Syracuse students agree: Beating Duke is great, no matter the circumstances.
After a major comeback win, being down 20 points to Notre Dame on Saturday, Syracuse turns right around with a TON of momentum to take on Duke down in North Carolina. While Syracuse isn't dead without beating Duke, it would go a long way to get them on the right side of the bubble. So can Syracuse again rise to the occasion and pull the win off down in Durham?
Syracuse obviously had a huge lift with Buddy Boeheim exploding against Notre Dame, after a dismal first half by the team. Obviously, if Buddy Boeheim is clicking and making shots, that not only is good for Syracuse on the scoreboard, but it pulls defenders who have to guard Boeheim closer, to free up other options on offense. And getting Boeheim in the flow will be critical in helping break up the good defense of Duke, especially Jordan Goldwire, who steals the ball a ton off the bench for Syracuse. But really, it comes down to Syracuse defending, just like Saturday. F Matthew Hurt is the man Syracuse will have to stop. He's averaged over 20 points in his last 3 games, and Syracuse needs to make sure he has no easy buckets. It seems like Syracuse can be relied upon in scoring a decent clip. The key is can Syracuse adjust earlier than the half, like they did against Notre Dame, and keep Duke either close or behind to control down the stretch. An fairly empty Cameron should help the cause as well. I'm just a little superstitious at this point in picking Syracuse in a highly contested game. Despite having a ton of momentum and confidence after Saturday, Duke is on their own winning streak. Just because they are at home, I'm taking Duke in a close one. Blue Devils unfortunately by seven.
This game is available on ESPN (obviously) at 7:00pm. Beat Duke and LET'S GO ORANGE!
Labels: ACC, Basketball, Duke, Preview, We Hate Duke
It's not basketball, but it doesn't matter.
Syracuse is coming off beating the Bye. Duke is 0-4 on the season. Either Duke is winning their first game, or Syracuse is keeping their streak alive at home, and going to .500.
Syracuse comes in as fresh as you can be with a seek off in the middle of a season. And the good news is that they get to play the worst team in the ACC, as well as Liberty the week after. Either way, Syracuse is chomping at the bit to play defense against Duke. Their strength over the past 3 games has been creating turnovers. They are tied for third in the nation in turnover margin. The Syracuse defense (even without Andre Cisco, should he not play) should be chomping at the bit to take on Duke. QB Chase Brice has 3 TD to 7 INT. and only a 52.6% completion rate. Syracuse should be excited to try and take on this offense. But that being said, it's not like the Syracuse offense has been proven on the year either. Syracuse was able to handle G'Tech, but that was thanks to points off turnovers. QB Tommy DeVito had a couple brilliant strikes though, and certainly had more time and protection to throw than he had in the first two games of the season. But Duke has a solid pass rush as well, so DeVito may have a lot more trouble if Syracuse isn't able to get the run as a credible threat. However, I think the game will mirror what happened with G'Tech. Syracuse should do enough to win, keep Duke from winning a game this season, and tell Vegas "it's not their fault. They didn't know." Syracuse over the Blue Devils, 41 to 30.
This game is available regionally on RSN at 12:30. Check your local listings here (although NESN isn't listed, but it is on their guide). It's also available within the TV footprint on Fox Sports Go, or WatchESPN everywhere else. Both John and I will be watching from the home office. We'll see you out there. Duck Fuke, and GO ORANGE!
Labels: ACC, Duke, Football, We Hate Duke
Another trip down to Greensboro for the Orange.
Syracuse took a tough loss on Saturday to end the regular season in overtime. What made it even more brutal was First Team All-ACC and conference leading scorer Elijah Hughes was sitting on the bench the entire second half. While it seems unlikey this season that Syracuse advances far enough to make the NCAA Tournament, they are still playing to keep playing in the postseason. Plus, conference tournaments are always a blast. John and I try our hands in trying to predict how the ACC Tournament will go. We both have Louisville hoisting the trophy, but we have very different winners before the Championship. Click below to enjoy (apologies for mine not being handwritten, but I wanted it to be in color, and my office doesn't have a color printer like Johnny McCounty below).
Labels: ACC, ACC Tournament, Basketball, BC Sucks, Louisville Sucks, Notre Lame, Pittsburgh, Preview, We Hate Duke
Syracuse students agree: Few things are better than beating Duke.
The Orange lost another nail biter, this time at Clemson, earning their first ACC road loss. But now Syracuse has a chance for a major resume builder. With Syracuse's only date with Duke this season, can Syracuse get a Q1, upset win at home to keep the momentum moving forward?
