Looking Ahead to Houston

[IHeartSUFball]

that 2-3 Drexel team beating NJIT, gosh darn up

 

[NineOneSeven]

Houston rarely has a ton of depth from a # of players standpoint. But their teams are probably #1 in terms of S+C in the country year over year. Good luck wearing that down.

I know one thing with complete certainty… this won’t be one of the six games we score 100 (..unless we hit triple+ OT).

 

[Cusefan0307]

The entire ACC is scheduling like us. Mike Waters even wrote an article on it. Too bad it’s 2025 and people can’t read anything more than a headline.

 

[Orangezoo]

The entire ACC is scheduling like us. Mike Waters even wrote an article on it. Too bad it’s 2025 and people can’t read anything

FIFY

 

[Orangezoo]

I was typing out my Monmouth Thoughts post and realized half of it was actually about Houston. I decided to start a new thread.

We really need everybody healthy for the Houston game. It is going to be a serious grind, and then we have two more games the next two days. Then we play Tennessee less than a week later. If we play our best players 28 minutes and a bunch of reserves 12 minutes, and the reserves can hold their own, it will give us a much better chance of winning the last five minutes of what should be a close game against Houston. Houston is very talented and very highly rated, but in their only close game they really only played 7 guys, and two starters, Sharp and Flemings, played 35+ minutes. Cenac and Tugler both are somewhat foul prone, and Houston doesn't really have anybody they want playing when either of those guys are out. In fact, of the 5 players Houston has that are listed at forward or center, all of them foul out on average every 40 minutes. And that is against mostly cupcakes. By comparison, only 4 Syracuse players have that rate of fouls, three of them reserves. Only Freeman has consistently been in foul trouble among the starters, and we have Souare, Betsey and White to replace him if he has trouble. Houston doesn't have quality depth they trust. We have some serious advantages we might be able to exploit using comparative depth levels.

Houston's lack of depth won't help us as much in the first game of a long set of games, unless we can throw very fresh players at them late when they are fatiguing. Alternatively, if they are forced to play reserves in order to maintain energy levels, hopefully our second unit can win those matchups and push a lead or close a gap. Our depth might be our biggest advantage. But it can't work if both Betsey and Freeman are limping around.

We have to treat this game like it’s a must win. It of course is not but that has to be the approach of every game in Vegas and then again vs Tennessee.

Go out and make every effort to punch them in the mouth defensively and be locked in to execute on offense.

 

[NineOneSeven]

If we won, would it be the biggest upset in the last 50 years? Serious question. Not sure what the early spread is but my guess is 12.5 (I have no idea).

Think about it, how many times have we truly upset a team? Doesn’t happen a lot when your team is consistently in or around 25 or at minimum a bubble/winning team. Not to mention having a HoF coach most of that time.

We’re coming off the worst season in almost 60 years and facing the #1 team and last year’s runner-up.

Just to keep perspective for people here.

 

[FrancoPizza]

If we find a lineup that is working, I really hope Red sticks with it for as long as it is working. Red has a way of subbing out for the hot hand, just as he's getting in a rhythm.

Someone just needs to bust Red's substitution teleprompter, so he's forced to go off-script.

 

[djorange1989]

finally playing a D1 team, probably last team to do so in the country

we are playing Houston, KU and Tennessee(and likely a good team on day 3 in Vegas) in the span of a week. Who gives a crap if we waited 4 games to do it?

 

[NineOneSeven]

help with what, my personal opinion that is not vulgar or mean

You’re such a hardo! Football team could really use you out there. And the SU basketball scheduling department.

 

[RedtheGOB]

We have to treat this game like it’s a must win. It of course is not but that has to be the approach of every game in Vegas and then again vs Tennessee.

Go out and make every effort to punch them in the mouth defensively and be locked in to execute on offense.

That’s how you practice. If I’m Autry though I run 10 guys at Houston then tighten up the lineup the next 2 games.

Will the fans be pissed seeing Suare and Zephyr and Fennell getting schooled by Houston. Yes probably.

BUT we have to be ready to go against Kansas with our top 7-8. Kansas has cupcake city in Notre Dame and is gonna roll them.

Freeman and Kiyan and JJ and the rest of our starting 5 are not ready to go 35+ mins against Houston then run it back 24 hours later against Kansas. If they play closer to their usual 25 mins and we lean on the bench for defense we’ll be better off in our next 3 more winnable games.

