I mean I don’t really see how you argue that he hasn’t fallen off a tiny bit. Our avg KenPom finish the past 4 years is 41.75 (42,19,72,34), and we haven’t won a tourney game since the title run. When you’re being compared to guys like Self (yes, who cheats) that are basically guaranteed top 10 teams every year (like we were from 14-19, when our avg KenPom finish was 4.833 LOL), it’s pretty hard to be tier 1.
Not saying Tony can’t get back there, and I do think that pound for pound he’s one of the best in the country, but he hasn’t exactly been thriving in the new era of CBB.
disclaimer
I love CTB and wouldn’t ever want a different coach
It’s fine. It’s gonna trigger UK fans more (except for the ones that already are done with Cal). Pitino being insta-Tier 1 now that he is at a power conference program again is funny.
Lot of recency bias here with Hurley in no question and Tony being questioned.
Bennett had top 10 teams for like 6 our of 7 years, including absolute juggernauts. Rest of teams have been regularly in top 25. He’s made Sweet 16 twice, Elite 8 once, and won a Natty.
So … how does Hurley stack up to that?
Scott Drew? Had mediocre teams more often than elite teams.
All to say, fine to question Bennett but that opens up interrogating some of these other guys, too.
There actually are a few paragraphs asking if Hurley really belongs in that top tier of eight coaches just because he’s the coach of the defending champions. And they pointed that prior to UConn’s run Hurley was 2-4 (or something like that) in the NCAA tournament.
The discussion of CTB did mention that he has a national title and is one of the most consistent coaches in NCAA, but asked how much do you ding him for first round exits in March. It’s basically a flavor of the conversations that have been on here all summer.
It’s a long way out, lots of moving pieces between now and then, but thinking about the combination pairings for bigs at the 4/5 I’ve seen discussed on here (ie having one who can stretch the floor and one who can battle down low)…
Between Cofie, ARob, and Blake, do any of these guys project to pair well together where it won’t condense the floor too much?