Syracuse has a tough ask in facing Duke. However, the good news is over 31,000 people will be rooting for Syracuse against Duke this Saturday in the Dome. Unfortunately for Syracuse, Duke has a very capable big man in Vernon Carey. That being said, while talented, Duke only makes 32.4% from behind the arc, which favor's Syracuse. The key to the game will be Syracuse limiting Carey. Sidibe and Dolezaj did their job at Clemson in limiting their post players, however they fouled out in the game, leaving a freshman to do an upperclassman's job. If Syracuse can stay out of foul trouble against Duke, they have a real shot, as Syracuse has done just enough on offense as of late to win games. The defense has obviously improved as well. But it matters that the starters are able to be in the game versus untested bench players. I have no idea how this game will actually go, but I suspect it will be tight or back and forth until the final five minutes. I then expect Duke to pull away with it, but anything can happen at home for Syracuse. Especially in this series. Syracuse is certainly capable of earning the upset, but the smart money is definitely on Duke. I'm taking the Blue Devils by five.
This game is available on ESPN at 8:00pm. Both John and I will be in the Dome on Saturday night, although not sitting together. This game actually is the 6th anniversery to the day of the first conference meeting between the schools in the Dome. February 1, 2014 was the day Syracuse's attendance record was broken. And, as I came to learn, was the last game I'd get to attend and the last thing I'd do with my Mom before she passed away. I'm homing for a fun day with some old friends, and obviously a big Syracuse win. But if not, have fun and enjoy the time you do have. We'll see you out there, for real this time. Duck Fuke and GO ORANGE!
Labels: ACC, Basketball, Duke, Preview, We Hate Duke
Syracuse - Duke ACC Tournament Quarterfinal Preview
0 Comments Published on 3.14.2019 by Brian Harrison
Syracuse students agree: Beating Duke would be very nice.
Syracuse beat Pittsburgh last night without Tyus Battle. Tonight they take on #3 Seed Duke in the late game without him again. The good news is, for the first time in a few years, there is no pressure on Syracuse to win the game tonight. Syracuse is firmly in the NCAAs and now they are playing for a higher seed. Which means the pressure is off, and only the desire to keep playing in Charlotte and to beat Duke remains. And Duke will seemingly be at full strength. The good news is that even if Syracuse loses it won't hurt them, especially with Battle out. The game plan remains the same as both other Duke games however. Syracuse has to pack the paint and try to make Duke either take contested 3s, or very hard shots in the lane, rebound the ball, and get as many easy buckets themselves as possible. Buddy and Hughes shooting lights out would also certainly help. But really, it will come down to which defense does more tonight. Syracuse obviously beat Duke at Duke with the defense getting enough stops in OT to pull it out. Syracuse was leading Duke, until Duke's defense caused a drought from Syracuse in the 2nd half, and that was that. Whichever defense does more damage tonight will win. And because Battle isn't on the floor, despite Syracuse playing very well last night without him, Pittsburgh isn't the offensively talented Duke team. Sadly I'm taking Duke in this one by 13. This game is available nationally on ESPN at 9:00pm (approximately 9:30), upon the conclusion of Louisville - UNC. Both John and I will be watching. Here's hoping Syracuse can pull off another upset of Duke and win the rubber match. LET'S GO ORANGE!
Labels: ACC, ACC Tournament, Basketball, Duke, Preview, We Hate Duke
Syracuse students agree: We're back on campus but this game is in NC.
Syracuse played poorly against GTech at home on Saturday. But Duke also had a tough go, needing a virtual buzzer beater to win the game (the widest open three you may see this month). But Syracuse now has a chance to take down #1 in the nation on the road. It's a simple game plan. Pack the paint, and make Duke beat you with contested three point buckets. Get a few turnovers and some quick fast break points. The more easy scores Syracuse gets the better. And hope you can grind out a game. This is going to be a nasty one, one way or the other. Either Syracuse will commit a lot of fouls, and ground out a close one, or Duke is going to go HAM in the 2nd half and light it up. The conventional wisdom says the latter will occur. I think, much like Georgetown, this game between these two teams, no matter the rankings or status, will end up being closer than most people think. Syracuse puts in a good effort in this one, but much like last year's Sweet 16, will probably come up just short. And a few missed threes at the end, will result in either Duke scores or free throws, causing the margin to be wider than it probably should have been. But I'm taking Duke by 13. Zion Williamson will probably be not as great as he was in the non-conference, but he will get some points. And Duke is talented enough to weather this storm at home. February 23rd is a different story, but this one goes to Duke. This game is available nationally on ESPN / WatchESPN with the best broadcasters in the biz, Sean McDonough and Jay Bilas. If only Raf still worked at ESPN. John and I are both watching at home. GO ORANGE!
Labels: ACC, Basketball, Duke, Preview, We Hate Duke
Syracuse - Duke NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Preview
0 Comments Published on 3.23.2018 by Brian Harrison
Syracuse students agree: There isn't much more satisfaction to be had than beating Duke.
