SYRACUSE LOOKS TO ZONE IN ON ELITE 8

March 27, 2009


Syracuse is back into the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2004 and will take on the #2 seed in the South, Oklahoma, tonight in Memphis. When you play the Sooners, you have to deal with Blake Griffin, the 6'10 super sophomore that averaged 22.5 points and a nation's best 14.4 rebounds a game.

"Clearly, I don't think anybody has any question that he's the best player in the country," Hall of Fame Syracuse coch Jim Boeheim said of Griffin.

"He's the best we've seen," added junior center Arinze Onuaku. "So it's going to be a tough battle from the beginning."

Defensively, Syracuse will turn to their patented 2-3 zone defense to slow down Griffin. The 2-3 zone does allow for offensive rebounding opportunities, so the Orange will have to concentrate on keeping Griffin off the glass if the zone prevents the Sooners from finding their top player in the paint.

"They obviously know exactly what they're supposed to do in the zone, and they do a great job of it," Blake Griffin said of the SU zone. "We're going to have to be good and pick our spots and then run our offense really well to get good looks."

The zone can cause trouble for any team that is unfamiliar with it. The amount of time in the early going that Oklahoma spends passing the ball around the perimter will be telling of how comfortable they are in attacking the two-three zone. If they can get the ball to the foul line area, they can be successful. They know what they are going to see from Syracuse, can they beat it?

"They defend the heck out of you...because of their length and athleticism, they're maybe able to cover some mistakes they may make in the zone, but you can do that when you're long and athletic like they are, especially on that back line," Oklahoma head coach Jeff Capel said.

While Blake Griffin is the name everyone thinks of when preparing for Oklahoma, coach Boeheim is just as concerned about a talented and overlooked supporting cast, which includes Willie Warren, Tony Crocker, Austin Johnson and Taylor Griffin, all capable of knocking down perimeter shots.

"Oklahoma has four guys that can hurt you out there," Boeheim said of the three-point threats of the Sooners. "That's my major concern going into the game tomorrow night. As good as their inside guys are, those four guys present big problems. They're very, very good offensive basketball team."

Offensively, the Orange are not too bad either and the hot hand of Eric Devendorf has been huge in the postseason, beginning with his record setting performance in the Big East Tournament with 84 points in four games. The chemistry between Devendorf and backcourt mate Jonny Flynn continues to grow and Andy Rautins knocked down key three's in their win over Arizona State on Saturday.

Getting the ball inside early is a key as they hope the bulk of Arinze Onuaku and the athletic ability of Rick Jackson will make Blake and Taylor Griffin work on defense. It will also loosen up the perimeter for their shooters to find room, a script that was followed to perfection in the win over ASU.

"You know, we have so many weapons on the court at one time," Flynn said of the Orange attack. "We got a nice inside presence. And Arinze (Onuaku) over here and (Rick) Jackson really helped us out."

While Oklahoma has the star in Blake Griffin, the Syracuse talent of Devendorf, Flynn, Paul Harris and company is not too shabby either. With a zone defense that could be confounding to the OU guards, Syracuse should find a favorable match-up in Memphis.

Look for Oklahoma to settle too often for the perimeter jumper, neutralizing the effectiveness of Griffin. Coach Boeheim may say he is most concerned about the Oklahoma ability to shoot the ball, but he will trade in the Sooners attempting three's over getting Griffin established any day. When that happens, they MUST keep Griffin off the boards.

It has been a very good run for the Orange. With their offense clicking and Oklahoma not being a particularly strong defensive team, Syracuse should continue the Big East run in the 2009 NCAA Tournament.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Syracuse 75
Oklahoma 69

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NCAA TOURNAMENT PREVIEW: SYRACUSE VS ARIZONA STATE

March 21, 2009


Quietly, Syracuse is putting together a very impressive run of good basketball. The Orange are 27-9 on the season and have won nine of their last 11 games, including Friday's NCAA Tournament opening round win over Stephen F. Austin, 59-44, in Miami.

The only losses in the recent run of the Orange have come to Villanova, who has already advanced to the Sweet 16, and Louisville, the overall top seed in the 2009 NCAA Tournament.

SU will look to continue their winning ways on Sunday against Arizona State, the 6th-seed in the South Region with a berth in the Sweet 16 on the line. Syracuse, maybe the most famous zone team in America, will have their offense put to the test against Herb Sendek's match-up zone defense.

"It's a good defense," SU coach Jim Boehiem said of the ASU match-up zone. "It's a difficult defense to play against. Arizona State plays it the best of anybody right now in college basketball."

The Sun Devils, 25-9 on the season, got past Temple by the score of 66-57 in round one. They earned the victory despite James Harden being held to one made field goal and nine points. In his 68-game college career, Harden has only failed to reach double figures in points nine times including Saturday. On the season, Harden averages 20.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists. Odds are, he will have a big game against SU. In his career, Harden averages 22.5 points a game following a single-digit offensive performance.

"He's a tremendous player," said Boeheim. "We expect him to have a good game."

Although the two schools have very little basketball history, their star players, Harden and SU point guard Johnny Flynn are very good friend and the head coaches know each other well and have a lot of respect for each other. Syracuse will look to use their size underneath to dominate the pain and hope that Flynn will find seams in the match-up zone and locate the Orange shooters.

Sendek knows the challenge of facing a strong Big East program will be a tough one as he things highly of the chances for the Orange in the tournament.

"I really think they're in the mix of teams from the beginning who people who could
legitimately point to and say hey, they're a contender for the National Championship," said Sendek.

If SU is a contender, then getting past the Sun Devils on Sunday will be a mission they must complete. Syracuse is an ever-so-slight 2 1/2-point favorite according to the college basketball betting lines. With the strength the Big East has been showing, it should give you confidence in this Syracuse squad.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Syracuse 68
Arizona State 61

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SYRACUSE MAKES RETURN TO NCAA TOURNAMENT

March 19, 2009


Jim Boeheim and the Syracuse Orange return to the NCAA Tournament following back-to-back trips to the NIT as a three-seed in this year’s tournament. The Orange used a late season surge, winning their last four regular season games and advancing to the Big East Tournament final before falling to Louisville, to move up several seed lines and cement their spot in the Big Dance.

“Our goal coming into the season was to get to the NCAA Tournament,” point guard Johnny Flynn said Thursday.

Now that the main goal has been accomplished, SU will look to avoid the fate that stung them in their last two appearances, a first round upset.

“We don't just want to be happy to be here, we want to get in and make a run and win the National Championship,” said Flynn.

That run will have to start with a victory of Stephen F. Austin, the champions of the Southland Conference Tournament. On the season, the Lumberjacks finished with a 24-7 record, including a 13-3 mark in the Southland. Friday’s first round match-up with SU in Miami will be the first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance for the Stephen F. Austin basketball program.

“It still probably hasn't hit me as much as I thought it would,” says sophomore guard Eddie Williams of the Lumberjacks first-ever NCAA bid. “It will probably hit me when I step out on the court and there's fans and I see Syracuse on the other end.”

