We got bullied a bit tonight...

[SoBeCuse]

That’s my biggest beef with the coaching - there’s no instruction to push the ball anymore... even with one of our best rebounding teams ever. We’ve never been a great halfcourt team but 10-20 fast break points always helped to mask that deficiency. It’s almost as if JB doesn’t care - he never even mentions it like he’s given up on it altogether. We have Tyus Battle and we can’t even try to push it once in a while? Franky can’t be the excuse for everything. There are so many opportunities to get run outs and we’re just content to wait until everyone sets up.

I can’t imagine this is on JB but maybe there is something to it. Maybe he also didn’t want to get into a track meet with these guys. I don’t know but, yes, we never push it downhill anymore whether it is because of limitations in Frank’s game or coaching instruction. Like you say this team could use those buckets since they aren’t efficient in the halfcourt.

 

[Funk Doc]

I watched Buffalo closely during warm ups. I knew they were athletic and could shoot the ball but didn't realize how physical they were. I was impressed with them.

As was I. I know we have faced better individual talent and players, but this might have been the best "team" we have played this year. They really did a good job playing physical defensively(little excessive at times), and moved the ball really well on offense and got good looks. Luckily, we seemed to recover just enough to put a small amount of pressure on their shots, that they didn't shoot great. They will be really tough to beat in the MAC.

 

[Newhouser]

Buffalo is pretty physical and pretty talented. They will win a lot of games.

I was really impressed too. Very well coached. Play hard and smart and have good depth.

 

[reedny]

They and their coach called us soft amongst some eye opening comments

Check it out on Syracuse com

Those "soft" comments should be on the locker room chalk board from now on.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

Those "soft" comments should be on the locker room chalk board from now on.

Well, some of our guys could benefit with weight sets as xmas presents.

 

[reedny]

Well, some of our guys could benefit with weight sets as xmas presents.

No doubt. But that's going to take time. We need another big in the '18 class. Iommi's right. How many times has MD had to bail us out in the middle. We've had games where BOTH sidibe and Chukwu are in foul trouble, or one is dinged up. That's a vital position for the zone to work. Depth needed immediately.

 

[sufandu]

True. It’s Frank but then you had G and Ennis. Those guys didn’t push the ball either though G did at times. G I think like Frank was figuring things out on the fly and plodded/hesitated at times. Ennis just played methodically. That’s how he liked it.

I really don't think it matters who we have at guard. We haven't pushed it off of rebounds in a long time, regardless of who we've had. When we were getting all of the runouts with MCW or Waiters it was off of turnovers.

 

[Eric15]

I can't decide if I think PC had a good game last night. He had 8 blocks which is awesome, but he had some goofy turnovers and also seemed to get pushed around a lot inside.

 

[tbonezone]

we got bullied...


turns out to be a nail biter against buffalo.

 

[longislandcuse]

Buffalo looked legit - I was very impressed by them.

Really hope we can get a somewhat healthy Sidibe back for the ACC. Dolezaj can fill in admirably at the 5 but that duo of Chukwu/Sidibe made our Center spot a potential strength, at least defensively and on the glass.

Hot Take Alert - I am starting to like Oshae as our "go to" guy over Battle. Dude is unstoppable when he wants to be. Battle would be my 1A.

For all the hand wringing heading into this year, this team has guts and I don't know too many teams with a better pair of wing players than Battle/Brissett.

 

[OttoMets]

I can't decide if I think PC had a good game last night. He had 8 blocks which is awesome, but he had some goofy turnovers and also seemed to get pushed around a lot inside.

He wasn't that effective, but if you'd have said in October that he'd be playing 37 or 38 minutes against a team that was in the game until the last two minutes, we'd have called that a huge success.

So I'm going with that.

That said, he's got to rebound better and stop turning dunks into fadeaway three-footers. I thought he'd solved the latter a month ago with that big offensive game, but maybe not.

