Niagara Postgame

[Cusefan0307]

They were ready to go home with about ten minutes to go. Red was visibly pissed off on the sidelines.

 

[Newhouser]

This game is the last game everyone should be complaining about. They played sloppy and won by double digits - who cares if they win by 22 or 13? Makes absolutely zero difference. Play crappy and win and it’s fine. It was never in question and was an easy win. Let’s take it please

Eh usually I'm with that, but this close to conference play, with our thin margins for error...game was disappointing.

 

[jdubs30]

We just came off our 2 biggest wins on the year - both on the road - to Come home against a struggling low major with Christmas coming up and ACC play staring us in the face after that .

any time they cut it 10 we responded. This is still a young team with a first year head coach.

I think this was perfectly acceptable game.

 

[UpstateSM]

Mcleod is sooooooo slooooooow

Was he promised a starting spot? Because something needs to change.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I'm feeling a little spicy tonight in general, so...

"lazy defense" might be the most overused basketball platitude in board history... just because at times players play poor defense, or make bad defensive decisions, doesn't equate to being "lazy." It's ridiculous.

Syracuse had 8 turnovers... for the entire game. Yet, the analysis from some comes across like we hit a 20 spot on turnovers. Is your expectation 0 turnovers? it's ridiculous.

It was a 5:00 PM game in a student-less game against Niagra. Could we have played better? Sure. Did we win by double digits? Yep. Was the game EVER in doubt? Nope.

I swear, when it comes to the anti-flash, anti-enjoyment of basketball in general on here sometimes, I genuinely think this is what some folks wish it looked like. Basketball is fun! Enjoy some amazing, athletic, exciting, "risky" plays from time to time... let these young men thrive & grow. It's like the team is expected to be robots or something.

Solid win! I loved seeing Brown again play well & get some points up for the effort. Copeland continues playing the way he should be, another killer spin move & finish. Seeing Taylor hit a run of buckets in the 2nd half was important for his confidence. The Cuffe vertical block was a thing of beauty... he's just solid & trustworthy no matter how many minutes he plays. When J.J. shoots, I'm starting to expect it to go in, which is awesome.

Look, they let a 20 point lead get down to about 10 points with 4 or 5 minutes to go after that series of hot dog plays. Make the basket until there's a minute left and you are beyond reach. THEN you go for the Sports Center highlight play. Not when there are 5 or 6 minutes left in the game, and one of their players is hot from three. I've seen that movie too many times before. I'm not "anti-fun" and against players expressing themselves. I just want to make sure we win the game first.

 

[IthacaMatt]

We just came off our 2 biggest wins on the year - both on the road - to Come home against a struggling low major with Christmas coming up and ACC play staring us in the face after that .

any time they cut it 10 we responded. This is still a young team with a first year head coach.

I think this was perfectly acceptable game.

Yes, everybody had positive moments to build on as we head into Christmas break. But everybody has film of mistakes they made too.

 

[JDubbin]

Look, they let a 20 point lead get down to about 10 points with 4 or 5 minutes to go after that series of hot dog plays. Make the basket until there's a minute left and you are beyond reach. THEN you go for the Sports Center highlight play. Not when there are 5 or 6 minutes left in the game, and one of their players is hot from three. I've seen that movie too many times before. I'm not "anti-fun" and against players expressing themselves. I just want to make sure we win the game first.

What “series” of hot dog plays are you referring to? The one 360 layup by Judah?

 

[IthacaMatt]

What “series” of hot dog plays are you referring to? The one 360 layup by Judah?

Judah missed 3 out 4 shots, a couple of which were forced, and had 2 turnovers between 5:30 and 1:30 to go. Copeland took a corner 3 and missed, Benny and JJ also missed threes, and Copeland missed an alley oop attempt to Benny.

 

[JDubbin]

Judah missed 3 out 4 shots, a couple of which were forced, and had 2 turnovers between 5:30 and 1:30 to go. Copeland took a corner 3 and missed, Benny and JJ also missed threes, and Copeland missed an alley oop attempt to Benny.

You & I have a vastly different definition of "hot dog" plays... they may not have been the best decisions or successful, but that's different

 

[IthacaMatt]

You & I have a vastly different definition of "hot dog" plays... they may not have been the best decisions or successful, but that's different

Judah drove into another double team on a fast break, when Maliq had a clear run to the rim on his left. Luckily that one went in. Copeland threw an alley oop that was a bit wild, and really has no business shooting corner 3's unless we are up 20, and we weren't at that time. Judah forced a three early in the clock and so did JJ and so did Benny. Those are selfish plays. "I'll get mine." There is no place for that on a good team until the game is safely within hand. This one was not.

