Only 1 team has more talent than us

[pearl31]

Couple of things...

- Carolina's frontcourt is scary good and there's just no other way to spin it. Barnes may be the best player in the nation and Zeller/Henson are long as hell and formidable on both ends. Not to mention the addition of McAdoo.

- Not sure how you could possibly say Fab > Oriaki at this point. As much as I despise uConn.

- Ohio St. (as much as I hate 'em) is more than just Sullinger and Buford. I watched a little of their fist game and they're pretty stacked.

Bottom line: SU is talented and deep but there are at least 4 other teams out there with more "on-paper" talent

 

[pearl31]

That's some funny stuff...the big stiff gets a little better and now he's better than Alex O and Andre D...lol!!!!

Though I do think it's premature to put Fab above Oriaki right now - I get a kick out of the way uconn fans have this idea that Oriaki is now some kind of unstoppable AA - based on a couple of good games during their tourney run after he had completely inconsistent, underwhelming season. Funny how fan bases get so blinded and perception gets so skewed.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

You lost me when you said Durant didn't go to college. I stopped reading when you said Henson is not athletic


Truth be told we have a bunch of good college players. Only Fab is a can't miss to spend time on a NBA roster. Henson and Barnes are long time pros in waiting.


Sent from my Vortex using Tapatalk

 

[IthacaMatt]

Man,

I like Syracuse a lot but they have not proved anything yet. There is no go to scorer, no balanced scoring and no leader "take charge guy" YET. I hope we see someone step up soon. Joseph is supposed to the next Wes Johnson, I hope he is healthy enough to show this.

I am concerned that so far we have not shown consistency (scoring, rebounding, assists) against the cup cakes to warrant any positive feelings against stronger teams. I will admit I have not seen Syracuse play yet but heard they play good defense. I hope Fab, Xmas, Fair, Baye and Joseph each average 7 boards a game (who led in rebounds tonight - Triche).

Unless people start scoring and have a better shooting percentage overall (7 for 21 3 pt, 61% FTs is not great), I am concern we may be subject to an upset. I would rather start lower in the polls and work our way up than start high lose 2-3 in a row and fall way down in the polls.

Once Joseph, Jardine, Waiters, Triche, Fair and Southland (any three of these five) begin to show consistency in scoring, I will feel better. Until then, I am wary and do not see how we are even better than 1/4 the teams in the Big East (although I believe we are already better than 90% of the teams in the ACC).

That "take charge" guy is Dion. He needs some seasoning still, but he's the guy most likely to get open on his own. He can get to the rim anytime, and if he can hit 35% from 3, he's going to be the man.

 

[IthacaMatt]

The idea that SU is deeper than UConn is patently ridiculous. Even? I could see that. Clearly deeper? Come on.

Lamb was far and away the best player at the U-19s. Boatright is supposed to be good, but for objectivity, I'll lean MCW there.

SU can put together a lot of different frontcourt combos, but that doesn't diminish the reality that Oriakhi and Drummond are better than anyone SU has up front. Melo should be really good. He's improved over the summer. But the other two are just better players.

FFS, Tyler Olander dominated that front line. And I think he might be mentally ill. Each succesful step without falling over is a major victory for him, and he still owned SU in the Big East Tournament. Think about that.

ZLS, I like you dude, you're one of my favorite posters on the Boneyard, and while I agree that Lamb is good, Napier is a little squirt and your bigs mostly blow. Sorry, but there's a reason you guys were 9-9 last year. And you can't argue that Kemba was getting the benefit of 3 or 4 steps on most of his drives at the BET last year. Damned if I didn't think Michael Jordan was playing out there - the refs sure treated him like it. Drummond may turn out to be great, but it usually takes centers a while.

 

[dash-30-dash]

Mau, You haven't watched Syracuse play 1 second so you know crap about syracuse. And the point you stupid UConn fans can't get is that we were talking depth at the start of this thread. Our second team might beat our first team in a real game. That doesn't make us a great team. But we are real deep. That was the point. We don't go on your board to talk smack. Act like Zls and you are welcome here. Come here to tell us how bad we are or how dumb, go back to all the smart guys on your board who think you might have been asked first to the ACC but turned it down.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Ill take Strickland and Marshall over Triche and Scoop. The problem is they are entrenched. I dont mind one of them on the court at a time, but both is not optimal. Hopefully as the season goes on, we see more of Waiters and MCW and a little less of these two.

