"Expert" got it wrong about Syracuse

[Orangeyes]

Last night on ESPN, six talking heads, Tim Welsh, Bob Valvano, Miles Simon, Joe Lunardi, Dino Gaudio and Adrian Branch moderated by SU grad Anish Sharoff discussed the tournament for three hours. They were going round by round and had us playing Vanderbildt

Welsh has SU going all the way. Simon said our zone is going to give Vandy trouble. Branch said the problem with SU is that they don't change defenses. Valvano countered and said that's not true, Syracuse has about four variations in the zone. Gaudio said he went to a clinic of JB's. Someone asked him what kind of team gives the zone problems. Boeheim answered, one with a very athletic point guard.

Welsh said that in the game against Cincy, SU failed to crowd the three point line. He said you won't see that again. He also mentioned that in the latter part of the season everyone, including UConn, slowed the game down against us to have a chance of winning by keeping the game in the 50's & 60's.

Valvano said that Louisville had solved the Syracuse zone and beaten us 7 of the last 8 times. Anish, Welsh and Lunardi and the rest of the panel all missed that. That was true before our last two wins against the Cardinals. Please don't take away those hard fought victories!

 

[cusetown1]

I know he's a homer, but Timmy Welsh is the man. These "experts" seem to be dropping the ball on many of these stats, games won on the road, etc.

 

[EastCoast2]

DId you see Andy Katz pick OSU to win the East? His rational was: "Syracuse has too many obstacles... KSU, Vandy, and FSU to get through the East"... Ummm okay Andy, so you're picking #2 OSU to win the East because #1 Syracuse won't get past #3 FSU? Seems logical

 

[cusetown1]

DId you see Andy Katz pick OSU to win the East? His rational was: "Syracuse has too many obstacles... KSU, Vandy, and FSU to get through the East"... Ummm okay Andy, so you're picking #2 OSU to win the East because #1 Syracuse won't get past #3 FSU? Seems logical

OSU has been extremely consistent this year, it's really a no brainer. Chalk it up. :bang:

 

[OrangeXtreme]

DId you see Andy Katz pick OSU to win the East? His rational was: "Syracuse has too many obstacles... KSU, Vandy, and FSU to get through the East"... Ummm okay Andy, so you're picking #2 OSU to win the East because #1 Syracuse won't get past #3 FSU? Seems logical

Has Katz even looked at the bracket?

 

[EastCoast2]

Has Katz even looked at the bracket?

He probably doesn't realize a #1 can't play the #2 AND #3 in their region

 

[reedny]

Has Katz even looked at the bracket?

My question exactly (he thinks we're playing BOTH the 2d and 3d seeds).

That said, I had the feeling we got screwed in the 2nd and third rounds with matchups against K-State and Vandy. But according to this (unscientific and simplistic) comparison of RPI's among (possible) 2d/3d round games, maybe we don't have as hard a path as the experts think:

1- Mich.St. (playing 16 Memphis and 14 UL)(30);
2- UNC (playing 25Creighton and 20Temple/13Michigan)(38/45);
3- Ky (playing 32 UConn and 12 Wich.St/17Indiana)(44/49); and
4- SU (playing 46 K.St. then 18 Vandy)(64);

This isn't the whole picture (Vandy's hot, for example) and teams don't always perform in line with their rankings. But maybe we don't have it as tough as some are suggesting.

 

[senorpalmer]

Candy Andy thinks SU has to play and beat all 15 opponents in the region.

 

[reedny]

Candy Andy thinks SU has to play and beat all 15 opponents in the region.

Exactly, if Katz thinks we (SU) can't possibly beat Vandy and Wisconsin, and then Fl. State and OSU, then his understanding of the tournament is non-existent (names in the bracket?).