Is there any team...

[CTWarrior]

whose tournament destiny depends more on the type of opponent we play than us?  When we play a big, athletic team we offer no resistence.

[77ncaachamps]

I don't think that's it.

We did NOTHING effectively to attack the zone especially from the onset of the second half until 5 remaining.

Complacency enters my mind...no sense of urgency...it's like they settled for a close loss.

[NavinRJohnson]

Flat from the opening tip, and as usual, let their struggles offensively affect how they played defense - or failed to play defense as the case may be.

[CTWarrior]

I don' think the offense was that bad today.  It looks worse when you let the other team score every freakin' time they have the ball.  We have no one to stop interior players like Syracuse has.

[nyg]

Some items to think about/vent:

- McNeal at 6 ft 3 on Green at 6 ft 10 on defense.  No match down low. Then again, who else to guard him?
- Scott C and Acker in game at same time only down five.  Went quickly up to 10 point lead.
- Any more threads about DJ turning pro, forget it.  Flynn played the entire game, as he usually does, and outplayed DJ and whoever else on him. Enough, DJ needs to stay.
- The three guard offense is hurting.  MU really needs a traditional lineup with a PF. One who can actually catch and make short shots. Can't have Trevor playing center and Hayward as the only forward.  We are getting killed inside.
- What is up with Hayward?  From a fantastic start to two terrible national TV outings.
- Syracuse had three HS All Americas today, Green, Harris and Flynn and it showed.  

Many other thoughts, but enough is enough.  Need to really re-group.

[4everwarriors]

How about a coach who knows what he's doing?

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

How about a coach who knows what he's doing?

You didn't like our under the basket plays, including one that James just launched all the way to the backcourt?

[augoman]

why did our offensive set look so much like all last year whenever we saw a zone?  didn't expect to see any zone this year?

[AlumKCof93]

I don't blame Crean, how would anyone know Syracuse would institute a zone for this game?  Its not like Syracuse is ever on TV so the coaching staff could scout them.  (Where's the sarcasm font?)

[ChicosBailBonds]

How about a coach who knows what he's doing?

Exactly...like John Thompson...oh wait, he lost at Syracuse too.   

[ecompt]

I'm sure Tom knew Syracuse would play a zone. Why Tom hasn't recruited anyone since Steve Novak who could shoot from outside 10 feet is THE question. Any coach that plays man-to-man against us the rest of the year should be fired immediately.

[unionssuck]

John Thompson will prove again this March why he's worth every bit of Crean's 1.5+M per year.

[ChicosBailBonds]

John Thompson will prove again this March why he's worth every bit of Crean's 1.5+M per year.

I'm sure he will....I'm just shocked that he lost at Syracuse...strange, for such a great coach who knew Boeheim was going to run a zone.

Also strange that Bo Ryan's team lost to MU, on their home court...strange. 

At any rate, we've got plenty of flaws and plenty of positives.  I'm looking forward to the next few weeks.  Today's loss didn't shock me one bit, but apparently it did to many of you.  I have no idea why, but it's obvious it did.

[scooter]

John Thompson will prove again this March why he's worth every bit of Crean's 1.5+M per year.

At any rate, we've got plenty of flaws and plenty of positives.  I'm looking forward to the next few weeks.  Today's loss didn't shock me one bit, but apparently it did to many of you.  I have no idea why, but it's obvious it did.

Did the way we perform shock you?  It shocked me.

[unionssuck]

John Thompson will prove again this March why he's worth every bit of Crean's 1.5+M per year.

I'm sure he will....I'm just shocked that he lost at Syracuse...strange, for such a great coach who knew Boeheim was going to run a zone.

Also strange that Bo Ryan's team lost to MU, on their home court...strange. 

At any rate, we've got plenty of flaws and plenty of positives.  I'm looking forward to the next few weeks.  Today's loss didn't shock me one bit, but apparently it did to many of you.  I have no idea why, but it's obvious it did.

The reason why (speaking only for myself) is that expectations are (rightfully) higher than the Deane and Dukiet eras.

[Pardner]

How about a coach who knows what he's doing?

You didn't like our under the basket plays, including one that James just launched all the way to the backcourt?

Very, very irritating.  Another fine finish to the first half.  An all-BE guard never makes that play.  Between the GT end and this move, DJ deserves the critiques.  He is a stud, but he ain't ready for prime time with his decision making.  He had open men on the other side of the court on that play and he throws it up for grabs for an easy lay-up with just seconds to go.  TC just gave him a little talking to....he deserved more!

