Im ok with this

[orangefan13]

Love the positive attitude. Really do, but what do you see happening that we can turn this thing around? (Aside hopefully getting JG healthy?

1.Gbinije Ennis and Cooney getting out on the perimeter to become a three headed shooting beast. Getting a comfortable look when receiving the ball with a cofortable release.


2.Also This team lacks a triangle offense they had early in the season, and grant can't change that.
Cooney got hot in the second half and we rode him. He steps up to do to much at one time which is great, but he has become our whole offense for stretches when he does. Its head scrathching that Fair Ennis and Cooney haven't clicked together to share the scoring together evenly in over 10 games.Thats called unselfish basketball and simple distribution. I am not saying this team has been selfish it just hasn't been clicking toghher.
Great college scoring teams can run a triangle scoring offense between three guys evenly for long stretches. Its been a weakness of ours mysteriously since we hit #1.

 

[anomander]

In my wildest dreams, Roberson plays a lot and plays well the next two games and becomes a much needed positive "addition" going forward.

.

that's a great idea that i would also love to see. but sadly we all know that's not happening. we will be lucky to see him again this season

 

[MGP]

Look. Bottom line for me is today was disappointing, but we lost to a good team who is completely peaking right now at their home on senior day. It is what it is. Are we playing good ball right now? No, but we still play tougher D than 99% of the country, that keeps us in every game. Time will tell if we turn it around, but if you're over 30 you've had to have been around the 'Cuse block enough to realize this is not the end. It's like no one is even mentioning that we have a whole ACC tourney to go through before selection Sunday. Seedings aren't even close to being decided. I understand the venting and concern but let's get some perspective...

 

[kingtidge]

I don't want this to sound snarky because it's not intended as such but do you watch any other teams play besides cuse. I mean outside the top 5 is a complete cluster...

That is exactly my point... we're playing as part of the rabble at the moment... but I'm pretty sure any team in the top 20 would beat BC on their home court...

You can claim we've had a rough run of it but we are simply finishing the season like a lamb.

Offensively, we're a classic boeheim struggling team right now... ISO after ISO and lacking good passing ball movement within the arc.

Our early season defensive runout transition game has been negated as teams around us have gotten better and are prepared for it.

Yes, I am skeptical. I don't want to be, but I am a realist.

 

[AZOrange]

That is exactly my point... we're playing as part of the rabble at the moment... but I'm pretty sure any team in the top 20 would beat BC on their home court...

You can claim we've had a rough run of it but we are simply finishing the season like a lamb.

Offensively, we're a classic boeheim struggling team right now... ISO after ISO and lacking good passing ball movement within the arc.

Our early season defensive runout transition game has been negated as teams around us have gotten better and are prepared for it.

Yes, I am skeptical. I don't want to be, but I am a realist.

How do u know how were going to finish the season...? You're just guessing on that.

 

[Cowtown]

Lighten up dude. Its fine. We lost to gtown by 100 last year and turned it around

True, I thought that was a crusher, but ...

 

[kingtidge]

How do u know how were going to finish the season...? You're just guessing on that.

Absolutely... I am basing my opinion on the last 5 games, however.

Like it or not , we are trending down at a very fast clip.

I certainly don't like it.

 

[AZOrange]

Absolutely... I am basing my opinion on the last 5 games, however.

Like it or not , we are trending down at a fast rate.

I certainly don't like it.

Lol we were a horrible call from beating duke at duke...

 

[sufandu]

Regardless of our resume, we aren't playing like a 1 seed right now. Will we get one? The way we finish, including the ACC tournament will determine it, but, honestly, I don't even care about that. All I care about is figuring out how to score. We are a jump shooting team that hasn't shot well, save one game, in a month and a half. We just saw what happens to our offensive rebounding when we can't just out athletic/physical our opponent, and it's likely we'll see someone that can give us some trouble there no later than the elite 8 and certainly no later than the final four.

Is the sky falling? Absolutely not, but we do not look like the NC team we looked like through the UNC game either.

What I want to see:
1. Obviously Grant getting healthy
2. Ennis continuing his new aggressiveness
3. Roberson getting more run. He shows good activity and an ability to score on offense even if he misses an assignment now and then on defense. He was the only guy I saw that attempted to back a defender down with his back to the basket and made a good move on the play. We have at least 3 games to try to get him some comfort level for the tournament.

 

[realorange]

For those who say Grant wouldn't have made enough of a difference you may be right. But we were tied at halftime ending a time when Grant was playing. The second half? A healthy Grant gets his share of rebounds and a few baskets and a block or two. Think that might have stopped some VA runs and kept it close?

 

[kingtidge]

For those who say Grant wouldn't have made enough of a difference you may be right. But we were tied at halftime ending a time when Grant was playing. The second half? A healthy Grant gets his share of rebounds and a few baskets and a block or two. Think that might have stopped some VA runs and kept it close?

we laid an egg. grant is a nice player but his benching is not the reason we lost by 20...

 

[sufandu]

Lol we were a horrible call from beating duke at duke...

That's true, but that doesn't explain the BC game or how we tried to hand Maryland the game after we had a solid lead. Upward trending national championship contending teams beat teams by double digits now and then. We've bitten our nails in every game for over a month and it's beginning to catch up with us.

We aren't suddenly a horrible team, but the idea that everything is ok simply because we were able to make a good run after finishing the season badly last year, is inaccurate.

 

[kingtidge]

That's true, but that doesn't explain the BC game or how we tried to hand Maryland the game after we had a solid lead. Upward trending national championship contending teams beat teams by double digits now and then. We've bitten our nails in every game for over a month and it's beginning to catch up with us.

