Vegas

[bballbeadle]

Duke is playing Kansas tomorrow night at 9. That will be an interesting game. Unfortunately I can’t watch it because - you know - of our game at the Dome at freaking 9 PM. But I count on the board to give us your impressions.

 

[MikeSU02]

Let me stop you right there…

We aren’t going to be like our greatest team in SU history. I stand by that, btw. The numbers back it up. 1-7 that was the best team we’ve ever fielded.

If we keep it competitive with a shot down the stretch, I’ll take it. These are serious tests especially Houston.

I’m glad that I am not chalking it up as an automatic L, that’s for sure!

That tourney set up for us if AO never gets hurt. Would have played KSU after their 2OT game, MSU without their injured guard and then we would have smoked that Duke team.

 

[MikeSU02]

Three things I noticed yesterday. First George could’ve gotten to the hoop against that little guard so many more times and he was not as aggressive as often as he could’ve been. Also, when he did get to the hoop, there was nobody trailing for a drop off or an offensive rebound. Especially in the first half, we got zero help at the basket. George can only do so much without cutters.

Freeman’s shot selection sometimes leaves a lot to be desired. He goes to his fadeaway when a jump stop and baby hook would be preferable. I still am worried about our interior defense getting big boyed against better teams (and picking up fouls). It has been rare, but Freeman was a no show battling on the glass.

Finally on efficiency, I’m watching team after team put up 100 points and we have not cracked 90 yet. I’m not sure our points per possession, but it does seem that we waste too many opportunities. We are certainly not playing at the old Virginia pace where it would be understandable.

The key to the season will be how well George and Kingz increase their contributions as they get more comfortable. The last game they both gave incredible effort with OK results. Both are capable of putting in games like Donnie and Anthony. When (if) we start getting 25 to 30 points from them rather than 15-20 we will be cooking.

Two items on the 100 point thing:

1) We're making our bones on D and I'm ok with that. Because this team also needs to be able to run because we'll be a work in progress in the half court against good teams.

2) This team needs Kingz to ascend back to a 40% 3PT shooter and then we can be looking at scoring more. I just wrote this in another thread, but we've filled the JJ gap and are doing it more efficiently. But we need Kingz to be our poor man's Klay Thompson and then you're going to start seeing the geometry of the floor bust wide open in the half court to have more options on O.

 

[DomeHolmes]

Tennessee, who plays in our pod in Vegas, and we play the week after, just lost JP Estrella (remember him?) to a knee injury where he had to be helped off the floor.

He was absolutely destroying so far this year averaging over 17 points and 9 rebounds in just 21 minutes per game.

It looks like he’s been their sixth man, and brings legit size to a team that is not that big. (They have height, but they are skinny freshman). And they have a 270 pound kid who can move but he does not score much..

I don’t know the severity of it, but it looks like it might be something that will keep him out or hinder him

I hope he gets better in three weeks.

 

[Eric15]

For some reason I'm not quite clear on the format of this Vegas event. If it's a tournament, then how do we already know who we are playing on the 2nd day (Kansas). But if it's not a tournament, then why don't we know who we are playing in the third game?

 

[RedtheGOB]

For some reason I'm not quite clear on the format of this Vegas event. If it's a tournament, then how do we already know who we are playing on 2nd day (Kansas). But if it's not a tournament, then why don't we know who we are playing in the third game?

They want to have the best teams play the best teams the last day. The rest of the teams will match up based on how they play. Other restrictions too for game 3.

Case in point we’re not going to play Tennessee or even ND in game 3 cuz we are playing them soon.

 

[Briancuse]

They want to have the best teams play the best teams the last day. The rest of the teams will match up based on how they play. Other restrictions too for game 3.

Case in point we’re not going to play Tennessee or even ND in game 3 cuz we are playing them soon.

Is there a list of teams who we could get in day 3? I see no bracket online.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[djorange1989]

Feel bad for the kid at Kansas but I am fine having a better shot, asterisk on the potential win be damned

 

[djorange1989]

Is there a list of teams who we could get in day 3? I see no bracket online.

The teams we can possibly play on day 3:

Rutgers, Oregon, Iowa State, Creighton, St John’s, San Diego State, Alabama, Auburn, Baylor, Michigan, St Joe’s, UNLV, Gonzaga. If we go 0-2, probably looking at Rutgers, St Joe, UNLV, Creighton, SDSU. No clue if we go 1-1

 

[M2MPrinciples]

Feel bad for the kid at Kansas but I am fine having a better shot, asterisk on the potential win be damned

Fans here are pretty upset. He played in Kansas' game at UNC but missed a couple buy games so people started wondering if he'd only suit up when the competition warranted. But then he missed the Champions Classic game against Duke so the vitriol calmed down a little, but the fanbase still has scars from Embiid ducking the 2015 tournament to preserve his draft stock. IMO the handlers are playing SOME role here, but the extent is still TBD.

Kansas actually played Duke pretty well without Peterson, but it's fair to wonder if Duke was pulling back knowing that the best player for the other team was out.

FWIW, NET/KenPom/Torvik don't ding the quality of a win based on player availability, so if Peterson returns later on and Kansas contends for a conference title and high NCAAT seed, it could be a nice "buy low" value for us. If we win, obviously.

 

[Sherman20]

The teams we can possibly play on day 3:

Rutgers, Oregon, Iowa State, Creighton, St John’s, San Diego State, Alabama, Auburn, Baylor, Michigan, St Joe’s, UNLV, Gonzaga. If we go 0-2, probably looking at Rutgers, St Joe, UNLV, Creighton, SDSU. No clue if we go 1-1

St Joe’s is not part of this event, but we do play them in two weeks at home. Also, Maryland is missing from your list.

 

[djorange1989]

St Joe’s is not part of this event, but we do play them in two weeks at home. Also, Maryland is missing from your list.

Thank you! I pulled up an old list, and forgot we play St Joe!