If you could bank 15-3 ACC right now

[moqui]

here's the thing that most SU fans are missing: we have played the 2nd weakest ACC schedule in the conference. We have played exactly 1 game against the top 9 teams in the conference. The other five wins come against teams with a combined 6-20 conference record.

It is entirely possible that, 19 games into the season, we still don't really know how good we are, and our conference schedule is backloaded with all our most difficult games.

 

[orangefan13]

16-2 maybe not 16-3 Can care less about taking a field trip to the pitt correctional penetentiary or dukie stadium.

Anything that gets us a one in buffalo though I can care less.

 

[tbonezone]

tap the cards.

 

[rrlbees]

would you take it? I would. Even if a 9-3 close might seem like a disappointment after a 19-0 start, I think 15-3 might be hard to come by but would certainly give us Buffalo/MSG even if it was a 2 seed

I would. Seen too many great starts and then a swoon. Nothing wrong with 15-3 in the ACC. Think that would still be 1st or tied for first. We have a really tough closing schedule. 9-3 is fine by me.

 

[Cusefannotindc]

here's the thing that most SU fans are missing: we have played the 2nd weakest ACC schedule in the conference. We have played exactly 1 game against the top 9 teams in the conference. The other five wins come against teams with a combined 6-20 conference record.

It is entirely possible that, 19 games into the season, we still don't really know how good we are, and our conference schedule is backloaded with all our most difficult games.

This is true, but going into it 6-0 is better than 6-1, like Pitt and UVA. SU and Pitt have the best chance at 15-3, Duke and UVA much less.

 

[moqui]

This is true, but going into it 6-0 is better than 6-1, like Pitt and UVA. SU and Pitt have the best chance at 15-3, Duke and UVA much less.

absolutely - Syracuse is the only team that controls its own destiny at this point. Better to be the leader than the chaser. And, I would not be surprised at all if the game at Pitt ends up deciding who the ACC regular season champ is.

 

[RF2044]

This is a really intriguing question, Moqui.

15-3 is what I predicted for us--and I think it will be enough to win the ACC. So, answering your question weighs balancing three losses against what [largely] means we avoid the dreaded annual swoon that has plagued many seasons.

But it also means giving up the possibility of our team performing BETTER than 9-3 down the stretch. Hmmm...

I think I'd take the bird in the hand and go with 15-3. That should be enough to win the ACC, which more importantly would position us to benefit from the East region and preferential Buffalo / MSG the first two weekends.

Great question, though. I'm really tempted to let it ride and see what this team is capable of, but the hedge was too tempting.

 

[The General]

We will be favored in every ACC game we play sans Pete, @Cam. I'll take my chances.

 

[Cusefannotindc]

absolutely - Syracuse is the only team that controls its own destiny at this point. Better to be the leader than the chaser. And, I would not be surprised at all if the game at Pitt ends up deciding who the ACC regular season champ is.

Definitely, it is a shame that the game is on a Wednesday, should be a Game Day. And as much as well all dislike Pitt, I think we can agree Pitt is tragically underranked right now.

 

[Cusefannotindc]

We will be favored in every ACC game we play sans Pete, @Cam. I'll take my chances.

Pomeroy has SU as a slight underdog at UVA right now. Going to be a tough game.

 

[The General]

Pomeroy has SU as a slight underdog at UVA right now. Going to be a tough game.

No doubt. But we should be favored by more then. Is everyone not noticing that Rak, Grant and Ennis are getting better and better?

 

[ImperialOrange]

No doubt. But we should be favored by more then. Is everyone not noticing that Rak, Grant and Ennis are getting better and better?

Was just going to state the same. Rak Is getting more dangerous, Grant is rounding ino a consistant 12 and 8 guy, and we're just starting to see Ennis take games over when he wants to. If Cooney finds some consistancy and CJ finds his confidence from 3 again we could become even more formidable. Anything Roberson gives us would be extra but when the light comes on there teams better look out. Hell, Baye's hands are even getting better.

 

[HarrisonJBounel]

At the beginning of the year I would have said yes and taken 15-3.

Now it looks like 15-3 is the worst we could do.

 

[SaltLakeOrange]

The thing is, while we are getting better so are the other teams in the conference. Running the table will be a major accomplishment...I'd take 15-3 but think we have a real chance to finish with no more than two losses. The away games at Pitt and Duke will be our greatest challenges. Wednesday at Wake and 3/1 at UVA will be tough, but very very winnable.