Last season the ‘jacks were expected to emerge from the Southland with the conference’s NCAA bid. However, following a 26-6 season, Danny Kaspar’s club came up a bit short. So reaching fulfilling their goal of trip to the NCAA’s has been the by-product of a year’s work.

“We're very excited to be here,” coach Kaspar told the media. “It has fulfilled a year long quest when we have set our goals very high, the regular season championship, postseason tournament championship and a trip to the NCAA.”

Senior forward Matt Kingsley leads the Lumberjacks with just over 16 points and 7 rebounds a game. However, the 6’9, 230-lb big man will have his fans full as Syracuse will rotate big bodies Arinze Onuaku, Rick Jackson and energizing sub Kristof Ongenaet against the smaller Stephen F. Austin club.

Syracuse is also versatile enough to not miss a beat with a smaller, perimeter-oriented line-up that will feature Flynn at the point and shooting guard Eric Devendorf anchoring the backcourt with Paul Harris and three-point sniper Andy Rautins.

The Lumberjacks are known as a stout defensive unit. That strength will be tested throughout by an offensively gifted Orange squad, but do not expect the mid-major underdog to roll over for the Big East powers.

“We're just going to go out there and do what we've been doing all year, and that is play good defense and give a good effort and just play defense, the thing that's been carrying us all season,” said senior guard Josh Alexander, who has over 1700 points in his 4-year Lumberjack career.

Both times Syracuse lost in the first round to Vermont and Texas A&M in their last two NCAA appearances, it came following a four-game run in NYC for the Big East Tournament. Even this year, the similarities are there as SU played four games in four nights last week in Madison Square Garden. However, those four games might have been more taxing because they included the six-overtime battle with rival UConn, only to be followed with an overtime game hours later against West Virginia.

“I'm still trying to get them back right now,” Johnny Flynn said of his legs following all the minutes logged in the Big East.

Flynn does not anticipate the four game run in NYC to have any impact on this year’s team.

“No, we're all young guys,” said Flynn of he and his teammates being ready to go this week. “I think we have our legs back, our energy is back, so I don't think that will be a problem. This is the NCAA Tournament.”

Coming from the Big East and the level of play they have seen all season, Syracuse should not have much problem with the defensive strength of the Lumberjacks. Syracuse has the athletes, size and offensive talent to combat each strength of Stephen F. Austin. Look for SU to get a comfortable win in Miami and advance to round two.


NBE Blogger Prediction:

Syracuse 80
Stephen F. Austin 65

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BET GAME PREVIEW: SYRACUSE VS WEST VIRGINIA

March 13, 2009



WOW!




WOW!!


That pretty much sums up Thursday night at Madison Square Garden. First, Pittsburgh fell to West Virginia, spoiling everyone's hope for a third match-up, and second in less than a week, between Pitt and Connecticut. Now, that game seems to have happened days ago because it was upstaged as the story in NYC this week by the incredible game that followed between Syracuse and Connecticut.

The Orange let a seven-point lead slip away in the final three minutes and change and then saw a potential buzzer-beating three-pointer from Eric Devendorf that would have won the game come a fraction of a second too late and were forced to go to overtime against the more-rested Huskies. Afterall, SU played a pretty emotionally charged game the night before against Seton Hall. Through FIVE, yes, count them FIVE, overtimes, the Orange seemed to battle uphill, never leading for a single second in any of the overtimes. Yet, they made their foul shots, got timely buckets from the three-point line from Andy Rautins and, kept knotting the score to force another extra session. Finally, in the sixth overtime, a Andy Rautins three and Paul Harris (finally) converted a couple shots in close and SU took an eight-point lead and this one would stand as SU upset UConn 127-117 in a six overtime CLASSIC.

Wow!


Will the Orange have ANYTHING left tonight?


Here are some pregame previews and stories on tonight's match-up:

Six Overtimes (Syracuse Post-Standard)
Special Freshman Give Huggins' Game Plan a Boost (Times West Virginian)
WVU Upsets Rival Pitt, Advances to BE Quarterfinals (Daily Mail)
WVU's 1-3-1 Zone Stymies Panthers (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

By the time 9:30 tonight rolls around, Syracuse and West Virginia both would need to put Thursday night behind them. Each team probably has accomplished what they set out to do in NYC this week, win their opener and knock off their top rival, now they both have a real shot at staying in Madison Square Garden for the duration of the 2009 Big East Tournament.

Of course, the question on everyone's mind, will Syracuse have anything left?

This is not a real deep team, usually playing a seven-man rotation with a cameo appearance here and there from an 8th player. In two nights, they have played 110 minutes of basketball, completing a 3-hour, 40-minute plus epic showdown after 1 AM on Friday morning against the Huskies. Now, they need to pick back up and go after the Mountaineers, a team they cruised past in the regular season, 74-61, at the Carrier Dome.

Bob Huggins' team got through their first two days with toughness and tenacity. Despite shooting just 36% in their opening win over Notre Dame, WVU dominated the boards and their athletic ability and speed buried the Irish early. The ultimate test of toughness came Thursday night when WWVU out-toughed the big, bad Panthers and shocked their rival 74-60.

In their first meeting, the SU zone caused the young Mountaineers a lot of trouble. Freshman Darryl 'Truck' Bryant will be in the spotlight once again as he will need to do a much better job of attacking the zone to hit the seams and spot shooter Alex Ruoff open for a wing jumper. Also, look for WVU to get the ball in the high-post area, likely with Devin Ebanks, and use their versatility to attack SU from inside. Ebanks and Da'Sean Butler are very capable scorers.

For Syracuse, they have size in Arinze Onuaku and Rick Jackson and they will need to use it and try to get easy baskets near the hoop. They will also need to attack the boards with some intensity because WVU will go after rebounds from every angle and position.

Both SU and WVU also need to avoid falling into a trap that might have hirt both Pitt and UConn, they need to focus on there here and now...not what happened last night. Whichever team is able to do that, I think will be the winner. In this case, since they did not have to grind through 70 minutes of basketball into the wee hours of the morning, look for the Mountaineers to have a bit more in the tank and follow the lead of the exploding Devin Ebanks and get another impressive win.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

West Virginia 74
Syracuse 68

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SYRACUSE LOOKS TO FIGHT OFF HUSKIES

March 12, 2009


Talk about a great rivalry match-up, this is a fantastic slate of quarterfinal conference tournament games in the Big East with Connecticut and Syracuse being the Thursday night finale.

Syracuse got past Seton Hall on Wednesday night in a chippy contest, that saw a pair of double technicals and an excessive foul called. When the shenanigans started, SU had a slim two-point lead, when the dust had settles, Syracuse was up 24 and clearing their bench to set up a date with the Huskies.

UConn comes into the 2009 Big East Tournament as the #3 seed following their Saturday loss at Pittsburgh to close the regular season. UConn is very close to locking up a #1 seed for the 2009 NCAA Tournament and a win over Syracuse could do the trick.