Syracuse did the unthinkable by winning three games in the NCAA Tournament in five days, including beating a fairly decent favorite to reach the Final Four, Michigan State. And now, it only gets harder as Syracuse will take on familiar foe Duke in the Sweet 16. In the one game Syracuse played against Duke at Duke this year, Syracuse was able to hold Duke to 60 points, seemingly the magic number for the Orange in this Tournament. The problem, however, was that Syracuse only scored 44 in that game. The good news is that Duke was held to 2-18 from long range, and Grayson Allen (who doesn't seem to be a good person) was 0-6 from distance. I think the Syracuse defense will be up for the task of stopping Allen, and getting on the shooters. SU has done that all tournament so I'm honestly not worried about it. What I am worried about, is foul trouble with the bigs, and guarding Marvin Bagley III. But really, the defense will do it's job. The issue is can Syracuse score more. Syracuse only made 6-25 against Duke previously. Syracuse needs to get about 8 three pointers, but also limit turnovers to single digits, and get some steals of their own. Battle, Howard, and Brissett will do their part. Syracuse needs some offense (or at least attention from the defense) from Dolezaj. And if Chukwu can stay out of foul trouble, I think Syracuse has a pretty good shot in this game. Syracuse is in the Sweet 16, and everything is gravy right now. But after 2016, and the way Syracuse has been so far in this Tournament, we all don't want it to end quite yet, along with getting some revenge on a conference rival. I had Syracuse's road ending against Michigan State, so my pick is basically invalid on this one, but I'm going to take Syracuse in another nail biter by 2. This game is available nationally on CBS at approximately 9:37pm, and streaming on March Madness on Demand. I'll be out watching the game with some fellow friends and alumni. John will also be watching. If this is the end, Syracuse had one hell of a season undermanned and light on respect when it came to this Tournament. But Syracuse has overachieved again. Jim Boeheim has put in another example of why he's a phenomenal in game coach. This team plays hard, and I can't be made at where we all ended up. But if they win, my god, what fun and possibilities await. GO ORANGE!
Labels: ACC, Basketball, Duke, NCAA Tournament, Preview, We Hate Duke
Syracuse students agree: Gotta beat Duke then head to Flip Night.
Syracuse blew a chance for a road win on Sunday against a vulnerable GTech team (horrible offensive foul call not withstanding). Now Duke heads into the Carrier Dome for a mid-week match. Syracuse has everything to gain by beating Duke. You defend your home court, you get another impressive win, and you... beat Duke. Syracuse needs this one, because despite what that idiot Lunardi says, I think this team is currently NIT bound. Syracuse needs another resume win and preferably around 20 wins after the ACC Tourney to make it in. Syracuse has word to do. And Duke will be a problem. Almost everyone on Duke can shoot, and Syracuse will have to break out of its scoring slump. Lydon was gone last game and Gillon probably had one of his worst games of the season. Syracuse must score and play almost perfect defense. It's possible. Duke got smoked last year by Syracuse at Duke. This Duke team is great but not unbeatable. Syracuse almost had Louisville. Syracuse can get Duke. It's simple. If Syracuse plays well, guards the line, and makes shots, they'll win like they did against UVA. If they don't, Duke will win and basically relegate Syracuse to the NIT pending a miraculous ACC run. I just don't like the way Syracuse has been playing lately though. They aren't executing. I'll take Duke by 9. This game is available on ESPN / WatchESPN at 7:00pm. John is in the Dome. I'm at home. Giddy up. Let's Go Orange!
Labels: ACC, Basketball, Duke, Preview, We Hate Duke
Syracuse - Duke Postgame Reactions OR The Revenant
0 Comments Published on 1.19.2016 by John Brennan
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| This is basically what happened each time SU missed a shot |
I didn't have to work yesterday, so I decided to catch a movie before settling in for Big Monday's Syracuse at Duke game. I picked The Revenant, mainly because I didn't know what that word meant & didn't want to see Star Wars. At any rate, I saw the movie without getting around to looking up the definition of revenant, but basically figured it out during the course of the film: one that returns after death or a long absence. And so, watching Syracuse play at Duke last night ended up being a lot like the movie: the Orange had been gone for a long time, some had pontificated about the death of the season, and then they waltz into Cameron Indoor and play really hard for 40 minutes and beat Duke, so it all just kind of fit. Tyler Roberson was a rebounding machine, the team had a balanced scoring effort, and the defense held Duke to a bunch of poor & unsuccessful three-point attempts. Syracuse beat Duke at Cameron Indoor for the first time ever, 64-62.
- Roberson notched another double double with 14 points and 20 rebounds, twelve of them offensive boards. In total, the team had 26 offensive rebounds, leading to 17 second chance points. Roberson's 14 points led the team in scoring, but...
- He was tied with Cooney, Gbinije, and Richardson with those 14 points. The only other Orange points came off the bench with Tyler Lydon's eight.
- It was a great shooting night for the Orange, particularly from beyond the arc -- 11-23 for 47.8%. Compare that to Duke's numbers -- 10-37 for 27% -- and you see why Syracuse won. Marshall Plumlee was a huge presence down low for the Blue Devils and scored 19, but by and large most of the Duke possessions were three-point attempts. When you only hit on 27% of those, it's not gonna be a good night. Credit that to the zone to not only force those shots, but to get out and defend the shooters to prevent a lot of wide open threes.
