I get that we're 25-0, but

[samspann1]

honestly, is anybody happy with the way we're playing right now? Other than the Duke game, we haven't played well for about a month. We've been consistently playing down to the level of our mediocre opposition, and we've relied on late game heroics (and/or career best performances) to win games. Sooner or later, that's going to come back and bite us in the ass.

I mean, if we're going down to the wire vs NC State and playing nip-and-tuck games with teams like Miami, ND and Clemson, would it really surprise anyone (if our level of play doesn't markedly improve) if we lost at MD or FSU?

Is it too much to ask for a convincing victory once in a while?

 

[OrangeYaGladi]

Over the last 10 game stretch, would you rather have:

A) 5 convincing wins, 2 close wins, and 3 close losses
B) 10 wins, convincing or not

It seems like you prefer A, no? Honest question.

 

[HOFCeluck]

The 2012 team didn't really dominate teams either.

 

[samspann1]

Over the last 10 game stretch, would you rather have:

A) 5 convincing wins, 2 close wins, and 3 close losses
B) 10 wins, convincing or not

It seems like you prefer A, no? Honest question.

Which do you think?

Never mind, close the thread. Great W, blah, blah, blah.

 

[OrangeYaGladi]

Which do you think?

Never mind, close the thread. Great W, blah, blah, blah.

Not sure what you're talking about. Was honestly engaging with your thread. My response was the antithesis to "Great W, blah, blah, blah."

 

[HoustonCuse]

I agree we have played some terrible overall games. But to me its ok, I feel like this team won't be one that peaks early. Really for every game since the Duke game we have had really only one and maybe 2 guys per game play well. We know that should not continue and I'd like the games where we are playing well to be in a month and not now. I feel like they are about to turn a corner and become unstoppable (not that they have been stopped even playing at 40-60%).

 

[samspann1]

The 2012 team didn't really dominate teams either.

they also played a much more difficult schedule in 2011-12.

 

[A Clockwork Orange]

You know what's interesting though? Typically this falls right in the area of our February swoon, where we'd lose three or four out of six. This year we've won those games. I'm not sure if we're better, or the competition is a little worse. This is usually where we lose a couple we shouldn't. Hasn't happened (yet) this year. Maybe it won't. It has been an odd year, that's for sure.

 

[phil77]

No team is going to play perfect every game. No team is going to blow teams out every game. In a season every team goes through ups and downs in terms of play. A sign of a GREAT team is continue winning games while you are not playing your best basketball.

 

[samspann1]

Not sure what you're talking about. Was honestly engaging with your thread. My response was the antithesis to "Great W, blah, blah, blah."

not really. The point of the thread was to discuss the team's play.

 

[samspann1]

You know what's interesting though? Typically this falls right in the area of our February swoon, where we'd lose three or four out of six. This year we've won those games. I'm not sure if we're better, or the competition is a little worse. This is usually where we lose a couple we shouldn't. Hasn't happened (yet) this year. Maybe it won't. It has been an odd year, that's for sure.

Interesting take. Hopefully, the team snaps out of their collective funk soon.

 

[Knicks411]

2012 easily had the best scoring margin in the conference.
The only games that really worried me a bit were ND and tonight. I still think Pitt is a solid team and the Pete is a tough place to play, no shame in going down to the wire there. Clemson they beat by 13 in a 49 possession game. Wake and Miami both ended with double digit margins.

 

[HakAttack]

No one's talking much about how we're getting absolutely jobbed on the scheduling aspect of our first year in the ACC.

Makes sense, because we're the new guys on the block, but consider this: Home and homes with Duke and Pitt. Virginia on the road, UNC at home, FSU, etc. By the time it's all said and done we will have played three Saturday/Monday back to back games.

I know our schedule is backloaded, but jesus, that's a killer schedule. UVA's played the bottom feeders of the ACC all year, and look what the results are.