Here are some pregam stories and previews on tonight's anticpated match-up:

Orange Get Mad (Syracuse Post-Standard)
Boeheim Gets Serious at Big East Tourney (Post-Standard)
Mad Bimber (Post-Standard)
Ready to Rumble (Journal Inquirer)
Orange Scouting Report: Syracuse vs. Connecticut (Post-Standard)
UConn Eager to Break Tournament Hex (Connecticut Post)
UConn Men Have No Shortage of Motivation for Big East Tournament (TheDay.com)
Big East Quarterfinal: Syracuse vs. UConn (Hartford Courant)

These two teams met in Connecticut back on February 11th in a contest that resulted on one win and two losses for the teams involved. With UConn winning by the score of 63-49, the Huskies picked up a win in the standings, while the Orange a loss, howeever, Jerome Dyson was lost for the season because of a knee injury, a loss that might have knocked UConn from the favorite perch in the Big East.

Dyson went down to injury early on in the game in the first meeting. Connecticut was able to break away from a close game in the first half with a defensively-dominant performance, led by Hasheem Thabeet who scored just 8 points, but added 16 rebounds and 7 blocked shots. The Orange wanted nothing to do with scoring near the basket, shooting 31.7% from the floor with their two big men, Rick Jackson and Arinze Onuaku, combining for a 3-12 effort.

However, the game also go physical late. Thabeet was not just intimidating with his size, but some loosely tossed elbows caught the attention (and bodies) of Orange players and he topped it off with a fastball to the face of Kristof Ongenaet when falling out of bounds in an effort to perseve possession. Following the game, SU seemed to be looking forward to another shot at the Huskies.

In a situation similar to Pittsburgh possibly looking ahead to a potential Friday night rematch, UConn could very well have the Panthers on their mind. Afterall, saturday's loss is very fresh in their mind, so being 100% concentrated on the Orange might not be happening. We saw on Wednesday night what a motivated SU team can look like, they should be plenty motivated for this game.

The current NCAA Basketball betting odds have UConn as a 5 1/2-point favorite. With all the focus on Pitt and UConn here in NYC, do not sleep on the Orange. However, in the end, UConn will play too much defense and keep SU's easy buckets to a minimum. With Hasheem Thabeet inside, that is likely to be the difference in the end.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Connecticut 70
Syracuse 67

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ORANGE LOOK TO KEEP ROLLING VS. SETON HALL

March 11, 2009


Seton Hall just will not go away. And, if you think Syracuse is in for a walk through Central Park tonight, think again. The Pirates dispatched South Florida in the Bulls Garden debut last night, 68-54, as NYC natives Jeremy Hazell (23), Eugene Harvey (16) and Robert Mitchell (13) combined for 52 points as the Pirates rallied from a two-point halftime deficit. With friends and family in the stands again tonight, look for SHU to give the Orange everything they have left.

Syracuse comes into the 2009 Big East Tournament as the #6-seed, having won four in a row, highlighted by Saturday's overtime victory at Marquette. Syracuse aims to increase their momentum heading to the 2009 NCAA Tournament as they look to make their return after back-to-back NIT appearances.

Here are some pregame stories and previews on tonight's nightcap:

Orange Survived, Then Thrived (Syracuse Post-Standard)
Orange Scouting Report: SU vs. SHU (Syracuse Post-Standard)
SHU Knocks off USF in Big East Tournament (Star-Ledger)
Seton Hall Coach Bobby Gonzalez Surviving, Maturing (Star-Ledger)


This is a game that Bobby Gonzalez can not wait to coach in. These two teams met to open Big East play just prior to the New Year, but 'Gonzo' was not on the Pirate bench due to a one-game suspension for remarks and actions following a loss to Rutgers to conclude the 2007-2008 regular season. The Pirates were embarrassed in the Carrier Dome that night, in a game that was really not even that close.

While SHU was firing away blanks from beyond the arc, going 2-27 from three-point range, they were letting Syracuse do anything they wanted to on the offensive end. The Orange put five in double figures, led by Andy Rautins' 26 points.

That was then, this is certainly 'the now.' The Pirates were without John Garcia in that game and they are a much better team with him available. His size and experience will allow him to go toe-to-toe with SU big man Arinze Onuaku. The Orange definitely have the size advantage as they also start 6'9 sophomore Rick Jackson, and although SHU will use a smaller line-up, SU will not likely be deterred as they will employ their standard 2-3 zone defense against SHU.

In the first game tge SU zone led to the Pirates just bombing away from three-point range to no avail. Tonight, in order to compete, it will be imperative for Eugene Harvey to run an efficient zone offense, attacking the seams and finding players in position for good shots.

In the first game, SHU also pushed tempo and the game quickly turned into something you would see in the summer on the AAU circuit. It is a style that the Orange love to play with Jonny Flynn, Paul Harris and Eric Devendorf attacking the basket in transition for lay-ups and if, by chance, SHU got back on defense, Andy Rautins was open for the three. And, on the rare occasions they missed, Jackson or Onuaku were there to gobble up second chance opportunities.

SHU simply can't afford to let the game turn into that kind of track meet against the Orange again. They will need to play defense, try and keep SU off the boards and strike quickly, but intelligently on offense.

Syracuse is playing pretty well right now and they are mighty confident. While that trait seems to be pretty consistent with this group, their play has been backing up the confidence they have in themselves of late. In the end, they are the better, deeper and more experienced team, and that will lead to a solid win, but expect SHU to make their share of runs at them.

For those with an interest in the March Madness betting lines, Syracuse is a 6 1/2-point favorite in tonight's game.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Syracuse 81
Seton Hall 72

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: SYRACUSE @ MARQUETTE

March 7, 2009


After starting Big East play 9-0, Marquette has limped home for Senior Day, losing five of eight, and must continue to fight without their floor general, Dominic James, who is out for the season because of a broken foot suffered in their loss to UConn in their last home game.

The losing down the stretch has pushed the Golden Eagles out of the top four in the conference and a loss to SU on Saturday would mean that MU is the 6th seed in the 2009 Big East Tournament while the Orange would claim the 5th seed.

Syracuse started off the season hot as well, but a stretch of seven losses in 10 games has pushed the Orange into the middle of the Big East pack. Syracuse is in a stretch of three straight wins as they have run over St. John’s, Cincinnati and Rutgers in succession, but Saturday’s task will be much tougher as they will be facing and emotionally charged atmosphere in the Bradley Center when they meet Marquette.

Pregame stories and previews:

Orange Can Get 6th Seed in Big East Tournament with Win over Marquette (Syracuse Post-Standard)
Senior’s Day Will be Emotional (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)
Syracuse Orange Hope for Grand Finale (Rochester D&C)

While you can expect a spirited effort by Marquette with a vocal and excited home crowd behind them, watch out for Syracuse in this one. The Orange have certainly built some confidence with their last three impressive wins and their zone defense has always given Marquette fits as it cuts down their ability to break down a defense off the dribble and forces them to settle for perimeter jumpers. With James not in the line-up, the pressure shifts to Maurice Acker to solve the SU zone, a tough task for a new starter.

The Orange certainly have individual talent, especially in their backcourt with Jonny Flynn, Eric Devendorf and Paul Harris with three-point specialist Andy Rautins. The loss of James gives SU an unexpected edge there.

