Postgame Thoughts... Houston (NCAAT)

[EnviroSciGuy]

• Houston...with that style of refereeing...is perhaps the worst matchup in the country for SU (as constituted by JB) Overall Houston doesn't need help from the refs to be great defensively (I'm not really blaming the refs)...but the way the game was called was in their favor. VERY PHYSICAL handsy...mugged a lot of shots that they got away with...but SU got called for a lot of slight fouls...and just cheap stuff all game long. That SU got called for more fouls is INSANE. But Houston is good defensively...best defensive team SU has faced this year. BY A LOT. SU did not use Houston's aggresiveness against them...they cracked under pressure and panicked out there. Thye shouldve fouled out 3 or 4 of their players...and if they hd they might have won.
• Joe and Buddy ARE YMCA players against that level of D. Its just the truth. Only a handful of teams in NCAA can do that to these 2 but thats what matters in games like this...have to see it for what it is and adjust instead of being stubborn.
• For all the talk of QG leaving...I don't think he is ready ...for G-League. Indifferent as to whether he comes back or not in terms of prospects for the team next season. I think he is smart and has a great attitude out there...but he doesnt play smartly. He really cracked out there, imo. The team should have been feeding him the ball...but they didn't. And when he got it...he didn't go up strong.
• Same thing with Marek. Nice player but not championship caliber and a starter needs to be that, imo. If youre gonna slow gaurds who cant penetrate need uber athletic SCORING dominant forwards...He just doesn't have it vs elite teams like that...he was the tallest player on the court...I thought he got slammed into for 3 of his fouls ...which is BS but thats how they call it. Indifferent as to his return...nice player...but want more from a starting center/forward. Would be a nice bench player next season.
• the press junket this week was probably the worst thing that couldve happened to JB/Buddy...they relaxed and undid their belt buckles...Buddy Shouldve refused all those interviews.
• I think Kadary is gone...hate to say it...but just have a feeling. really mailed it in the last 5 mins...I LOVE his game...he is amazing. Shouldve played 35 min+ this game. I think he can flourish here...IF he is the starter...but I dont see that happening and I can see why he would look elswhere.
• I think Griff bounces too...man whatever JB did to him psychologically...it broke him. This game was perfect for him to star and he laid a huge egg...maybe JB has broken him permanently. Never seen anything like it...he is a shell of the player he was in the first couple games of the season when he looked like the best player on the team...all that said...His drives shouldve been used more though this game...he drew 4 quick fouls and that was it.
• The idea shouldve been to get Houston fouled out...but that wasnt easy and was only sporadically the focus. AG couldve helped a lot there.
• JB really just did not see the forest for the trees this game. Makes me think he isn't going to figure the roster out well this offseason. Such a brutal matchup...
• JBs approach needs a revamp if he wants to win another title...if he wants to be on the bubble next season then keep doing this...
• But in this game specifically...LOWEST ALL TIME POINT TOTAL in SU HISTORY...shows the ball was DROPPED BIG TIME by the COACHES! The players got bent over out there and RAMMED all game long. It was embarassing.
• 1 on 1 ...doesnt work against a team like that...with these players...it was obvious at the 4 minute mark...but they had zero ideas of what to do. 1 on 1 is the go to...and it went right into their wheelhouse. The offense needs to be developed more.
• Pound the Portal!! PLEASE. The only player who should be a gauranteed starter next season is Kadary...if he returns...if a title is the goal. if family basketball is the goal then do not pound the portal.

Some of the posters responding to me with non sequiturs in the game thread would do well to read this.

 

[djcon57]

Yes he was great on D. But we scored 46.

correct and while he was on the floor we scored 10 more points than Houston

 

[CardiacCuse]

I really need to know why Richmond is just a passer… like it really bothers me. Like it’s great you can pass the rock. But if nobody is open to pass I need you to be able to drop a 3 or shake and bake and pick up the and 1 here and there. I know he knocked down the 3 tonight. So calm down people. But he always wants to pass. Why? Is it JB telling him that!

yes.

i have a bad feeling about the portal this year...but at least there will be a lot of talent out there to grab.

 

[Day2]

not a typical dominant 2 seed. a 2 seed from a crap conference that needed a mini miracle comeback to beat rutgers in the 2nd round.

They are dominant defensively and on the offensive glass. We did a pretty good job taking away one of those strengths tonight. But their D was too much.

I think you’re mistaking a team that plays ugly for being a crappy team. Yeah, they almost lost to RU...on short rest with their best player hobbled. But you know what? They still won.

 

[jdubs30]

correct and while he was on the floor we scored 10 more points than Houston

Yes... if you extrapolate that run Houston would score 20pts In a 40min game ... not something i would count on

 

[Cusesky8214]

I really need to know why Richmond is just a passer… like it really bothers me. Like it’s great you can pass the rock. But if nobody is open to pass I need you to be able to drop a 3 or shake and bake and pick up the and 1 here and there. I know he knocked down the 3 tonight. So calm down people. But he always wants to pass. Why? Is it JB telling him that!

