Are we done with adding players for 2024-25?

[IthacaMatt]

I think this mindset fits a different era. Progress implies rebuilds that take years. This era is about starting from scratch every April and posting bids on Ebay. We need portal pounders and NIL dogs first and foremost. High school recruits are going to make a small impact compared to seasoned men from the portal. I could do away with high school recruiting altogether because guess what? Let's say a guy like Freeman has a good year, averages 10 and 7, he's going to have to make a decision to test the NBA and shop for a bigger bag. I'd rather get Freeman from the portal, a year older, stronger, and wiser. Red and Straughn are allegedly good high school recruiters but that's not where the game is at anymore.

24 wins gets us back in the tournament and off the bubble.
That's the goal, isn't it?

 

[IthacaMatt]

He made 40% of our 3's last year. I'm not asking for another guy necessarily at 40%, but other guys who can shoot 37 with decent volume.

So, somebody better than Buddy and GMac.
Should be a cinch.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Freeman will be an upgrade over Taylor there obviously. I hope Moore pushes JJ for time. I know everyone talks about JJ shooting well in ACC play, but that was all in one hot streak in January. He ended the season shooting 15-49 over the last 10 games which more or less was in line with what he did at Notre Dame.

It was 16 games. That's half a season.

 

[Niastri]

Freeman will be an upgrade over Taylor there obviously. I hope Moore pushes JJ for time. I know everyone talks about JJ shooting well in ACC play, but that was all in one hot streak in January. He ended the season shooting 15-49 over the last 10 games which more or less was in line with what he did at Notre Dame.

When attempting to predict a players true talent level, you can't cherry pick someone's best streak or worst streak to determine their true talent level. You have to find a large enough sample to avoid over counting both hot and cold streaks. Even a full season is really a small sample size. So we have to attempt to parcel out data to extrapolate future results.

The ACC or second half shooting numbers for Starling are getting referenced a lot, and for two probable reasons.

One is recency bias. In Starling's most recent large sample he shot more accurately, so that's what he'll do going forward. Not necessarily true, but more valuable and predictive than cherry picking his lousy first 16 games before his hot streak and ignoring the second half...

The other more relevant reason is that he clearly had something wrong with him the first half. His shot just looked funny and he seemed resistant to shooting from 3 point range. Then, either his shoulder injury healed, his confidence improved, or they repaired his hitch in practice. Perhaps some combination. But whatever it was, he shot better and looked better shooting after about half the season.

From that point in the season Starling shot more often, and he shot better. His 3pt attempts went from 2.8 to 5.7 while his success rate went from .244 to .363.

This, to me, looks more like something actually changed to make him better in those last 16 games and not merely recency bias or cherry picking a hot streak.

 

[IthacaMatt]

We haven't made the tournament in 3 seasons now, stop excusing this slop year after year being put on the court.

You want to keep flipping a coin every year? Its not working and it wont outside a fluke here and there.

The season is banking on a freshman and a guy who has more knee surgeries than three pointers made in 2 years.

Its pitiful.

You must be fun at tailgates. SMH

 

[IthacaMatt]

When attempting to predict a players true talent level, you can't cherry pick someone's best streak or worst streak to determine their true talent level. You have to find a large enough sample to avoid over counting both hot and cold streaks. Even a full season is really a small sample size. So we have to attempt to parcel out data to extrapolate future results.

The ACC or second half shooting numbers for Starling are getting referenced a lot, and for two probable reasons.

One is recency bias. His most recent large sample he shot better, so that's what he'll do going forward. Not necessarily true, but more valuable than cherry picking his first 16 games before his hot streak and ignoring the second half...

The other more relevant reason is that he clearly had something wrong with him the first half. His shot just looked funny and he seemed resistant to shooting from 3 point range. Then, either his shoulder injury healed, his confidence improved, or they repaired his hitch in practice. Perhaps some combination. But whatever it was, he shot better and looked better shooting after about half the season.

From that point in the season Starling shot more often, and he shot better. His 3pt attempts went from 2.8 to 5.7 while his success rate went from .244 to .363.

