Inside the Loud House
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Syracuse Basketball: The Orange Will Make the Final Four

By David Stone

Mar 20, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; Syracuse Orange fans and players celebrate during the second half of the second round against the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders in the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Scottrade Center. Syracuse won 75-50. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 20, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; Syracuse Orange fans and players celebrate during the second half of the second round against the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders in the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Scottrade Center. Syracuse won 75-50. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /
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Syracuse Basketball
Mar 17, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; Syracuse Orange guard Trevor Cooney (left) and Syracuse Orange forward Michael Gbinije (right) speak with the media during a practice day before the first round of the NCAA men /

Senior Leadership

Is there any team in the country with a more experienced back court? I don’t think so. Having two fifth year seniors at the helm is incredibly useful, especially in the NCAA tournament when the sh*t can hit the fan in a heartbeat.

Gbinije and Cooney are as cool as they come under pressure. Even when not playing particularly well, both have shown tremendous leadership, poise, and an ability to shake off the bad and be ready at all times to step up.

Just look at Trevor Cooney. His last ten games of the season he played absolutely miserable. He was shooting 25% from 3-point range and the field. His offense completely abandoned him and he just didn’t look comfortable at that end of the court.

Now, two games into the tourney, he’s hit his stride. He’s making open looks, he’s playing with confidence, and he’s making clutch shots. Many players wouldn’t be able to get out of that funk, especially when the pressure is on, but Cooney has done it.

Another positive with the seniors is the fact that both Gbinije and Cooney were on that team that went to a Final Four. They know what it’s like. They experienced the incredible high and the crushing low of that loss to Michigan.

They can not only help settle down the rest of the team, but amp them up when needed. Because it’s not always about playing calm. Sometimes you need that jolt of energy to light a fire under the team, and both players have stepped up and delivered big time.

Next: Young Blood

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