with an outside shot at No. 6 if Purdue falls to Wisconsin and UCLA can take care of business in the rivalry game at suc. A seventh-place finish isn’t what most of us had in mind back in November, but there’s no denying this team is trending upward. That game last night was the closest this team has looked to a Cronin-coached team all year.
They’re 4–8 in Quad 1 games, with another big opportunity coming Saturday on Figueroa. Overall, they’re 10–10 across Quad 1 and 2, and importantly, there aren’t any truly damaging losses on the résumé—though some will argue the Cal and Indiana games sting more than they should. Still, win at suc and grab at least one in the Big Ten Tournament, and suddenly the profile looks solid.
That said, I’m not penciling in a win at suc just yet. Call it cautious, paranoid, pessimistic—maybe a little of all three. I’ve just seen enough inconsistency to know better than to fully trust this group.