This, to me, looks more like something actually changed to make him better in those last 16 games and not merely recency bias or cherry picking a hot streak.

You nailed it. They worked most of that hitch out of his shot. He stopped "aiming" so much, once he started seeing them fall. Confidence was a factor, and also knowing how to share the ball with Judah.

 

[Niastri]

And when the ball moves a lot, inside and out, shots start to appear.

I hope the new coach was hired because he's a "feeding the post player" guru.

We have always been terrible at it, it would be nice if Lampkin gets the ball where he can do some damage a majority of possessions, not only when the guy guarding him falls down.

Feeding the big guy in the post will definitely help out our inside to out offense. Lampkin could get a lot of assists this year just passing out of the double team.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

One thing I would point out... Bell was second in 3pt percentage in the ACC last season, he was fourth in made 3s.

So, all we need is another elite shooter? Someone pointed out that about 1% of all players in college basketball shot at least 40% last season. People have to realize that Bell is elite at the most important talent in basketball. Where do you suppose we'll just "get another?"

Bell is better than 99th percentile when you factor in strength of competition.

When my IQ test came back and I was 99th percentile, my mom said that was elite, but she was biased, I guess.

Your mom...

She hot?

 

[Niastri]

Your mom...

She hot?

Angry upvote

 

[IthacaMatt]

I hope the new coach was hired because he's a "feeding the post player" guru.

We have always been terrible at it, it would be nice if Lampkin gets the ball where he can do some damage a majority of possessions, not only when the guy guarding him falls down.

Feeding the big guy in the post will definitely help out our inside to out offense. Lampkin could get a lot of assists this year just passing out of the double team.

That's where Carlos is going to be more important than people think. Even if the coaching isn't that great at entry passes to the post, these 2 guys know how to do it.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Angry upvote

That's not an answer.

 

[two3zone]

You must be fun at tailgates. SMH

I probably wouldn't be fun at a flat earth convention either.

 

[littlereg]

You must be fun at tailgates. SMH

Id rather be boring at tailgates than have our season banking in JJ starling.

 

[Niastri]

I probably wouldn't be fun at a flat earth convention either.

To be fair, believing Syracuse could somehow become a Final Four team next season requires way less mental gymnastics than believing the earth is flat.

 

[littlereg]

To be fair, believing Syracuse could somehow become a Final Four team next season requires way less mental gymnastics than believing the earth is flat.

Hey speak for yourself if I hit the right strain I may start feeling a lil flat but no weed is making me believe this team is final four bound

 

[SWC75]

I probably wouldn't be fun at a flat earth convention either.

 

[Sherman20]

He had a great stretch, but he wasn't very good the last 8 games or so. He was bad a lot more than good last year and if he ended the year great I'd agree but he's an average offensive player who does a lot of average things who can't play defense.

He played great against Carolina at home, which came towards the end of the season. He and Mintz were dominant at attacking off the bounce and getting to the rim that game. And he was 3-6 from 3 that game. That’s the player that we need to see consistently next year, and I think we will.

 

[SWC75]

To be fair, believing Syracuse could somehow become a Final Four team next season requires way less mental gymnastics than believing the earth is flat.

NC State became a FF team last year after we'd beaten them twice.

 

[Sherman20]

He shot well for 6 weeks in January. At the end of the season he regressed. I hope Moore pushes him because 34 and 35 percent by your guards in 2025 is not a winning formula.

This isn’t true. Starling only really tailed off the last three games of the season, and it wasn’t even that bad. He just wasn’t as aggressive attacking the rim.

J.J. Starling 2025-26 Stats per Game - NCAAM - ESPN

The 2025-26 NCAAM season stats per game for J.J. Starling of the Syracuse Orange on ESPN. Includes full stats, per opponent, for regular and postseason.

www.espn.com

If you’re expecting Moore to push out Starling for major minutes, that’s a pipe dream. I just hope Moore can give us a solid 5-10 mpg. Upperclassmen are the key next season. Although I think Donnie has a shot to be a major factor.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Id rather be boring at tailgates than have our season banking in JJ starling.

