If someone asked you what the biggest difference in Cuse now vs earlier this season

[cliftonparksufan]

I think Marek more assertive but you could make arguments for the other five: Buddy, Eli, JG3, Quincy and Bourama.. Throw JAB in there as well. I think a huge difference is they believe in themselves and you can see it in their body language and a bigger hop in their step. Of course it was more prevalent when they went up 20 but they are definitely learning to win.

 

[RealMcNeil]

I think Marek more assertive but you could make arguments for the other five: Buddy, Eli, JG3, Quincy and Bourama.. Throw JAB in there as well. I think a huge difference is they believe in themselves and you can see it in their body language and a bigger hop in their step. Of course it was more prevalent when they went up 20 but they are definitely learning to win.

Everyone hits the boards.

 

[Gabjon]

Everyone hits the boards.

Sidibe couldn't make a make in the beginning of the year...he is 8-8 over his last 2 games.

But if I had to choose it was be Buddy and Hughes driving the ball it opens up a lot of options

 

[GooseMutt]

I think Marek more assertive but you could make arguments for the other five: Buddy, Eli, JG3, Quincy and Bourama.. Throw JAB in there as well. I think a huge difference is they believe in themselves and you can see it in their body language and a bigger hop in their step. Of course it was more prevalent when they went up 20 but they are definitely learning to win.

Rebounding rebounding rebounding

 

[orangemass]

Closing games out. Couldn’t do that that early in the year

 

[jncuse]

Entertainment value

 

[Trueblue25]

There’s not a selfish player on this team. They win together and share the spotlight effortlessly.

watching Marek and Quincy pick it up with Joe and Elijah down, even Buddy with his quiet 2nd half, was something we havent seen in years.

This teams strong, top down. This is a team that makes a run in March.

 

[hoopsupstate]

It’s collectively. It’s not just one thing.

 

[jdubs30]

Everyone is playing better and more assertive and confident. The zone in general is way better.

This isn’t the case of Eli getting hot for a few weeks and him carrying us. It’s a different guy every night and you can see marked improvement from everyone down to Goodine and HoWash. We have a long way to go but this has been an incredible job by JB

 

[RealMcNeil]

Rebounding rebounding rebounding

Three straight OOC losses had an average rebounding deficit of well over 10.

 

[Jake]

Hard to point to one thing, because just about everything seems better. But rebounding has been much better. The front court has played much better across the board.
And confidence.

 

[hoopsupstate]

Marek has become a nightmare mismatch for opposing teams. He can beat bigs off the dribble and can pick apart a defense with his passing. His anticipation defensively is also good.

 

[Jake]

was just discussing this with some others...wanna know what else has been surprising...at least to me

Buddy has a lot more MF’er in him than I ever thought. Confident kid. He’s more Jim than Julie...at least on the court.

 

[Cowtown]

The fan base is no longer on suicide watch.

 

[kcsu]

Just time together and that includes JB getting a feel for them.

 

[longislandcuse]

was just discussing this with some others...wanna know what else has been surprising...at least to me

Buddy has a lot more MF’er in him than I ever thought. Confident kid. He’s more Jim than Julie...at least on the court.

Saw a comment somewhere on the socials from a Pitt fan along the lines of “how does a choir boy lookin dude come across so sinister?”

 

[cliftonparksufan]

was just discussing this with some others...wanna know what else has been surprising...at least to me

Buddy has a lot more MF’er in him than I ever thought. Confident kid. He’s more Jim than Julie...at least on the court.

He's more than a 3 point shooter. It appears he is picking up some of Eli's moves to the basket and some of JG3 is rubbing off on him as well.

 

[Walshjfii]

We have 6 players that can score now. I know Sidebe isn’t creating on his own but when they are getting the ball to him inside he is no longer throwing it at the rim in a panic. He is calm confident and in control.
Marek is finally starting to assert himself as a score and not just a great passing big.
Q is still raw but has some moves. Kid is going to be a beast very soon.

everyone is crashing the boards and working hustling.

Buddy has stepped his game up big time on both sides of the court.

 

[TexanMark]

Hard to point to one thing, because just about everything seems better. But rebounding has been much better. The front court has played much better across the board.
And confidence.

I want to see how they do against a Big 10 team before thinking they can move past the first weekend.

I do feel confident they end up with a 10 seed

 

[jdubs30]

was just discussing this with some others...wanna know what else has been surprising...at least to me

Buddy has a lot more MF’er in him than I ever thought. Confident kid. He’s more Jim than Julie...at least on the court.

Gotta imagine both JG and Buddy have got a lot of talked over to them over the years and they developed a thick skin. JG3 is more outward about it and Buddy does it quietly but they have a tough swagger to them. Buddy screaming “he can’t guard me” in the VaTech was something I don’t think I ever expected to see from Buddy.

2 more years of Buddy. 3 more years of JG3 and Goodine. 4 of Kadary. We are all set in the back court for years!

 

[ApexSUFan]

In addition to what's already been mentioned... rebounding, confidence, etc. I'd add that everyone seems to know their role and they've settled into them. The one area I'd like to see the team improve upon would be to limit the offensive droughts they've been having in the 2nd half of games. This may be due to fatigue, but it's bound to bite us one of these games.

 

[Zelda Zonk]

Competence.
It’s the one thing I asked for earlier. We don’t seem to be Junior High-level in any characteristic now. Which is refreshing. I don’t see a difference in confidence, other than in Marek. With Sidibe, it looks like he’s moving a hell of a lot better, which helps him to execute better. Joe and Buddy are still shooting he same shots. But the ball moves much better, so they’re getting cleaner shots. You can definitely say that team confidence—in each other, in getting the ball back/converting—makes for a more compelling reason to actually move the ball. Having a Joe as the PG instead of Carey has meant the whole team is playing a more team-oriented game.

We are also playing at a faster pace, using subs, hitting boards, and playing better defense—the kinds of things the ‘whiners’ wanted in game threads.

 

[bigmike]

They are young and gathering experience, but more importantly, the team has been given, and has responded to, good coaching.

 

[DoctorBombay]

Finally getting that keynote win at UVA. That gave us a huge surge of confidence, and it’s like a lightbulb turned on for everything else.
And...a very subtle tweak at the top of the zone whereas the forward comes all the way up, turning the 2-3 into a 3-1-1, which prevents opposing guards from turning the corner against our slow-footed 1&2 guards. QG is literally standing next to Buddy on some possessions. It’s subtle, but has been extremely effective.

 

[Bayside44]

JG3 and Quincy have become players. And the sets run fo Buddy are less Cooney-esque and more easy pops for shots.