No nailbiting today!

 

[longtimefan]

All good points but I hate the fact that there was little ball movement and too many late jacks.

Our offense did not look good today, but consider the competition. UVa is one of the very best defensive teams in the country.

 

[swish7]

People act like we played awful and got blown out all game. We didn't get beat soundly to the last 12 minutes.

Thank God you posted this. I feel so much better knowing that we only got beat soundly for 25% of the game.

 

[mountaincuse]

I'm never ok with a loss, some are easier to take sure, but never ok with a loss

 

[HoustonCuse]

We were a national championship caliber team in December. Now, I think we don't get to the second weekend. What changed?

1. Our backcourt was world beating back then. Now they are essentially all used up. Neither Cooney nor Ennis has ever played this much before. Even if we had an option to rest them more it may have happened. Playing 29 games like they have played is way beyond anything they have ever done on a basketball court - mentally and physically.

2. Our front line has been decimated by injuries. DC is gone, Grant looks to be about 30% when he is in the game and con only play at that level for about 10 minutes a game right now, Baye is one wrong step from being gone for the year. I saw him land wrong against UM the other night and he clearly aggravated something. He looked about 50% today.

We went from having a dominant front court to playing Mike G, Xmas, and Baye across the backline. We went from having a dominant back court to having two guys who look like the burned out hulks of Iraqi tanks right now.

None of this is a reaction to today specifically, other than it was further evidence that the stuff above is true. Maybe we can get a second wind, but egads it does not look good right now.

 

[SWC75]

If you are suggesting we sit Grant for the last two games, JB said on his show that he's had this problem for some time and that it comes and goes. It's a game-by-game decision, not a thing where you sit him out and then he'll be fine. If he's able, he'll play.

 

[SWC75]

We were a national championship caliber team in December. Now, I think we don't get to the second weekend. What changed?

1. Our backcourt was world beating back then. Now they are essentially all used up. Neither Cooney nor Ennis has ever played this much before. Even if we had an option to rest them more it may have happened. Playing 29 games like they have played is way beyond anything they have ever done on a basketball court - mentally and physically.

2. Our front line has been decimated by injuries. DC is gone, Grant looks to be about 30% when he is in the game and con only play at that level for about 10 minutes a game right now, Baye is one wrong step from being gone for the year. I saw him land wrong against UM the other night and he clearly aggravated something. He looked about 50% today.

We went from having a dominant front court to playing Mike G, Xmas, and Baye across the backline. We went from having a dominant back court to having two guys who look like the burned out hulks of Iraqi tanks right now.

None of this is a reaction to today specifically, other than it was further evidence that the stuff above is true. Maybe we can get a second wind, but egads it does not look good right now.

Cooney and Ennis played fairly well in this game. Ennis got into foul trouble and Cooneyw as well-defended down the stretch. They aren't "burned out hulks of Iraqi tanks".

 

[anomander]

Cooney and Ennis played fairly well in this game. Ennis got into foul trouble and Cooneyw as well-defended down the stretch. They aren't "burned out hulks of Iraqi tanks".

They were ok offensively, but defensively they were awful. When everyone was on MCW last year they took for granted just how dominate he was on the defensive end of the court. Those are the type of things that don't always show up in the box score. MCW/Triche on top of the zone are far better then Ennis/Cooney.

 

[SUintheVille]

I am an optimistic person, but the idea that it's OK as long as SU gets healthy and look what happened last year is not being realistic. Last year has no relevance to this year. If they get healthy, certainly that is relevant and will definitely help, but there's no guarantee that Grant will get and stay healthy. Lower back pain can be very painful, and flare up anytime. But, this team is just not firing on the offensive end lately. I mean what does it take to score 60 points anymore? Another bad shooting day (36 pct total, 23 pct from 3). This is a disturbing trend. Their offense is stale at times, and rotates around the perimeter. Yes, they have flashes of excellent execution as well, but those flashes are not as bright as they have been. Their defense is very good overall, but agree that there were too many open looks. Is that tiredness? VA did shoot 50 pct. Seems like many teams are shooting well against us lately.

So, we obviously still have potential to go all the way, but better flow and accuracy offensively is essential. You miss shots, you lose. Time to regroup fast, re-energize, and LGO!

 

[HoustonCuse]

Cooney and Ennis played fairly well in this game. Ennis got into foul trouble and Cooneyw as well-defended down the stretch. They aren't "burned out hulks of Iraqi tanks".

Cooney cannot consistently hit jumpers anymore. Ennis fouled out because he couldn't get into the lane without charging. Those are fatigue related in my mind. Unless we suspect both of them have just regressed as basketball players. They are playing on empty. MCW had this happen to him at the end of last year as well, and seemed to pull himself out of it for the tourney so there is some hope.

 

[kingtidge]

Cooney cannot consistently hit jumpers anymore. Ennis fouled out because he couldn't get into the lane without charging. Those are fatigue related in my mind. Unless we suspect both of them have just regressed as basketball players. They are playing on empty. MCW had this happen to him at the end of last year as well, and seemed to pull himself out of it for the tourney so there is some hope.

Ding Ding...

There may be hope there.

Th Grant/Keita injury dilemma is more troubling...

 

[realorange]

we laid an egg. grant is a nice player but his benching is not the reason we lost by 20...

If you read my post, I didn't say Grant would have saved us. But he could have made a considerable difference in the outcome. No miracles intended. Just the reality of an important cog in the team breaking and causing the team to function less efficiently.