Heads in the Sand.....

[Cuse Action]

So many posts here about people not being worried or saying we will be fine.

Are these people seeing the same team that I have been watching for the past month or so ????

As of right now it all starts and ends with Jerami. If Jerami can't get back to near 100% - then what ??? Back problems can be tough and lingering. Even if he does come back he would probably be one bad fall or twist from having his season end.

Even if Jerami does come back it would be pretty obvious that he should not be playing 35 to 40 MPG. Maybe 30 minutes max. To me, the dumb butt armchair fan, it is pretty obvious that Mike G is not the answer at small forward. Does the HOF coach see that & take a shot with Roberson who should have been developed much more throughout the season ?? Or else perhaps, one of the many JB can do no wrong posters on this forum can explain to me what JB sees in Mike G at SF that I (Mr. Dumb Butt) have missed. Yeah, G does no harm at that position, as in no harm to the opponents from what I have seen.

Then we have the Cooney issue. He is shooting around 30% since conference play began.. That is a long stretch of games of below average efficiency. Up until the last two games, I thought much of it was on the O sets in that he didn't seem to be getting good looks. The last two games, it appeared that he had plenty of good looks, but no improvement in the results. Unfortunately, his hot start was to this season feels like it took place in Jurassic times. Lately, he has looked like the 2012 Cooney model. All that being said, I see Trevor as the linchpin to this O. If somehow he could get back to shooting 40% from trey range for the post-season then we have at least got a chance (assuming Jerami can play). Almost more frustrating than his shooting percentage is why his game is so one dimensional. It seems every game we get exactly one flash of a nice drive and finish or drive and pullup two. If his man is up on him, these should be easy plays for him to make with regularity. Why so infrequently ????

CJ - he is our leader and most games he plays solidly, but we almost never see the 25 & 10 types of games where he puts the team on his back and drags us across the finish line. I know he can't do that every game, but I think he has it in him to do that every so often. If this team is to make a deep run, we will need one or two of those efforts from CJ. And yes, a few less minutes might help him.

Ennis - he has come back to earth a bit. He is still indispensible and the co-leader along w CJ, but the on-off switch no longer works 100% of the time. I do like that he has tried to step up his O a bit the last two games. But as good as he is, he really needs another year to improve his strength & his trey shooting. Hope that year is with us and not as an apprentice at the next level.

X & BMK - X shows imtermittant flashes & BMK is what he is. Team is too one dimensional, gotta expand X's role & see what happens. No reason these two shouldn't combine for 12 & 10 at least every time out. We can't live with less.

The bench - G looks like he is gradually trying to score a bit more. his psych is fragile - it seems if he has a bad miss, he goes back into his shell (yesterday it was the wide open trey attempt that hit the side of the backboard). He drives well though he is not great at the finish & he is usually left alone at the trey line where he is reasonably efficient. He should only be playing guard & not SF IMHO. Personally, I would like the third guard to be either a legit backup PG or a more explosive scorer off the bench, but G is adequate as a hybrid. Roberson - He should be the third forward off the bench & with Jerami's back issues, he should be getting at least 15 MPG. Maybe he makes more system mistakes than does G at the F spot, but he also makes more plays. Gotta get this team outta the doldrums & take a chance with the potential playmaker up front. I won't even mention Buss & BJ - the Coach has made this a lost season for them.

Jimmy - I have said it all season long - nobody else could have coached this team to more wins, and nobody else would have had this team less prepared for adversity. Well, adversity is here - will the Coach at least try to make some late season adjustments ????

Great post, and right on the money.

 

[rrlbees]

Teams that don't shoot threes well do so against us. Ennis and Cooney were guarding air yesterday.

One, until UVA got hot, we were playing inside the 3 point line and giving them the 3. We weren't extending at all. It took a while for us to do that. Two, several of their 3's came from the corner or deep wings. That's on the forwards.

 

[longislandcuse]

One, until UVA got hot, we were playing inside the 3 point line and giving them the 3. We weren't extending at all. It took a while for us to do that. Two, several of their 3's came from the corner or deep wings. That's on the forwards.

