The Downside

[SWC75]

- We won by 19 but we really should have wrapped this one up earlier. We got a 32-17 lead with 5:57 to go in the first half on a trey by CJ and didn’t score again for 4 minutes and 31 seconds when Southerland got two free throws to make it 34-22. We could have had a 20+ lead by then. Then we opened the second half, “sleepwalking”, as Matt Park described it, gave up a lay-up and three pointer. Eventually the Johnnies got it down to five, 48-43, before Southerland found the range. The dry stretches made it interesting but we weren’t looking for “interesting”.

- Rakeem Christmas got in early foul trouble, (usually a sign you are being out-played) and produced only 2 points and 1 rebound in 18 minutes.

- Is that Trevor Cooney or his ghost, floating around the court, a barely discernible presence?

- I hope Jerami Grant doesn’t retreat into a bit player role again. He’s clearly too good for that.

 

[bballbeadle]

Surely Boeheim understands how important Jerami is! In Boeheim, let us trust.

 

[shermstheman]

Rak concerns me. I was hoping that getting him the ball early, ala, the previous game would get him going. They looked for him and got it to him once early but for whatever reason he did not progress...he regressed. SU really needs a presence there if they've any hope to make the final 4. Rak can do it. I just wish he would.

 

[Orangezoo]

Keita playing well is so important in games like this where Grant/Rak were not major contributors. As good as Grant is- the return of dirty showed just how fast our defense can be closing out. He also recovers to fill passing lanes downlow better than anyone of our bigs. I would like to see Grant in there spelling CJ a bit more often vs playing alongside CJ. Giving CJ a blow a few times a game would be great to keep him fresh. Also - Grant does a great job on the boards and is more of a force there than Dirty.

With all that said you want your best five out there to give you the best chance to win and despite opinions ( including my own) of how good Grant is compared to dirty - the spacing we get with james out there just opens everything up. With MCW and Triche finding a nice flow with eachother lately and MCW stepping into threes as opposed to taking difficult ones we are playing much more sound basketball at just the right time.