I'm starting to hate the pace that we play at

[Orangemen]

It just has disaster written all over it for the tournament.

Our first round game could be brutal. A hot shooting low major could easily stick around with us at the pace we play.

Right now I wouldn't be surprised if we won the NC and I wouldn't be surprised if we let an inferior team hang around and they knocked us out early.

 

[longislandcuse]

Co-sign

 

[007]

It just has disaster written all over it for the tournament.

Our first round game could be brutal. A hot shooting low major could easily stick around with us at the pace we play.

Right now I wouldn't be surprised if we won the NC and I wouldn't be surprised if we let an inferior team hang around and they knocked us out early.

I think that the ability to be efficient playing at a slower pace is actually a benefit when it comes to the NCAAT. Unless you are an elite pressing team, like L'ville last year, it is much easier to slow teams down than to speed them up. SU has had a year's worth of experience playing at a slower tempo and winning games. This will be an advantage come tournament time.

But, your point is well taken about the capacity of this team losing to just about anybody (BC, St Francis hanging around to the end). Match ups will be huge.

 

[HarrisonJBounel]

The best teams can play any style well to counter threats and take advantage of weaknesses. Right now we just don't run well or run enough. However well we play half-court offense and defense, we are too one-dimensional. IMO.

 

[VaBeachOrFan]

1) Shooting
2) Rebounding
3) Finishing

Focus on those three things and the rest of their game will take care of itself. They have the skills and weapons to win any given game. Go Orange!-VBOF

 

[orangefan13]

It just has disaster written all over it for the tournament.

Our first round game could be brutal. A hot shooting low major could easily stick around with us at the pace we play.

Right now I wouldn't be surprised if we won the NC and I wouldn't be surprised if we let an inferior team hang around and they knocked us out early.

Get used to it unless mike gbinije or Ron Patterson get big minutes at guard pressuring the ball the next 2-3 years, I expect it to stay this way.
Dion, MCW and Rautins recently had some real strong on the ball D, I don't see that anytime in the next 2-3 years unless Ron and Gbinije bring it.

imo, the pace isn't as a big of an issue with this team We have 4 guys that can go off for 20 any given night, and you can't use the stats to prove that, because they were 25-0 all stats aside. On top of that we have won alot of close games, more then any team in the country, we know how to.
Imagine if Gbinije and Ennis started making 3-4 more spot up 3's a game. When Grant recovers, I really love our chances.

 

[jec1521]

I think a dose of press early in games would help speed the games up a lot. Boeheim has done it before, but I'm assuming he doesn't think we have the depth this year.

 

[NineOneSeven]

Starting?

 

[VaBeachOrFan]

UVA can be pressed, for sure. I saw them unravel earlier this year against the press -- I think it was a VT game. Of course UVA pulled it out, but point noted for future reference. Pick your spots to press, but it could rattle them for a momentum-changer.-VBOF

 

[tbonezone]

hey let's talk about this tomorrow.

 

[anomander]

we kind of bring this pace upon ourselves with the zone defense. i know one thing i wouldn't trade our zone defense for a quicker style. who cares if we only win by 5 points or less? i'd rather win, then win with style. defense wins championships. with that said i think we have identified we need shooters going forward, preferably long shooters, and that is what we have with Richardson, and Lydon in the future. That should help the offensive efficiency without giving up that valuable length in the zone.

 

[Madbiker]

Wish we would play at the pace we did in Maui. This slow stuff just let's every team with lesser talent hang in the game and if we make a couple bad plays down the stretch you're flirting with a loss. The biggest reason this team has fallen off the last month in its level of play is it's poor perimeter shooting. We were worried about that going into the season. Cooney and Ennis shot the ball great in the pre-conference. Ever since the Villanova game the perimeter shooting has been very inconsistent. Cooney 27.5% from behind the arc in ACC games.

 

[NineOneSeven]

Just like last year- could get to the FF or lose second round if a team hangs around and makes the plays.

We know how that turned out last year.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

its not just that we are playing slow..its that recently we have been playing slow and not getting good shots.

It's one thing to take 30 seconds off the clock moving the ball around adroitly, getting defenses out of position, and getting great shots. That I can live with.

We have been basically pounding the ball into the floor for 25 seconds, one pass into CJ...and then a contested jumper.

No thanks to that strategy. That's the crap WE make the opposition do.

 

[orangefan13]

good point Holt I agree we got some really open shots late in the shot clock for the first 3/5's of the season.

 

[VaBeachOrFan]

1) Shooting
2) Rebounding
3) Finishing

Focus on those three things and the rest of their game will take care of itself. They have the skills and weapons to win any given game. Go Orange!-VBOF

Guess what three things we didn't do well today? Need a healthy Grant.-VBOF