- Syracuse got into foul trouble in the first half -- three for Gbinije, and two each for Richardson and Coleman -- but they all played smart in the second half, and the prospect of fouling out never really became a huge concern for anybody.
- Statistically, this game was really close in just about every category, including the score, but that was the one that mattered most in the end.
I'm sure if you've cared enough to read this recap, you probably watched the game live or caught a replay, so I probably don't need to provide much more than what's above. Bottom line, Syracuse is the Revenant. Back from the dead. The season is not lost after all! Well, assuming the team can keep up the type of play we've seen over these last three games. Up next: the final game of this road trip Saturday at Virginia.
Labels: ACC, Basketball, Duke, Recap, We Hate Duke
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| Orange::44 -- bringing you inside the huddle |
Last year, a much better and much deeper Syracuse team kept things close and interesting while playing Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium. This year, reasonable expectations would dictate otherwise. Despite its loss of talent and short bench, Syracuse has played its heart out as of late, particularly against good, top ranked teams; so I think we expected to see that type of effort Saturday night, but didn't exactly expect a win. Unfortunately, we didn't really see that effort; instead, we saw one of the worst games of the season for Syracuse. The Blue Devils were too much, beating Syracuse 73-54.
- My statistical recap will be abbreviated, in lieu of my personal observations from Cameron.
- I guess player of the game goes to Tyler Roberson. He led the Orange with 16 points on 5-9 shooting, 6-7 from the line, nine rebounds, and a couple assists in 38 minutes on the floor. He was able to exploit Duke's added pressure on Rakeem Christmas by hitting open mid-range jumpers and driving to the baskets.
- Trevor Cooney (13), Michael Gbinije (12), and Rakeem Christmas (11) were the other double digit scorers for the Orange. Considering the only other scorer was Ron Patterson's deuce, you can tell how offensively challenged Syracuse was.
- Honestly, it was a decent start to the game, with Syracuse hanging with Duke for the first ten minutes. Then Duke gradually pulled away and, as of 9:45 to go in the first, never relinquished the lead.
- Syracuse shot 30.6% in the game, and a putrid 3-20 (15%) from three. As Coach Boeheim noted, you can't put up numbers like that and expect to beat a team like Duke at Duke.
- Duke, meanwhile, shot 48.3% in the game, 34.8% from three, and simply dominated where they needed to dominate: 38 points in the paint, 17 points off 15 Syracuse turnovers, and 16 second chance points.
I was lucky enough, thanks to my cousin Shawn who obtained tickets through a golf contact, to attend the game at Cameron Indoor Stadium and sit in Row F behind the Syracuse bench (oh, and the Syracuse bench is considered Row A). I was in the company of Daryl Gross, Katie McNamara, and close enough to essentially be in the team time-out huddles (though, as close as I was, I still couldn't hear anything Boeheim said). Since you're reading this, I assume you're a college basketball fan; go to Cameron Indoor. Put it on your bucket list. For as great a college basketball environment the Carrier Dome can be, Cameron is just as good (in a different way, though).
Cameron is small; its capacity is just over 9500. There's not a bad seat in the place; even the "nosebleeds" aren't that far away. In fact, the TV cameras are in the rafters; all other seats are closer than the cameras. They cram in as many seats as possible; the entire lower bowl is benches -- opposite the team benches is where the undergraduate seating is, where they cram in as many students as possible. More student seating is on each baseline and a little bit on the team bench sideline. And the students bring it. The band plays great music, and gets to play a lot. There's great interaction with all the fans in the arena. Because the place is so small and fans are really crammed in there, it's loud. Like, Boeheim was ten feet away from me the whole game and never once did I hear a word he said.
At Syracuse, I spent five years in the Sour Sitrus Society and one year in the student section, so I had six years about 40-50 feet behind the basket. So that's one perspective. Since then, I've been in my season tickets in section 309, which is right behind the Syracuse bench, but in the third tier about five rows from the top. At times, I've sat in various other seats in the Dome (or at Tourney games), but never five rows in back of the bench. That's a unique perspective.
From that perspective, I noticed a different Syracuse team. Rakeem Christmas is a workhorse. Yeah, we knew that, but the jockeying for position seems so much more intense from that perspective. On the flipside, Kaleb Joseph is a freshman. There's two games left, but he's still a freshman. He seems hesitant, he gets those big "deer caught in headlights" eyes quite often during the game, and if you're underwhelmed watching him on TV, I can't even describe how it is in person up close like that. Boeheim was asked what he saw from Joseph to take him out of the game. Boeheim's response: "Nothing." That says it all. I really hope he learns over the summer, or else we're in trouble at the point guard position.
Many of the shots that Cooney, Gbinije, and Johnson put up I knew weren't going in -- you could tell right off the fingers. Most of them missed, badly.
