I've compared this team to 97 all fall

[Shermthegeneral]

And I'm afraid I might be right.
No playmakers + no shooters = trouble

Best case scenario, Ennis steps up and leads this team and we get someone else besides Trevor and CJ shooting. (Preferably 1 or 2 Frosh)

Worst case scenario, JB plays the 8 man rotation like tonight, they continue to be inept on offense, they lose a lot and 2 of the 3 bench freshman transfer because they are frustrated with PT.

 

[SWC75]

I think we'll be better than '97. But this team has a lot of work to do.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Full blown meltdown mode. This isn't the 90's. This team has talent and upside. The number one team in the country beat the worst team in the ivy by 9 and three un-ranked teams beat top 25 teams yesterday. We aren't as good now as we will be in February.

 

[SaltLakeOrange]

We have a lot of work to do, that's for sure but I don't think it's time to panic. We have a ton of talent. I think the key Ennis. We've gotten very spoiled with point guard play over the last several years. Tyler will be a good one eventually. He will struggle at times this year but his development will determine how far we go this year. JB said it in the presser, last night Tyler played like freshman. Hopefully he'll learn from it and move on.

 

[PeteCalvin]

97? Really? Wow. Nowhere close. This team is far deeper and has far more talent. None of our bigs are as bad as frosh Dedrick Thomas (aka Etan). He was flat out awful. Last night was a nice little reminder to the young ones that they can leave the accolades at home. When your top two players are struggling, it's time to step up and produce. Coleman brought it. Baye and Roc must start rebounding.

 

[gilardino]

OMG, 97 team? really, get a grip, not even close, the 97 would have lost this game, got to love syracuse fans, got to love them. I am just glad you are not my boss, or leader, too much negative energy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[dasher]

And I'm afraid I might be right.
No playmakers + no shooters = trouble

Best case scenario, Ennis steps up and leads this team and we get someone else besides Trevor and CJ shooting. (Preferably 1 or 2 Frosh)

Worst case scenario, JB plays the 8 man rotation like tonight, they continue to be inept on offense, they lose a lot and 2 of the 3 bench freshman transfer because they are frustrated with PT.

No. The '97 team had no one near as good as fair. He had a bad game last night. He alone makes us a lot better than '97. Plus, we have some guys like Grant that are on the cusp.

 

[Shermthegeneral]

97? Really? Wow. Nowhere close. This team is far deeper and has far more talent. None of our bigs are as bad as frosh Dedrick Thomas (aka Etan). He was flat out awful. Last night was a nice little reminder to the young ones that they can leave the accolades at home. When your top two players are struggling, it's time to step up and produce. Coleman brought it. Baye and Roc must start rebounding.

I don't agree! That team from 97 had talent and had returned 3 starters from the championship team the prior year.

Starters
Jason Hart 9.6 PPG = Tylor Ennis
Jason Cipolla 13.2 PPG = Trevor Cooney
Marius Janulis 9.3 PPG < Rakeem Christmas
Todd Burgan 15.1 PPG = CJ Fair
Otis Hill 15.7 PPG > DC

Bench
(advantage 2013)
1997
Elvir Ovcina
Etan Thomas
Rameel Lloyd
Lesean Howard

2013
Tyler Roberson
Jerami Grant
Baye Moussa Keita
BJ Johnson
Michael Gbinije

On paper, both teams have a ton of talent. Don't forget that Rameel Lloyd, Lesean Howard and Etan Thomas were all top 100 recruits and both Rameel and Lesean were top 50. Etan was ranked close to 100.

 

[SaltLakeOrange]

I don't agree! That team from 97 had talent and had returned 3 starters from the championship team the prior year.

Starters
Jason Hart 9.6 PPG = Tylor Ennis
Jason Cipolla 13.2 PPG = Trevor Cooney
Marius Janulis 9.3 PPG < Rakeem Christmas
Todd Burgan 15.1 PPG = CJ Fair
Otis Hill 15.7 PPG > DC

I'm good with the Hart = Ennis and Cipolla = Cooney but am having some trouble comparing Marius with Rakeem since they are so different. Either way though Rakeem or Jeremi > Marius. Disagree with Burgan = Fair...Dunno but CJ shoots better and is a better defender. I have to go with CJ here. Otis was a beast. But how about Otis vs the combination of DC/Rakeem/Baye?

I think the depth on this team is the real difference.

 

[moqui]

 

[LAOrange]

97 backcourt...now, yes, but I believe that both Ennis and Cooney will be light years ahead of those two at the end of the year offensively. Ennis will never match Jason defensively, but hopefully he'll at least get to Scoop level.

