BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: SYRACUSE @ DEPAUL

January 30, 2008


Syracuse travels to the Windy City to meet DePaul for a Big East Conference showdown on Sunday afternoon. Syracuse, already without Josh Wright due to academics and Eric Devendorf and Andy Rautins because of injury in the backourt are likely to be without freshman Antonio Jardine because of suspension in this contest.

Here are the local media previews on tonight's game:

Depleted Roster Challenges DePaul (Chicago Tribune)
Demons Host Brawny Orange (Daily Herald)
From Marathon to a Sprint. (Sun Times)
SU Pinched for Players (Syracuse Post-Standard)
Scoop Sits While Orange Practices (Post-Standard)

DePaul will look to bounce back after suffering a road loss at Marquette over the weekend. The Blue Demons will hope to wear down the Orange with thier athletic roster and depth.

Syracuse pulled together and came up with a win over Providence on Sunday behind Dante Greene's 24 points. The Orange roster includes Greene and fellow freshman Jonny Flynn at point guard, Flynn's high school teammate Paul Harris at guard, Arinze Onuaku at Center and Kristof Onganaet at forward. Off the bench is freshman Rick Jackson and walk-on guard Justin Thomas. The only other scholarship player on the roster is Sean Williams, but his impact has been limited. That is it for the Orange these days.

DePaul is an interesting team. They have as much athleticism as anyone with players such as Dar Tucker and Karron Clarke at the wing. They have a proven scorer in Draelon Burns who will find areas to get his shot off against the Syracuse zone. The point guard duo of Cliff Clinkscales and Jabari Currie will have to manage to offensive against the zone by attacking the seams to make the zone contract and find the open shooters, inluding Burns and sophomore Will Walker off the bench. Inside, the DePaul guards need to make sure Mac Koshwal gets his touches inside as well. The athletic freshman big man could be a bear on the offensive boards against the young Orange interior.

Energized by a Dome crowd, Syracuse dug down deep when Providence challenged them when the game was on the line in the stretch. Hitting the road with a thin roster will be a major challenge for SU. They need to be strong on the baords and stronger with their mental preparation on the defensive side of the ball. That is a tough chore for a young team.

DePaul is likely to be a highly motivated club when taking on SU. The crowd will definitely be behind them. If they can avoid settling for the primeter jump shot without going inside first they can be vry effective against the Syracuse defense. I look for the Blue Demons to play with intensity on defense and get after it on the boards. With Burns as a designated scorer, DePaul has players in specific roles and seem to be growing into them.

NBE Blogger Prediction: DePaul 73 Syracuse 65

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: SYRACUSE @ GEORGETOWN

January 21, 2008

One of the Big East's best rivalries is renewed tonight when Syracuse meets Georgetown at the Verizon Center for ESPN's Big Monday. The Hoyas sit atop the Big East standings with a 4-1 record after Saturday's 84-65 victory over Notre Dame. The Orange are 3-3, but in desperate need of a big win.

Here are the game previews from the local media:

Jardine Contributes to Orange (Utica Observer-Dispatch)
Orange Goes Against Rugged Georgetown (Rochester D&C)
On Offense and Defense, Hibbert Sets the Tone (Syracuse Post-Standard)
Orange are Quite Green (Washington Times)
One the Road to Syracuse, Hoyas Have No Time to Rest (Washington Post)

Syracuse is coming of a disappointing home loss to Villanova, 81-71, where foul trouble plagued the Orange. With an injury-depleted roster, SU has little room for error with six of their eight active scholarship players new to Division 1-A basketball. The two 'veterans' are sophomores Paul Harris and Arinze Onuaku, who missed all of last season with a knee injury.

So far Syracuse has won three conference games, all at home, against the three teams that are looking as though they have distanced themselves from the pack as ones NOT going to Madison Square Garden for the Big East Tournament: St. John's, South Florida and Rutgers. Their lone two road games in the conference have resulted in losses at Cincinnati and at West Virginia, where they lost 81-61.

