2-0 and 3 to go

[RF2044]

We're now two games into the 5 game critical stretch, and we've managed to secure two wins. First, we beat a ranked Notre Dame team, running them out of the gym [clearly, they missed not having their best player]. Then, we held serve at home against a big Georgia Tech team that seemed well suited to exploit our deficiencies.

Next up, we have Virginia Tech--a team that played us close in two games last year. Their coach is a bombastic, sweaty buffoon--but he's a great tactition who gets his players to play hard. Can't afford to stub our toe against VT. Need to win home games to get closer to that magical 10 win conference season that I think is necessary to ensure a spot in the NCAA tournament.

On that note, I'm sure that the perpetual Boeheim bashers won't agree, but this is shaping up as one of JB's finer coaching jobs. When you consider the glaring limitations, the lack of inside production, etc. this roster has, how god awful they looked early on in the season and then again during hte disastrous 4-5 Hopkins substitute stint, and how they're playing now--it is a remarkable transformation. That he's actually righted the ship, has the team playing quality ball, helped the team overcome the rebounding deficiency that plagued us early in the season, and has coached a modicum of inside play out of Coleman / Roberson is a big reason for the turnaround. Fantastic coaching job so far.

We already have a sufficiently high quality resume to make the tournament in terms of who we've beaten. [A&M, Duke on the road, ND, etc.]. Now, we just have to TCB at home and get these next couple of wins. It starts Tuesday with VT.

I don't want to look ahead--but we're sitting at 15 wins, with three winnable games ahead of us. VT, FSU [both at home], and BC on the road. Have to win those games. Our margin for error is thin, but as suggested last week, this five-game stretch will make our break our season.

So far, we're 2-0 with 3 to go.


Let's Go Orange!!!

 

[bballbeadle]

Living Legend, I absolutely agree with you. Boeheim has righted the ship and done the near impossible (in my mind, anyway. Sorry, Hulk!). It's not as if we were playing well and losing games. We were playing like zombies and losing games. Boeheim's resurrection of this team borders on the supernatural!

 

[Knicks411]

It is pretty crazy how different the play has been in the Hopkins game vs Boeheim games.

 

[MSOrange]

We're now two games into the 5 game critical stretch, and we've managed to secure two wins. First, we beat a ranked Notre Dame team, running them out of the gym [clearly, they missed not having their best player]. Then, we held serve at home against a big Georgia Tech team that seemed well suited to exploit our deficiencies.

Next up, we have Virginia Tech--a team that played us close in two games last year. Their coach is a bombastic, sweaty buffoon--but he's a great tactition who gets his players to play hard. Can't afford to stub our toe against VT. Need to win home games to get closer to that magical 10 win conference season that I think is necessary to ensure a spot in the NCAA tournament.

On that note, I'm sure that the perpetual Boeheim bashers won't agree, but this is shaping up as one of JB's finer coaching jobs. When you consider the glaring limitations, the lack of inside production, etc. this roster has, how god awful they looked early on in the season and then again during hte disastrous 4-5 Hopkins substitute stint, and how they're playing now--it is a remarkable transformation. That he's actually righted the ship, has the team playing quality ball, helped the team overcome the rebounding deficiency that plagued us early in the season, and has coached a modicum of inside play out of Coleman / Roberson is a big reason for the turnaround. Fantastic coaching job so far.

We already have a sufficiently high quality resume to make the tournament in terms of who we've beaten. [A&M, Duke on the road, ND, etc.]. Now, we just have to TCB at home and get these next couple of wins. It starts Tuesday with VT.

I don't want to look ahead--but we're sitting at 15 wins, with three winnable games ahead of us. VT, FSU [both at home], and BC on the road. Have to win those games. Our margin for error is thin, but as suggested last week, this five-game stretch will make our break our season.

So far, we're 2-0 with 3 to go.


Let's Go Orange!!!

Great post. I couldn't believe that game at Va Tech last year when we were up by 19 at half time and were a missed three at the buzzer from blowing the whole thing. To say I was in meltdown mode is an understatement. I forgot they almost got us at home also. Definitely can't sleep walk tomorrow night.

 

[Knicks411]

The ACC is pretty annoying when even a relatively bottom of the barrel team like Va Tech has Buzz as the coach

 

[Eric15]

Next up, we have Virginia Tech--a team that played us close in two games last year. Their coach is a bombastic, sweaty buffoon

Give Buzz a break. He may be bombastic, he may be sweaty, and he may be a buffoon, but... wait what was the fourth thing you said?

 

[Alsacs]

The ACC has become the Big East from 2009-2013.

It is such a meat grinder. You have one layup DePaul/Boston College and then every other team is capable of beating each other.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

The ACC is pretty annoying when even a relatively bottom of the barrel team like Va Tech has Buzz as the coach

Buzz is a good coach. VaTech won't be a bottom feeder forever. I'd like to think this game is a slam dunk but these 8 pm mid-week games always get me worried.

 

[Eric15]

Buzz is a good coach. VaTech won't be a bottom feeder forever. I'd like to think this game is a slam dunk but these 8 pm mid-week games always get me worried.

I know it's a different season with different rosters, but we won our two games vs. VT last year by an eye lash. Given our non-existent bench and reliance on outside shooting, I expect every game from here on out to be competitive. Tech could absolutely beat us if we don't execute or guard the rim.

 

[br801]

Living Legend, I absolutely agree with you. Boeheim has righted the ship and done the near impossible (in my mind, anyway. Sorry, Hulk!). It's not as if we were playing well and losing games. We were playing like zombies and losing games. Boeheim's resurrection of this team borders on the supernatural!

