When can we start dreaming?

[OrangeDW]

Our SOS is so brutal even with a run at the end and a trip to the ACCT Final its hard to see the committee picking us over someone with a couple marquee wins.

But if we win the next 2 it becomes very realistic to get an at large. 1-1 probably not.

Our next 4 games would all probably be our “best win” of the season, if we win.

Resume looks a lot different if we beat Duke, NC State, and win at Clemson.

No excuses, get it done. One at a time.

 

[Nicknack]

I don't know about some of you. I really think we have a pretty solid team. A team that is definitely NCAA tournament caliber. Unfortunately, we didn't have our roster put together early enough, and I don't fault Jim (too much). Other than Maliq, he has done a very good job working guys into the rotation.

I really have no hesitation saying that (at this point in the season), we're one of the best teams in the acc. If we don't end up in the finals, I'll be surprised.

 

[jncuse]

It would be nice to win our first ACC tournament title since 2020.

2020 NCAA Tournament Simulation - Multi Bid Conference Tourney's.

Pac-12 Tourney UCLA is playing for its tourney life Stanford was upset on Wednesday and keeps its fingers crossed. Thursday Results #1 Oregon beat #9 Oregon St #5 Arizona beats #4 USC #10 California upsets #2 UCLA (UCLA may be done after this) #11 Washington St upsets #3 Arizona St (Q3 Loss --...

syracusefan.com

 

[HOFCeluck]

I had a dream that a hamburger was eating me!

 

[Giants1973]

I had a dream that a hamburger was eating me!

Beat NC state and Duke. Dream little

 

[althea]

I had a dream that a hamburger was eating me!

What does it mean to dream about a burger?

Dream Interpretation: Burger.

www.femalefirst.co.uk

 

[stlorange]

2027

 

[atlanticuse]

apparently not tonight.

 

[Cuse181]

apparently not tonight.

Oops

 

[Jzsshuttles]

This team can easily win out. They do that I don’t care about the numbers. At this point Syracuse can beat anyone in the country. College hoops has changed. It’s weird now.

 

[CuseBlock]

Tourney or not, this team is playing their best basketball at the right time.

 

[blust2i3d4]

Personally, if we beat NC State, it'll be enough for me to let actually believe we have a chance. And it'll make the Duke game next Saturday actually meaningful -- hopefully translating into a pumped crowd, which should easily be the biggest of the season. If we manage to win that one, we will be 17-10, on a four game winning streak and we will definitely have some real mojo going. We are getting better and every game going forward is winnable (mostly because the rest of the ACC is so down, but I'll take it). Of course every game is also losable...

Having been a fan for 40 years, I painfully know that aspiring to just have a chance isn't what Syracuse is supposed to be about. But it beats the alternative.

Anyway, let's just keep winning. Please.

After beating Duke, we can start dreaming.

 

[jncuse]

Great win tonight, and we certainly have a real chance against Duke. That game is not that far from a pick'em. So one game at a time, and stay optimistic.

So I apologize for the Debbie Downer comments below. But we are getting hurt along the margins of a Q1/Q2 victory. We are currently witnessing a slow leak in ACC NET's caused by the ACC's overall poor OOC compared to other power conferences and even the MWC. Those conferences prop themselves up more when they play each other, so the ACC starts to slowly drop.

NC State looks like it will be a Q2 win (#30 is the cutoff and they are 36 before tonight's loss)
Duke would be a Q2 win as of now. (#30 is the cutoff and they are 32, and will be worse if we beat them)
Clemson is at #77 (At #75 they would be a Q1 road win)
Wake is at #73 (Will they stay in the top 75 so we could get a Q2 win)

What hurts will all the above is that are worst metric already is quality wins.

 

[OrangeDW]

Great win tonight, and we certainly have a real chance against Duke. That game is not that far from a pick'em. So one game at a time, and stay optimistic.

So I apologize for the Debbie Downer comments below. But we are getting hurt along the margins of a Q1/Q2 victory. We are currently witnessing a slow leak in ACC NET's caused by the ACC's overall poor OOC compared to other power conferences and even the MWC. Those conferences prop themselves up more when they play each other, so the ACC starts to slowly drop.