Totally agree, Steve. I think Brandon ought to be the third guard, but Boeheim will likely stick with him so as not to ruin what little confidence he has. I see a lot of early substitutions this year, though, like Jake said in his post, or else we will fall behind against better teams early. You just can't have Triche and Christmas on the floor at the same time. That's too little offense.

 

[IthacaMatt]

One should differentiate between depth and top talent. We may be the deepest team in college basketball this year. However, we do not have anyone who is clearly an NBA lottery pick although some of our players have that potential down the line - at least first round potential.

But in terms of top notch talent, I'd say North Carolina and Kentucky clearly are loaded with potential lottery and first round NBA picks. And describing Harrison Barnes as merely "good" - if he was on our team, we would likely be ranked #1 in the nation and perhaps the favorite to win it all.

UConn has similar talent to ours although a couple of their players would surely be picked in the NBA draft ahead of any of our players right now in terms of Lamb and Drummond. Ohio State has Sullinger, one of the favorites to win player of the year and a number of other fine players. And Duke has Austin Rivers who I would take over any player on our roster - not to mention numerous other McD's AA's.

We're ranked 5 or 6th and that's where we belong. We could beat any of the teams ahead of us on a given day. However, let's not go overboard in terms of proclaiming our talent level better than it actually is. Although, many seem to do so year after year. Check out the latest NBA mock drafts for more info:

http://nbadraft.net/2012mock_draft

http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-mock-draft/2012/

We've recruited better lately than we have in many years. However, North Carolina, Kentucky and Duke nearly always have better recruiting classes and more talented players along with Kansas and a few others. Check out the number of McD's AA's by school and total # of NBA draft picks:

http://statsheet.com/bhsb/mcplayers_by_college

http://statsheet.com/mcb/drafts/browse_teams?s=2

We're on the next rung right after those top schools. And some years we are better than them. And I'm OK with that - that's who we are. I'm a Yankees fan in baseball. If I wanted to cheer for a team similar to them in college basketball, I'd cheer for one the top teams I mentioned. However, I'm an Orangemen fan and always will be. I'm excited about this years team and their potential. It's going to be a fun year.

Let's Go Orange!

Barnes has a ton of hype, but I don't think he's an All American yet. I think you put us up against them, and I think we beat them again.

1. Henson's name sounds white but only tyler zeller is white. we had craig forth on our natl champ team. john henson is a much taller hakim warrick.
2. fact. i have NO idea how uconn is top 20 preseason. they are bound to be this year's mich st (which i correctly picked as the most overrated team of the year last year)

You're right, my bad. I think there used to be a big white dude named Henson who played for Carolina or Duke in the last several years. I obviously didn't see the aircraft carrier game. Sorry about that.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Yea, as of now, I can see your point. I just think the potential for a bigtime front line is there.

But that's where the zone comes in. While those guys might have trouble against other elite bigs in a man-to-man situation, in a zone, they are shielded a bit and can be more effective. We are going to be hell on teams inside this year.

 

[pearl31]

But that's where the zone comes in. While those guys might have trouble against other elite bigs in a man-to-man situation, in a zone, they are shielded a bit and can be more effective. We are going to be hell on teams inside this year.

Yes, agree with this.

 

[Garbs]

and that's Kentucky, but they don't have a true center. They do have Anthony Davis, who may wind up being what Kevin Garnett might have looked like if he ever went to college.

But aside from Kentucky, we have more talent this season than anyone.

#1 North Carolina - John Henson and Ty Zeller both start. That's one big white guy too many. They are workmanlike and efficient, but they lack athleticism and don't scare me a bit. Harrison Barnes is a good forward, and McAdoo will be good in time. Dexter Strickland and Kendall Marshall don't seem like a backcourt that is good enough to win a national championship, and in college, backcourts still rule.

Ohio State is mostly Sullinger and Buford and who are the rest of these guys ?

