Transcript: Tournament Time Chat

Chat Transcript: Voice of the Orange, Dave Pasch
Tuesday, March 13
Hosted By Total Sports& SUAthletics.com

Chat Moderator Asks: Hey Dave, welcome to SUathletics.com...What's on your mind today?

Answer: Thanks for having me today. This is a great time of year, maybe the best time of year in sports. It is the time of year when we all think we're experts, but by the middle of the tournament, when our brackets get busted, we find out trying to pick winners in the NCAA Tournament is just guess work.

Bryce Drew Asks: Dave, you probably want to tell us, so who are your Final Four picks and champion?

Answer: I can't pick Valpo since they're not in the tournament, sorry Bryce.

In the East I like Duke over Kentucky. Duke has everything, including Jason Williams, the best player in college basketball. They have some injuries to overcome, but the Tournament is three weeks long.

In the West, I like Iowa State over Stanford. Veteran point guard play in the Tournament is important and Jamal Tinsley is a very good one. Iowa St. is a well-coached team and I thought they were the second best team in the tournament last year.

In the Midwest, I like Arizona over Illinois. Arizona is playing well right now. They have a ton of talent. I like the way they match up with other teams. Butler may the toughest team they have to match up with, if they play them in second round.

Finally in the South, Michigan State over Florida. Michigan St. is not as good as last year's team, but they are pretty close. They just had their bad loss in the Big Ten Tournament, so they should be refocused. Tom Izzo is a great coach and I expect Michigan St. to be in their third straight Final Four. I like Duke over Arizona in the championship game. Duke is do for another title.

Jerzy Style Asks: Give your thoughts on the seeding that teams from the BIG EAST Conference received?

Answer: I thought Boston College deserved a two-seed. They ended the regular season by blowing out West Virginia in Morgantown. Then they cleaned up in the BIG EAST Tournament. There RPI was fifth, but they didn't play a tough non-conference schedule, and I guess that hurt a lot of BIG EAST teams. There is no way Georgia should be higher seed than Providence or Georgetown, but Georgia played a tough non-conference schedule. The committee rewarded Georgia for playing a tough schedule even though they didn't win a lot of those games. Notre Dame lost its last three games, that's why it got a six seed. I actually thought Syracuse's seeding was pretty fair.

Al Greenwood Asks:I was wondering why Boeheim's bench is always "thin",why he doesn't utilize more players during games and also why he doesn't institute more man-to-man defense? I love the Orange and always will but, I was just wondering WHY? Thanks.Orange-ly Al.

Answer: First of all depth is usually not a big issue come Tournament time because television timeouts are three minutes long. I think coach Boeheim would play more players if he were confident that they could help the team. I think by watching them play 30 games, he is playing all the guys he can. They don't have the personnel in the middle to play man-to-man. Secondly, because they don't have great depth, zone gives them an opportunity for a breather here and there. This team plays the zone as well as the 1996 team. They have long arms on the wings and they are quick to the shooters.

Mike Graham Asks:Dave, Looking at this years team, it looks like DeShaun Williams is the x-factor, when he is shooting the ball well they can beat anyone, with this do you think the Orange have a legitimate chance at winning at least 2 games?

Answer: I think Williams is definitely a key. If you look at the way Williams played in Alaska he was a big reason as to why Syracuse won all three games. With the players on spring break, having a full week to rest and prepare I think they have pretty good chance at winning two games. Williams has been an inconsistent shooter all year and that is just part of his game right now. He is just a sophomore. He will develop more consistency over time. What has been different from last year is that when DeShaun's shot isn't falling he's been doing other things. He's had some big steals late in games and he's had some great assist games.

Eric Solderholm Asks: Are there any first-round match ups in particular that you are looking forward to watching (aside from SU of course)? Those 8-9 games look like they are going to be tough games and could be fun to watch.

Answer: I like the UCLA-Hofstra match up. Hofstra has seven seniors. They've been in the Tournament before, but I think UCLA is ready for them. I like Utah State-Ohio State, I think the Buckeyes could be in trouble there. In the West, I like BYU-Cincinnati and Kent-Indiana, two possible upsets there. I also like Georgetown-Arkansas. Tennessee-Charlotte could be interesting depending on which Tennessee shows up. Virginia-Gonzaga is probably the most anticipated first-round match-up. Everyone is picking the Zags to win, but I like Virginia.

David Miller Asks: On the job argument! How many times has the 'Cuse made the Final Four since 1990?

Answer: One time, in 1996.

Joe Eckerd Asks: How many times has 'Cuse been upset in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournement since 1980?

