I tell you what

[two3zone]

If only we had the size inside we all thought we'd have.

On the plus size we beat a Gonzaga team last year that had big guy who is in the NBA right now with the same center we had last year. If Lydon plays superstar defense like he did last tournament I think we make a lot of noise.

 

[pearl31]

If we got left out, I would be enraged. No other bubble team has the wins we have.

Sorry, but this isn't the year to be enraged by a "snub" - I put that in quotes because it wouldn't even really qualify as a snub. We dug our grave in December... Now, a legitimate argument can absolutely be made as to why we should be in the field and I happen to think we stack up favorably when compared to a number of the other bubble teams... but there are compelling reasons to regard some of those other teams as more deserving than us - a guy like Jerry Palm, for example, isn't leaving us out on a whim or just to stick it to SU fans

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

No one wants to play us in the tournament. With Battle's emergence, and White's shooting, we can make another run if our defense comes to play.

Thank God for grad transfers!

Why, are we playing at the Some?

 

[RaleighSUfan]

I agree that this team has major warts on their resume. But go to cbssports and use their team comparison in the bracketology section. When Syracuse is compared to the other 10 or so bubble teams, no other bubble team matches the top wins Syracuse has. The question is, will that be enough to offset the terrible losses? I think so, especially since those losses were so long ago. Overall, the team is playing much better.

 

[jdubs30]

I agree that this team has major warts on their resume. But go to cbssports and use their team comparison in the bracketology section. When Syracuse is compared to the other 10 or so bubble teams, no other bubble team matches the top wins Syracuse has. The question is, will that be enough to offset the terrible losses? I think so, especially since those losses were so long ago. I've all, the team is playing much better.

The committee has said for a while that it looks at the resume as a whole, as opposed to the "Last 10". I think that proven last year, since 2 of our biggest wins were in November and the committee chair did point to those as key factors as to why we got in.

However, since January 2nd our losses are: @VaTech, @UNC, @ND, @PITT, Ville, @GaTech, @Ville.

6 road games, 1 home game. Of the 7, 5 were vs. NCAA tournament locks and 1 was against a team that's on the bubble.

No bad losses in the group. All of our bad losses came within like 3 weeks of each other in December.

 

[upperdeck]

all of our bad losses came before we made the lineup change too.

 

[Cuse House]

Sorry, but this isn't the year to be enraged by a "snub" - I put that in quotes because it wouldn't even really qualify as a snub. We dug our grave in December... Now, a legitimate argument can absolutely be made as to why we should be in the field and I happen to think we stack up favorably when compared to a number of the other bubble teams... but there are compelling reasons to regard some of those other teams as more deserving than us - a guy like Jerry Palm, for example, isn't leaving us out on a whim or just to stick it to SU fans

Here's my counter argument to your post. When we were playing horrible basketball in December, we were starting two grad transfers and playing a freshman significant minutes. We lost our two true centers due to an injury and a lingering issue with knees. Our defense requires experience and game time, it isn't something most players pick right up in their first year. Our bad losses were due to a lot of factors, mostly the team being unfamiliar with each other and new to the system. Can you really "Dig your grave in December?" I think the committee will take into account all these changes to our rotation this season and see the improvement through the year.

No other team on the bubble has 6 top 50 wins or plays in a tougher conference than we do so is there really a team more deserving on the bubble? We beat both of the other ACC bubble teams. We've beaten some teams who will be seeded high. We have shown we can beat anyone. I think the committee is smart enough to realize we have some bad blemishes, but this isn't the same team from December.

This team reminds me of last years Wisconsin squad who was written off early in the season as well and then finished strong. We are more deserving than other bubble squads imo.

 

[OrangeDW]

Sorry, but this isn't the year to be enraged by a "snub" - I put that in quotes because it wouldn't even really qualify as a snub. We dug our grave in December... Now, a legitimate argument can absolutely be made as to why we should be in the field and I happen to think we stack up favorably when compared to a number of the other bubble teams... but there are compelling reasons to regard some of those other teams as more deserving than us - a guy like Jerry Palm, for example, isn't leaving us out on a whim or just to stick it to SU fans

Is it really fair for a team to have "dug their grave" at the beginning of the season? We had 4 new starters...basically a whole new group that had never played together.