It will be emotional for MU today, no question, and the players will play hard. However, the toll of the James injury and the three losses, including the bulldozing administered by Pitt Wednesday night in the last 16 minutes might have MU reeling. With their lack of depth and the SU zone, a past nemesis, Look for SU to take over the 5th seed.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Syracuse 80
Marquette 73

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SYRACUSE CLOSES HOME SLATE ROUTING RUTGERS

March 4, 2009


OK, so by now it is 10 PM on Tuesday night. Cincinnati has lost to South Florida, Georgetown has lost to St. John's and they go to the half at the Carrier Dome with Rutgers taking a 20-19 lead into the locker room over Syracuse. Could it just be one of those nights?

Well, not entirely, while the Scarlet Knights remained amazing consistent(ly bad) in the second half, scoring just another 20, Syracuse found their footing and put up 51 as they bomb RU, 70-40, sending the Knights to their 16th Big East loss in 17 games.

The Orange Breaks Rut (Syracuse Post-Standard) early in the second half, feeding Arinze Onuaku the ball inside and embarking on a 24-8 run immediately after intermission in the first nine minutes to take control of the game and cruised the rest of the way over Rutgers.

It was showtime early and often for SU in the second half and Paul Harris led the way with 18 points and several high flying antics. Jonny Flynn added 10 assists, but also committed seven of the 20 Orange turnovers in the sloppy contest. With chants of 'Krist-of, Krist-of' (Post-Standard) echoing through the Dome, SU's lone scholarship senior Kristof Ongenaet added 10 points and six rebounds, playing 25 minutes, in his final SU home game. SU walk-ons Juston Thomas and Jake Presutti also got extended time in the rout, playing over three minutes and the seniors gave the crowd a reason to sheer as Thomas scored four points and Presutti drained an open three.

Syracuse will close the regular season in Milwaukee when they take on Marquette on Saturday before hoping to make another run in the Big East Tournament (tickets) next week at Madison Square Garden, where they should have plenty of fans urging them to make a run.

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: RUTGERS @ SYRACUSE

March 3, 2009

It is senior night in the Carrier Dome and Syracuse, winners of three of their last four, come into the home finale feeling a little bit better about themselves. Last week, SU applied a thorough beatdown on both St. John's, in Madison Square Garden, and Cincinnati, at home, to improve to 9-7 in the Big East and 21-8 overall.

The Dome faithful will look to send the lone SU scholarship senior, Kristof Ongenaet, off as a winner when the Orange host floundering Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights dropped two more last week, at Notre Dame and vs. Rutgers, and are now 1-15 in the Big East.

Here are some pregame stories and previews on tonight's game:

Happy Days are Here Again at SU (Post-Standard)
Orange Scouting Report: Syracuse vs Rutgers (Post-Standard)
Syracuse-Rutgers Scouting Report (Asbury Park Press)
Griffin Making an Impact for Rutgers (Asbury Park Press)


There really is not a whole lot to analyze in this game. The Orange, according to the latest college basketball odds are 15 1/2-point favorites. SU will likely sit in their trademark 2-3 zone defense and dare the Scarlet Knights to make shots and create off the dribble by attacking the seam of the zones. Rutgers continues to struggle with a gameplan and then the execution of getting the ball into the paint. If you are unable to do that, the SU zone will tear you apart.

Offensively, Syracuse has too many athletic weapons for Rutgers to keep up with. Jonny Flynn, Eric Devendorf and Paul Harris can all score and then Andy Rautins comes off the bench to drain three's and liven up the crowd. In the paint, Arinze Onuaku and Rick Jackson will at least hold their own against the under-utilized Greg Echenique and under-developed Hamady N'Diaye. Off the bench in the frontcourt is Ongenaet, a likely source of energy and toughness that will give his team an emotional lift when needed.

For Rutgers, the game will likely hinge on if freshman Mike Rosario can shoot the Knights into the game from beyond the arc. There seems to be little plan of attack after that. The script usually reads the RU opponent racing out to a big early lead and the Scarlet Knights bombing away from three-point range hoping to make a run. If Rosario is on against the zone it could happen. If not, it could be ugly...I am thinking it might be closer to the ugly side tonight.

NBE Blogger Preview:

Syracuse 86
Rutgers 67

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

February 24, 2009


At 7-7 in the Big East and losers of seven of their last 10 games, the Syracuse Orange can not afford the slightest mis-step as the Big East regular season comes to a close these next two weeks. SU has landed in the NIT the last two seasons and they need to take care of business over these next few games to avoid another nervous selection Sunday.

For St. John's, playing for pride as the regular season winds down is an all-too-familiar reality under Norm Roberts. At 4-10 the Redstorm have little hope for any postseason play, but with all 16 teams playing in the 2009 Big East Tournament, at least they have a chance this season.


Here are some pregame stories and previews from the internet on tonight's game:

Orange Scoutin Report: Syracuse @ St. John's (Post-Standard)
Ex-Cuse Storm's Poor Hospitality (NY Post)
Orange Men Look for a Critical Win (Post-Standard)

St. John's hopes to follow up Sunday evening's 70-65 win over Seton Hall in cozy Carnesecca Arena with a win tonight in Madison Square Garden against a slumping Syracuse Orange club. The Redstorm upset Notre Dame earlier this season in the Garden and, despite the usual large contingent of SU fans expected, hope to make the Garden their home once again with a big win.

Syracuse players admitted following Sunday afternoon's loss in the Dome to Villanova that they need to start winning. After facing a 10-game gauntlet of tough conference games, tonight is no time to relax and take a breather because SJU is going to come after them to take back MSG.

SU continued to show they are prone to fundamental breakdowns in the loss to 'Nova. Wether it is not getting back on defense, poor rebounding technique or questionable shot selection, the Orange continue to be a team that frustrates when watching them play. They have impressive individual talent in Jonny Flynn, Eric Devendorf, Paul Harris, etc. However, all too often, it is the individual trying to make the play, not the team.

Tonight they will have to work together and also hope to get some production from Arinze Onuaku and Rick Jackson inside. If SU goes into a pass/dribble and shoot attack, the SJU defense will make that a very difficult way to succeed.

St. John's will need to find some offensive output to keep up with SU. The famed zone defense of the Orange will put the pressure on the SJU perimeter game, which is very erratic, so how point guard Malik Boothe decides to attack the defense will be the biggest key for SJU. His inexperience might get the best of him in this one.

SU is a 5 1/2-point favorite, which looks to be a solid line. In this instance, I think SJU will struggle with the Orange zone and allow Syracuse to get the win they desperately need.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Syracuse 71
St. John's 64

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ORANGE LOOK FOR REVENE IN 'DOME SWEET DOME'

February 22, 2009


Syracuse looks to get revenge for an earlier loss to Villanova when the two teams tangle Sunday afternoon in the Carrier Dome. Just two weeks ago, Syracuse went to Philly and were smoked by the Wildcats from the get-go in a 102-85 loss. The Orange had lost five of six and six of eight prior to a win last Saturday against Georgetown, pushing them back above .500 in Big East play at 7-6. Their 10-game gauntlet of top Big East teams comes to a close on Sunday. In this current stretch, SU has shown to be a notch or two below the top teams in the Big East, a win against Villanova should close the gap.

