MBB: Syracuse - Florida

[chrisheery]

Watching this game, Syracuse looks like a really good team. I guess we knew that already because they handled Carolina so easily, but how did they improve after losing their best player? Amazing.

For what it is worth, I think the defense they are playing would be an ideal defense for our guys to play this year.

[DukieBoy]

Watching this game, Syracuse looks like a really good team. I guess we knew that already because they handled Carolina so easily, but how did they improve after losing their best player? Amazing.

For what it is worth, I think the defense they are playing would be an ideal defense for our guys to play this year.

Well, like the announcer (I can't remember who it was) said, they traded 3 players who didn't wanna play defense last year in Devendorf, Harris, and Flynn, with 3 players who are sold into the system defensively. They are a very tough defensive team

[El_Diablo]

Well, like the announcer (I can't remember who it was) said, they traded 3 players who didn't wanna play defense last year in Devendorf, Harris, and Flynn, with 3 players who are sold into the system defensively. They are a very tough defensive team

Well, that's just not true. Devendorf was actually very good at getting a hand in someone's face:

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/story/11116159/rss

[Wheat/"/"/"]

They are a very tough defensive team

On my way home from sitting baseline corner two rows up with my good friend/host StrayGator for this game...

Syracuse D is for real. I was totally impressed. They give up nothing easy inside the 3pt line. They are big and strong every position.

Their offense is balanced and patient. Johnson is an NBA talent, long quick and bouncy. The bigs have moves inside and are.strong on the boards.

A very disiplined and well coached team,no weakness I saw.

I'd say we will see them in the final 4.

Florida has some talent too, Played tough but young.

They were simply out matched.

For a guy who made them pretty good tonight, Boyton has an ugly shot,

Shout out to StrayGator again for the invite and Tix- he proved that cats and dogs can play together :)

[jipops]

How many times did we see a Florida entry pass get tipped away by that Cuse zone? I agree, the Orangemen are very impressive.

The Boynton kid for Florida looks pretty darn good too with a nice stroke.

[Devilsfan]

That's why we wanted him along with Monroe, Wall, Bledsoe, Patterson, Barnes etc. Our staff can definitely identify talent.

[superdave]

Is Syracuse the class of the Big East this year? I'm not sure Villanova has enough inside. I have not seen WV, and UConn and Georgetown appear a notch below.

That's a solid top 5 though - better than the ACC's top 5.

[crimsonandblue]

Watching this game, Syracuse looks like a really good team. I guess we knew that already because they handled Carolina so easily, but how did they improve after losing their best player? Amazing.

For what it is worth, I think the defense they are playing would be an ideal defense for our guys to play this year.

I think Wesley Johnson has really made this team. He's a transfer from Iowa State who was really good against Kansas the couple times we played him. Very versatile. Long. Very skilled. A good guy for the zone.

The Orange are a really intersting team. I'd love to see them play a Kentucky squad and see if Kentucky could do anything with that zone.

[Stray Gator]

I had the pleasure of observing the action last night from courtside seats with my old friend Wheat--ironically, the last time we sat together for a Syracuse game was against Duke in the '98 Sweet Sixteen matchup in St. Pete (which ended with the disappointing regional final loss to Kentucky after being 17 points up). Last night, we agreed that Syracuse looks like a potential Final Four contender--very strong and beefy across the front line, very disciplined at both ends of the floor, and as you would expect, very well-schooled in Boeheim's signature zone defense.

Offensively, they had a little bit of trouble breaking the press at times, and for some reason their interior passing that was brilliant in the first half became more erratic in the second--it seemed to me like communication breakdowns more so than any defensive adjustments by Donovan. But their shot selection was generally quite patient and mature.

Defensively, Syracuse was just a monster/fortress. UF was able to feed some passes inside on flashes across the lane with crisp ball movement around the perimeter early on, but the resulting mid-range jumpers just weren't falling consistently--in part because the shots had to be rushed to avoid Syracuse's excellent recovery. The only vulnerability I see there is the obvious: An opponent that can hit a high percentage from behind the arc, which is the only thing that enabled Florida to hang close until the end.

The game atmosphere was pretty good, considering the circumstances. Props to the 'Cuse fans who turned out in surprisingly large numbers. The Gators also ramped it up nicely during that one second-half run. In sum, a great college basketball game experience. Thanks to Wheat and his pal for making the drive up to Tampa and joining me!

[Bob Green]

I have a co-worker from upstate New York who is a huge Syracuse fan so I've been a relatively close follower of the Orange for the past couple of seasons. Wesley Johnson is a beast and Andy Rautins has the ability to get really hot from downtown. I would really like to see Coach Boeheim and his squad back in the Final Four.

[Johnny Jungle]

Cuse was certainly a bit underrated coming into the season. Losing such valuable minutes with Dorf, Harris, and Flynn. I think people forget how good Boheim is at developing talent quickly. All of his guys seem to fit right in and contribute right away.

I didn't think Wesley Johnson was as good as he has been coming into the season. I don't think Mookie Jones did either (unhappy Soph riding the pine).

They will certainly be a threat because they have the talent inside. Onuaku is one of the strongest guys in college basketball and Rick Jackson is very unheralded complimentary forward who plays very within himself.

As for the class of the Big East ehhh I give the nod to WVU. Although I know WVU is battling a lot of character/behavioral issues which aren't exactly being publicized so they may implode. Nova is definitely overrated. Their guards are so good but they have nothing, I mean nothing inside. Sutton wouldn't sniff minutes on most Big East teams and he's logging big minutes. Taylor King playing down low isn't going to last in conference play.

Big East is so strong top to bottom. Teams to watch out for on the rise Cincy, Seton Hall, and St. John's. While Georgetown and ND are overrated right now. Marquette will surprise some people too Buzz Williams is one hell of a coach.

[devildownunder]

Watching this game, Syracuse looks like a really good team. I guess we knew that already because they handled Carolina so easily, but how did they improve after losing their best player? Amazing.

For what it is worth, I think the defense they are playing would be an ideal defense for our guys to play this year.

The problem w/that notion is that it's is very difficult to teach and convince guys to play Syracuse's active, pinching, adaptive 2-3 if you only do it part time. Heck, Boeheim has been teaching it and playing it almost exclusively for what, 30 years now? And he's only really gotten the handle on getting his teams to play it consistently well in the last decade or so. K's standard MO is man-to-man and I don't see how he'd ever get his guys to play a 2-3 anything like SU's if he taught it and played it only a small portion of the time.

I think for K, any zone defense will be an occasional utility designed to steal a few minutes of rest for big men (see the 1991 NC game) or exploit a particularly weak perimeter opponent. Anything more than that would require a major change in philosophy that's not going to happen.

[sagegrouse]

If Syracuse has a great season (30 wins or more), then the leftover for the refrigerator is that the 'Cuse lost an exhbition game to lowly LeMoyne College. It should be brought to the table when some other top power has a rough time in an exhibition.

I mean, an exhibition is an EXHIBITION. It doesn't count in any standings, and the coaches are not necessarily even trying to win.

sagegrouse
'Someone else mentioned LeMoyne in this thread, but I couldn't find the posting in order to give credit'