Oddly enough, the court and the spacing between the players seems so much smaller when you sit right behind the bench. Maybe I've gotten used to the "big picture" perspective from TV and from 309.
Cameron Indoor Stadium is a mecca for college basketball. Attached is a Duke Hall of Fame, featuring a history of the program, conference and national championship trophies, and features from the women's team as well as all other sports. I know Syracuse has its Hall at Manley/Melo Center (or thereabouts, who knows where stuff is now?), but I thought it was great having it attached to the place the games are played -- and it's open to the public even if you don't have tickets to the game. The concourses at Cameron are big enough for the capacity it sees. To get to and from the lower level seats, you enter from the baseline tunnel, AND WALK ON THE COURT. Yeah. Coach K Court. The general public walks on it. Crazy. At your seats on the lower level, there's very little leg room, you have to sit on your coat (if you bring it), and it gets quite warm. But it's an experience you walk away from smiling, even when your team loses. (I'll note that if you have upper level seating, you have an actual seat).
Looking around Cameron on Saturday night, it was, as expected, a sea of blue. Near and in front of me, I obviously saw the highest concentration of orange. Throughout the stadium, there was a smattering of orange -- a couple people together here and there. It was nice to see. The Blue Devil fans there were surprisingly polite and accommodating. Not once was I heckled or given any grief. It was the perfect mix of southern hospitality and respect for the game. Duke fans, you were great.
So yeah, I get it. I get how special Duke is, and how special Cameron Indoor Stadium is, and why these fans love everything about this school and this team so much. I probably take for granted how special of a thing we have at Syracuse and at the Carrier Dome, because I'm there so much. Maybe my experience at Duke can help me appreciate Syracuse more. Physically, they're opposite structures. But inside, both buildings can bring out the passion of college basketball fans in ways that I think very few venues across the country can.
In short, put Cameron Indoor Stadium on your bucket list.
Labels: ACC, Basketball, Cameron Indoor Stadium, Recap, We Hate Duke
Syracuse students agree: Syracuse just needs to try.
Another trip to Durham. The last one ended so well. Legendary I would say. CJ Fair was called for an offensive foul (STILL NO), Jim Boeheim reacted accordingly, and was thrown out for the first time in his career. This was after the legendary OT game in the Dome earlier. This year, Syracuse played hard and had a halftime lead, but Duke ended up winning in the Dome by eight only a couple weeks ago. The prime matchup in the game is the Centers again. Rakeem Christmas versus Jahlil Okafor. Okafor earned 23 in the first match and Christmas only had 11. The big players in the game for Syracuse were Gbinije and Roberson of all people. I'm sure Duke will do the same strategy and double and triple Christmas. Gbinije should have another good outing. Cooney had a quiet 11 in the first game and I think Syracuse will have another game about the same. It will be close, especially at the half, but unless Duke slumps and Syracuse keeps scoring, it will end up about the same. Duke over the Orange by 9. Beat the spread! John is actually in Cameron for this affair so look for special updates from him tonight. As for me, I'm off the grid for this one and will be catching up on DVR later. Enjoy. Another upset would be fantastic. Especially for John's sake.Labels: ACC, Basketball, Duke, Preview, We Hate Duke
Duke - Syracuse Postgame Reactions OR Pretty Good Try
0 Comments Published on 2.18.2015 by Brian Harrison
It was close, but it came up short.
It was a good college try. Despite the massive home court advantage of a record-tying crowd, it was the Blue Devils that came away with the victory and preserved their top 5 ranking. SU was ahead at the half, but by the end Duke won 80 to 72.
- Michael Gbinije continues to be a a hero when Rakeem Christmas is being doubled almost every possession. He had 27 points on 10-14, 5-8 shooting. He also had six rebounds and four assists.
- Tyler Roberson also had a solid day. He had 19 points and 10 rebounds.
- Rakeem Christmas had an alright day, earning 11 points six rebounds, five assists, and five blocks.
- Both Kaleb Joseph and Trevor Cooney had alright days. Cooney had 11 points and Joseph had four, on a combined 6-21, 3-13 day. That did not help.
- Zero bench points. Moving on.
- Syracuse actually shot the ball well overall (43.3%), but Duke was better, and they crushed the free throws 19-22 versus 6-13. Syracuse was also outrebounded 42-32.
Labels: ACC, Basketball, Duke, We Hate Duke
Syracuse students agree: Everyone wants to beat Duke.