Answer: I think only once. They lost to Richmond in 1991 (SU was a two seed and Richmond was a 15 seed). Two years ago they lost to Oklahoma State, but that was an eight-nine game. Jim Boeheim has an excellent record in first-round match ups. For some reason all the "experts" pick Syracuse to go out in the first round, yet it never does.

Stormin' Norman Asks: Dave I'll give you my thoughts then I want to know what you think. Allen Griffin is the MVP of this 'Cuse team, without him the Orange are lucky to make the NIT.

Answer: I don't know if I would go that far, but without question he is the MVP. He has been as good as any point guard in the country during the last two weeks. He is about the hardest working kid you'll ever find. He is the epitome of why we become sports fans. To follow people and root for people that we enjoy because of their effort and talent.

SU Fan Asks:Dave, what are your thoughts on the potential sideline match up between Jim Boeheim and Roy Williams in the second round of the Tournament?

Answer: Obviously two great coaches. Coaching match ups are overrated. If you ask any coach in the country they'll tell you their record against opposing coaches is 0-0. The players are the ones that win and lose games, but, yes both are excellent coaches.

bud conzone Asks: At the end of the year its always good to get out of the BIG EAST. What are your feelings on how other teams will fare against SU's defense?

Answer: First of all Syracuse plays the 2-3 different than other teams because they have different personnel than most teams that play the zone. Hawaii can look over all the tapes it wants from teams they played this year that played the zone, but I doubt the WAC has 6-9 guy on the wing like Damone Brown. Even if Hawaii spends hours watching tape of Syracuse, it is hard to simulate Syracuse's zone in practice.

Dome Ranger Asks: It seems important that Billy Celuck and McNeil stay out of foul trouble...especially in the Tournament. Do you think Jim Boeheim should alter defensive strategy to prevent both players from getting in early foul trouble?

Answer: There is not too much altering you can do. They are already playing a zone, which sometimes can hide the center. More than anything else it is incumbent upon Billy and Jeremy to stay out of foul trouble. Jeremy has to move his feet better and not try to block every shot. Billy has to do a better job of just standing straight up and not jumping or lunging at the shooter or penetrator that tries to challenge him.

Mel Mason Asks: Thanks for having this chat, Dave. Now, everyone is concerned about Preston Shumpert. What's his condition and do you think he'll be ready for the Hawaii game? Also, how will SU's apparent lack of size impact their ability to progress in Midwest bracket?

Answer: Preston shot yesterday and is expected to practice today. He says right now he has about 25-20 vision in his right eye. He told me he suffered the same injury in practice last year and he was fine within a week. That said, I think he'll be 100 percent for Friday's game, but I'm not a doctor. Both Hawaii and Kansas have some big guys. Syracuse has struggled against some bigger teams, Seton Hall, Tennessee. Syracuse has won 24 games with their current personnel. Wins over Notre Dame, Georgetown, Connecticut, twice, Ohio State, which has a lottery pick in center Ken Johnson. There is no question a healthy Billy Celuck adds a lot to Syracuse's offense. He knows how to play. He knows where to go. He has high shooting percentage and he says his hand is feeling pretty good.

Paul BIG ORANGE FAN Rightmier Asks: I have been to so many SU games over the last 20 years but never to a NCAA game. I know tickets go on sale to the public on wedns. Is there any other way of getting a ticket?

Answer: Check out the release on SUathletics.com. Give a call to 1-888-DOMETIX.

Paul Rightmier Asks: Do you feel Syracuse should play a tougher non-conference schedule during the regular season & if so do you think it would benefit them at the end of the season?

Answer: Everybody plays teams like Niagara and Albany. I think Syracuse played a pretty good non-conference schedule. Ohio State and Missouri are in the Tournament. At the time DePaul was ranked. Tennessee was fourth in the country at one point. Playing anybody on the road in the ACC is never easy (North Carolina State).

Bud Conzone Oswego Asks: It looks like Hawaii has quite a few players that score in double figures. Will this be a problem for Syracuse?

Answer: They have got a lot of shooters. They've been shooting the three-point shot at a very high percentage during the last couple of weeks. Their guards can be frazzled and Syracuse has been pretty good this year at forcing turnovers. Plus the zone is good and Syracuse is always one of the top teams at defending the three. Just look at Providence in the first half last Thursday.

Chat Moderator Asks: Question:Thanks for stopping by today, any final comments?

Answer: I hope everyone enjoys the Tournament and I look forward to doing this again sometime soon.

Syracuse University Athletics

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