BC game Tonight: Easy Win or Trap Game? | Syracusefan.com

BC game Tonight: Easy Win or Trap Game?

JeremyCuse

Renowned lacrosse analyst
Joined
Aug 15, 2011
Messages
41,362
Like
53,126
Curious to get some thoughts on what people are expecting from tonights game. Obviously I think Syracuse should win and by a decent margin 8-15 pts, but I also see some of the classic trap game signs:

Late 9pm start
Empty gym with zero excitement for the game.
Coming off a big (Name) win and an ever bigger game set for Saturday
Quick turnaroud (Sat-Mon game)
A good 3 pt shooting team
A head coach very familiar with the 2-3

All that being said I also see some positives:
The BC players are totally unfamiliar with the zone
Empty gym with zero excitement for the game
Little in the way of an inside game
Suspect Defense based on the amount of Pts they have given up
Terrible record to date and some really bad losses
Syracus is a really good team who has overcome slow starts and hot shooting against much better teams then BC.

Personally I wasnt a huge fan of this game when I first saw it on the schedule and unless we jump out to a big lead I think were in for a closer then anticipated game. The quick turnaround and the fact its a road game in what will mostly be a morgue based on there attendance numbers isnt exactly going to help things. This game feels a lot like the road games we played against Providence the last few years. Usually a late start where Syracuse would come out a little slow and get down early. I would love to see us come out and get a lead early and then just sort of coast like we did vs Va Tech in the second half but I dont really see that happening today. One thing I do hope we do is extend the zone from the tip, dont let these guys get hot and then try and push them farther out.
 
Hard for me to separate my own personal animus for BC from my opinion here, but BC is really really bad. They are far and away the worst team in the conference. They are 319th in the country in rebounding which means even if we are shooting like we should have some wiggle room.

Unless Hanlan scores 35, I dont see them being able to stay with us. They dont have enough.

The 9pm start time is weird, I will concede, but I dont think they will be phased. And regarding a letdown, I would be more concerned if it was Duke or if Saturday's game was really close. I think that the aura of the UNC game was more for the fans than the players. UNC is not a legit team this year and I think the kids knew it.
 
Only part that I disagree with is the empty gym. Conte is going to be full of Orange tonight, so it's going to seem like a home game. BC will probably shoot well from 3, but they don't have an answer for CJ, Grant or Ennis.

When Maryland beat them, Dez Wells literally took the ball to the basket on 95% of Maryland's 2nd-half possessions. I would expect the coaches to push Ennis to be aggressive tonight.
 
Curious to get some thoughts on what people are expecting from tonights game. Obviously I think Syracuse should win and by a decent margin 8-15 pts, but I also see some of the classic trap game signs:

Late 9pm start
Empty gym with zero excitement for the game.
Coming off a big (Name) win and an ever bigger game set for Saturday
Quick turnaroud (Sat-Mon game)
A good 3 pt shooting team
A head coach very familiar with the 2-3

Oh yeah, two words: CJ Fair 17 points. Okay, it was four words.
 
I hate the term "Trap Game".

Every game is a damn trap game. Play poorly and you can lose. Play well and you have a good chance to win. No game is any different.

It seems like this is just a term that basically means "Well we are playing a really crappy team. Hopefully our guys come out focused." And yet again, that is the case for every game, whether against BC or #1 ranked Arizona.
 
Hard for me to separate my own personal animus for BC from my opinion here, but BC is really really bad. They are far and away the worst team in the conference. They are 319th in the country in rebounding which means even if we are shooting like we should have some wiggle room.

Unless Hanlan scores 35, I dont see them being able to stay with us. They dont have enough.

The 9pm start time is weird, I will concede, but I dont think they will be phased. And regarding a letdown, I would be more concerned if it was Duke or if Saturday's game was really close. I think that the aura of the UNC game was more for the fans than the players. UNC is not a legit team this year and I think the kids knew it.

Thanks had no idea they were that bad rebounding, yikes that is terrible. Should be able to have a great game on the O glass from Grant, Rak, and Keita. Only thing concerning me is there ability to hit from deep, we havent had a team really go off on us for two halves this year, not saying this BC team can or will but when someone does its usually a lower level team that has the game of there lives against us. The 9pm start shouldn't be a huge issue but just feels funny to me maybe its because we almost always tip at 7 and have for the last two decades but like you said they probably wont be phased.
 
I hate the term "Trap Game".

Every game is a damn trap game. Play poorly and you can lose. Play well and you have a good chance to win. No game is any different.

It seems like this is just a term that basically means "Well we are playing a really crappy team. Hopefully our guys come out focused." And yet again, that is the case for every game, whether against BC or #1 ranked Arizona.

I agree somewhat but you cant really have a trap game against Zona because your goign to be in a close game there, your not blowing them out. Against BC, Syracuse could win by 25 or we could be in a dog fight late if were off our game.
 
I think it will be closer than we will be comfortable with until the 15:00 mark of the 2nd half. At that point we just wear them down and pull away for a deceptively hard 15 point win. It seems this is the type of team that will hit 5 threes early, come out excited and maybe cause a few silly TO's before reverting to their norm. And hey, they managed to keep it really close with mighty Connecticut, so they must not suck too bad.