It's here again. Now the biggest game on the Syracuse home schedule. And possibly the entire schedule. We know Syracuse isn't going to phone this in. Syracuse will be laser focused. Everyone knows how good #4 Duke is. Jahlik Okafor versus Rakeem Christmas will be the big battle of the day. Christmas is coming off his worst offensive performance in a long time due to Boston College double/triple teaming him. He's ready to make a statement against Duke. The centers will be a wash most likely, which means whichever team shows up for Syracuse will decide who wins. If the team that beat BC shows up, with Gbinije, Cooney and any 3rd player contributing, SU will very much be in this game. But if Cooney bricks a ton, and Gbinije can't get going, or no one guards the line, SU will lose badly. I think this game will come down to the end, because Syracuse tends to rise to the occasion and overachieves when it comes to big games like this. Syracuse will make a game of it, but come up just short I think. SU could win, but I think it will probably be Duke by 6. This game is available nationally on ESPN / WatchESPN at 6:15. John and I are in the Dome today. Coverage will probably be spotty as usual, but we'll do our best to give you some content direct from the Dome for those of you that aren't making the trip today. Go Orange!
Labels: ACC, Basketball, Duke, Preview, We Hate Duke
Duke - Syracuse Postgame Reactions OR A New Low
0 Comments Published on 11.14.2014 by Brian Harrison
This sums up the season nicely: Broke.
Syracuse never had a chance against Clemson in SC, despite how close the score was in the first three quarters. Syracuse did however have a chance against Duke in the Carrier Dome with the score tied 10 all. Unfortunately costly mistakes and bad play, coupled with injuries, allowed 17 unanswered points for Duke. They won handily 27 to 10.
Offense
D
Syracuse's offense was again anemic. Starting the 3rd string QB probably has something to do with that, which doesn't help. Austin Wilson (11/19, 68yds, 0 TD 2 INT) didn't have a good day overall, but did have a few nice throws down the field. The pleasant surprise to me was Mitch Kimble (6/13, 37yds, 0 TD, 0 INT). He played pretty well under poor circumstances. But both weren't particularly effective. Wilson's picked were particularly bad, failing to read the defense and throwing balls he never should have thrown. The receivers continue to do all they can, and PTG had a mediocre day. Overall, just nothing that special happening, and really nothing even mediocre. 4-16 on third downs... bad.
Defense
B
Syracuse basically only had defense in this game. They limited a pretty good Duke team to 259 total yards. And despite the Syracuse offense throwing picks and not being able to get first downs, the defense had the team in the game tied going into the Fourth Quarter. But defense can't do it all alone. They continue to be the only real bright spot of this Syracuse team.
Special Teams
F
It finally happened that coverage on punts broke down enough to allow a score, which gave Duke all of the momentum and the lead they never relinquished. Cole Murphy and Riley Dixon were solid enough. But not tracking down Crowder on punt and kick returns is tragic. Were it not for a holding penalty, Crowder would have had a kick return as well. Syracuse still doesn't have a full time Special Teams Coach?
Coaching
D
The play calling, especially on third downs, was not good for Syracuse. Neither were the 7 penalties for 55 yards total, which hasn't really improved all year. Not sure it will get much better either. And that fake punt call was absolutely the wrong call in that spot, nor was it unexpected. There were four yards to gain for a first down. Unless it's a perfect situation where a fake punt catches the other team off guard, there was no way Syracuse was getting 4 yards. Why not just leave your offense on the field? At least it would be a higher percentage chance of converting.
GPA
D+ (1.25)
This, more than any game this season, was disappointing. The high point in the season in the Dome was Villanova? What? Syracuse had the game tied with 15 minutes remaining. Then gave it away. This one stings. There have been embarrassing games this year, but this one beat them all. No bowl is now for certain, and not just an assumption. No extra practices for this team, that could definitely benefit. This game was great to watch, and then only 15 minutes remained. And Syracuse derped all over the field.
Syracuse can now defeat another bye week before heading to Pittsburgh to play the Panthers in the cold. That will probably go swimmingly. At least basketball starts.
Labels: ACC, Football, We Hate Duke
Syracuse - Duke Postgame Reactions OR Did That Really Happen?
0 Comments Published on 2.24.2014 by Brian Harrison
Not sure I could take off and put on a suit coat as quick as Jimmy.
The highly anticipated rematch happened. Yes, Syracuse was still #1 but they had lost on Wednesday so we knew Syracuse wasn't going to stay there. And Syracuse lost to Duke. Now 1-1 on the season, most of the game was great to watch. The end stunk for a lot of reasons. We'll get to that. But meanwhile, Duke beat Syracuse 66-60. Officially at least.
- Jeremi Grant was the leading scorer for the Orange. He was 8-15 for 17 points and 8 rebounds. Unfortunately he was only 1-4 on free throws. However he had a few big time plays, including a couple spin moves in the lane. A good game overall.
- CJ Fair was the only other Syracuse player in double digit scoring. He finished with 12 on 6-12 shooting and added 7 rebounds. He also led the team with 4 turnovers.
- Trevor Cooney was 1-5 on the day and 0-3 from behind the arc. You aren't having a good day with those numbers. He was pretty well covered most of the game, but still he missed open looks he had all day.
- Rakeem Christmas was 3-6 on the day with 6 points. The three his missed were point blank bunnies. So frustrating.
- Tyler Ennis also didn't have the best night with 9 points on 2-13 shooting. He did earn 5-6 from the free throw line. Otherwise he had 6 assists to only 2 turnovers, and 4 steals with a block.