 

[UpstateSM]

We are going to have a loss at home to a bottom of the barrel ACC team because we just aren't going to show up. You can just tell this group is going to sleepwalk into a game they game afford to sleepwalk into.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

That was a terrible performance. About as bad as you can have in a win. They really didn’t pay much attention to detail and had one foot out the door for vacation. Niagara lost to Saint Bonnie’s by 34 and Hawaii by 19 and were within single digits in the dying minutes. Flush it

 

[blust2i3d4]

I am not complaining. A win is a win. And by double digit is even better. Some opponents will fight hard because they were playing Syracuse and in the dome.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

I’m actually willing to give a pass on this game, can’t think of a more trap trap-game

Trap games are for teams that have actually accomplished something. These guys shouldn’t have the attitude that they can take anyone lightly

 

[JustPherU]

This game is the last game everyone should be complaining about. They played sloppy and won by double digits - who cares if they win by 22 or 13? Makes absolutely zero difference. Play crappy and win and it’s fine. It was never in question and was an easy win. Let’s take it please

To some people there is a huge difference between 13-22. Line was anywhere from 17- to 19- depending where and when you got the bet down.

 

[nycfan]

Was he promised a starting spot? Because something needs to change.

I agree that Brown is better (by a lot) but don't really mind McLeod starting because he is not actually playing much (only averaging 15.7 mpg on the season). Brown has gotten increased minutes as of late -- 22 mpg on the year but 26 mpg over the last 4 games. If you brought McLeod off the bench it's not like he would provide a nice spark (like Brown gives you). Additionally, if McLeod came off the bench he would be in the game at times when the offense was already lacking with Judah and other starters getting their scheduled rests. The bench has been a big strength this year -- I love the balance, so why mess with a good thing?

 

[atlanticuse]

My boy JT making a comeback to (catch Bunch) to lead the team in treys
Now down by 10…

Side note NEITHER seem to get to the FT line.

 

[atlanticuse]

I agree that Brown is better (by a lot) but don't really mind McLeod starting because he is not actually playing much (only averaging 15.7 mpg on the season). Brown has gotten increased minutes as of late -- 22 mpg on the year but 26 mpg over the last 4 games. If you brought McLeod off the bench it's not like he would provide a nice spark (like Brown gives you). Additionally, if McLeod came off the bench he would be in the game at times when the offense was already lacking with Judah and other starters getting their scheduled rests. The bench has been a big strength this year -- I love the balance, so why mess with a good thing?

Counter argument
Against good teams if we can’t get a lead or get down, say by 10, McLeods oaf aloof dumb chit can cost us later in the game.
Or even with game flow
Then again we couldn’t play with a lead against good teams in Maui or Charlottesville, so…

 

[Cuse181]

Trap games are for teams that have actually accomplished something. These guys shouldn’t have the attitude that they can take anyone lightly

Uh… what? Any team can fall in a “trap game” so long as the other team is less talented. If Niagara played a d2 team before playing Syracuse that could be a trap game for them.

 

[NineOneSeven]

Definitely way too many fouls late in the 2nd half but glad we built a lead and maintained it.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

Uh… what? Any team can fall in a “trap game” so long as the other team is less talented. If Niagara played a d2 team before playing Syracuse that could be a trap game for them.

Niagara cannot have a trap game unless they were playing Sparks

 

[Cuseball]

Eh usually I'm with that, but this close to conference play, with our thin margins for error...game was disappointing.

Agreed. Big disappointment and a lot of things need to improve very quick. Games like this will get you 10-10 in the ACC and no NCAA’s

 

[billsin01]

Mcleod is sooooooo slooooooow

Yeah, and I'm sure he's a bright kid but he often seems a little slow to process the plays as well. Not sure how playable he is against good teams. Did think he handled a couple pick-and-rolls better tonight than he had in the first 11 games.

Other thoughts:
-- The starting lineup with mcleod, jj, judah, bell, taylor is a very one-demensional group if Bell or JJ aren't knocking down looks. I mean, I guess you could say that about any lineup but Taylor is still very much figuring out how to score (let alone score efficiently) at this level, mcleod isn't going to score and, tonight at least, JJ and Bell were no bueno either. It's an OK group defensively, but not terrific on that end either. Will be interesting to see how minutes shake out headed to ACC games.

-- 1 official turnover for copeland after two in 32 minutes (I think) against oregon. Three in 58 minutes is great news for us because he does a lot of other things. Still gets a little wild at times, but another nice game for him.

-- Cuffe is a solid defender and brings energy. Major luxury being able to bring he and Q off the bench.

-- Nice game from Benny, generally. 12 pretty active minutes. Needs to move the ball on a runout and still gets a little lost defensively from time to time, but was pretty solid in those 12.

-- Judah, not his best game. Before people completely eviscerate him over a rough final few minutes, he still managed to get a transition layup and then hit brown for an alley-oop to ice it and finished with 18, 4 and 4 with two steals. I think the little things are still where he could improve (occasionally making a pass to an open shooter, being more consistent with his effort defensively, etc. But when your bad game is one with those numbers, I mean, that's pretty good.

-- Still need to work on our communication defensively and our movement offensively, but take the W and hope we can learn a few things from it.

 

[FrancoPizza]

Some opponents will fight hard because they were playing Syracuse and in the dome.

and sometimes we just don’t show up.

 

[Red Holzman]

We are going to have a loss at home to a bottom of the barrel ACC team because we just aren't going to show up. You can just tell this group is going to sleepwalk into a game they game afford to sleepwalk into.

Agree that's possible-
Big reason: this team doesn't have an Alpha leading by example and holding teammates accountable.
As Red noted while expressing his disappointment in the presser -the youth shows.