We gotta go 8-6 the rest of the way

[Edfromsodus]

We'll be 18-13, and then win at least a game or two in the ACC tournament. See you at the dome on Saturday boys. Let's go Orange!

 

[asj410]

In order to make the NCAA tourney? I think we need to win more than that or get to the ACC final to have a decent chance. The Miami and Pitt games were an encouraging sign of life, but I have to admit I'm still skeptical that we can do enough.

 

[RF2044]

In order to make the NCAA tourney? I think we need to win more than that or get to the ACC final to have a decent chance. The Miami and Pitt games were an encouraging sign of life, but I have to admit I'm still skeptical that we can do enough.

I think he means that if we went 8-6 the rest of the way in the regular season, we'd be positioned to make it if we could score a couple of extra wins in the ACC tournament. Not that 18 wins would be sufficient in and of itself.

 

[Ryand877]

I think we need to win 11 more games including the ACC tournament. Those bad losses early will come back to haunt us.

 

[Eric15]

SU very very rarely gets into the NCAA field as a direct result of a conference tourney performance. 2006 is the only time I can remember.

But this is still way better than 2 years ago when we weren't even eligible to play.

 

[Oráiste]

we need road wins against good teams, period. without that, the overall record is immaterial.

we have, at most, 6 more opportunities. The GA Tech game won't count as a good team; maybe the NCSU game won't, either.

That leaves
UNC
Notre Dame
Clemson
Pitt
Louisville

If we can't get 3 wins out of those 5, then our ceiling is NIT. Ceiling.

 

[Marsh01]

We are not getting to double digit ACC wins. I bleed orange as much as anyone but it aint happening this year. Can't keep hoping things all of a sudden change. This is a team of inconsistencies and we will continue to be inconsistent at times this year. Aside from winning the ACC Tourney we will not go dancing. We wont even make the NIT. Keep in mind that there are auto qualifiers for the NIT now and fewer teams get in

 

[AZOrange]

We are not getting to double digit ACC wins. I'm as bleed orange as anyone but it aint happening this year. Can't keep hoping things all of a sudden change. This is a team of inconsistencies and we will continue to be inconsistent at times this year. Aside from winning the ACC Tourney we will not go dancing. We wont even make the NIT. Keep in mind that there are auto qualifiers for the NIT now and fewer teams get in

Yeah we're inconsistent and we don't have a star to overcome it. Our players are average at best.

 

[jncuse]

11-7 is the target in my view.

Not adding any more detail to this until the team proves to me it is a decent possibility.

 

[cuseguy]

It all starts with point guard play. Gillon is average and Howard is below average. It's not going to cut it. We'll be tourney good again the next time we have a good point guard.

 

[Cusefan0307]

It all starts with point guard play. Gillon is average and Howard is below average. It's not going to cut it. We'll be tourney good again the next time we have a good point guard.

2018?

 

[CorduroyG]

i gave up any at large hopes after the va tech loss. we're gonna need to win the acc tourny.

 

[Oráiste]

It all starts with point guard play. Gillon is average and Howard is below average. It's not going to cut it. We'll be tourney good again the next time we have a good point guard.

you can only call Gillon average if you compare him to Howard. With the exception of the 2 home games vs. Miami & Pitt, he has played very poorly against every high level team we've faced.

He's consistently competitive only against low major and low-mid major athletes, and that's the cold, hard truth.

 

[RF2044]

you can only call Gillon average if you compare him to Howard. With the exception of the 2 home games vs. Miami & Pitt, he has played very poorly against every high level team we've faced.

He's consistently competitive only against low major and low-mid major athletes, and that's the cold, hard truth.

...other than Miami and Pitt. So, he's got the capability to perform better against higher caliber teams of athletes. He needs to do it consistently.

 

[CorduroyG]

you can only call Gillon average if you compare him to Howard. With the exception of the 2 home games vs. Miami & Pitt, he has played very poorly against every high level team we've faced.

He's consistently competitive only against low major and low-mid major athletes, and that's the cold, hard truth.

i agree. gillon isnt the answer at pg this year, he'll have his moments but overall hes just not good enough at this level of competition. if i see him drive into the lane and throw up a wild shot that has zero chance of going in 1 more time i may need a new tv after i break it.

 

[Oráiste]

...other than Miami and Pitt. So, he's got the capability to perform better against higher caliber teams of athletes. He needs to do it consistently.

we've played 9 decent teams and he has performed poorly against 7 of them. the consistency you speak of is there, just in the opposite direction.