NC State looks like it will be a Q2 win (#30 is the cutoff and they are 36 before tonight's loss)
Duke would be a Q2 win as of now. (#30 is the cutoff and they are 32, and will be worse if we beat them)
Clemson is at #77 (At #75 they would be a Q1 road win)
Wake is at #73 (Will they stay in the top 75 so we could get a Q2 win)

What hurts will all the above is that are worst metric already is quality wins.

View attachment 225074

At this point I could talk myself into being thrilled with 20 wins and some “I know we didn’t have the resume but if we’d gotten in the dance, NOBODY would’ve wanted to play us! We were red hot!”

 

[Orangezoo]

Great win tonight, and we certainly have a real chance against Duke. That game is not that far from a pick'em. So one game at a time, and stay optimistic.

So I apologize for the Debbie Downer comments below. But we are getting hurt along the margins of a Q1/Q2 victory. We are currently witnessing a slow leak in ACC NET's caused by the ACC's overall poor OOC compared to other power conferences and even the MWC. Those conferences prop themselves up more when they play each other, so the ACC starts to slowly drop.

NC State looks like it will be a Q2 win (#30 is the cutoff and they are 36 before tonight's loss)
Duke would be a Q2 win as of now. (#30 is the cutoff and they are 32, and will be worse if we beat them)
Clemson is at #77 (At #75 they would be a Q1 road win)
Wake is at #73 (Will they stay in the top 75 so we could get a Q2 win)

What hurts will all the above is that are worst metric already is quality wins.

View attachment 225074

Pitt is looking like the best shot to get a q1 win unless Clemson moves up.

Playing better with momentum is the biggest thing right now. Win out and we get to 6 combined q1/2 wins.

Not sure where that puts us seeding wise but the pelt we need would be UVA or ACCT win. I still just don't see how anything but winning the ACCT gets us in..

 

[OptimusOtto]

Best realistic path in my eyes is taking care of the remaining home games, splitting the road games then probably needing at least 2 ACCT wins with 1 of them being UVA/Miami.

Beat Duke on Saturday and these hypotheticals start sounding less crazy

 

[kcsu]

Keep winning.

 

[stlorange]

Guys, the only way is winning the ACC tourney. Early season OOC losses killed our chances otherwise. And I'm pleased that the team is definitely better now than early in the season. Nice progress but we're probably looking at a worse team next year given the likely departures of Joe, Jessie, and JM (arguably our best players) and probably others--it will be very difficult to get equally good players in the portal IMO.

 

[djcon57]

obviously Duke is big, but we’ve been competitive at home vs anyone.

not so much vs anyone valid on the road outside of keeping it close vs Miami. lets win on the road, then I’m in.

 

[Nicknack]

Guys, the only way is winning the ACC tourney. Early season OOC losses killed our chances otherwise. And I'm pleased that the team is definitely better now than early in the season. Nice progress but we're probably looking at a worse team next year given the likely departures of Joe, Jessie, and JM (arguably our best players) and probably others--it will be very difficult to get equally good players in the portal IMO.

You sure bring cheer to the party after a solid win. What else ya got?

 

[Irt4su]

Keep winning.

This is literally the only thing that matters.

 

[Cuse181]

Guys, the only way is winning the ACC tourney. Early season OOC losses killed our chances otherwise. And I'm pleased that the team is definitely better now than early in the season. Nice progress but we're probably looking at a worse team next year given the likely departures of Joe, Jessie, and JM (arguably our best players) and probably others--it will be very difficult to get equally good players in the portal IMO.

Ya just never know. As far as the team being worse next year? That’s unlikely. You keep the core + a couple transfers and you have as good a chance as anyone. Pitt fans thought this year would be a train wreck considering the players leaving and they’re #1 in the ACC.

 

[elimunelson]

Beat Duke and we suddenly are a "team to watch". 17-10 with 3 to go. My guess 19-11, win two in the ACCT and we can be a team with a camera on it for Selection Sunday. That's 21-12 with a bunch of end of year big wins.

I have no idea if we can do this mind you but it's good to be playing well now vs earlier

 

[elimunelson]

Further, Lunardi has UNC in right now.

Other than the Ohio St victory, what are their big victories? I feel like UNC is the team that needs to fall off for us to be moved into their slot bracketology wise.

 

[Dave]

Further, Lunardi has UNC in right now.

Other than the Ohio St victory, what are their big victories? I feel like UNC is the team that needs to fall off for us to be moved into their slot bracketology wise.

You mean the big win against a team with high expectations but which fell off a cliff?