Maybe I'm not remembering correctly but just because a wing hits a three doesn't mean it's all on the forwards. UVA was abusing Ennis and Cooney up top forcing rotations to leave people open.

 

[rrlbees]

Maybe I'm not remembering correctly but just because a wing hits a three doesn't mean it's all on the forwards. UVA was abusing Ennis and Cooney up top forcing rotations to leave people open.

The reverse can be said also. Many times the guard opposite ball side was stopping into the paint to protect from a pass going inside the foul line. Hard to then get back out on a 3 point shooter. The guards getting beat hurts the center more than a forward who is on the outside of the paint.

 

[CusefanATL]

The 25 - 0 start was an illusion. We had lot's of luck and a few breaks here and there. In a "normal" year that start would have been 22 - 3 give or take a game or two. There is such a thing as a "look" test. This team has not passed the "look" test in the last month since the first Duke game. If a team doesn't look good, sooner or later things will average out. You can't play every game within one or two baskets and not expect more losses than we experienced.

Look at your own post, "Our halfcourt offense is sub-par, JB doesn't like film study, and we hear the same talking points. If we are a 1/2 seed in the tournament I could careless about the struggles as that is the coaches job to correct." Kinda begs the question - what is the Coach doing to correct ???? Since, obviously, if the struggles continue we don't go far when it counts.

Of course, with any luck over the last 4 games and we are sitting at 28-1.

It is what it is, we have struggled... oh well. we're going to win the national championship.

Sometimes there doesn't need to be a rhyme or a reason to be true.

 

[Cuseman78]

And on the other side of the coin, you don't understand how some of us aren't pushing panic buttons after how we ended the regular season last year? We hobbled to the finish line of the BE season last year (lost 4 of 5) with our last being a 22 point stinker loss to Gtown. We ended up going to another BE final and going to the final four.

College basketball is a crazy game. Its about peaking at the right time. Lets hope that happens in a couple of weeks in Greensboro and beyond. If so, no reason we can't win a national title.

 

[SUbear]

While devouring the last few games (and especially the Virginia game)...the Cuse is simply not good enough to win more than 1 or 2 games in the NCAA tournament. Couney & Ennis must hit a few more 3s and Christmas must become more of a factor on offense under the basket. With Grant ailing play Roberson more...he may shine...give him a chance to boost this currently downward path...we may be surprised!

If Grant can not get back to normal, I agree that we are not going far in ACC or NCAA tourneys.

 

[HakAttack]

So many posts here about people not being worried or saying we will be fine.

Are these people seeing the same team that I have been watching for the past month or so ????

As of right now it all starts and ends with Jerami. If Jerami can't get back to near 100% - then what ??? Back problems can be tough and lingering. Even if he does come back he would probably be one bad fall or twist from having his season end.

Even if Jerami does come back it would be pretty obvious that he should not be playing 35 to 40 MPG. Maybe 30 minutes max. To me, the dumb butt armchair fan, it is pretty obvious that Mike G is not the answer at small forward. Does the HOF coach see that & take a shot with Roberson who should have been developed much more throughout the season ?? Or else perhaps, one of the many JB can do no wrong posters on this forum can explain to me what JB sees in Mike G at SF that I (Mr. Dumb Butt) have missed. Yeah, G does no harm at that position, as in no harm to the opponents from what I have seen.

Then we have the Cooney issue. He is shooting around 30% since conference play began.. That is a long stretch of games of below average efficiency. Up until the last two games, I thought much of it was on the O sets in that he didn't seem to be getting good looks. The last two games, it appeared that he had plenty of good looks, but no improvement in the results. Unfortunately, his hot start was to this season feels like it took place in Jurassic times. Lately, he has looked like the 2012 Cooney model. All that being said, I see Trevor as the linchpin to this O. If somehow he could get back to shooting 40% from trey range for the post-season then we have at least got a chance (assuming Jerami can play). Almost more frustrating than his shooting percentage is why his game is so one dimensional. It seems every game we get exactly one flash of a nice drive and finish or drive and pullup two. If his man is up on him, these should be easy plays for him to make with regularity. Why so infrequently ????

