Syracuse

[Jaker]

I have to say, this team is all smoke and mirrors. they have a great record playing the typical soft schedule at home.. Really, is their best win to date away from home is beating a Baylor in Maui?? Mark my words, this team will not go past he sweet 16 in the tourney. and I think they lose to Virginia , Dook and maybe Pitt away from home.

 

[caw]

I have to say, this team is all smoke and mirrors. they have a great record playing the typical soft schedule at home.. Really, is their best win to date away from home is beating a ty Baylor in Maui?? Mark my words, this team will not go past he sweet 16 in the tourney. and I think they lose to Virginia , Dook and maybe Pitt away from home.

As long as Baylor is coached by Drew, California and Minnesota are better wins in Mauii.

That said, the do have a favorable home schedule in conference.

Nova is a solid win also at home.

They are a good team, not gret but def good.

 

[Hoophound]

They are good. They may flame out in the tourney, but they are very good.

 

[Jaker]

As long as Baylor is coached by Drew, California and Minnesota are better wins in Mauii.

That said, the do have a favorable home schedule in conference.

Nova is a solid win also at home.

They are a good team, not gret but def good.

Not saying they are not good, but they will be a soft 1 seed.

 

[ASweet3781]

They are not smoke and mirrors. What a stupid statement.

If smoke and mirrors is making the Final Four and Elite 8 the last 2 seasons, sign me up right now.

Are they a great team that is unbeatable? No. But due to the ever increasing nature of todays teams and coaches to literally crap themselves whenever a zone is thrown at them they have as good a shot as anyone else. I think they are a lock for an Elite 8.

 

[ASweet3781]

Not saying they are not good, but they will be a soft 1 seed.

Outside of maybe Arizona who is not a "soft" one seed technically this year? Almost everyone has shown they are beatable by now.

 

[Jaker]

Outside of maybe Arizona who is not a "soft" one seed technically this year? Almost everyone has shown they are beatable by now.

I think the shockers are every bit as good as Zona, both teams are deep and the shockers have basically the same team that went to the final 4. They really play unselfish ball.

 

[caw]

They are not smoke and mirrors. What a stupid statement.

If smoke and mirrors is making the Final Four and Elite 8 the last 2 seasons, sign me up right now.

Are they a great team that is unbeatable? No. But due to the ever increasing nature of todays teams and coaches to literally crap themselves whenever a zone is thrown at them they have as good a shot as anyone else. I think they are a lock for an Elite 8.

I agree with most of what you said but this is not close to the same team that went to the FF or E8. The backcourt is completely different. And there has been a good amount of turnover in the frontcourt since 2012.

 

[OkaForPrez]

I hate syracuse more than societal norms permit. They are a great team.

 

[Inyatkin]

You can knock them all you want but, you know, they have won every game. And the last two years put a damper on the choker label.
For the record, I hate them to the point I'll root for Duke in that game.

 

[Scot-e]

PE-TWOOEY!!!!!! I spit on them.

 

[jleves]

Outside of maybe Arizona who is not a "soft" one seed technically this year? Almost everyone has shown they are beatable by now.

I'm not a Cuse fan but to say a team that is 18-0 has shown that they are beatable by now is kind of silly. Their SOS sucks for sure, but they have beaten the good teams they have faced. The hand check rules this year perfectly play into the zone Cuse plays. They are going to be a tough out. Could they have their traditional early flame out? Of course. But it's unlikely. Expect them to make it through the first two weeks of the tourney. They are that good. I'd give them the best chance to win it all behind Zona (yeah, I know a huge stretch considering the rankings - but those two teams have separated themselves from everyone else ala Duke/UConn in 99).

 

[August_West]

I'm not a Cuse fan but to say a team that is 18-0 has shown that they are beatable by now is kind of silly. Their SOS sucks for sure, but they have beaten the good teams they have faced. The hand check rules this year perfectly play into the zone Cuse plays. They are going to be a tough out. Could they have their traditional early flame out? Of course. But it's unlikely. Expect them to make it through the first two weeks of the tourney. They are that good. I'd give them the best chance to win it all behind Zona (yeah, I know a huge stretch considering the rankings - but those two teams have separated themselves from everyone else ala Duke/UConn in 99).

Well considering they are in the running for the overall 1 seed in the tourney, technically that would make anything less than the NC game an early exit. Realistically with their team this year anything short of FF will be considered a flame out and another CUSE wasted March. I like that thought.

