Posted:
#1
Yesterday: 0-1
YTD: 95-90
Bibendi Specials: 2-7
GOY: 2-0
Spidey Sense: 8-7
Syracuse -5
You give Syracuse a reason to play basketball this season and look out. When people begin to question their dominance this season is when they play their best ball. They got no respect and werent even ranked at the beginning of the season, so what do they do? They go out and dominate the preseason tourney while not even being tested along the way. They are told they cant win a big road game and are 5 point underdogs in WVU, they go out and dominate the game(I realize they ended up winning by just 1, but were up 10 with over a minute to go). They start losing focus because there really isnt much to gain and everyone is telling them how great they are against Pittsburgh and they lose. They follow that up with the WVU win, GTown win, Marquette win, win in Notre Dame, etc. So now everyone is on their nuts again and they lose motivation. Watching them play vs. Louisville was disheartening. They looked they could careless whether or not they won that game. They werent rotating on defense and looked for the easy way out of every situation. You could just tell they did not come to play. So then everyone starts talkin about how vulnerable they look and how they may lose their 1 seed, and what do they do? They go out and crush GTown in their own building until foul trouble caught up with them with 10 minutes to go. They followed that up with watching Providence make 10 3's in the first, all from 5 feet behind the arc, before clamping down and winning in a tough environment by 14. If you dont think they are motivated for this game and to prove to everyone how truly great they are, you are crazy.
Onto some of the matchups, the glaring one would be the high post threat for the Wildcats vs the 2-3 zone. Nova for the last few years had amazing success against the Cuse b/c Dante Cunningham was actually created by god to patrol the high post against Syracuse. He was perfect. But guess what? He is gone. They are going to try to put Antonio Pena in the high post, but he is not nearly the creator or player and will have fits. They are going to extend the zone outside the 3 point line and let Pena shoot the ball all day. He isnt a threat so the zone wont collapse. They wont have the diagonal layup pass or the kickout for the 3 in this game. They 2 ways to beat the zone. Now if they put someone else in the middle, lets say Reggie Redding, I dont believe he will have the size to make a difference. Anyone with size is not going to give this zone problems.
On offense, Nova matchups up well with our guards. I'll obviously take Reynolds/Fisher/Wayns over Rautins/Jardine/Triche anyday. Rautins will probably have a tough time getting off open 3's and will serve more as a decoy tonight. Where the true matchup problems lie are everywhere else. Villanova has nobody who can guard Johnson or Joseph. They are both extremely athletic forwards. Nova is going to have to throw Redding and Armwood I would assume at them. But both Cuse forward can just rise above them and get off whatever shot they want. They are going to have to respect the jumper too and this should leave Jackson and Onuaku single covered down low. And if you get Onuaku the ball down low with only 1 guy to beast, you better foul or it is 2 points.
I think the Cuse rolls this game and Nova has an uncharacteristically hard time scoring the basketball.
Syracuse-84
Nova-66
YTD: 95-90
Bibendi Specials: 2-7
GOY: 2-0
Spidey Sense: 8-7
Syracuse -5
You give Syracuse a reason to play basketball this season and look out. When people begin to question their dominance this season is when they play their best ball. They got no respect and werent even ranked at the beginning of the season, so what do they do? They go out and dominate the preseason tourney while not even being tested along the way. They are told they cant win a big road game and are 5 point underdogs in WVU, they go out and dominate the game(I realize they ended up winning by just 1, but were up 10 with over a minute to go). They start losing focus because there really isnt much to gain and everyone is telling them how great they are against Pittsburgh and they lose. They follow that up with the WVU win, GTown win, Marquette win, win in Notre Dame, etc. So now everyone is on their nuts again and they lose motivation. Watching them play vs. Louisville was disheartening. They looked they could careless whether or not they won that game. They werent rotating on defense and looked for the easy way out of every situation. You could just tell they did not come to play. So then everyone starts talkin about how vulnerable they look and how they may lose their 1 seed, and what do they do? They go out and crush GTown in their own building until foul trouble caught up with them with 10 minutes to go. They followed that up with watching Providence make 10 3's in the first, all from 5 feet behind the arc, before clamping down and winning in a tough environment by 14. If you dont think they are motivated for this game and to prove to everyone how truly great they are, you are crazy.
Onto some of the matchups, the glaring one would be the high post threat for the Wildcats vs the 2-3 zone. Nova for the last few years had amazing success against the Cuse b/c Dante Cunningham was actually created by god to patrol the high post against Syracuse. He was perfect. But guess what? He is gone. They are going to try to put Antonio Pena in the high post, but he is not nearly the creator or player and will have fits. They are going to extend the zone outside the 3 point line and let Pena shoot the ball all day. He isnt a threat so the zone wont collapse. They wont have the diagonal layup pass or the kickout for the 3 in this game. They 2 ways to beat the zone. Now if they put someone else in the middle, lets say Reggie Redding, I dont believe he will have the size to make a difference. Anyone with size is not going to give this zone problems.
On offense, Nova matchups up well with our guards. I'll obviously take Reynolds/Fisher/Wayns over Rautins/Jardine/Triche anyday. Rautins will probably have a tough time getting off open 3's and will serve more as a decoy tonight. Where the true matchup problems lie are everywhere else. Villanova has nobody who can guard Johnson or Joseph. They are both extremely athletic forwards. Nova is going to have to throw Redding and Armwood I would assume at them. But both Cuse forward can just rise above them and get off whatever shot they want. They are going to have to respect the jumper too and this should leave Jackson and Onuaku single covered down low. And if you get Onuaku the ball down low with only 1 guy to beast, you better foul or it is 2 points.
I think the Cuse rolls this game and Nova has an uncharacteristically hard time scoring the basketball.
Syracuse-84
Nova-66
0
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