So when JB rights the ship and this team starts really rolling again...

[SWC75]

Igor, obviously.

 

[SoBeCuse]

Really hard to tell what will happen, imo. They aren't just going to reverse a clear trend now and start shooting well from 3. Ain't gonna happen. I also can't see them disappearing off the face of the college basketball world. Hopefully the defense improves and we play some low scoring ugly games so we're potentially in these games. Villanova game will tell quite a bit. If they still look lost and don't know what they are supposed to accomplish out there then it will be a long season. No more excuses.

 

[orangefan13]

...who is going to be the first to say, I knew this team was pretty good all along?

View attachment 32148

Count me in the we are much better then people think crowd.

 

[tipphill]

jb did his best coaching with lesser talent (cippola, janilus etc) took them way beyond their means. i hoped he could do the same with this team. that said --i do not see the chemistry that team had on this team to make it happen. i have expected a nit team.they play without passion and that is what we have. lack of cohesion, leadership, and confidence

 

[Delmar]

Our opposition is also worse than we think. I tend to measure this team against prior years, and NCAA basketball just isn't as good and talented as it used to be. We play teams who have had underclassmen jump to the pros. It's all a scramble, and each year becomes a guess at who stays, who goes, and who is coming in ready to play or not.

 

[jordoo]

jb did his best coaching with lesser talent (cippola, janilus etc) took them way beyond their means. i hoped he could do the same with this team. that said --i do not see the chemistry that team had on this team to make it happen. i have expected a nit team.they play without passion and that is what we have. lack of cohesion, leadership, and confidence

I'm not sure this team has lesser talent. IMO its a very talented squad but a majority of that talent is young and inexperienced. The experienced players are learning new roles and in some cases still making mistakes they should not be.

 

[007]

I hope JB is able to right the ship, and I do believe that there is a decent amount of potential on this team. However, historically speaking if this team manages to win a game in the NCAAT it will be an anomaly in his coaching career.

This is only the 5th time in Boeheim's illustrious career where he's had 3 or more losses in the first 10 games of a season. The other 4 times (81-82, 96-97, 98-99, and 07-08) featured 3 NIT appearances and a forgettable first round NCAAT loss. So there is a clear correlation between poor starts leading to mediocre overall seasons. If they lose to Nova on Saturday it will tie the 96-97 team for the worst 10 game start in JB's career. If this team turns it around and has any postseason success, it will stand out as a clear aberration in a 39 year coaching career.

Here's hoping for a clear aberration!!!

LGO!

Mason

As always Mason, the voice of reason.

We have historical precedent, 9 games of "data," and JB's stream of consciousness pressers all pointing to: Hey, we are not a very good basketball team as judged by 30 years of typical SU standards and we have a long way to go to be a "good" team.

Acknowledging that "this is what it is," does not make one any less of a fan, IMO. There is a difference between hoping that this team "rights the ship," and the belief in the improbable.

I hope that this team gets better; I hope that it makes the NCAAT; I hope that JB finds a way to maximize this team's potential. I will still watch every game, and cheer for every shot, regardless of how the season unfolds. But, I also understand that everything we have seen and heard to this point, as well as the history of JB's 30 previous teams, indicates that is improbable that this team will mature into a "good" team by typical SU standards.

 

[imdevo]

We will beat Nova tomorrow and Sunday the skies will turn Orange.

 

[SoBristol]

jb did his best coaching with lesser talent (cippola, janilus etc) took them way beyond their means. i hoped he could do the same with this team. that said --i do not see the chemistry that team had on this team to make it happen. i have expected a nit team.they play without passion and that is what we have. lack of cohesion, leadership, and confidence

Is it chemistry, passion, cohesion, leadership, confidence? Or are these just what results when you have good players in the backcourt?

For me, it comes down to the shaky options we have at the guard positions. We are above average at the front-court positions -- scoring, rebounding, decent inside defense when Rak stays away from fouls. We have a budding 6ft -9 star in McCullough. If we had ball-handling, passing, freedom from turn-overs, better ability to drive & score, and a modest amount of shooting from the two guard positions -- well, that would build leadership and confidence.

If JB can win with our guards, he should be ACC coach of the year.

