ND Postgame

[LpoolNative]

Any insight on why Donnie was benched?

0% chance it was “strategic”.

Red’s comments postgame against NCST about Sadiq being the only guy trying makes me think Donnie gave poor effort.

I noticed Donnie just standing around looking at rebounds against NCST

 

[Newhouser]

Next game will be interesting. Does Donnie start and does Kiyan get less second half minutes than Johnny Whitaker ( dating myself I know).

 

[blust2i3d4]

Any insight on why Donnie was benched?

0% chance it was “strategic”.

Red’s comments postgame against NCST about Sadiq being the only guy trying makes me think Donnie gave poor effort.

I noticed Donnie just standing around looking at rebounds against NCST

Maybe not including Donnie in the starting five will fix him. He bears too much responsibility in his mind.

 

[Cuse19]

Nait George who has gotten a lot of hate during this season really showed improvement tonight. Granted it was an ND squad who struggled on ball the entire game George finished with 10 assists and 0 turnovers. That’s an outstanding game from your PG. He deserves praise for the way he played tonight.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Nait George who has gotten a lot of hate during this season really showed improvement tonight. Granted it was an ND squad who struggled on ball the entire game George finished with 10 assists and 0 turnovers. That’s an outstanding game from your PG. He deserves praise for the way he played tonight.

You're absolutely right. He's gotten a lot of stick on here, and he had an excellent game tonight. The ball was moving.

 

[Obie9]

So no one yet knows why Donnie didn’t start? Hopefully we will know the truth soon. Also, the man sitting behind me said that Donnie and JJ were in some kind of enemy mode. Their body language towards each other was terrible. Now, I didn’t - of course - notice any of that, but I am wondering if anyone else did? I am counting on the board to shed light on these issues so I can take it back to my “team” sitting around me. Thanks!

The crowd was perhaps the biggest we have had all season. The students once again were there. I was thinking people would be pretty apathetic and not show up, but it was great that they did and great that we won. It was - darn it! - it was just so great!

There was a middle-aged overweight VT fan sitting in front of us and every time he stood up you could see 1/3 or half of his buttockal area. I cannot tell you how much fun we had with that. I wish we could have that every game. It would ease the pain somewhat.

At halftime we were all standing around talking and someone asked if we were going to get tickets again next year. To a man, woman and child (who have no say so) we all said yes.

Very nice tribute to Lawrence Moten at halftime. JB was there and he choked up talking about Lawrence. He was such a good player. I have forgiven him, at long last, for calling the time out we didn’t have in the Elite Eight game his senior year. What a terrible way for him to end his college career! John Wallace was on the floor with about 20 family members. Still can’t believe he’s gone.

So happy we won! Wonder if we will again?

I believe Red was covering for Donnie. I also heard he did not start because of a team rule violation. Sounds like he was late to a meeting. Nothing serious. We played well when he was out, but obviously need him going forward.

Hope JJ is okay. He took a pretty nasty shot to the face at the end of the game.

 

[blust2i3d4]

Autry wins all the next four games, then his head coach job at SU will come back to life. And it is very doable.

 

[nyucuse]

Autry wins all the next four games, then his head coach job at SU will come back to life. And it is very doable.

I appreciate your optimism, but AA wins a game against one of the dregs of the league, at home, when everyone is amped given the Moten honoring, and the evidence of the past three years is forgotten. He's still the coach who is 3-24!!! against ranked teams in his time here. Winning the next two, on the road, would equate to 2/3 of what he has accomplished to date. While neither of those teams are Jordan Bulls, to call that Herculean would be an understatement.

Let's enjoy the one win and hope we can squeeze out a winning record this season. I think that is about Autry's ceiling. The evidence has proven, repeatedly, that he is not up to the task of bringing SU back to prominence. Then we hope JW works his magic to set Cuse up for success from 2026-27 onward.

 

[Cheriehoop]

I appreciate your optimism, but AA wins a game against one of the dregs of the league, at home, when everyone is amped given the Moten honoring, and the evidence of the past three years is forgotten. He's still the coach who is 3-24!!! against ranked teams in his time here. Winning the next two, on the road, would equate to 2/3 of what he has accomplished to date. While neither of those teams are Jordan Bulls, to call that Herculean would be an understatement.

Let's enjoy the one win and hope we can squeeze out a winning record this season. I think that is about Autry's ceiling. The evidence has proven, repeatedly, that he is not up to the task of bringing SU back to prominence. Then we hope JW works his magic to set Cuse up for success from 2026-27 onward.

So fans can psych a team up? I’ve heard that. We have a celebration coming up to retire Rudy Hackett and Jim Lee’s jerseys against UNC in late February. Hope the fans show up to the remaining games too.

 

[cuseguy]

It certainly doesn’t appear that Freeman didn’t start because he was suspended. Based on everything Frreman, White and Red said after the game, it was meant to shake things up defensively and give the team a lift off the bench.

“He just said this is what he wanted to do and why,” Freeman said. “We talked about it. Went through it, discussed it and that’s what we came up with. But it worked, so … “

That’s not the type of explanation you get from someone who was suspended. Freeman would have been more reserved and less forthright with his answer.

That’s my take.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Autry wins all the next four games, then his head coach job at SU will come back to life. And it is very doable.

That would get us on the bubble maybe. It wouldn’t guarantee anything. He basically needs to go 8-1 the rest of the way.

 

[charleston]

Yea for real. Why he thinks NBA 3's are a good idea when he can't make his free throws is insanity.

I worry about people wanting him back next year with the new coach. A guy like Sadiq can be turned into even more of a beast. Kiyan not so sure, he may be a 4 year college mercenary and play 4 diff schools honestly.

kid is a skinny freshman ..give him a break. He's got to get bigger,stronger and learn how to play defense. If he stays he will be a star in two years

 

[OttosShoes]

That would get us on the bubble maybe. It wouldn’t guarantee anything. He basically needs to go 8-1 the rest of the way.

