Late season skids happen

[OrangeCrush22]

1-4 in final 5 games (Syracuse '12-'13, Final Four)
2-4 in final 6 games (Louisville '11-'12, Final Four)
1-4 in final 5 games (Connecticut '10-'11, Champions)

 

[BuffOrange]

Not against multiple garbage teams at home they don't.

 

[Henny & Coke]

1-4 in final 5 games (Syracuse '12-'13, Final Four)
2-4 in final 6 games (Louisville '11-'12, Final Four)
1-4 in final 5 games (Connecticut '10-'11, Champions)

Michigan last year - start 20-1 - then go 6-6 in last 12 games of season, including a loss to Penn State (which had lost the previous 14 games!) - then win next 5 NCAA Tournament games and lose in Nat Champ game to Louisville.

 

[OrangeDW]

Connecticut's 2011 team showed that teams that suck can win the championship. They give us all hope(because almost everybody sucks).

 

[Garbs]

1-4 in final 5 games (Syracuse '12-'13, Final Four)
2-4 in final 6 games (Louisville '11-'12, Final Four)
1-4 in final 5 games (Connecticut '10-'11, Champions)

none of these losses were to teams with sub .500 records

 

[Briancuse]

Last year our skid came against Lville, Gtown, and Marq, you can't even compare the two.

 

[TheCusian]

Last year our skid came against Lville, Gtown, and Marq, you can't even compare the two.

Of course you can Duke and Virginia are very, very good. Similar to Louisville and Gtown. Sure BC and GTech are bad losses at home - the point stands... We've seen a lot if late season skids turn into long runs. We 'be also seen BE tourney champs go out the first weekend.

 

[anomander]

If anything we should have experience from late season skids. We seem to have them every year.

 

[orangecuse]

Not against multiple garbage teams at home they don't.

Yeah, that's one thing that just can't be dismissed as easily. I know last year we faltered down the stretch, but those we all against decent teams, tourney caliber. Neither BC nor GT are getting to the NIT...makes it a lot more difficult to swallow, especially with them both coming at home. Ugh!!!

 

[Briancuse]

Of course you can Duke and Virginia are very, very good. Similar to Louisville and Gtown. Sure BC and GTech are bad losses at home - the point stands... We've seen a lot if late season skids turn into long runs. We 'be also seen BE tourney champs go out the first weekend.

The only game we played well in was the Duke game, and that goes back to weeks ago.

Last year we played pretty well at Marq and lost a close game, the Lville game was a pretty close game as well, and we layed a couple of eggs against Gtown. Last years team isn't losing to Bc and Gtech.

 

[OrlandoCuse]

So much depends on the draw of the tourney (UConn had a great draw in '11). However, we're struggling to beat teams that can't qualify for the NIT right now so I don't have confidence we can beat any team in the NCAA field when the light goes on. This team is looking ripe for an early round upset exit this year.

 

[Briancuse]

Just for the record last years team during the final stretch of the season beat Seton Hall by 11, Depaul by 21, and Providence by 25.

 

[HoustonCuse]

Michigan last year - start 20-1 - then go 6-6 in last 12 games of season, including a loss to Penn State (which had lost the previous 14 games!) - then win next 5 NCAA Tournament games and lose in Nat Champ game to Louisville.

Yeah but what's his face suddenly turned into wilt chamberlain during that phase. For an equivalent thing to happen for us we would need for Rak to immediately transform into Jabari Parker.

 

[SaltLakeOrange]

After sleeping on this, I feel less discouraged than last night. The reality is that this team will go as far as CJ, Ennis, Cooney and Grant take us. 3 of those 4 hustled their asses off and two of them had pretty good games. Once Trevor gets back on track, and I feel like he will, we'll be okay. Orange colored glasses, maybe...but I won't give up on this team again...

 

[CousCuse]

Yeah but what's his face suddenly turned into wilt chamberlain during that phase. For an equivalent thing to happen for us we would need for Rak to immediately transform into Jabari Parker.

No, we just need Jeremi Grant to play.

 

[TheCusian]

After sleeping on this, I feel less discouraged than last night. The reality is that this team will go as far as CJ, Ennis, Cooney and Grant take us. 3 of those 4 hustled their asses off and two of them had pretty good games. Once Trevor gets back on track, and I feel like he will, we'll be okay. Orange colored glasses, maybe...but I won't give up on this team again...

Agreed. It wasn't effort last night. Sometimes a string of losses can help good teams become better.

 

[orangecuse]

After sleeping on this, I feel less discouraged than last night. The reality is that this team will go as far as CJ, Ennis, Cooney and Grant take us. 3 of those 4 hustled their asses off and two of them had pretty good games. Once Trevor gets back on track, and I feel like he will, we'll be okay. Orange colored glasses, maybe...but I won't give up on this team again...

I wish I shared your sentiment. After sleeping on this...I woke up this morning feeling like my beer goggles weren't anywhere as close to the color orange as I imagined.

 

[Garbs]

the good news is we don't have to worry about being the first one seed to lose to a 16

 

[two3zone]

No, we just need Jeremi Grant to play.

He isn't the answer. And if we lose one player and that brings us to below BC and Ga Tech then we just aren't that good and curbing any expectations may be a good idea.

I love these guys, I'm going to root for them as hard as I have all year even if my expectations are shot.

 

[Cuse44]

I believe I heard that this was the first time since 01-02? that we lost back to back home games to sub .500 teams...and that was an NIT season. So you can spin this Feb/early March swoon a few different ways. Bottom line, if Grant doesn't get healthy and we don't start playing better offensively, this season is close to being finished.

 

[Orangello]

I'd say this is more than a late season skid. More like a total collapse. I'm not comfortable with an explanation that says this is all a result of not having Grant. That is surely one of the reasons but not the sole reason. There is a lot more to this IMHO. How is it possible that the overall play of the starters has regressed so badly this late in the season and I say that with respect to everybody with the possible exception of BK ? Why can't our shooters make a basket ? How did our defense go from a strentgth to a seriously liability ? Bad luck ? Not buying it.

 

[Knicks411]

Losing 4 out of 5 by itself doesn't bother me (well thats a lie but you know what I mean) but its to who. BC and Ga tech are bad teams who we lost to at home. NC State is not a good team who we nearly lost to at home. ND is a not good team who we played down to the wire at home. These are not good signs.

 

[pearl31]

Losing 4 out of 5 by itself doesn't bother me (well thats a lie but you know what I mean) but its to who. BC and Ga tech are bad teams who we lost to at home. NC State is not a good team who we nearly lost to at home. ND is a not good team who we played down to the wire at home. These are not good signs.

ND was explainable (2 days after crazy Duke game), but yes your point is valid.

 

[Knicks411]

I get that about ND, you're right. That one would be relatively easy to explain away if the last few weeks hadn't happened.

 

[OrangeTown]

Late season skids are simply a reminder that we need to scrub our butts better when we shower. Or wear dark underwear.

Onto the tournament!