Syracuse Preview
February 14, 2011 12:02 PM | General
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Former West Virginia University coach Gale Catlett could always see the genius in Jim Boeheim’s approach to basketball. It is as simple as 1-2-3.
“He gets into that damned (2-3) zone that is so hard to attack, and his best players take all of the shots,” Catlett would say. “Now that’s great coaching.”
It is and that’s why Boeheim’s Syracuse teams always win 20 games go to the NCAA tournament. This year, the Orange got off to a great start by winning its first 18 games, but since a 74-66 loss at Pitt on Jan. 17, Syracuse is just 2-4 with a rare three losses in the Carrier Dome against Villanova, Seton Hall and Georgetown. It is the first time in nine years that Syracuse has lost three in a row at home.
The Seton Hall defeat was particularly disturbing to Orange fans, the Pirates completely dominating Syracuse in a 22-point victory back on Jan. 22. In the last 26 days, Syracuse has lost six of its last eight games and is giving up an average of 77 points during those eight games.
Most recently at Louisville last Saturday, Syracuse dug itself a deep hole early in the second half and was not able to completely climb out of it, although Syracuse was able to make it a one-possession game with seven seconds to go before eventually falling, 73-69. Louisville managed to shoot 48.1% from 3 against Syracuse’s zone, hitting 13 of 27 for the game.
“We have to take a hard look at how people score on it,” said Huggins. “Louisville made a lot of shots against it, at least early. The thing about the zone is you’ve got to keep making shots because I don’t think he’s coming out of it. That’s what Georgetown did. You just can’t stop making them.”
Syracuse is ½-game behind West Virginia, Villanova, Connecticut and St. John’s for fifth place in the Big East standings with home dates remaining against Rutgers and DePaul and road trips to Villanova and Georgetown to try and get back up into the top four and earn a first round bye in the Big East tournament.
West Virginia, too, is still in contention for a top-four finish in the league standings, but the Mountaineers have a much tougher path to travel, facing Syracuse tonight and still having games remaining against Notre Dame, Pitt, Rutgers, Connecticut and Louisville.
The Mountaineers (16-8, 7-5) are coming off an 82-71 victory over DePaul where five different players reached double figures, led by John Flowers’ 15 points. Flowers is now one of four WVU players averaging double figures at 10 points per game, joining guard Casey Mitchell (15.0 ppg.), forward Kevin Jones (13.0 ppg.) and guard Truck Bryant (10.6 ppg.).
West Virginia shot better than 50% from the floor against DePaul for the first time in more than a month. The last time the Mountaineers made more than half their field goal tries was also against the Blue Demons back on Jan. 4.
West Virginia is shooting 42.5% as a team this season.
“I’ve tried to tell Casey, Truck, Pep (Dalton Pepper) and those guys if you go up and blast five jumpers and don’t make any you’re thinking to yourself I’m having a bad day. I’m 0 for 5. But if you get yourself a layup or a rebound goal all of a sudden you’re 2 for 5 and the next one might go in,” said Huggins. “We just don’t get easy baskets and we’re so undersized.
“Cam (Thoroughman), bless his heart, he does a great job trying to rebound the ball offensively but he has no chance to finish it with all that length over him,” Huggins said. “We’ve got to do a better job of positioning ourselves so when he throws it out we can get another step-in shot.”
The problem for West Virginia is Syracuse’s great size on the wings and inside. Another problem for the Mountaineers is they only have a day of prep to get ready for it.
“The thing you can’t simulate is Syracuse’s length,” said Huggins.
West Virginia has not fared well against Syracuse in recent years, the Orange claiming 11 of the last 12 games since 2001. West Virginia’s last victory against Syracuse came in 2008 – Huggins’ first year at WVU – when the Mountaineers came away with an 81-61 win in Morgantown.
West Virginia has won only once in the Carrier Dome back in 1996, a 101-79 decision, and has a 1-8 overall record against the Orange in the facility. Overall, West Virginia is just 3-20 in road games against Syracuse.
“We’ve only been in there once since I’ve been here and I didn’t think it bothered our guys any,” said Huggins. “Now we didn’t win, but we had a bunch of young freshmen then and it didn’t seem to bother them much.”
Tipoff for tonight’s game is set for 7 p.m. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN.