Villanova had been one of the hottest teams in the country, let alone the Big East, until a Friday night in Morgantown slowed some of their momentum. VU bounced back on Thursday with a 10-point home win over lowly Rutgers and currently sit at 9-4 in the Big East, two games ahead of SU, but two games behind the conference leaders.

Orange Scouting Report: Syracuse vs. Villanova (Post-Standard)
End of the Gauntlet (Post-Standard)
Orange Try for No. 20 (Syracuse.com)

Syracuse has picked up their game at the Dome on a few ‘must-win’ occasions and the expectation they will do so again in this situation. Having eight days off to get Andy Rautins and Arinze Onuaku healthier and allow nagging injuries to Jonny Flynn and Eric Devendorf heal should give the Orange a huge lift against ‘Nova.

The Wildcats have been playing very well and that is likely to continue on Sunday. It should be an outstanding game, but a healthier Onuaku will make things a little more difficult for Dante Cunningham inside. Cunningham torched SU for 30+ points in the first meeting. The SU zone will put the pressure on the Villanova perimeter shooters, but look for some man-to-man as well and a Dome crowd feeding the ‘Cuse energy level.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Syracuse 79
Villanova 72

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: GEORGETOWN @ SYRACUSE

February 14, 2009


The Rivalry Week theme promoted by ESPN continues on Saturday with a high noon showdown in the Carrier Dome between longtime Big East rivals Syracuse and Georgetown. With both teams in a downward spiral through the Big East standings in the last month, this is a very important game for both teams hoping to keep their place at the table for the NCAA Tournament next month.

This is the second meeting of the year between the Orange and Hoyas. The first one, exactly one month ago today, was won by Georgetown, 88-74, at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC. However, that was the last high-point of the season for John Thompson III’s club as they have lost six of seven since.

Heading into the game on January 14, Syracuse was 4-0 in the Big East and 16-1 overall. The Hoyas jumped all over SU and got out to a big lead and the Orange never challenged on that night. The Orange followed up that loss with a resounding win over Notre Dame back home, but they are currently in a tailspin, not helped by injuries, that has seen them lost five of their last six game.

Here are some pregame stories and previews on today’s game:

Hoyas Keep Confidence (Washington Times)
Two Teams Have Come Back to Earth (Post-Standard)
Orange Scouting Report: Syracuse vs. Georgetown (Post-Standard)
History With Hoyas Filled With Drama (Post-Standard)


Following their win over SU last month, the Georgetown season quickly, and surprisingly, unraveled, beginning in their very next game, a loss at Duke. At halftime of that game, reportedly, senior guard Jesse Sapp and his backcourt mate, sophomore point guard Chris Wright, got into a heated altercation. Sapp, who has been in a near season-long shooting slump, has seen increased pine time since the incident, but this could be an area of team chemistry pulling the Hoyas apart from within.

Syracuse is a banged up team. They lost Antonio Jardine prior to the season and then Mookie Jones went down for the year with a hip injury last month. Now, Arinze Onuaku is playing on virtually one leg and Andy Rautins has been beat up, again causing Jonny Flynn to be an iron man on the floor. Syracuse is also looking pretty ragged in terms of teamwork, but playing in the Dome usually gives them an extra shot of confidence and energy, something they will need today from the large crowd.


NBE Blogger Prediction:

Syracuse 71
Georgetown 63

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: THOUGHTS ON 'CUSE

February 11, 2009


By Zach Smart

Heading into familiar territory, Syracuse renews one of the most storied rivalries in college basketball tonight in Connecticut.

What’s at stake: A win against top-ranked UConn would end a serious drought, Syracuse’s worst of the season. They’ve tailed off, significantly, since snapping a wowing seven-game win streak.

The frustration that seems to have snowballed broke new grounds Saturday, when the O-lacking Orange was victim to a pulverizing by Villanova. So, a potential upset of the top-ranked Huskies could kick-start a much-needed Syracuse resurgence. The Orange was El Aziza-hot at the start of the season.

A healthy Eric Devendorf and three-point assailant Andy Rautins played a significant factor in that. Syracuse, often lambasted for perpetually utilizing an ultra-soft early season, non-conference slate—one in which they “don’t leave the state”—infected the NCAA landscape with more promising, fresh air than Barack Obama. Non-conference tests passes including a trip to Kansas City (MO) for the CBE Classic and victories over Florida and Kansas were achieved. SU also went down to Memphis and came up with a win. So, while losses in five of their last seven are of a serious concern, they do have some NCAA Tournament 'bank' stored up, but a stimulus package is looking to be in need of soon.

Pregame stories and previews found on the internet this morning:

Rivalry Week Includes UConn & Syracuse
Mental Block (Syracuse Post-Standard)
Orange Scouting Report: SU vs. UConn (Post-Standard)
Defense, Resume Building the Huskies' Focus (Norwich Bulletin)
UConn vs. Syracuse Gamenight (collegehoopsnet.com)
UConn, Syracuse Jostling for Postseason Position (Rep-Am)
Thabeet Turns into Game Changer (Rep-Am)
Calhoun Looks to Avoid Run 'n' Gun Game vs. Syracuse (Middletown Press)
Calhoun Wants Huskies to Set Pace Against Orange (Hartford Courant)


NBE Blogger Prediction:

Connecticut 80
Syracuse 64

Look for the 12 1/2-point favorite Huskies to assume control of this game n the second half. Syracuse will come out with a big effort after their lackluster effort in a loss to Villanova over the weekend. However, the strong frontline of UConn will wear down the Orange and the guards will start to heat up late and Huskies cruise late.

SU Recruiting Notes:

So, Syracuse began the season with an excellent sales pitch for highly-touted recruits. While the strength of their 2009 incoming class hasn’t dwindled, a power surge would certainly help reel in top-notch recruits who are on the fence, including 6-foot-11 DaShonte Riley out of Detroit, who is expected to visit the Salt City this coming weekend when SU hosts Georgetown, the team that Riley was once a verbal commitment to.


Syracuse-commit Brandon Triche, of Jamesville-DeWitt (Jamesville, N.Y.) high school, has been dominant this year. The chiseled, high-flying combination guard knifed through defenders, drove to the paint and scored in transition, en route to a stunning 75-63 upset of Brooklyn power Lincoln last month.

Triche finished with 20 points, four dimes (albeit he committed nine turnovers) and strapped up on heavily-hyped guard Lance “Born Ready” Stephenson.

Stephenson finished with just 15 points on 5-for-17 shooting at Baruch College’s ARC arena in Manhattan. Stephenson wowed the crowd with a wild fast break dunk, streetball flair, and creative passes, though Triche clearly got the better of him.

James Southerland, an instant staple in Notre Dame Prep’s souped-up offense, has also been solid. While his spindly frame may prevent him from making an immediate impact next year (Southerland makes Mookie Jones look like Ben Wallace), his springy hops and all-out athleticism make him a lock for the future.

Southerland, a 6-foot-7, 190-pound beanstalk, finishes strong and brandishes a feathery 15-foot jump shot that he can extend into three-point territory.


Recruiting for the class of 2010 is off to a quick start as SU has verbal commitments from Baltimore forward CJ Fair, Oak Hil center Baye Moussa-Keita and Life Center Academy guard Dion Waiters. SU remains heavily involved in the mix for Long Island Lutheran forward Tobias Harris as well as Detroit Finney guard Isaiah Sykes.