 

[upstater]

CJ Fair and Ennis are really good, so you don't need much more than fodder around them. Good defense, guys to hit jump shots, some random slow guy to hit 3 pointers. You can win with that.

 

[mauconnfan]

Ennis has been the key. Kid plays under control, is a leader already and is so solid on both ends. I would throw him right into the mix with ESPN's Top Frosh………they have nice pieces as Cooney and Christmas have improved also. Miami's Masons actually had great looks all game and only the fact they can't make shots kept them from ruining Syracuse's perfect season, not the defense.

 

[SixRings]

Booger picker will return to his usual early demise in March.

 

[caw]

I hate syracuse more than societal norms permit. They are a great team.

Maybe a question terminology but I look at 99 and 04 as great teams. Even UK two years ago. Those teams would pimp-slap this Cuse team by 10+. It's a good team and it may win the NCAAT but it's not a "great" team.

 

[OkaForPrez]

Maybe a question terminology but I look at 99 and 04 as great teams. Even UK two years ago. Those teams would pimp-slap this Cuse team by 10+. It's a good team and it may win the NCAAT but it's not a "great" team.

In the context of this year I think its indisputable they are among the elite. Ennis is an upgrade over carter williams for my taste. He plays with the poise of a senior. MCW got rattled and it cost them games, including against us in Hartford. Grant is an athletic freak and a pro. Fair is a pro. Cooney is the classic guy you love to hate there but he can stroke it and finishes surprisingly well in transition. They have deep length they can throw at you at the 5.

Anyone saying its a fluke what they've done thus far isn't paying attention.

All that said, I still want them in the garden.

 

[CL82]

I wouldn't mind being in their bracket. Ending their perfect season would be a nice addition to the narrative of the two programs.

 

[chapwilvaug72]

Where did Cooney come from? Was he a highly ranked recruit? He hit some impressive shots vs. Miami yesterday.

 

[upstater]

In the context of this year I think its indisputable they are among the elite. Ennis is an upgrade over carter williams for my taste. He plays with the poise of a senior. MCW got rattled and it cost them games, including against us in Hartford. Grant is an athletic freak and a pro. Fair is a pro. Cooney is the classic guy you love to hate there but he can stroke it and finishes surprisingly well in transition. They have deep length they can throw at you at the 5.

Anyone saying its a fluke what they've done thus far isn't paying attention.

All that said, I still want them in the garden.

I think you are pumping them up here too much.

Against good competition, Cooney has been abysmal. He is shooting sub. 25% from 3 in the ACC. Even the Cuse fans have been iffy on Grant's potential. Enigmatic. Watching Cuse the last few years, I couldn't understand why they didn't make CJ Fair the star. He is really good, and always has been. His game is multi-dimensional. I think he's one of the best players in America, top 10. Ennis is the key.

 

[Husky1964]

Have denigrated them for YEARS, That said I think they will get to the FF. Mr Booger can't screw up this talent. Caveat--- the NCAA might convince him to go West avoiding the Garden which I think will be a neg. Remember he's won 900 games against Lemoyne, Colgate, and Cornell but has only won the BIG ONE when he had Melo. Also no truly zone team has won the Dance since we went to 64 teams.

 

[August_West]

Mr Booger can't screw up this talent..

Why yes, yes he can. Terrible bench coach in tight games.

 

[caw]

In the context of this year I think its indisputable they are among the elite. Ennis is an upgrade over carter williams for my taste. He plays with the poise of a senior. MCW got rattled and it cost them games, including against us in Hartford. Grant is an athletic freak and a pro. Fair is a pro. Cooney is the classic guy you love to hate there but he can stroke it and finishes surprisingly well in transition. They have deep length they can throw at you at the 5.

Anyone saying its a fluke what they've done thus far isn't paying attention.

All that said, I still want them in the garden.

While I do think Grant has a ton of potential, he's a very poor mans Rudy Gay.

Fair very good in college, to be a successful pro he needs to extend his range, an improve his handle. He's not a 4 in the NBA.

I was never enamored with the thief, but I do think Ennis is an upgrade.

Cooley is fantastic when he goes straight up and comes straight down on his jumper. He drifts and he misses (usually). While he does have good footwork to get open he hasn't quite figured out how to not drift while shooting (esp off a screen with a decent athletic defender on him.

At the five, the lost Coleman for the year. They have Keita and Christmas, while Christmas seems to be coming on, neither are really amazing players offensively.

 

[OkaForPrez]

Ennis, fair and a poor mans Rudy Gay is a hell of a core no?