He passes the ball because he's probably scared to take ONE bad shot and be pulled for the rest of the game. If JB would tell him to be aggressive and do his thing then I would be willing to bet that Kadary would be a different player. Too tentative and afraid to be yanked and sit on the pine for the rest of the game while JG3 gets to take 30 footers

 

[Mchandl8]

On the plus side, who would have predicted this team to make the Sweet 16? As stated, Edwards is the only Syracuse player who played above average. I still don’t think Houston is a great team but they certainly outplayed us tonight. They were mediocre on offense but made us look bad on offense. On to next year.

Well... sadly me, probably a lot of us in our brackets. We saw we were playing well in the acc tourney. I really wanted to be wrong but I got it right in my bracket

 

[Mchandl8]

Yes... if you extrapolate that run Houston would score 20pts In a 40min game ... not something i would count on

So he was meaningless, just happened to be lucky when he was out there? Play whoever you want, doesn't matter. It's all the same

 

[CardiacCuse]

I really was surprised that Kadary and Jesse didn't start the second half...VERY SURPRISED.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Yes he was great on D. But we scored 46.

We did.

But, we outscored them when Edwards was in.

That's a big deal.

 

[Mchandl8]

I really was surprised that Kadary and Jesse didn't start the second half...VERY SURPRISED.

Why? Boeheim does that every game. Starters start both halves no matter how its going

 

[CardiacCuse]

Why? Boeheim does that every game. Starters start both halves no matter how its going

bc it was clear that was the only chance for a win.

I know the pattern but i figured with all the chips on the table he might break the pattern to maximize chances of a win. sadly, no.

 

[kuethstheman]

He passes the ball because he's probably scared to take ONE bad shot and be pulled for the rest of the game. If JB would tell him to be aggressive and do his thing then I would be willing to bet that Kadary would be a different player. Too tentative and afraid to be yanked and sit on the pine for the rest of the game while JG3 gets to take 30 footers

I hadn't noticed Kadary was on a short leash.

 

[Mchandl8]

bc it was clear that was the only chance for a win.

I know the pattern but i figured with all the chips on the table he might break the pattern to maximize chances of a win. sadly, no.

Yeah, I agree with you but... nah

 

[Day2]

We did.

But, we outscored them when Edwards was in.

That's a big deal.

The second half with Edwards (and Richmond) was a wash or close to it.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

The second half with Edwards (and Richmond) was a wash or close to it.

Which was also still better than we did the rest of the game.

:shrugs:

 

[Day2]

Which was also still better than we did the rest of the game.

:shrugs:

That’s fine. Still not enough to win when you’re trailing by 7-10 points.

 

[kcsu]

Jesse was great .. but we scored 46pts! If he played 40minutes you could maybe argue we score 2-3 more buckets cuz of his offensive boards, but that’s it. Him playing more doesn’t change the score

Yes it does. D creates offense.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

That’s fine. Still not enough to win when you’re trailing by 7-10 points.

How much do we need to put on the guy?

We sucked in the first half until he came in. Then we sucked to end the first half when we came out.

He has to overcome all of that?

We had one guy move the needle today, and it was Edwards.

 

[cuseattle]

I'm proud of the players and coaches. Worked their butts off this year under trying circumstances. Gave us fans some more good memories.
Last loss is always a bummer.

 

[Day2]

How much do we need to put on the guy?

We sucked in the first half until he came in. Then we sucked to end the first half when we came out.

He has to overcome all of that?

We had one guy move the needle today, and it was Edwards.

I’m not putting anything on Edwards. I’m just saying that with him, or without him, we were not good enough to beat Houston. Not tonight. Not most nights.

 

[Day2]

Yes it does. D creates offense.

It creates offensive opportunities, few of which we were able to take advantage of.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I'm proud of the players and coaches. Worked their butts off this year under trying circumstances. Gave us fans some more good memories.
Last loss is always a bummer.

It is a cruelty of the tournament that every team but one ends the season on a losing note.

 

[JustPherU]

People need to be honest with themselves and realize Jim Boeheim wanted to win this game more than any of us.
How in the heck they think they know better than him on who should play and when is almost incomprehensible.
Everyone has the right to their opinion, but does anyone honestly think they know more than that guy about his team?

 

[OttoinGrotto]

People need to be honest with themselves and realize Jim Boeheim wanted to win this game more than any of us.
How in the heck they think they know better than him on who should play and when is almost incomprehensible.
Everyone has the right to their opinion, but does anyone honestly think they know more than that guy about his team?

I don't think I know more than him.

But I do not believe that he's infallible.