The plan to get better as other teams lose talent isn't uncommon. Conferences have down years. I wouldn't stake improvement on it. But coaches muse on it all the time.
And as a matter of fact, I think the league is offensively better than it was last year. Teams are really putting up points (or defenses are weakened, perhaps?) - something is different. St. John's is even better at putting up points. But boy, this inconsistency is far worse than the plan to get better b/c of attrition. If they came out more business-like against Providence and Seton Hall, we'd be grumbling about NIT.
You're right, Peter.... Some coaches do use attrition, as to their team moving up the ranks. But, since the fact that he's an excuse-maker.... I can't give him the benefit of the doubt that he played the attrition card like most coaches do for the possibility of their respective team(s) getting better.
He felt most of the conference teams would be weaker and the Johnnies could simply move up due those reasons and those reasons alone. Not because, he thought he would be able to make the necessary adjustments, as well, as his team being more experienced and a better group. That's my belief due to him coming off, as an excuse-maker.
Speaking, of the NIT grumbling.... Hell! I could count, at least, 7 games the Johnnies could've won, this season. And, we would be talking about NCAA's, instead of the NIT.
The issue is coaching and Norm not bringing in a worthy point guard. Here are the 7 games, I believe the Johnnies could've won had they had the former and latter....
Cornell
G'town
Providence
Villanova
Pitt (1st game)
West Virginia
Seton Hall
Marquette
Well.... That was 8 games, in which the Johnnies had every, opportunity to win. If, we had a coach and a point guard worth their salt then I think we could've won
over half of those games (if, not more).