re: Lunardi's 2017-18 Bracketology

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In the context of me qualifying it as "I didn't have AU who returns more + adds pieces in the NCAAT so I definitely don't see a worse team jumping them" it is really relevant

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I mean, Auburn had Alabama's number last year, but Auburn was by zero metric a better overall basketball team than Alabama. And at some point I'm not convinced the pieces that 247 had ranked in the Top 50 at Auburn are a great sum of the parts. ESPN had Auburn's classes ranked 18th and 29th. I think there is a chance those guys are much more in line with those recruiting rankings than 247s. I don't know. Next year is the test I think.

So I guess no, I don't think Auburn returns that much more and their incoming pieces are not nearly as dynamic as Alabama's. And they don't return a single player as dynamic as Sexton. And, this being college basketball, that is a huge difference, especially when that player has the ball in his hand every possession up top.

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Making that type of style change to accommodate a couple freshmen doesn't say "confidence" in picking them for NCAAT

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Playing faster like we did the 2nd half of the season and not being in the deep 200s in TOP and pace is adapting back to the style that CAJ has wanted to play from day 1. We'll just have the cast to be able to do it this year without hemorrhaging turnovers. We aren't switching from the Carril back cut to the fun n gun.



In conclusion, I think Alabama and Auburn (along with Tennessee and MSU) will be solid basketball teams with a chance to make the NCAA Tournament next year. I'm not sure why this seems to lodge a stick directly up your rear.