 

[Shermthegeneral]

I think a lot of people have been spoiled over the past few years and we have had a bunch of well rounded teams. This team just doesn't have the "IT" factor, yet. Am I panicking, not at all! Basketball is all about chemistry and as I said above, if we find that 1 playmaker, then things might fall into place.

 

[gilardino]

todd Burgan was also suspended for 7 games, duhh

 

[Opus]

Comparing these two teams all I can think of is both need a John Wallace.

 

[MikeSU02]

I think a lot of people have been spoiled over the past few years and we have had a bunch of well rounded teams. This team just doesn't have the "IT" factor, yet. Am I panicking, not at all! Basketball is all about chemistry and as I said above, if we find that 1 playmaker, then things might fall into place.

That 97 team had 4 guys shooting over 35% from three and and another guy at 33% and did not have much of a bench. They also had Todd Burgan. I'm hoping we don't have any Burgans (off court version).

This team has a solid bench and not nearly that much of a three point threat.

I don't really see the comparison other than both teams are following a final four team.

One other note, if you transplanted that 97 team with a good person version of Burgan, that team would still do well this year.

For all the concern, there are very few teams that wouldn't trade places with us. Ennis is growing into his role. Cooney is getting better at being consistent and putting the ball on the deck. Give CJ a bit of extra time to get the TOs down.

We're a work in progress, but we are a very good work in progress.

 

[anomander]

This years version is far superior on the defensive ends. We aren't as good as last year defensively, but then again last year was probably the best defensive team we had. Our defense alone will virtually keep us in every game.

I do agree that we have a significant lack of a play maker. other then Ennis there really isn't anyone you can give the ball and say go get your shot. I would love to see this team try and fast break a lot more. We really haven't seen much transition at all this year. I don't think we can afford to get bogged down, and forced to score out of our half court sets.

But back to the OP i'd set the line as follow

Cuse 2013 -8 vs Cuse 1997

 

[OrangeDW]

This years team is better because it doesn't have Elvir Ovcina hoisting 3's and attempting to thread the needle to cutters.

 

[kirbivore]

97? Really? Wow. Nowhere close. This team is far deeper and has far more talent. None of our bigs are as bad as frosh Dedrick Thomas (aka Etan). He was flat out awful. Last night was a nice little reminder to the young ones that they can leave the accolades at home. When your top two players are struggling, it's time to step up and produce. Coleman brought it. Baye and Roc must start rebounding.

and if Burgan didn't allegedly throw some chick down a flight of stairs they don't get swept by an awful ND team and make the tourney.

 

[rrlbees]

and if Burgan didn't allegedly throw some chick down a flight of stairs they don't get swept by an awful ND team and make the tourney.

That's way off.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[PeteCalvin]

I don't agree! That team from 97 had talent and had returned 3 starters from the championship team the prior year.

Starters
Jason Hart 9.6 PPG = Tylor Ennis
Jason Cipolla 13.2 PPG = Trevor Cooney
Marius Janulis 9.3 PPG < Rakeem Christmas
Todd Burgan 15.1 PPG = CJ Fair
Otis Hill 15.7 PPG > DC

Bench
(advantage 2013)
1997
Elvir Ovcina
Etan Thomas
Rameel Lloyd
Lesean Howard

2013
Tyler Roberson
Jerami Grant
Baye Moussa Keita
BJ Johnson
Michael Gbinije

On paper, both teams have a ton of talent. Don't forget that Rameel Lloyd, Lesean Howard and Etan Thomas were all top 100 recruits and both Rameel and Lesean were top 50. Etan was ranked close to 100.

First of all, let's get one thing straight: LeSean Howard was probably one of the most OVERrated players in SU history. The kid was rated high based on his athletic ability. He fizzled at SU because he had no fundamentals. He couldn't dribble, and therefore could not create his own shot. Plus his defense was horrible. Second, and I LOVE Otis Hill, he was not the same player without John Wallace on the floor to draw double teams.

And with all due respect to Todd Burgan, he could not carry that team the way CJ could carry this one.

The thing I remember most about that '97 team is how the upperclassmen flat out gave up and mailed it in against FSU in the first round of the NIT. They lost by 30 at home and showed no interest in even playing the game for pride. FSU was not a good team and we made them look like an NCAA champion.

 

[SWC75]

That's way off.

As I recall he was accused of "unintentionally threatening" somebody.

All I could think of was The Three Stooges: