SCU's New Athletic Director's "Punch List" - Get Men's Basketball into the NCAA Tournament

The new AD search is ON...  

The "punch list" priorities are short, but not simple.  The majority of our Athletic program is already built out, but the inside needs some serious renovation.  Ergo, the punch list to national prominence.

The AD search rumors are off the charts; ranging from "it's already a done deal" and "we're just going through the motions" to Steve Nash is going to parachute in and cross-dribble us into the national spotlight.

LOL.  

At the top of the "punch list" for the new AD - Get Men's Basketball's ticket "punched" into the NCAA tourney.  

An "at-large" bid will produce extra-large benefits....

Most important of them all, will be the lubrication needed to get our "We're on a Mission" machine moving - $ money $.  A bid to the big dance will provide the SCU community bona fide proof that 20 + years of "wanting-to-be" is now going to be.

Getting to the big dance brings better scheduling, recruiting, and a national PR spotlight that illuminates the tremendous assets SCU would be able to leverage.

To make "We're on a Mission" a reality, we won't be shopping at Men's Warehouse anymore - we're talking Zegna or Brioni levels.

As I said earlier, the list is short, but NOT simple.

In fact, an "at-large" NCAA bid will be very hard to accomplish in the next two years; which is the Jared Brownridge most promising window. 

Here's what it will take:  

At least 24 Wins, RPI during the season of  < 50,  and 3 "signature wins" against other NCAA tournament level qualifying teams OR we win the WCC tourney one year.

To be blunt, next season we will need to beat St. Mary's, BYU, AND Gonzaga once.  Plus beat a team in the Wooden Classic Thanksgiving weekend.  As of this writing, expected teams include Arizona, Michigan State, BC, Providence, UC Irvine; all NCAA tourney teams last season.

In the 2016-17 season, Jared's senior year, similar formula as above plus beat another ranked team.  We are rumored to be playing Vanderbilt either on their turf or in a tournament with other higher profile teams.  

It might be possible to make the field with 22 wins and the signature team victories, but even though the NCAA selection committee is represented by smaller school execs, (Creighton, Northeastern) the WCC still lacks "cred".  Getting 3 teams in is a stretch.

My take.  Our best chance is in Las Vegas, an upset win in the WCC tourney.  

I believe our new AD will be smart enough to figure out the odds and I hope they make the Broncos the horse to ride!!!

Next up:  The questions the new AD should ask SCU in the interview.

For more Men's Basketball info, follow me on Twitter @Fcrary or LinkedIn.