Interesting Bilas Comment re: Cuse as Top Team

[44cuse]

Jay has been pretty consistent with saying we could be the best team in the country. I think he was fairly definitive early on, backed off a bit in the middle of the season, and then just restated it on the show today like this:

Paraphrasing: "Clearing the defensive boards is an issue for Syracuse. But the rate they turn people over and create extra possessions is a significant advantage. It isn't that they can't defensive rebound. It's a question of if they will. If they do, they could be the best team n the country."

Now, a couple of things...first, he has been very consistent with this. I don't recall which game but I believe it was UCONN GameDay. He broke down our offense and talked about how our halfcourt offense is much better than people think it is. Personally, I don't agree. I don't consider a high ball screen with Fab rolling when we never dish to the rolling player and a series of delayed cuts a strong halfcourt offense. Personal opinion, and every0ne can disagree and I'm sure will have their own take on it. Without a back to the basket scorer, I just find it hard to commit to saying your halfcourt offense is good.

But...and this is nothing that has not been discussed here before so I'm not pretending this is some new observation, Bilas clearly believes our halfcourt offense is not an issue or at least not an issue when taking into context with the extra possessions we get from turning teams over. IMO, Bilas is an excellent analyst and it makes a lot of sense.

I have not gone back and looked at our bracket and seen what the Off Efficiency %'s or TO%'s are in our bracket (Marsh or Moqui...do you guys have this?), but to me, Bilas just told us who we are. Some may claim that they have known, but it's been debated here for weeks. Hit the defensive boards and turn teams over and we will make a deep, deep run.

That's the equation right there.

44cuse

 

[44cuse]

And to add to that: Bilas picked us to the Final.

Believe he was the only one.

44cuse

 

[Ghost]

And to add to that: Bilas picked us to the Final.

Believe he was the only one.

44cuse

Frashcilla picked us to win it all.

 

[Knicks411]

I just don't think there is any real reason to believe we're going to be any good on the defensive boards. We've been horrible (seriously, we're like 340th in the country) pretty much all year. And we've been really successful all year. But I don't think we're suddenly going to turn into a defensive rebounding machine in March now. Fab had 1 defensive rebound in the Cincy game. 1.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I just don't think there is any real reason to believe we're going to be any good on the defensive boards. We've been horrible (seriously, we're like 340th in the country) pretty much all year. And we've been really successful all year. But I don't think we're suddenly going to turn into a defensive rebounding machine in March now. Fab had 1 defensive rebound in the Cincy game. 1.

We've done well on occasion, like against UConn. I think we did pretty well against Louisville, as well. We have gotten up for some big games and held out own on the board. Frankly, that's why Cinci smoked us early - because we were so focused on the defensive boards that we were collapsing the zone too much, and leaving open shooters. Gates was a beast inside early in the game, and everyone was sagging down on him.

We just have to find the right balance, and we have to have better energy from Kris and C.J. covering the corner shooters, and Dion not getting sucked in to the top of the key when he's on the weak side of the defense.

 

[NovaOrange]

Your spot on Matt CJ and Kris are not doing well on getting out to the corners it's been painful to watch

 

[jdubs30]

Your spot on Matt CJ and Kris are not doing well on getting out to the corners it's been painful to watch

Hopefullly (not that this is a valid excuse) they kinda just lost focus since we just keep winning no matter how bad we were rebounding. We're 0-0 now and the next loss we're done, gotta step up

 

[Knicks411]

We've done well on occasion, like against UConn. I think we did pretty well against Louisville, as well. We have gotten up for some big games and held out own on the board. Frankly, that's why Cinci smoked us early - because we were so focused on the defensive boards that we were collapsing the zone too much, and leaving open shooters. Gates was a beast inside early in the game, and everyone was sagging down on him.

We just have to find the right balance, and we have to have better energy from Kris and C.J. covering the corner shooters, and Dion not getting sucked in to the top of the key when he's on the weak side of the defense.

We've done ok for one or 2 games, but I don't see it happening 6 games in a row. (Doesn't mean we can't win, just that I doubt it will be on the back of our defensive rebounding).

 

[dollarbill44]

We've done well on occasion, like against UConn. I think we did pretty well against Louisville, as well. We have gotten up for some big games and held out own on the board. Frankly, that's why Cinci smoked us early - because we were so focused on the defensive boards that we were collapsing the zone too much, and leaving open shooters. Gates was a beast inside early in the game, and everyone was sagging down on him.

We just have to find the right balance, and we have to have better energy from Kris and C.J. covering the corner shooters, and Dion not getting sucked in to the top of the key when he's on the weak side of the defense.

Collapsing on Gates was only part of our problem early on. Being lazy getting back to the outside to cover the shooters was equally to blame, imo.

 

[PhatOrange]

And to add to that: Bilas picked us to the Final.

Believe he was the only one.

