The Downside- Gonzaga

[SWC75]

- The refs stayed out of it for most of the game. But Sabonis started dominating when they started calling touch fouls on Coleman. Then came the unbelievable out of bounds call on Cooney. Not only was it obviously wrong but the ref who made the call was 20 feet behind the play. He couldn’t have possibly seen it. It was like the ref in the Duke game that called a charge on a play that was behind him.

- If you want to make it to the Final Four, you’ve got to get contributions from everyone. In the last two games Malachi Richardson is 4 for 21 from the field with 5 rebounds, 1 assists, a steal and a block in 70 minutes. He has got to turn that around. We can’t expect to beat a Virginia, a North Carolina or a Kansas, Malware has got to play like he doesn’t have any.

- And we need better than 1 for 5 from Lydon and 8 for 23 from Gbinije. That’s three key players that were 12 for 42 in this game. If they are anything like that in the next game, we’re likely going home. All cylinders have to be pumping Sunday.

 

[Ajflood12]

This team has played to the level of their competition all year. They can go out and struggle and not put Elon or St. John's away then comeback and beat duke and ND. Somehow they have found a way all season to keep games close. Yesterday they finally finished a close game. I think this will be a closer then most think.

 

[Dave85]

- The refs stayed out of it for most of the game. But Sabonis started dominating when they started calling touch fouls on Coleman. Then came the unbelievable out of bounds call on Cooney. Not only was it obviously wrong but the ref who made the call was 20 feet behind the play. He couldn’t have possibly seen it. It was like the ref in the Duke game that called a charge on a play that was behind him.

- If you want to make it to the Final Four, you’ve got to get contributions from everyone. In the last two games Malachi Richardson is 4 for 21 from the field with 5 rebounds, 1 assists, a steal and a block in 70 minutes. He has got to turn that around. We can’t expect to beat a Virginia, a North Carolina or a Kansas, Malware has got to play like he doesn’t have any.

- And we need better than 1 for 5 from Lydon and 8 for 23 from Gbinije. That’s three key players that were 12 for 42 in this game. If they are anything like that in the next game, we’re likely going home. All cylinders have to be pumping Sunday.

There is no downside to getting to Elite 8 IMHO.

 

[Dave85]

This team has played to the level of their competition all year. They can go out and struggle and not put Elon or St. John's away then comeback and beat duke and ND. Somehow they have found a way all season to keep games close. Yesterday they finally finished a close game. I think this will be a closer then most think.

The bigger the game the bigger Roberson plays.

 

[br801]

I consider the fact that three out of our top three scorers shot 12-42 collectively and we advanced to be an upside.

 

[Eric15]

Malware has got to play like he doesn’t have any.

LOL "Malware"

 

[LAOrange]

Stop posting this chit dude

I've been on this board for over 15 years. SWC's insight and analysis are among the best reasons for following this board. His statistical prowess is something that most fanbases never get to experience (much like the tradition Orangeyes created by posting everything relevant to the site). If you don't have anything good to say don't say anything at all.

 

[Sgt Cuse]

This team has played to the level of their competition all year. They can go out and struggle and not put Elon or St. John's away then comeback and beat duke and ND. Somehow they have found a way all season to keep games close. Yesterday they finally finished a close game. I think this will be a closer then most think.

C'mon now. This team recently solidly beat both Dayton and MTSU. And the Zags are legitimately good, way above that seed.

 

[llandz]

The only downside is that a lot of people have to pay for two more nights in a hotel in Chicago!! And maybe bail Troop out of jail!!!

 

[44cuse]

Stop posting this chit dude

Actually...stop posting this.

44cuse

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Stop posting this chit dude

SWC does a tremendous job of posting the positives and negatives of each game. I give him a lot of credit for trying to keep a balanced perspective. Some games, it's difficult to find positives. SWC does. Other games, there's almost nothing negative to comment on, but SWC puts some thought in to it since we can learn from when we play great too. It's a fun board tradition and an awesome contribution to our community.

I'd rather read SWC's positive and negative posts after a game than most recaps from the media.

 

[Delmar]

My experience of the game isn't complete until I have read upside and downside. Hell, SWC75 even had a downside to the national championship win in 2003.

The Post-Standard thought enough of these posts to plagiarize them.

 

[upperdeck]

the upside will be in 6 months when fball has a real upside to talk about. but this always interesting even more when some just dont get it

 

[Ajflood12]

C'mon now. This team recently solidly beat both Dayton and MTSU. And the Zags are legitimately good, way above that seed.

I am saying I believe they are in all games regardless of competition. I think that although ppl are giving Virginia +9...We tend to play up to their level. I think we have a great shot.

 

[SWC75]

Like I've said before, I prefer when people object to my posting a Downside more than when they object to my posting an Upside, as it means we won.

 

[Cowtown]

If you look at the box score, you'll find yourself asking how the heck did we pull that out, until you look at two things: foul shots, and turnovers. Gonzaga went to the line only 5 times, while we caused 17 turnovers. This game was won on defense, and despite the bad call at the end, the refs let SU play.

