...is a critical game. They can't go 0-2 here. That would be a mini-disaster. And it would seriously put doubt in many of Lavin's supporters.
He was right to set the bar at the NCAA's (no way would Coach Roberts ever put an expectation like that). Now he has to deliver.
It is bad enough they are not playing in the title game but they cannot go 0-2.
It's worse than just needing to win tomorrow. We need to win the next 2 at absolute minimum. If we want to get a leg up in terms of NCAA play in the post-season, besting Syracuse becomes something that needs to be a possibility. Big East play isn't going to be easy. League is tough, and not many Nancy's here. Tougher top to bottom than we have had. SJU needs to start getting some urgency and need to set the hierarchy, not be victim to it. We could have won this game, but the results are the only thing anybody remembers.
If our guys have big expectations, then sometimes they need to have big performances and big wins. Thus far, we haven't beaten anybody from a major conference. Good news is that nobody from this team is going to the NBA after this season. I think that is just about confirmed, even though it's early in the season.