Turnover Troubles Strike Again As Syracuse Cruises By NC State, 88-72

I guess we arent that good after all. Hope we get out shit together in the cupcake fest we have coming up before conference games start up.

As a ‘Cuse fan I’d think you guys would be better. Maybe you’ll get better. I say this because it looks like you have some players. Maybe a first year coach has something to do with it, and kinks just need to be worked out.

Anyway, good luck in the ACC.

I am watching the game on DVR this morning (thanks, jerkface boss for having the company Christmas party last night at 6:30) and I am in the first half and Syracuse has made a 442 to nothing run. Yes, we have played sloppy, Calvin has had a few turnovers, we haven’t defended the perimeter, whatever. It sucks. But you wanna know what burns my ass? I already knew the outcome of this game, I only wanted to watch so that I could be reminded what the RBC looks like when it is packed with screaming fans. Now I wasn’t there, so all I have is what I see on TV, but it sure doesnt look (or sound) like a hostile road environment. There is almost an equally loud crowd cheer when Cuse hits a bucket as there is when the Pack does. I just don’t get it. Roy is right. Dont sell your tickets to the enemy. Am I wrong here? Was that just the way it came across the airwaves? Does ESPN continue to try and make us look bad my having the 3 rows behind the visitors bench mic’ed up? Tell me I’m wrong, because right now, I’m pretty pissed.

Syracuse is a hell of a lot better than us. Period. We play them 100 times, we lose 95. So I’m really not that bummed about losing… we have a talent deficit right now, we have a depth problem, and we have the mental toughness of a 3-year-old. Those things will all take time to fix.

Positives:

• Holy crap, did Gott ever teach them how to attack a zone… and possibly the best zone in the country. Time after time, we had guys (and different guys!) cut to the free throw line, take a pass, turn, and drain the open 12-15 footer. Every game for the past 21 years, playing against a zone meant passing around the perimeter & chucking up the first three that wouldn’t get blocked. Our offense yesterday was truly fun to watch… well-done, coaching staff & players alike.
• Interior defense wasn’t deplorable, and we blocked out pretty well. Offensively, we grabbed our share of offensive boards, so I wasn’t too disappointed there, either. Solid enough efforts in those areas to have a shot.
• When he’s playing within the offense (ie, don’t ever fucking dribble the ball or catch it beyond 15 feet), Calvin remains a force… but he is far short of being the dominant player people expect him to be. Simply never going to happen. For about half the game yesterday, he played composed & was a big reason we played as well as we did during stretches.

Not-so-positives:

• Maybe I’m the only one who saw this… but I thought that Calvin’s insistence on playing OUTSIDE the offense was a primary reason for ’Cuse’s massive first-half run that ended up being too much to overcome. He continually forced things that weren’t there… led to turnovers… gave them momentum. After 1 or 2 selfish plays, he still needs to be benched, coached, and forced to watch for a while. Gott, believe it or not, isn’t being hard enough on him yet.
• Between Lo and CJ, their 2nd-half turnovers ended our hopes of finishing off the comeback. Some of the turnovers we commit are simply mind-bogglingly stupid… I don’t get what the hell they’re seeing or thinking.
• We still don’t set screens for Scott… he moves a lot… runs the baseline and pops out… but NO ONE sets a screen to free him up. Until that happens, his big nights will remain elusive… it’s just not that hard to guard a shooter when you just have to chase him and stick your hand in the air.
• Macrobeard is killing us. He can’t catch… he can’t make clean passes… and he still can’t jump. He looks depressed out there… I just want to see energy and effort, and with the exception of his fast break dunk (which was BEAUTIFUL), I just get the feeling that he’s going through the motions out there.

Overall, we played pretty well, honestly. The first half twenty-something-to-zero run obviously was the difference… but we didn’t fold at that point… and I give us credit there.

But this is not an NCAA-caliber team. Way too many flaws, holes, deficiencies, and bad habits for a coach to fix in just six short months. Recruiting will fix a piece… attrition will fix another… time in the program will fix the rest. I’m even more hopeful about the future after yesterday’s game… but that future isn’t 2011-2012.

It’s that simple. Our top 5 can play with anyone. But no one on the bench besides Painter (who had a bad night) can play any time at all against high-level competition.