SWC75
Bored Historian
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 33,716
- Like
- 64,918
- Going into this game, knowing Tyus Battle wasn’t going to play and hearing from every source that we were in the NCAA tournament, win or lose, I felt disconnected to the game. It just didn’t seem to matter. But I found myself sitting, as I usually do, on the front edge of my coffee table, cheering the team on, groaning and hollering as things went badly or well, just as usual. It was worth it to care. After the stench of the Clemson performance to come back and win this game without our best player made me feel as good about this win as I’ve felt in a while.
- This was a mirror image of the Clemson game where we led by 7 at the half and were out-scored 24-43 in the second half. Tonight we were down by 6 at the half and won the second half 43-23. I like this view better. In fact, the dismal performance at Clemson might have motivated this team to give the performance they had tonight- and maybe some future performances, too.
- Beating Pitt never gets old. We’ve now done it 5 times in a row. I don’t care if Jamie Dixon isn’t there anymore. I’m glad he’s gone.
- When teams face adversity they either come apart or come together. This team started out searching for their roles on offense and defense. Then they came together in a big way. We had the best ball movement we’ve had all season, (Tus tends to dominate the ball, even if he can do a lot with it when he has it). Everybody got involved. Buddy had his best game ver. Paschal had his best game since Duke. Frank had his best game since NC State, when he scored 21 in a losing effort. Elijah got back on track after a couple of bad games. Perhaps the necessity of their playing with such energy and elan will cause them to play that way the rest of the way. The key to a post season is to have players who have not been consistent performers suddenly become productive, (like Marek did last year). We also haven’t seen this team operating on all cylinders other than the first Duke game. It’s time to see what we look like when they do.
- Buddy Boeheim showed that he is already a good all-round player. He scored 20 points, sinking 3 three point shots, 3 two point shots and 5 free throws. He pulled down 6 rebounds, passed for four assists and made two steals. He wasn’t fazed by aggressive, physical defenders and he even backed him man down off the dribble a couple of time. Joe Girard isn’t going to come in there and win the shooting guard spot without a fight.
- Paschal Chukwu played his best defensive game, crushing any attempt to score inside. This was what Jim Boeheim had in mind when he convince the 7-2 giant to transfer here. Pitt was a pathetic 8 for 32 on two point shots, a stat that wins games.
- Frank Howard didn’t just pound the ball into the floorboards outside and jack up an occasional three. He made a concerted effort to drive into the defense and make something happen. He wasn’t brilliant but trying is a start. And his aggressiveness seemed to give him more confidence in his shot.
- Elijah Hughes not only hit some big shots but extended his game to get 4 rebounds, pass for 3 assists and steal the ball twice.
- Other than Mr. Wilson-Frame, (does he make windows that balls go through?), we basically stuffed their offense. the rest of the team was 10 for 39 from the field and scored 35 points. Trey McGowans scores 12 points a game but I n the three games against SU, he’s 3 for 22 and has scored 13 points. He’s our revenge on Carl Krauser and LeVance Fields.
20-12 (11-8) and with 2+ to go
LET’S GO ORANGE!
- This was a mirror image of the Clemson game where we led by 7 at the half and were out-scored 24-43 in the second half. Tonight we were down by 6 at the half and won the second half 43-23. I like this view better. In fact, the dismal performance at Clemson might have motivated this team to give the performance they had tonight- and maybe some future performances, too.
- Beating Pitt never gets old. We’ve now done it 5 times in a row. I don’t care if Jamie Dixon isn’t there anymore. I’m glad he’s gone.
- When teams face adversity they either come apart or come together. This team started out searching for their roles on offense and defense. Then they came together in a big way. We had the best ball movement we’ve had all season, (Tus tends to dominate the ball, even if he can do a lot with it when he has it). Everybody got involved. Buddy had his best game ver. Paschal had his best game since Duke. Frank had his best game since NC State, when he scored 21 in a losing effort. Elijah got back on track after a couple of bad games. Perhaps the necessity of their playing with such energy and elan will cause them to play that way the rest of the way. The key to a post season is to have players who have not been consistent performers suddenly become productive, (like Marek did last year). We also haven’t seen this team operating on all cylinders other than the first Duke game. It’s time to see what we look like when they do.
- Buddy Boeheim showed that he is already a good all-round player. He scored 20 points, sinking 3 three point shots, 3 two point shots and 5 free throws. He pulled down 6 rebounds, passed for four assists and made two steals. He wasn’t fazed by aggressive, physical defenders and he even backed him man down off the dribble a couple of time. Joe Girard isn’t going to come in there and win the shooting guard spot without a fight.
- Paschal Chukwu played his best defensive game, crushing any attempt to score inside. This was what Jim Boeheim had in mind when he convince the 7-2 giant to transfer here. Pitt was a pathetic 8 for 32 on two point shots, a stat that wins games.
- Frank Howard didn’t just pound the ball into the floorboards outside and jack up an occasional three. He made a concerted effort to drive into the defense and make something happen. He wasn’t brilliant but trying is a start. And his aggressiveness seemed to give him more confidence in his shot.
- Elijah Hughes not only hit some big shots but extended his game to get 4 rebounds, pass for 3 assists and steal the ball twice.
- Other than Mr. Wilson-Frame, (does he make windows that balls go through?), we basically stuffed their offense. the rest of the team was 10 for 39 from the field and scored 35 points. Trey McGowans scores 12 points a game but I n the three games against SU, he’s 3 for 22 and has scored 13 points. He’s our revenge on Carl Krauser and LeVance Fields.
20-12 (11-8) and with 2+ to go
LET’S GO ORANGE!