- Baye-Moussa Keita played 20 minutes off the bench and went 2-6, also missing a few bunnies. He finished with 4 points but he did collect 9 rebounds. A solid defensive night, but not so much for offense, but what else is new.
- Let's get to it. I think the officiating for the most part was good all night. No way did I think there was an intentional foul committed by Duke early in the game. However Jaime Luckie who called it called a tight game from the start, even if his co-workers didn't. So that's fine. Consistent from start to finish is fine. Roger Ayers was the one that called the block on Michael Gbinije. Clearly feet planted. You can see it in the Vine below. But that's a call that is pretty quick, and I'd rather the officials air on the side of block over charge, as I've stated for the past few years. Right on p. 7 of the rulebook for "Major Officiating Concerns" is block/charge calls. I know these guys do pretty extensive film study. I'm a little more forgiving of Roger because it was called a block, even though it pretty clearly shows Gbinije set. But obviously we're here to talk about Tony Greene's call of a charge on CJ Fair. CJ starts his motion up, the defender isn't set, and then contact and CJ makes the basket. It should probably be called a block, but even if you don't think that's the case it should have been a no call then. You can see Greene is actually a bit screened from seeing the point of contact due to CJ's body in the way and he's walking away from the play at the time. But the defender's feet are never really set. They are still shuffling before and during the contact. And on the baseline angle he's actually moving into CJ. It's the critical point in the game. Most officials would have no called that unless it was pretty severe contact. You can judge for yourself with the Vine here. The rule book defines legal guarding position below.
- It was only due to the bad call that Jim Boeheim goes apeshit. Then he got the technical fouls. But chances are, after the charge call, Syracuse wasn't winning so I don't think Boeheim hurt the team's chances in the least. After the call Duke now had the ball, the lead, and the clock on their side. It was probably over unless some magical 3s happen and/or Duke misses free throws. Both were unlikely in the game. But hey, it got is some awesome .gifs and some great memes of Boeheim.
- I'll also say that I don't think Boeheim should have been tossed. Could he be tossed for what he did? Yes. But should he have been. As a 3 sport official, my gut in that situation is hit him with the one technical and then let him vent. After you bang him for the one and you head to the scorer's table to report it you have one of the other officials walk him back to the bench. This was the most critical play in a top 5 game. Even if you're Greene and think you got that call perfectly right you have to understand that that essentially seals the game for Duke so of course Jim is going to be mad. You give him the one Tech for coming off the sideline, let him vent, have your partner walk him back. That should have been it. It seems like Boeheim is just yelling "bullshit" a lot. You'll have to expect that and let that slide at the D1 level. But unless Boeheim gets personal I don't think you toss him in that situation. But, I can't really fault Greene for tossing him with that kind of fury in your face. Like I said though, you're a veteran official and you essentially just decided the game. You need to expect that and give respect to the coach and let him vent after you give him the one Tech, which could have easily sufficed.
Labels: ACC, Basketball, We Hate Duke
Syracuse students agree: Not losing two in a row would be a plus.
25-1 is the record Syracuse now possesses. Most teams would kill for that record. It certainly isn't the end of the world that Syracuse lost on Wednesday. Frankly it also wouldn't be if Syracuse loses tonight. But we'd all prefer to not have that happen.
Syracuse makes its first trip to Durham in a very long time. But really, this game breaks down very simple. If Syracuse struggles on converting baskets in trips down the floor they will probably lose. If Syracuse allows Jabari Parker to get loose in the paint Syracuse will probably lose. If Duke shoots and makes a boatload of 3's like they did in the Dome Syracuse will probably lose. It's simple. Syracuse needs to again have a virtually perfect game on offense or cause some major problems on Defense for Syracuse to have a chance in this game. Syracuse's offense has been a joke the last few games, shooting in the 30's for field goal percentage. Syracuse has also struggled at the free throw line as of late. If CJ Fair or Tyler Ennis are really cold from the floor, or Christmas keeps missing bunnies, Syracuse is going to have a real problem ending up on the right side of the scoreboard. Both of these teams are struggling as of late, with Duke losing at UNC on Thursday, and obviously Syracuse losing their first game of the year to BC on Wednesday. But Duke possesses enough talent that even if the Syracuse defense is active and somehow limits Duke to only 70 or so points, if the Syracuse offense isn't also playing at a high level this game could get embarrassing. While the ACC race won't be decided today (that will probably have to wait for SU's trip to Virginia), it would be nice to be only the fourth ACC team to sweep Duke in a season in a very long time. Sadly, nothing about the Syracuse offense, other than the fact they are actually pretty efficient despite teams using almost all of the shot clock on every trip, convinces me that they will win this game today. I'm taking the Blue Devil's and their smarmy fans over the Orange by nine.
