started 18-0 last year, finished 9-8

[orangehomer]

can dion be the difference this year? obviously he matured over the summer and came back ready to play. there are other aspects to maturity however. one is handling adversity, another is handling success. as he is starting to blow up nationally, how will he handle it? will he be able to maintain focus and "team-first" play? at some point he is going to put up a couple 2-10 type clunkers, will he sulk or play through it? it will be interesting to see how this season plays out.

 

[HoustonCuse]

He'll be fine.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

As long as KJ (or others) don't hurt a knee or do a 1/2 back flip and land on their head, I think we will finish strong. Every game JB has had something to point to that needs to improve or be fixed. They are undefeated, but they are not perfect.

 

[Orangemen]

Anything can happen, but this team seems different.

They've put up big runs early in most games that just takes the opponent out of the game. Even when they've given up some runs to let the game get closer, they've responded with a seemingly effortless 9 point run to put them away.

I saw it mentioned somewhere else, but this team has been very methodical in how they built these leads every game.

 

[ImperialOrange]

Fab and Baye are the difference this year. We could win with a 2-10 shooting night from Dion because teams have alot more trouble finding points inside this year. With young, hurt Baye and young, fat Fab not so much. Ricky was a rebounding machine among other things but he wasn't 7 foot tall and he wasn't overly nimble inside.

 

[armory]

To anyone who has watched the games both this year and last... there's really no comparison.

 

[OrlandoCuse]

Last year, the 9-8 finish reflected the difficulty of the Big East. Hell, the eventual National Champion, UConn, went 9-9 in the BE last year.

This season the BE is clearly not as tough.

Also, that 9-8 record included a 4 game losing streak in mid January. Take that away and we were 9-4 to finish the season.

 

[OrlandoCuse]

To anyone who has watched the games both this year and last... there's really no comparison.

I barely remember Dion being a factor last season. This season Dion is the factor.

 

[Marsh01]

We won't lose 8 games the rest of this year and next year combined...

 

[SourShoes]

H & H Thats all Ill say...

 

[moqui]

I barely remember Dion being a factor last season. This season Dion is the factor.

he was absolutely a factor last season, just in the wrong direction.

 

[SoBristol]

he was absolutely a factor last season, just in the wrong direction.

He had his faults, but if you saw the UConn game in the BET, or the Marq game in the NCAAs, you saw what he could do.

 

[IthacaMatt]

can dion be the difference this year? obviously he matured over the summer and came back ready to play. there are other aspects to maturity however. one is handling adversity, another is handling success. as he is starting to blow up nationally, how will he handle it? will he be able to maintain focus and "team-first" play? at some point he is going to put up a couple 2-10 type clunkers, will he sulk or play through it? it will be interesting to see how this season plays out.

I think that the biggest thing is that everyone is better, and people are trusting each other more. The sheer number of quality players we have is enforcing unselfish behavior and quality defensive rotations. The depth is also keeping the defense fresher and more active. That's a big factor in these 20-0 runs we seem to have every game now.

Also, another difference is that last year, we may have won our first 18 games, but that was the culture of the program and players coming off a team that had also been ranked #1 the year before. But there were signs. We had so many close games, so many games where Kris or Scoop had to do too much. You had less consistency at the other guard spot, you didn't get rebounding from Southerland, and Fab was terrible.

The freshmen don't have much serious impact, but I think that they are each going to have some important moments for us before the year is over. JB is getting them a lot of time; they can't help but feel more comfortable by March. Recall how Dion and Fab put it together late, or at least showed glimpses, at the end of last season.

 

[OrangeCrush22]

We are far better this year, than last. The Big LEast was actually good last year, too. This year every, but SU, sucks.

We were pretty much a one man show with 00.

This year we are deep as @ck.

 

[CorduroyG]

Anything can happen, but this team seems different.

They've put up big runs early in most games that just takes the opponent out of the game. Even when they've given up some runs to let the game get closer, they've responded with a seemingly effortless 9 point run to put them away.

I saw it mentioned somewhere else, but this team has been very methodical in how they built these leads every game.

We've had some unbelievable extended runs this year, dont remember ever seeing anything like this. 23-0, 20-0, 20-2, 19-0, etc. And this isnt just against the mid major cupcakes, this is against seton hall, marquette, nc state, nova, etc.

The 23-0 run against nc state was jaw dropping, i think the first indication that this team was special.

 

[moqui]

He had his faults, but if you saw the UConn game in the BET, or the Marq game in the NCAAs, you saw what he could do.

there is a reason why JB didn't really want him back, those two games notwithstanding

when you watched the team lose 4 straight and drop 6 of 8, you also saw what sulky, petulant, selfish Dion could do - freezing out his teammates (especially BT), not playing D, shot-hunting outside the structure of the O . . . team might've been a 2 seed but for that behavior

Again, glad that is in the past and home it is 100% water over the dam, but the point was that he certainly was a factor in the way last season progressed, just not a positive one.

 

[SoBristol]

there is a reason why JB didn't really want him back, those two games notwithstanding

when you watched the team lose 4 straight and drop 6 of 8, you also saw what sulky, petulant, selfish Dion could do - freezing out his teammates (especially BT), not playing D, shot-hunting outside the structure of the O . . . team might've been a 2 seed but for that behavior

Again, glad that is in the past and home it is 100% water over the dam, but the point was that he certainly was a factor in the way last season progressed, just not a positive one.

I doubt you are saying that Dion was responsible for the team's losses -- would not be a legit argument. There were other factors (KJ got hurt, lack of output from Melo, inconsistent play from Southland, BT being BT).

I get your main point -- part of the equation was Dion's attitude. He was unhappy with his minutes and his role. Undoubtedly, he felt he could out-play one of the starting guards. I am not excusing the attitude; JB had his reasons for making Dion sit behind Triche.

But, of course, JB knew what Dion could do. Pre-season last year, he was labeling Dion as having as much talent as any guard he ever recruited. In the crunch, when he needed an individual talent (UConn in the BET, the Marq game), he sat BT and rode Dion. I am sure JB sent the message in the Spring -- change your attitude, or I don't want you back. Turned out, it is easier for Dion to change his attitude than for BT to add a dimension to his game.

Yes -- all worked out.