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Battle...

Jake

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has set the tone defensively the past two games. Both of them, he has been aggressive and disruptive right from the tip and it's really affected our opponent and energized us.

It's stunning to see a team look completely dysfunctional for 6 weeks, and suddenly look like a cohesive unit maximizing its potential with the flick of a switch.

It starts with better defense. Just crazy..
 
has set the tone defensively the past two games. Both of them, he has been aggressive and disruptive right from the tip and it's really affected our opponent and energized us.

It's stunning to see a team look completely dysfunctional for 6 weeks, and suddenly look like a cohesive unit maximizing its potential with the flick of a switch.

It starts with better defense. Just crazy..
He has been an underrated aspect in this resurgence. As you've noted, his defense at the top of the zone has been consistently excellent in these two games, and remarkably so considering he is a freshman and has not come off the court for a second.

His surprisingly good shooting has also carried through, and he's displayed a more versatile offensive game, perhaps because he is gaining confidence, and perhaps because his nagging foot issues are clearing up.
 
I'm a believer! And it is crazy! I didn't weigh in on the other thread about how ridiculous it was that fans gave up on our team, but I gave up on them and I didn't think it was ridiculous, but backed by solid fact. That we could go from -100 degrees Kelvin to 98.6 degrees Farenheit is unbelievable to me. I don't ever want to see that other team again - ever.

Our hope to have a winning season may become a reality! Win with pizazz, lose like you might not lose, make us proud. That's what I expect from SU basketball.
 
He looks like a different player out there. He is not only taking his D to a new level, he is slashing more to the hoop and he has a jumper that he can get off quick and with the rise he gets, he can get it over most anyone. He is THE difference the last two games. JG for sure has turned it up as well, but I think Battle has set the tone
 
has set the tone defensively the past two games. Both of them, he has been aggressive and disruptive right from the tip and it's really affected our opponent and energized us.

It's stunning to see a team look completely dysfunctional for 6 weeks, and suddenly look like a cohesive unit maximizing its potential with the flick of a switch.

It starts with better defense. Just crazy..
I notice a sudden swag off the dribble also. Both he and Gillon have lightening crossovers. He's just warmin up folks and I think we'll see a few ankles broken before we are done.
 
Battle came in as a highly rated player, excellent athlete, tenacious defender. Took him a while to get comfortable and figure some things out.,

Flick of the switch? Yes -- a coaching decision to cut the rotation, give Gillon the keys, rely on Roberson to do exactly what he did last season, put Lydon into one primary role (same as he had in the Final Four run), and plant Coleman & Howard next to the coaches on the bench. Suddenly, the pieces fit.
 
has set the tone defensively the past two games. Both of them, he has been aggressive and disruptive right from the tip and it's really affected our opponent and energized us.

It's stunning to see a team look completely dysfunctional for 6 weeks, and suddenly look like a cohesive unit maximizing its potential with the flick of a switch.

It starts with better defense. Just crazy..
Just 7 days ago, there were many of the unfaithful faithful who where saying that SU was going winless in the ACC. Now the same ones are thinking a deep run in the NCAA. Reality is probably somewhere in between.
 
Just 7 days ago, there were many of the unfaithful faithful who where saying that SU was going winless in the ACC. Now the same ones are thinking a deep run in the NCAA. Reality is probably somewhere in between.
Is there another thread doing that? Cuz...I don't see it in this thread.

If you can't see the team has done a 180 reversal since SJU/BC I can't help you. I stated last week they are looking up at an NIT bid...now I along with 1000's others have hope for a post season. A deep run is premature...Cuse needs to go at a bare minimum 9-9 in conference with a win in the ACC tourney to even have a shot at a 11-12 seed.
 
Is there another thread doing that? Cuz...I don't see it in this thread.

If you can't see the team has done a 180 reversal since SJU/BC I can't help you. I stated last week they are looking up at an NIT bid...now I along with 1000's others have hope for a post season. A deep run is premature...Cuse needs to go at a bare minimum 9-9 in conference with a win in the ACC tourney to even have a shot at a 11-12 seed.

Agreed. I am highly encouraged by the last two games but it is a long tough conference season. I think this next game (VT) is going to be a real measuring stick as to whether this team has turned the corner for good. Curley may have his best squad yet in Blacksburg.
 