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: SYRACUSE TRAVELS TO MEET 'NOVA

February 7, 2009


Another big game in the Big East matches 6-3 Villanova against 6-4 Syracuse at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia. The Wildcats, since dropping an 89-83 decision at No.1 Connecticut, have reeled off four consecutive wins, including a 10-point victory over Pittsburgh. In their last game, Scottie Reynolds scored 31 and Dante Cunningham, Reggie Redding and Dwayne Anderson all had double-doubles as the Wildcats held off a late Providence rally for a 94-91 win on the road.

Syracuse looked to be headed in the opposite direction as the Orange had dropped four of five following a 4-0 conference start. Syracuse got back on the right track Wednesday night with a 74-61 home win over West Virginia in the Dome.

Here are some pregame stories and previews found on the internet:
Wildcats Pace Appears to be Good Enough (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Syracuse has been hit hard by injuries, but are slowly coming back to health. Andy Rautins returned from an ankle injury to play 21 minutes in the win versus WVU and Arinze Onuaku was a little more productive in Wednesday’s game than he was in the loss to Providence a week earlier. Still, Onuaku’s problems with tendonitis in his knee are likely to linger and figuring out how healthy he is from game to game will be a chore. It is not good news for the Orange as the junior big man is tough to move in the paint and is the only player SU has to bang against some of the beef found in the Big East.

With Onuaku limited and Rautins finding his stroke from the perimeter again, the offensive burden falls back to the SU guards and against WVU Jonny Flynn and Eric Devendorf were up to the task, combining for 44 points in the win. They will find things much tougher against a physical defensive unit that makes up the ‘Nova backcourt. Sophomore Corey Fisher is starting to make his name as a top-notch defender and Reggie Redding already enters the game known as one of the better perimeter defenders in the Big East. Syracuse will likely try to isolate Paul Harris and have him use his size and strength to over power his defender to score points.

Syracuse will employ their standard 2-3 zone defense. The veteran Reynolds should have a better idea of how to attack and find the gaps than WVU did, setting up perimeter shooters like Corey Stokes and Anderson to knock down some three’s on their home floor.

With a gimpy Onuaku, Villanova’s ability to extend pressure in the backcourt is even more of an advantage as SU is more unlikely to take advantage of one-on-one mismatches inside. Paul Harris is likely to have a good game if he can put the ball on the floor under control and get into the lane, but the Villanova defense is likely to control other SU options. Offensively, ‘Nova will look to hit the gaps of the zone and knock down their shots when the opportunity arises.

It should be a good game, but in the end, Villanova’s defense carries them to a win.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Villanova 70
Syracuse 65

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: ORANGE LOOK TO SNAP STREAK AGAINST WVU

February 4, 2009


A very important Big East conference match-up takes place tonight in the Carrier Dome as the Syracuse Orange will host West Virginia. The Mountaineers are 4-4 in the Big East and 15-6 overall on the season. They are coming off a 69-63 loss at Louisville where they dug themselves a large hole, trailing by 20 at halftime, before closing the gap but it was too little too late.

Syracuse has lost three straight games and four of their last five after a 16-1 start to the season. The Orange were 4-0 in the Big East, but now stand at 5-4 and desperately need to gain some footing as the second half of conference play is set to begin.

Here are some pregame stories and previews from the internet this morning:

SU's Onuaku Appears Tentative for WVU Game (Syracuse.com)
SU Hopes to Free Up Wings Tonight (Syracuse Post-Standard)
Scouting Report: Orange vs. West Virginia (Post-Standard)
Must-Win Game for WVU at Syracuse (Times West Virginian)
Syracuse Hungry for a Win (Charleston Gazette)
Ebanks Evolving, Improving (Daily Mail)
Syracuse Basketball in Danger of Complete Collapse (Rochester D&C)
Pivital Road Game for WVU (wvmetronews.com)


Although we still have one-half the Big East schedule left to play, this is an important game for both sides and the pregame stories available today from beat writers covering each team definitely confirms that thought.

It shoudl be a very good game and the early college basketball odds have Syracuse as the 2 1/2-point favorite on their home floor.

The biggest advantage most teams enjoy over WVU is size in the paint. Arinze Onuaku is exactly the type of player Bob Huggins' team lacks. Unfotunately for the Orange, they may be without their 6-foot-9, 265-pound interior banger as tendonitis in his knee leaves him as a gametime decision. Onuaku was listed as a gametime decision last Wednesday when SU played at Providence. He made an attempt to play, but in 15 minutes of action, he did not score and grabbed just one rebound in what should have been a favorable match-up.

The expectation was that Onuaku would be ready for the game against WVU, same with Andy Rautins, who missed the PC game all-together because of an injured ankle. While Rautins is still a bit swollen and sore, he should be a go, but in the last couple days, more questions have arisen about Onuaku's ability.

In the game with PC, SU was beaten, 100-94. Sophomore point guard Jonny Flynn poured in 35 points, playing all 40 minutes, and junior Eric Devendord added 17, also playing all 40 minutes. The Orange defense, however, was non-existent, yielding 100 points and allowing PC to shoot 54% from the field. SU also turned the ball over 21 times, while forcing just 11 turnovers of the Friars. Devendorf, himself, turned the ball over 9 times.

West Virginia relies on Da'Sean Butler, who averages a team-best 17.6 points a game, and senior Alex Ruoff (16 ppg) for the bulk of their scoring. Ruoff has not shot the ball as well as expected recently, but finding a comfort against the SU zone could help him shake some of his shooting woes.

The Mountaineers also rely on a freshman point guard, Darryl Bryant, for the bulk of their ball-handling chores. It is always a stern test for a frosh to penetrate the SU zone and dissect it, rather than just content to pass around the perimeter and settle for three's.

If Onuaku can play and be effective, he and Rick Jackson have a decided advantage of size and strength in the paint. WVU counters with several combination forwards in the 6'7+ range that are athletic and long, but can be bodied up effectively. They will attack, but solid fundamentals in the paint can limit their effectiveness, making Onuaku's availability the games biggest key to victory, for both teams.

This one has me nervous, with Onuaku, I would definitely go with the Orange. Without Onuaku or having him in limited capacity, this is a toss-up. The Orange need it, they have the scorers (Flynn, Devendorf) and an athlete in Paul Harris to get the job done. The week off hopefully has been put to good use and they win a good one.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Syracuse 75
West Virginia 73

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: ORANGE LIMP INTO PROVIDENCE

January 28, 2009



Syracuse will limp into Providence banged up mentally, after losing three of their last four, and physically. It is unlikely Andy Rautins will play because of a sprained ankle and Arinze Onuaku will be a game time decision in regards to his availability.

The Friars have won five of their first seven conference games, but they still need to beat someone of significance. Their best win(s) this season have come against Cincinnati, whose RPI is 58. Their best non-league win is over Rhode Island (RPI of 62), so the Friars are desperate for a win to place on their resume. They have some opportunities in front of them as the date with the Orange kicks off a stretch of four games that has a road trip to UConn, home date with ‘Nova and a trip to West Virginia in succession.

