Syracuse Basketball 2016-17

The Filthy One

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Figured it was time for a thread. With Andrew White III committing, the roster for next year is set and potentially stacked.

Guards:
Frank Howard
John Gillon
Tyus Battle
Andrew White III

Forwards:
Tyler Lydon
Tyler Roberson
Taurean Thompson
Matt Moyer

Centers:
Dajuan Coleman
Paschal Chukwu

I have a feeling that their starting lineup will be something like:

Gillon
Battle
White
Roberson
Coleman

Lydon is maybe the best player on the team, and I assume he'll play 35 minutes a game, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him come off the bench. My guess is that Moyer redshirts, as well.

This will be a weird season with multiple transfers getting minutes, and new guys like Battle expected to contribute big-time on offense. Potentially lots of NBA-level talent, but the question will be does it gel and how quickly?
 

benhogan

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This is the #2 team in the ACC now.

I'll take experienced, 5th yr Senior transfers over highly touted freshman everyday of the week. Boeheim has had some nice success with transfers (Wes Johnson, Ryan Blackwell, Gbinije, Kristof Ongenaet, etc)

I'd go BIG and use a starting 5 of: Coleman, Lydon, Roberson, Gillon, and White.

I expect us to go small quite often with Lydon playing Center and Battle coming in to play the #2.

White is a better shooter then anyone we had last season.

I also love a PG that will drain FTs in late/tight situations. Gillon is an excellent FT shooter (88% last season) and is a much better ball handler then anyone we had last season.

Agreed, Moyer should red shirt with Jimmy's propensity of only playing 7-8 guys.
 
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Otto

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Glad to see this thread! I'm excited to see what these guys can do.

Adding Andrew White to this team was big. His ability to shoot the 3 fills a significant void.

I agree with the comments so far, with once exception and one question:

- Do we know Moyer's injury status?

- I wouldn't be surprised to see Howard start over Gillon. JB gave Howard some good run late last season and I think his passing ability is underrated. If he takes a step forward next season, I could see him fitting nicely as a facilitator for White and Lydon, with Gillon being a change of pace and score-first PG off the bench.
 

LeftyTG

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Moyer has a potentially serious foot injury and has been in a boot for several weeks and may require surgery in a month or two. I think it is a safe assumption he'll redshirt, as he was likely the 10th man even if healthy.

Word is that Howard has improved a ton. If he makes that sophomore leap, the team will really have high quality depth with the guards.

I think Chukwu is transformative for the defense. DC2 is a decent enough space eating college center, but there was no shotblocking presence on the team last year, except for Lydon here and there (but he was too easily pushed around in conference play and not really a center). The zone works best when the wings can really extend and gamble knowing that there is an eraser in the middle. When drivers hesitate, pump fake, or otherwise are altered by the shot blocking presence, it buys recovery time and opens up those blind side blocks Syracuse forwards are known for. I think the front line of Roberson, Lydon, and Chukwu will block a lot of shots and do well on the boards (as well as a zone can do).

Battle is the next NBA talent in the backcourt at Syracuse. He'll be amazing in transition and can really get up and down the floor. He will be a guy who can consistently get to the rim, which is something Syracuse really hasn't had since Waiters left. He should be respectable from 3, but it isn't his strength. White was an important get from a shooting perspective, as he really rounds out the roster. White and Lydon will be a real threat from 3 and Gillon is solid as well. The team should have enough shooting.

I really like the promise of this team. The trick will be trying to get many pieces not used to playing together on the same page.
 

benhogan

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Agree Lefty, I'd like to see Chukwu get some solid minutes to be a shot blocking machine and start the transition offense. He also gives us that rim protector to use a half court press, which would be a weapon with our length and athleticism.

We have plenty of offense around Chukwu to make him a guy that sets screens and hangs by the hoop for loose change.
 

Doooweeeey!

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Good stuff, folks.
Excited to see Lydon, Howard and Roberson return. That's a good core.
Will enjoy the Tyus Battle era while it lasts.

My preference is to see more of Chukwu than Coleman, but you never know.
Maybe DaJuan has a good season in him, now that he's well over two years removed from knee surgery.
 

Doooweeeey!

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So, uhh...how's the lacrosse team looking?
Boeheim, being generous, keeps saying it's going to take time, but his team's pre-conference play has been terrible.
It's not going to get easier in the ACC. Right now this team struggles to make the NIT.
 