As to the crowd. Read on BC Interruption that tickets sales are poor because this wasn't available as a single game ticket, only part of a mini pack. Then they made it available to football season ticket holders and other donors for $50. The superfans were complaining over the $50 price. $50 in an arena as small as Conte seems like an incredible bargain compared to what we normally get stuck paying for games.
 
My prediction...Coleman 18 pts, 12 rbs, 3 blocks. Big guy will go off tonight against the once mighty Eagles of BC.
 
My prediction...Coleman 18 pts, 12 rbs, 3 blocks. Big guy will go off tonight against the once mighty Eagles of BC.

Assuming he even plays that is.

This game is going to be a mismatch. Unless we just simply go through the motions and they make like 15 three pointers we have nothing to worry about.

The mental state of this team is as strong as I have seen in a long time. Nothing fazes these guys and we will be ready to play.
 
Conte is going to be full of Orange tonight, so it's going to seem like a home game. BC will probably shoot well from 3, but they don't have an answer for CJ, Grant or Ennis.

Honestly, after watching at least one game of every team in the top 25, I don't think any team has an answer for those three. When they are both close to on, CJ and Grant on the court together are nearly unarguable in college basketball.

Especially with the new rules. There is no way to stop Grant from getting to the hoop without fouling him. I just wish he would drive the lane more.
 
men-s-meme-stick-figure-t-shirt_design.png

Tyler ennis wins a ncaa championship.

men-s-meme-stick-figure-t-shirt_design.png

Ennis goes number 1 in 2015 draft.

men-s-meme-stick-figure-t-shirt_design.png

A jealous Anthony Bennet stabs Ennis in the leg with a pen.
 
Assuming he even plays that is.

This game is going to be a mismatch. Unless we just simply go through the motions and they make like 15 three pointers we have nothing to worry about.

The mental state of this team is as strong as I have seen in a long time. Nothing fazes these guys and we will be ready to play.

Thanks Marsh always good to get your insights as I am sure you have seen BC play at least a few times already this year. Like you I think this should be a game Syracuse can exploit numerous mismatches and hopefully coast to a comfortable win like they did vs VA tech. I always get a little bit concerned though when on paper it seems Syracuse has such a huge advantage we shouldnt really worry, reminds me to much of that freaking UNCashville game, what a nightmare, worst win I have ever watched SU have.
 
I could easily see us sleepwalking through the 1st half and have a halftime score of 28-27 or something ugly like that. Then turning it on in 2nd half and win by 15.

I'm always worried about conference road games, they're never a gimme.
 
The biggest reason I think we should get an easy win is because BC is one of the softest teams I've watched in a long time. They all float around the perimeter and the couple of times I've watched them this year, I've been stunned when guys would repeatedly get the ball about 6 or 8 feet from the hoop and refuse to even look at the hoop, opting instead to kick it out for yet another three point attempt.

If they are hot from outside, it could be trouble early, but I cannot imagine we don't win going away. We should physically dominate them and grind them into submission. 20 offensive boards is not farfetched in this game.
 
reminds me to much of that freaking UNCashville game, what a nightmare, worst win I have ever watched SU have.

Ugh that game was awful. The entire arena turned on Syracuse fans and it got pretty hairy in the second half. I got repeatedly taunted from our seats. Mostly from douchebag Pitt fans.
 
Its going to be a mega blowout in Cuse's favor, its my birthday and I am counting on it.
 
Ugh that game was awful. The entire arena turned on Syracuse fans and it got pretty hairy in the second half. I got repeatedly taunted from our seats. Mostly from douchebag Pitt fans.

Outside of the Vermont game that was by far the hardest game to watch, an absolute nightmare from the tip. Its the reason I woudl rather Syracuse be a 2 or 3 seed, that 1 vs 16 game makes me a nervous wreck.
 
BC can score so we have to be careful of a shootout, but their defense is atrocious and we should score 75+ tonight unless everybody is off. BC won't play stallball most likely because they will have to outscore us to win. I think if the defense comes out ready this will be a blowout, but if we come out flat it will take 30 minutes to put them away like Virginia Tech. Our offense should have a great game as BC plays the worst defense I have seen from a team in a power conference since Keno Davis coached Providence College teams from the mid 2000s.
 
Outside of the Vermont game that was by far the hardest game to watch, an absolute nightmare from the tip. Its the reason I woudl rather Syracuse be a 2 or 3 seed, that 1 vs 16 game makes me a nervous wreck.

I guess I cant blame fans for turning on us. Had we been in that pod and not the 1 seed and I was there watching as a casual fan I would have rooted for the 16 seed as well.

I remember after the game ended I had to hit the head and while leaving the bathroom some jerkoff Pitt fan says to me as I was walking out "you guys are so lucky" and got in my face. I wanted to beat the stuff out of him.
 
I guess I cant blame fans for turning on us. Had we been in that pod and not the 1 seed and I was there watching as a casual fan I would have rooted for the 16 seed as well.

I remember after the game ended I had to hit the head and while leaving the bathroom some jerkoff Pitt fan says to me as I was walking out "you guys are so lucky" and got in my face. I wanted to beat the stuff out of him.

I can understand that, I just dont want SU to be the first one to lose to a 16, being the first two to lose is more then enough.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
170,313
Messages
4,884,225
Members
5,991
Latest member
Fowler

Online statistics

Members online
236
Guests online
1,079
Total visitors
1,315


...
Top Bottom