[ChicosBailBonds]

John Thompson will prove again this March why he's worth every bit of Crean's 1.5+M per year.

At any rate, we've got plenty of flaws and plenty of positives.  I'm looking forward to the next few weeks.  Today's loss didn't shock me one bit, but apparently it did to many of you.  I have no idea why, but it's obvious it did.

Did the way we perform shock you?  It shocked me.

Not particularly.  Road game against a desperate team who shot the bell extremely well.  I thought our defense sucked, but also thought the Cuse shot great.  Move on....I'd rather focus on the 7 wins in the last 8 games prior to today...others will focus only on today...to each his own.

[ChicosBailBonds]

John Thompson will prove again this March why he's worth every bit of Crean's 1.5+M per year.

I'm sure he will....I'm just shocked that he lost at Syracuse...strange, for such a great coach who knew Boeheim was going to run a zone.

Also strange that Bo Ryan's team lost to MU, on their home court...strange. 

At any rate, we've got plenty of flaws and plenty of positives.  I'm looking forward to the next few weeks.  Today's loss didn't shock me one bit, but apparently it did to many of you.  I have no idea why, but it's obvious it did.

The reason why (speaking only for myself) is that expectations are (rightfully) higher than the Deane and Dukiet eras.

And the results have been HIGHER (rightfully) than Deane and Dukiet.  Deane never made it to three NCAA tournaments in a row and he was playing in the GMC and CUSA....an easier path to get there.  So you're right, expectations are higher and thus far, the results have been higher as well.

[ATWizJr]

I think that many are tired of explanations and would like results from this squad.  Didn't Crean recruit these guys?

We didn't just lose to Syracuse like Thompson did.  We lost to Syracuse and didn't win the BE like Thompson did!  Also, depending on which rating service you like, theSsyracuse loss comes against a team rated 43 by Pomeroy, 46 by Sagarin and 51 by RPI.  Yep, that's right, a loss to a 50-100 team on national TV.  Great for our seeding, our recruiting and our image.

[ATWizJr]

BTW, the 51 rpi was for games through friday and can be found if you hurry at

www.kenpom.com/rpi.php

[JetCityWarrior]

I'm usually one those "pessimists", but this thread makes Eeyore look like a rainbow of happiness.

All this talk of Crean not being able to play against the zone is a bit exaggerated.  When the team shoots better, they beat zones.  Pretty simple. How many wide open three's did they have yesterday? A whole bunch by my estimation. If they hit even two or three in a row, then Syracuse has to extend the zone a bit, which makes for a bigger soft spot, which opens mid-range and underneath. 

Syracuse was able to collapse their zone, which I don't think any team plays well against when they can't hit a three.

[muchalktalk]

Any coach that plays man-to-man against us the rest of the year should be fired immediately.

I'm not sure if you have ever played the game or not, but this is truly an assinine statement.  For a team that does not practice zone defense (say Wisconsin), you don't just play zone after a couple of days of practice.  Playing a good zone takes a great deal of work.  You have to have tremendous communication and knowledge of your areas of responsibility.  A poorly played zone is porous and easy to breakdown.  This is why we are better able to play against some zones than others.  Obviously, Syracuse knows how to play zone because that is all they do.

This does not excuse our performance, as we could have done better.  However, I would love to get a team in the tournament, who doesn't play zone but has to rely on it to beat us.  I'd like those odds a lot.   

[ecompt]

every team we will play from here on out will be able to play at least a little zone. How many teams make it to the postseason without being able to go into a zone? OK, Bobby Knight's Indiana teams. That's it. The point is, ANY kind of zone bothers us because we have no one to consistently hit from the perimeter, and we have no one to handle the ball at the foul line if we do get the ball there. It really doesn't matter who we play in the NCAA tournament if our opponent can play a zone and has the athletes to cover up for each other. Hell, Huggins taught his kids the trick zone he used against us in one day and we had no idea what we were doing.

[muchalktalk]

Did WV really only practice there zone for one day; I hadn't read that.  Regardless, if that game wasn't at WV, we win the game.  There won't be home games in the tourney, except for the really high seeds. 

MU will have little problem with a team that tries to throw a zone together in a day.  Playing zone well is more difficult than you think.