Syracuse is the best team in the country with Fab Melo

[bobbygt]

Was that the team that lost to the Flyin' Illini? That was a great game.

This year's Cuse team is very good, but I'd have to say that the team with Coleman, Seikaly, Douglas, Billy Owens and Stephen Thompson was their best team ever ....

Just checked and Seikaly and Owens never played together. But that 1989 team with the other 4 were very good!

 

[ZenConn]

Just checked and Seikaly and Owens never played together. But that 1989 team with the other 4 were very good!

Yes, I believe you are correct. My mind is failing me .... so long ago .....

 

[bobbygt]

Yes, I believe you are correct. My mind is failing me .... so long ago .....

Yup- I remember watching that game at my grandma's! Probably after I watched some wwf. Long, long time ago . . . .

 

[Druken Friar]

The Syracuse zone takes away the perimeter shot. If anyone watched the game, UConn got the ball into the paint all day. Sometimes, a kick out from there can get you a decent look, sometimes. But, Melo presents problems for someone with the ball near the foul line or on the blocks. Olander looked confused and uncomfortable almost everytime he touched the ball.

A perimeter type team will not beat Syracuse. Keep in mind ND beat them when Melo was out. If you can get Melo out of the game, things are different. UConn was unable to do that yesterday and they match up pretty well with Syracuse.

 

[Brochacho]

That makes sense. Syracuse is the ONLY team in the country with Fab Melo.

I like smartass comments, they always give me a chuckle. Thanks.

But you knew what I meant, I assume.

 

[Pudge]

White guys?

O ... that means Syracuse is gonna get killed by Duke (from the noted article mid-season). Don't put them in the Duke bracket.

I think it is often about Match-ups. The year SU won, I do not think the B12 schools could have looked more befuddled. I do not think that SU team was near their best. But the brackets just were magic. This year ... I think I can see, in a close game, two problems. First ... a team that is close to them can find their hole (either perimeter or in the paint); I think they can't overload/overplay both. A team in sync can exploit. And, on offense, I truly don't think they have the ONE guy (Future NBA starter) who wills the W.

Are they top 2? Of course.

 

[docsu]

Indeed. And it got a very solid team BLOWN OUT by Alabama in 2004.

You mean this game?

http://espn.go.com/ncb/playbyplay?gameId=244000038

Two point game at the half. Single digit loss. #BLOWOUT

 

[UConnSwag11]

it takes one game for a team to go absolutely insane from behind the arc against the zone... i see them going deep but not winning it

 

[zls44]

Syracuse was down 16 with 2 minutes to go against Alabama. Hakim Warrick hit a couple of dunks late, which makes sense, because that was all he did.

 

[Walker11]

The Syracuse zone takes away the perimeter shot. If anyone watched the game, UConn got the ball into the paint all day. Sometimes, a kick out from there can get you a decent look, sometimes.

Its pretty simple. You get the ball to the middle and either shoot or wait for the D to collapse and then kick for an open 3. I don't know why you added the "sometime." This basicallyalways happens when you run good offense vs. a zone.

Cuse's history speaks for itself. There is a reason that they consistently under-perform in March and get beat by teams that you typically wouldn't believe had a chance.

 

[The Funster]

As a rule, I don't like Cincy but I'll be happy to see them send Cuse packing

 

[bobbygt]

As a rule, I don't like Cincy but I'll be happy to see them send Cuse packing

+1

 

[Ed-D]

But the fact remains, the 2-3 Zone is exceptionally vulnerable to a hot shooting perimeter team.

Like Cincinnati?

 

[4UConn]

+1

+2

 

[BUHusky]

Time to officially lololololzzz at this thread title!

If OP had actually watched a Cuse game this year he would have known how flawed of a team they really are.

 

[RoderickSpode]

They peaked in January as usual. I anticipate an early flameout in the dance.

 

[Huskies4ever]

How exactly does "if team X shoots lights out..." not apply to any team? Cincy is as 3happy as anyone in the BE and they lost at home without Melo despite making a half dozen shots from Cleveland in the first 5 minutes.

How ironic!

 

[prankster]

I think that this is a pretty stupid thread.

It is kind of obvious that Syracuse is the best team in the country with Fab Mello.

They are also the worst team in the country with Fab Mello.

Which all derives from the fact that they are the only team in the country with Fab Mello.

(Do you guys really need me to point all this stuff out to you?)

 

[Brochacho]

Lol time to clown on me.

And to BUHusky, I watched more than half of Cuse's games this year, they are without a doubt a very good team. I wouldn't consider a 31-2 team to be majorly flawed either.

 

[Druken Friar]

Its pretty simple. You get the ball to the middle and either shoot or wait for the D to collapse and then kick for an open 3. I don't know why you added the "sometime." This basicallyalways happens when you run good offense vs. a zone.

Cuse's history speaks for itself. There is a reason that they consistently under-perform in March and get beat by teams that you typically wouldn't believe had a chance.

I agree, you said it with the phrase "good offense vs. a zone"; that takes some discipline and patience.

However, I think you would agree that Syracuse has quick players who are aware where the shooters are and react well. The kickout has to be to the right guy at the right spot. I didn't see too many looks from the perimeter that were not challenged.

Cincy did it right last night and hit a bunch of shots from deep. You do that and you can defeat the Syracuse or any zone.

I don't agree with your last part. In a single elimination tournament, it only takes one bad game. Upsets happen every year to lots of teams. UConn lost to George Mason remember, a UConn team that was easily the best team in the country (that year). It happens to everyone.

 

[mauconnfan]

Agreed with the Drunk dude......they hit a few with people right there in their face and there is literally nothing you can do about an unconcsious shooting team.....Cuse can play with anyone but they got killed on the boards again whenever a rebound counted down the stretch, especially the defensive end. That I believe is their achilles heel, because they stretch out the zone they are never in good rebounding position seemingly..........

 

[Walker11]

I agree for the most part but that Uconn team was definitely not playing like the best team in the country. They almost become the first #1 seed to lose to a 16. Still a huge upset though.

I just think that a good zone is more susceptible to flukey games (and upsets) than a good man to man defense. Obviously, man teams can get upset just as frequently as zone teams, look at Kansas, this may just be my attempt to rationalize Cuse's March futility.