 

[JarHeadJim]

Lets just get by Wake on Wensday night!

 

[Col. Bleep]

Why is anyone even talking about losing?
We're 19-0.
Ride the streak, baby!
Ride he streak!

 

[pfister1]

here's the thing that most SU fans are missing: we have played the 2nd weakest ACC schedule in the conference. We have played exactly 1 game against the top 9 teams in the conference. The other five wins come against teams with a combined 6-20 conference record.

It is entirely possible that, 19 games into the season, we still don't really know how good we are, and our conference schedule is backloaded with all our most difficult games.

Except that we have beaten some good teams in Pitt, Nova, Minnesota and Baylor. I think we are good enough that we should expect to beat all but UVA, Duke, and Pitt (referring to the away games) and I will be really disappointed if we don't win one of those three games leaving room for a home loss or a loss at Fla State. I think 3 losses is the worst of the realistic scenarios. More than 3 will be kind of a disaster in my opinion given where the team seems to be headed.

Because of that I wouldn't want to cash in the 3 loss position; I say let it ride and lets see if we can improve on it. Now give me 3 losses come April 8th and I'd jump all over it.

 

[Eric15]

Man, some of you guys are greedy.

Sign up for the second greatest regular season in SU basketball history and virtually lock in playing 4 home games en route to the Final Four? Give me that in a motherfreaking second.

Other than Pitt, we have beat up on ACC creampuffs - it's going to get a lot more challenging.

 

[runningorange]

I think some of you guys are really underestimating some of the teams in the ACC. Take Wake this Wednesday, they haven't lost at home all year and everyone is already banking this as a win. While I do expect to win the game, this is a classic trap game against a decent team that plays well at home. We will be everyone's Super Bowl except for maybe Duke. We recently saw this as both Miami and Boston College played far above their heads when they played us. We need to be up for every game. Sign me up for 15-3 as it would likely mean 4 home game to get to Dallas.

 

[HarrisonJBounel]

With this team, at this point, we shouldn't have a mentality that ANY loss is acceptable.

Opening the door to thinking beforehand that"Well, it's OK if we lose this game", opens that thinking to EVERY game.

We have to stay confident and aggressive, with the right amount of swagger.

This team can run the table, but it has to be one game, one play, at a time.

 

[Eric15]

With this team, at this point, we shouldn't have a mentality that ANY loss is acceptable.

Opening the door to thinking beforehand that"Well, it's OK if we lose this game", opens that thinking to EVERY game.

We have to stay confident and aggressive, with the right amount of swagger.

This team can run the table, but it has to be one game, one play, at a time.

But we're approaching it from a fan perspective, not a player perspective. No one is asking Tyler Ennis if he's cool with 15-3.

If we could hypothetically lock in 15-3 it would give us the best home court advantage we've ever had in the NCAA tournament - it's just being pragmatic.

 

[newmexicuse]

You don't give up a legit shot at true greatness for "taking" something less.

 

[Knicks411]

I would prefer to know who the 3 losses were against, just to be sure it gives us the ACC regular season, but even without that knowledge, I would indeed take it. (I'll be at the game Saturday and @UVA, so if those could be part of the 15, that would be nice)

I feel like we have been talking about this for months, but the key is Buffalo/MSG. I don't really think 18-0 in the conf is in play, so the whole point of this regular season should be Buffalo/MSG. 15-3 should win the league and take care of that.

 

[HarrisonJBounel]

But we're approaching it from a fan perspective, not a player perspective. No one is asking Tyler Ennis if he's cool with 15-3.

If we could hypothetically lock in 15-3 it would give us the best home court advantage we've ever had in the NCAA tournament - it's just being pragmatic.

I understand your perspective, but in my mind, I can't separate the two. When I watch a game, I feel like I'm Boeheim, and I yell directions and encouragement at the players, and I scream at the refs. When Ennis drives, it's me with the ball. When Cooney spots up and fires, it's me shooting. When Grant blocks a shot, I yell as if I did it. Maybe it's a little crazy, but I get absorbed into the game, and the team. I can't just feel like I'm on the outside looking in.

 

[Knicks411]

No doubt. But we should be favored by more then. Is everyone not noticing that Rak, Grant and Ennis are getting better and better?

Not sure about that, UVA is playing a lot better now than a month ago. I bet the pregame line is within a point or two either way