Here are some pregame stories and previews found on the internet today:

Capsule Summary: Syracuse @ Providence (Providence Journal)
Rautins, Jones Out for SU (Observer-Dispatch)
Orange Scouting Report: SU vs. PC (Post-Standard)
Weakened SU Offers PC Opportunity (Providence Journal)
PC Hosts Syracuse Tonight (Pawtucket Times)
PC Hopes to Get Healthy Against Ailing Syracuse (Pro-Jo)

This could be a very telling game for the Keno Davis era at Providence. It seemed every so often the Tim Welsh-led Friars had an opportunity to get over a hump, but each time they were turned back by the powers of the conference. While the Orange are a little bit battered and bruised, the perception of a victory tonight can go a long way for the Friars as they try to carve out an identity in the Big East.

As noted earlier, PC needs a ‘quality’ win and the circumstances in earning such a victory probably could not be set up better. However, Syracuse will not make the snowy commute looking to hand over the game to the Friars. Led by Jonny Flynn, Eric Devendorf and Paul Harris, the Orange backcourt has strength and firepower that will certainly test the PC group of Sharaud Curry, Weyinmi Efejuku and Jeff Xavier. Brian McKenzie and Marshon Brooks provide backcourt depth, which the Orange are without because of the Rautins injury and Mookie Jones and Antonio Jardine being out for the season.

The frontcourt match-up could be where tonight’s game is decided. Arinze Onuaku has experienced pain and swelling in his knee since the loss to Louisville on Sunday and has not practiced. They hope the 6-foot-9, 260-lb big man is able to give it a go. His size is a match-up that PC will have great trouble with. Jonathan Kale and Randall Hanke will be tasked with match-up up with him, but neither has the size and strength to out-muscle Onuaku when he gets position. The Orange also have long and athletic Rick Jackson at the power forward spot and he can also play in the middle to relieve (or replace) Onuaku. Jackson is not nearly as burly as Onuaku, but paired together they make the SU zone extremely tough. Geoff McDermott is the power forward for the Friars, not the tallest, but a rugged player that can handle and pass extremely well.

This game will likely come down to Onuaku’s effectiveness. If he can go and play 75-80% of his normal minutes, the Orange should find themselves in pretty good shape. However, losing Rautins saps their depth and their perimeter game, which you will see PC lining up three’s early and often. The combination of a missing Onuaku, or even a limited Arinze, and Rautins might be too much for SU to overcome against a very hyped PC club. Keno Davis will have to keep his players grounded, but he seems to have the laid back personality to prevent his team from getting too tight. With the latest college basketball odds listing PC as a 1 ½-point favorite, this could be the game they can add to their resume.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Providence 75
Syracuse 68

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: LOUISVILLE @ SYRACUSE

January 25, 2009


Big East action tips off with a highly anticipated showdown at noon in the Carrier Dome when Syracuse welcomes in Louisville. The Cards are riding high at 5-0 in the conference and out their six-game win streak on the line against the Orange.

SU has lost two of three after beginning conference play with four straight wins. The schedule has gotten tougher and now the Orange look to get back into the win column before the losses begin to pile up.

Orange Scouting Report: Louisville vs. Syracuse (Post-Standard)
Louisville Wary Heading into Syracuse (Kentucky.com)
Technical Issues Plague SU (Post-Standard)
Louisville’s Smith Scoring not up to Par (Courier-Journal)
Cards Aim to Impose T-Will (Post-Standard)
Cards Know Dome Can Spell Doom (Courier-Journal)

This game might act as a little bit of a moment of truth for the Orange. As they got off to their 15-1 start, 4-0 in the Big East, they were moving up in the eyes of many as a possible title contender in the Big East. After being thoroughly beaten by Georgetown and Pitt on the road, they have a crucial home game with red-hot Louisville.

SU has relied on Jonny Flynn heavily, but he will be facing pressure all game long against the Cards which will test his decision-making for 40 minutes. As a whole, decision making seems to be one area the SU team can improve upon.

The Cards have been getting great leadership from Terrence Williams and the front court duo of Earl Clark and Samardo Samuels could be lottery picks come June if they both declare.

SU will no doubt be energized by a large home crowd in the Dome. That will help with their intensity on the boards and defensively. I still think the Louisville guards are a notch below the level to carry them in this spot, but it should be a very good game that will come down to the end. If Andy Rautins is hitting some shots for the Orange, they will be in good shape to hold off the Cards.

The latest college basketball odds has the Orange listed as a 2 ½-point favorite on their home floor.


NBE Blogger Prediction:

Syracuse 73
Louisville 70

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: SYRACUSE @ PITTSBURGH

January 19, 2009


Syracuse rebounded in fine fashion from their first conference loss by blitzing Notre Dame Saturday, 93-74, at the Carrier Dome. Now, we will see how Pittsburgh can rebound from their first loss of the season as Big Monday arrives and the Panthers host the Orange at the Peterson Events Center.

Pittsburgh lost a 10-point lead and their undefeated season in the last 8 minutes at Louisville on Saturday in a 69-63 loss to the Cards. The Panthers turned the ball over a season-high 20 times against Louisville's full-court pressure. However, it was the foul trouble of DeJuan Blair that changed the game for good over the last 8 minutes.

Here are some pregame stories and previews found on the internet this morning:

Panthers Can Forget About Loss in Hurry (Post-Gazette)
Orange Braces for Pittsburgh Brutes (Syracuse Post-Standard)
Orange Scouting Report: SU vs. Pittsburgh (Post-Standard)
Pitt Looking for Quick Recovery (Tribune-Review)
Confident SU Ready to Take on Pitt (Rochester D&C)

Saturday's loss to Louisville drove home one major point about Pitt, DeJaun Blair is their Most Important Player. Arguements can be made for Sam Young (18.4 points, 5.5 rebounds a game) or Levance Fields (10.2 pts, 7.1 assists, 1.8 turnovers a game), but Blair's absence due to foul trouble in a game-turning 19-3 run by Louisville showed how important Blair is to the Panthers.

Blair scored nine points and grabbed 10 rebounds, but he played just 20 minutes because of fouls. While the 6-foot-7, 265 lb bear is incredibly nimble and quick with tremendous hands, which is evident in the fact he leads Pitt with 1.9 steals a game, Blair has a tendency to pick up two-three fouls a game reaching or riding a guard 25+ feet from the basket defending the high bal screen. Most of Blair's steals come inside as he uses his quickness against other big men in the conference, not stripping guards in the backcourt.

When Blair was on the bench, Louisville was able to get second chance scoring opportunities and convert them, allowing them to set-up their full court pressure. It also took away Pitt's second-chance opportunities which led to some transition points for the Cards who were able to leak out on the break with less of a fear of a Blair rebound and put-back...in a nutshell, the whole game was turned around.

Syracuse was at their high-flying best against Notre Dame on Saturday, torching the Irish with 39 fast-break points in a 93-74 win. SU has the big bodies to clog the lane against Blair in Arinze Onuaku, who has similar girth as Blair, and the long and athletic Rick Jackson who will attempt to alter Blair's shots inside. The SU zone will also force Pitt to rely more on their perimeter shooters, the most inconsistent part of their game.

