Schedule Prediction Time: This one feels a bit optimistic..

I sat down last night and did my pre-practice game by game predictions for the season.  I feel like it came out a bit on the optimistic side, I think I may be a little sucked into all of the preseason hoopla right now.  The fact remains I think the talent level, depth, and experience this season is by far the best blend we have had in recent memory.  We will see if I start to curb some of this enthusiasm as the season approaches.  Would love to hear your thoughts here or on twitter @wahoobasketball.

South Carolina State – WIN – 88 - 54  Bulldogs can’t hang in the home opener in an arena brimming with anticipation. (1-0)

Winthrop - WIN – 78 – 60  Oh Gregg Marshall where have you gone.  (2-0)

(n) Texas Christian - WIN – 69 – 53  You may have won the Kyan Anderson contest, but you will not win the actual basketball one.  (3-0)

(n) Drexel – WIN – 69 – 64  A solid CAA team that returns most everyone will be no gimmee.  Will need to earn this one.  (4-0)

(n) Marquette – LOSS – 75- 64  No more Jimmy Butler, but the grit of Marquette outlasts the hoos in the first real high talent test.  (4-1)

Green Bay – WIN – 83 – 63  Coach Bennett gives Joe Harris the green light so he can reminisce when he was draining jumpers for GB.  (5-1)

Michigan – WIN – 71 – 65  Energy in the building will be palpable for this, the first marquee home game.  It’s enough for us to earn a close win. (6-1)

Longwood – WIN – 85 - 50  We win by 35 and our RPI slips significantly.  Thanks Longwierd.  (7-1)

George Mason – WIN – 65 – 64  I don’t like this matchup for the same reason most AD’s don’t.  I do think we win.  (8-1)

@Oregon – LOSS – 71 – 62  On the road in the PAC-10 has not been our forte.  Oregon improving.  (8-2)

@Seattle – WIN – 83 – 73  Will have to score to beat Cam Dollar’s boys.  Should have plenty of motivation.  (9-2)

UMES – WIN – 80 – 49   They usually have one crazy small white dude that can drain 3’s.  Jontel eats those for lunch.  (10-2)

Towson – WIN – 66 – 51 Towson is in serious rebuild mode. (11-2)

@LSU – WIN – 61 – 54  LSU also still in rebuilding mode, Mike Scott scores 20+ in our first major conference road win. (12-2)

Miami – WIN – 55 – 49  A defensive struggle to start the ACC season, but Larranaga can’t overcome our desire for rematch.  (13-2)  (1-0)

@Duke – LOSS – 81 – 67  Hang with them for a lot of the game, close poorly as the unattractive women slowly drain our souls.  (13-3)  (1-1)

@Georgia Tech – WIN – 64 – 59  Brian Gregory will need some adjustment time to the pack line. (14-3)  (2-1)

Virginia Tech – WIN – 55 – 52  Because Uncle Fester is the god damn devil.  (15-3)  (3-1)

Boston College – WIN – 68 – 61  Hard to believe the Eagles lost 9 players from last season.  Not a typo. (16-3)  (4-1)

@NC State – LOSS – 59 – 58  History says we will lose one on the road we have no business losing.  Lots of rim outs. (16-4)  (4-2)

Clemson – WIN – 71 – 69  This one will be a battle.  (17-4)  (5-2)

@Florida State  - WIN – 81 – 75  Doesn’t make much sense right?  Neither did @ Maryland last season.  (18-4)  (6-2)

Wake Forest – WIN – 78 – 67  Mckie is a stud.  Bzdelik is not.  (19-4)  (7-2)

@North Carolina – LOSS – 71 – 61  The pack line will always give Roy Boy fits.  A matchup nightmare for them scheme wise.  But they have more talent than the Bobcats.  (19-5)  (7-3)

@Clemson – LOSS – 65 – 61  Not a fun place to play, and Adrian Joseph won’t be there to pull us out of a double digit deficit.  (19-6)  (7-4)

Maryland – WIN – 54 – 50  Some people think Turgeon/Bennett battles will be the ultimate snooze fest.  I personally can’t wait!  (20-6)  (8-4)

@Virginia Tech – WIN – 63 – 55  I know they have some young talent, but DeFloppy was the go to everything.  Also, Uncle Fester is the god damn devil.  (21-6)  (9-4)

North Carolina – WIN – 70 - 68  YEP, you read that right.  Marquee Bennett era win right here. (22-6)  (10-4)

Florida State – LOSS – 74 –73  Riding the momentum of a huge win streak late, we fall flat at home with our first home loss.  (22-7)  (10-5)

@Maryland – WIN – 68 – 63  I like the way we match up with the post Jordan Williams terps.  (23-7)  (11-5)

POSTSEASON – 1 ACC Tournament Victory - 1 ACC tournament Loss - Final record for selection committee consideration (24-8) (11-5)

I certainly think this result would get us into the dance.  What is scary though is if you tweak things just a little bit, add one out of conference loss and one ACC loss (22-10) (10-6)  and with our weak schedule and a down ACC, I would not call it a lock.  Just ask the hokies.  And the truth is, that record is a lot more realistic.