Last Night's Loss is 99% on FH...

[Day2]

...and when you don’t win, you take the blame. That’s how it works.

You can’t say “they just made more shots” when you didn’t try anything to change that.

My post got a little long-winded, so I'll ask again: What was it JB did or didn't do in those last three minutes?

 

[longislandcuse]

My post got a little long-winded, so I'll ask again: What was it JB did or didn't do in those last three minutes?

I’ll retort with the better question... What could he have done in the previous 37?

This, of course, purely addresses JB’s in-game, one-game coaching and not the systemic issues in recruiting, development and strategy that also influenced this game.

 

[Day2]

Weird flex.

We are a better team than Baylor with Frank.

What's the difference? You concede we're better with Frank, but refuse to blame Frank.

All of your criticism of JB doesn't change the fact that we were within three with three minutes left.

 

[longislandcuse]

What's the difference? You concede we're better with Frank, but refuse to blame Frank.

All of your criticism of JB doesn't change the fact that we were within three with three minutes left.

I blame Frank, for getting suspended. He’s not the sole reason we lost though. He doesn’t absolve JB from what amounts to a loss against an evenly matched (Cuse without Frank) Baylor squad.

 

[Day2]

I’ll retort with the better question... What could he have done in the previous 37?

This, of course, purely addresses JB’s in-game, one-game coaching and not the systemic issues in recruiting, development and strategy that also influenced this game.

Doesn't matter. It was a one possession game between two even teams (your words) with three minutes left. So answer the question or move along.

 

[two3zone]

We had 5 guards on the roster which is standard depth.

One got suspended right before the tournament and another tore his ACL and had a stroke.

5 guards and the only point guard had a stroke and may never be or possible never was capable of playing at this level.

 

[Trueblue25]

Until I hear the full details I refuse to assign FH more than 51% of the blame. We have a hall of fame coach, and returning sweet 16 talent. Adjustments could’ve been made at half. We relied on our talent advantage and the they’ll miss eventually prayer. This time we lose, I’m not exactly torn up about it.

 

[longislandcuse]

Doesn't matter. It was a one possession game between two even teams (your words) with three minutes left. So answer the question or move along.

So, let me get this straight.. you apparently are happy being within one possession of a 9 seed with 3 minutes left and, even though we lost, feel like everyone else needs to explain to you what should’ve been done differently as if the prior 90% of the game didn’t happen.

Just take the L. Nothing wrong with that. You can think JB had a bad game/bad year/bad stretch and not want him fired like some of us.

You dont have to defend what’s not very defensible. It’s not like this is the first team that smoked our defense for 40 minutes this year and we were taken by surprise.

 

[Cusefan0307]

People need to rewatch the game last night because the bad defense was more than on one player. Also Buddy had a bad game, but it still doesn’t change the fact that Carey is not a good basketball player right now.

Also this board has said time and time again that we need to get away from athletes with unrefined skills yet that’s exactly what Carey is.

 

[Day2]

5 guards and the only point guard had a stroke and may never be or possible never was capable of playing at this level.

HW gave us quality minutes last year and could have done the same this year, including this game.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

I’ve talked with friends (UNC & Duke fans) this morning and every single one of them mentioned “I know y’all are a zone team but you don’t have any other defense?”

Even without Frank, we were pretty evenly matched. Drew had a secondary defense. We did not. To me, that was the difference.

Give us Drew, and them Boeheim, and we win. They weren’t stopping us in a zone either...but they stopped playing zone, like any coach sans JB would.

The best defense in the ACC (Virginia) plays one defense, and Duke lit it up from 3.

 

[OrangeDW]

HW gave us quality minutes last year and could have done the same this year, including this game.

I would think as a sophomore, if healthy he would at least go in and not turn the ball over and play decent defense.

Even if Carey didn’t do much out there, he could give us some minutes if he’d just not turn it over.

 

[Day2]

So, let me get this straight.. you apparently are happy being within one possession of a 9 seed with 3 minutes left and, even though we lost, feel like everyone else needs to explain to you what should’ve been done differently as if the prior 90% of the game didn’t happen.

Just take the L. Nothing wrong with that. You can think JB had a bad game/bad year/bad stretch and not want him fired like some of us.

You dont have to defend what’s not very defensible. It’s not like this is the first team that smoked our defense for 40 minutes this year and we were taken by surprise.

I’m already over the L, are you?

It was an 8/9 game, you act like is was a 1/9. It’s been a few years since I checked, but the 9s actually have the better record in these games.

Not acknowledging your straw man. I guess you’re opting to move along. That’s fine.

 

[Day2]

I would think as a sophomore, if healthy he would at least go in and not turn the ball over and play decent defense.

Even if Carey didn’t do much out there, he could give us some minutes if he’d just not turn it over.

Exactly.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

It’s not Franks fault Buddy gave us nothing and hurt the team. Masons going off like that and he can’t hit a shot? Whatever we lost our best player and weren’t beating anyone this tournament.