Offensively, Syracuse can score with the best of them and it will make them dangerous against any opponent. The Orange have explosive point guard Jonny Flynn directing the attack and his play is rapidly improving this year with a deeper supporting cast. He will be tested tonight as the Pitt defense and rebounding prowess will likely prevent the free-flowing pace of a game that SU excelled against when facing the Irish.

Consistency on defense and on the boards is one of th ebiggest keys to winning on the road. Not sure if Syracuse is at the point yet in those two areas to get a win here tonight. Both teams are on a quick turnaround, but SU has it a little easier as they will travel from Syracuse to Pittsburgh following their noon home contest while Pitt is coming home from Louisville following a 6 PM game on Saturday. They will be looking for a lift from the home crowd, similar to the lift Louisville got to push them over the top on Saturday in handing Pitt their first loss. The Panthers are a pretty healthy 8 1/2-point favorite in tonight's contest, that number seems just a tad high to me in what should be a good game. If Blair can be on the floor for 30 minutes...I think Pitt wins. If he finds himself in foul trouble...this could go either way.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Pittsburgh 72
Syracuse 66

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: NOTRE DAME @ SYRACUSE

January 17, 2009


After suffering their first loss in conference play on Wednesday night, the Syracuse Orange return to the comfy confines of the Carrier Dome were an anticipated crowd of more than 30,000 will brave frigid temperatures to be in the building as SU hosts Notre Dame at high noon on Saturday.

The Irish, in the midst of a brutal stretch of games with Connecticut, Marquette and Pittsburgh up next in succession before month’s end, are coming off an overtime loss at Louisville on Monday night. The loss knocked ND to 3-2 in Big East action, which both losses on the road.

Meet Irish’s Lethal Weapon (Post-Standard)
Rautins Earning Respect (Daily Times)
Notre Dame Must Improve Defensive Stands (Chicago Tribune)

Syracuse won their first four league games (again, against teams that are a combined 1-16 in conference play), but got their first taste of a conference contender Wednesday night and were thoroughly beaten by Georgetown. The Hoyas shot lights out and raced to a commanding 18-point halftime lead while the Orange got their feet under them.

Syracuse also received an injury scare against the Hoyas as Andy Rautins crumbled to the floor in pain during the first half, holding his knee, after getting tangled up for a loose ball. Rautins would not return in the game, but the immediate prognosis following the game was a bruised knee and he was likely to suit up and play against the Irish. Rautins missed all of last season because of a torn ACL from the summer of 2007.

“He’s got a slight strain or bruise but he’s walking,” SU coach Jim Boeheim told media members during Thursday’s league conference call. “He may be able to practice today [Thursday], he should be able to practice tomorrow [Friday]. We’re expecting unless something changes for him to be able to play.”

Against Louisville on Monday night, the Irish simply looked as though they ran out of gas and had nothing in the tank for overtime. Mike Brey’s club uses just seven players most nights and on Monday, six of them accounted for 223 of the 225 available minutes in the OT contest.

To win on the road, defense and rebounding are extremely important. The Irish struggle on the defensive end of the floor and the graduation of Rob Kurz has left a hole in their defensive and rebounding prowess. Against a Syracuse team that can score points and rebound, it will take a lights-out shooting effort by the Irish against the SU zone to steal a road win.

Luke Harangody will get his share of points and rebounds, like he always does. Expect the Syracuse big men of Arinze Onuaku and Rick Jackson to also produce on the inside for the Orange. The major question for the Irish is who will keep the SU backcourt from scoring. From Jonny Flynn to Eric Devendorf to Paul Harris and Andy Rautins, Syracuse will have offensive threats pressuring ND all game long. That is a tough match-up for the Irish.

The early college basketball betting lines have pegged SU as 3 ½-point favorites.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Syracuse 84
Notre Dame 75

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: HOYA, ORANGE RIVALRY RENEWED

January 14, 2009


A classic rivalry in the Big East is renewed tonight at the Verizon Center for a national audience as Syracuse puts their top-ten ranking on the line against rival Georgetown.

Syracuse is 4-0 in Big East play and 16-1 on the season. Their lone loss came at the hands of Cleveland State when Cedric Jackson banked in a 60-footer at the buzzer to break a tie score.

Georgetown is 2-2 in Big East play, 11-3 overall, and are trying to find their footing in the Big East. The Hoyas finally got some bench support in their win over Providence this weekend, something they will need dearly to be consistent in the Big East.


Here are some pregame stories and previews on tonight's game from the web this morning:

Hoyas Seek a Solution for Syracuse (Washington Times)
Kris Joseph Does Not Expect a Hoya Welcome Mat (Syracuse Post-Standard)
Orange Ready to crank it Up (Post-Standard
Cold Shooting Hoyas Prepare for Red Hot Orange (Washington Post)
Scouting Report: SU vs. Georgetown (Post-Standard)
Syracuse Players Aware of History in Nation’s Capitol (Post-Standard)

The talent on these two teams, at least in their starting line-ups, are pretty evenly matched. Syracuse has some more experience and strength, while Georgetown has some more potential and athleticism. Syracuse has a bench that has been more productive, and having Eric Devendorf available to come off their bench is a big boost for the Orange and is nothing the Hoyas can counter with.

The Hoyas return just three players (Austin Freeman, Jesse Sapp and DaJuan Summers) who saw significant time in the Big East regular season last year. New starting point guard Chris Wright missed most of the season with a foot injury and Greg Monroe, a freshman, round out the starting line-up for John Thompson III. The Hoyas are definitely top-loaded in talent and their group has as much potential as any starting line-up in the conference. However, growing pains have been evident as the Princeton-style offense is definitely not flowing as naturally as it has in the past in Big East play.

Georgetown flashed their high potential in their conference-opening win at UConn, but were quickly dragged back to earth with a thud when Pittsburgh smacked them around on this very floor.

Syracuse has some size and strength that is similar to Pitt with Arinze Onuaku and Paul Harris in their line-up. Jonny Flynn is the engine of the Orange attack and Andy Rautins adds the missing perimeter ingredient that they did not have last year. The progression of Rick Jackson has also made the backline of the SU zone much more formidable and allows a bigger line-up to be on the court for most of the game. When SU struggled at USF in the second half, it was largely due to the absence of Paul Harris, forcing Rauitins or Eric Devendorf to have to play on the backline of the zone, which USF exploited on the boards or attacking the baseline offensively.

This game also represents a pretty big step-up in Big East competition for the Orange. While Georgetown has survived a schedule of at UConn, vs Pitt, at Notre Dame and vs PC (12-4 in conference play), SU has mowed down Seton Hall, USF, DePaul and Rutgers (combined 1-14 in league play).

While this SU team definitely looks like a group that will make some noise in March and remain amongst the top of the Big East, it will be interesting to see how ready they are for this game. The college basketball betting odds show Georgetown as a 6 1/2-point favorite, which seems high, they should be able to hold on for a win in this one as it might take SU a little while to find their footing in this type of Big East match-up.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Georgetown 67
Syracuse 63

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