 

[Cowtown]

I just want 'em to play well and be competitive. I've only seen a few of the early wins, none of the losses, but so far as I can tell there's still the same problem that caused last year's misery: can't shoot, can't score. It's abundantly apparent to all it's a rebuilding year, which is okay, but I would like there to be growth and improvement.

 

[cuseincincy]

I may not be the first but I'll say it. I have all along. There are some good pieces and some very talented players on this team. But it's not a team that JB can say you're the 1,2,3 4, 5. I think he needs to tell each player "here is what I need from you when you're on the court." Joseph in not a PG he can hand the ball to and say "go forth and distribute." He needs to be one of the ball handlers, not "the" ball handler. Trevor obviously needs to think more like a PG. Doesn't need to be the PG but does need to drive, push the ball and create. Can't just be a spot up shooter. I really think doing these things will free him up for even more open looks. McCullough just needs to keep on keeping on. Continue to improve. Maybe be a little more aggressive offensively as a shooter. Rak is the only guy on the team so far that knows his role. It is to basically "be the guy." He needs to own the middle offensively and stay out of foul trouble defensively while protecting the rim. Gbinije, BJ and Patterson need to help everywhere. Particularly ball handling. They can each handle the ball. None of them are really primary ball handler worthy but I'm not sure we have one this year. They need to help there. Also wouldn't hurt for them to make a couple shots once in a while. Gbinije really should be averaging 10 ppg. Roberson needs to be the guy we saw against La Tech at least on the boards. He's getting close. He misses such easy shots you can just tell that once he gets a little more comfortable he'll be a consistent double double guy.

I still think the pieces are there. Maybe not Final 4 pieces but certainly pieces that could win a game or 2 in the tournament if they figure things out. There is work to be done though. If they don't figure things out a .500 record could be the result. LGO.

 

[br801]

Well, it would be Cooney/G so you would have both out there. I guess maybe I should state that G would take the point. It was just that last game it looked like Cooney did a better job than KJ2 bringing the ball up.

In any event, the new, revised starting lineup of G/TC/roberson/Mc/Rak would bring more experience to the backcourt which just might be what is needed.

That's fair, and I wouldn't mind seeing the three share the point guard duties to a degree, but I still think this year's team would be best served having Joseph as the primary playmaker with Gbinije next in line. Despite his poor assist/turnover ratio to date, Joseph is still producing assists at about twice the rate as the other two, and I see no reason why he won't improve his A/TO ratio as he gains experience and reduces his unforced turnovers and those caused by questionable judgement.

 

[SoBeCuse]

Is it chemistry, passion, cohesion, leadership, confidence? Or are these just what results when you have good players in the backcourt?

For me, it comes down to the shaky options we have at the guard positions. We are above average at the front-court positions -- scoring, rebounding, decent inside defense when Rak stays away from fouls. We have a budding 6ft -9 star in McCullough. If we had ball-handling, passing, freedom from turn-overs, better ability to drive & score, and a modest amount of shooting from the two guard positions -- well, that would build leadership and confidence.

If JB can win with our guards, he should be ACC coach of the year.

Great post. I keep hearing about rebuilding (true of course) but our woes on offense started happening on teams WITH NBA players. The Final 4 team was often brutal to watch towards the end of the season. Very good defensive team though. Last year's team was a mess beginning of February when the book was out on them. I just don't think you can have one guard on the team who can handle and shoot these days and compete against the cream of the crop. Throw in forwards too. I DO think that this season's frontcourt is very good. Better than last year's and the potential to be one of the best we have had in quite some time. CMac is a little soft but so talented and versatile. He has abilities Grant/Fair wish they had. Rak has been awesome inside. Just need some serviceable collective guard play. With or without Ennis, some of this has to be on recruiting or development. You just need more ballhandlers and creators these days or the team is going to be gassed and worn out only playing the thin options you have out there all those minutes. Something Boeheim said in the offseason the team cannot afford to have happen again. Gotta be able to score these days to make deep tourney runs.

 

[Eric15]

It's hard to say, but we will know it when we see it...a 5 or 6 game winning streak with minimal unforced turnovers perhaps

My definition of righting the ship would be a 7 seed or higher in the tournament. That would mean we put together a solid ACC season (e.g. 12-6).

