We need to go 12-6 in ACC Play

[EnviroSciGuy]

Extend Red indefinitely if we beat UConn in the tournament. Don’t read this team, I’m just imagining things. Focus on basketball. Level 5 and no dips.

This would basically ensure that the SU program is dead and buried.

Is Hurley that diabolical?

 

[Orangezoo]

There were a few other replies I was thinking of making, but at this point the team has to prove it is worthy of further discussion or we are all wasting our time… and that means beating Clemson.

The good news for us is that we get Donnie back, Clemson is not a good rebounding team and I think if we do re establish the level of intensity that all the sudden re emerged in the second half against Stonehill it could set us up to make the run we need to make. FTs are the enemy we can’t seem to break down but Donnie should help that. The offensive output of George and Starling beckons a bit of cautious optimism as well.

Monmouth issued red flags even with Donnie yet with Donnie we properly disposed of weaker teams. So here is to hoping with him against better opponents the result also is better.

One more key point to watch. Opponent aside we averaged 17.5 assists per game with Donnie over 4 games. Eliminating Vegas and Tenn given the level of competition being different we averaged 11 assists in the games since Tenn without ( almost the same in Vegas after looking actually).

To me while our offense didn’t excite with him, it’s maybe the biggest thing that’s hurt us besides FT shooting. He has that skillset like Lampkin did in the high post as a passer and it makes a big difference.

 

[OburgOrange]

 

[Orangezoo]

He’s now been at two institutions where academics are a level down arguably a joke compared to many. Talented kid for sure but let’s not dismiss that reality either.

Talent was never an issue.

 

[Charbroil]

He’s now been at two institutions where academics are a level down arguably a joke compared to many. Talented kid for sure but let’s not dismiss that reality either.

Talent was never an issue.

I’m sure that matters to some fans. Personally, I’ve never really cared about how the players on my favorite teams performed in class as long as the team was winning on the court.

 

[Scooch]

The problem with your job analogy above, is that individual NET is not factor "A". Individual NET (or prior to that RPI) is not how teams are chosen and never has been. We have gotten in the tournament with both a high NET and high RPI.

Its faulty to think we a team has hit "x" number to get in the tournament. We have seen in the same year teams in the mid 20's and teams in the 60's get equal consideration for final bids (2024 for example)

Generally you will see a high correlation between NET of 40 and getting in the tournament, because those teams with NET's of 40 and above have a good resume (quality wins). But its not 100% and each year there are resume outliers.

The ACC is strong enough that Syracuse going 11-7 or 12-6, would at least get your NET into the 60's. You can't win that many ACC games this year without moving up in the rankings.

It then comes down to how many quality wins we have, and the factors around us... how many bubble busters that year. A big positive this year is that we are not conference #5/#6, and conference 5/6 are not strong this year (Big East/MWC0.

Very helpful, thanks for the reply!

From the way you frame it, seems unlikely that falling short of 11-12 wins we'd have any chance, right? From that win total and up we also need to have a "signature" win or 2?

 

[Cusefan0307]

I’m sure that matters to some fans. Personally, I’ve never really cared about how the players on my favorite teams performed in class as long as the team was winning on the court.

Unfortunately for us we went down that route before and the NCAA put us on probation.

 

[cuseinseattle]

Going 12-6 is unlikely. Red will be gone. In the long run probably for the best.

 

[Toga]

 

[jncuse]

Very helpful, thanks for the reply!

From the way you frame it, seems unlikely that falling short of 11-12 wins we'd have any chance, right? From that win total and up we also need to have a "signature" win or 2?

If I was to use your earlier analogy, I believe the "A" is 12 ACC wins. What do we need to do get to 12 ACC wins?

Get to 12 wins and the NET would become "acceptable" (say 45-65 range), and if you get 12 ACC wins your going to have some quality wins on there... you can't get to 12 ACC wins this year without some quality wins showing up on your resume, because the ACC this year is at least satisfactory.

11 is possible for the "A" but I think factors would need to need to go our way based on my initial view because of that Hofstra game.

 

[baggerbob]

We'll go 14-4.

Market. Down.

I hope you are right but this group hasn't shown any leadership abilities. Without some kind of leader they aren't getting into the tournament.

 

[MikeSU02]

The only hope I have is that Donnie comes back, fully healthy, and makes a borderline all-american type impact.

We rank so low in a lot of key team stats in the ACC, that I'm very nervous about getting to 11 or 12 wins in ACC play.

However, Donnie should make everyone else's life easier on the floor with him and ideally it unlocks avenues for Red to implement in the likely numerous close games we'll be having.

I just cannot believe we are at 59% FT shooting as a team. We need Donnie to come back and get those 9 FTAs/game he started the year with and shooting them at a 78% clip, especially, among his other offensive abilities and efficiency.

As others have stated, starts with Clemson.