 

[tbonezone]

who had the hand cut on buffalo and went to the locker room bleeding ? was that clark ?

 

[OttoMets]

who had the hand cut on buffalo and went to the locker room bleeding ? was that clark ?

It was #10. Looked really bad. Though I think it happened when he executed that picture-perfect shoestring tackle on Tyus, so maybe he'll learn not to do things like that.

 

[Eric15]

That said, he's got to rebound better and stop turning dunks into fadeaway three-footers. I thought he'd solved the latter a month ago with that big offensive game, but maybe not.

He needs to learn how to hold the ball up way high when he gets it in the paint. At 7'3" with those Inspector Gadget arms, no one will be able to get it from him. If he's dribbling, something awful is probably going to happen.

 

[Trueblue25]

The Ub coaches soft comments are dumb, but to that point I was a bit disappointed by tyus’ and frank’s antics when calls didnt go there way. Literally acted like the refs were telling them the sky was green.

 

[Trueblue25]

Also, if Tyus and Marek are going to penetrate and dish to Chukwu they gotta get him the ball high. The guards and forwards just rip the ball away when he catches it between his knees. If he catches it.

 

[Newhouser]

The Ub coaches soft comments are dumb, but to that point I was a bit disappointed by tyus’ and frank’s antics when calls didnt go there way. Literally acted like the refs were telling them the sky was green.

Agree - both guys have reactions that are a bit much, and Tyus better watch out as the stripes are clearly aware that he pushes off - a lot.

 

[tbonezone]

so it was # 10. wes clark. their leading scoring threat this game . might have made a difference ?

 

[UnknownOrange]

Also, if Tyus and Marek are going to penetrate and dish to Chukwu they gotta get him the ball high. The guards and forwards just rip the ball away when he catches it between his knees. If he catches it.

Man how awesome was Dolezaj's touch pass to Chukwu. A thing of beauty

 

[bballbeadle]

I can't decide if I think PC had a good game last night. He had 8 blocks which is awesome, but he had some goofy turnovers and also seemed to get pushed around a lot inside.

Didn’t he play almost the entire 40 minutes, and only got one foul? I would count that in the plus column.

 

[SUalldway]

First time I felt all year that we got beaten to the loose balls more often than the reverse. Maybe the injuries played a role but these guys also played pretty physical. Perkins is a thug.

There were a bunch of thugs on that team! One of the few on-target comments the broadcasting duo made was that the Buffalo defensive strategy was the Georgetown constant mugging approach. Have to say that Perkins played an impressive game though.

 

[85SUAlum]

We got pushed around a bit on the boards too. I thought Marek got bullied, probably should have drawn a few fouls. I actually expected more from Oshae on the boards last night. Matchup must not have been as a big a rebounding mismatch as it typically is.

Moyer was grabbing boards pretty well in the first half (9 rebounds), so was surprised he sat most of the 2nd half, especially with Marek and Chukwu getting pushed around like they were. Seemed like Moyer was able to body up with the UB players a little better.

 

[Trueblue25]

Agree - both guys have reactions that are a bit much, and Tyus better watch out as the stripes are clearly aware that he pushes off - a lot.

Yep Tyus got away with multiple blatant push offs.

 

[Trueblue25]

People better get used to “thug” defense. Team’s see that Frank and Battle make up for 70% of our playmaking. They are going to face guard and physically wear our guards down. Its strategy and we must adjust. Move the ball, less iso.

 

[Jasoncuse]

They and their coach called us soft amongst some eye opening comments

Check it out on Syracuse com

Last year's team could probably be considered soft. This year's team is far from soft. They are tough, they fight, they grind and they routinely have outworked the opponent. Last night, SUNY Buffalo gave us a dose of our own medicine and it showed.

This team isn't soft. They are just physically weak. Having an entire front line, besides MM, that's under 200 lbs (I'm guesstimating) or close to it can get pushed around by physicality.