UConn at #4 is a joke. Last year's "Champions" were a 9-9 Big East squad that got lucky and hit an 11 game winning streak when they stopped calling traveling on Kemba Walker in the Big East tournament. Take away their best player, and what do you have ? A mediocre team, with a couple guards who could have played for UMass 20 years ago.

But I would never bet against Jim Calhoun in a single elimination game. I do hope they get that title vacated for cheating, though. Them having 3 titles instead of only 2 is starting to rub my ass. We better make a goddam Final Four again pretty soon.

wasn't umass in the final four roughly 20 years ago?

 

[Garbs]

ZLS, I like you dude, you're one of my favorite posters on the Boneyard, and while I agree that Lamb is good, Napier is a little squirt and your bigs mostly blow. Sorry, but there's a reason you guys were 9-9 last year. And you can't argue that Kemba was getting the benefit of 3 or 4 steps on most of his drives at the BET last year. Damned if I didn't think Michael Jordan was playing out there - the refs sure treated him like it. Drummond may turn out to be great, but it usually takes centers a while.

people need to get over this, they also won 5(?) games in the big east tournament so really 14-9, also they didn't lose to anyone outside of the big east all year

 

[Col. Bleep]

A #5 ranking may be over reaching right now.

Our frontcourt has a lot of question marks.
So far I see practically no post game.
And we can't afford to live or die by our outside shooting against good defensive
teams if there's little threat of going inside.

Also, the coach has the challenge of trying to give PT to more players than
any other time I can remember. Guys like K & Pitino and some others are used to doing that.
Jim Boeheim isn't. It hasn't been his style. And it's not easy to change styles,
especially after 35 years.

 

[Dick_in_MI]

Also, the coach has the challenge of trying to give PT to more players than
any other time I can remember. Guys like K & Pitino and some others are used to doing that.
Jim Boeheim isn't. It hasn't been his style. And it's not easy to change styles,
especially after 35 years.

While that's true, JB's style is to play a lot of guys early, let the cream rise to the top, and reduce the rotation to 8 guys when conference season starts. I don't expect that system to change although it could go to 9 guys and the 8th-9th guys might change during the course of the season.

I could be wrong but I don't expect him to change his system; I just think that the competition for that last spot or two off the bench will be more hard fought than ever before. I think that over time, we'll settle on two guys in the middle, 3 at the forwards, and 3 in the backcourt...maybe 4 but I doubt it. That's 8-9 and not so different than the 7.5-8 that he normally plays.

 

[mauconnfan]

Mau, You haven't watched Syracuse play 1 second so you know crap about syracuse. And the point you stupid UConn fans can't get is that we were talking depth at the start of this thread. Our second team might beat our first team in a real game. That doesn't make us a great team. But we are real deep. That was the point. We don't go on your board to talk smack. Act like Zls and you are welcome here. Come here to tell us how bad we are or how dumb, go back to all the smart guys on your board who think you might have been asked first to the ACC but turned it down.

Hey dashy I have SNY saw them yesterday. Your depth is very good as I believe ours will be. A toss up at best. I did watch Melo against a very bad Ram team and I admitted he is better. But that's relative because last year he was awful. And you're so smart (i know otherwise dashy) I am an Alex O fan yet I have a huge problem with his consistency. What I do know he is a lot better than Fab Melo at this time and whatever you guys are dreaming up go right ahead. Can't wait til the tide turns!! Sorry I acted like you I will try to refrain from laughing at some posts like the one above. My bad.....but try to think of who you are before you throw stones dashy.

By the way Waiters improvement, if evidenced could be huge he looked very good. I like CJ Fair and Southerland is always nice. I consider Keita (sp?) to be the best 5 you have and should see the majority of time there at some point soon. Very good Cuse team who I will root for when not playing UConn as I always do despite having fans such as dash!

 

[orangefan13]

That's some funny stuff...the big stiff gets a little better and now he's better than Alex O and Andre D...lol!!!!

Melo is light years better then the player Oriaki was last year on the offensive end especially. On the defensive end Melo has alittle bit of a advantage not as much as the offensive. And its not even close. If you don't understand that you don't understand basketball.

And our depth is 10 deep already during big east play and not one is a fill in like anyone not named Kemba Oriaki Napier and Lamb were last year. You guys had maybe four real players last year and the rest of your team was fill ins at best.