Another thing you'll see if you watch it again is how often Lydon and especially Roberson kept rebounds and loose balls alive, got hands up on shooters, and especially swarmed to the ball in the lane, and how quickly they recovered off the subsequent kick-outs. SU swarmed relentlessly on defense like Hulagu Khan burning Baghdad from about 7-8 minutes in. And Gonzaga's perimeter players didn't handle it. Constant pressure on the ball changes what a team can do on offense. Take Wiltjer, for example. He got nothing from 7 minutes into the second half. Nothing. Fear is a wonderful motivator, and SU's defense played with motivation after about 7-8 minutes into the first half.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/matchup?gameId=400872391

 

[Cowtown]

I am saying I believe they are in all games regardless of competition. I think that although ppl are giving Virginia +9...We tend to play up to their level. I think we have a great shot.

Virginia's defense is going to be a lot tougher than anything we've played against in the tournament thus far. The good news is that it's not going to be a surprise. We need to stay out of a slugfest as we don't have the numbers. Smart positional D like we played last night will be the key, if we're going to pull it off.

 

[HarrisonJBounel]

- The refs stayed out of it for most of the game. But Sabonis started dominating when they started calling touch fouls on Coleman. Then came the unbelievable out of bounds call on Cooney. Not only was it obviously wrong but the ref who made the call was 20 feet behind the play. He couldn’t have possibly seen it. It was like the ref in the Duke game that called a charge on a play that was behind him.

- If you want to make it to the Final Four, you’ve got to get contributions from everyone. In the last two games Malachi Richardson is 4 for 21 from the field with 5 rebounds, 1 assists, a steal and a block in 70 minutes. He has got to turn that around. We can’t expect to beat a Virginia, a North Carolina or a Kansas, Malware has got to play like he doesn’t have any.

- And we need better than 1 for 5 from Lydon and 8 for 23 from Gbinije. That’s three key players that were 12 for 42 in this game. If they are anything like that in the next game, we’re likely going home. All cylinders have to be pumping Sunday.

I think there is about a 1/3 chance we lose by 10+, a 1/3 chance we lose by 4-9 points, and a 1/3 chance it comes down to the final possession.

 

[CaptainJ]

Stop posting this chit dude

Hi friend. I'm not going to scold you like some have, but want to ask you and suggest to others that you may not be familiar with SWC's longstanding tradition of posting an upside and downside of each game? It's generally an interesting take, one or the other, if not both!

Personally, I occasionally write one called "The Backside", which is beyond the downside, but humorous. None of these are to be confused with the black hole of the payside.

 

[CaptainJ]

I think there is about a 1/3 chance we lose by 10+, a 1/3 chance we lose by 4-9 points, and a 1/3 chance it comes down to the final possession.

Maybe a few percent chance of winning by more than a bucket?

 

[HarrisonJBounel]

Hi friend. I'm not going to scold you like some have, but want to ask you and suggest to others that you may not be familiar with SWC's longstanding tradition of posting an upside and downside of each game? It's generally an interesting take, one or the other, if not both!

Personally, I occasionally write one called "The Backside", which is beyond the downside, but humorous. None of these are to be confused with the black hole of the payside.

Yeah, we know what you're REALLY thinking about when you write "The Backside"...

 

[CaptainJ]

Yeah, we know what you're REALLY thinking about when you write "The Backside"...

 

[HarrisonJBounel]

Maybe a few percent chance of winning by more than a bucket?

Hey, if I really knew the future I'd be making this post from Tahiti.

 

[SWC75]

If you look at the box score, you'll find yourself asking how the heck did we pull that out, until you look at two things: foul shots, and turnovers. Gonzaga went to the line only 5 times, while we caused 17 turnovers. This game was won on defense, and despite the bad call at the end, the refs let SU play.

Another thing you'll see if you watch it again is how often Lydon and especially Roberson kept rebounds and loose balls alive, got hands up on shooters, and especially swarmed to the ball in the lane, and how quickly they recovered off the subsequent kick-outs. SU swarmed relentlessly on defense like Hulagu Khan burning Baghdad from about 7-8 minutes in. And Gonzaga's perimeter players didn't handle it. Constant pressure on the ball changes what a team can do on offense. Take Wiltjer, for example. He got nothing from 7 minutes into the second half. Nothing. Fear is a wonderful motivator, and SU's defense played with motivation after about 7-8 minutes into the first half.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/matchup?gameId=400872391

In case anyone was wondering: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hulagu_Khan

The original zone defense: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hulagu_Khan#/media/File:HulaguInBagdad.JPG

 

[llandz]

I love both your upside and your downside analysis. And of course both existed for yesterdays game. I, in particular was feeling a bit cocky after TWO SU teams making the Elite 8!!!!! Don't think for a minute it was meant to criticize your analysis of the games. Just a little tongue in cheek fun...