Will SU leave January undefeated?

[A Clockwork Orange]

I'm saying 'no.' I think they will lose one game they should win before the end of the month. Most likely candidates are Marquette, ND or Cincy.

 

[jekelish]

I'm going to say no. We play Nova, Cincy, WVU, Marquette, Pitt and Notre Dame at different points during that stretch. They might be having bad years but we always have What losses in the Big East. I'm predicting we lose one, maybe two of those games. Most likely being at Pitt, because we always struggle with them.

 

[Marsh01]

I'm saying 'no.' I think they will lose one game they should win before the end of the month. Most likely candidates are Marquette, ND or Cincy.

I am more concerned with the Cincy game than the Marquette game. I honestly think we are going to put on a clinic the day of the Marquette game and run them off the floor. That game doesn't worry me in the least. Losing Otule was huge for them and they are clearly not the same team.

Cincy, on the road however could certainly be challenging. That team really has impressed me since losing Gates & company to suspensions. Reminds me of when ND lost Harryugly and they were actually a better team without him.

 

[raf4488]

Yes

 

[Oakland]

I'm saying 'no.' I think they will lose one game they should win before the end of the month. Most likely candidates are Marquette, ND or Cincy.

26.47% chance based on my proprietary analytical system, minus 15% for the annual mini-swoon that starts at the end of Jan, equals 11.47% chance of being undefeated.

 

[Cuseman78]

No

 

[armory]

False choice is false.

 

[mark79]

Yes, unless any of the mounting injuries to our key players become more serious.

 

[jimsonjunction]

I am more concerned with the Cincy game than the Marquette game. I honestly think we are going to put on a clinic the day of the Marquette game and run them off the floor. That game doesn't worry me in the least. Losing Otule was huge for them and they are clearly not the same team.

Cincy, on the road however could certainly be challenging. That team really has impressed me since losing Gates & company to suspensions. Reminds me of when ND lost Harryugly and they were actually a better team without him.

I agree. I think we beat all of those teams this year, but if I had to pick one possible slip-up, it would be Cincy or Pitt.

I really believe that we will smash Marquette in the mouth this year, and I look forward to watching it. We saw how this team played with a chip on it's shoulder against Seton Hall. From the opening tip of that game, our guys came out leaning on the gas pedal, trying to embarrass the opponent. Most of us felt that we should have won both games against Marquette last year. Surely the entire team and coaching staff feels the same way and will be motivated for revenge.

 

[SkanSU]

@ providence ... w
Marquette ... not been impressive ... Otule out ... small team in the Dome and REVENGE W
@ Villanova ... they just haven't got it together this year W
Providence ... if they can't beat us in Providence hey have no chance in the Dome W
Pittsburgh ... 3 game losing streak and can't win on their own floor W
@ Notre Dame... Nore Dame can't even play at Notre Dame and they haven't got their usual 3 point threat W
@ Cincy ... Don't know if Gates will be back... won't matter. Cincy overrated. W
West Virginia ... team is a shadow of itself ... SU and the Dome v. Kevin Jones ... W

That's all folks: January 8 W 0 L

 

[Eric15]

I'm saying 'no.' I think they will lose one game they should win before the end of the month. Most likely candidates are Marquette, ND or Cincy.

All I know is, I don't think I'll be able to emotionally recover from another loss to Pitt this year. I just can't handle it. We are significantly more talented, and it looks like they stink. If they come in the Dome and punch us in the mouth and intimidate us and carve up our zone like they do year after year after year, I will be dead inside.

 

[SkanSU]

I'm going to say no. We play Nova, Cincy, WVU, Marquette, Pitt and Notre Dame at different points during that stretch. They might be having bad years but we always have What losses in the Big East. I'm predicting we lose one, maybe two of those games. Most likely being at Pitt, because we always struggle with them.

Sorry Jekel ... we play Pitt here this year ... all the more reason we whump them

 

[arbitragegls]

Yes...we go undefeated...we may only lose twice all year...and will be perfect 6-0 in March dance to win NC

 

[armory]

Imagine being 24-0 going into our home game vs. Georgetown. What an atmosphere that would be.