Indeed. And while I am all for Red going down swinging, if this team couldn’t go 12-5 and then 11-4 and then 9-3 I don’t know how it can go 8-1.

 

[RedtheGOB]

kid is a skinny freshman ..give him a break. He's got to get bigger,stronger and learn how to play defense. If he stays he will be a star in two years

Listen. I can excuse the defense, I get that he's going to struggle on that end because he's a "skinny freshman".

Shot selection and Free throws though, if he's going to chuck up bad 3's and not play D and can't shoot over 55% from the FT line he's gotta sit. Really it's not just him, whole team, but he's a big offender.

 

[RedtheGOB]

That would get us on the bubble maybe. It wouldn’t guarantee anything. He basically needs to go 8-1 the rest of the way.

8-1 would get us ranked and way off the bubble. 8-1 if we played Pitt/FSU type teams over and over would get us on the bubble. The schedule left is just really top tier teams still.

The road games against those teams are basically Q1A teams. 5 Ranked teams. Throw out Duke and that would mean we beat 4 ranked teams, 3 on the road ha. We would be ranked, but that's unheard, would never happen.

 

[Dcuse]

Listen. I can excuse the defense, I get that he's going to struggle on that end because he's a "skinny freshman".

Shot selection and Free throws though, if he's going to chuck up bad 3's and not play D and can't shoot over 55% from the FT line he's gotta sit. Really it's not just him, whole team, but he's a big offender.

You left out his poor ball handling skills. He has a ton of work to do to get better. He’s capable but , in today’s world, everybody is in a massive hurry to get to the next thing.

 

[MikeSU02]

First, glad we won.

Second, ND is tied for dead last in the ACC.

Kingz TS% is now 59.6%. Pretty impressive for a guy who takes mostly jump shots.

Wouldn’t take much from this game. It was a bad team and we were at home. We have a gauntlet coming up now.

If any of the positives are legit, they need to hold as we head into these upcoming games.

We’ll need a lot of Donnie. Sadiq is going to foul out in games against good teams in like ten minutes.

 

[Cusefan0307]

8-1 would get us ranked and way off the bubble. 8-1 if we played Pitt/FSU type teams over and over would get us on the bubble. The schedule left is just really top tier teams still.

The road games against those teams are basically Q1A teams. 5 Ranked teams. Throw out Duke and that would mean we beat 4 ranked teams, 3 on the road ha. We would be ranked, but that's unheard, would never happen.

I said 22-9 would do it before ACC play and I’m sticking with it. Maybe 7-2. That assumes a loss at Duke and maybe and Louisville. Our efficiency metrics are awful and we need to make up for the Hofstra and BC debacles.

 

[Newhouser]

You left out his poor ball handling skills. He has a ton of work to do to get better. He’s capable but , in today’s world, everybody is in a massive hurry to get to the next thing.

He has a total lack of effort especially in the winning elements. Loose balls, D, etc.
He plays with a nonchalance that his game is better than it is. The Frosh from ND was on another planet compared to Kiyan.

 

[OrlandoCuse]

8-1 would get us ranked and way off the bubble. 8-1 if we played Pitt/FSU type teams over and over would get us on the bubble. The schedule left is just really top tier teams still.

The road games against those teams are basically Q1A teams. 5 Ranked teams. Throw out Duke and that would mean we beat 4 ranked teams, 3 on the road ha. We would be ranked, but that's unheard, would never happen.

We’ve played against ranked teams 9 times under Red. His career record vs ranked teams is 2-7

We’re playing 5 ranked teams in our last 9 games

This isn’t going to end well for Red.

 

[bballbeadle]

It certainly doesn’t appear that Freeman didn’t start because he was suspended. Based on everything Frreman, White and Red said after the game, it was meant to shake things up defensively and give the team a lift off the bench.

“He just said this is what he wanted to do and why,” Freeman said. “We talked about it. Went through it, discussed it and that’s what we came up with. But it worked, so … “

That’s not the type of explanation you get from someone who was suspended. Freeman would have been more reserved and less forthright with his answer.

That’s my take.

Also, before the start of the game, Donnie and the 5 starters circled up, arms around each other.

Still wonder about bad blood between Donnie and JJ. ?

 

[Blanko97]

Also, before the start of the game, Donnie and the 5 starters circled up, arms around each other.

Still wonder about bad blood between Donnie and JJ. ?

How there can be bad blood beyond teammates this late in the game for both of them (3/4 of the way through their time together) is beyond me. I’m sure they’re fine and we’re reading into things.

 

[23Zone]

As others have alluded to, I think the real story of the game is Kiyan not getting minutes in the second half. I think this is more of a reflection of the improved offense then Sadiq starting over Donnie.

Everything flows better without Kiyan, offensively and especially defensively. It is what it is.

Every minute without Kiyan is potentially an extra minute for Kingz.

 

[Archimedes]

Never underestimate the 6 pm weekend start either. Everything is better; everyone is happier.

 

[capeorange]

Good win. Our D seemed to start out better without Donnie. I liked seeing him coming off the bench.
On offense we shared the ball more and it was fun to see.
Less Kiyan is a great thing. I guess Red finally saw what everyone here saw. Let's hope it stays that way.
Kingz had a great game and as many have said, he needs to get the ball more on offense.
Donnie really needs to get a lot stronger. He seems to shy away from the paint when he faces bigger forwards. Our record in the ACC with him is 4-7, he has skills but he's not taking over any games against stronger competition. Leg day needs to be a priority this year for him.