It's clear now that this is an NCAA caliber team. Hopefully the committee exercises basic common sense and gets the best teams in.

 

[OrangeDW]

The committee has said for a while that it looks at the resume as a whole, as opposed to the "Last 10". I think that proven last year, since 2 of our biggest wins were in November and the committee chair did point to those as key factors as to why we got in.

However, since January 2nd our losses are: @VaTech, @UNC, @ND, @PITT, Ville, @GaTech, @Ville.

6 road games, 1 home game. Of the 7, 5 were vs. NCAA tournament locks and 1 was against a team that's on the bubble.

No bad losses in the group. All of our bad losses came within like 3 weeks of each other in December.

Look at the resume as a whole and use some common sense while doing it. We played bad and had some bad losses last year...in December when our coach was gone.

We played bad early in the year this year...when we had a brand new team and took some time to gel. Not to mention we lost two games when Battle had the flu...games we likely win with him because he was rolling before that and has been great since getting healthy again.

Again, to me the committee needs to be more than number crunching geeks. They need to be actual sports people who understand basketball and know the ins and outs of every team they are looking at. Get the best teams in.

 

[jdubs30]

Look at the resume as a whole and use some common sense while doing it. We played bad and had some bad losses last year...in December when our coach was gone.

We played bad early in the year this year...when we had a brand new team and took some time to gel. Not to mention we lost two games when Battle had the flu...games we likely win with him because he was rolling before that and has been great since getting healthy again.

Again, to me the committee needs to be more than number crunching geeks. They need to be actual sports people who understand basketball and know the ins and outs of every team they are looking at. Get the best teams in.

While I agree with you - I don't think the committee uses the eye test that much. These are AD's are major universities who probably watch less basketball than they care to admit - to expect them to know the ins and outs of 100 teams is too much. They are handed a information sheet with metrics, top 50 wins, etc. Then they make their decision.

I wish there was more of an eye test consideration, but that will probably never be the reality.

 

[OrangeDW]

While I agree with you - I don't think the committee uses the eye test that much. These are AD's are major universities who probably watch less basketball than they care to admit - to expect them to know the ins and outs of 100 teams is too much. They are handed a information sheet with metrics, top 50 wins, etc. Then they make their decision.

I wish there was more of an eye test consideration, but that will probably never be the reality.

Yup, and that's wrong. This is too important. It should be a full time job. The people on the committee should know every team out there.

 

[Lucid]

This is the way I look at it. If we can't beat Miami on an Orange-friendly "neutral" court, we won't go far in the NCAA Tournament anyway. Just my 2 cents.

 

[GooseMutt]

I agree that this team has major warts on their resume. But go to cbssports and use their team comparison in the bracketology section. When Syracuse is compared to the other 10 or so bubble teams, no other bubble team matches the top wins Syracuse has. The question is, will that be enough to offset the terrible losses? I think so, especially since those losses were so long ago. Overall, the team is playing much better.

I assume the main premise for hand selecting teams is to ensure the best are there to provide the most competitive quality tournament possible. Rewarding the schools with a dance ticket is prestigious and also post season revenue. Tv viewing drives some of this along with advertising,merchandizing , etc. the magic of the tournament everyone has a shot. Upsets are never expected but frequent. Last second shots standard. And amongst all the Goliahs out there there gotta be some Daveys. And WE have been Daveying out butts off and are getting even more fine tuned with that slingshot. Tournament needs us. We are who people fear and want to see ( and others like us). The other teams not so much. We got this!

 

[shandeezy7]

This is the way I look at it. If we can't beat Miami on an Orange-friendly "neutral" court, we won't go far in the NCAA Tournament anyway. Just my 2 cents.

