If there was a players-only meeting…

[FrancoPizza]

The one positive thing is that there is no maybe here. It isn't like we can fool ourselves in to thinking we are really close to being good because we are losing close games. We need a portal hit. I thought it might be just one player but it is more than that. At least two guys.

It can’t be any two guys. The collectives need to get behind Red and give him what he needs. Then red needs to close.

 

[SUFan44]

It's a sophomore team. No senior leadership. The roster imbalance that JB dumped on Red and Gmac is the cause of this train wreck. It's going to take a couple of recruiting cycles to fix.

I disagree. It’s not cycles anymore. You can turn over the whole thing if you want to in one year. It may take time for the new team to gel but that’s not a couple of recruiting cycles. That’s more talent. Game has changed.

 

[JustPherU]

I’ve seen some folks comment that players were not listening to Red or were jawing at him during the game. I personally didn’t see that. Did that happen?

Q definitely was going at Red when he was taken out after his airball.

 

[IthacaMatt]

players only meeting usually spells disaster. maybe red is to close to the players. i really don't know. what is going on now to me spells player apathy and coaching. time to play the people who are truly interested, and give the others time to think about it.
obviously underlying issues here. very difficult situation for red.

Two problems I see: (1) too many guys who are not as good as they think they are, and (2) too many guys who don't try hard consistently enough on defense. Oh, we play good D for 20 minutes, or 10 minutes here and there, but never for a full game.

 

[SWC75]

There is no leader on this team. It’s the real reason games get away from us. No one can step up and keep this team together. Our front court is the worse in the ACC. I don’t think there’s a close second. I’d be shocked if this team doesn’t finish in the last four in the conference. They will not win another game on the road. They just don’t have the mental fortitude to handle any kind of adversity.

A leader is best when people barely know he exists, not so good when people obey and acclaim him, worse when people despise him, but of a good leader who talks little, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: "We did it ourselves". - Lao Tsu

I just heard that in a documentary about Bud Grant, the long-time coach of the Vikings. Lacking a good leader, I'll take one who they know exists.

 

[NortheastOHSUfan]

Q definitely was going at Red when he was taken out after his airball.

Q hasn't been the same since his game winner vs. Miami. Picks up quick fouls and shoots many more deep shots than he probably should at this point in his development. JMO.

 

[djcon57]

Tyler career FGA/game: 5.4
Maliq career FGA/game: 4.5

Tyler career PER: 16.6
Maliq career PER: 21.2

Excited to see the response to this.

 

[Madbiker]

We have a bottom third of the conference frontcourt. We have no center. Even before McLeod was injured he was playing 10 MPG because outside of shot blocking he can't guard anyone who moves. Kudos to Brown for his effort in moving out of his natural PF position to play C because we have nobody else. But Brown should not be a center for any team that doesn't have DC and Anthony at the forwards. Our forwards? Yikes. Bell is miscast. He's a 3 point sniper who should come off the bench for 15 minutes, 20 in the games he's really on. He's a poor defender and zero rebounder. He has to play major minutes for this team because we have no other threat that has to be guarded. So he helps spacing. When he's off the court we have no spacing. Taylor lacks ACC athleticism and he needs an inordinate amount of space and time to get his shots off. He reminds me of the kind of guy we would see on a decent mid major back in the JB zone days who would roast us with 7-15 from the arc because he would get all open shots with no defender in his grill. Unfortunately nobody in the ACC plays zone. Benny? Great athleticism but just doesn't have the skills and it's year 3 so no more waiting on "potential".

Red must get this team a legit center from the portal for next year and not just run the same guys back again. And please also get SF who can shoot and help on the boards too. Yes, Freeman and Moore are 2 real good gets and will be upgrades but we have to add more than that.

 

[br801]

Q hasn't been the same since his game winner vs. Miami. Picks up quick fouls and shoots many more deep shots than he probably should at this point in his development. JMO.

He wasn't even very good in that game until the closing minutes.

 

[RF2044]

Sometimes, young players can be leaders, or lead by example. Leadership isn't just about age / experience.

But we don't have anybody suited for the role on this year's squad. Our best players are young, and haven't experienced success at this level, and don't "know" what it takes to have sustained, high-level success, or don't seem inclined to lead. There's nobody on this team who's been through the wars, and is willing to step up and hold their teammates accountable -- whether vocally or leading by example. Instead...

