JeremyCuse
Renowned lacrosse analyst
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Most years going into the tourney I feel like I have a good general idea of how far SU can realistically go. 2010 and 2012 were a bit different due to injury/suspensions of our starting centers but I think most fans knew we still had a pretty good team that while unlikely to win it all could make a deep run still.
This year however, I have to admit I am not sure what to expect tonight and moving forward if we win. I dont think we have one bad loss this entire season, though I guess you could make a case for Temple, but I dont think that plays any real part in what may or may not happen tonight. Outside of the disaster that was Vermont and the near Armageddon situation that was last year, SU has done pretty well in first round games the past 10-15 years, while not always the blowout convincing type wins most would like, SU has found a way to advance. Again not sure that means all that much for tonights game but its good to see that despite what other fanbases and the media portrays SU usually doesnt flame prior to the Sweet 16.
All that said for tonight I am definitely worried. The report we received from the poster who saw SU practice yesterday was far from reassuring, its clear at this point that we cant count on much if any shooting success from our guards, especially MCW who right now makes me yearn for Scoop having a 6th year. Playing a team like Montana also doesnt help as its hard to gauge exactly how good they are when they didnt play a single BCS conference school the entire season. Below are a couple keys for SU tonight to avoid the upset.
1. Get something out of the guards - I am not looking for a Gmac or Johnny Flynn type game but one of the three guys has to give us something tonight. Out of the three I am guessing Triche is probably the most likely candidate, again I dont think we need a huge shooting night but him going 1-11 isnt going to cut it. Triche has to hit double figures and get at least a couple threes for us to advance.
2. Keita - With Rak regressing and questions about this future here swirling, its clear Keita is going to get a boat load of PT tonight. We REALLY need him to have a solid game, 6-7 boards and a 2 or 3 putbacks/layups would go along way to help this offense. Baye has really picked up his game since the BE tourney but he also has a tendency to dissapear after having a good game or two. We cant afford for him to have 1 board and 4 fouls in 19 minutes.
3. Fair/Southerland - If this is a close game or things start going South one of these two is going to have to take over, period. With Montana lacking inside Fair should be able to attack inside leaving James and our other bigger guys to attack the glass. James has to realize if hes not on from deep he needs to get his ass inside and quick. Same goes for Fair, if that little jumper isnt falling, he needs to hit the glass and hard.
4. Recognize the hot shooter - In most cases when SU gets upset or has a very close game early in the tourney its not the opposing teams main player that goes off its usually a bench guy or the starter averaging 6 pts a game who suddenly becomes Lebron James for 20 minutes. Montana has a lot of guys who shoot threes, if someone is hot early, its key we recognize after the second or third make instead of the fifth or sixth. Guys like Cherry and there other star player will get there points, the key is to not allow a Vermont situation where a scrub goes off for 18.
5. Extend the zone early - This team reminds me a lot of last years UNC Ashville squad, there going to need threes to win, get the zone extended early, dont wait to see if there on or not. I was listening to the local sports radio yesterday with Steven Macmanus and Fat Steve and one of them kept comparing Montana to Vermont. I dont see that comparison at all, Montana has no one who is close to the player Coppenrath was and Sorrentine was a known shooter, thats not Cherry's game. This Montana team is eerily similar to Ashville, we need to extend the zone early, keep forcing them to shoot farther and farther out.
6. Make a first half run - I know much easier said then done its a must in this type of game. One of the thing you constantly hear in the tourney or really any single elimination format is that the higher seeded team will get nervous/panic if there in a game late with a much lower seed team, and that all the pressure is on them. While that maybe true I also think the opposite can come into play. If SU can get a 12-3 or 15-5 or 9-0 run in the first half and extend out a double digit lead, all the pressure will shift to Montana. Suddenly they have to worry about the game getting away, changing up there D or O and trying to mix things up. When that happens and 8 pt lead can become 18. When SU has a double digit lead, late in the first half or going into halftime its really difficult (unless your Lville) to come back and beat Syracuse. The gap might close but 9 times out of 10 SU wins. To me its imperative that we make Montana have to play catch up all game, its gives us that cushion for when we ultimately go cold for a few minutes to absorb that Montana run and then close the game out. I know its not earth shattering news to want a lead but I think for this SU team in particular playing from even slightly ahead is preferred from them trying to make a roaring comeback.