 

[moqui]

I hope JB is able to right the ship, and I do believe that there is a decent amount of potential on this team. However, historically speaking if this team manages to win a game in the NCAAT it will be an anomaly in his coaching career.

This is only the 5th time in Boeheim's illustrious career where he's had 3 or more losses in the first 10 games of a season. The other 4 times (81-82, 96-97, 98-99, and 07-08) featured 3 NIT appearances and a forgettable first round NCAAT loss. So there is a clear correlation between poor starts leading to mediocre overall seasons. If they lose to Nova on Saturday it will tie the 96-97 team for the worst 10 game start in JB's career. If this team turns it around and has any postseason success, it will stand out as a clear aberration in a 39 year coaching career.

Here's hoping for a clear aberration!!!

LGO!

Mason

for me, though, the big difference that makes me think we'll see that aberration is that this year's squad has more raw talent than any of those three - yes, even more than 2007-8 with its 3 (really 4 because Harris got hosed) McDAAs. And the other difference between this team and 2008 is this team has bought in to JB's system, which the <> crew never did.

 

[pearl31]

I just don't think we're very talented this year and really, really lack the skill needed to go on a run.

Wrong. The problems have very little to do with talent or skill and have almost everything to do with experience and chemistry.

 

[senorpalmer]

Is it chemistry, passion, cohesion, leadership, confidence? Or are these just what results when you have good players in the backcourt?

For me, it comes down to the shaky options we have at the guard positions. We are above average at the front-court positions -- scoring, rebounding, decent inside defense when Rak stays away from fouls. We have a budding 6ft -9 star in McCullough. If we had ball-handling, passing, freedom from turn-overs, better ability to drive & score, and a modest amount of shooting from the two guard positions -- well, that would build leadership and confidence.

If JB can win with our guards, he should be ACC coach of the year.

That more or less sums it up for me. I'm an optimist most years but I'm sorry to say this kinda feels like 06-08. There are things to like about the frontcourt, both in the present and the potential it has to get better as the season goes on. But the guard play...I can't see it being much better than mediocre this year. Our only real point guard is inexperienced and being asked to do too much this early in his career. And the perimeter shooting is sorely lacking. Joseph has to grow as a player in the coming months (which is possible) and the 3 point shooting has to improve substantially (I am less confident in this); both of these things are a virtual must for this team to be anything resembling a factor come March. Otherwise, the best we can probably hope for is to eek out a tournament bid as like a 10 seed (or worse), and an early exit.

 

[AlaskaSU]

Duh!!! Of course.

N Korea is a crime family posing as a Nation. UCon was a criminal activity but much to our displeasure is now going straight and beating the odds. Their fans, like N Korean citizens, are still in denial about their past and will be so until they die out. If N Korea fielded a team it would be a bunch of ill tempered pudgy midgets with bad hair seeking violent revenge after every loss and Dennis Rodman would be their debauched drunken coach.

 

[SoBristol]

That more or less sums it up for me. I'm an optimist most years but I'm sorry to say this kinda feels like 06-08. There are things to like about the frontcourt, both in the present and the potential it has to get better as the season goes on. But the guard play...I can't see it being much better than mediocre this year. Our only real point guard is inexperienced and being asked to do too much this early in his career. And the perimeter shooting is sorely lacking. Joseph has to grow as a player in the coming months (which is possible) and the 3 point shooting has to improve substantially (I am less confident in this); both of these things are a virtual must for this team to be anything resembling a factor come March. Otherwise, the best we can probably hope for is to eek out a tournament bid as like a 10 seed (or worse), and an early exit.

I believe Joseph will end up being very good for SU, but he will need to get stronger and that will take a full off-season. He is like some of the real skinny forwards we have had in the past -- the talent & quickness are there, but there is a need for more strength to compete at this level. The better ball-handling will come when he can use his body better to protect the ball. Think of the year over year improvements of Andy Rautins or Demetris Nichols -- which were in large part the result of getting stronger physically.

Still wonder if Gbinije can contribute more in the back-court, as Roberson develops in the forward position. Unlike some others, I don't see Cooney as being able to transform suddenly into a primary ball-handler against pressure. He did nice things against La. Tech so there is some chance he can round out his game, but can he build on that?