So we're playing Baylor...

[FrancoPizza]

I thought we lost to Butler in Buffalo?

The officials wouldn’t have made it out alive if we played butler in NY.

 

[Cuse#1]

Baylor is 242 in the country in defensive rebounds per game, we are 273.

Alright did some research on it ,they are a lil bit better rebounding team. There around plus 6.5 rebounds a game and were minus 2.7 rebounds a game so that's pretty much the gist of what I heard the announcers say about Baylor today but not as bad as I first thought n hopefully our size can help neutralize that.
In terms of the defense they play or what type of zone. I watched some videos of them and some of it looked like 2-3 zone to me with some man at the end.
there's a lot of similarities in these two teams and I think it's going to be a close game but I think we can pull it out in the end

 

[IthacaMatt]

Baylor Bears Stats - 2018-19 | ESPN

Team stats

They got 4 guys who shoot in mid 30s with over 100 attempts from 3.

Our stats

Syracuse Orange Stats - 2018-19 | ESPN

I rather play a zone then a pressure d team. Oshae has been a lot better and will be a key.

They shoot 34% from three, while we shoot 33%. We have to cover the line, but they don't have a couple bulls down low to punish us.

Buddy's and Eli are probably both capable of bigger nights than their guys from deep.

On the other hand, they have a lot of guys who could probably be effective at the foul line, and they go after the offensive boards.

But they don't have a rim protector. If Brissett plays inside, he should feast at the line. Tyus should get to the line a lot, too.

 

[IthacaMatt]

We can beat Baylor and Zags if we play our best. Zags are frequently overrated and not overly physical. Much better match up for us than like a Tennessee or Michigan State and any of the ACC teams. Too bad FSU is in our bracket in event we get out of first weekend. They are a terrible match up for us. But id we make Sweet 16 I'd be VERY happy.

Marquette has a lot of shooters. They might take them out for us. I hope so, anyway. Hate to play FSU again. Terrific athletes.

 

[SWC75]

Baylor has a player named Flo.

 

[NorSyr66]

We just need to out rebound them

Last time I checked, we need to outscore them!!!

 

[SWC75]

Looking at Lindy's, Athlon and Street and Smiths for the first time since October and ESPN's stats:

Frontcourt: Their best player Tristan Clark, blew out his knee after 14 games and his seasons is over. That leaves:

Freddie Gillespie 6-8 240 a transfer from DIII Carleton averaging 5.2p, 4.5r in 18.2m He's 64% from the field but only 53% from the foul line and hasn't attempted a three.

Mario Kegler 6-7 220 10.7p 6.0r 28.2m A Top 50 recruit who averaged 9.7ppg as a freshman at Mississippi State.

Matthew Mayer 6-9 200 4.9p 2.1r 12.3m 33% FG 66% FT 31% trey. "A four star prospect to whom they look for quality minutes."

Flo Thamba 6-10 220 1.9p 2.3r 10.3m 54% from the field, 53% from the line No trey attempts. He could make an immediate impact due to lack of depth and experience in the post".

Mark Vital 6-5 230 7.0p 7.2r in 27.8m He shoots 44% from the file, including 18% form the arc and 52% from the line. "Despite standing only 6-5, Vitla was Baylor's most relentless rebounder last season.. he plays fearlessly and gives the team bounce and energy."

Backcourt: Jake Lindsey missed the entire season with hip surgery.

Darius Allen 6-4 205 2.0p 0.9r 0.4a 33% FG and FT 15% trey. A JUCO from Florida who cannot shoot.

DeVonte Bandoo 6-3 185 8.6p 2.3r 1.4a 45% FG 39% trey 90%FT A trandfer from Huthcison CC, one of the top JUCO programs who can shoot.

Jared Butler 6-3 185 10.1p 3.1r 2.8a 40%FG 36% trey 81% FT. He's a freshman not mentioned in any of the pre-season magazines: a late acquisition and a good one. He dropped 31 points on Kansas two games ago.

