Syracuse students agree: Winning this one would make Syracuse a lock.
Syracuse makes the trip down to Chapel Hill to take on #5 UNC in the Dean Dome. SU gave it a good shot, and played about 28 minutes of really winning basketball against Duke on Saturday, but faded at the end, missing shots and free throws. Syracuse now has a chance for another big win on the road like against Duke earlier this year. And UNC is probably the hottest team in the league, winning ten out of their last 11. Luke May is a double-double machine, and the veteran leader of this team in the front court. Syracuse is going to probably be murdered on the inside in every way imaginable. Syracuse will need big games from Chukwu and Dolezaj if they hope to stay in this one. Almost everyone on the floor can score for UNC. But they key to beating them is limiting their three point baskets. Challenging shooters will be the only way Syracuse can stop UNC. While I think they can give UNC a game, I just think they are probably the best team in the ACC right now with Zion Williams currently out at Duke. Syracuse has a tall order, and while I do think they make this game respectable like they did against Duke, they will fade in this one as well. I expect a big game from Battle, as he has been relatively quietly lately. But other than that, I just see Syracuse flounder against the talent of UNC. I'm taking the Tar Heels by 12. This game is available regionally at 9:00pm. Check your local listings, or watch online here. Of course you can watch on WatchESPN if you aren't blacked out as well. Both John and I will be in the home office. Go Orange!
Labels: ACC, Basketball, Preview
Syracuse students agree: Louisville is still very hateable.
Syracuse has had a week off after laying an egg at NC State. The team as a whole shot pretty poorly from the floor, with the exception of Frank Howard, and even he didn't have the best game from a point guard standpoint. But he seemed to be the only player in the 2nd half making shots. Tyus Battle wasn't much of a factor. Brissett and Hughes were not present at all. And Syracuse missed a bunch of shots, especially in the 2nd half. Every time the team got the game close, they failed to make several shots in a row. But now Syracuse returns home to take on Louisville under coach Chris Mack in his first year at Louisville. Syracuse knows what they're getting in Louisville. They are going up against a very solid defensive team. Syracuse will need to find ways to make easy shots. But the key part of that sentence is making shots. Syracuse will probably be fooled into taking a lot of early threes. That's fine if Hughes, Battle, Boeheim, or Howard are making them. If they aren't, Battle, Brissett, or somebody tall will have to make shots inside, or somehow create turnovers for runouts. Syracuse must also put on a solid defensive effort, battling Louisville C Steven Enoch and F Jordan Nwora. If Syracuse can force tough shots for these players, who aferage just over 50% from two, Syracuse will have a good chance of winning the game. Louisville is prone to turning over the ball, so if Syracuse can dig in, Syracuse has some shots to get points off turnovers against a coach that probably won't be as good as beating the 2-3 as Rick Pitino was. Despite what I think will be a close game, and despite having a restful week compared to Louisville, I think Syracuse is probably going to come up just short in this one. I don't think they're looking ahead. I think it's just Syracuse will just not be able to close out a close game with the shots not falling as of late. I'm taking the Cards by five. This game is available nationally on ESPN / WatchESPN at 7:00pm. John is in the Dome. I'm in the home office. GO ORANGE (and everyone stay healthy for Saturday)!
Labels: ACC, Basketball, Louisville Sucks, Preview
Syracuse students agree: Syracuse is good at winning road games.
The Orange head to North Carolina State to take on a Wolfpack team that is a team that has had big swings this season. But frankly, they are about like Syracuse. Probably just on the right side of the bubble, but have a tough stretch down the end of the ACC slate. They are balanced, and play a lot of players. They shoot well enough from the outside to give the 2-3 some fits, before going inside and pounding the boards. The key to this game will definitely be the defense on the road. If Syracuse can limit the shooting of NC State, and for them inside where they will run into Chukwu or Dolezaj. Syracuse also needs Frank Howard to contribute anything in this game, and limit turnovers. I do think after a couple bad games in a row, he will rebound on the road, with Battle continuing to roll. I think Syracuse will able to keep this game close and edge out another solid road win. I'm taking the Orange by 6. This game is available regionally (of course) at 8:00pm. Check your local listings here. You can watch online here as well. I'll be in the home office. John is watching some of the Women's game tonight in the Dome, then listening to the dulcet tones of Matt Park. See you out there. GO ORANGE!
Labels: ACC, Basketball, Preview
Syracuse students agree: Time to get another quality resume win.
Syracuse is back home after a fairly successful road trip, going 2-3 in the three game stand. And now ranked Florida State heads to the Dome on their own small win streak. However, FSU is 1-3 on the road in Conference, with their lone win at Miami. Florida State relies on both the front court and back court to score, as this may be the most balanced scoring team in the league. The player to watch is Center Christ Koumadje, who leads the team with 58.8 FG% from the floor. Syracuse needs to be solid inside and bang the boards if they want to be successful. In Syracuse's overtime loss last year at FSU, Koumadje torched SU with 23 points off the bench. However, there is no denying that Chukwu is playing much better defense and getting more rebounds this year than last. He's not nearly the liability he was last year. Syracuse will have to be active in the paint and really rebound to have success in this game. And obviously, Syracuse should have Tyus Battle out of his slight slump at Pittsburgh. The good news is that FSU isn't nearly as talented on the defensive end as Pittsburgh, and Syracuse still won that one on the road. The fact of the matter is, FSU has played poorly on the board, and Syracuse is the tallest team in the country. Despite FSU having a taller player than Chukwu, he's only two inches shorter, and should challenge Koumadje inside to prevent easy buckets. As long as the forwards and guards rotate and do their jobs in the Zone, Syracuse should be golden in this game. I like Syracuse in this one. Syracuse by 8. This game is available regionally at 8:00pm. Check your local listings here. For those not blacked out, Internet only baby! I'm in that boat sadly. John is in the Dome. I'm at home. Go Orange!
Labels: ACC, Basketball, Preview
Syracuse students agree: Winning 4/5 is better than 1/5.
Syracuse beat Pittsburgh a couple weeks ago in the Carrier Dome. Now Syracuse heads to the Pete, a building they opened up with the first win by a road team way back when, to take on a reeling Pittsburgh team. Despite getting some incredible performances from freshman guard Xavier Johnson, Pittsburgh has lost their last 4 games, including that game on January 19th against SU. He is the main weapon Pitt has on offense, which isn't a very powerful scoring team. However, they are at home, and have played far better at home than they have on the road. That being said, Pittsburgh only shot 33.8% from the floor against Syracuse in the last game, so if Syracuse plays solid defense, and dominates the offensive glass like they previously did, Syracuse should have the edge in this game, that I think will end up close. Syracuse will likely get production from ever reliable Tyus Battle, and Brissett (despite some bad plays at BC), has been looking better as of late. Additionally, Battle running the point at BC should light a bit of a fire under Frank Howard and should have him playing his best at both ends of the floor. Obviously Boeheim has really come alive in conference play as well. Everything is trending up for Syracuse. They should be relatively successful on the offensive end in beating the Pitt defense. Again, the key is getting stops for Syracuse, finding Johnson for Pittsburgh, and controlling the offensive glass. If Chukwu and Dolezaj are rebounding, Syracuse will win. I'm taking the Orange, in a close one, by six. This game is available on ESPN 2 / WatchESPN at 6:00pm. Both John and I will be in the home office watching. Hopefully Syracuse will get the season sweep. GO ORANGE!
Labels: ACC, Basketball, Pittsburgh, Preview