I thought that last year going into the Pitt game in the ACCT, and look at what happened.

 

[longtimefan]

Miami? I think they have an under the radar freshmen PG who is playing PG now more than Newton and he has been excellent.

Brown--and he's hardly under the radar. He was a Mc D's AA last year. Think Battle with a better handle.

 

[cuse522]

Getting back to the original post, I think we're even more dangerous than we even thought possible a few weeks ago. The zone is really improving IMO. White is getting a lot better in it, and I think it's getting more aggressive. Plus Battle is emerging late in the year a lot like Malachi did last year.

We're also in a weird spot, because as long as we're in without a First Four game, I'd much rather be an 11-seed than an 8-10. I think our odds of beating a 6-seed are just as good as our odds of beating a 7-seed. There are maybe 3-6 teams we have virtually no shot against, though, and they're 1- and 2-seeds. So I'm more concerned with avoiding them in the first weekend than having a slightly easier first round matchup. You basically inherit the seed advantage of the team you knock off, so I'd rather knock off a better team if our odds of winning that game don't change all that much, and IMO they don't.

 

[NineOneSeven]

It's crazy. NineoneSeven might be right. I haven't seen anything like it on defense anywhere, ever. 95% of the time he just doesn't try or is awful. In some man situations too. You're right. He's good on offense but he isn't Chris Bosh or even Tristan Thompson to be showing that kind of effort on D.

He's, and I am not overexaggerating, the worst defender I have ever seen, and possibly in d1.

 

[SoBeCuse]

He's, and I am not overexaggerating, the worst defender I have ever seen, and possibly in d1.

I know man. It's crazy. What's really weird is when he gets scored on doing nothing he sometimes gets flustered or he throws his arms up in the air like it's some big surprise. That's called delusional!

 

[Lucid]

Getting back to the original post, I think we're even more dangerous than we even thought possible a few weeks ago. The zone is really improving IMO. White is getting a lot better in it, and I think it's getting more aggressive. Plus Battle is emerging late in the year a lot like Malachi did last year.

What happened in Louisville?

 

[FrancoPizza]

I think we're even more dangerous than we even thought possible a few weeks ago. The zone is really improving IMO. White is getting a lot better in it, and I think it's getting more aggressive.

One game against GTech does not warrant that kind of enthusiasm for the defense. Last weekend the mood around here was quite different after Louisville. With the right matchup this team can be a tough out, but their defense will ultimately be their undoing.

 

[Trueblue25]

Hope we catch Arizona and beat them by 80 some time before the final four/our 2nd natty champ

 

[cuse10]

That's what will end us if we don't shoot lights out, unfortunately. TT just doesn't have it on D, and on the boards. Plays with seemingly no energy, and just keeps his hands down, and doesn't battle. We really need someone else besides Lydon to rebound, and battle down low. Some encouraging signs from Robey today.

Gotta enjoy the win, but lots of work to do.

He's become frustrating to watch as well. Can contribute offensively, but at times on both ends on the floor, he makes you want to pull your hair out. Its like he has a rock for a brain.

This SU team will go as far as they can depending on which team shows up. If they're crisp offensively and lock up defensively like they did against Georgia Tech, no one will want to play them. If they show up like the team that laid an egg at the Yum Center, they can go home the first game.

 

[cuse522]

What happened in Louisville?

One game against GTech does not warrant that kind of enthusiasm for the defense. Last weekend the mood around here was quite different after Louisville. With the right matchup this team can be a tough out, but their defense will ultimately be their undoing.

Most people here overreacted after Louisville, I was never in that group. I think the defense looked good for a decent stretch in that game, and ultimately Louisville is a very good team and we were in their house.

For stretches of time though, I’m just seeing the 2-3 zone look more like our aggressive, good zone than it has for most of the year. Maybe it’s five or six minutes in one game, eight or ten the next, and so on. Thus, I’m encouraged that we may get to the point of being able to play good defense for half of a game - which, with our offense, is a pretty good combination.