so is Buffalo good?

[Orangezoo]

Mballa type bigs are the type we should be recruiting for depth over projects. He is going to be a 4 year guy.
I don’t blame the staff for missing him specifically but types of players like him have been missing from our program in the front court.

Our front court players who aren’t wings haven’t been giving us much offense.
The wing types have.
Quincy is probably the first in a while.
He plays like Hak. It’s doubtful we will get 4 years of him like we did Hak if he stayed thru all his eligibility I think he could be an all-American like Hak was.

Mballa types should be in our recruiting classes and develop into rotation guys.

We need Rick Jackson type of bigs every couple of years.

We are taking too many projects in the middle.

I don't think it is a lack of recruiting some of these guys - we just aren't bringing them in. Today's game doesn't permit a heftier center for the zone because they won't be able to get out on the corner 3s. Mballa would fail miserably as a C in the zone. Realizing we aren't going to stop being a zone team, I am not sure how recruiting these guys is going to help us.

We have brought in Brissett, Lydon, Quincy, Braswell in the past several years while missing on some others at that 4 spot. Lydon of course ended up being the small ball 5 unexpectedly which has in turn passed through with Marek today.

We have also missed on some bigs who we wanted badly. We missed on Tape, we missed on I Jackson, we missed on Govan a few years back and others. Those aren't necessarily 4 year guys but they are difference makers in the post. Guys like Mballa aren't an easy find early on. You have to fight for them usually once a program like say UB has realized they would be a great program/developmental fit.

We toy back and forth with wanting top 30 bigs and then getting 4 year guys with beef. Yet those beefier guys need a chance to play to develop and well.. it won't happen at the 5 and if they don't have 4 skills then forget it. A lot of this is the identity of who we are. I am not saying I am in love with it but to get what you are asking for really honestly means we would be a different team, a pressure or mtm team who can play more guys like that because they don't have to cover so much ground to defend the 3.

 

[Alsacs]

I don't think it is a lack of recruiting some of these guys - we just aren't bringing them in. Today's game doesn't permit a heftier center for the zone because they won't be able to get out on the corner 3s. Mballa would fail miserably as a C in the zone. Realizing we aren't going to stop being a zone team, I am not sure how recruiting these guys is going to help us.

We have brought in Brissett, Lydon, Quincy, Braswell in the past several years while missing on some others at that 4 spot. Lydon of course ended up being the small ball 5 unexpectedly which has in turn passed through with Marek today.

We have also missed on some bigs who we wanted badly. We missed on Tape, we missed on I Jackson, we missed on Govan a few years back and others. Those aren't necessarily 4 year guys but they are difference makers in the post. Guys like Mballa aren't an easy find early on. You have to fight for them usually once a program like say UB has realized they would be a great program/developmental fit.

We toy back and forth with wanting top 30 bigs and then getting 4 year guys with beef. Yet those beefier guys need a chance to play to develop and well.. it won't happen at the 5 and if they don't have 4 skills then forget it. A lot of this is the identity of who we are. I am not saying I am in love with it but to get what you are asking for really honestly means we would be a different team, a pressure or mtm team who can play more guys like that because they don't have to cover so much ground to defend the 3.

I understand your point and agree it just frustrating that it’s true.
When the guards we have outside of Richmond aren’t fits for the zone but who cares because then we need a rim protecting big who can slide to the corner.
Oh wait we don’t have a rim protecting big when Sidibe is out.

It’s just frustrating.
If we had MCW and Triche at the top of the zone I would understand more.

 

[jgeorge322]

I think buffalo is pretty good, and they played above their potential. But not northeastern or bryant.

 

[Orangezoo]

I understand your point and agree it just frustrating that it’s true.
When the guards we have outside of Richmond aren’t fits for the zone but who cares because then we need a rim protecting big who can slide to the corner.
Oh wait we don’t have a rim protecting big when Sidibe is out.

It’s just frustrating.
If we had MCW and Triche at the top of the zone I would understand more.

Yeah I hate to say I have accepted it but - I have done so with protest. The zone itself was much better suited for the style of play in the Big East and the game for many years with a nice transition to being a difficult riddle to solve in the tournament. Now we are in such a phase of having so many teams who can slice it up, move the ball and hit the 3 ball that it actually reduces the margins and forces us to have even better scheme fits defensively at the top, the wings and the C position. We were able to get away with a weakness or two in the past but not anymore. It is frustrating for so many reasons because it limits us on offense.

Kadary is a breath of fresh air given he creates turnovers/blocks etc that give you the same kind of live ball change of possession that allow us to break and create the type of play that is more akin to playing MTM. His defensive instincts are really good. If you pair him with a healthy Sidibe I think we both feel better because they create the defensive positioning and problems for opponents you need and eliminate the weaknesses. Sucks we need to thread that needle though.

 

[Orangezoo]

I think buffalo is pretty good, and they played above theyre potential. But not northeastern or bryant.

Bryant is 6-2 now ( perspective looking at their opponents is warranted) and nearing top 200 in KPOM. Northeastern I am not sure. They only played UMASS and the monster that is Tre Mitchell ( put up 37 last night) and us. Bryant plays UMASS today or tomorrow so will be interesting to see how that game goes. In either case UB is definitely the best opponent south of RU we have played including BC too.

