19.8%...

[Fly Rodder]

"Cooney was recruited specifically to be a [6 ' 4"] thee point threat"

BJ, Mookie, and Southerland were all long lanky players. The last guard SU brought in that was less than 6' was Flynn. If recruit A is a 6'0" combo guard and projects to be a 38% shooter and Recruit B is 6'6" with no handle and projects to shoot 32%, Boeheim is going with Recruit B every time.

 

[jordoo]

"Cooney was recruited specifically to be a [6 ' 4"] thee point threat"

BJ, Mookie, and Southerland were all long lanky players. The last guard SU brought in that was less than 6' was Flynn. If recruit A is a 6'0" combo guard and projects to be a 38% shooter and Recruit B is 6'6" with no handle and projects to shoot 32%, Boeheim is going with Recruit B every time.

We are certainly looking for big guards more and more in recruiting. Even Joseph who is (I think) the smallest guard we have gotten since Flynn looks big compared to a lot of the guards he goes against.

 

[moqui]

for all the grief our guards are getting, I'd like to point out their true shooting percentages: Cooney at 51.5 and Joseph at 49.4 are actually better than the vaunted UVA backcourt of Malcolm Brogdan (50.1) and London Perrantes (42.3)

that doesn't excuse our guys , but (1) it's early and there is lots of room for improvement and (2) it's not disastrous . . . yet

 

[OrangeFoo]

But it has also managed to produce the best winning percentage in any 5 year period as well correct?

Correct we have won more than any other 5 year period in history... but it's also produced the most boring, unwatchable basketball that I've seen from a JB team. SU basketball use to be must-see tv for me. These days I don't try to hard to watch a game because for the most part they are the rock fights for which we make fun of the Big 10 or for which we used to make fun of the bottom half of the old BE. It's ironic that it took until we left the BE to play like a BE team... throw it up and hope to get an offensive board and play D like anything.

 

[Hoov50]

This is the night we break out and shoot for 50% from the arc. We will make 8 threes tonight and win by 7.

If we make 8 threes I expect to win by at least 15.

 

[Fly Rodder]

And it is true, there aren't many top-40 schools going after short players.

One of the foundations of the Oakland A's philosophies was looking for players that were good at baseball, but didn't fit one or more of the prerequisites for being a good player (e.g., 6'5" right hander or a power hitter built like a weight lifter) and weren't in demand.

SU looks for players whose size (and wingspan) fits the zone first, any offense that they provide or whether or not they are "good" basketball players is secondary. Because the two groups aren't mutually exclusive, SU tends to get some really good players, but it can cut both ways (as we're seeing this season so far).

 

[moqui]

Correct we have won more than any other 5 year period in history... but it's also produced the most boring, unwatchable basketball that I've seen from a JB team. SU basketball use to be must-see tv for me. These days I don't try to hard to watch a game because for the most part they are the rock fights for which we make fun of the Big 10 or for which we used to make fun of the bottom half of the old BE. It's ironic that it took until we left the BE to play like a BE team... throw it up and hope to get an offensive board and play D like anything.

I'd argue that is a college basketball phenomenon, not a Syracuse basketball phenomenon. The college game is terrible and, frankly, I blame the coaches, who live and die on every possession. SU basketball was must watch because JB held loose reins on his teams, but he has fallen into the control trap himself, IMO.

 

[jordoo]

for all the grief our guards are getting, I'd like to point out their true shooting percentages: Cooney at 51.5 and Joseph at 49.4 are actually better than the vaunted UVA backcourt of Malcolm Brogdan (50.1) and London Perrantes (42.3)

that doesn't excuse our guys , but (1) it's early and there is lots of room for improvement and (2) it's not disastrous . . . yet

I think that its possible for this early season 3pt draught to be a good thing latter on this season. If it forces Cooney to find other ways to score and then he starts making shots then he will be even more dangerous. It also makes Kaleb learn to run the offense better because right now we cannot rely on making 3's. Law of averages says that Cooney is going to heat it up at some point and nothing indicates that his shooting this season couldn't be a revers of last seasons.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I'd argue that is a college basketball phenomenon, not a Syracuse basketball phenomenon. The college game is terrible and, frankly, I blame the coaches, who live and die on every possession. SU basketball was must watch because JB held loose reins on his teams, but he has fallen into the control trap himself, IMO.

Officiating has gone back to how it was in 2012-13. The block/charge rule still sucks. Defense is still physical. Ken Pomeroy had a piece on this yesterday on Deadspin. We are on pace for the slowest, most defensive season in College basketball history.

When possessions are decreased, they are more valuable, hence the controlled coaching.

 

[jordoo]

Correct we have won more than any other 5 year period in history... but it's also produced the most boring, unwatchable basketball that I've seen from a JB team. SU basketball use to be must-see tv for me. These days I don't try to hard to watch a game because for the most part they are the rock fights for which we make fun of the Big 10 or for which we used to make fun of the bottom half of the old BE. It's ironic that it took until we left the BE to play like a BE team... throw it up and hope to get an offensive board and play D like anything.

A legitimate gripe for sure. I just wanted to be fair and point out that recruiting to the defensive system, if posters feel that's what we are doing and its the problem with shooting, has been wildly successful. I too wish for faster paced basketball but its a college bball as a whole issue not just SU. Everything is skewed toward giving the defense the advantage.

 

[jordoo]

Officiating has gone back to how it was in 2012-13. The block/charge rule still sucks. Defense is still physical Ken Pomeroy had a piece on this yesterday on Deadspin. We are on pace for the slowest, most defensive season in College basketball history.

When possessions are decreased, they are more valuable, hence the controlled coaching.

Hence ugly less entertaining bball. Boohoo! Good post though as you are correct.

 

[dasher]

Good grief, man. You are overreacting... come on. All it takes is going 14 for 14 tonight and we will find ourselves right at the 30% mark. Talk about some people losing perspective. Sheesh.

Good point.

 

[moqui]

there is a slight discrepancy between the ESPN stats and the stats on the SUAD site . . . ESPN has two additional attempts , one credited to Roc & one to KJ. I think the SUAD stats are correct, because ESPN's total FG attempts of 360 is also two higher than the official NCAA (and SUAD) total of 358. I can't check our official NCAA three point numbers because they only list them for teams that have made at least 5 per game, which is pretty sad in itself.

in any case, I say fcuk it - wipe the slate clean. I don't care what their season percentage ends up being as long as they can hit 30% as a team and Cooney can hit 35% himself from here on out. If they can add just that level of outside mediocrity to their strong inside game and very good defense, they will be something close to a juggernaut.

the season starts tonight.

 

[OttoMets]

We shot .403 in 1989.

It looks like this year's team is playing a different sport.

 

[690West]

I knew SU was bad at 3pt shooting, but 19.8 percent (18/91) as a team is absolutely horrid.

This is like 3rd and 4th grade recreation basketball-level shooting.

We're only a week into the season, but my 4th graders are shooting 8% from three. So we've got that goin for us...