Makai Mason 6-1 185 14.6p 2.5r 3.3a 40% FG 36.5% trey 83%FT. A grad transfer from Yale who averaged 16ppg for Yale three seasons back, including a 31 point game in a first round upset of Baylor!. But he's missed 6 games, including 3 of the last 11. In the other 8, he's 23 for 96 (24%) from the field and 12/41 (29%) from three.

King McClure 6-3 220 8.7p 5.2r 2.1a 27.3m 40%fg 36% trey 66.7FT. He's come back from a hypertropic cardiomyopathy, the condition that killed Hank Gaithers. he now "looks to finish his career as Baylor's leader". He missed 5 games with a knee injury and has been back for five games in which he's played 96 minutes in which he's scored 19 points pulled down 23 rebounds and passed for 5 assists. he shot 7 for 23 from the field in those games (30%), inclusion 2 for 15 from outside (13%).

Obim Okeke 6-0 225 A football player who hardly plays.

If we were to describe out injury problems to Baylor we would get no sympathy. They are small, play hard and rebound well but are in a shooting slump. If they don't Break out of it, we should win. They have +6 points against ranked teams: We have +90. They beat Iowa State by 3 and 4 points, Texas Tech by 11, Lost to Kansas by 5 and 8, Texas Tech by 25 and Kansas State by 6. They are surely capable of beating us. the fact that they play a zone, even if it is a different one is a concern but as pointed out it's the same one Beilein plays and JB has had good success against Beilein. I think we move on.

 

[Zepharus]

bad omen. we lost to butler in salt lake

Ill worry when I see Matt Howard and those refs walk out. Or the refs from the Ohio State game... or maybe the michigan game.. either way its all good well have a fighting chance until we play a team the NCAA needs to advance

 

[cliftonparksufan]

This isn't going to be like you are expecting. Marek plays well in the middle of a 2-3 zone (where most struggle). But Baylor plays a 1-3-1. There is no middle to attack. It's most vulnerable from the sides. I think O'Shae will be huge against them, as will Buddy, Elijah, and Frank hitting deep 3s (they will probably need to be deep).

Yes but its still a zone. Marek should still be able to roam and use his court sense to pass it back on the wing if he can't drive. I'll have to watch Baylor closer tonight but it seems their wings would need to cover a lot more space than ours and if we hit some threes than that opens the middle more for Marek and Oshae. They can't be everywhere.

 

[Lucid]

I like making predictions. I'm often wrong, but that doesn't stop me...

We'll beat Baylor by 10-15 points. The confidence built in that game will roll over to the Gonzaga game, which we'll win in a dogfight by 3-5 points. Then, on to Florida State and... we'll see.

 

[arrow2arinzesknee]

bad omen. we lost to butler in salt lake

And we lost to Indiana in New Orleans, just means there are demons to exorcise

 

[Newhouser]

I have to admit I am a little petrified about how we attack the 1-3-1. In theory dribble drive and kick to the corner for open 3's. It's the dribble part that scares me.

 

[Fly Rodder]

I have to admit I am a little petrified about how we attack the 1-3-1. In theory dribble drive and kick to the corner for open 3's. It's the dribble part that scares me.

I think Battle should be taking on PG duties and letting two of Frank/Buddy/Hughes roam the corners with Brissett and Chukwu inside. JAB just has to encourage Tyus to look for the open shooter instead of taking contested mid-range jumpers or lay-ups in traffic.

 

[Jake]

I have to admit I am a little petrified about how we attack the 1-3-1. In theory dribble drive and kick to the corner for open 3's. It's the dribble part that scares me.

JB will go over the top of that zone with diagonal lobs. Historically he attacks the 1-3-1 by spreading the floor and moving the zone with passes, not dribble penetration. Hakim Warrick has his own personal highlight reel against WVU when Beilien was there.

We will be ready. Oshae needs to be on - he will get a ton of chances Thursday night.

My biggest concern is defensive rebounding. Our guards need to help out and stop their guards from getting to the glass.

