** One of the things we’ve liked about our Panthers at times this year, and actually over the last two years is how much fun they often look like they are having playing basketball together.
** For much of this game, and especially all of the second half, the Orange surely squeezed all the fun out of this game. And subsequently, the end result for the team and its fans was about as “unfun” as it could possibly have been.
** One of the things we already have learned about our Panthers this year is how they can get physically overwhelmed during games. This is completely what happened to our guys today.
** It’s a little difficult to understand why our physically presence has dropped off so dramatically from the year prior. Burton was tough for sure, but his absence doesn’t seem like it should be able to explain the entire problem.
** All we can say for sure it that we experienced a second half beatdown like we haven’t seen in some time. We were manhandled on the boards and allowed the Cuse to operate without any difficulty on their offensive end.
** On the other end, the Cuse’s aggressive defensive approach showed our physical weakness as well. They caused turnovers and slowed our ball movement. It wasn’t pretty. And it surely wasn’t very much fun.
** What’s even less fun it what this loss says about our prospects for success this season. It’s hard not to think that opponents going forward will try to repeat the this highly physical approach, especially when it comes to guarding Blake Hinson.
** But Ish also struggled mightily with the stronger Orange. Same can be said for Bub in the second half.
** Sure there were a couple bright spots. Jaland had some answers in the second half for an effective stretch, but he couldn’t sustain it. GDG's shooting was welcome as was Austins' , and Fede had a strong first half before getting beaten down in the second twenty.
** Will was solid defensively and did his now typical strong board work, but foul trouble got the best of him. It’s probably not a coincidence that the Panthers were down by two when he exited with 12:37 remaining in the second half and the Cuse outscored us by 9 in the next 10 minutes or so.
** And this isn’t to say Will was a physical presence before that moment. But he brought more than his share of toughness and energy and for the first half at least, and it was one of the few times that it looked like anyone was having all that much fun on the court. And it could be said that Will’s energy fueled the run that gave us a 10 point first half lead.
** What’s the least fun about today, and writing these thoughts tonight, is what it seems to say for our Panther prospects to the rest of the season.
** Yesterday, @Chris Peak placed an article asking if 12.5 wins seemed like a good over under for the number of Panther ACC wins for the season. Before today, and looking at the schedule, coming up with 13 wins wasn’t a completely difficult exercise.
** But admittedly, the Cuse game today was one of the games needed to come up with the 13 win count. Now, looking at that same schedule, it’s rougher coming to a count of as many as 10 ACC wins. In fact, that looks optimistic at the moment.
** And this isn’t to suggest that I believe this season is down the drain. I believe we will shoot our way to at least a couple nice wins in the next two months. But without more physicality, the path to enough of them seems highly unlikely for any meaningful postseason.
** That is, unless Coach Capel can find some magic. But I don't see how he can give his team a crash course in the weight room in the next 72 hours, and therefore, I just don’t know where there’s any magic to be found.
** And this isn’t to say that I felt Capel necessarily did a poor job today. But to this point in the season, it appears he doesn’t have the horses needed to succeed with the free flowing fun style of play that led to last year’s success, or to be the pesky defense he wants this team to be.
** More than anyone in the second half, Capel looked like he was having the least fun of all. I suspect the look on his face indicated he just didn’t know where he was going to find any easy answers, not just for this game, but for the next 18 either.
** If there’s still any real fun to be had this season, it better start on Tuesday against the Tar Heels.
** For much of this game, and especially all of the second half, the Orange surely squeezed all the fun out of this game. And subsequently, the end result for the team and its fans was about as “unfun” as it could possibly have been.
** One of the things we already have learned about our Panthers this year is how they can get physically overwhelmed during games. This is completely what happened to our guys today.
** It’s a little difficult to understand why our physically presence has dropped off so dramatically from the year prior. Burton was tough for sure, but his absence doesn’t seem like it should be able to explain the entire problem.
** All we can say for sure it that we experienced a second half beatdown like we haven’t seen in some time. We were manhandled on the boards and allowed the Cuse to operate without any difficulty on their offensive end.
** On the other end, the Cuse’s aggressive defensive approach showed our physical weakness as well. They caused turnovers and slowed our ball movement. It wasn’t pretty. And it surely wasn’t very much fun.
** What’s even less fun it what this loss says about our prospects for success this season. It’s hard not to think that opponents going forward will try to repeat the this highly physical approach, especially when it comes to guarding Blake Hinson.
** But Ish also struggled mightily with the stronger Orange. Same can be said for Bub in the second half.
** Sure there were a couple bright spots. Jaland had some answers in the second half for an effective stretch, but he couldn’t sustain it. GDG's shooting was welcome as was Austins' , and Fede had a strong first half before getting beaten down in the second twenty.
** Will was solid defensively and did his now typical strong board work, but foul trouble got the best of him. It’s probably not a coincidence that the Panthers were down by two when he exited with 12:37 remaining in the second half and the Cuse outscored us by 9 in the next 10 minutes or so.
** And this isn’t to say Will was a physical presence before that moment. But he brought more than his share of toughness and energy and for the first half at least, and it was one of the few times that it looked like anyone was having all that much fun on the court. And it could be said that Will’s energy fueled the run that gave us a 10 point first half lead.
** What’s the least fun about today, and writing these thoughts tonight, is what it seems to say for our Panther prospects to the rest of the season.
** Yesterday, @Chris Peak placed an article asking if 12.5 wins seemed like a good over under for the number of Panther ACC wins for the season. Before today, and looking at the schedule, coming up with 13 wins wasn’t a completely difficult exercise.
** But admittedly, the Cuse game today was one of the games needed to come up with the 13 win count. Now, looking at that same schedule, it’s rougher coming to a count of as many as 10 ACC wins. In fact, that looks optimistic at the moment.
** And this isn’t to suggest that I believe this season is down the drain. I believe we will shoot our way to at least a couple nice wins in the next two months. But without more physicality, the path to enough of them seems highly unlikely for any meaningful postseason.
** That is, unless Coach Capel can find some magic. But I don't see how he can give his team a crash course in the weight room in the next 72 hours, and therefore, I just don’t know where there’s any magic to be found.
** And this isn’t to say that I felt Capel necessarily did a poor job today. But to this point in the season, it appears he doesn’t have the horses needed to succeed with the free flowing fun style of play that led to last year’s success, or to be the pesky defense he wants this team to be.
** More than anyone in the second half, Capel looked like he was having the least fun of all. I suspect the look on his face indicated he just didn’t know where he was going to find any easy answers, not just for this game, but for the next 18 either.
** If there’s still any real fun to be had this season, it better start on Tuesday against the Tar Heels.