Was the moment too big for us?

[ATWizJr]

We seemed to be afraid to shoot and rushed shots at times.  We had plenty of good looks. 
The missed lay ups early hurt.  Certainly did not shoot with any degree of confidence. 

As Buzz says, God keeps giving you a test until you pass it.  Another test to aim for next season.

[Norm]

We were coming on strong and making a run and then Cadougan got hurt, delayed the game for about 5 minutes, gave SU a breather, and slowed us down for the rest of the half.

Syracuse played really good D. I don't think anyone could have beat SU tonight, and I think its an all Big East final with Syracuse v Louisville.

[dinger]

We were coming on strong and making a run and then Cadougan got hurt, delayed the game for about 5 minutes, gave SU a breather, and slowed us down for the rest of the half.

Syracuse played really good D. I don't think anyone could have beat SU tonight, and I think its an all Big East final with Syracuse v Louisville.

All our jump shots were short. I think we were worn out. Credit syracuse defense for that.

[77ncaachamps]

I don't buy the 5 min breather.

You don't enter a game shooting 30% from the 3 expecting to hit 40-50%.

Cuse has been playing really well and their Zone is an NCAA tourney grinder of a D: no one really plays it except for them, and so much like Indiana, you don't have many opportunities to prepare for it.

The Zone though hides the inability of some Cuse players to defend 1-1.

We don't shoot the ball well, didn't shoot the ball well, turned over the ball more than they did, and couldn't pick apart the zone like we had earlier.

[ATWizJr]

We got the looks.  Just didn't score 'em.  Jamil had a very tough day.  Juan's missed lay up early....just frustrating.

[JakeBarnes]

I don't buy the 5 min breather.

You don't enter a game shooting 30% from the 3 expecting to hit 40-50%.

Cuse has been playing really well and their Zone is an NCAA tourney grinder of a D: no one really plays it except for them, and so much like Indiana, you don't have many opportunities to prepare for it.

The Zone though hides the inability of some Cuse players to defend 1-1.

We don't shoot the ball well, didn't shoot the ball well, turned over the ball more than they did, and couldn't pick apart the zone like we had earlier.

but...but...but... Western Michigan was amazing!!!! As 77 said, you don't magically begin shooting 50% from 3-point land.  You just deal with it.  Let's give some credit where credit is due: this was a pretty improbable tourney run and they did a great job getting here. 

[Norm]

We maybe hit one 3 in our mini run in the first half until Cadougan got hurt. Gardner hit several from the top of the key, we got some stops, we had momentum, and then Cadougan went down and we lost it.

[brewcity77]

We had quite a few good looks that just didn't fall. Way too much front iron. Part of it was Syracuse's defense but sometimes it's just not your night. I don't think the moment was too big, more that some of the shots that were falling against Miami and in the late stages of our other games didn't fall tonight. It sucks, but I have every confidence this team will come back even hungrier next year.

[T.V. Diener 34]

I don't buy the 5 min breather.

You don't enter a game shooting 30% from the 3 expecting to hit 40-50%.

Cuse has been playing really well and their Zone is an NCAA tourney grinder of a D: no one really plays it except for them, and so much like Indiana, you don't have many opportunities to prepare for it.

The Zone though hides the inability of some Cuse players to defend 1-1.

We don't shoot the ball well, didn't shoot the ball well, turned over the ball more than they did, and couldn't pick apart the zone like we had earlier.

We shot 3-24 from 3pt.... if we shoot 33% from 3pt we make an extra 5 threes and the final score technically ends up 55-54 still losing.... we just didn't shoot well at all and that was the big difference

[4everwarriors]

Couldn't answer SU's active zone

[GGGG]

We had quite a few good looks that just didn't fall. Way too much front iron. Part of it was Syracuse's defense but sometimes it's just not your night. I don't think the moment was too big, more that some of the shots that were falling against Miami and in the late stages of our other games didn't fall tonight. It sucks, but I have every confidence this team will come back even hungrier next year.

