JeremyCuse
Renowned lacrosse analyst
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Was going to do a full preview but I think most of the board knows what SU needs to do to win so I didn't think a full breakdown would be necessary. That said I do have a few concerns and some positives going into the game which faces off in about an hour. Will go over some concerns I have first.
1. Going off the play the last Month or so of the season you have to wonder if that performance more accurately reflects this team versus the incredible strech when SU reeled off 8 or 9 in a row most of which were by one goal. I don't mean that to sound negative but we keep waiting for this team to "wake up" and play with a more sense of urgency and for 60 minutes and it just hasn't happened despite re-assurances from the players and the staff. SU played the closest to a complete game of the year versus ND and I don't think we have seen that peformance again save for maybe a quarter and a half vs Cornell or the second half of the UNC game which was wiped out by the worst half of the year to start that game. I wonder if that incredible stretch was a little bit more luck then were willing to admit.
2. Ben Williams - I know he and Desko claim he's healthy but something is still off with him. He just doesn't look like the same Ben Williams we have seen the past two years. He has looked better teh last month or so but the fact that I am unsure what to expect from him this game tells me something is not right because he was lights out his first two years. Hopefully he is ready to bring it.
3. Slow Starts - We have seen it the three of the last four years (Marist game being the outlier) team comes out flat is throwing the ball around, missing assignments, brutal turnovers etc. The late night Sunday game used to be a big weapon for SU but since that Army game in 2011 its become more of an Albatross. Whether its the emotion of graduation the partying the night before a combination of both or something else but obviously we have been less then stellar the last 5 years or so. To many times this year SU seems to get down 4 or 5 goals in the 1st quarter and is just non shalant about it. We saw this finally bite us against UNC we can't keep putting ourselves in this position. Would be nice to see us come out on strong and with a purpose like the Colgate game but then carry that forward.
4. Staff - I hesitate to put this here because I think Desko and company have done a great job this year taking a team that I think most thought might struggle to make the tourney into a near 1 seed and an incredible 4-0 in the ACC. That said the coaching performance in the 1st round since the Army upset in 2011 has left a lot to be desired. From the team looking like it had never seen a zone when they played Bryant to the worst half of the season last year against Albany in the first round. The biggest concern is that in the post game proesser in most of those games Desko mentioned that they had talked about doing XYZ but during the game that didn't happen. That is very concerning. Also concerning that the team continues to come out flat to start these games, the staff needs to make an adjustment.
5. Lack of Killer Instinct - From letting teams hang around, bad late turnovers, trying to split double teams in the final minutes of a game (twice) and turning it over this team has struggled to keep seperation against teams late which has resulted in so many one goal and OT games. When SU is up 2 goals late would be nice to see them either stretch the lead or at the very least really tighten up defensively. Could really come into play tonight.
Some Positives going into tonight:
1. SU is pretty healthy - Obviously we have a handful of guys who are out for the year but the rest of the team is pretty healthy and has had a week to rest and prepare. Yale is missing a couple of guys from earlier in the season especially on D that you hope SU can take advantage of.
2. Senior Poise - SU has a lot of seniors in key positions whether its Mariano and Salcdio on the 1st mid line, FIrman and Molloy on D or Ben at the X. These guys have seen SU struggle in these games before and know whats at stake tonight, I am hopeful these guys will come out and set the tone and help SU to avoid a slow start
3. Home Field - Outside of the Army game SU has been pretty much unbeatable at home this year. Found away to win against UVA and Duke despite it looking pretty bleak at times. Also SU has been a mess playing inclement weather this year (see 19 turnovers last week vs Colgate) with the Dome this is no issue.
4. Turning it on at the right time - This is going to directly contradict one of my concerns above but part of me wonders if this team has been looking ahead to the tournament the last month or so and its ready to step its game up. As I noted its a pretty senior laden team and per Evans past comments the final four has been their ultimate goal since day 1. Maybe I have my orange colored glasses on but maybe thats why this team has been so uneven lately and they will turn it on starting tonight?
