Does this team need to lose?

[KingOtis]

With the exception of the Louisville game, I think the guys have played overconfident lately. Instead of putting opponents away, they're doing just enough when they need to. And because the sole loss was without Melo, the team is basically undefeated.

Would a loss help them refocus? And since the Louisville game will be meaningless if they win the next two, the "good" loss would need to come against USF or UConn. (I don't think a loss in the BET will mean much either.)

What do you guys think? Does this team need a reality check before the dance?

 

[jekelish]

No. The close calls we have had should be enough to keep our guys honest.

Plus, I'm kind of expecting to being knocked out of the BET, so there's your loss.

 

[jdubs30]

I'm never a believer that.

UK needs to lose more than we do if you're gonna go that route. We've had too many close games to get cocky.

 

[CorduroyG]

run the table in the regular season, 17-1 would be a tremendous accomplishent. at that point i could care less what happens in the BET.

 

[KingOtis]

No. The close calls we have had should be enough to keep our guys honest.

Plus, I'm kind of expecting to being knocked out of the BET, so there's your loss.

I agree with you on the BET. JB usually doesn't play to win it unless he needs to. I'm sure he wishes he could have forfeited the Georgetown game two years ago. But I don't think that loss will do the trick. I don't see JB instructing his players to tank, but I don't think he'll get on them as much if they lose their first or second BET game. And they won't take it as hard because they know they'll be a #1 seed no matter what.

 

[thebigeast44]

A USF loss would most definitely be considered a bad loss in most people's eyes regardless of their record in the Big East.

 

[Marsh01]

Good lord no.

 

[KingOtis]

I'm never a believer that.

UK needs to lose more than we do if you're gonna go that route. We've had too many close games to get cocky.

Not going to disagree, although their loss to IU probably had a greater impact than our loss to ND. And after a bunch of tight games, they're starting to blow their opponents out. We're doing the opposite now. If we played the Hall again, it would probably be a much closer game. Whereas I felt like we could have beat Georgetown by 20 and UConn by 30, but we just didn't feel like it.

A win's a win, but I'm a little concerned with where we are mentally right now.

 

[jdubs30]

Not going to disagree, although their loss to IU probably had a greater impact than our loss to ND. And after a bunch of tight games, they're starting to blow their opponents out. We're doing the opposite now. If we played the Hall again, it would probably be a much closer game. Whereas I felt like we could have beat Georgetown by 20 and UConn by 30, but we just didn't feel like it.

A win's a win, but I'm a little concerned with where we are mentally right now.

Sometimes you gotta give credit where credit is due.

UConn is talented and they played well against us, I don't think we were lazy at all, I just think they played well that game. Georgetown is a top 12 team and plays against the zone at least once a year, every year, they know how to attack it.

If these games were vs. DePaul and Providence, I might have an issue.

We don't get teams like Auburn or Ole Miss every game like UK does.

 

[arrow2arinzesknee]

Sometimes you gotta give credit where credit is due.

UConn is talented and they played well against us, I don't think we were lazy at all, I just think they played well that game. Georgetown is a top 12 team and plays against the zone at least once a year, every year, they know how to attack it.

If these games were vs. DePaul and Providence, I might have an issue.

We don't get teams like Auburn or Ole Miss every game like UK does.

are you forgetting the basketball powerhouses in the SEC South Carolina and Georgia, damn best 10-16 and 12-14 teams I ever did see

 

[jekelish]

Sometimes you gotta give credit where credit is due.

UConn is talented and they played well against us, I don't think we were lazy at all, I just think they played well that game. Georgetown is a top 12 team and plays against the zone at least once a year, every year, they know how to attack it.

If these games were vs. DePaul and Providence, I might have an issue.

We don't get teams like Auburn or Ole Miss every game like UK does.

Hey, don't knock Kentucky's schedule. There's one other SEC team in the top 25 (which we beat), after all. What a murderer's row that conference is. Truly a great conference and their tournament is simply legendary.

 

[BlazeOrange]

run the table in the regular season, 17-1 would be a tremendous accomplishent. at that point i could care less what happens in the BET.

And neither would the NCAA seeding commitee. A #1 seed should be a lock at that point.

But if we lost now, we stay behind Kentucky and 2-loss Missouri probably jumps past us to #2. We'd still be ahead of the remaining top teams that all have 4 or 5 losses. However, that cushion could be overlooked if we made a quick BE exit combined with a couple of those teams (say Duke/UNC and Michigan State/OSU) winning their conference tournaments. Then we're looking at a #2 seed and maybe having to travel to another region.

As much as I love the BE tournament, this year I'd prefer it to be gravy instead of a must-win situation.

 

[orangecuse]

run the table in the regular season, 17-1 would be a tremendous accomplishent. at that point i could care less what happens in the BET.

I'm okay if they lose in the semi's of the BET, but it sucks being at the BET and losing the first game at noon a la G'town two seasons ago.

 

[pfister1]

Whereas I felt like we could have beat Georgetown by 20 and UConn by 30, but we just didn't feel like it.

A win's a win, but I'm a little concerned with where we are mentally right now.

Really? I am a little concerned where you are mentally right now.

 

[DallasCuse]

With the exception of the Louisville game, I think the guys have played overconfident lately. Instead of putting opponents away, they're doing just enough when they need to. And because the sole loss was without Melo, the team is basically undefeated.

Would a loss help them refocus? And since the Louisville game will be meaningless if they win the next two, the "good" loss would need to come against USF or UConn. (I don't think a loss in the BET will mean much either.)

What do you guys think? Does this team need a reality check before the dance?

