Okay - I drank a glass of my own koolaid before the season and another gallon or two after the PR tourney. I really thought we could make a big run in the Big Ten, contend for the championship and then perhaps go on a tear in the NCAAs. Part of that was thinking Devoe was going to blossom into a star scoring 15 a night with all around solid play. When he got in trouble early and we still won, I figured so much the better... we'd be awesome with his return.
At this point with him likely moving on, I don't think we are losing a ton versus the team we have seen the last several games. Really the loss was already felt when he never returned to the form he started to show late last year. Too bad.
Now it's time to reset expectations. Play hard every game, develop the young guys and see what happens. We can still compete with any team but now it looks like 10-8 would be pretty decent. That would be good enough to qualify for the tourney and that's going to have to work at this point- who knows maybe we get hot and surprise. But now it will be just that- a surprise.
At this point with him likely moving on, I don't think we are losing a ton versus the team we have seen the last several games. Really the loss was already felt when he never returned to the form he started to show late last year. Too bad.
Now it's time to reset expectations. Play hard every game, develop the young guys and see what happens. We can still compete with any team but now it looks like 10-8 would be pretty decent. That would be good enough to qualify for the tourney and that's going to have to work at this point- who knows maybe we get hot and surprise. But now it will be just that- a surprise.