MSN radio coverage (Tony Caridi, Jay Jacobs and Kyle Wiggs) begins with the Coliseum Countdown at 6:30 p.m. followed by the game broadcast.
“He gets into that damned (2-3) zone that is so hard to attack, and his best players take all of the shots,” Catlett would say. “Now that’s great coaching.”
It is and that’s why Boeheim’s Syracuse teams always win 20 games go to the NCAA tournament. This year, the Orange got off to a great start by winning its first 18 games, but since a 74-66 loss at Pitt on Jan. 17, Syracuse is just 2-4 with a rare three losses in the Carrier Dome against Villanova, Seton Hall and Georgetown. It is the first time in nine years that Syracuse has lost three in a row at home.
The Seton Hall defeat was particularly disturbing to Orange fans, the Pirates completely dominating Syracuse in a 22-point victory back on Jan. 22. In the last 26 days, Syracuse has lost six of its last eight games and is giving up an average of 77 points during those eight games.
Most recently at Louisville last Saturday, Syracuse dug itself a deep hole early in the second half and was not able to completely climb out of it, although Syracuse was able to make it a one-possession game with seven seconds to go before eventually falling, 73-69. Louisville managed to shoot 48.1% from 3 against Syracuse’s zone, hitting 13 of 27 for the game.
“We have to take a hard look at how people score on it,” said Huggins. “Louisville made a lot of shots against it, at least early. The thing about the zone is you’ve got to keep making shots because I don’t think he’s coming out of it. That’s what Georgetown did. You just can’t stop making them.”
Syracuse is ½-game behind West Virginia, Villanova, Connecticut and St. John’s for fifth place in the Big East standings with home dates remaining against Rutgers and DePaul and road trips to Villanova and Georgetown to try and get back up into the top four and earn a first round bye in the Big East tournament.
West Virginia, too, is still in contention for a top-four finish in the league standings, but the Mountaineers have a much tougher path to travel, facing Syracuse tonight and still having games remaining against Notre Dame, Pitt, Rutgers, Connecticut and Louisville.
The Mountaineers (16-8, 7-5) are coming off an 82-71 victory over DePaul where five different players reached double figures, led by John Flowers’ 15 points. Flowers is now one of four WVU players averaging double figures at 10 points per game, joining guard Casey Mitchell (15.0 ppg.), forward Kevin Jones (13.0 ppg.) and guard Truck Bryant (10.6 ppg.).
West Virginia shot better than 50% from the floor against DePaul for the first time in more than a month. The last time the Mountaineers made more than half their field goal tries was also against the Blue Demons back on Jan. 4.
West Virginia is shooting 42.5% as a team this season.
“I’ve tried to tell Casey, Truck, Pep (Dalton Pepper) and those guys if you go up and blast five jumpers and don’t make any you’re thinking to yourself I’m having a bad day. I’m 0 for 5. But if you get yourself a layup or a rebound goal all of a sudden you’re 2 for 5 and the next one might go in,” said Huggins. “We just don’t get easy baskets and we’re so undersized.
“Cam (Thoroughman), bless his heart, he does a great job trying to rebound the ball offensively but he has no chance to finish it with all that length over him,” Huggins said. “We’ve got to do a better job of positioning ourselves so when he throws it out we can get another step-in shot.”
The problem for West Virginia is Syracuse’s great size on the wings and inside. Another problem for the Mountaineers is they only have a day of prep to get ready for it.
“The thing you can’t simulate is Syracuse’s length,” said Huggins.
West Virginia has not fared well against Syracuse in recent years, the Orange claiming 11 of the last 12 games since 2001. West Virginia’s last victory against Syracuse came in 2008 – Huggins’ first year at WVU – when the Mountaineers came away with an 81-61 win in Morgantown.
West Virginia has won only once in the Carrier Dome back in 1996, a 101-79 decision, and has a 1-8 overall record against the Orange in the facility. Overall, West Virginia is just 3-20 in road games against Syracuse.
“We’ve only been in there once since I’ve been here and I didn’t think it bothered our guys any,” said Huggins. “Now we didn’t win, but we had a bunch of young freshmen then and it didn’t seem to bother them much.”
Tipoff for tonight’s game is set for 7 p.m. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN.
MSN radio coverage (Tony Caridi, Jay Jacobs and Kyle Wiggs) begins with the Coliseum Countdown at 6:30 p.m. followed by the game broadcast.
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