The Filthy One

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Losing to Georgetown at home is not a resume builder. There's a lot of talent on this team but they have no leader and seem to play with no intensity. The fact that Boeheim has tried about 6 different starting lineups says a lot. I guess there's potentially room for a conference-play turnaround (the fact that there are so many new players being asked to contribute suggests that they could improve), but I'm not holding my breath.

Silver lining is that maybe Battle and Thompson stick around for next year. Thompson has looked terrific at times, but it's hard to see either of them getting drafted this year.
 

The Filthy One

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Last night's loss might be the worst of the Boeheim era. At least, I can't remember a worse one. Getting your doors blown off by 30 at home against a team that lost to LIU and Old Dominion? Ugh.
 

TheWizard

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Man what an ugly loss. Offense comes off the defense. With so many new guys - especially the 5th yr grad transfer who are very talented - they aren't gelling in the zone and not getting easy points.
 

LeftyTG

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The unfortunate truth is that Syracuse hasn't been particularly good for three years now. Last year's run to the Final Four really benefited from a favorable draw and a crazy second half in the UVA game from Richardson, and the run obscured how truly mediocre that team was.

There have simply been too many recruiting misses the last several classes, which combined with the early departures and the loss of scholarships have really interrupted the flow of talent development in the program. There are legitimate questions Gerry McNamara's effectiveness as a coach and recruiter, concerns about whether Hopkins will ultimately be Syracuse's version of Esherick, and whether Boeheim's rather harsh and sarcastic ways with dealing with players have made it hard to get through to players. Whether it is an innate talent issue or a coaching issue, players just aren't improving as much anymore.

It is a tough time to be a Syracuse fan. The future - both short term and long term - looks very uncertain.

Honestly, I don't think this team gets to 12 wins, and I think it is at least conceivable they don't reach double digits.
 

bosox1025

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Don't look now but Syracuse has won 3 straight in the ACC, including a great win against FSU and a gritty road victory vs. NC State. They have 8 games left and play some very tough competition -- realistically they need to win at least 5, and likely 6 of their remaining reg. season games to safely get into the tourney.
 

BillWarDamnEagleJay

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The defense has improved over the past month - much tighter and more aggressive. The offense still seems to rely on the hot hand of the night.
Yup, although in today's win vs UVA it was encouraging that one of the hot hands was the freshman Tyus Battle. He looked very mature out there, with a pair of clutch free throws in the last 30 seconds.
 

DukeSox

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#900 for Jim next will be very special
 

Doooweeeey!

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Obviously an emotional win (1000* @ Syracuse) for Boeheim. Despite the rough times earlier in the season, he's been coaching his tail off, and players are responding. They have to win to get in, but the outlook is much better now.
 

bsj

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What a weird season. We can beat or lose to anyone on any given night. I sort of like us as a low seed if we get in. We seem to step up for top competition.

That ugly RPI still worries me.
 

Clears Cleaver

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What a weird season. We can beat or lose to anyone on any given night. I sort of like us as a low seed if we get in. We seem to step up for top competition.

That ugly RPI still worries me.
The reason is cbb quality is at an all time low. There are no good teams. It's generally awful so almost any reasonable team can beat any ranked team any night. Should make for a wide open tourney but the day-to-day is hard to watch
 

Drocca

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The reason is cbb quality is at an all time low. There are no good teams. It's generally awful so almost any reasonable team can beat any ranked team any night. Should make for a wide open tourney but the day-to-day is hard to watch
This is an absolutely ridiculous take. There are no good teams? All time low?

The ACC alone may be the most difficult, talented conference of all time. You are way off. Are you a UCONN fan by chance? Only way I can make sense of this comment.
 

bsj

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I think the problem is not that there are no good teams, it is that there are more good teams, and fewer great teams.

The difference between the #3 ranked team and the #23 ranked team is extremely small this year. And the difference between 23 and 43 may be smaller.
 

JShams

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There aren't any great teams because players don't stick around long enough to build a true great team. Imagine if some of those UK teams didn't leave early and you could build a team of pros.
Yes, you don't get any great teams, because the great players don't stay long enough, so instead of all-time great teams you get some very good teams.

But the big recruits are often going to the same schools because there is a spot opening up for them instantly. How many of the top big man recruits would Kentucky have gotten if Anthony Davis had stayed for 3 or 4 years? Certainly not Noel. Probably not Cauley-Stein. The big names would be going elsewhere so they can be "the guy" right away.