Syracuse - 2/19

YlJacket

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Looking solely at matchups that zone is going to do what Miami did and clog the middle and dare us to shoot from deep. No aggressive close outs from the forwards on the wing. Let me see it first. Most approaches against Syr start with the ball to the high post and look to go high/low or rotate to the off side shooter from there. Lammers can man the high post but Q is not going to be able to finish on a high low play. And TJ won't find mismatches on the block against the zone.

I expect we will run Lammers on the block and run Q, O or Tadric from the wing to the foul line and try to see if they can operate there. But most of all someone is going to have to get hot from mid range to deep. Someone will have to make some shots to open up things inside - otherwise it won't be pretty.

Like Miami, Cuse is long and lean around the basket. If we Q and Lammers are healthy I think we can be OK. If not we just saw what happens. And we cannot take advantage of the offensive boards which the zone does offer.

Reasonably healthy and I think we play D OK. So I am not too worried at that end. This is a game though that I really wish we had Obongo for to play high low games against the zone. Going to be tough with only one real big to make the zone collapse and not a lot of drop dead shooters.

Optimistic but this one's going to be close
 
CuseJacket

CuseJacket

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Good stuff @mstranahan and @YlJacket. Few things I'll add.

1) I promise there is no chance Syracuse is looking past GT to Duke. Everyone around the program recognizes the importance of each game from here on out.

2) Three things immediately stick out as differences in the 2-3 Miami played vs. the one Syracuse will play.
  1. Miami's off ball defense was poor. Syracuse's D is not great this year, however I am confident their rotations will be much better, preventing some of the action to the high post. In theory it should be more difficult to get the ball to the high post if the off guard doesn't need to guard someone on the 3 point line. Last night, the pass was still there despite the lack of respect to some of our guys. I'm sure Gillon will allow some of those though since it's difficult to expect his head to be in it for 40 min.
  2. Miami's back line played further back along the baseline. I'm not sure why Miami set up this way, given they were playing GT, other than they only know how to play a vanilla 2-3. Those who've watched Syracuse through the years know their zone sometimes looks like a 4-1 with the wings more active and a center closer to the center of the lane than back. Miami's passive D allowed Lammers to post once by simply sealing the center. Imo, the only reason to play back on the baseline is if you're afraid of the lob. Only guy on GT that can really burn 'Cuse on the lob is maybe Okogie (also why I liked the idea of James White there last year, though he didn't play enough). Everyone else will have to come down with the ball if they receive it there, and 'Cuse is still a halfway decent shot blocking team this year.
  3. Miami's zone was passive. Multiple times where Syracuse would ordinarily trap were passed up by Miami. Syracuse leads the ACC in steals for a reason.

Moral of the story, Syracuse's D will be a little tougher and adjusts to match-ups better. The things I like about GT's attack last night is we were active and not standing around, nor simply rotating two guys between high post/short corner. Saw Lammers, Q, and Okogie all flash high post, and we've seen Tadric in there in previous games. That'll add mental strain to an already mentally questionable team.

I'll post thoughts on the other side of the ball later.
 
CuseJacket

CuseJacket

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Here’s a preview when Syracuse has the ball.

When Syracuse is on offense, you’ll see a lot of NBA principles. What I mean by that is, Syracuse’s strategy is to look for individual mismatches/match-up advantages vs. running set after set (e.g., GT).

If we (GT) play man, Tyler Lydon is the guy who should cause us the biggest problem, without question. He is 6’8/6’9 and can stroke it from NBA deep. He added a very effective post game this year. His weakness is putting the ball on the floor, though he is serviceable there. He effectively uses pump fakes on the drive and in the post, allowing him to rise up over anyone. His issue is he's sometimes passive to a fault. In my opinion, Q comes closest to being able to guard him. Q’s struggles will be in the post and we’ll want Lammers help side.

Taurean Thompson is the starting center and may play 5 min, may play 20 min. Lammers can guard him though Thompson has speed and a mid-range. When Thompson goes out, Lydon moves over to C, which he will do for 20-35 min of Sunday’s game. That means Tyler Roberson is in at PF. Lammers should guard Roberson even when Lydon is at C, otherwise Lammers will get dragged too far from the basket. Roberson has zero leash to shoot jumpers and is an energy/rebounding guy. He’s also a better defensively than Thompson.

If we (GT) play zone, there’s not a lot worth mentioning to drag this post out much further. Andrew White is one of the best 3 point shooters in the ACC. Tyus Battle (back from flu after the last two games) and John Gillon are also good from deep. Only Gillon is capable of getting to the basket at will, though his height will swallow him in there and there’s no telling what he’ll do with the ball.

Syracuse’s challenges on O are lack of recognition of mismatches, slow off ball movement, and a tendency to pass around the perimeter/dribble in place. On paper they should be a hard drive and kick team, but they are hesitant and Boeheim has not figured it out this year. As a result, I think our mixing zones will create trouble and we’ll see a lot of Orange attempts late in the shot clock.

Per usual, Boeheim will only 6-7 guys on Sunday, though this year it's more out of necessity like GT. 'Cuse started the year with 10 scholarship players (remember restrictions). One scholarship player redshirted. 7'2 Paschal Chukwu went out for the year with an eye injury, early. Oft-injured Dajuan Coleman's knees have never recovered. He'll suit up for an emergency.

Hopefully that paints a decent picture. Failed to keep it short once again.
 
CuseJacket

CuseJacket

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Here's the updated leaders in min per game in ACC play. Andrew White went the full 45 in 2 separate OT games. Orange SG Tyus Battle was averaging 37.5 until he played only a few minutes the last 2 games when he had the flu.

MINUTES PLAYED Cl GP Minutes Avg/G
1. Andrew White III-SU SR 14 559 39.9
2. Tyler Lydon-SU SO 14 543 38.8
3. Matt Farrell-ND JR 14 516 36.9
4. Steve Vasturia-ND SR 14 509 36.4
5. Davon Reed-UM SR 13 469 36.1
6. Ben Lammers-GT JR 13 468 36.0
7. Michael Young-UP SR 13 466 35.8
8. Ky Bowman-BC FR 14 499 35.6
9. Dennis Smith, Jr.-ST FR 14 492 35.1
10. Jamel Artis-UP SR 13 456 35.1
Cameron Johnson-UP SO 13 456 35.1
 
CuseJacket

CuseJacket

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mstranahan said:
Hey @CuseJacket .... StubHub has a pair of tickets on the floor next to the Orange bench. Section 114FL. Watch the Jackets and sit 20 feet from Boeheim?
Click to expand...
Well I'll be in the nose bleeds with the media. You thinking about pulling the trigger? Can't tell if it's just my world, but the lead up to this game feels like a tournament game. Both teams need this one desperately.
 
Connell62

Connell62

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If anyone has an extra ticket, holler at me..GT Hoops must be back, I can't find a ticket going the usual routes.
 
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