In all fairness, a number of the losses were against very solid teams in games where we were in it late and couldn't close the deal. This team has always had the talent but the margin for error has always been (and will likely remain) slim. As an optimist, I can't say their recent success surprises me. But carry on, I'm a big fan of hyperbole.

 

[Marsh01]

I agree we need to probably win all 5 but I think 4-1 wouldnt kill us (if the one loss is FSU) seeing we do play them again. We have at least gotten our heads above water and a loss at this point to an FSU wouldnt completely derail our season.

With that said I expect us to win the remaining three games

 

[MikeSU02]

It is pretty crazy how different the play has been in the Hopkins game vs Boeheim games.

I actually don't think it's that surprising.

Hopkins was steering JB's ship, not his own. That's always tough. You can't just take away a HoFer and expect the next guy up to be able to run someone else's program.

I have my issues with JB, but he's been fine-tuning this machine for a loooooooooonnnng time and the nuances of his coaching, especially in game, really separate him from the pack.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I actually don't think it's that surprising.

Hopkins was steering JB's ship, not his own. That's always tough. You can't just take away a HoFer and expect the next guy up to be able to run someone else's program.

I have my issues with JB, but he's been fine-tuning this machine for a loooooooooonnnng time and the nuances of his coaching, especially in game, really separate him from the pack.

Agreed.

I also think Hopkins was hamstrung by the suspension. Something fans rarely state. He probably wanted to make adjustments while JB was out, but may of been reluctant to change the model with his boss not being able to sign off.

 

[dollarbill44]

I don't know if I've heard of Buzz Williams as a "great tactician" before. I guess, if knocking guys down, setting moving screens all over the court, grabbing away from the ball and hacking everybody counts as great tactics, then he is. The only reason that 19 point halftime lead didn't hold was because we couldn't make any free throws and they were chucking up 3s from all over the place.

He coaches like Jamie Dixon - foul everybody all the time because they can't call everything. It infuriates me. That Elite 8 beatdown we put on him was so satisfying on multiple levels.

 

[Alsacs]

Buzz is really that good a coach I mean he had Jimmy Butler and Jae Crowder on the same team and barely made the NCAA tournament in 2011(they beat us though) and in 2012 had a bad loss to Florida in Sweet 16.

Those Marquette teams were pretty stacked when you look at them now. In 2013 they overachieved and we just shut them down completely in the Elite 8.

I mean he is a good coach but I don't think he is a great tactician. I don't see him achieving his Marquette success at VPI.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Why stop at 5-0? Just win baby. Unless we are talking about UNC, I think we have a good chance in any other game. I've seen Louisville play a bunch recently and they are going to have difficulty scoring against us this year.

 

[Scotch]

Agreed.

I also think Hopkins was hamstrung by the suspension. Something fans rarely state. He probably wanted to make adjustments while JB was out, but may of been reluctant to change the model with his boss not being able to sign off.

Agree. Defense is all about effort, effort can be motivated through fear, and the kids are always going to respond better to the head coach. Certainly not an indictment of Hop - just a fact.

This season has also reminded me that JB is an in-game coaching genius on both ends of the floor. We really missed his ability to make adjustments and take away what's working for the other team.

 

[RF2044]

I don't know if I've heard of Buzz Williams as a "great tactician" before. I guess, if knocking guys down, setting moving screens all over the court, grabbing away from the ball and hacking everybody counts as great tactics, then he is. The only reason that 19 point halftime lead didn't hold was because we couldn't make any free throws and they were chucking up 3s from all over the place.

He coaches like Jamie Dixon - foul everybody all the time because they can't call everything. It infuriates me. That Elite 8 beatdown we put on him was so satisfying on multiple levels.

Oh, I agree--it WAS satisfying on EVERY level to kick their !@#$ asses. But think about what you just wrote--within the confines of the way the game is officiated, he positions his team to win. That's strategic, whether you like his tactics or not. I think you're selling Buzz short.

 

[Jasoncuse]

I actually think this VT team is pretty solid, at least offensively. Their big kid that transferred from USF is having a great season and they have some solid scoring guards. They have been blown out at times because their defense stinks and they struggle to rebound. They've allowed 75+ in 7 straight, so we have to be able to put points on the board. They beat UVA, something we can't do, so they could definitely win tomorrow if we aren't sharp.

 

[bevosu]

I watched the VT/Pitt game yesterday. Pitt took them apart.

I know Pitt isn't a bad team, but that game gave me optimism. Unfortunately anything can happen, but we really should be able to take care of VT.

 

[Briancuse]

I watched the VT/Pitt game yesterday. Pitt took them apart.

I know Pitt isn't a bad team, but that game gave me optimism. Unfortunately anything can happen, but we really should be able to take care of VT.

We should win this game going away, Va tech plays hard, but they are not very talented.

 

[dollarbill44]

Oh, I agree--it WAS satisfying on EVERY level to kick their !@#$ asses. But think about what you just wrote--within the confines of the way the game is officiated, he positions his team to win. That's strategic, whether you like his tactics or not. I think you're selling Buzz short.

I guess my point was that it's not "great" tactics that keeps his teams competitive. It's incompetent officiating.

 

[omniorange]

We should win this game going away, Va tech plays hard, but they are not very talented.

I see it this way as well. When I learned that Jackson would be out for the ND game, only game of the 5 that scared me was GT. FSU I am only slightly worried about due to the long lay-off, so I think that will be closer than it would have been had scheduling been better.

With VT it will come down to how well Bibbs, Allen, and Hudson hit their threes. They were 10-15 against Pitt and still lost by 20. Turnovers killed them that game.

Cheers,
Neil