5. Were Syracuse - They will find away to get it done.
1. Going off the play the last Month or so of the season you have to wonder if that performance more accurately reflects this team versus the incredible strech when SU reeled off 8 or 9 in a row most of which were by one goal. I don't mean that to sound negative but we keep waiting for this team to "wake up" and play with a more sense of urgency and for 60 minutes and it just hasn't happened despite re-assurances from the players and the staff. SU played the closest to a complete game of the year versus ND and I don't think we have seen that peformance again save for maybe a quarter and a half vs Cornell or the second half of the UNC game which was wiped out by the worst half of the year to start that game. I wonder if that incredible stretch was a little bit more luck then were willing to admit.
2. Ben Williams - I know he and Desko claim he's healthy but something is still off with him. He just doesn't look like the same Ben Williams we have seen the past two years. He has looked better teh last month or so but the fact that I am unsure what to expect from him this game tells me something is not right because he was lights out his first two years. Hopefully he is ready to bring it.
3. Slow Starts - We have seen it the three of the last four years (Marist game being the outlier) team comes out flat is throwing the ball around, missing assignments, brutal turnovers etc. The late night Sunday game used to be a big weapon for SU but since that Army game in 2011 its become more of an Albatross. Whether its the emotion of graduation the partying the night before a combination of both or something else but obviously we have been less then stellar the last 5 years or so. To many times this year SU seems to get down 4 or 5 goals in the 1st quarter and is just non shalant about it. We saw this finally bite us against UNC we can't keep putting ourselves in this position. Would be nice to see us come out on strong and with a purpose like the Colgate game but then carry that forward.
4. Staff - I hesitate to put this here because I think Desko and company have done a great job this year taking a team that I think most thought might struggle to make the tourney into a near 1 seed and an incredible 4-0 in the ACC. That said the coaching performance in the 1st round since the Army upset in 2011 has left a lot to be desired. From the team looking like it had never seen a zone when they played Bryant to the worst half of the season last year against Albany in the first round. The biggest concern is that in the post game proesser in most of those games Desko mentioned that they had talked about doing XYZ but during the game that didn't happen. That is very concerning. Also concerning that the team continues to come out flat to start these games, the staff needs to make an adjustment.
5. Lack of Killer Instinct - From letting teams hang around, bad late turnovers, trying to split double teams in the final minutes of a game (twice) and turning it over this team has struggled to keep seperation against teams late which has resulted in so many one goal and OT games. When SU is up 2 goals late would be nice to see them either stretch the lead or at the very least really tighten up defensively. Could really come into play tonight.
Some Positives going into tonight:
1. SU is pretty healthy - Obviously we have a handful of guys who are out for the year but the rest of the team is pretty healthy and has had a week to rest and prepare. Yale is missing a couple of guys from earlier in the season especially on D that you hope SU can take advantage of.
2. Senior Poise - SU has a lot of seniors in key positions whether its Mariano and Salcdio on the 1st mid line, FIrman and Molloy on D or Ben at the X. These guys have seen SU struggle in these games before and know whats at stake tonight, I am hopeful these guys will come out and set the tone and help SU to avoid a slow start
3. Home Field - Outside of the Army game SU has been pretty much unbeatable at home this year. Found away to win against UVA and Duke despite it looking pretty bleak at times. Also SU has been a mess playing inclement weather this year (see 19 turnovers last week vs Colgate) with the Dome this is no issue.
4. Turning it on at the right time - This is going to directly contradict one of my concerns above but part of me wonders if this team has been looking ahead to the tournament the last month or so and its ready to step its game up. As I noted its a pretty senior laden team and per Evans past comments the final four has been their ultimate goal since day 1. Maybe I have my orange colored glasses on but maybe thats why this team has been so uneven lately and they will turn it on starting tonight?
5. Were Syracuse - They will find away to get it done.
