However, the previous 9 games still give me plenty to be optimistic about, more so than the one loss yesterday gives me to be pessimistic about. We've shown we can play with anybody minus a top 5-6 type team. Luckily, the earliest we'd play a team like that is the sweet 16. Anything can happen in March (we could bow out in round one again) but I like our chances to advance 1 or 2 rounds before we bow out. And if we do play tough and fight back against a Houston type, I'd still give us a fighter's chance.