 

[Alsacs]

Yeah I hate to say I have accepted it but - I have done so with protest. The zone itself was much better suited for the style of play in the Big East and the game for many years with a nice transition to being a difficult riddle to solve in the tournament. Now we are in such a phase of having so many teams who can slice it up, move the ball and hit the 3 ball that it actually reduces the margins and forces us to have even better scheme fits defensively at the top, the wings and the C position. We were able to get away with a weakness or two in the past but not anymore. It is frustrating for so many reasons because it limits us on offense.

Kadary is a breath of fresh air given he creates turnovers/blocks etc that give you the same kind of live ball change of possession that allow us to break and create the type of play that is more akin to playing MTM. His defensive instincts are really good. If you pair him with a healthy Sidibe I think we both feel better because they create the defensive positioning and problems for opponents you need and eliminate the weaknesses. Sucks we need to thread that needle though.

Yeah I have finally accepted the fact it’s pointless to complain about rotations.
People will defend whatever JB does and justify it whatever way they have to defend it.
I am not going to join these threads complaining about shots.

The coach doesn’t care so why should I. It sucks that it’s come to this. If our fanbase accepts we aren’t what we used to be then it’s pointless to say anything really.

 

[syrBossHogg]

I wouldn’t mind playing Buffalo every year

 

[Orangezoo]

I wouldn’t mind playing Buffalo every year

Same here. If they can be a year in year out top 5 MAC program it is a nice close rivalry to get a tougher non conf game in state.

 

[maxxyz]

Yeah I have finally accepted the fact it’s pointless to complain about rotations.
People will defend whatever JB does and justify it whatever way they have to defend it.
I am not going to join these threads complaining about shots.

The coach doesn’t care so why should I. It sucks that it’s come to this. If our fanbase accepts we aren’t what we used to be then it’s pointless to say anything really.

The same people who complain about JB’s rotation will complain about the rotations by the next SU basketball coach.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Good to see you posting coach.

 

[Trueblue25]

I find this thread funny, I was getting ripped in the game thread for suggesting that UB was good and had the parts of another tournament team

 

[Orangezoo]

I find this thread funny, I was getting ripped in the game thread for suggesting that UB was good and had the parts of another tournament team

I guess things got off track. Seriously what the hell are you talking about? They are total trash man. We should all feel bad..

 

[Alsacs]

The same people who complain about JB’s rotation will complain about the rotations by the next SU basketball coach.

When we had better talent it made sense to play less guys.

We don’t have the level of talent we used too.
I get if the bench sucks don’t play the bench.
Their are guys on this team who should get a chance to develop.
Ten years ago we would blow teams out and the bench would get to play.
Now we may get 2-3 games a year that happens.

 

[HOFCeluck]

Probably pretty good but also probably not a team we should fall behind by 16, give 17 transition points to, and need a Lebron block from AG to beat.

 

[maxxyz]

When we had better talent it made sense to play less guys.

We don’t have the level of talent we used too.
I get if the bench sucks don’t play the bench.
Their are guys on this team who should get a chance to develop.
Ten years ago we would blow teams out and the bench would get to play.
Now we may get 2-3 games a year that happens.

Who should get minutes that didn’t vs Buffalo? If we messed up one more possession in this game we would have lost.

We have our top seven. We’ll have 7.5 when Sidibe gets back. We are struggling in most of the games, so I’m ok with winning games with 7.5 as opposed to losing games with 9.

 

[Alsacs]

Who should get minutes that didn’t vs Buffalo? If we messed up one more possession in this game we would have lost.

We have our top seven. We’ll have 7.5 when Sidibe gets back. We are struggling in most of the games, so I’m ok with winning games with 7.5 as opposed to losing games with 9.

Slide AG up top and play Woody at the 3.

I don’t want to say why because I don’t want to talk about that subject as it is pointless.

I want our best players being fed the ball more Quincy and Marek and taking more shots.

 

[Trueblue25]

Here’s what I think in short.

UB’s a good mid major team that’s going to be a name most programs do not want to see in March. I wouldn’t be shocked if they beat West Virginia.

UB’s a team that a good Syracuse team should beat, and we did. The adjustments and effort in the 2nd half were encouraging. It is imperative that we have close calls, and gutsy games like this before the conference schedule.

We learn more about ourselves during the cardiac cuse moments and there’s plenty to be encouraged about after last night

 

[OrangeDW]

Who should get minutes that didn’t vs Buffalo? If we messed up one more possession in this game we would have lost.

We have our top seven. We’ll have 7.5 when Sidibe gets back. We are struggling in most of the games, so I’m ok with winning games with 7.5 as opposed to losing games with 9.

agreed. We have a clear top 7 with Sidibe, with Woody being the capable 8th.

And that’s what it should be. There’s still a few bellyaching over Bras. Lol.

My issue is that within that 7.5, the best guard needs to be playing the most.

