Between The Lines

Trivia Question (Postseason Edition): How many postseason games has the women's basketball team won in its history?

This week: The Orange burned by the burnt orange. Regardless of truth, it has a nice ring to it. Selection Monday did not go as planned for the women's basketball team that is now in the WNIT, and on to the second round for the third straight year, after Thursday's 77-53 win over Monmouth.

There are many factors that go into making the NCAA tournament and it's easy to say the Orange missed out by a single point with the loss to Georgetown in the Big East Tournament or because the non-conference schedule just wasn't strong enough. Coach Q took it all into consideration.

“Our goal is to make the tournament. Whatever their (the selection committee's) recommendations are to make the tournament we're going to do that. One was strength of schedule, but quite honestly I thought we did a very good job with scheduling. We sat down and were very picky with who we played in some respects and in some respects we did go out and schedule some wins.”

“You look at Baylor, you look at Clemson an ACC team, you look at Ohio State, you look at Long Island who was picked to win their conference, and St. Francis (PA) who did win their conference. We played against three conference champions and beat two of them. It's tough when you look at those five games in the scope of a full season of our strength of schedule not being enough. It's kind of hard to swallow, but the one thing I told our kids is win another conference game and you're not having that conversation.”

But to see Texas (19-13, 7-9 Big 12) in the tournament and Syracuse(22-9, 9-7 Big East) out was unsettling. You can reference my twitter feed @BrianHigginsSU for Monday's more immediate reaction on the subject. But it seems the Longhorns made the tournament more on the quality of their losses than the strength of their wins. Syracuse had victories over five tournament teams: St. John's and Marquette on the road and Louisville, Ohio State and St. Francis (PA) at home. Texas compiled just three wins over two tournament teams, one over Kansas State and twice beating Texas Tech.

The Longhorns did play and lose to three of the one seeds in the upcoming NCAA tournament, losing both to Stanford and Tennessee early in the season before falling twice to Baylor in Big 12 play. Syracuse lost just twice to the top four, once to Baylor in the Bahamas and at UConn to close the regular season. It's too bad the final selection committee decision was seemingly based more on a team's losses than good wins.

Higgo's Hero: Tommy Palasek. It's always good to welcome in someone from the dark side. Among the lacrosse team's rivalries, the matchup with Johns Hopkins is steeped in more big game history and has a stronger edge to it than any other. So when former Hopkins attackman Tommy Palasek opted to ply his trade at Syracuse this season, he was welcomed with open arms.

But four games in to his Syracuse career Tommy was still stuck without a goal. His new teammates had to be wondering what happened to the guy that scored two in a Blue Jays jersey against the Orange at Homewood a year ago. Then Albany came to town Tuesday night and four of Palasek's shots found their way into the Great Danes goal.

“I think you could tell from the film just the way he kind of relaxed after he put that one away,” John Galloway said. “You could just see his shoulders let loose a bit after it finally went in the back of the net. If you watch film he's hit four or five crossbars, he's always right there. He just needed the time on the field, finally he got that the other night in the game, and I think he's just going to continue to build off that.”

As for Tommy's on-field reunion with his old teammates Saturday night in the Dome, he doesn't expect any bad blood. “I probably really won't know the feeling until I'm out there and get to take it all in,” Palasek said. “I consider myself lucky to have both opportunities(to play at Syracuse and Hopkins) as weird as it's going to be. As far as I'm concerned I still have some good relationships down there.”

Lacrosse players are picking their college at earlier and earlier ages, and while Tommy doesn't regret his initial choice he's glad he got to make it again. “I think that decision is tough for anyone to make. I don't think it was a bad decision, it was kind of the lesser of two goods. They're both great places. Fortunately for me I had the opportunity to choose, Hopkins happened to be that, and I eventually figured out it wasn't the right fit.”

Now Tommy is where he wants to be, and we're glad to have him. Tommy Palasek, this week's hero.

Tastes from the Road: Mo's. Eat at Joe's? Heck no. When in Baltimore, eat at Mo's. Thanks to a hot tip from those in charge at M&T Bank Stadium last Friday night, some of the lacrosse traveling party ended up with a dinner to remember before the Faceoff Classic win over Georgetown.

Two things to know before you go to Mo's. It's a seafood joint first and foremost, so be sure to appreciate all creatures of the ocean. Also, make sure you're hungry. The portions are not small, or normal sized, or even large, they're insanely large. A side-by-side between one of their crab cakes and a softball may have proven confusing. And the stuffed lobster looked like Vesuvius erupting all over again. If when it blew its top crabs and scallops went flying instead of lava and ash.

Baltimore's own Carmelo Anthony frequents Mo's when he's home, so if you don't trust me, trust Melo. A Final Four trip willing, we'll be dining there again sooner than later.

Trivia Answer: Five. Updated to the minute after Thursday's first round WNIT win over Monmouth. After NCAA Tournament hopes were crushed Monday it's easy to forget how much of the women's basketball teams success has been contained to the last four years. Never before had the Orange been to the postseason in consecutive years and now they've been in four straight. Wins have come in three straight WNIT's including three in last year's run to the quarters.

Upcoming Schedule: The Dome will flip flop a few times in the upcoming days. Late Thursday night it returned to a lacrosse field for Saturday's much anticipated yearly matchup with Johns Hopkins. Faceoff at 6:00 vs. the Blue Jays. Then afterwards hoops again takes center stage for Monday's WNIT Second Round matchup with St. Bonaventure. The Orange and Bonnies tip off at 7:00. Orange All Access has you covered for both games, TK99 is there for lacrosse, and ESPN 97.7 will be there for the rest of the WNIT.

Syracuse University Athletics

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