You sound like a young new uneducated uconn fan. Which they could use considering how few people were rooting for them to win it last year.

 

[Alsacs]

No offense UConn dude but your team doesn't go 1o deep. We have 10 legit players Scoop, Triche, Joseph, Christmas, Melo, Fair, Waiters, Carter-Williams, Keita, Southerland, and then 11th player Mookie Jones, and a top 75 recruit Cooney who is redshirting. UConn has talent in Napier, Lamb, Oriaki, and Drummond but you guys aren't as deep as the SU team. It will be a battle for the regular season Big East championship,but you guys don't go as deep. UConn may have a couple better players, but not a 1-10.

 

[dash-30-dash]

The question is, what the are you doing here? You do realize this is a Syracuse board , right? Now we have to fumigate this place. And I don't think Jb neeeds any advice from you on who our best 5 are. And you don't ever root for Syracuse. We both know that.

 

[orangefan13]

We go 11 deep its just Cooney is waiting becuase we already have so much.

 

[HoustonCuse]

people need to get over this, they also won 5(?) games in the big east tournament so really 14-9, also they didn't lose to anyone outside of the big east all year

Neither did we. Whats the point?

 

[mauconnfan]

Melo is light years better then the player Oriaki was last year on the offensive end especially. On the defensive end Melo has alittle bit of a advantage not as much as the offensive. And its not even close. If you don't understand that you don't understand basketball.

And our depth is 10 deep already during big east play and not one is a fill in like anyone not named Kemba Oriaki Napier and Lamb were last year. You guys had maybe four real players last year and the rest of your team was fill ins at best.

You sound like a young new uneducated uconn fan. Which they could use considering how few people were rooting for them to win it last year.

"..young, new uneducated.."? Again funny stuff......forgotten more than you obviously know orange13......anyway I guess dashy is right. What the hell am I doing here? Our fill-ins with only 4 players won a national championship so who the hell do we have back?

Done, I feel bad for the educated on this board having to deal with 13 and dashy and support their ineptness. But hey we all have them!

Best of luck seriously that's a nice team!

 

[Bayside44]

and that's Kentucky, but they don't have a true center. They do have Anthony Davis, who may wind up being what Kevin Garnett might have looked like if he ever went to college.

But aside from Kentucky, we have more talent this season than anyone.

#1 North Carolina - John Henson and Ty Zeller both start. That's one big white guy too many. They are workmanlike and efficient, but they lack athleticism and don't scare me a bit. Harrison Barnes is a good forward, and McAdoo will be good in time. Dexter Strickland and Kendall Marshall don't seem like a backcourt that is good enough to win a national championship, and in college, backcourts still rule.

Ohio State is mostly Sullinger and Buford and who are the rest of these guys ?

UConn at #4 is a joke. Last year's "Champions" were a 9-9 Big East squad that got lucky and hit an 11 game winning streak when they stopped calling traveling on Kemba Walker in the Big East tournament. Take away their best player, and what do you have ? A mediocre team, with a couple guards who could have played for UMass 20 years ago.

But I would never bet against Jim Calhoun in a single elimination game. I do hope they get that title vacated for cheating, though. Them having 3 titles instead of only 2 is starting to rub my ass. We better make a goddam Final Four again pretty soon.

I think you have the wrong Henson.

Zeller is a scoring machine in the post, and we don't have anyone near Harrison Barnes (nor does anyone else). And I would trade Scoop for Kendall Marshall 100x over.

 

[Cusedan25]

UNC is stacked. They lack great outside shooting but their frontline is super. Henson & Zeller are most likely top 20 picks whenever they leave. Barnes and McAdoo top 5 or 10. UNC's point gaurd, Kendall Marshall, is one of the best PG's in the country. He makes the right basketball play every time down.

 

[Upstate]

wasn't umass in the final four roughly 20 years ago?

There are stories that they were, but since Cal left, no one can find any evidence it actually happened..

 

[BleedsOrange44]

wasn't umass in the final four roughly 20 years ago?

It was 15 but yes. It was 1996 where Kentucky beat them (UMass had Marcus Camby) in the final four game, then beat us in the title game. I was hoping UMass would beat Kentucky, because I thought we matched up better and could definitely win the title if that happened.