This team's winning formula

[Charco]

Like a lot of you, I’ve had a weird feeling about this team. They seem really good, but in any individual game they never really seem amazing. And that’s in contrast to past teams that might have 5 or 6 losses, but that looked dominant at times. This team never seems dominant, and I think I know why (forgive me if I’m reiterating something that’s been said in other threads).

This team never imposes its will on another team. For a team to appear dominant they need to be able to do “what they want.” And Syracuse doesn’t appear dominant because it doesn’t really want anything. Other than to win the game.

There is a lot hand-wringing about us letting other teams dictate the tempo. I know this seems like a weakness, but to me it’s like having the confidence to let your adversary pick the weapon you’ll duel with.

And by not having a real “style” we become a very difficult team to gameplan for. On defense we will stop you from doing what you want. On offense we will take what you give us. And our players are versatile enough and talented enough that you can’t stop everything.

We’re like an MMA fighter that doesn’t fight any particular discipline, let’s his opponent dictate the style of the match, and is 23-0.

It’s actually much more badass than a team whose style is run and gun – as fun as that style is to watch. Because if you can slow that team down, you can beat them. But what do you do with Syracuse as an opposing coach? Slow us down? Speed us up? Pack it on the inside? Stay tight on the outside shooters? Double up on CJ or try to cover everyone equally? Zone? M2M? Press us? All these approaches have been tried, but so far none have produced the desired result.

That’s not to say we won’t lose. We might. We might tonight even. But I’m not going to get worried about it until we do. There will be plenty of time to fret and whine after our first loss. So for now I just spend every minute of every game assuming we win. That way, on the 1 in 1000 chance this is the season we go undefeated, I’ll be able to say I enjoyed every second of it. And I can say, “I knew it all along,” without someone pointing out the boot-shaped hole in my tv, or the mess in my underpants as evidence that maybe I had some doubts after all.

 

[realorange]

We just wear an opponent down by taking their best punch, not flinching and just pushing on. That kind of team can frustrate the living Hell out of you just like we handled Pitt the last time. They thought they'd put forth enough effort to win only to find out they didn't. All they could do was whine.
If the game is close at the end there will be some of Pitt's players who remember what happened at the Dome. That they couldn't finish the job. Thoughts like that can get you tight if you can't handle the pressure and I don't think Pitt can.

 

[jimsonjunction]

Great post. The best word to describe this team is "adaptable."

 

[OrangeSky]

I played tennis against a guy I didn't looked very good. All he ever did was return the ball into the middle of the court. But he did it on every shot I tried. He just would get to the ball and return it. It was very frustrating and ultimately I started making mistakes out of frustration until I lost. He went undefeated that season.

This team is that guy.

 

[newmexicuse]

Nice post - I agree that we are a very adaptable team and that we can be successful in multiple styles. However, that doesn't mean that there aren't things that we want to do. Here are some things that I think we want to do every single game (and they may well be others that aren't popping into mind right now):

1. Frustrate opponents with our Zone and in particular encourage them to take too many bad treys.

2. Force TOs (especially by getting our guards into passing lanes) & then get out & run.

3. Get Trevor free for good trey looks.

4. Find seams and spots for CJ.

5. Find lanes on the O boards for Jerami to attack.

6. Limit our own TOs.

7. Get Rak the ball just enough to keep em honest on the inside.

8. Take away some aspect of our opponent's best player's game.

Now, we don't succeed every game with all of the above, but most games we succeed with a majority of those things (or else we wouldn't have th record that we do).

 

[creatorsgam]

We just wear an opponent down by taking their best punch, not flinching and just pushing on.

Our opponents must feel like this guy:

Telling their coach at timeouts, "They aren't human. They are like a piece of metal."

We are... Rocky IV

 

[moqui]

I am going to disagree with you a bit, in particular these comments:

• 
  

  [*]They seem really good, but in any individual game they never really seem amazing.
  [*]This team never imposes its will on another team. For a team to appear dominant they need to be able to do “what they want.”

This team does impose its will, and gets what it wants - in the last 5 minutes of the game. And that is amazing. No matter who they have played, no matter the styles, no matter the location: the game clock winds down to Winning Time and there is one team that dominates and one team that withers, game after game after game.