Just 7 days ago, there were many of the unfaithful faithful who where saying that SU was going winless in the ACC. Now the same ones are thinking a deep run in the NCAA. Reality is probably somewhere in between.
Based on the prior player rotation I saw 6 wins in the ACC as the upside. With the 5 1/2 players in the rotation now, 9-10 wins is very possible. But it is tough to win with 6 players. Any foul trouble and the team is in trouble. And can the players play to their maximum capabilities having to play 40 minutes a game?
 
Is there another thread doing that? Cuz...I don't see it in this thread.

If you can't see the team has done a 180 reversal since SJU/BC I can't help you. I stated last week they are looking up at an NIT bid...now I along with 1000's others have hope for a post season. A deep run is premature...Cuse needs to go at a bare minimum 9-9 in conference with a win in the ACC tourney to even have a shot at a 11-12 seed.
9-9 won't even come close to cutting it, barring an ACC championship game loss or winsagainst UNC, Duke, Ville, ND. We have 1 semi-ok OOC win and several bad losses. I think we need 11-7 to even start the conversation.
 
Battle's reminding me a lot of Marcus Smart, just needs to take his facilitating game to the next level as well. Definitely a player that if he can mature in the system we can build a scary offense around him.
 
9-9 won't even come close to cutting it, barring an ACC championship game loss or winsagainst UNC, Duke, Ville, ND. We have 1 semi-ok OOC win and several bad losses. I think we need 11-7 to even start the conversation.

11-7 and 2-3 ACCT wins and maybe we're on the bubble.

Honestly, after how bad they were, watching them play together is fun. I hope they get JB to 1000 and finish above .500. Unless DC and FH get minutes,the 5.5 player rotation is going to wear down. But at least these last couple games have been fun.
 
11-7 and 2-3 ACCT wins and maybe we're on the bubble.

Honestly, after how bad they were, watching them play together is fun. I hope they get JB to 1000 and finish above .500. Unless DC and FH get minutes,the 5.5 player rotation is going to wear down. But at least these last couple games have been fun.

If we go 11-7 with 2-3 wins in the ACC tourney we might be a 4-5 seed in the NCAA's.
 
if we go 9-9 in the acc we will by default have 6-8 solid wins. that is more than many bubble teams will end up with. but if we were sitting at 1 loss OOC we still would have only 1 decent OOC win, we would have less bad losses but not any more good wins.
 
Battle's reminding me a lot of Marcus Smart, just needs to take his facilitating game to the next level as well. Definitely a player that if he can mature in the system we can build a scary offense around him.

Not sure on that. Battle has done little facilitating, but is shooting the 3 very well. Smart was a strong all around player, except he couldn't shoot the 3.
 
11-7 and 2-3 ACCT wins and maybe we're on the bubble.

Honestly, after how bad they were, watching them play together is fun. I hope they get JB to 1000 and finish above .500. Unless DC and FH get minutes,the 5.5 player rotation is going to wear down. But at least these last couple games have been fun.
Disagree. 11-7 and 2-3 ACCT wins gives us a 21-12 record - and like another poster mentioned, if we have 13 total ACC wins (including the tourney) we will by default have at least a few good wins.

I would also think the committee would give us some credit for "finishing strong". Either way, once we hit 10 ACC wins, then we can seriously start looking at our resume and other bubble teams, but until then, there is not much of a conversation. 10-8 is the absolute MINIMUM; 11-7 is a legit shot; 12-6 I'll feel good.
 
But yeah at somepoint JB will have to give more minutes to Howard, DC and/or TT. Even if you give FH 10 minutes a game and give Gillon/Battle 35 minutes each. We don't want to wear these guys down by early February. I don't doubt their endurance, but it's going to be hard to compete in the ACC for 3 months when only 5 guys are playing and another guy is getting 5 minutes a game
 
But yeah at somepoint JB will have to give more minutes to Howard, DC and/or TT. Even if you give FH 10 minutes a game and give Gillon/Battle 35 minutes each. We don't want to wear these guys down by early February. I don't doubt their endurance, but it's going to be hard to compete in the ACC for 3 months when only 5 guys are playing and another guy is getting 5 minutes a game


It is very unlikely that he'll see any significant minutes from here on out.
 
Good post, Jake. Battle's ascension has been a key factor in our turnaround. Not just defensively--where he's been great--but also because he's starting to round into form in other dimensions of his game. He's giving us athletic defense, a secondary ball handler, a complimentary shooter, and he's now showing that he can drive.

We needed him to be more of a factor.
 
Gillon, Battle, White, Roberson, Thompson, Lydon, all can play more then 1 position, that's all JB needs to play, unless something comes up.
 

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