I agree with this.

At one time in the early second half, MU was down 4, and we had four good 3 point looks...two from Vander...two from Jamil.  And we missed them all.  If we hit just one of those and who knows.

But in the end, we lost because Syracuse was better. 

[Marqevans]

We shot 3-24 from 3pt.... if we shoot 33% from 3pt we make an extra 5 threes and the final score technically ends up 55-54 still losing.... we just didn't shoot well at all and that was the big difference

Except that hitting a few more would have loosened up the zone a bit, making it easier to get paint touches.

[jsglow]

I agree with this.

At one time in the early second half, MU was down 4, and we had four good 3 point looks...two from Vander...two from Jamil.  And we missed them all.  If we hit just one of those and who knows.

But in the end, we lost because Syracuse was better. 

This.

[Stretchdeltsig]

Credit Syracuse's tough defense.  We just couldn't dominate.  They stopped us.  We had a great season.  And, can't wait til next year!

[Goose]

Talent wise the moment was too big for us. It is difficult that maintain a mental edge to offset weakness in talent for long streches of games. The chip on the shoulder narrowed talent gap this season and in the end ran out of gas. They needed a quick start and unfortunately did not get it.

[KenoshaWarrior]

Couldn't answer SU's active zone

For a good 10 minute period we were shredding the zone with the Hi-lo  than Halftime came and SU made adjustments.   

Biggest play of game was Marquette down six and Southerland somehow gets a block and 1 one that should have been a charge.

[GGGG]

For a good 10 minute period we were shredding the zone with the Hi-lo  than Halftime came and SU made adjustments.   

They denied Davante the ball....forced MU to shoot over it.

[Goose]

Biggest play to me was when we lucked out and got the ball back with 9 seconds left in half. We convert there I think changes game. Horrible possession and game changer to some degree.

[radome]

They denied Davante the ball....forced MU to shoot over it.

Exactly. Short of being better at shooting than we are there was little to do against the zone. We were getting it at the foul line and then they packed it in tighter. They are a better team and we needed to exceed our average and we were below it. Could we beat them, yes, but only if we shot like we did against them at home.

[4everwarriors]

Boeheim was interviewed at halftime and said, "we'll be ok." You just knew then and there that he had an answer for MU's push.

[Norm]

Biggest play of game was Marquette down six and Southerland somehow gets a block and 1 one that should have been a charge.

+1 horrible call.

[Sunbelt15]

Syracuse defensive rotation was superb. They had our shooters confused the whole game. That shook MU's confidence and shots started to get rushed. The moment wasn't too big; the defense was just that good.

[MUfan12]

Got back from DC this morning, was never upset about the loss.

It wasn't their day. Couldn't hit shots.

They defended well. They rebounded very well. Just couldn't get them to drop. It happens. Still a hell of a season.

[Golden Avalanche]

Got back from DC this morning, was never upset about the loss.

It wasn't their day. Couldn't hit shots.

They defended well. They rebounded very well. Just couldn't get them to drop. It happens. Still a hell of a season.

This was it for me.

Cuse scored two points in the first five minutes of the second half. This after MU had three missed chances to end the first half tight when they were down 21-18. Opportunities and decent looks were had for most of the game. MU just missed nearly all of them.

[MU82]

To answer the original question: Was the moment too big for us?

I don't know why this moment would have been bigger than the Butler moment or the Miami moment or even the final moments of the Davidson moment.

There was lots of talk about Miami being a Final Four team capable of destroying us and our lads played about as close to a perfect game as they can play. On national TV. First game of the weekend. All eyes upon us. In an NBA arena. Etc, etc, etc.

Syracuse beat us, plain and simple. Despite not being able to hit a shot, we hung in pretty well, down only 4 well into the second half, but you can only hang on for so long against an excellent team.

Great season, one in which we repeatedly excelled in lots of big moments. It was a thrill to watch, and I wish it weren't over.