There is no doubt that Jom Boeheim's squad has talent. Jonny Flynn and Dante Greene are McDonald's All-Americans, Arinze Onuaku is one of the league's most improved players and Paul Harris makes an impact on every game with his athletic ability and intense effort. However, the Orange are young and they show all the bad habits that young players have. Their defense can lack consistent effort and intensity, decision making and shot selection is spotty and their toughness inside can be exposed.

On the other-hand, Georgetown returns four starters from last year's Big East championship club that went to the Final Four. Led be preseason Big East Player of the Year Roy Hibbert, the Hoyas have won four of their first five in conference play and rebounded from their lone loss, last Monday at Pittsburgh, with an impressive mauling of Notre Dame Saturday. Hibber led Georgetown with 21 pts and 5 assists against the Irish and DaJuan Summer, Jesse Sapp and Austin Freeman all rebounded from poor outings against Pitt with very effecient games.

That is the Hoya motto, effeciency. Georgetown runs a methodical and patient Princeton-style offense that keeps pressure on the defense on every spot on the floor. Hibbert's ability to pass the ball draws the opposing big man away from the hoop. Syracuse will counter the Hoya movement by playing their trademark 2-3 zone defense and try to force the Hoyas to depend on the perimeter shot. Against Pitt the Hoyas were 3-20 from three-point range in their loss. Of course, back on their home floor against ND, the Hoyas were 8-20 (40%) from the arc and 53% overall from the floor.

Georgetown will mix defenses and run an effecient offense, two things that can really frustrate a young club. I think Georgetown will be aggressive attacking the Orange zone and any form of foul trouble with the Orange tilts this game HEAVILY in favor of Georgetown. Playing on the road on a short turnaround, this game looks to be VERY tough on Syracuse, a 12-pt underdog.

NBE Blogger Prediction: Georgetown 78 Syracuse 63

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: RUTGERS @ SYRACUSE

January 16, 2008


The young Syracuse Orange return home to meet the offensively challenged Rutgers Scarlet Knights in a Big East match-up at the Carrier Dome. Syracuse dropped a pair of road contests last week, evening their conference mark at 2-2. Rutgers has yet to win in conference action (0-4) and continues to struggle on the offensive end.

Here are the local media previews on tonight's game:

Griffin Shot His Way out of Slump (Courier News)
Rutgers-Syracuse Scouting Report (Courier News)
SU Offense Looks to Get Untracked (Syracuse Post-Standard)


Syracuse is a 17-pt home favorite tonight as the host Rutgers, a team averaging a meager 47.5 PPG in their four conference contests (0-4). How are these for putrid offensive numbers? Rutgers is shooting 33% (70-209) from the floor, 27% (16-60) from the 3-pt arc and 56% (34-61) from the free throw line in their four conference contests. They have also turned the ball over 60 times and has been credited with just 31 assists in conference play.

Leading scorer JR Inman has been coming off the bench for Rutgers in conference play. The reason for the change in the line-up seems to be more than just a ploy to shake things up by coach Fred Hill. Also, excellent freshman guard Corey Chandler has been battling a stress fracture in his foot and it looks like the condition is not going to get better any time soon without extended rest. without being able to practice, Chandler is struggling to find any kind of offensive flow and is 4-29 from the field for a total of 14 points in the three conference games he has played. Without a healthy Chandler, the Rutgers offense has very little potential to imporve any time soon. Junior Jaron Griffin did show some life on Sunday, scoring 23 in a 64-49 loss to Louisville, but he has yet to show any consistency with his shooting touch since arriving at RU.

Syracuse has the opposite issue of Rutgers, the Orange can score with anyone, but they have had a lot of difficulty stopping anyone on the defensive side. They lost a pair of road games last week to Cincinnati (74-66) and West Virginia (81-61) and look to get back home and get back in the win column. Rutgers comes at the perfect time for the young Orange, who have six players in their depleted 8-man rotation playing major 1-A basketball for the first time. Learning the ins and outs of conference play and the increase in the intensity that Big East play brings is an adjustment for the Orange. The young players can not solely rely on their natural talent and ability, but need to be sharper mentally in preparation and their execution.

