Why Ohio State Will Win

[SWC75]

- Because they are better than we are. If Fab Melo’s suspension had been announced prior to the seeding, they would have been the #1 seed, not us. They are the first team we’ve played with comparable depth, (9 guys average 10+ minutes per game), and talent to ours. Sure Kansas State and Wisconsin were famous for their tough man-to-man defenses but they didn’t have the athletes we have and couldn’t keep up with our guys. The Buckeyes can. And they have more firepower than we do. Sullinger, Thomas and Buford are the best 1-2-3 punch in the country. They can score inside and out. They come from the toughest conference in the country. Nobody goes 17-1 and in the Big Ten. They are built to take out Syracuse. Frankly, I’d rather be playing Kentucky right now. I’d feel better about our chances.

- Christmas and Keita had 8 fouls in 39 minutes Thursday night guarding air. Sullinger will foul them both out, maybe by halftime. Then he’ll start fouling out the forwards. We may wind up with nothing but guards or walk-ons out there. Matt Tomaszewski’s career may not be over after all.

- Our famous zone didn’t look like much vs. Wisconsin. They had no inside game at all yet we got suckered in every time by a pass inside and then back out. They are passing inside to Sullinger and then back out to Thomas or Bedford. The shooting percentage on threes is always higher when the pass is from the inside out. Last year Ohio State had a game in which they made 14 threes- in 15 attempts. They could do it again.

- The guys chasing us in their man for man will be just as fast as the guys they are chasing. Tom Izzo called Aaron Craft the best man-to-man defender he’s ever seen. He can make your star player disappear. Or make your point guard stink up the joint, something ours often needs no help to do.

- Hurray! We are finally back in the Elite 8! Who did we beat to get here? UNC-Ashville, a 16 seed that made us look bad. Kansas State, a team without perhaps it’s best player that couldn’t shoot. Wisconsin, a team with no inside game that was too slow to guard us that we were lucky as hell to survive against. How impressive is that, really? What does that have to do with beating Ohio State? Or North Carolina? Or Kansas? Or Kentucky?

- We have been fooling ourselves that we can overcome the loss of Fab Melo and still win the national championship. We just haven’t played a game where his absence mattered. It matters now. I hope you enjoy watching this, Fab, wherever you are.

- Sorry folks, but it ends tonight.

 

[orangecuse]

Ma

- Because they are better than we are. If Fab Melo’s suspension had been announced prior to the seeding, they would have been the #1 seed, not us. They are the first team we’ve played with comparable depth, (9 guys average 10+ minutes per game), and talent to ours. Sure Kansas State and Wisconsin were famous for their tough man-to-man defenses but they didn’t have the athletes we have and couldn’t keep up with our guys. The Buckeyes can. And they have more firepower than we do. Sullinger, Thomas and Buford are the best 1-2-3 punch in the country. They can score inside and out. They come from the toughest conference in the country. Nobody goes 17-1 and in the Big Ten. They are built to take out Syracuse. Frankly, I’d rather be playing Kentucky right now. I’d feel better about our chances.

- Christmas and Keita had 8 fouls in 39 minutes Thursday night guarding air. Sullinger will foul them both out, maybe by halftime. Then he’ll start fouling out the forwards. We may wind up with nothing but guards or walk-ons out there. Matt Tomaszewski’s career may not be over after all.

- Our famous zone didn’t look like much vs. Wisconsin. They had no inside game at all yet we got suckered in every time by a pass inside and then back out. They are passing inside to Sullinger and then back out to Thomas or Bedford. The shooting percentage on threes is always higher when the pass is from the inside out. Last year Ohio State had a game in which they made 14 threes- in 15 attempts. They could do it again.

- The guys chasing us in their man for man will be just as fast as the guys they are chasing. Tom Izzo called Aaron Craft the best man-to-man defender he’s ever seen. He can make your star player disappear. Or make your point guard stink up the joint, something ours often needs no help to do.

- Hurray! We are finally back in the Elite 8! Who did we beat to get here? UNC-Ashville, a 16 seed that made us look bad. Kansas State, a team without perhaps it’s best player that couldn’t shoot. Wisconsin, a team with no inside game that was too slow to guard us that we were lucky as hell to survive against. How impressive is that, really? What does that have to do with beating Ohio State? Or North Carolina? Or Kansas? Or Kentucky?