If FH is you best player (I dispute that, both in terms of basketball and leadership. You best player doesn't get suspended before the tournament, by definition), you are not going far.
Our best player (Battle) needed to be great. He was not.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

So, let me get this straight.. you apparently are happy being within one possession of a 9 seed with 3 minutes left and, even though we lost, feel like everyone else needs to explain to you what should’ve been done differently as if the prior 90% of the game didn’t happen.

Just take the L. Nothing wrong with that. You can think JB had a bad game/bad year/bad stretch and not want him fired like some of us.

You dont have to defend what’s not very defensible. It’s not like this is the first team that smoked our defense for 40 minutes this year and we were taken by surprise.

You realize we were an 8 seed, right. That's essentially a push, and most simulator results I saw had Baylor winning.

Update. An 8 lost to a 9 by 23 today

 

[orange44]

I’ve talked with friends (UNC & Duke fans) this morning and every single one of them mentioned “I know y’all are a zone team but you don’t have any other defense?”

Even without Frank, we were pretty evenly matched. Drew had a secondary defense. We did not. To me, that was the difference.

Give us Drew, and them Boeheim, and we win. They weren’t stopping us in a zone either...but they stopped playing zone, like any coach sans JB would.

Could not agree more!!

 

[FRANKIEFAN]

If FH is you best player (I dispute that, both in terms of basketball and leadership. You best player doesn't get suspended before the tournament, by definition), you are not going far.
Our best player (Battle) needed to be great. He was not.

Battle managed the game well playing out of position got guys open looks. Expecting him to dominate and win us that game is too much. The other guard lost us the game.

 

[qdawgg]

1% LOL, what's the point in having a coach at all then.

 

[Col. Bleep]

Interesting arguments here.
But, to coin a phrase, "it is what it is."

The Orange senior point guard cared more about ingesting a drug than he did about his teammates, the tournament and his reputation.
That's not game coaching.
It is all about character and the kinds of players you want and have on your team.
Players' character is not an issue that Jim Boeheim seems to care very much about.

Would Syracuse have won with Frank Howard?
Who knows?

The Orange had the players they had to try to win the game.
It's the coach's job to do the most with that group.
Did Jim Boeheim do that against Baylor?
If so, then he's to be praised, regardless of the final score.
If not...then he didn't do his job.

Hughes had a great first half.
But - as posted elsewhere - why not play him some at the 2?
Why not have a frontcourt of Brissett, Chukwu and Dolezaj?
Wouldn't that provide more flexibility and let Marek use his passing skills a little more?

I don't know.
I know very little about basketball.
I just ask questions.

 

[OrangeDW]

Battle managed the game well playing out of position got guys open looks. Expecting him to dominate and win us that game is too much. The other guard lost us the game.

The senior “leader” that wasn’t on the court lost us the game more than anyone, if we have to point fingers.

 

[RF2044]

Hughes had a great first half.
But - as posted elsewhere - why not play him some at the 2?
Why not have a frontcourt of Brissett, Chukwu and Dolezaj?
Wouldn't that provide more flexibility and let Marek use his passing skills a little more?

Astute observation.

 

[Millhouse]

Astute observation.

Isn't it safe to assume that Boeheim was scared of his ball handling?

JB had to see the same problem the rest of us did - he doesn't want Buddy playing the whole game, but he doesn't want Carey playing at all. I gotta assume that Hughes at the 2 would've appealed to him if he thought he could do it at all.

I would be scared of him fumbling around and not having anyone back to deal with it

 

[longislandcuse]

You realize we were an 8 seed, right. That's essentially a push, and most simulator results I saw had Baylor winning.

Exactly. It was an 8/9 game. We saw two equal teams out there last night.

I credit Drew for switching defenses. That bought them enough stops to win.

Boeheim, obviously did not.

Why can’t we acknowledge this? In a toss up game, coaching was the difference.

 

[RF2044]

Isn't it safe to assume that Boeheim was scared of his ball handling?

JB had to see the same problem the rest of us did - he doesn't want Buddy playing the whole game, but he doesn't want Carey playing at all. I gotta assume that Hughes at the 2 would've appealed to him if he thought he could do it at all.

I would be scared of him fumbling around and not having anyone back to deal with it

Compared to Battle's / Buddy's superlative ball handling?

Buddy has been terrific all year. He's going to be a great player here throughout his career, so this isn't means as a dig against him. But last night, he was off -- wasn't his night. He didn't contribute in any fashion, including ball handling. Switching Hughes there wouldn't have resulted in a net decline in ball handling. It might have actually increased it, because at least Marek is comfortable out there with the ball in his hands.

I agree -- Carey was not the answer. Boeheim's not going to play a guy he doesn't trust in a crunch game, ESPECIALLY a single elimination game. So, with Buddy not producing -- Hughes shifting up would have made all the sense in the world, and would have been a creative way to get the best five players on the floor without having to make a like-to-like backcourt substitution.