 

[SkanSU]

Imagine being 24-0 going into our home game vs. Georgetown. What an atmosphere that would be.

I'm not sure I would be envious of us in that position. We'd be 24-0 and still #1. The teams we play in Feb... our toughest month will be so up to 1) beat the #1 team in the country while at the same time, 2) lay the first loss on us. Now that would be a lockerroom bulletin board special before every game.

 

[jordoo]

I think we will win out in January. Even though a lot of BE teams are down that is still no easy task. It's just that this particuloar team has all the parts and doubles of most. It seems we can still improve a lot going forward and we are seeing improvment as a team and by specific players even since we started BE play. I'm really starting to be sold on this team and I was a bit hesitant even when we hit number 1. But that Seton Hall win was domination of a pretty good team even though we shot the ball very poorly from 3, Kris didn't score and we started out pretty slow offensively.

 

[Orangezoo]

Definitely Yes.. but agree about the injury statement. Outside of Yancy Gates and to a lesser extent Cooley at ND.. not one of those teams has a low post threat that is going to be enough of a difference maker. If we can dominate shooting under 40 percent... I don't expect a bunch of teams (only of which is a top 25 team) that we have at one point in the past five years struggled with is going trip us up. The teams I think that could give us trouble this year are the ville, Uconn and Gtown. And I think we possible lose to 2/3 of that group and finish the Regular season with 2 losses.

This years group is too difficult to match up with inside and is able to extend on the shooters. The depth allows JB to simply pull the plug on whoever does not want to play defense or take care of the ball. Hopefully we can start fast against the Friars and get Rak some minutes. Want to keep Baye healthy for the stretch run. Outside of ND and Pitt (ball movement) I dont see any teams who are going to be able to do more than hit jumpers. If six of our 10 play awfully ,we dont rebound and the refs start calling phantom fouls against Fab - then yes we could leave January with a loss or three.

Not to go on a rant.. but does anyone else not even notice we are undefeated? Often times its the 15-0, 16-0.. how long can we stretch it conversation. This year its more like.. who is going to beat us the way we are playing.. and if we do lose.. its going to take a monumental effort to do so now with the way the team is clicking.

Give me Carolina or UK.. nobody (thanks to the improvements of Dion/Fab) is able to come at you with as much attacking prowess, aggressive defense and individual talent as SU other than the buckeyes. On that note.. other than Bufords lights out shooting abilities I think we are a tough matchup for them as well. This team is making teams look bad.. competition has a little to do with that.. but we have seen stretches of play to show how this team simply hits another gear when its needed. Waiters, Kris and CJ have been big in looking to turn the tide.. with scoop and Trich adding some polish, leaving Melo to deflower opponents time and time again as they try to get easy buckets.

 

[Marsh01]

Imagine being 24-0 going into our home game vs. Georgetown. What an atmosphere that would be.

I may have to throw an orange at the backboard if that happens. You know, for old times sake.

 

[DeGrozz]

If you asked this three weeks ago, I would have said no. But Marquette is a shell of itself post-injury and Pitt has a real down year compared to what was expected of them.

An interesting match-up might be against WVU. They have an NBA player in Kevin Jones who every now and then looks like he could be a lotto pick (Baylor game), but they lack experience -- it seems like half of their team are (pretty talented) freshman. If things start to click with them after a handful of conference games, they could be great game at the end of the month. They're probably a season or two away though...

 

[PoppyHart]

@ providence ... w
Marquette ... not been impressive ... Otule out ... small team in the Dome and REVENGE W
@ Villanova ... they just haven't got it together this year W
Providence ... if they can't beat us in Providence hey have no chance in the Dome W
Pittsburgh ... 3 game losing streak and can't win on their own floor W
@ Notre Dame... Nore Dame can't even play at Notre Dame and they haven't got their usual 3 point threat W
@ Cincy ... Don't know if Gates will be back... won't matter. Cincy overrated. W
West Virginia ... team is a shadow of itself ... SU and the Dome v. Kevin Jones ... W

That's all folks: January 8 W 0 L

They do have a 28 game win streak at home so I wouldn't say that just yet.

 

[Flora'cuse]

Yes
and Feb, and March