• At least one of our best players is auditioning for the NBA, gives intermittent defensive effort, and often gets caught up complaining or not hustling back on defense when he doesn't get calls.
• The other two comprising the top 3 are quiet types who aren't demonstrative.
• We have another player who IS vocal, but also has had some moments of hotheaded volatility that detract from leadership.

All four are sophomores, working with their second head coach in two years.

The real issue is not just that there is limited upperclass experience on the roster to help guide the way, but that the lone upperclassman who SHOULD be providing some semblance of leadership might be the most immature and unreliable player of them all.

Poor roster construction from a leadership standpoint. I'd kill for a stud lead guard to help right the ship, on AND off the court,

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Come on this isn't 1975. There are lots of successful teams built around underclassmen.

But they are Uber talented. We don’t have one of those.

 

[kcsu]

Come on this isn't 1975. There are lots of successful teams built around underclassmen.

Name them

 

[djcon57]

Name them

Duke?

 

[Don]

Michigan fab 5 that went to two final fours in a row was built around Freshman and then sophomores. Duke for sure there are other but it doesnt happen that much

 

[Cuse181]

Name them

FAU last year was essentially sophomore led, top 4 guys were sophomores

 

[djcon57]

Michigan fab 5 that went to two final fours in a row was built around Freshman and then sophomores. Duke for sure there are other but it doesnt happen that much

I was just talking about this year.

It absolutely did happen often, Caliparis whole Kentucky run. Doesn’t happen as much now due to the Covid year and transfer portal

 

[Don]

I was just talking about this year.

It absolutely did happen often, Caliparis whole Kentucky run. Doesn’t happen as much now due to the Covid year and transfer portal

yeah i was agreeing with you, you dont need senior laden teams to win championships or even be good, you just needs good players, coaching i think. The history of the NCAA is full of championships lead by freshman or sophomores .

 

[baggerbob]

yeah i was agreeing with you, you dont need senior laden teams to win championships or even be good, you just needs good players, coaching i think. The history of the NCAA is full of championships lead by freshman or sophomores .

Our 2003 team 3 freshman, 3 sophmores, a junior, and a senior.

 

[W'boro'Cuse315]

Maliq is so overrated…..

 

[Don]

back when i first started watching ande really getting into basketball Freshman couldnt play on Varsity college teams. Heck Lew Alcinder and players like that had to play JV

 

[donniesyracuse]

back when i first started watching ande really getting into basketball Freshman couldnt play on Varsity college teams. Heck Lew Alcinder and players like that had to play JV

I heard the Bing & Boeheim JV team drew bigger crowds than the varsity.

 

[SWC75]

I heard the Bing & Boeheim JV team drew bigger crowds than the varsity.

So did the Wayne Ward/Ernie Austin group in 1966-67 when they played the Niagara freshmen, (Calvin Murphy).

I miss the freshmen games going on as you walked into the arena. I wish they could do women's/men's double headers.

 

[tbonezone]

I heard the Bing & Boeheim JV team drew bigger crowds than the varsity.

not sure they were there to see jim. (2 baskets and a little under 2 bds as a soph)
don't have the frosh numbers but perhaps the girls came out as he was such a "dreamy" looking guy.

 

[SBU72]

Wait, hold on.
So Red and GMAC weren’t coaches under Boeheim? They had no part in recruiting our current roster? The roster was transitioned to an all-new coaching staff?

AA

2011–2016	Syracuse (assistant)
2016–2023	Syracuse (associate HC)

GM

2009–2011	Syracuse (graduate manager)
2011–2023	Syracuse (assistant)
2023–present	Syracuse (associate HC)

Don't you think they were handcuffed by the style of the head coach. That they convinced JB to go after lean/lanky front court me to play a complicated zone D exclusively. That a true point guard wasn't necessary? Yeah Red and GMac may have had a hand in who was recruited but they it may not have been their true choices.

 

[atlanticuse]

Don't you think they were handcuffed by the style of the head coach. That they convinced JB to go after lean/lanky front court me to play a complicated zone D exclusively. That a true point guard wasn't necessary? Yeah Red and GMac may have had a hand in who was recruited but they it may not have been their true choices.

no