NOOOOOO. Every game is a friggin war in the BE (ask Dixon or Pitino etc), and we keep winning. I have no idea, zip, zero, zilch why a loss would be good.

 

[skurey]

ban whoever voted yes

 

[44PRIDE]

Yes,
And I need a heart attack to figure out I eat like crap...

 

[moqui]

the best thing about this team is their self confidence - they believe they are going to win, then they go out and do it. A loss would more likely let the air out of the balloon than it would provide the boost that you are looking for.

 

[CiscoCuse]

No...and Hell No!

 

[mikekan14]

I agree with you on the BET. JB usually doesn't play to win it unless he needs to. I'm sure he wishes he could have forfeited the Georgetown game two years ago. But I don't think that loss will do the trick. I don't see JB instructing his players to tank, but I don't think he'll get on them as much if they lose their first or second BET game. And they won't take it as hard because they know they'll be a #1 seed no matter what.

I disagree with "JB usually doesn't play to win it unless he needs to." I think every team wants to win it for the banner and every team hopes that none of their players get injured along the way. Injuries are unpredictable and I understand mitigating risks by sitting the starters but Boeheim wouldn't have made a big fuss about no longer playing in the BET in MSG when we move to the ACC if it wasn't a big deal. Winning the ACC tourney is not the same as winning 4 to 6 games in a row to win the BET in the biggest media market, in out biggest alumni base, in the world's most famous arena. I think absolutely, that Boeheim wants to win the BET, even if he doesn't need it.

 

[44cuse]

No. We're winning close games and that should be enough to keep their heads in it. If anything, I'd like to see them have a little more fun.

44cuse

 

[kingottoiii]

No. We're winning close games and that should be enough to keep their heads in it. If anything, I'd like to see them have a little more fun.

44cuse

I don't want to see us lose but I would like to see more of Keita, XMas at the 5, and James. If that results in a loss, then so be it. Playing 2 games a weekend for 4 weeks in a row, you cannot get by with zero bench. Right now we are basically playing with 1 C and 2 Fs. That won't work. We can't expect to get 38 mins out of KJo, 35 mins out of CJ, and 32 mins out of Fab every game. They will need to rest playing 2 games in 3 days. Also there is the chance of foul trouble (especially with Fab where Cs always have one NCAA game where they get screwed). We need to get good mins at backup C and we need James to give us about 12 mins a game. That hasn't been happening lately and is a much bigger concern IMO than who should get more PT at G (yet everyone here is so focused on that). I think JB needs to work those 3 guys in more. It might mean we lose a game or two down the stretch but IMO it is worth it in the long run.

 

[LennX6]

I agree with you on the BET. JB usually doesn't play to win it unless he needs to. I'm sure he wishes he could have forfeited the Georgetown game two years ago. But I don't think that loss will do the trick. I don't see JB instructing his players to tank, but I don't think he'll get on them as much if they lose their first or second BET game. And they won't take it as hard because they know they'll be a #1 seed no matter what.

I remember the ancient days when JB used to say the entire of the regular season was to get ready for the BET. I believe that philosophy was borne of that has a tangible "present" attached to it, an automatic bid.
Dangerous to coast now, once that switch goes off, it might not come back on when you need it to.

 

[suhoops4life]

With the exception of the Louisville game, I think the guys have played overconfident lately. Instead of putting opponents away, they're doing just enough when they need to. And because the sole loss was without Melo, the team is basically undefeated.

Would a loss help them refocus? And since the Louisville game will be meaningless if they win the next two, the "good" loss would need to come against USF or UConn. (I don't think a loss in the BET will mean much either.)

What do you guys think? Does this team need a reality check before the dance?

Our guys are just as focused, if not more focused than they've been all season long. The problem is that, right now, every team they play wants to hang their laurels on a win over SU. Consequently, they're seeing the best each team has to offer.

Here are a few things I would like to see going forward:

1. No losses

2. Better shooting outside the paint. I would love to see a few of these guys go old school & hit some mid-range over a screen before loading up. If a team can't hit over 35% from behind the arc, it's virtually worthless.

3. Some pick & roll, where the player who is rolling actually gets a freaking pass once in awhile.

4. Scoop, hitting freethrows at a rate of 70%.

5. Brandon, playing basketball without thinking for a change.

6. Dion, taking what the defense gives him, rather than forcing many things it won't.

7. Southland, hitting more than one shot in a row outside the paint.

 

[44cuse]

I don't want to see us lose but I would like to see more of Keita, XMas at the 5, and James. If that results in a loss, then so be it. Playing 2 games a weekend for 4 weeks in a row, you cannot get by with zero bench. Right now we are basically playing with 1 C and 2 Fs. That won't work. We can't expect to get 38 mins out of KJo, 35 mins out of CJ, and 32 mins out of Fab every game. They will need to rest playing 2 games in 3 days. Also there is the chance of foul trouble (especially with Fab where Cs always have one NCAA game where they get screwed). We need to get good mins at backup C and we need James to give us about 12 mins a game. That hasn't been happening lately and is a much bigger concern IMO than who should get more PT at G (yet everyone here is so focused on that). I think JB needs to work those 3 guys in more. It might mean we lose a game or two down the stretch but IMO it is worth it in the long run.

Totally, totally agreed. Absolutely 100%.

I guess I was answering the question in the context of whether or not this team need to lose in the context of a "wake up call" or for some psychological reason. There is no doubt that we need more from the C position just to manage the minutes and the inevitable foul trouble that will come.

Keita and Rak will have to play a role at some point and right now they need to be able to give good minutes.

44cuse