- We have been fooling ourselves that we can overcome the loss of Fab Melo and still win the national championship. We just haven’t played a game where his absence mattered. It matters now. I hope you enjoy watching this, Fab, wherever you are.

- Sorry folks, but it ends tonight.

Maybe, we'll see. But no matter who does the analysis paralysis, that's why they play the game...

 

[Hoov50]

- Because they are better than we are. If Fab Melo’s suspension had been announced prior to the seeding, they would have been the #1 seed, not us. They are the first team we’ve played with comparable depth, (9 guys average 10+ minutes per game), and talent to ours. Sure Kansas State and Wisconsin were famous for their tough man-to-man defenses but they didn’t have the athletes we have and couldn’t keep up with our guys. The Buckeyes can. And they have more firepower than we do. Sullinger, Thomas and Buford are the best 1-2-3 punch in the country. They can score inside and out. They come from the toughest conference in the country. Nobody goes 17-1 and in the Big Ten. They are built to take out Syracuse. Frankly, I’d rather be playing Kentucky right now. I’d feel better about our chances.

- Christmas and Keita had 8 fouls in 39 minutes Thursday night guarding air. Sullinger will foul them both out, maybe by halftime. Then he’ll start fouling out the forwards. We may wind up with nothing but guards or walk-ons out there. Matt Tomaszewski’s career may not be over after all.

- Our famous zone didn’t look like much vs. Wisconsin. They had no inside game at all yet we got suckered in every time by a pass inside and then back out. They are passing inside to Sullinger and then back out to Thomas or Bedford. The shooting percentage on threes is always higher when the pass is from the inside out. Last year Ohio State had a game in which they made 14 threes- in 15 attempts. They could do it again.

- The guys chasing us in their man for man will be just as fast as the guys they are chasing. Tom Izzo called Aaron Craft the best man-to-man defender he’s ever seen. He can make your star player disappear. Or make your point guard stink up the joint, something ours often needs no help to do.

- Hurray! We are finally back in the Elite 8! Who did we beat to get here? UNC-Ashville, a 16 seed that made us look bad. Kansas State, a team without perhaps it’s best player that couldn’t shoot. Wisconsin, a team with no inside game that was too slow to guard us that we were lucky as hell to survive against. How impressive is that, really? What does that have to do with beating Ohio State? Or North Carolina? Or Kansas? Or Kentucky?

- We have been fooling ourselves that we can overcome the loss of Fab Melo and still win the national championship. We just haven’t played a game where his absence mattered. It matters now. I hope you enjoy watching this, Fab, wherever you are.

- Sorry folks, but it ends tonight.

I seriously question if you are a true Syracuse fan. If all you are waiting to do is say "I told you so," when Syracuse loses, perhaps your internet time would be best spent elsewhere.

 

[Garbs]

"That's why they invented the scoreboard" -some coach

but i will bite, two things:

- So sullinger will foul our guys out but will get no fouls himself?
- They have no bench
- They are very young and inexperienced

 

[Hoov50]

Fwiw, just saw your equally long why Syracuse will win thread buried below. I will now take my keyboard/foot out of my mouth.

 

[swish7]

Fwiw, just saw your equally long why Syracuse will win thread buried below. I will now take my keyboard/foot out of my mouth.

SWC does this every game. It's a good shtick, and known qty, if you are looking for analysis that leans one way or the other.

 

[br801]

Fwiw, just saw your equally long why Syracuse will win thread buried below. I will now take my keyboard/foot out of my mouth.

Don't feel bad. That SWC75 guy is pretty low profile and almost never posts here.

 

[LAOrange]

Steve: You are absolutely one of my favorite posters. Your reports on Boeheim's and Marrone's Thursday night shows is invaluable to the expats. Keep it up.

 

[NineOneSeven]

- Because they are better than we are. If Fab Melo’s suspension had been announced prior to the seeding, they would have been the #1 seed, not us. They are the first team we’ve played with comparable depth, (9 guys average 10+ minutes per game), and talent to ours. Sure Kansas State and Wisconsin were famous for their tough man-to-man defenses but they didn’t have the athletes we have and couldn’t keep up with our guys. The Buckeyes can. And they have more firepower than we do. Sullinger, Thomas and Buford are the best 1-2-3 punch in the country. They can score inside and out. They come from the toughest conference in the country. Nobody goes 17-1 and in the Big Ten. They are built to take out Syracuse. Frankly, I’d rather be playing Kentucky right now. I’d feel better about our chances.