 

[RCDICK44]

Our zone quite possibly cost us some top players but that may be because they know when they go Pro that they have to play man and to get higher in the draft have to show that ability. I think we normally do pretty good with what we get.

 

[billsin01]

I’m perplexed

Is Northeastern good?

Bryant?

I think the answer to this is both. We clearly aren't the program we were 10 years ago. Now, you can blame JB and say he's lost it. That's one narrative and perhaps there's some truth to it. You could also blame staff -- again, maybe some truth to it. Or you can look at the landscape of college basketball and how many guys are skimmed off the top and transferring and say it's just harder to continually build an elite team. Whatever the case, we aren't as good.

That said, I think sometimes people like to lump mid-majors into one category. I went to Loyola in MD and i can tell you there are very different programs even in a conference like the MAAC (which is what we played in at that time). We'd put together a decent team, then run into Siena and get rocked.

Some of it is talent but I think some of it is coaching. I thought Bryant had OK talent but very solid coaching (also not sure we were ready to play -- not an excuse about 2 weeks of no practice, but energy-wise, we were dead for whatever reason). Northeastern didn't have a ton of talent but had solid size and I thought they had a phenomenal game plan against us.

Buffalo, to me, looked like a team that could run and bang with good teams. Mbala and Williams, the PG was pesky and even with a brutal looking shot, he shot well. Graves was really good. That looked like a very solid roster to me. But will they win their league or be really good all year? No idea.

But I think the combo of some well-coached decent teams, with us not having the same talent as 10 years ago made those games nail-biters. The key is we won and we at least have a chance to put together a solid season dream on a tourney run.

It's interesting if you just look at the ACC results from Saturday -- Louisville, who i'm sure will give us fits, got absolutely routed, almost doubled up, by Wisconsin. NC State pulled away in the second half from Campbell, which I didn't even know was a school. Miami beat Jacksonville by 9. UCF outscored FSU by 17 in the second half in an easy win.

I just think it's a much smaller margin at least early in the season for a lot of these teams for some reason.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Slide AG up top and play Woody at the 3.

I don’t want to say why because I don’t want to talk about that subject as it is pointless.

I want our best players being fed the ball more Quincy and Marek and taking more shots.

No need for that passive aggressive middle sentence. We know what you are saying, you aren't wrong, but don't call it out.

 

[billsin01]

agreed. We have a clear top 7 with Sidibe, with Woody being the capable 8th.

And that’s what it should be. There’s still a few bellyaching over Bras. Lol.

My issue is that within that 7.5, the best guard needs to be playing the most.

I was a huge bras fan coming into the season but he got his shot and didn't perform. I would agree that he's likely donezo for this year.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

I think the answer to this is both. We clearly aren't the program we were 10 years ago. Now, you can blame JB and say he's lost it. That's one narrative and perhaps there's some truth to it. You could also blame staff -- again, maybe some truth to it. Or you can look at the landscape of college basketball and how many guys are skimmed off the top and transferring and say it's just harder to continually build an elite team. Whatever the case, we aren't as good.

That said, I think sometimes people like to lump mid-majors into one category. I went to Loyola in MD and i can tell you there are very different programs even in a conference like the MAAC (which is what we played in at that time). We'd put together a decent team, then run into Siena and get rocked.

Some of it is talent but I think some of it is coaching. I thought Bryant had OK talent but very solid coaching (also not sure we were ready to play -- not an excuse about 2 weeks of no practice, but energy-wise, we were dead for whatever reason). Northeastern didn't have a ton of talent but had solid size and I thought they had a phenomenal game plan against us.

Buffalo, to me, looked like a team that could run and bang with good teams. Mbala and Williams, the PG was pesky and even with a brutal looking shot, he shot well. Graves was really good. That looked like a very solid roster to me. But will they win their league or be really good all year? No idea.

But I think the combo of some well-coached decent teams, with us not having the same talent as 10 years ago made those games nail-biters. The key is we won and we at least have a chance to put together a solid season dream on a tourney run.

It's interesting if you just look at the ACC results from Saturday -- Louisville, who i'm sure will give us fits, got absolutely routed, almost doubled up, by Wisconsin. NC State pulled away in the second half from Campbell, which I didn't even know was a school. Miami beat Jacksonville by 9. UCF outscored FSU by 17 in the second half in an easy win.

I just think it's a much smaller margin at least early in the season for a lot of these teams for some reason.

I also think the zone is not what it used to be. Every kid growing up these days focuses on shooting 3s more than they shoot any other shot. And lots of kids can hit them (except for ours on certain days oddly enough). And there is enough tape out there for teams unaccustomed to playing us to figure out how to successfully beat ours.

We've been lucky pulling a couple games out this year against less talented teams. Teams we would have beat going away in years past. Something needs a refresh. Feels like our recruiting at least has turned for the better, again, except for centers.

 

[orangemass]

They are good. And a bad matchup. Their strengths exploit our weaknesses

 

[Alsacs]

No need for that passive aggressive middle sentence. We know what you are saying, you aren't wrong, but don't call it out.

I am done talking about it.
It infuriates me that I have to censor myself thus the passive aggressive.