Chicken or Egg?

[AlaskaSU]

Are we now overachieving or did we underachieve during the season?

 

[STEVEHOLT]

Are we now overachieving or did we underachieve during the season?

If by achievement you mean winning, then we are for sure overachieving now. if by achievement you mean level of play, I'd say we are about where we should be. I certainly don't see us as having underachieved no matter what prism you view this through.

MD has certainly taken a step forward however he's gained vast experience throughout the year, so I would put that in the maturation category. Everyone else is about where they should be or better.

 

[Cowtown]

We don't play well at all on O, haven't all year. We're pretty tough on D, though. Whether that's over or underachieving, it probably doesn't matter? Did MSU under achieve or did we over achieve today? Probably some of each. There's something to be said for a team who can win games they probably shouldn't have by getting tough at the right time. You can't quantify that statistically, but it's what we've been doing, and it's been pretty exciting after an up and down season. It reminds me of the 2016 run: can't do anything but win.

 

[nycfan]

I would say the defense has improved, but that wouldn't do it justice. The D has been flat out spectacular in the 3 tourney games thus far. Keep in mind that 3 of the 5 players are basically first-year players since Chukwu played so little last year. And even Howard, once he got in the doghouse in the 2nd half of the season, played very little during the ACC portion of the schedule. So they have finally now mastered the assignments in the zone (particularly coming out on the shooters). It reminds me of that year 5 years back when we lost to Michigan in the Final Four (just in terms of the defense--obviously the more common comparison is 2 years ago with a double-digit seed that people didn't think would even Dance). The reason I mention the 2013 team is the stifling defense seems so similar (now) -- specifically the Marquette Elite 8 game comes to mind when we held them to 23% shooting and 13% from three (3 of 24). Today, MSU an abysmal 8-37 from three (22%), and only 26% for the game. Now as for the offense...

 

[orangepassion]

Our zone has always been better against teams that haven't played it

 

[Orange87]

Theyre just playing better now and the defense is off the charts.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

I'd say we underachieved throughout the year. Should have wons really stand out. Notre Dame, Wake Forest, etc...

 

[Orangezoo]

I'd say we underachieved throughout the year. Should have wons really stand out. Notre Dame, Wake Forest, etc...

Agreed. Notre Dame, Wake, @FSU, St Bona and UNC at home all should have been wins we couldn't squeak out. With those we are 25-8 going into the tourney and likely a 4/5 seed at worst.

 

[MSOrange]

Agreed. Notre Dame, Wake, @FSU, St Bona and UNC at home all should have been wins we couldn't squeak out. With those we are 25-8 going into the tourney and likely a 4/5 seed at worst.

Even getting 2 or 3 of those gets us safely off the bubble. But it's old news now

 

[sufandu]

I believe a season is long enough to have a good idea of what a team is. This isn't one of those teams that looked way different at the end of the year than it did in the beginning. Guys have figured a few things out and we've played teams that have been mystified by the zone. I think we're overachieving now. We play a team/coach that is familiar and comfortable with us next.

 

[Lucid]

Maybe a little of both, but here's the thing...

I'm guessing that earlier in the year when Boeheim said things like "Our offense just isn't very good," the kids probably refused to believe it.

I think now they basically believe it and agree with Boeheim, at least sub-consciously, so they're playing their hearts out on defense, because deep down they know that's all they've got to hang their hopes on.