So how does JB fix this?

[Sherman20]

This team makes the tourney. Pin it.

Howard comes back.

We start driving the ball and getting to the line.

Guys get comfortable in their roles.

We'll figure it out.

I’m sure that’s exactly what the coaches will be preaching for the next month. But the players need to buy in and stop worrying about the NBA.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

Technically he's playing as a stretch three.
Because it's a real stretch that he'll ever make one of them.

Good one...Funny.

Seriously, that is adjustment #1...When 2/3rds of his shots are 3s, that is a problem...

 

[djmlaw]

He needs to get the team to play with more intensity. this going through the motions crap we've seen isn't going to cut it. Zero effort.

You hit the nail on the proverbial head. Last year they were mediocre all year till the backs were against the wall. Then at the end of ACC play and the tourney they played with tremendous intensity and effort like their life depended upon it. Then they spent 9 months reading about how good they were going to be this year and thought they could just walk out there and be given a W. I've been watching Syracuse basketball since 1970. This is on the players not the coach. Crushed on the boards two games straight. Carey lead the team in rebounds last night and was leading them again at halftime. Chukwu had zero points, 3 rebounds and 5 fouls.

That is actually where I think Frank will help most. His intensity. Hughes had 5 steals but played ole defense countless times and had 7 turnovers, many of them terrible.. The players will decide what kind of season this is going to be. If you noticed, in the first 5 minutes of the game our ball movement was good, people flashing to the high post. Then it ended. Pass it around the perimeter and fire lazy shots.

Yes, the offense looks terrible, but everything looks terrible when the effort is not there. Carey I would say is the one exception. They will either get the effort back to last years level - and soon, or this could go South.

 

[MGDCuse]

He has to teach height.

If he figures out how to do that, let me know. I'm only 6 ft but really want to be 6'6 6'7. My dream is to dunk on a regulation rim before I die.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

You hit the nail on the proverbial head. Last year they were mediocre all year till the backs were against the wall. Then at the end of ACC play and the tourney they played with tremendous intensity and effort like their life depended upon it. Then they spent 9 months reading about how good they were going to be this year and thought they could just walk out there and be given a W. I've been watching Syracuse basketball since 1970. This is on the players not the coach. Crushed on the boards two games straight. Carey lead the team in rebounds last night and was leading them again at halftime. Chukwu had zero points, 3 rebounds and 5 fouls.

That is actually where I think Frank will help most. His intensity. Hughes had 5 steals but played ole defense countless times and had 7 turnovers, many of them terrible.. The players will decide what kind of season this is going to be. If you noticed, in the first 5 minutes of the game our ball movement was good, people flashing to the high post. Then it ended. Pass it around the perimeter and fire lazy shots.

Yes, the offense looks terrible, but everything looks terrible when the effort is not there. Carey I would say is the one exception. They will either get the effort back to last years level - and soon, or this could go South.

We need Frank's attitude for certain!

 

[MGDCuse]

He'll fix it like he did last year. Make them get in the lane and either get to the foul line or kick it out to a shooter. I think Marek should start ahead of Hughes. He just sees everything so well. Put him at the high post and let him dish. Toward the end of today's game, he grabbed a rebound and fired an outlet pass to half court. That's something sorely missing imho. Would help us get out in transition and RUN. Remember what that was like? Let Hughes be the spark plug off the bench. Having Frank back will help this team more than some want to admit. Nova got crushed on their home court by Michigan. I'm sure they'll be fine by seasons end and I have absolute faith that Boeheim, after what he's done the past 3-4 years with a depleted roster, will have this team humming along by season end. BTW, great to see Uconn follow up their season changing win in typical Uconn fashion. As good as they were from 3 last night, they are equally as bad tonight.

 

[Alsacs]

He will fix it but by slowing the game down. Reducing possessions and looking to win games in the high 50s/ low 60s.
JB will fix it. It just won’t be Aesthetically pretty basketball.

 

[moqui]

He will fix it but by slowing the game down. Reducing possessions and looking to win games in the high 50s/ low 60s.
JB will fix it. It just won’t be Aesthetically pretty basketball.

have to speed up in order to slow down
gotta bring the ball up with more urgency against the press in order to have time for deliberate possessions once over the timeline

 

[reedny]

This is not a TEAM right now. It’s a collection of good individual talent, but they don’t look like a team in any way, shape or form. Oshae didn’t show up at all. Just chucking ridiculous shots from the outside and not playing in the paint at all. Definitely seems to be auditioning for the NBA. Tyus barely showed up and looks like he has little fire in him, shooting ill-advised 3s and not driving, and complaining to the refs about calls constantly. There’s no offensive flow, no spacing, no ball movement. And even the defense was bad. Frank’s return will help with offensive flow, but this team has a lot of hard work ahead of it and some real soul-searching to do.

I'm as disgusted as anyone. But it is November. Hughes is obviously a talented offensive player. The jury's out on his defense. But it's his 2d/3d game. Carey's brand new. Buddy's new. Howard's out. OB and Tyus have checked out mentally because they're used to being set up and now they have to work for everything. They're not adjusting well. Merrick's figuring out how to come off the bench. I just think it's too early to evaluate this team - the rotation's a mess.

 

[ForeverOrange]

Something about this year, feels different. Hope I am wrong.

 

[GoSU96]

I...don’t know. I really don’t. We are doing nothing well.

Jesus fing Christ do you really think current state is locked in future state with this coach, what the core did at the end of the year, and the additions to that core?