 

[phsyra]

The issue will be winning the games we "should win". Our free throw shooting and "dips" keep every game very close. Inevitivbly you lose a few of those.

We should pick off a few good wins like tennessee but at Pitt, at Ga tech, vs. Notre Dame...those are scary games too.

 

[AlphaCuse]

Breakdown of the remaining games in ACC play

Sweep this
At Georgia Tech
At Pitt
Vs Florida State
At Boston College
Vs Notre Dame
Vs Pitt

Go at least 5-3 here
Vs Clemson
Vs Virginia Tech
Vs Miami
At NC State
Vs California
Vs SMU
Vs UNC
At Wake Forest

Win at least 1 of 4 here
At UNC
At Virginia
At Duke
At Louisville

The path to 12-6. I think all of the games in the go at least 5-3 here category are easier than Houston, Kansas, Iowa State, and Tennessee.

Good plan!

 

[NineOneSeven]

The inevitable is red getting fired. Sometimes that is just how it is.

 

[CuseTG2003]

The only hope I have is that Donnie comes back, fully healthy, and makes a borderline all-american type impact.

We rank so low in a lot of key team stats in the ACC, that I'm very nervous about getting to 11 or 12 wins in ACC play.

However, Donnie should make everyone else's life easier on the floor with him and ideally it unlocks avenues for Red to implement in the likely numerous close games we'll be having.

I just cannot believe we are at 59% FT shooting as a team. We need Donnie to come back and get those 9 FTAs/game he started the year with and shooting them at a 78% clip, especially, among his other offensive abilities and efficiency.

As others have stated, starts with Clemson.

Help me, Donnie-Wan Kanobi, you're my only hope.

 

[powdersmack]

Help me, Donnie-Wan Kanobi, you're my only hope.

 

[Blanko97]

He’s now been at two institutions where academics are a level down arguably a joke compared to many. Talented kid for sure but let’s not dismiss that reality either.

Talent was never an issue.

Well good thing he doesn’t get paid to play school. And frankly, Syracuse isn’t exactly an Ivy League tier university…

 

[Blanko97]

Unfortunately for us we went down that route before and the NCAA put us on probation.

That’s because we were dumb about it. You can’t have someone cheat for the players, you just need to inform everyone that these players are very busy and perhaps their grade curves might need to reflect that.

 

[Orangezoo]

That’s because we were dumb about it. You can’t have someone cheat for the players, you just need to inform everyone that these players are very busy and perhaps their grade curves might need to reflect that.

If it was truly that simple…. Newsflash : it’s not. Some schools have much lower standards and it is what it is.

 

[Blanko97]

If it was truly that simple…. Newsflash : it’s not. Some schools have much lower standards and it is what it is.

The beautiful thing about schools is they set their own standards

 

[Orangezoo]

The beautiful thing about schools is they set their own standards

At the end of the day it’s still a university not the G League. As much as that is overlapping these days the school aspect is still very much key. Getting rid of academic standards might seem great if you are a fan but it’s not really in the best interest of anyone long term.

Our previous mistake was self reporting hands down. Denial and pushing back has served schools better than our approach. With that said letting too much slide against your own policy is still not ideal even in today’s environment nor is letting every athlete major in TV.

The players we have this year are fine. I’m not easily finding a starter I want to swap with Copeland. It’s all about the coaching when the talent levels are side by side.

 

[Blanko97]

At the end of the day it’s still a university not the G League. As much as that is overlapping these days the school aspect is still very much key. Getting rid of academic standards might seem great if you are a fan but it’s not really in the best interest of anyone long term.

Our previous mistake was self reporting hands down. Denial and pushing back has served schools better than our approach. With that said letting too much slide against your own policy is still not ideal even in today’s environment nor is letting every athlete major in TV.

The players we have this year are fine. I’m not easily finding a starter I want to swap with Copeland. It’s all about the coaching when the talent levels are side by side.

Syracuse is plenty capable of lowering their standards for athletes, it’s a profit center if you’re successful. I also don’t think the academic standards are all that rigid here, if UNC and Duke, two elite universities can figure it out, an upper middle tier school like Syracuse can too.

 

[Orangezoo]

Syracuse is plenty capable of lowering their standards for athletes, it’s a profit center if you’re successful. I also don’t think the academic standards are all that rigid here, if UNC and Duke, two elite universities can figure it out, an upper middle tier school like Syracuse can too.

Again why does it matter? Quadir isn’t some all American we were stupid to let go. We have plenty of talent - it’s the coach in question. It was made clear how Quadir left and that there were mutual reasons due to issues. Lots of teams see former players do well in the portal. It’s all part of the game. It’s the coaching that is the key for us right now. There is no reason to be airing a grievance over Quadir. He found a home with Wade and it’s working for him. That has nothing to do with us now.

 

[RedtheGOB]

New prediction today after a nice holiday drink.

18-2 ACC record this year.