 

[kuethstheman]

We're not shooting it well enough to win four in a row on neutral courts against good competition. And we were worse than usual in the last five minutes. You can't expect to be perfect down the stretch all the time.

Fortunately, the courts probably won't be exactly neutral but we needed some home cooking to get this win. I don't think we can expect that in either NY or Buffalo.

 

[A Clockwork Orange]

2012 easily had the best scoring margin in the conference.
The only games that really worried me a bit were ND and tonight. I still think Pitt is a solid team and the Pete is a tough place to play, no shame in going down to the wire there. Clemson they beat by 13 in a 49 possession game. Wake and Miami both ended with double digit margins.

And I do think that's part of the difference. Teams have been taking the air out of the ball against us all year, and because of that the scoring differential won't be quite the same as previous years. Which also means a seven point win might actually play more like a 12 point win in another year. Either way, tonight was just bad. I do think collective exhaustion is happening, over the course of multiple games for this team.

 

[Knicks411]

I know our schedule is backloaded, but jesus, that's a killer schedule. UVA's played the bottom feeders of the ACC all year, and look what the results are.

Not sure I agree with that. In the end we're probably gonna end with the harder schedule, but they have had to go to Pitt and Duke, and they've had 3 Saturday-Monday turnarounds as well.

If you compare the schedules up to now, UVA has probably played a more difficult conference schedule. Obviously a big difference will be us going there

 

[Geode]

No team is going to play perfect every game. No team is going to blow teams out every game. In a season every team goes through ups and downs in terms of play. A sign of a GREAT team is continue winning games while you are not playing your best basketball.

That is definitely this team. I'll take an ugly win any day over a loss.

 

[690West]

We are everyone's national title game

 

[realorange]

I can understand a poor shooting night. I can't understand poor ball handling and passes that are telegraphed enough to see on TV. Just not a good effort by the team tonight. W is good, but I'm sure JB will tell them it was bought with more luck than skill.

 

[Orangezoo]

Rak was awesome tonight. But on d he allows the entry into the ft area more than baye. Bayes speed helps the wings and guards not have to travel so much on d. Right now our frontcourt has to work extra hard alongside roc even as good as he is.

I will say this reminds me of the usual swoon. I think the fact we seem to keep every team we play in the game hurts as well due to teams coming in confident they can get a big win vs playing a team who they have no chance against.

 

[Geode]

No one's talking much about how we're getting absolutely jobbed on the scheduling aspect of our first year in the ACC. Makes sense, because we're the new guys on the block, but consider this: Home and homes with Duke and Pitt. Virginia on the road, UNC at home, FSU, etc. By the time it's all said and done we will have played three Saturday/Monday back to back games. I know our schedule is backloaded, but jesus, that's a killer schedule. UVA's played the bottom feeders of the ACC all year, and look what the results are.

Jay Williams would tell you that is all lies. We have played the bottom feeders.

The ACC is giving us their best shot and 2/3's through conference play and we haven't even blinked! #hardnosed.

 

[VeryCuse]

Is it too much to ask for a convincing victory once in a while?[/quote]

I hear you, and in the meantime Duke just barely beat Maryland by 2 pts. I was upset throughout this game.

 

[Marsh01]

honestly, is anybody happy with the way we're playing right now? Other than the Duke game, we haven't played well for about a month. We've been consistently playing down to the level of our mediocre opposition, and we've relied on late game heroics (and/or career best performances) to win games. Sooner or later, that's going to come back and bite us in the ass. I mean, if we're going down to the wire vs NC State and playing nip-and-tuck games with teams like Miami, ND and Clemson, would it really surprise anyone (if our level of play doesn't markedly improve) if we lost at MD or FSU? Is it too much to ask for a convincing victory once in a while?

I sure as stuff am. 25-0

 

[AZOrange]

We missed about 20 open shots tonight. Ennis was in a weird place.

 

[AZOrange]

I sure as stuff am. 25-0

Me too.