro as would Simon and we would be recruiting for the same class of kids as Fordham.
This team is so close and it baffles me that you some of you can't see that. 0-6 in conference play, playing #11 team in country on the road, down by 10 with a minute or two to play, constantly battled all game, shorthanded, and yet they still didn't give up. This team has lost to Missouri and Arizona State (on neutral courts with one on the West Coast), Seton Hall, Creighton, and Xavier (on the road), and Villanova and Georgetown (at home) by an average of about 7 points with the worst being Arizona State by 12 and that was a lot closer than the score suggests.
We've played two bad games against DePaul (close and we let get away but should've been a lot better) and Providence (good team that just blew the doors off in second half).
I believe Ponds (as a junior), Simon (developing with more playing time), Diakite, Clark, Owens with Dixon, Keita, Williams, and Brooks off the bench plus whoever else we might bring in has no excuses if they can't make the tournament. This team had flaws, namely depth. If we can take 2 of the next three against Georgetown, Creighton, and Butler and then steal one of Xavier or Villanova then beat Marquette twice, DePaul, and take two out of the final three against Seton Hall, Butler, and Providence we would finish 8-10 and 18-12. Should make NIT and who knows, maybe we steal two games in the Big East tournament and are on the Bubble for the Tournament. I know that's EXTRAORDINARILY hard. But we've been competitive in all but two games so far this season. I have no reason to think that it's not possible to finish up 8-3.