Sweet Sixteen
There's another week of basketball around here. It's been five years, but the Orange are back to the Sweet Sixteen. ASU made me nervous, because they had the potential to shoot over the top of our zone. When teams can drill threes all day, that's typically a big problem for the 2-3. But even though we left that Serbian kid alone too often, allowing him a career high, the zone was very active most of the day. Looking back over this late season resurgence, it really has been fueled by the defense. In most games that ended in regulation (three of the last nine wins have come in overtime), we've held the opponent under seventy. Same thing today, even though Arizona State hit thirteen threes.
Plus, Rautins and Devo were hitting from the outside today, with eight threes between them. That was a welcome change from Friday, when no one could buy a three. Turnovers were way down in the first half, but second half got sloppy again. If they're to have any chance against Oklahoma, they just can't commit unforced turnovers. So here's the formula for next weekend. Active D, plus a bunch of threes, minus turnovers, equals half a chance to advance to the regional finals.
Here are a few more numbers to think about. Five Big East teams are still playing in the tourney; and had Marquette managed to hang to their lead for another couple minutes, it would have been six. Six of the Orange losses this past season came at the hands of the other four Big East teams that are still playing. Today was the 799th win for Boeheim, and by my calculations, if Cuse should manage to beat Oklahoma next Friday, that will be the eight-hundredth win for the coach. Pretty impressive for a guy from Lyons.
No matter what happens from this point on, it's been a good season by any measure. The team was exciting, even if they were often exasperating. After a mid-season swoon, they rebounded nicely, and had a great run through the Big East Tourney. I figured that the best we could reasonably expect this year was sweet sixteen, and whaddya know? We're going to the sweet sixteen.
And by the way, Mike was in the house for both games in Miami. Too bad we couldn't get it organized to get all of us down there for the weekend. But Mike, let's hear about it. Or why not post a couple photos? And next weekend, Go Orange.
Plus, Rautins and Devo were hitting from the outside today, with eight threes between them. That was a welcome change from Friday, when no one could buy a three. Turnovers were way down in the first half, but second half got sloppy again. If they're to have any chance against Oklahoma, they just can't commit unforced turnovers. So here's the formula for next weekend. Active D, plus a bunch of threes, minus turnovers, equals half a chance to advance to the regional finals.
Here are a few more numbers to think about. Five Big East teams are still playing in the tourney; and had Marquette managed to hang to their lead for another couple minutes, it would have been six. Six of the Orange losses this past season came at the hands of the other four Big East teams that are still playing. Today was the 799th win for Boeheim, and by my calculations, if Cuse should manage to beat Oklahoma next Friday, that will be the eight-hundredth win for the coach. Pretty impressive for a guy from Lyons.
No matter what happens from this point on, it's been a good season by any measure. The team was exciting, even if they were often exasperating. After a mid-season swoon, they rebounded nicely, and had a great run through the Big East Tourney. I figured that the best we could reasonably expect this year was sweet sixteen, and whaddya know? We're going to the sweet sixteen.
And by the way, Mike was in the house for both games in Miami. Too bad we couldn't get it organized to get all of us down there for the weekend. But Mike, let's hear about it. Or why not post a couple photos? And next weekend, Go Orange.
posted by pops | 2:32 PM
2 Comments:
And the party Ellen and I attended this afternoon was just lovely. NO COMMITMENTS for this Friday and I'll be optimistic, next Sunday either. Ahh, it's March and the Orange are battling on. It doesn't get any better.
Chip
As I predicted, before the Selection Sunday, the Cuse to get a top 4 seeding and reach the Sweet 16.
With no Sr. starters and playing against a team that would have been a #1 seed if Blake Griffin had not been out of the line up in the middle of the season they are playing with house money. The odds makers have them as only a slight underdog to OK.
The Cuse will definitely benefit in recruiting with this exposure and the terrific performance of the Big East.
I was out of town at a seminar and missed the Friday game and returned on Sunday and missed that game. Bummer. This weekend I go to LA but will be able to see the Friday games in my hotel room. This is the best time of year to be a sports fan of NCAA and I had to go to Atlanta and LA. Oh well eyeQuest calls.
I still believe chalk will prevail with possibly 4 #1's with Conn being the most vulnerable to Memphis. Not incredible insights but that is just how it works.
Go Cuse.
G-man
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