- Christmas and Keita had 8 fouls in 39 minutes Thursday night guarding air. Sullinger will foul them both out, maybe by halftime. Then he’ll start fouling out the forwards. We may wind up with nothing but guards or walk-ons out there. Matt Tomaszewski’s career may not be over after all.

- Our famous zone didn’t look like much vs. Wisconsin. They had no inside game at all yet we got suckered in every time by a pass inside and then back out. They are passing inside to Sullinger and then back out to Thomas or Bedford. The shooting percentage on threes is always higher when the pass is from the inside out. Last year Ohio State had a game in which they made 14 threes- in 15 attempts. They could do it again.

- The guys chasing us in their man for man will be just as fast as the guys they are chasing. Tom Izzo called Aaron Craft the best man-to-man defender he’s ever seen. He can make your star player disappear. Or make your point guard stink up the joint, something ours often needs no help to do.

- Hurray! We are finally back in the Elite 8! Who did we beat to get here? UNC-Ashville, a 16 seed that made us look bad. Kansas State, a team without perhaps it’s best player that couldn’t shoot. Wisconsin, a team with no inside game that was too slow to guard us that we were lucky as hell to survive against. How impressive is that, really? What does that have to do with beating Ohio State? Or North Carolina? Or Kansas? Or Kentucky?

- We have been fooling ourselves that we can overcome the loss of Fab Melo and still win the national championship. We just haven’t played a game where his absence mattered. It matters now. I hope you enjoy watching this, Fab, wherever you are.

- Sorry folks, but it ends tonight.

My guess is he will be at Chucks. Saw him there on Thursday after the game. Yes folks, he really is THAT dumb. He is quickly becoming one of my least favorite SU players of all time.

 

[RF2044]

You lost me after the first line, SWC.

We're going to be the better team tonight.

Let's Go Orange!!!

 

[albanycuse]

I hate posts on why the other team will win, i dont know how you do it. F the other team and f the other team everytime.

 

[cap2nine]

- Because they are better than we are. If Fab Melo’s suspension had been announced prior to the seeding, they would have been the #1 seed, not us. They are the first team we’ve played with comparable depth, (9 guys average 10+ minutes per game), and talent to ours. Sure Kansas State and Wisconsin were famous for their tough man-to-man defenses but they didn’t have the athletes we have and couldn’t keep up with our guys. The Buckeyes can. And they have more firepower than we do. Sullinger, Thomas and Buford are the best 1-2-3 punch in the country. They can score inside and out. They come from the toughest conference in the country. Nobody goes 17-1 and in the Big Ten. They are built to take out Syracuse. Frankly, I’d rather be playing Kentucky right now. I’d feel better about our chances.

- Christmas and Keita had 8 fouls in 39 minutes Thursday night guarding air. Sullinger will foul them both out, maybe by halftime. Then he’ll start fouling out the forwards. We may wind up with nothing but guards or walk-ons out there. Matt Tomaszewski’s career may not be over after all.

- Our famous zone didn’t look like much vs. Wisconsin. They had no inside game at all yet we got suckered in every time by a pass inside and then back out. They are passing inside to Sullinger and then back out to Thomas or Bedford. The shooting percentage on threes is always higher when the pass is from the inside out. Last year Ohio State had a game in which they made 14 threes- in 15 attempts. They could do it again.

- The guys chasing us in their man for man will be just as fast as the guys they are chasing. Tom Izzo called Aaron Craft the best man-to-man defender he’s ever seen. He can make your star player disappear. Or make your point guard stink up the joint, something ours often needs no help to do.

- Hurray! We are finally back in the Elite 8! Who did we beat to get here? UNC-Ashville, a 16 seed that made us look bad. Kansas State, a team without perhaps it’s best player that couldn’t shoot. Wisconsin, a team with no inside game that was too slow to guard us that we were lucky as hell to survive against. How impressive is that, really? What does that have to do with beating Ohio State? Or North Carolina? Or Kansas? Or Kentucky?

- We have been fooling ourselves that we can overcome the loss of Fab Melo and still win the national championship. We just haven’t played a game where his absence mattered. It matters now. I hope you enjoy watching this, Fab, wherever you are.

