Our preseason schedule is tough. I believe this will be a good team, but my expectations for an undefeated preseason, rankings, and at large bids are kind of low. Keep in mind that the best teams around here have gelled and rallied late for their post-season runs. That being said; I’m ready for a anything…taking it one game at a time. Go Bobcats!
I guess I've seen enough MACtion in the last 25 years to realize the likelihood of rankings and at-large bids is so low that I've pretty well moved on from considering that.
However, I think this group has everything they need to go head-to-head with UB all season long at the top of the league. Kind of like you said -- that's what it's all about to me. Watching it all unfold, watching players and teams improve and evolve over the course of the season.
I'm probably one of the few who has just as much, if not more fun with the November to the end of Conference Tournaments as I do for three weeks of March. Watching the process and the entire season is a lot of fun to me.