Hoping SU takes care of business tonight but as I noted in the beginning its hard to know what your going to get from this team.
This year however, I have to admit I am not sure what to expect tonight and moving forward if we win. I dont think we have one bad loss this entire season, though I guess you could make a case for Temple, but I dont think that plays any real part in what may or may not happen tonight. Outside of the disaster that was Vermont and the near Armageddon situation that was last year, SU has done pretty well in first round games the past 10-15 years, while not always the blowout convincing type wins most would like, SU has found a way to advance. Again not sure that means all that much for tonights game but its good to see that despite what other fanbases and the media portrays SU usually doesnt flame prior to the Sweet 16.
All that said for tonight I am definitely worried. The report we received from the poster who saw SU practice yesterday was far from reassuring, its clear at this point that we cant count on much if any shooting success from our guards, especially MCW who right now makes me yearn for Scoop having a 6th year. Playing a team like Montana also doesnt help as its hard to gauge exactly how good they are when they didnt play a single BCS conference school the entire season. Below are a couple keys for SU tonight to avoid the upset.
1. Get something out of the guards - I am not looking for a Gmac or Johnny Flynn type game but one of the three guys has to give us something tonight. Out of the three I am guessing Triche is probably the most likely candidate, again I dont think we need a huge shooting night but him going 1-11 isnt going to cut it. Triche has to hit double figures and get at least a couple threes for us to advance.
2. Keita - With Rak regressing and questions about this future here swirling, its clear Keita is going to get a boat load of PT tonight. We REALLY need him to have a solid game, 6-7 boards and a 2 or 3 putbacks/layups would go along way to help this offense. Baye has really picked up his game since the BE tourney but he also has a tendency to dissapear after having a good game or two. We cant afford for him to have 1 board and 4 fouls in 19 minutes.
3. Fair/Southerland - If this is a close game or things start going South one of these two is going to have to take over, period. With Montana lacking inside Fair should be able to attack inside leaving James and our other bigger guys to attack the glass. James has to realize if hes not on from deep he needs to get his ass inside and quick. Same goes for Fair, if that little jumper isnt falling, he needs to hit the glass and hard.
4. Recognize the hot shooter - In most cases when SU gets upset or has a very close game early in the tourney its not the opposing teams main player that goes off its usually a bench guy or the starter averaging 6 pts a game who suddenly becomes Lebron James for 20 minutes. Montana has a lot of guys who shoot threes, if someone is hot early, its key we recognize after the second or third make instead of the fifth or sixth. Guys like Cherry and there other star player will get there points, the key is to not allow a Vermont situation where a scrub goes off for 18.
5. Extend the zone early - This team reminds me a lot of last years UNC Ashville squad, there going to need threes to win, get the zone extended early, dont wait to see if there on or not. I was listening to the local sports radio yesterday with Steven Macmanus and Fat Steve and one of them kept comparing Montana to Vermont. I dont see that comparison at all, Montana has no one who is close to the player Coppenrath was and Sorrentine was a known shooter, thats not Cherry's game. This Montana team is eerily similar to Ashville, we need to extend the zone early, keep forcing them to shoot farther and farther out.
6. Make a first half run - I know much easier said then done its a must in this type of game. One of the thing you constantly hear in the tourney or really any single elimination format is that the higher seeded team will get nervous/panic if there in a game late with a much lower seed team, and that all the pressure is on them. While that maybe true I also think the opposite can come into play. If SU can get a 12-3 or 15-5 or 9-0 run in the first half and extend out a double digit lead, all the pressure will shift to Montana. Suddenly they have to worry about the game getting away, changing up there D or O and trying to mix things up. When that happens and 8 pt lead can become 18. When SU has a double digit lead, late in the first half or going into halftime its really difficult (unless your Lville) to come back and beat Syracuse. The gap might close but 9 times out of 10 SU wins. To me its imperative that we make Montana have to play catch up all game, its gives us that cushion for when we ultimately go cold for a few minutes to absorb that Montana run and then close the game out. I know its not earth shattering news to want a lead but I think for this SU team in particular playing from even slightly ahead is preferred from them trying to make a roaring comeback.
Hoping SU takes care of business tonight but as I noted in the beginning its hard to know what your going to get from this team.