 

[Millhouse]

obligatory basketball reference SRS (simple rating system) post. avg margin of victory adjusted for schedule

we're 34th, they're 43. we're 1.8 ppg better

baylor is 80th on offense, 41st on defense
we are 97th offense, 16th defense

 

[Newhouser]

JB will go over the top of that zone with diagonal lobs. Historically he attacks the 1-3-1 by spreading the floor and moving the zone with passes, not dribble penetration. Hakim Warrick has his own personal highlight reel against WVU when Beilien was there.

We will be ready. Oshae needs to be on - he will get a ton of chances Thursday night.

My biggest concern is defensive rebounding. Our guards need to help out and stop their guards from getting to the glass.

Great point but who was throwing Hack the lobs and we have nobody close to a Hak on this team.

 

[Jake]

Great point but who was throwing Hack the lobs and we have nobody close to a Hak on this team.

Would you rather play a team that puts ball pressure and has a shot blocker? I’m not saying we’re definitely going to win, but it’s a wet dream that we’re playing a team that zones and does not have a rim protector.

We have shooters and Tyus who can attack without impunity.

 

[CuseBBall]

FSU is by far the best 4 seed, imo. they are the best team in the west region, imo...was hoping they would not be in SU's bracket but I guess it makes sense that they shouldn't have to face UNC, Duke or UVA before final four either...

FSU has to play a good Vermont team in the Northeast.
Unfortunately we know all too well what a 12 seeded Vermont team can do in front of a home crowd.

 

[Millhouse]

Would you rather play a team that puts ball pressure and has a shot blocker? I’m not saying we’re definitely going to win, but it’s a wet dream that we’re playing a team that zones and does not have a rim protector.

We have shooters and Tyus who can attack without impunity.

with! haha

 

[Jake]

with! haha

Haha. Context!

 

[SWC75]

When I saw that Richard Pitino's Minnesota team was matched with Louisville, I thought it was a lock that we would play Washington, (who is a 9 seed), but they didn't go there.

If your champion is a 9 seed are you a 'power' conference?

 

[Jake]

When I saw that Richard Pitino's Minnesota team was matched with Louisville, I thought it was a lock that we would play Washington, (who is a 9 seed), but they didn't go there.

If your champion is a 9 seed are you a 'power' conference?

They couldn’t. They really try to avoid rematches in the first two rounds.

Therefore they didn’t want us playing any ACC #1 seed nor Washington playing Gonzaga.

So unless they moved us to a 7 and Washington to a 10, it wasn’t going to happen.

If UNC beats Duke, and Tennessee, UK or MSU were a 1 seed, I would bet it all that we would have been matched up.

 

[Lucid]

If your champion is a 9 seed are you a 'power' conference?

No, but it's wrong of you to steal their fantasies.

 

[Vorony]

They couldn’t. They really try to avoid rematches in the first two rounds.

Therefore they didn’t want us playing any ACC #1 seed nor Washington playing Gonzaga.

So unless they moved us to a 7 and Washington to a 10, it wasn’t going to happen.

If UNC beats Duke, and Tennessee, UK or MSU were a 1 seed, I would bet it all that we would have been matched up.

Although Minnesota played MSU in the B1G this year, and that’s a potential 2nd round matchup if they get by Louisville.

 

[FrancoPizza]

JB will go over the top of that zone with diagonal lobs. Historically he attacks the 1-3-1 by spreading the floor and moving the zone with passes, not dribble penetration. Hakim Warrick has his own personal highlight reel against WVU when Beilien was there.

We will be ready. Oshae needs to be on - he will get a ton of chances Thursday night.

My biggest concern is defensive rebounding. Our guards need to help out and stop their guards from getting to the glass.

Yes everyone remembers that WVU game in 2003, but I don't know that we've had too much success against the 1-3-1 since. This is not a team that executes the lob very well and it's not something the coaches just scheme up if they haven't developed those instincts by now. The only lob action we have going on in Frank and Tyus hoisting those mid-range floaters to Chukwu. I'm a bit concerned that we'll try to execute something that we haven't really practiced all year. We don't seem to have luck with experimental designs in the tournament (e.g. Rick Jackson in the high post vs Butler).