Go root for Duke, then.

 

[Cusefan0307]

This isn’t true. Starling only really tailed off the last three games of the season, and it wasn’t even that bad. He just wasn’t as aggressive attacking the rim.

J.J. Starling 2025-26 Stats per Game - NCAAM - ESPN

The 2025-26 NCAAM season stats per game for J.J. Starling of the Syracuse Orange on ESPN. Includes full stats, per opponent, for regular and postseason.

www.espn.com

If you’re expecting Moore to push out Starling for major minutes, that’s a pipe dream. I just hope Moore can give us a solid 5-10 mpg. Upperclassmen are the key next season. Although I think Donnie has a shot to be a major factor.

2-9 on February 7th
1-5 on February 10th
2-7 on February 17th
2-7 on February 24th

Why do you think Moore pushing him for minutes is a pipe dream?

 

[billsin01]

Why is everybody so intent on hating on our players, FFS?

Starling is a quality guard who will be better this year.
Bell is a fine shooter who has room to improve his game.

I would have loved to have Copeland back, but he was a problem.

If MacLeod is healthy, he's not a starting center, but he can block some shots.

Lampkin seems like a pretty solid player. Same with Jyare Davis and Jaquan Carlos. Good solid, mature rotation players.

Freeman might explode, or he might not.
Westry might be healthy, or he might not.

We have useful pieces in Moore and Cuffe, and we all know that we need a couple more guys to have a full squad.

Stop hating. This is going to be a more enjoyable team next year.

Love the optimism. I tend to be more pessimistic by nature. But I think a generous take on this team is that there are a lot of unknowns and hopefully the product is greater than the sum of its parts (or, to be fair, Westry is healthy and a big difference-maker and Freeman is a total stud as a frosh — those developments would certainly change the calculus).

I think the fair evaluation of Red’s first year is that it was fine. Could have been better and certainly could have been worse. So how much does he learn from year 1 and can those adjustments and tweaks help us move forward in year 2. Certainly a possibility but doesn’t feel like a given.

 

[IthacaMatt]

2-9 on February 7th
1-5 on February 10th
2-7 on February 17th
2-7 on February 24th

Why do you think Moore pushing him for minutes is a pipe dream?

Moore will get minutes, for sure. He's the 2nd shooting guard. I see 10-15 minutes a game almost for certain, and maybe 20 if he becomes a real threat.

 

[Consigliere]

OK, hyperbole alert.

In all of Division 1 basketball last year, of the 351 teams that play (so, out of more than 3,500 players total) - only 40 guys shot 40% or better from three last year.

Forty guys. That's barely 1 percent. OK, tone it down.

Gerry McNamara only shot 35% from three.
Buddy Boeheim only shot 36% from three.

And let's consider the math here. If a "volume shooter averages 5 attempts per game that's roughly 150 attempts over a regular season, The difference between 34% and 38% is 6 more made 3s or 1 every five games. Does that really differentiate between good and "not good?"

 

[littlereg]

This isn’t true. Starling only really tailed off the last three games of the season, and it wasn’t even that bad. He just wasn’t as aggressive attacking the rim.

J.J. Starling 2025-26 Stats per Game - NCAAM - ESPN

The 2025-26 NCAAM season stats per game for J.J. Starling of the Syracuse Orange on ESPN. Includes full stats, per opponent, for regular and postseason.

www.espn.com

If you’re expecting Moore to push out Starling for major minutes, that’s a pipe dream. I just hope Moore can give us a solid 5-10 mpg. Upperclassmen are the key next season. Although I think Donnie has a shot to be a major factor.

“Only really tailed off the last 3 games” is such a cherry picked stat, but taking any number would be so I’m kinda cherry picking with this as well. . If we took the the last 10 games he had two games shooting over 33% from three and 5 of those games he 50% or higher from the field overall. He had 4 games with 3+ turnovers including 18 total turnovers to 17 assist.