Syracuse also has few options when things start to go poorly. Jom Boeheim can not afford foul trouble or to sit players for poor decisions, which leads to lazy defense and a slower learning curve for the young team. Tonight, they need to get back to the basics on both ends of the floor with a consistent effort. Donte Greene is a mega-talent offensively, but the team can't get away from getting the ball to Arinze Onuaku in the middle. Syracuse needs to run as their halfcourt offense is not a strength. Rutgers will try to keep the game at a much slower pace than the Orange would like to see, but their shooting woes and inconsistent ball-handling will likely lead to SU getting many break opportunities and players like Paul Harris and Greene finish with the best of them in college basketball.

It would probably be wise for Syracuse to use their man to man press at times to push the tempo when they have the opportunity. If they consistently fall back into the 2-3 zone, the pace could fall into the hands of Rutgers and the Scarlet Knights could find some perimeter shots to their liking, keeping the score closet than anticipated.

I think Syracuse will score quickly and often at times, but Rutgers will creep back into the game once and a while. I think Rutgers will actually break the 50pt barrier, but it wont be nearly enough to win.

NBE Blogger Prediction: Syracuse 77 Rutgers 62

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: SYRACUSE @ CINCINNATI

January 9, 2008



After Tuesday night's action, only three Big East teams remain undefeated in the first week and a half of action (Syracuse, Georgetown and Notre Dame, all 2-0). Syracuse will take their 2-0 league record on the road for their first conference game away from the Carrier Dome when they battle the Cincinnati Bearcats.

Here are the local media previews of the contest:

Cronin Wants Full Arena Against SU (Cincinnati Enquirer)
Orange Ready for Another Road Test (Syracuse Post-Standard)
SU Takes Win Streak on Road to Cincinnati (Democrat & Chronicle)


When looking over the schedule for the week in the Big East, you can't help but look ahead to Sunday's match-up of Syracuse at West Virginia. As a college basketball fan, I can certainly do that. However, Jim Boeheim will have to keep his young squad focused on the task at hand, playing a conference road game on an improving Cincinnati Bearcats' home floor.

Syracuse has been able to ease their way into Big East action, facing St. John's and South Florida, two teams predicted to finish near the bottom of the conference. Now, in their first road conference tilt, they get to ease gently into action with Cincinnati, a program also predicted to finish near the bottom of the league and has had a less than enthusiastic fan following the last few seasons.

After losing Andy Rautins over the summer and Eric Devendorf in December to season-ending knee injuries, I do not think Jim Boehiem could have scripted the opening of conference play any better, schedule-wise, for his young team. With three freshmen and two sophomores in the starting line-up and a freshman and JUCO transfer picking up the majority of remaining minutes off the bench, the Orange have been able to slowly adjust to the differences in intensity and effort that comes along with conference play.

The good news for the Orange coming with the 2-0 start is that Dante Greene and Jonny Flynn do not play like freshmen. There is no question on roles with the two of them, Flynn runs the show and Greene runs the floor and scores. Arinze Onuaku has been establishing himself as an inside force in the conference and Paul Harris is finding his niche as a human wrecking ball on the wing. The Orange still could use some work shoring up the offense, but man for man, this team is as talented as any in the conference. Youth and depth are the areas that will hold them back at times.

The Bearcats started conference play with a bang, going to Louisville and knocking off the Cardinals 58-57 at Freedom Hall. The Bearcats had been showing improvement and played a tough schedule during the pre-conference portion of their season and they were ready to play physical and tough when the conference opened. St. John's brought UC back to earth a bit, handing the Bearcats a 70-58 loss on the road.

