UMass Basketball: Expectations for the Minutemen in 2018-19

Realistic Expectations for the Minutemen in 2018-19

Most likely, things will take time for the Minutemen. McCall has rightly garnered praise for his tactics both on and off the court, but the fact is, it’s his second year in Amherst, and it’s his first year with literally most of these players. There are bound to be some growing pains and lineup adjustments, and, just like with any young team, they will probably lay some eggs and lose some games that they shouldn’t.

For sure, there are still questions surrounding the team: Do they have the frontcourt depth? Will Pierre regress? Which of the transfers and freshman will be ready to make an immediate impact? – I don’t have answers to these questions. I do, however, believe that there is enough positive to outweigh the negative in this instance – that the checked boxes are more important than the unchecked ones.

Ultimately, this team has an abundance of talent – as much talent as Amherst has seen since the Chaz Williams era, and a (so far) fantastic coach at the helm. Barring massive injury setbacks, you can safely bet this team will be out of the bottom 4, and really even the bottom 6. Consider 4-7 a healthy range for your expectations. Anywhere below 7 would be a disappointment, and anywhere above 4 would be a pleasant surprise. All things considered, this team is poised to bring a winning culture back to the Mullins Center.