 

[Starman]

If we won, would it be the biggest upset in the last 50 years?

The year we upset Duke at Duke when they had Zion, we were a 18-22 point underdog.

 

[Bayside44]

buddy you must be an ESL learner, those d1 team are combined 0-11 v other D1 teams. Kansas is 3-2 I doubt they will be ranked next week.

Kansas lost on the road to UNC and neutral site against Duke, for full disclosure.

 

[Niastri]

We have potentially 4 straight ranked opponents. And, all of our previous games have been against D1 teams.

Don't feed the troll. Idiots deserve ignore, not response.

 

[Orangezoo]

I smell a meathead.

I think the meat has long expired…

 

[capeorange]

He gone?

 

[Niastri]

That’s how you practice. If I’m Autry though I run 10 guys at Houston then tighten up the lineup the next 2 games.

Will the fans be pissed seeing Suare and Zephyr and Fennell getting schooled by Houston. Yes probably.

BUT we have to be ready to go against Kansas with our top 7-8. Kansas has cupcake city in Notre Dame and is gonna roll them.

Freeman and Kiyan and JJ and the rest of our starting 5 are not ready to go 35+ mins against Houston then run it back 24 hours later against Kansas. If they play closer to their usual 25 mins and we lean on the bench for defense we’ll be better off in our next 3 more winnable games.

It's critical we dont wear out our starters against Houston, but not just so we can play better against Kansas and our third opponent... I think Houston will get tired and possibly in foul trouble if we push them hard and rotate frequently. They just don't have the quality depth we have if we are fully healthy.

I agree with whoever suggested we should press from the beginning. Even magnificently conditioned guards are going to wear down under that kind of physical and mental pressure eventually.

 

[Orangezoo]

It's critical we dont wear out our starters against Houston, but not just so we can play better against Kansas and our third opponent... I think Houston will get tired and possibly in foul trouble if we push them hard and rotate frequently. They just don't have the quality depth we have if we are fully healthy.

I agree with whoever suggested we should press from the beginning. Even magnificently conditioned guards are going to wear down under that kind of physical and mental pressure eventually.

I think speeding the game up but preventing easy looks around the rim could help us with putting pressure on their freshmen to make shots.

It’s going to be hard to make Houston uncomfortable to that has to be part of the goal if we want to pull the upset.

 

[Orangezoo]

He gone?

 

[orangefog]

So, now I'm smart again?

 

[IHeartSUFball]

poor poor feelings hurt cause I didn’t say winning natty after going 4-0 against awful awful teams

 

[Orangezoo]

poor poor feelings hurt cause I didn’t say winning natty after going 4-0 against awful awful teams

Not very very good reading comprehension to not understand this very humorous thread hijack you attempt.

 

[orangefog]

poor poor feelings hurt cause I didn’t say winning natty after going 4-0 against awful awful teams

Correcting your errors does not equate to feelings hurt. This thread is actually a lot of fun. You weren't aware that our first 4 opponents, despite their record, ARE D1 opponents. Also, in order to make the NCAA Tournament, which is something I presume you would like for us to do, requires using the schedule appropriately. For a team that has missed the tournament for a few years, we must understand the metrics involved and schedule accordingly and then, most importantly, perform against all opponents. Playing a murder's row is frankly dumb. Someone as smart as you proclaim to be surely sees that.

 

[OrlandoCuse]

It’s been a while since we’ve had some real troll activity on this board. Brought me back to some of the good old days.

 

[NineOneSeven]

poor poor feelings hurt cause I didn’t say winning natty after going 4-0 against awful awful teams

Nobody has proclaimed that. It’s sure as heck better to be 4-0 than anything else though. But king bozo lacks critical thinking.

 

[Cusefan0307]

If we won, would it be the biggest upset in the last 50 years? Serious question. Not sure what the early spread is but my guess is 12.5 (I have no idea).

Think about it, how many times have we truly upset a team? Doesn’t happen a lot when your team is consistently in or around 25 or at minimum a bubble/winning team. Not to mention having a HoF coach most of that time.

We’re coming off the worst season in almost 60 years and facing the #1 team and last year’s runner-up.

Just to keep perspective for people here.

We beat Duke one year when we were like 17 point dogs at Cameron. 11 or 12 points seems about right. There’s been a lot bigger upsets over the years.