Last season, UC almost pulled off quite an upset as Marcus Sikes had a career night shooting three's against the Orange zone at the Dome. Eric Devendorf saved the Orange down the stretch. The Bearcats will have to find that shooting touch again to challenge SU tonight. The Bearcats made Louisville pay when they were left open behind the arc, but this is a team that can really struggle scoring on the perimeter, outside of sophomore Deonta Vaughn, nobody has shown much life consistently on the offensive side of the ball. The size of Onuaku will make life tough for Adam Hrycaniuk and the length of Greene in the zone will make it tough on John Williamson on the baseline. Syracuse matches up very well and as a 3-pt favorite, they should be able to hold UC at bay.

NBE Blogger Prediction: Syracuse 77 Cincinnati 71

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: SOUTH FLORIDA @ SYRACUSE

January 5, 2008



A battle of Big East unbeatens takes place at high noon at the Carrier Dome on Saturday afternoon as the Bulls from South Florida take on the Syracuse Orange. Granted, each team is just 1-0, but it is still exciting to talk about, especially in the case of the Bulls.

South Florida opened Big East play under 1st year head coach Stan Heath by steam rolling Rutgers Wednesday night, 68-45. The exciting inside/out combination of Kentrell Gransberry and freshman Dominique Jones combined for 44 points and 20 rebounds against the punchless Scarlet Knights.

The young Syracuse team had more of a challenge from an equally young St. John's squad who kept battling against the Orange before Jim Boeheim;'s squad put them away and earned a 76-70 win on Wednesday night. Arinze Onuaku scored 23 pts and grabbed 13 rebounds in an effort very similar to one turned in by Gransberry against RU the same night. Like Gransberry, Onuaku teammed with an impressive freshman as Donte Greene scored 22 points despite foul trouble.

Right now, Syracuse is really only six players deep and four of them are freshmen. With the injury losses of Eric Devendorf, Andy Rautins and Devin Brennan-McBride, as well as the defection of Josh Wright, coach Boeheim is using a line-up of Jonny Flynn and Antonio Jardine, both frosh, at the guards, Paul Harris and Donte Greene at the forwards and Onuaku in the middle. Rick Jackson provides depth in the frontcourt and both Greene and Harris are versatile to see time at other positions. However, their only depth beyond the top six is in the form of JUCO transger Kristof Ongenaet, a forward, and Sean Williams, a raw and skinny freshman center.

After years of struggling with numbers, South Florida actually has a team that is pretty deep, and compared to Syracuse, it looks as if they can look down their bench and find several options to call upon. The Bulls have been successful with a 9-mn rotation since Florida State transfer Aaron Holmes becam eligible. They have a pair of quality lead guards in Chris Howard and Solomon Bozeman and starting wings Jones and Jesis Verdejo have also been playing very well. Holmes backs up the wing and Orane Chin and Ade Saaka play at the forward positions with Gransberry at C. They have a few options deeper on the bench to spell Gransberry, but they will need him on the floor as much as possible.

I look at this match-up and think if there was a chance for South Florida to steal a win against an 'upper-echelon' Big East team on the road, this might be it. It is hard to ignore USF's complete lack of success on the road in Big East play and the traditional home success in the Dome for the Orange, but such a young team, still trying to figure it all out on defense and without Eric Devendorf, they could be ripe for the picking.

Still, it is a long trip north for the Bulls and the first experience for several of these guys in the Dome against the SU zone is a tough task. Again, I think they make things very interesting, but SU gets just enough push to hold them off and improves just enough defensively to stay ahead of USF.


NBE Blogger Prediction: Syracuse 75 South Florida 71

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: ST. JOHN'S @ SYRACUSE

January 2, 2008


Youth will be served tonight at the Carrier Dome as two young teams collide under the bright lights for the Big East opener for both Syracuse and St. John's. The Redstorm will come into the game seven freshmen and one sophomore making up their 11-man rotation. The Orange, still trying to find their footing after the devastating loss of Eric Devendorf on December 15th for the season, will counter with a 7-man rotation made up of four freshmen, two sophomores and a JUCO transfer in his first Big East contest.

