If we lose Saturday, is the season a dissapointment?

[The Equalizer]

Correct, we beat them when we couldn't shoot so we should beat them now as we have improved, plus we defend the 3 as well as any team in the country offsetting their improved shooting.

I'm not sure we've really improved much shooting wise.  Only two games since show significantly better shooting, and we're not consistent enough to suggest we've made steady progress:

SU:  42.6%
ND: 59.6%
@RU: 45.8%
@SJ: 43.5%
ND 46.6%
DAV: 34.5%
Butler 42.6%
MIA: 54%

Of the four factors to victory, FT Rate was where we had our big advantage the first game--and a slight advantage on offensive rebounding.  

We held Syracuse to just 5 - 7 FT shooting, while we shot 29 - 35.  

The was our 2nd best performance on both ends--and the biggest FTA difference all season.
--Only our UConn game did we get more attempts
--Only UMBC attempted fewer FTs.

I think we're going to see Boeheim attempt to get at least one of our bigs in early foul trouble--something he wasn't able to do in Milwaukee.  If he can do that, the FT Rate advangage we saw in the first game disappears, and MU's advantage in offensive rebounding probably disappears as well, as MU may have to play some minutes without either Otule or Gardner in the game.