“They’re the best defensive team we’ve played,’’ said Tennessee coach Rick Barnes

[OrangeinBoston]

Wait... But, I was told Red was clueless coaching defense...

 

[23Zone]

Offense I think is what most people have been complaining about

Wait... But, I was told Red was clueless coaching defense

 

[Newhouser]

It's funny how better, longer athletes with some "want to" are better at defense.

 

[Sbucketball]

Rick Barnes said this was the best defensive SYRACUSE team over the last few years. Anyway, defense was previously awful under Autry, and this year it’s much better. Kudus to Autry. Anyone who makes observations about poor play here is just reporting what their eyes show them, and wish and hope it would be better and Autry would be better. All here rooting for the same program and team.

 

[Orange Barrel]

“They’re the best defensive team we’ve played,’’ said Tennessee coach Rick Barnes, whose Vols faced Houston and Kansas in Las Vegas last week.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Wait... But, I was told Red was clueless coaching defense...

Most of the complaints this year are at the other end.

 

[cusefan88]

If they can smooth out the offense they will be cooking. Unfortunately I think what we saw in Vegas was them giving 100% and losing to Houston and leaving nothing in reserve after.

Looking forward to seeing these guys when ACC play starts.

 

[Cusefan0307]

If they can smooth out the offense they will be cooking. Unfortunately I think what we saw in Vegas was them giving 100% and losing to Houston and leaving nothing in reserve after.

Looking forward to seeing these guys when ACC play starts.

The Houston game is even more annoying after last night.

 

[690West]

Rick Barnes said this was the best defensive SYRACUSE team over the last few years. Anyway, defense was previously awful under Autry, and this year it’s much better. Kudus to Autry. Anyone who makes observations about poor play here is just reporting what their eyes show them, and wish and hope it would be better and Autry would be better. All here rooting for the same program and team.

Yeah. It’s at the 1:54 mark. Still a nice compliment but he was saying it’s the best Syracuse defense in years.

 

[ScriptCuse]

If they can smooth out the offense they will be cooking. Unfortunately I think what we saw in Vegas was them giving 100% and losing to Houston and leaving nothing in reserve after.

Looking forward to seeing these guys when ACC play starts.

In my opinion that Iowa State game and a lot of Kansas was them being emotionally spent after dropping that game to Houston and then they were just defeated before the showed up to play Iowa state. Just my humble $.02. If they pulled out that Houston game, I believe they beat Kansas, too. But that's all woulda coulda shoulda.

I think they're somewhere in between the combination of Houston, Kansas, Tennessee games... which is a particularly good team.

 

[Sbucketball]

“They’re the best defensive team we’ve played,’’ said Tennessee coach Rick Barnes, whose Vols faced Houston and Kansas in Las Vegas last week.

Listen to his presser. The reporter misinterpreted. Best defensive cuse team last few years, not best defensive team overall.

 

[OrlandoCuse]

Rick Barnes is a class act. Great post game interview. Very candid about his own team’s performance while also being complimentary of Syracuse.

 

[PhatOrange]

We've just played some outstanding defensive teams to, the offense will look a lot different if they can hit mid 30's on open 3 attempts. Missing too many open looks. Losing a lot of points at the line to.

 

[Orange Barrel]

Listen to his presser. The reporter misinterpreted. Best defensive cuse team last few years, not best defensive team overall.

Yup. Was quoting Waters. Should have known better.

 

[dasher]

Rick Barnes is a class act. Great post game interview. Very candid about his own team’s performance while also being complimentary of Syracuse.

I know some people that have dealt with him. A real class guy.

 

[Newhouser]

They have a nice team but they need a shooter badly. Also for all their size and girth they really didn't kill us on the glass and their FT shooting may have been worse than ours.

 

[Fly Rodder]

The Houston game is even more annoying after last night.

annoying yes, but one possession games are going to pretty much be 50/50 whether they are wins. We lost one and won one so far.

 

[Niastri]

We all knew the number 1 defensive ranking from a few weeks ago after pounding our early cupcake schedule was a red herring.

However, even after our losing streak, we are top35 defensively in important categories like FG%, 2pt%, 3pt, 3pt Attempts, and points allowed. And the good points allowed ranking isn't based on pace, where we strangle opponents possessions and thus wind up with low scoring games. We're playing a little bit slow, but are still getting 71 possessions per game, ranking 208 out of 365 (so kind of average pace).

One thing I noticed about our defense only after looking at the stats is that we seem to be doing a great job of limiting three point attempts and percentage at a high rate. We give up only 18.8 attempts per game, and allow a .307 percent makes, which rank 30th and 114th respectively. On the other hand, we are forcing opponents to take 39.4 two point shots per game, which is the 58th most two point shots. Opponents are only making .419 of their twos... Good for 13th in the country. We are blocking 6 shots per game as well, which also is 13th in the country.

Our defense is legitimately really good, and you can see the beginnings of a solid defensive strategy in place. Forcing opponents to take two point shots because of strong hedging at the three point line and then forcing opponents to take contested two point shots with top shot blockers challenging is an enduring defensive strategy, if you have the talent to contest those two point shots effectively.

My only concern is we give up way too many offensive rebounds at 12.9 per game. Some of that is a result of our best rebounders also trying to block the shot, so they aren't in position to rebound a lot of the time. It is a trade off that JB made for decades, and we did ok with it.

It seems to be working now as well, with even our four games against top teams, we have only given up one 40 point half, and that was the huge letdown game against Iowa State, so I'm inclined to call that an outlier, and accept the greater trend as the truth.

 

[RF2044]

I know some people that have dealt with him. A real class guy.

Boeheim and Barnes were good friends, from what I understand.

 

[sufan59]

They have a nice team but they need a shooter badly. Also for all their size and girth they really didn't kill us on the glass and their FT shooting may have been worse than ours.

They did a great job on Gillespie

 

[Sbucketball]

I want Syracuse to be a great defensive program. I'll take a William Kyle over an Eddie Lampkin every day of the week.

 

[RF2044]

It is amazing how good Kyle is, even with his offensive limitations.

When I first saw the game film of him at both SDS and UCLA, I wrote that he reminded me of Hakim Warrick type athleticism, but in a 230 pound body. Runs like a gazelle, even at the end of games, beating more tired big men down the floor.

He's every bit as good as what any of us could have hoped for. WITH the offensive limitations.

 

[djorange1989]

We went to a Sweet 16 with an anemic offense and great defense the year we upset Michigan State. Gotta make the tourney first, but defense travels as they say

 

[Cuseregular]

Yeah. It’s at the 1:54 mark. Still a nice compliment but he was saying it’s the best Syracuse defense in years.

wasn't referring just to syracuse ladies and gents, clearly referring to the "tournements" etc., meaning not just Cuse but overall. Nice compliment

 

[jdubs30]

It is amazing how good Kyle is, even with his offensive limitations.

When I first saw the game film of him at both SDS and UCLA, I wrote that he reminded me of Hakim Warrick type athleticism, but in a 230 pound body. Runs like a gazelle, even at the end of games, beating more tired big men down the floor.

He's every bit as good as what any of us could have hoped for. WITH the offensive limitations.

And look who theyve gone against -
Tugler/Cenac
Bidunga
Jefferson
Okpara/Carey