Poised to make a run!

[Flacusian]

I've been spoiled this season by watching this team win game after game. Even when they were down by 17 and it looked like nothing Cinnci put up would miss, I still felt that there would be the enevitable 23-2 run or something to that effect. It seemed that the Cuse would again find a way to pull the game out. After all, they had done so in every game save for the ND in which they were without the services of Fab.

So, at the end of it all was the shock of seeing that we weren't, in fact, invincible and a combination of several circumstances were such that we were beatable. A good nights sleep always lends a fresh perspective and several things stand out that are pretty hard to be negative about.

1. We are certainly a #1 seed in the East
2. We have compiled the greatest season win total in school history
3. Our depth is considerable
4. We have a HOF coach who is 2nd among active coaches for wins
5. We have played poorly upon occasion and still found ways to win
6. Our tourney opponents will not have seen a zone like ours
7. Statistically speaking more of our shots are due to start falling
8. When playing well we ARE the best team in the Country and can beat anyone.
9. The loss will give some rest and provide time for KJ thumb to heal
10. We have senior leadership that have something to prove.

So all things considered, Syracuse has never been in such a favorable position going into the NCAA tournament. Who among us would have thought that we would find ourselves with this record going into selection Sunday? There will be much which can be learned from the Cinnci defeat and in the end I believe we'll look back and see it as something positive as we march toward the Final 4 and beyond.

 

[Henny & Coke]

31-2 entering the NCAA tournament. It is mind-blowing if you take a second to think about that.

We have played in 33 games, and with all the random occurances that could happen...shots being missed or made with a small margin of error, poor calls from officials, bad bounces of the basketball, different teams matching up differently with our strengths/weaknesses, different coaching strategies against us, playing in other team's hostile courts, wear and tear of travel & multiple games in multiple nights, possibility of our players getting sick or having bad nights...with all the randomness that can happen within a basketball game, to come out on the winning end of 31 out of 33 basketball games is just incredible, IMO, and it shows how talented this team is to be so successful when every game starts at 0-0 and what your record is at that point provides no advantage.

But there will be time to be impressed with this after we win the next 6 games.

 

[longislandcuse]

I also thought we would win last night down big and we should have. We had them on the ropes and we lost the game with our stupid mistakes and missed foul shots.

 

[hoopsupstate]

We've had a great year and it's been fun. Having said that, we are way too soft to play against Kentucky. What forwards do we have to keep their bigs off the boards?

If you watched the Carolina and State game, wow State got hosed. This is my biggest fear going to the ACC. In a close game NC gets all the calls.

 

[iommi]

Our zone sucked last night...Gates abused Melo and we never got a stop when we needed one. Our half court offense is very inconsistent because are shooters are streaky at best. Our rebounding is still a major problem. One thing I will say is that we need CJ back to 100%. He was a non-factor in the BET and we need his 12-foot jumpers big time. I think we'll be okay but it's all match-ups this year. If teams force us to play in the half court we will be on the ropes in one of our first 3 games for sure because we have no post presence at all. If teams play man against us we'll be fine. It's all about match-ups and tempo.

 

[hoopsupstate]

I agree. It's always a crap shoot to see who actually gets to the final four.

 

[RF2044]

I also thought we would win last night down big and we should have. We had them on the ropes and we lost the game with our stupid mistakes and missed foul shots.

Agree 100%. I don't know what the final numbers were [can't bring myself to look at the box score], but at one point late in the game they flashed the FT statistics and we were 7-14 from the field, down about 4 at that point.

All year long, we've also avoided turning the ball over--last night, we were hemorrhaging the ball up. That scoop turnover after he got the steal was killer.

All season long, we've been poised and risen to the occasion. Just wasn't our night.