The best word to describe our team...

[BostonOrange]

...is fragile. We can look good at times when things are going our way and JS is hitting threes. And we definitely have some guys with talent. But when we are playing a good opponent who really gets into us physically we tend to break down both physically and mentally. You can see it even in our wins the last couple days. If I was coaching against us I'd press the crap out of us for 40 minutes. Our guards can't withstand it and our big guys aren't skilled enough to really help out much or finish plays when we do break the press.

 

[Orangemen]

When MCW is your team leader, you're always a few bad plays away from a melt down.

 

[dasher]

...is fragile. We can look good at times when things are going our way and JS is hitting threes. And we definitely have some guys with talent. But when we are playing a good opponent who really gets into us physically we tend to break down both physically and mentally. You can see it even in our wins the last couple days. If I was coaching against us I'd press the crap out of us for 40 minutes. Our guards can't withstand it and our big guys aren't skilled enough to really help out much or finish plays when we do break the press.

If you don't have great guards to press, we would welcome it. We just beat two top teams in two rough games. A third was probably asking for too much.

 

[SUGIANT]

...is fragile. We can look good at times when things are going our way and JS is hitting threes. And we definitely have some guys with talent. But when we are playing a good opponent who really gets into us physically we tend to break down both physically and mentally. You can see it even in our wins the last couple days. If I was coaching against us I'd press the crap out of us for 40 minutes. Our guards can't withstand it and our big guys aren't skilled enough to really help out much or finish plays when we do break the press.

Contrary top popular opinion I don't think Triche is fragile at all. i think he's tough as one of my most favorite players. MCW is still very young and I think he will be very good next year and if he stays, his sr year. AS always SU fans like to eat their point guards, not sure why. But Jason Hart was treated the same way even though he was great as a freshman.

 

[orangefan13]

the team can turn to the played bad excuse but outplayed would be better. alittle more heart then confidence is good 4 this team.

 

[BostonOrange]

If you don't have great guards to press, we would welcome it. We just beat two top teams in two rough games. A third was probably asking for too much.

You certainly need to have a good team to be able to do it. And of course it's hard for a team that doesn't usually press to all of the sudden press, but if you have the horses we can't handle it. And yeah the last two games were great wins but in both those games we broke down badly in the final minutes.

 

[Su Grad Wannabe]

Tonight? EMBARRASSING !

 

[Flacusian]

I disagree. Louisville was allowed to play at a physical level that for the most part is outside what is legal. The amount of hand checking, bumping, leaning that they were allowed to get away with throughout the entire second half made it completely in favor of Louisville.

Sure, Syracuse got rattled but they should not have had to endure the plethora of fouls that were not called. No team in America would be able to run their offense if the game is allowed to be played like that. That is at the heart of what is wrong with college basketball today.

The officiating was disgusting. I'm never one to complain about officiating but tonight's game was just too much.

 

[Hoov50]

...is fragile. We can look good at times when things are going our way and JS is hitting threes. And we definitely have some guys with talent. But when we are playing a good opponent who really gets into us physically we tend to break down both physically and mentally. You can see it even in our wins the last couple days. If I was coaching against us I'd press the crap out of us for 40 minutes. Our guards can't withstand it and our big guys aren't skilled enough to really help out much or finish plays when we do break the press.

Fragile, is the reason why things can get into our heads and quickly snowball into disastrous proportions.

I agree with you 100% on pressing us. I don't understand why teams didn't start pressing us after the Temple game. We showed that our guards don't have the quickness to consistently beat a press. I don't think it is ball handling that is the problem I think it is lack of quickness. I compared out guards to possession receivers in another thread, they have the moves and skills to get around defenders but lack the quickness to really get separation from defenders. We lack a deep threat, a guy who can put a good move on a defender and then beat them down the court.

 

[pfister1]

Contrary top popular opinion I don't think Triche is fragile at all. i think he's tough as one of my most favorite players. MCW is still very young and I think he will be very good next year and if he stays, his sr year. AS always SU fans like to eat their point guards, not sure why. But Jason Hart was treated the same way even though he was great as a freshman.

He may be physically tough, but he sure doesn't give the appearance of being mentally tough. 7 or 8 turnovers tonight.....we really got very little out of him the entire tournament. He goes to the FT line and you can almost see in his eyes that he is a 50/50 proposition at best these days. A mentally tough senior leader steps to the line in OT last night and hits the one and one and ends the game. A mentally tough senior leader takes better care of the ball and finds a way to put it in the basket and stem the tide.

He was part of a great run here, but I really am disappointed in the senior season he has put together.

 

[HarrisonJBounel]

Fear-driven.

