Look, this year was an awful year. As others have said it feels alot like 1997.
It was a team that simply didn't fit well together and was paying for the 2019 recruiting fail and the potential that the 2020 class is a bust. They played hard, but seldom played well. The offense didn't really match well the talent that was on the team (coaches should have adjusted more than they did) and the defense was the worst of Pastner's tenure as it lacked both a rim protector as well as any ball hawking guards.
So much depends upon what it does this spring in the portal. Every team but Duke in the ACC uses transfers significantly, most teams use multiple transfers as starters - it's just part of the whole recruiting game now.
It hurts more that this is one of the weakest years of the 40 years i've followed ACC basketball. Right now I think only 4 teams are probably in the Tourney - Duke, Miami, UNC and ND and I bet at least one likely ends up in the First Four. Looking at VT's nitty gritty sheet my gut is they have to win tonight to get in and Wake is done after losing to BC and headed to the NIT.
Without a huge rebound next year it will be time to seriously consider moving on from Pastner. The issue is it is hard to find a coach that can win consistently anywhere these days. Pastner ended up being the most successful coach that GT looked at seriously in the last search. After Drew reneged he flamed out in 2 years at Vandy. Capel is going into his 5th season at Pitt and hasn't had a winning season yet and has had 6 straight losing seasons as a HC. GT reached out to Cuonzo Martin after Drew fell through and he ended up eventually at Missou and was fired yesterday.
Look what happened to Crean at UGA. That is certainly not what anyone expected. Finding the right coach is not easy and most schools miss more than they hit.
This team needs to bring in at least 3 in the portal. #1 has to be a rim protecting big. #2 has to be another proven scorer. Finally, if we could get a true ACC high level PG that would help.
I really like the potential of the FR class. I think ultimately that J Moore will likely be a better version of K Moore. Kelly has the look of a high level shooter and scorer. Coleman had a disappointing Fr year based on his HS rep, but he reminds me alot of a poor man's D3. Much like D3 he needs to get in better shape and he needs to overcome the tentativeness he showed this season.
I was disappointed in the guard play overall this year. Kyle is a solid ACC PG. Nothing special, not all-ACC level, but a legit starter. Smith right now is a backup level PG - really the issue with Smith is that he is more an athlete playing basketball than a basketball player who is an athlete. He is a poor outside shooter and a poor FT shooter and a mediocre ballhandler (27 assts to 23 TO in ACC games).
I wouldn't be upset if we made a change or two to the staff.
I will say if next year goes poorly I could still see Pastner getting another year after that as if we have to fix the football program that will take a higher priority and eat up any money we have for coaching.
