Last "Free" Pass...

[newmexicuse]

No disrespect to Wisconson intended, but this is probably the last game of the Dance that we will play where we have a chance to win by playing less than really well. I think our B game will be sufficient here. Our C game & it is a war, our D game & we go home.

After this, we will probably need our A game or at least our B+ game to keep progressing depending upon matchups.

 

[orangenirvana]

Nope.

Make no mistake - Syracuse will need their A game to beat this Wisconsin team.

 

[CorduroyG]

Nope.

Make no mistake - Syracuse will need their A game to beat this Wisconsin team.

they need their A game defensively. if we're lazy and leave thier shooters open it will be 1st half against cincy all over again. thats the key to game, guard the 3 point line.

 

[Shermthegeneral]

Don't underestimate this team!

 

[newmexicuse]

Nope.

Make no mistake - Syracuse will need their A game to beat this Wisconsin team.

They don't seem to be really good at anything.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/275/wisconsin-badgers

They obviously play hard d & smart & don't beat themselves.

I think we will have a big edge in talent and athleticism.

As we all know in this tourney any particular team can get hot & pull the upset. Or conversely, any particular team can get cold & go home.

However, if we play decently, I think we prevail. Key is to play decently - I am calling that our B game.

 

[orangenirvana]

they need their A game defensively. if we're lazy and leave thier shooters open it will be 1st half against cincy all over again. thats the key to game, guard the 3 point line.

This is Bo Ryan we're talking about. Anything less than a very good offensive performance, and this Syracuse team will be hard-pressed to break 50.

 

[EastCoast2]

C game and we lose by 15

 

[newmexicuse]

This is Bo Ryan we're talking about. Anything less than a very good offensive performance, and this Syracuse team will be hard-pressed to break 50.

On paper we are better than them at all things:

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/183/syracuse-orange

...even rebounding !!!

It may be low scoring, but if we play decently I would us winning by 7 to 10.

 

[KingOtis]

Not one mention of the head coach...interesting. So we can beat a Top 15 team without any real contribution from the coach. Sounds like a loss will be on the players as well, since that would mean they brought their "D" game.

I guess we're not supposed to start blaming the coach until a few years after the loss.

 

[Knicks411]

they also play at a really slow pace, so their raw numbers are deflated

 

[Marsh01]

Bo Ryan is 1-3 all time in sweet 16 games. Lets not pin this guy as John Wooden all of a sudden.

We are head and shoulders better than this team and if we play as well as we did against KState we will win by double digits.

 

[ORANGEsPHK]

The numbers don't tell the story here, imo. Wisconsin's claim to fame is their D, they control tempo and take the opposing team out of their rhythm and game plan. I don't care if we are, individually, more gifted at each position, if we succumb to their defensive pressure and start jacking up three's we may be in trouble. We've been known to jack up three's every now and then

Hope we attack their defense and get up big on them from the beginning so we take then out of their comfort zone.

 

[newmexicuse]

Bo Ryan is 1-3 all time in sweet 16 games. Lets not pin this guy as John Wooden all of a sudden.

We are head and shoulders better than this team and if we play as well as we did against KState we will win by double digits.

Glad to see that somebody here understand my post - not to mention that we really only played well for half of the KSU game.

 

[MyMeloMyMan]

If Brandon and Kris don't come out aggressive and decisive, I hope they get a quick hook. I think we will need our A- game to win this one. We can't just concede the first 5 minutes with another slow NCAA start and hope to be fine and dandy...

 

[Col. Bleep]

They don't seem to be really good at anything.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/275/wisconsin-badgers

They obviously play hard d & smart & don't beat themselves.

I think we will have a big edge in talent and athleticism.

As we all know in this tourney any particular team can get hot & pull the upset. Or conversely, any particular team can get cold & go home.

However, if we play decently, I think we prevail. Key is to play decently - I am calling that our B game.

Underestimating Wisconsin is a big mistake.
Besides the other #1 seeds and Ohio State this is a team I'd most like to avoid.

This team is all about fundamentals.
They play a tight slowdown game and don't make many mistakes.
Excellent defense.
Shoot the 3 well and good at the foul line.
Turnovers are rare with an All-american point guard.

If we try to force tempo and make sloppy passes we'll beat ourselves (remember Butler).
If we play a steady game...take care of the ball...take good shots and use the Orange Squeeze on their shooters we'll be ok.
But it's not a good match up for us.

 

[SkanSU]

They play nasty D. and they can shoot it from the 3 as well. If we play them like we played KSU and take it to them at the basket rather then sit back and pass around the perimeter then we can make mincemeat out of their defense. There are not going to be a lot of transition baskets here ... low scoring and boring ... that is Wisconsin. They are overmatched against us ... Vandy was more comparable and would have been a tougher match-up. We're in the NCAAT now boys ...the A game every game.

 

[Melancer46]

If we lose, it's because they knocked down their 3's and our guards didn't show up. If Scoop pushes the tempo like he did against K State and we attack the rim like we did in the 2nd half of the UNCA game and the K State game, we should win this one by a few possessions at least.

 

[MGP]

They don't seem to be really good at anything.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/275/wisconsin-badgers

They obviously play hard d & smart & don't beat themselves.

I think we will have a big edge in talent and athleticism.

As we all know in this tourney any particular team can get hot & pull the upset. Or conversely, any particular team can get cold & go home.

However, if we play decently, I think we prevail. Key is to play decently - I am calling that our B game.

Butler anyone? This exact post could've been made in '10. Not an easy game.

 

[sufandu]

There's no such thing as a free pass in the tournament. Just ask the Duke fighting Krzyzewskis. We had to scratch and claw against a 16. We looked good against KSU, but it's not like we beat them by 30. If we come with a B game and they come with an A game, we'll lose.

I want this team coming out of the blocks like they're a 15 point underdog. I wanna see sideline traps and hands in the passing lanes. I want KJ to attack the basket like it called his mama fat, even if he picks up a charge at some point. I want every 3 point attempt to come after we've already probed inside and forced their defense to shift. There's no reason to not play this whole game with urgency.

 

[Scooch]

Yeah, no. We gotta come to play. And play well.

One would think the flameouts against Alabama and Butler would get our fan heads right.