Here is a hypothetical, crazy scenario to feed the trolls on this rainy Friday in Tampa. Let's face it, our men's basketball isn't one of the most talented teams in recent memory to say the least. But we do have 1 good win this season to highlight: SMU at the Sun Dome after losing by 17 points to them just 2 weeks earlier...I guess that's something. We are coming off another close loss to now #7 Cincinnati (lost by 7 at home and by 5 on the road) and then almost blew it at UCF, but didn't.
In trying to find the most unlikely but most perfect way to turn around and close out this miserable season, I direct your attention to the last 8 games of the season. With our current record being 12-11 overall and 3-7 in the AAC, my question is: Would winning out the entire rest of the season put us as a NCAAT bubble team candidate? (Feeding the trolls here...)
Realistically, yet unrealistically, we would sit at 20-11 overall and 11-7 AAC which would include future wins over currently ranked teams in #22 Connecticut (Road), #14 Louisville (Road), and #22 Connecticut (Home) again.
In addition, in this scenario it should also include 2 wins in the AAC tournament game with the loss that kicks USF from the tourney against Cincy. So actually, the overall record would stand then at 22-11.
However, we have also lost 11 times this season, many of which were bad/ horrid losses and blowouts against more talented teams.
Horrid losses vs. Detroit (10-14), Santa Clara (13-12),
Bad losses vs. Houston (11-12), Mississippi State (13-9)
Understandable but regrettable losses vs. then #19 Cincinnati (22-2), then #13 Cincinnati (22-2)
Blowout losses (by 15+ points) vs. then #5 Oklahoma State, then #18 Memphis (17-5), SMU (18-5), then #12 Louisville (19-4), then #23 Memphis (17-5).
Would upsetting 3 ranked teams and ending the season on a 9 game winning streak show such improvement that USF gets on the NCAAT bubble?
Would an overall win percentage of 0.645 and an AAC win percentage of .611 make any difference come NCAAT time?
Or would it simply secure a decent seed for USF in the NIT?
Disclaimer: I in no way believe in the possibility of this scenario and have posted this purely for discussion and entertainment purposes. Please discuss nicely. Go Bulls!