An interesting Roy comment on the game

[NineOneSeven]

If TR is our weakness (on the glass), then we're in for a looooooong day

Hence my point

 

[Newhouser]

We need to keep scoring - preferably after burning 20 or so seconds off the shot clock. Scoring droughts in this game are killer because UNC does not go thru those dry spells on the offensive end.

 

[TOL22]

Defense is the key. If our defense holds up, we don't have to shoot "lights out" throughout the game to win. We have proven that throughout The Tournament.

The main thing that could affect our defense is foul trouble. UNC's depth and strength down low combined with our short bench gives them a significant advantage. As soon as any of our key players acquire two fouls in the first half, or three early in the second half, they will be forced to stop challenging underneath. I believe Roy will have his guys going hard to the basket often in order to put us in foul trouble. I hope JB has a plan.

I would have written this exact post. You saved me keystrokes

 

[AccuRater]

Glad to oblige. I don't want anyone getting carpal tunnel. I'll take one for the team.

 

[Sgt Cuse]

Not unless DC2 and both Tylers foul out from the center position, at which point, I doubt it would make a difference who is on the court...

But the strategic use of Chino is so you have either DC2 or more importantly Lydon at the end of a close game. Stealing 5 minutes or so with Chino in the first half just hasn't happened. I'm kind of surprised, I think it could be useful.

 

[Briancuse]

But the strategic use of Chino is so you have either DC2 or more importantly Lydon at the end of a close game. Stealing 5 minutes or so with Chino in the first half just hasn't happened. I'm kind of surprised, I think it could be useful.

Or five fouls, hopefully none of our bigs get into foul trouble, but it wouldn't shock me if Chino got a couple of minutes.

 

[ClamOtto]

We've been pretty fortunate so far in the tournament that fouls haven't been an issue. I'd hate to see a replay of the Ohio St. "5-on-8" Elite 8 game. We seem to pick up a lot of cheap fouls on fast breaks when one of our guys gets beat and reaches, and on attempted offensive boards. Better to let them score a few easy points than have TR, DC and TL in foul trouble all night.

 

[Cuse'91]

But the strategic use of Chino is so you have either DC2 or more importantly Lydon at the end of a close game. Stealing 5 minutes or so with Chino in the first half just hasn't happened. I'm kind of surprised, I think it could be useful.

Unlikely imo... Think JB would put TR @ center and play with 4 guards before he would put in Chino at this point...

 

[Sgt Cuse]

Unlikely imo... Think JB would put TR @ center and play with 4 guards before he would put in Chino at this point...

That might happen at the end of the game. But in the first half, if DC2 and TL both pick up 2 fouls, you don't want to then get TR into foul trouble too. The center position is prone to foul.

It is unlikely, it didn't happen in the two other games we have had with UNC. But NCAAT games can be called differently. See the OSU game and when JB got caught having to play the rookie TC in a bad situation. I would rather see Chino in the first half than at the end of the game.

 

[Cuse'91]

That might happen at the end of the game. But in the first half, if DC2 and TL both pick up 2 fouls, you don't want to then get TR into foul trouble too. The center position is prone to foul.

It is unlikely, it didn't happen in the two other games we have had with UNC. But NCAAT games can be called differently. See the OSU game and when JB got caught having to play the rookie TC in a bad situation. I would rather see Chino in the first half than at the end of the game.

Possible... Think DC2 and TL would need 3 fouls a piece before Chino comes in...

 

[dollarbill44]

Uh Chino ain't seeing the court. At all.

Eye injury?

 

[Scotch]

One of the ESPN people after interviewing Roy yesterday paraphrased that Roy was stressing to his team that they needed to do what they did, run, rebound and pound it inside. I find this pretty interesting because if we can get back and hold our own on the boards than we have a great shot. We've showed over the years that JB will stress getting back on defense against Roy and we have been able to do that a very high percentage of the time. We have rebounded better in this tourney than the regular season and did fairly well against UNC both games on the boards because they don't force us to extend as much as other teams do.

I've said before its a strength vs strength match up. It sounds like Roy is putting all his eggs in that basket as well. I don't necessarily think its a bad strategy from Roy because he can't count on outside shooting and he has both the players (size, athleticism) and the fouls to pound us all game and hope to wear us down. With a week to prepare though I'm sure he also has a back up plan. (maybe) Still the key for us is to do what we do well better than UNC does what they do well. We need to defend at a high level and getting back on D and competing on the glass are the keys to that. We need to spread the ball with multiple shooters to create driving lanes and open jumpers.

Back up plan? Roy? Nah.

 

[Jasoncuse]

This game has an SU/Kansas 1996 feel. They were big, more athletic and talented with NBA players and we slowed them down and put enough O up to win.

 

[HtownOrange]

I find it encouraging that UNC did not face DC2 while he was playing as well as he has been playing in the Tourney. His defense has picked up and he takes up a lot of room under the basket. Add to that Lydon's shot blocking uptick in the Tourney and one has to believe the Syracuse D will be stronger than UNC saw in the regular season. UNC will score inside the paint, but if Syracuse limits the scoring and forces UNC to depend on teh three, it could be a long night for UNC. As Syracuse is used to close games, just another game.

 

[cusetown1]

Agreed. I definitely like the Gonzaga approach. Swarm them anytime it goes inside and force them to take a contested shot or make the right pass.

They've been shooting the 3 ball well but I have to think their numbers will regress somewhat to the mean. It's pretty unusual to have multiple mediocre 3 point shooters all shoot lights out for an entire tournament (of which they've done up to this point).

between unc's wins and losses there is virtually no correlation on 3 point percentage. Roy knows that this, and has to use UNC's transition offense and pound the ball inside (they ain't settling for 3s). We have been playing great down low on d and rebounding . Just need to get back on d lightning fast, and Roberson needs to continue his beast mode on the glass.

 

[cusetown1]

It seems like our offense really starts clicking when Lydon doesn't hesitate when wide open top of the key. Don't look to pass or drive just drill that baby!

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Or five fouls, hopefully none of our bigs get into foul trouble, but it wouldn't shock me if Chino got a couple of minutes.

It could be this game's version of the trunk monkey. No one expects it, like none of us expected the press to work so well against uva.

 

[themorey]

This Orange team is due for a game with 55% shooting from 3. Book it!

 

[jdubs30]

Not only were we righr there in Chapel Hill -- but at the game we played in the Dome UNC was so so so good from the line. Hicks killed us from the line and Jackson hit some floaters and that did us in, but we were right there for 35 minutes (and right there for 39 minutes and 45 secondsm in Chapel Hill). Hicks is the scariest player to me.


We have to DRIVE DRIVE DRIVE. G and Mali have to attack early and often and hopefully draw some fouls, make some FTs and settle us in. That will open the 3. Also, do people remember how much Cooney historically has killed UNC? He wasn't that good in Chapel Hill, but man wouldn't this be a great time for him to go off?

As long as hold our own on the glass, and shoot a better % from 3 than them, I like our chances (assuming fouls are somewhat close)

 

[Ringostar57]

The difference between a very good basketball player and a superstar isn't necessarily talent. It's confidence. Confidence in knowing when and how to use that talent.

 

[tee1222]

This Orange team is due for a game with 55% shooting from 3. Book it!

I book, sixy time!