 

[RF2044]

we've played 9 decent teams and he has performed poorly against 7 of them. the consistency you speak of is there, just in the opposite direction.

And yet, he's done it against top flight athletes against both Miami and Pitt, so the capabilities are there.

It's maddening.

I actually think that most of his difficulties are attributable to him having a fairly weak handle. He never pushes the ball in transition, and seems hesitant attacking pressure [instead favoring bringing the ball up slowly]. Where he excels is in half court sets, where he can use his quickness [not specifically an explosive handle] to get past people.

Unusual that a waterbug PG wouldn't have a tight handle, but that's what his problem seems to be.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Kinda hard to say what we need to do without having a clear picture yet of what the rest of the tourney selections are going to look like.

Either way, I've accepted that this season likely ends in the NIT, and if we make the tournament, cool beans.

 

[SUFan44]

And yet, he's done it against top flight athletes against both Miami and Pitt, so the capabilities are there.

It's maddening.

I actually think that most of his difficulties are attributable to him having a fairly weak handle. He never pushes the ball in transition, and seems hesitant attacking pressure [instead favoring bringing the ball up slowly]. Where he excels is in half court sets, where he can use his quickness [not specifically an explosive handle] to get past people.

Unusual that a waterbug PG wouldn't have a tight handle, but that's what his problem seems to be.

His main problem is he can't finish against any sort of big guy. And can't get his shot off against any defender that is in his space that's over 6 foot. His handle is fine - not great, but fine. And better than Howard's. I think he doesn't push the ball because he has nowhere to go if he gets too deep against any sort of taller opponent.

 

[RF2044]

His main problem is he can't finish against any sort of big guy. And can't get his shot off against any defender that is in his space that's over 6 foot. His handle is fine - not great, but fine. And better than Howard's. I think he doesn't push the ball because he has nowhere to go if he gets too deep against any sort of taller opponent.

He doesn't push the ball at all. He waits and then brings it up half speed, even when there is no pressure. His dribble looks a tad awkward even when he's just bringing it up [not that it is "bad," just that he doesn't seem to have tight control of the ball]. If he was more aggressive in transition, then maybe he'd create more opportunities where there wouldn't be taller opponents contesting his shots.

Agree that his game is better than Howard's in most respects.

If he'd had a good game against VT, the board probably wouldn't be having this conversation after his previous two outings. But since he stunk the joint up, his inconsistency has raised these concerns / criticisms again. Unfortunately, I think VT exposed the blueprint for how to guard Gillon. Forget the 2-1-1-1 press -- full court press with single coverage on Gillon, slow him bringing the ball up, and he'll almost automatically look to get rid of the rock due to being closely guarded. Crowd him away from the ball and he stops being as active with trying to get free, and don't give him space to set up for his outside shot.

 

[adk(roc)CUSE]

We are not getting to double digit ACC wins. I bleed orange as much as anyone but it aint happening this year. Can't keep hoping things all of a sudden change. This is a team of inconsistencies and we will continue to be inconsistent at times this year. Aside from winning the ACC Tourney we will not go dancing. We wont even make the NIT. Keep in mind that there are auto qualifiers for the NIT now and fewer teams get in

Wouldn't the NIT make the money move though and push to get us in? even if the Dome got 12-15K it would be the biggest crowds of the tournament. As sad as it sounds I believe the NIT is our ceiling and I'd actually like to make it (assuming that the NCAA's is out of the question of course) because it would mean more Syracuse basketball. Plus while the tournament is a sad consolation for a program like ours the it has a great history and I wouldn't mind winning it once (if we have to be there)...At least that's the way i'm trying to think about it to cope.

*sigh* Go Cuse..

 

[Briancuse]

We need to go 8-6 to get us a nit bid, I agree.

 

[Oráiste]

I lurked for years on this board before posting, and I always laughed whenever that sad Pitt CBI title picture was posted. I shudder to think we'll have one of our own.

you'd think I'd know by now that karma has a way of biting you in the ass.

 

[Briancuse]

I lurked for years on this board before posting, and I always laughed whenever that sad Pitt CBI title picture was posted. I shudder to think we'll have one of our own.

you'd think I'd know by now that karma has a way of biting you in the ass.

I can't see us ever accepting a cbi bid, if we aren't good enough for the Nit, its time to put the balls away for the year.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I lurked for years on this board before posting, and I always laughed whenever that sad Pitt CBI title picture was posted. I shudder to think we'll have one of our own.

you'd think I'd know by now that karma has a way of biting you in the ass.

The good thing is they don't take power conference schools for the CBI anymore.