CJ - he is our leader and most games he plays solidly, but we almost never see the 25 & 10 types of games where he puts the team on his back and drags us across the finish line. I know he can't do that every game, but I think he has it in him to do that every so often. If this team is to make a deep run, we will need one or two of those efforts from CJ. And yes, a few less minutes might help him.

Ennis - he has come back to earth a bit. He is still indispensible and the co-leader along w CJ, but the on-off switch no longer works 100% of the time. I do like that he has tried to step up his O a bit the last two games. But as good as he is, he really needs another year to improve his strength & his trey shooting. Hope that year is with us and not as an apprentice at the next level.

X & BMK - X shows imtermittant flashes & BMK is what he is. Team is too one dimensional, gotta expand X's role & see what happens. No reason these two shouldn't combine for 12 & 10 at least every time out. We can't live with less.

The bench - G looks like he is gradually trying to score a bit more. his psych is fragile - it seems if he has a bad miss, he goes back into his shell (yesterday it was the wide open trey attempt that hit the side of the backboard). He drives well though he is not great at the finish & he is usually left alone at the trey line where he is reasonably efficient. He should only be playing guard & not SF IMHO. Personally, I would like the third guard to be either a legit backup PG or a more explosive scorer off the bench, but G is adequate as a hybrid. Roberson - He should be the third forward off the bench & with Jerami's back issues, he should be getting at least 15 MPG. Maybe he makes more system mistakes than does G at the F spot, but he also makes more plays. Gotta get this team outta the doldrums & take a chance with the potential playmaker up front. I won't even mention Buss & BJ - the Coach has made this a lost season for them.

Jimmy - I have said it all season long - nobody else could have coached this team to more wins, and nobody else would have had this team less prepared for adversity. Well, adversity is here - will the Coach at least try to make some late season adjustments ????

Are you done yet? Good god man. Step off the ledge and put down the sharp objects.

 

[Ghost]

Then we have the Cooney issue. He is shooting around 30% since conference play began.. That is a long stretch of games of below average efficiency. Up until the last two games, I thought much of it was on the O sets in that he didn't seem to be getting good looks. The last two games, it appeared that he had plenty of good looks, but no improvement in the results. Unfortunately, his hot start was to this season feels like it took place in Jurassic times. Lately, he has looked like the 2012 Cooney model. All that being said, I see Trevor as the linchpin to this O. If somehow he could get back to shooting 40% from trey range for the post-season then we have at least got a chance (assuming Jerami can play). Almost more frustrating than his shooting percentage is why his game is so one dimensional. It seems every game we get exactly one flash of a nice drive and finish or drive and pullup two. If his man is up on him, these should be easy plays for him to make with regularity. Why so infrequently ????

CJ - he is our leader and most games he plays solidly, but we almost never see the 25 & 10 types of games where he puts the team on his back and drags us across the finish line. I know he can't do that every game, but I think he has it in him to do that every so often. If this team is to make a deep run, we will need one or two of those efforts from CJ. And yes, a few less minutes might help him.

I think CJ has been pretty much as effective as Cooney of late. Which is to say, not all that much. You take away the two Duke games and he's been playing pretty subpar for awhile now. We need a stopper - that guy that get us the tough basket when we're struggling and CJ hasn't been that guy of late. Ennis was for a bit, but he seems to be having his own struggles of late.

He accounts for over a quarter of our turnovers by himself (last year he was 13%). He has to be the steadying force on this team - and he's been anything but of late. He needs to be more consistent and start hitting those mid-range jumpers again, because teams are doing a nice job of shutting down his drives to the hole. I don't know, getting a healthy JG is our biggest obstacle right now, but it would be nice to see CJ to revert back to the cool customer he's been for 3.5 years.