Cheering for the Autumnal Colors
If Syracuse shoots well, Butler won't be able to keep up with them. After that, Kansas St is not a bad match-up without A-O. Their strength is their guards. Of course, THEY would be delighted at SU not having A-O. A big reason they lost 3 games to Kansas was Cole Aldrich's defense inside. But Kansas State isn't used to the zone. And no one is used to Wes Johnson leaving his man and coming across the lane to try deflecting shots around the hoop. Does anyone do that better? I'm not sure if he's doing it more or I'm noticing it more, but I saw it a bunch of times against Gonzaga, even though he only ended with one block.
But back to Butler... well-coached... low-scoring games... tend to exert their will in the 2nd half... they're not a mid-major Pitt, are they? Ultimately, though, I'm less nervous about this game than the Gonzaga game. The Zags might even have more talent than the Bulldogs.
I, alas, will not get to see much of the Syracuse-Butler game. I'll be in the dome watching the East Regional semifinals which, for some brilliant reason, were scheduled to overlap SU's games. And since the NCAA refuses to allow the dome to show the games on a large public screen, the best I can hope for is peering into a private box to catch the action. If you have my cell number, please text me updates! But here's my rationale: the worst case scenario is that Syracuse loses tonight. If I don't see that happen, it will be less depressing then if I did. If they win, I'll be able to watch them Saturday, although it will once again have to be somewhere around the dome.
Meanwhile, the Cornell-Kentucky game is getting just as much hype as the Syracuse game here in town. Last night I crashed a Cornell rally and shook hands with Ryan Wittman, Jeff Foote, and Coach Donahue. It was very exciting. Wittman is taller than me, Foote is much taller, but Donahue is shooter. Other than that, I didn't learn much. I think Cornell might be better than Northern Iowa (Dr. Paul, Cornell class of '04, thinks the Big Red are definitely superior). Say what you will about John Calipari, he's a good game coach and the Wildcats won't be surprised. Still, I really believe the Big Red can hang in this thing. Obviously, if they keep shooting like they have, there is no reason they can't. As an upstate New York team, Cornell is legally required to throw a zone out there on occasion, so watch out for how John Wall and Co. deal with that.
The Kansas-Cornell game when the Big Red played the Jayhawks tough is revealing. Wittman hit 5 threes, and Foote was able to get 12 points against Cole Aldrich even without Aldrich getting into foul trouble. Sherron Collins went nuts for 33 points, saving Kansas that night. John Wall is not quite as explosive, so I think it comes down to whether the big forwards for Kentucky, DeMarcus Cousins and Patrick Patterson, get it going. Foote is a nice player, but he won't be able to handle both of them without a great game plan from Donahue.
Go Orange. Go Big Red.
But back to Butler... well-coached... low-scoring games... tend to exert their will in the 2nd half... they're not a mid-major Pitt, are they? Ultimately, though, I'm less nervous about this game than the Gonzaga game. The Zags might even have more talent than the Bulldogs.
I, alas, will not get to see much of the Syracuse-Butler game. I'll be in the dome watching the East Regional semifinals which, for some brilliant reason, were scheduled to overlap SU's games. And since the NCAA refuses to allow the dome to show the games on a large public screen, the best I can hope for is peering into a private box to catch the action. If you have my cell number, please text me updates! But here's my rationale: the worst case scenario is that Syracuse loses tonight. If I don't see that happen, it will be less depressing then if I did. If they win, I'll be able to watch them Saturday, although it will once again have to be somewhere around the dome.
Meanwhile, the Cornell-Kentucky game is getting just as much hype as the Syracuse game here in town. Last night I crashed a Cornell rally and shook hands with Ryan Wittman, Jeff Foote, and Coach Donahue. It was very exciting. Wittman is taller than me, Foote is much taller, but Donahue is shooter. Other than that, I didn't learn much. I think Cornell might be better than Northern Iowa (Dr. Paul, Cornell class of '04, thinks the Big Red are definitely superior). Say what you will about John Calipari, he's a good game coach and the Wildcats won't be surprised. Still, I really believe the Big Red can hang in this thing. Obviously, if they keep shooting like they have, there is no reason they can't. As an upstate New York team, Cornell is legally required to throw a zone out there on occasion, so watch out for how John Wall and Co. deal with that.
The Kansas-Cornell game when the Big Red played the Jayhawks tough is revealing. Wittman hit 5 threes, and Foote was able to get 12 points against Cole Aldrich even without Aldrich getting into foul trouble. Sherron Collins went nuts for 33 points, saving Kansas that night. John Wall is not quite as explosive, so I think it comes down to whether the big forwards for Kentucky, DeMarcus Cousins and Patrick Patterson, get it going. Foote is a nice player, but he won't be able to handle both of them without a great game plan from Donahue.
Go Orange. Go Big Red.
Labels: Cornell Big Red, ncaa tournament, Syracuse Orange
posted by Prof. A at 7:58 AM
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