We have 12 games left.....all conference....6 home/6 away....We are 3-3... 3 games behind VCU and GMU. We have games left against all the teams ahead of us in the standings with the exception of VCU. and 2 against St.Louis, 4 of those on the road. So what do people think we are capable of achieving by the end of the year and what do we need to do better and more consistently to finish in the top 4? Or what do we need to change to get to the top 4 ?

Unfortunately I think we're closer to the bottom four than the top four, and the reason is our defense. Part of it is that we're getting roasted from three and maybe there's a little bad luck involved in that. Even if that gets better we have to be better one on one and rebounding. According to Kenpom we are 14th in the conference in defensive rebounding.

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MBB Scholarship Chart

I think our ceiling is higher than most of the teams surrounding us right now. When these guys execute and don't turn the ball over, they are really good. The only area we can't really improve on is the lack of a true center on offense. Dawson & Quinn are playing lights out....Des is a little hit-or-miss but we all know what he is capable of. Hoinsou has the ability to really elevate this team. It wouldn't surprise me to see the Ramblers slide up to be in contention for 4th but we are probably a middle-of-the-pack team who could be lethal in the A10 tourney if they play to their potential.

This is zero shot at Miles...he's a great player and seems like a great kid...but if more teams do what St. Joe's did by completely ignoring him on offense, then that kills our ability to attack the rim with our 5 out offense. He'll need to start to keep the opposing center honest by making a few jumpers from the elbow or attacking the rim himself in order to force their center out of the key.

Following the previous, the Big picture will show after the upcoming Mason game. 4-3 or 3-5. I think this game will decide if there’s a reason to be optimistic or not. I agree with comments about Miles game. It seems there is a lack of improvement over his previous season, even on defense, where he makes an occasional sensational play. He has not learned to play without fouling, and his offense requires a skilled pass to him that only Sheldon seems to deliver regularly. Forget about quick bounce passes which almost always get into the wrong hands. Certainly in hindsight, Justin Moore was the catalyst to run this offense and JQ, who plays as hard as anybody also is too one dimensional. I nearly fell off the couch when he made a 3 last game. I think it’s confidence and hope he can find it, tho in your third year….. The defensive stats don’t lie and our giving up put backs and not rebounding missed 3’s is hard to watch. I can’t imagine the coaches are slack here. The players need to want it more.
Unrelated, about our freshmen, what do we think is going on regarding Seif getting zero time? What don’t I know here. Turner gets a few, Danill gets regular time…BTW, once Danill hits a few, or one, he will get a bunch. I’d love comments here….
All of the above come within the framework of constructive thoughts, not condemnations. I hope to see these guys play well on Wednesday night. Go Ramblers.

Here is what I want to see and if it happens - we will have a strong end of the season. We need Sheldon Edwards to play the way he has been playing in the last few games. His 3s and his leadership takes the pressure off the other players. If he plays well, I think Des, Miles and others will step up. We need Des and Miles to play like they did last year. I think it is possible. If we do it, I think we will be in every game. I think Des will play better, if Sheldon plays like he has the last few games.

Considering this conference is a sloppy mess and is cannibalizing itself once again, I think we fall anywhere within the 5 to 13 range.

I just don't see us getting on any hot streaks like we did last year from early January onward in which we had real solid stretches of winning 5 of 6 games early and 10 of 11 to end the season. 15-3 last year and now we are 3-3...... Time is running out.

Oddly the defense has been junk I think too (just not tough enough or effective at all), but the numbers presently aren't that far off from last year's totals that were 58th best in the country. 67.5 PA/G compared to 70.3 PA/G now - likely to level out and improve in the coming month and a half, hopefully. With the length and athleticism of the roster it's got the makings of being elite but that remains to be seen......

I just think it's the A-10 this year. It's a gross league, non elegant. Not one team in it is elite. Every single loss we've had was against an inferior opponent and a winnable game at one point or another.

If this team's ceiling is like Duquesne of last year, we'll take it. They got hot at the right time.

Dudes like Sheldon and Des absolutely deserve to have an opportunity to make a March Madness before their college careers end. This team needs to wake up and rise up to the occasion.

Moore was the catalyst to run this offense as Ramber88 said......his assist to turnover ratio was 48/13 .that is about 4 to 1.....and this has caused others who are less comfortable to handle the ball, handling the ball. This has got to put a lot of stress on their overall game.
If there was a problem in roster construction it was not to get a second point guard and a low post back up presence for Miles...I talked to Miles quite a bit at the Golf Outing. He seems overall to be kind of shy...I think last year he did not feel the pressure to be a guy offensively. Do not think he is comfortable with those expectations as of yet....but you never know.