44cuse

Last night Hubert Davis picked Syracuse in the final four - but UNC getting to the championship.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

We've done well on occasion, like against UConn. I think we did pretty well against Louisville, as well. We have gotten up for some big games and held out own on the board. Frankly, that's why Cinci smoked us early - because we were so focused on the defensive boards that we were collapsing the zone too much, and leaving open shooters. Gates was a beast inside early in the game, and everyone was sagging down on him.

We just have to find the right balance, and we have to have better energy from Kris and C.J. covering the corner shooters, and Dion not getting sucked in to the top of the key when he's on the weak side of the defense.

Great point about the collapse. I don't think we were doing that to prevent offensive boards, just wanted to make sure that Gates didn't roam free in there and get Fab in foul trouble. Seems like we forgot that inside shots are only worth two points but the threes are worth more. Really the whole thing comes down to which Kris we see. The one who is intense and into it, or the one we saw last weekend who was very much more concerned about his aching thumb. GMac didn't make sure to make eye contact before that pass either...

CJ needs to return to form and do his thing on the boards and not try too hard on the offense. Completely took him out of his game in the last few.

As a complete aside, can someone please tell Fab to STOP swinging his arm on every block. No need for that exaggerated motion. In fact it gives the shooter a much clearer vision of the hoop during the shot.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Collapsing on Gates was only part of our problem early on. Being lazy getting back to the outside to cover the shooters was equally to blame, imo.

Extremely difficult to do both of these. At some point, a decision has to be made - extend out to the three point shooters or collapse on the big men.

You know the defense has completely fallen apart when you see Fab trying to challenge a three in the corner.

 

[dollarbill44]

Extremely difficult to do both of these. At some point, a decision has to be made - extend out to the three point shooters or collapse on the big men.

You know the defense has completely fallen apart when you see Fab trying to challenge a three in the corner.

It is difficult, but we've been able to do it all season. I thought the big problem was that all 3 guys on the back line were surrounding Gates and the two guards were trying to cover 3 guys on the outside, including the corners. They made the adjustment at halftime but the damage had been done.

But, I also don't think CJ was 100%. He didn't seem to have any spring to him.

 

[PoppyHart]

Bilas picked Kentucky last night.

 

[44cuse]

Bilas picked Kentucky last night.

That's why he said he picked us to the final instead of winning it all.

44cuse

 

[Hoov50]

Collapsing on Gates was only part of our problem early on. Being lazy getting back to the outside to cover the shooters was equally to blame, imo.

It also has to be factored in that Cincy was an average (at best) three point shooting team throughout the year and shot 2-23 the day before. Going into the game I think most of us were much more worried about Gates eating us up inside than Cincy starting 8-10 from the three point range and banking in two of them!

 

[dollarbill44]

It also has to be factored in that Cincy was an average (at best) three point shooting team throughout the year and shot 2-23 the day before. Going into the game I think most of us were much more worried about Gates eating us up inside than Cincy starting 8-10 from the three point range and banking in two of them!

Since we handled Gates fairly well the first time we played them (without Melo), I was not concerned about him. We don't get beat due to one guy having a big game in the paint. We lose only when we don't cover the shooters. It's been that way for the better part of 3 seasons now.

 

[CorduroyG]

Since we handled Gates fairly well the first time we played them (without Melo), I was not concerned about him. We don't get beat due to one guy having a big game in the paint. We lose only when we don't cover the shooters. It's been that way for the better part of 3 seasons now.

exactly. i dont have a problem with an inside guy going off for 20 on us, thats not gonna beat us. whats gonna beat us is a team getting hot from 3. that was the gameplan against uconn, get out on lamb and napier and make them beat us inside. i think that should be the plan for us against most teams, dont dare them to shoot 3s then extend after they make a few, extend the zone right from the tip.

 

[MyMeloMyMan]

It also has to be factored in that Cincy was an average (at best) three point shooting team throughout the year and shot 2-23 the day before. Going into the game I think most of us were much more worried about Gates eating us up inside than Cincy starting 8-10 from the three point range and banking in two of them!

When you catch and shoot wide open 3's...they are much easier to hit. Especially when Kris Joseph decides to not cover his corner and to cheat up to the top of the zone all day (!??) he got beat 6 times in that corner.

 

[Hoov50]

Since we handled Gates fairly well the first time we played them (without Melo), I was not concerned about him. We don't get beat due to one guy having a big game in the paint. We lose only when we don't cover the shooters. It's been that way for the better part of 3 seasons now.

Is him getting 16 and 10 really handling him? We may have won but I am not sure you can say we handled him.

 

[Hoov50]

When you catch and shoot wide open 3's...they are much easier to hit. Especially when Kris Joseph decides to not cover his corner and to cheat up to the top of the zone all day (!??) he got beat 6 times in that corner.

You're being generous. It was at least 10 times they just missed a few from the spot.

 

[dollarbill44]

Is him getting 16 and 10 really handling him? We may have won but I am not sure you can say we handled him.

That is keeping fairly well in check. Like I said before, 16 or even 20 from Gates wasn't going to beat us. The only way we lose that game is the way we did, not getting on the 3 point shooters and them hitting open 3s. That is the one and only gameplan that has worked against us this year.