Digesting all the posts from today...

[Millhouse]

We're going through the same swoon we go through many years from mid-January to mid-February. Only this year we are good enough that those loses in the past are this years uneven looking wins.


Sent from my DROIDX

yep - boeheim has recruited his way out of the annual swoon

 

[RF2044]

You beat me to the punch. It is a long season, and it takes a lot out of players emotionally. This year, we are winning those swoon games.

The reality is that even great teams play a lot of close games, because they get every team's best shot that they face. Most people just look at box scores or ESPN scrolls, but if you watch a lot of these games, you'll see even the best teams playing a lot of close games for 37-38 minutes, then putting the opposing team away late and running the score "up" a bit.

That's kind of what happened yesterday. Close game throughout; we end up winning by 10. Would have won by 15 or so if we'd made some GD free throws late.

And if you'd just looked at the ESPN scroll of the score, the reaction would be -- "ho hum, the #2 team handled Rutgers" when in fact it was a fairly competitive game. Uconn was the same way--tough, competitive game--we go on a late run, put them away, and win by 18 -- with the score not being indicative of how tough the game really was.

Every top 10 team plays in games like this--not just us.

 

[pfister1]

Incidentally, for those that want to make the argument that part of our formula is playing in a down Big East - we can still tie the '95-96 UConn team for best conference record (17-1) in the last 20 years. Even if we don't win out, by winning 2 of 3 we would achieve our best overall conference record EVER and become just the 6th team to complete an 18 game Big East season with 2 or fewer losses. UConn has done it 4 times and Louisville once.

 

[VaBeachOrFan]

In other words, we're one Meloblip away from being Indiana 1976. I vote half full.-VBOF

 

[AZOrange]

I usually get heartburn when watching Cuse. I really have not had any this year and certainly did not have any yesterday. Having a team that can make plays when they need to is crucial to not getting heartburn.

 

[Sgt Cuse]

yep - boeheim has recruited his way out of the annual swoon

This has started to get out of hand. First was this annual swoon nonsense. Yes, SU has had many years of putting together a couple of losses in a short period. But SU has been consistently good for years. The league has figured this out and tweeked the schedule to have SU play contenders towards the end of the season.

The next step was to insinuate this is a phenomenon unique to SU. Then imply that it is a deficiency with JBs coaching.

Now the final step. When a great season is among us on, and were winning the close games against the good teams, downgrade and deflect the accomplishment.

Igor and Blue Curtain must be proud.

 

[ClamOtto]

I'm just trying to enjoy what we have before it's gone. Even with all the hand-wringing and criticism after close games, you know that a year or two from now we'll be talking about why that year's team isn't as good as the 11-12 team, the 11-12 team could win close games, the 11-12 team had chemistry and no egos, the 11-12 team was one of the all-time great SU teams, etc etc. Regardless of what happens, this team has been special.