This game is available nationally on ESPN / Watch ESPN at 7:00pm. Both John and I will be Tweeting away all game so join in as you usually do. We'll be back in short order with recaps and other stuff. Maybe we'll get to lacrosse, but after today I don't even want to touch that for a while either. Enjoy the game.
This game is available nationally on ESPN / Watch ESPN at 7:00pm. Both John and I will be Tweeting away all game so join in as you usually do. We'll be back in short order with recaps and other stuff. Maybe we'll get to lacrosse, but after today I don't even want to touch that for a while either. Enjoy the game.
Labels: ACC, Basketball, Duke, Preview, We Hate Duke
Duke - Syracuse Postgame Reactions OR What A Game
0 Comments Published on 2.09.2014 by Brian Harrison
It was definitely one of the best games in the Dome.
After all the buildup, the anticipation, and the crowd counting, the game actually managed to deliver. A feat that doesn't often happen. No team ever had a lead bigger than a few points, really. And the game went to overtime as teams traded knockout blows. But Syracuse ended up on top 91 to 89 in overtime.
- Player of the game was CJ Fair with a career high 28 points on 12-20 shooting, adding 5 rebounds and two blocks. He played all 45 minutes of the game. He was pretty spectacular in the game.
- Jerami Grant had an almost equally impressive game with 24 points. He was 7-11 from the floor and made 10-10 free throws. He also added 12 rebounds and some big slams.
- Tyler Ennis didn't have many offensive moments in this game, only going 3-5 from the floor. But like always, they were spectacular drives down the lane. He was 8-8 from the line however and had 12 assists playing 40 minutes.
- Rakeem Christmas also wasn't an offensive powrehouse, only making 2-4. But he did earn 10 rebounds and six blocks, including the block that sealed the game for Syracuse. He's needs to get better with short shots around the rim however.
- Trevor Cooney also didn't have the biggest output. He saved that for Notre Dame. But he did play very well, scoring 5-8, 2-2 from long range, 2-2 on free throws. He finished with 14 points and played some solid defense on the day.
- Baye-Moussa Keita also missed some bunnies, but he did pull down 6 big rebounds.
- Syracuse led in two big categories on the stat sheet. First, they led Duke in rebounding 38-33. They also led in blocks 9-0. Syracuse's defense was really solid on the day (perhaps I should qualify inside the arc). Syracuse's offense might have been even better however. Despite the fact that Duke hit 15 three point baskets, Syracuse still managed to have enough offense to overcome that.
- Overall I was pretty satisfied with the officiating in this game. However, there should have been an intentional call late in regulation with the foul against CJ Fair, basically knocking him out of bounds. It should have been two shots and the ball for Syracuse. The Christmas no call on the block I think was a call that was a good no call. I'm not saying that as a Syracuse fan. I'm saying that as an observer of college basketball who knows that that little of contact, especially in overtime, won't get called in any game, let alone the biggest regular season game of the year so far.
- Both teams only had eight turnovers. Usually anything under ten is a victory.
Labels: ACC, Basketball, Duke, We Hate Duke
Syracuse students agree: We must win today.
It's here. Finally. No more anticipation. Duke will be playing Syracuse in the Carrier Dome tonight. Let's just get right to it.
Syracuse enters this game still undefeated. Since Duke surprising lost to Clemson they have rattled off five impressive wins, most recently beating Pittsburgh by 15 at the Pete. This game will not be easy for Syracuse as Duke can shoot the three. Key matchups today will be Syracuse perimeter defense versus Duke and rebounding effort of each team. Yes, it is important that Cooney actually make a few shots today, and CJ Fair much show why he was ACC Preseason POY. But whichever team defends the three point line the best, as well as rebounds will win this game. Both teams will score. Syracuse had a pretty dreadful offensive outing at Wake but their defense kept them afloat and then they started making baskets again. However the Orange have not had back to back games where they have shot that poorly. Syracuse's offense and the Duke offense will be ready. Additionally Syracuse is at home which will help. Really, the Syracuse defense has been fantastic this year. I think it will be the defense that keeps Duke from taking the lead in this game. While Duke will inevitably make a few three pointers to keep the game close. I think Syracuse will take the lead in the second half and have a slim lead most of the second half. The game will be loud and if Syracuse is scoring in transition the game will be over. But I think it will come down to Ennis driving the lane and making a layup that will ensure Syracuse the victory. Cooney should hit three big threes in this game with his feet set and the Dome will erupt. As soon as Grant hits his ridiculous slam the Dome will erupt. I think Keita and Christmas continue their great rebounding as well. I'm taking Syracuse in this game by 6.
This game is tonight at 6:30pm on ESPN / Watch ESPN. Both John and I will be in the Dome tonight with what I can only assume to be spotty wireless coverage at best. Enjoy the spectacle that is tonight's game. College basketball fans everywhere should enjoy this one. If we win we'll both be drunk tweeting like mad so just be prepared for allllllll that. #BeatDuke. Go Orange!
Labels: ACC, Basketball, Duke, Preview, We Hate Duke