Importance of FSU game - 3 aspects

[sugrad68]

Hopefully after 8 days off the team will have its legs back. Cooney might even get a FT over the front rim. If we play against FSU like we did against either GT or VT we could lose by double digits. Play like we did against ND and we win, probably easily. This team is Jekyll and Hyde.

 

[Consigliere]

The last 6 games have put us in position go make this a critical game.

• We're on the right side of the bubble and want to stay there.
• All else being equal a win makes the season ending game at FSU a chance to be playing with house money. What I mean is that if we split, our overall resume probably puts us on a higher seed line.
• Virtually clinches a 1st round ACC bye and keeps us in strong position for a double bye. We would remain 1 loss behind Duke and Notre Dame for the last one and hold tie-breakers on both
• Clinches a 46th consecutive winning season. Seems academic now but at 10-7 more than a few of us were starting to sweat this one.
• Based on the BC - UNC game results there are absolutely no gimmes the rest of the way. Need to grab every W we can s early as we can.

 

[jncuse]

We need to split against FSU -- we can't put ourselves in a position to need to way there.

 

[jncuse]

• Clinches a 46th consecutive winning season. Seems academic now but at 10-7 more than a few of us were starting to sweat this one.n.

I have to admit I was concerned about how we were possibly going to get 17 wins when we were stuck at 10.

 

[sugrad68]

I have to admit I was concerned about how we were possibly going to get 17 wins when we were stuck at 10.

I agree totally. The way the team was playing when JB came back from his suspension was poor. Rebounding was terrible. Shot selection not good. Of course, with the exception of the ND and Duke games, the games we've won since JB's return have not been against outstanding teams -- Wake, BC, GT and VT. ND was at home and ND was missing their outstanding guard, a probable lottery pick. But we played an outstanding game against ND and probably would have won anyway. But no matter how you look at tonight's game, it is close to a must-win game.

 

[pearl31]

But no matter how you look at tonight's game, it is close to a must-win game.

Except that I could easily argue the previous two games were more "must-win" than the game tonight.

 

[sugrad68]

Except that I could easily argue the previous two games were more "must-win" than the game tonight.

lol. Of course I would agree, with 20-20 hindsight. Lose either of those 2 games and we would be off Lunardi's board totally. You have to assess each game's importance at the time it is being played. Win tonight and the BC game is very important, because if we lose to such an inferior team, it looks horrible on our resume. Then the Pitt game and the NC State game are the most important, since we will be underdogs against Louisville, UNC and FSU.

 

[pearl31]

lol. Of course I would agree, with 20-20 hindsight. Lose either of those 2 games and we would be off Lunardi's board totally. You have to assess each game's importance at the time it is being played. Win tonight and the BC game is very important, because if we lose to such an inferior team, it looks horrible on our resume. Then the Pitt game and the NC State game are the most important, since we will be underdogs against Louisville, UNC and FSU.

well sure, I think that after the start to the ACC we had, virtually ever game became "must-win" - mostly just trying to say that, as far as a single game goes, tonight's isn't make or break

 

[TempleNCuse]

I was going to make the 2 hour drive up for the game tonight but after checking some Syracuse webcams I've decided against it. Hopefully everyone who does go makes it to and from safely!

Originally my goal was to go to the Temple-UConn game in Philly tonight. Unfortunately a 7 pm tip in North Philly is almost impossible to make unless I take a half day of work. 7 pm tips in Syracuse are doable...just not tonight

 

[sugrad68]

well sure, I think that after the start to the ACC we had, virtually ever game became "must-win" - mostly just trying to say that, as far as a single game goes, tonight's isn't make or break

Assume we lose tonight. We should beat BC. No guarantees for us winning against NC State or Pitt at home but let's again assume we win both and lose the games in which we will be underdogs -- Louisville, UNC and at FSU. That puts us at 9-9 in conference. 19-12 overall. I don't think we're in the tournament with that record. I think 10-8, 20-11, and one win in the ACC tournament gets us in -- probably. So, no, the game tonight is not make-or-break depending on how we do in the remaining game. But in the scenario I just laid out, it comes very close to make-or-break.

 

[obliterata]

Not a must win but if 9 wins is the magic number and UNC, Louisville, and Pitt are losses - which is possible - then getting there becomes considerably harder with a loss tonight. 8-5 after BC is a lot better than 7-6.

 

[Eric15]

I'm extremely nervous about this FSU game. I'm going to be watching this game with the intensity that I watch SU NCAA Tournament games (i.e. pacing around the house almost on the verge of tears with my wife legitimately concerned for my physical and psychological well-being).

I just want to say that I didn't pace once that entire game. What a pleasant basketball watching experience that was.

 

[bballbeadle]

I'm extremely nervous about this FSU game. I'm going to be watching this game with the intensity that I watch SU NCAA Tournament games (i.e. pacing around the house almost on the verge of tears with my wife legitimately concerned for my physical and psychological well-being).

I hope you feel a little better now.