Here are some preview stories found around the web this morning:


Young SU Team Has Been Winning With It's Offense (Rochester Democrat & Chronicle)
Ready or Not, It's Time for Big East (Syracuse Post-Standard)
Norm Roberts, St. John's Gear Up for Tough Bout at Syracuse (NY Daily News)
Orange Punch Might Be Tough to Swallow (NY Post)

St. John's has won just once outside of New York City in four tries during the pre-conference schedule and face a tough test going up to the Dome to face a tough crowd and a tough team. The Redstorm will put forth a good effort defensively and look to keep the game at a snails pace because of their offensive struggles. They will have three players with experience in Anthony Mason, Eugene Lawrence and Larry Wright that will most likely determine how successful SJU is tonight.

Facing the Syracuse zone can be a tall order for even the most experienced clubs. As the point guard, Eugene Lawrence will be in control of the ball and must penetrate the gaps of the zone to force the defense to converge to the ball. From there, he must find the 'storm's best perimeter shooter, Larry Wright, in position to fire away from the 3-pt line. Wright has made a team-high 21 three's in the first 11 games and shoots the 3-ball at a 39% clip.

The next method of attack for Lawrence with his penetration is to hit Anthony Mason on the baseline or slashing to the hoop. Mason must avoid sitting at the 3-pt line and launching three's. He can make the deep ball (35%-type of 3-pt shooter), but he needs to score in a variety of ways for SJU to match the SU offense.

Lastly, Lawrence must also choose his spots offensively. Lawrence has shown the ability to draw fouls and get to the line and that will be important against a very thin Syracuse line-up.

Playing against a zone team, offensive rebounding opportunities will also arise. Justin Burrell, DJ Kennedy and Mason all will have excellent opportunities at second chance points. They must convert these opportunities to keep pace with SU, who will look to run when the shot is taken, sometimes even before they corral the rebound.

While St. John's can defend, but can't score, Syracuse is 100% the polar opposite. The Orange can score, and score a lot, but they have not shown any consisteny ability to prevent an opponent from scoring, no matter who it is. Syracuse has already lost two games on their home floor against UMass (107-100) and Rhode Island (91-89) while giving up 99 points a game in those contests.

Dante Greene leads SU with 18.7 PPG and the 6'9 forward can score in a variety aways and is one of th ebest baseline threats in the nation. He is also always looking to run the floor for easy baskets. Classmate Jonny Flynn averages nearly 15 PPG and is more than able at finding Greene and others in transition as evidenced by his 5.8 assist/game average.

The frontcourt is anchored by a pair of proto-typical Big East players, Paul Harris and Arinze Onuaku. Harris, although just 6'4, averages a double-double with 13 PPG and 10 rebounds. Harris should excel in this type of game, but the Syracuse zone sometimes takess away some of his best attributes on the defensive side of the ball. Onuaku is a bull in the middle that does not try to venture too far away from the basket or the paint. Onuaku makes the most of his opportunities, shooting 68% from the floor and averaged 14 PPG and 7.5 rebounds a contest.

Three other newcomers, Rick Jackson, Scoop Jardine and Kristof Ongenaet round out the rotation and Sean Williams, another freshman, also could see time. Jardine is coming off an impressive career high 18-pt perfromance in a win over Northeastern. The added confidence should be a big boost to the youngster as he hopes to fill some of the void left by Devendorf's injury.

So, tonight, which style wins out? The all-offense no defense? Or the defensive team that can't shoot? Well, normally we would think that defense wins in the conference match-ups, but both teams are so young and the environment that is new to both squads should favor the home team greatly.

Syracuse is listed as a 12-pt favorite for tonight's contest, they will win, but I think it will be a little closer than expected.

NBE Blogger Prediction: Syracuse 74 St. John's 64

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