The whipsaw pessimism on this board is unreal

 

[OrangeDW]

Jesus fing Christ do you really think current state is locked in future state with this coach, what the core did at the end of the year, and the additions to that core?

The whipsaw pessimism on this board is unreal

So answer the post then, coach.

I don’t got the answers.

 

[MGDCuse]

He will fix it but by slowing the game down. Reducing possessions and looking to win games in the high 50s/ low 60s.
JB will fix it. It just won’t be Aesthetically pretty basketball.

I don't agree. I think once we're healthy and everyone settles In to their roles, we'll be a better scoring team. Battle, Brissett, Marek, and Frank are all great at getting to the basket, and Hughes, Buddy, And Carey will be good from behind the arc. We have a lot of talent on both ends. They're just a little out of sorts right now. Have I mentioned how.much I'm enjoying the Uconn turd laying project at MSG tonight? If you thought our offense was bad, check out this uconn game. And, right on que, Hurley gets tee'd up. Love it.

 

[MGDCuse]

Also, if you want to see what a difference a competent point guard can make, watch Iowa. Bohannon is putting on a clinic.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

So answer the post then, coach.

I don’t got the answers.

Last season, we lost to the Bonnies at home. Started 1-4 in the ACC...and somehow figured it out...

Season before that, the Johnnies beat us by 33 at home. Lost to the Hoyas at home and to UConn at the Garden...yet somehow righted the ship enough to beat the #6, #9 and #10 teams in the country and almost made the tourney...

In 16, got beat by the Johnnies by double digits and started off 0-4 in conference play yet somehow figured it out...

This team has both more talent and more pieces than any of those teams...

Color me not worried...

 

[Halfmooncuse]

Retiring

 

[Forza Azzurri]

Last season, we lost to the Bonnies at home. Started 1-4 in the ACC...and somehow figured it out...

Season before that, the Johnnies beat us by 33 at home. Lost to the Hoyas at home and to UConn at the Garden...yet somehow righted the ship enough to beat the #6, #9 and #10 teams in the country and almost made the tourney...

In 16, got beat by the Johnnies by double digits and started off 0-4 in conference play yet somehow figured it out...

This team has both more talent and more pieces than any of those teams...

Color me not worried...

One other thing...Frank's injury has meant extended minutes for Carey...Back in '03, Edelin's suspension meant valuable minutes for Pace......

Not saying, or implying, that we win the NC but it does mean that JB now knows he has another player who can contribute...

This team has a lot of pieces and a lot of options...now it is just up to JB to figure out how to put it all together and get them to buy into their roles...considering that he has been successfully doing this for 40+ years, my money is on him and the team...

 

[Cuse Action]

The defense will slowly become better as the season goes on and we'll grind out wins in the 60s.

Another words they will be painful to watch. JB is a dinosaur with his offensive game planning and he will never change.

 

[AlexDaCuse]

He will fix it but by slowing the game down. Reducing possessions and looking to win games in the high 50s/ low 60s.
JB will fix it. It just won’t be Aesthetically pretty basketball.

Then people wonder why we can't get top recruits, especially centers and PF's to come to SU. The offense is so old and needs a major overhaul. Maybe Mr. Babers can help him out.

 

[Jasoncuse]

Run some semblance of an offense. Against a zone, we shouldn’t be so clueless. Change up defenses by throwing a press in every now and then, not as a last resort. Put players in position to play to their strengths - Oshae should drive and look to draw fouls instead of launching 8-1 3’s per game. Put Marek around the FT line when we’re being zoned. Get a Tyus more 15-18 footers. Ball movement and player movement off the ball. There’s really no reason this program should be so inept in the halfcourt year after year. We know why things haven’t changed all that much even as the roster turns.

Honestly, nothing will change, I know that. This team can’t win playing this way. I’m so tired of the iso offense and the useless ball screens. Offense shouldn’t be this hard for this team. We settle for 25 footers because w don’t even attempt to try getting good shots. This program just has gotten so unwatchable aesthetically and in terms of pure basketball. When we win it’s because we grind the game to a halt. We can’t score or shoot consistently. Rebounding is poor. We get nothing out of the center position and have no bulk inside to handle any opponents with size and abilitY.

The OOC schedule is suddenly very daunting. Mostly because we can’t afford many more losses and miss out on quality wins. I don’t know what will be done but this team has to figure it out fast.

 

[AlaskaSU]

We seem to be much worse than last year... how does that happen when everyone returns? Is Frank Howard the difference between good and horrendous?

yes

 

[cuseattle]

I'm sad.. We're so much better than this and I can't help but think that because ive been working during the games it's partly my fault!

 

[kuethstheman]

This team needs more time playing together with guys in their normal position. Surprised they're not playing together as a team? It's not like we imagined, folding in a few new guys. Completely different team. The point guard is trying to fit in while learning how to play point without actually practicing.

Not saying they'll soon be the dominant team we expected but they'll be a much better team in a few weeks.

 

[007]

The only good thing to come out of MSG is that the team has been exposed early. Playing way too soft and out of sync. They looked shell-shocked. The Oregon beat down was probably inevitable given the team couldn't practice after getting exposed by Uconn.

JB will have their full attention now. Practice this week will be hell as he will drill into their heads what their roles and limitations are going forward. They are going to need to play much harder and with more urgency on D.

This is when JB has historically been at this best.

 

[Cusedad2X]

He’s done it before and I still believe this team wins games this year.

Play 40 minutes of zone regardless of other team's in-game shooting success.