Deep thoughts: SU Hoops

[SU94]

1 - Overall, I am not going to complain about our FT shooting (T-Rob notwithstanding), but I wonder, when a player is fouled in the act of shooting and the game immediately goes to a TV timeout, can our shooter practice a few free throws?

• It might be illegal, likely is. But Battle missed a pair at Clemson after a timeout, and I also believe Lydon's missed front end came after a TV break. Any refs out there?

2 - I'll pose this question: Does last year's unlikely (undeserved?) NCAA bid and subsequent run to the Final Four hypothetically help or hinder our status on the bubble come this Selection Sunday?

• I understand that in a vacuum, it should have zero affect. But that committee is made up of humans, and I wonder how last year's developments have marinated in the minds of these brilliant NCAA administrators. I want to believe that it'll help our cause this year (this SU team is HOT, can beat anyone and get to the F4), but I wonder if it'll be the converse ("Boeheim's bastards did not deserve it last year, so F 'em, gimme Illinois State dammit").

3 - Two years ago, we imposed probation (the ACCT and NCAA Tourney bans) on ourselves. Many pundits and opposing fans cried foul, saying we were not going to make the NCAAs anyhow, so this was a toothless penalty. As I think about it, and the more I am learning about this program the last 2 years, I am now convinced that we would have earned a berth. No proof, but look how we've played in February/March the last 2 years. JAB said it himself a few months ago, that with that carrot, the 2014-15 squad (led by R.Christmas, Cooney & Silent G.) would have won 2-3 more games and earned a berth.

• My point here is that the F4 Run and this year's unlikely 5-game surge had showed me that the self-imposed Tourney ban of two seasons ago was an appropriate/legitimate tax for our misdeeds.

 

[newmexicuse]

Our last few seasons have been up and down. It always used to be that we were hot early in the year and seemed to always have a mid-year funk and then break the funk near tourney time. The last few seasons we have improved as the season has progressed.

In general, I prefer to see the intra-season improvement, but man, in the case of this season, I just wish we weren't improving from the depths of such a deep hole.

 

[pfister1]

1 - Overall, I am not going to complain about our FT shooting (T-Rob notwithstanding), but I wonder, when a player is fouled in the act of shooting and the game immediately goes to a TV timeout, can our shooter practice a few free throws?

• It might be illegal, likely is. But Battle missed a pair at Clemson after a timeout, and I also believe Lydon's missed front end came after a TV break. Any refs out there?

2 - I'll pose this question: Does last year's unlikely (undeserved?) NCAA bid and subsequent run to the Final Four hypothetically help or hinder our status on the bubble come this Selection Sunday?

• I understand that in a vacuum, it should have zero affect. But that committee is made up of humans, and I wonder how last year's developments have marinated in the minds of these brilliant NCAA administrators. I want to believe that it'll help our cause this year (this SU team is HOT, can beat anyone and get to the F4), but I wonder if it'll be the converse ("Boeheim's bastards did not deserve it last year, so F 'em, gimme Illinois State dammit").

3 - Two years ago, we imposed probation (the ACCT and NCAA Tourney bans) on ourselves. Many pundits and opposing fans cried foul, saying we were not going to make the NCAAs anyhow, so this was a toothless penalty. As I think about it, and the more I am learning about this program the last 2 years, I am now convinced that we would have earned a berth. No proof, but look how we've played in February/March the last 2 years. JAB said it himself a few months ago, that with that carrot, the 2014-15 squad (led by R.Christmas, Cooney & Silent G.) would have won 2-3 more games and earned a berth.

• My point here is that the F4 Run and this year's unlikely 5-game surge had showed me that the self-imposed Tourney ban of two seasons ago was an appropriate/legitimate tax for our misdeeds.

The TV timeout before free throws are shot bugs the crap out of me. Why do we allow TV to ice the player before he goes to the line? I hate that about how the game has evolved to fit TV.

Unless you are a conspiracy theorist, last year's run should only help us. The committee put us in because they thought we belonged more than other candidates that were considered and not put in. We validated their view by going on a long run. Essentially we made them look smart. I don't believe it has any impact, but if it did I don't believe its anything but positive.

 

[iommi]

1) It's not allowed. It would be a technical, even though it'd be during a break in the action. I'm not sure if the call would be delay of game (since it'd be during a timeout) or unsportsmanlike conduct. Guys take shots casually all the time and they let that slide, but you can't step up to the FT line and practice.

2) Doubt it will have an impact but if anything might help make a committee member's decision in our favor. In the back of his head will be our run,

3) I agree. It's also hard to look at how we did after the ban as any indicator as to how we'd have done without the ban. The team knew we were on a road to nowhere, so it's human nature to dull our motivation.