 

[anomander]

...is fragile. We can look good at times when things are going our way and JS is hitting threes. And we definitely have some guys with talent. But when we are playing a good opponent who really gets into us physically we tend to break down both physically and mentally. You can see it even in our wins the last couple days. If I was coaching against us I'd press the crap out of us for 40 minutes. Our guards can't withstand it and our big guys aren't skilled enough to really help out much or finish plays when we do break the press.

ya most teams have a Siva, Smith, and Ware to throw at you

 

[BostonOrange]

Fragile, is the reason why things can get into our heads and quickly snowball into disastrous proportions.

I agree with you 100% on pressing us. I don't understand why teams didn't start pressing us after the Temple game. We showed that our guards don't have the quickness to consistently beat a press. I don't think it is ball handling that is the problem I think it is lack of quickness. I compared out guards to possession receivers in another thread, they have the moves and skills to get around defenders but lack the quickness to really get separation from defenders. We lack a deep threat, a guy who can put a good move on a defender and then beat them down the court.

I agree with everything you said. Also...the concept of a 6'5 point guard is appealing...but really I think there is a reason there aren't many of them. It is just really difficult for a player that size to bring the ball up against heavy pressure form a 5'11 jet quick guard. Particularly when you are as physically weak as MCW. Greivis Vasquez is the only NBA starter at point I can think of who is close to MCW's height. Ps I looked up Vasquez's stats and he turned it over 4.4 times a game when he was a soph in college...

 

[cusetown1]

ya most teams have a Siva, Smith, and Ware to throw at you

That get away with chest bumps and reach ins all game.

 

[BostonOrange]

ya most teams have a Siva, Smith, and Ware to throw at you

Other teams have pressured us very effectively this year. Not many will do it as consistently as Louisville. But any team with quick guards can bother us with pressure.

 

[swish7]

...is fragile. We can look good at times when things are going our way and JS is hitting threes. And we definitely have some guys with talent. But when we are playing a good opponent who really gets into us physically we tend to break down both physically and mentally. You can see it even in our wins the last couple days. If I was coaching against us I'd press the crap out of us for 40 minutes. Our guards can't withstand it and our big guys aren't skilled enough to really help out much or finish plays when we do break the press.

The point about the lack of help from our bigs on the press is a good one. There is nobody for our guards to dump it to, and make a team pay for pressing us.

 

[anomander]

I agree with everything you said. Also...the concept of a 6'5 point guard is appealing...but really I think there is a reason there aren't many of them. It is just really difficult for a player that size to bring the ball up against heavy pressure form a 5'11 jet quick guard. Particularly when you are as physically weak as MCW. Greivis Vasquez is the only NBA starter at point I can think of who is close to MCW's height

are you mistaking MCW and Triche? Triche had more turnovers tonight and in the tournament, and handles the ball not nearly as much. MCW had 4 turnovers tonight against the toughest press you will ever see, and most of those were in garbage time.

 

[CusefanATL]

Contrary top popular opinion I don't think Triche is fragile at all. i think he's tough as one of my most favorite players. MCW is still very young and I think he will be very good next year and if he stays, his sr year. AS always SU fans like to eat their point guards, not sure why. But Jason Hart was treated the same way even though he was great as a freshman.

um... hmmm... i disagree. our 2 guards are borderline children when it comes to mental makeup.

 

[BostonOrange]

are you mistaking MCW and Triche? Triche had more turnovers tonight and in the tournament, and handles the ball not nearly as much. MCW had 4 turnovers tonight against the toughest press you will ever see, and most of those were in garbage time.

In the 6 minute span where we went from up 16 to down 8, MCW had 4 turnovers, missed a three, went 1-4 from the line, and committed a 'flagrant' foul.

 

[cusetown1]

A third physical game in 3 days will do that to guards.

 

[BostonOrange]

A third physical game in 3 days will do that to guards.

I think they are susceptible to pressure under any circumstances but yeah that doesn't help. And not having a third guard with handle to come in and give them a break doesn't help. And not having a forward with handle ala Billy, Dave Johnson, Burgan, or Harris doesn't help either.

 

[mantonio]

Yes, they folded early, but it should have never come to that.

The refs should have held Louisville accountable, & that would have spelled victory for Syracuse.

 

[anomander]

JB did like to go with a F bringing the ball up as a pressure release. I remember JW primarily breaking Kentucky's press in the 96 NC game. No PF could handle JW in the open court. Todd Burgan was used in the same situation. Too bad we didn't have that this year.

 

[bballbeadle]

Bipolar.

 

[br801]

You certainly need to have a good team to be able to do it. And of course it's hard for a team that doesn't usually press to all of the sudden press, but if you have the horses we can't handle it. And yeah the last two games were great wins but in both those games we broke down badly in the final minutes.

Yeah, we broke down so badly in those games that we beat Pitt and Georgetown. And in the Georgetown game, we lost a lead late and then went out and immediately took the lead in overtime and never looked back. Shameful. And a good example of the fragility you alluded to in your OP.