- Sorry folks, but it ends tonight.

There's no doubt that OSU is a very good team but there is plenty to disagree about with your post.

Regardless of Melo's suspension I don't think it’s fair to say that "they are better than we are". Even if we would have been seeded differently (which is debatable) with an earlier announcement regarding Melo, the seeding doesn't always indicate the better team. MSU lost because they played a better team, as did G'town. In the record books these may look like upsets but upon examination and in my estimation, the better team was simply seeded lower.

"They can score inside and out." This is true. "They come from the toughest conference in the country." This is not. Despite popular reports of the BE's demise, ours is still the most difficult conference and the toughest regular season grind. You say "Nobody goes 17-1... in the Big Ten." but do you really believe OSU would have gone 17-1 in the Big East? A rhetorical question obviously but I would be more than a little surprised if ANY sport analyst believes they would have.

"Christmas and Keita had 8 fouls in 39 minutes Thursday night" Another true statement, but please consider that the last 2 fouls on Keita were quite deliberate, to deny easy baskets down low. It was a calculated decision by Boeheim to prevent interior scoring by Wisconsin, at all costs, in the final minutes of the game... and it worked.

"Our famous zone didn’t look like much vs. Wisconsin." Perhaps not but against Wiscy, we were forced to play their tempo and style of game and they had to shoot incredibly well from long range to make a real game of it. It is highly unlikely, although granted not impossible, that OSU will have anywhere near that kind of 3pt. success, nor will they play such a controlled possession style. Both factor in to make this a less difficult defensive game for us.

" The guys chasing us in their man for man will be just as fast as the guys they are chasing." You mean GUY, not guys. Craft is a fantastic defender and he will nullify Scoop when he is playing point and give Waiters great fits too when defending him. Luckily, unless he's magical on top of good, he can only defend one at a time. And, Triche will get plenty of run too to make sure we are relatively fresh at Point throughout the game.

I'm not saying that the absence of Melo does not hurt our chances nor that OSU is incapable of beating us. What I am saying is that this is a good matchup and we have the opportunity to dictate the tone and tempo. Our keys are to play 40 intense minutes, take it right to them on offense, and stick with the defense that got us here. It doesn't matter who we beat to get here or who we will play next weekend. It's become a one game season and against OSU, I definitely like our chances. LGO!!!

 

[NovaOrange]

Sorry can't disagree more every round some one on this board has a bad feeling. This squad is so ready for OSU I think the turnovers sky rocket for the Buckeyes late and we win by 5.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

You guys dont get it. . The "why we will win" post will be following.

 

[newmexicuse]

SWC, I know your unbiased posting style - "Upside" & "Downside", why we will win, why we will lose. Normally, what you do is great.

However, this is the time to put on the Orange shaded goggles & believe. Of course, a loss is possible, but pre-game the focus at this point in the season should be on what WE are going to do & HOW we are going to do it - to THEM. I want to think about what WE CAN AND WILL do, not about what they might do or what we can't do.

Botton line - we have two serviceable centers, three good forwards, & three very good to excellent guards who will get minutes. We have an outstanding D. If we play our game on D & get good O games from five of our top eight guys we are the ones who will be the very tough out.

 

[SWC75]

I'm a baadddd boy!!!

http://syracusefan.com/threads/why-syracuse-will-win.23317/

 

[Hoov50]

Don't feel bad. That SWC75 guy is pretty low profile and almost never posts here.

Haha, I am so amped up I didn't even look to see who posted it, just reacted.

 

[rrlbees]

Are you seriously kidding me that some of you have never seen SWC's why we win, why we lose posts after years of doing it for every game?

 

[Fjoinkay]

My biggest concern is SU shooting too may 3 pt shots. When they settle for 3s they struggle. In SU's 2 losses this year they attempted more than 20 3 pt shots. SU lost to Cincy in the BET when they took 29 shots from 3, but SU beat Cincy earlier in the season without Fab when the took only 12 from 3.

 

[SWC75]

Are you seriously kidding me that some of you have never seen SWC's why we win, why we lose posts after years of doing it for every game?

To be fair, I usually don't do it for basketball. It's kind of hard to think of ways Colgate could beat us. But I think Ohio State is a bit more of a challenge.