With graduations, newcomers, transfers, and injuries, a college basketball team is always at a crossroads once they transition from the non-conference part of the schedule into the conference part of the schedule. How tough was the non-con schedule, or not? What rotations and lineups are beginning to emerge? What strategies are working or not? How will the team hold up during a grueling conference slate? How far can a team progress after a really bad season? Lots of questions.
Some of the answers are harder to provide than others. However, trends can be observed. Based on these, I'll attempt to extrapolate what has transpired so far this season to try and project where the team will finish as well as what the chances are of returning to the NCAA tournament.