December 31, 2005
Big Crowd, Big Noise
20,514 people showed up to watch Syracuse beat (up) a scrappy Kent State team 78-66 last night, and for the first time this year the true size of the crowd actually seemed to support the University's attendance numbers. Big ups to the fans for getting out to the hill for the last game of 2005 in person instead of watching on Time Warner 26 - it's about time that fans figured out basketball is more fun to watch without a local TV producer repeatedly forcing viewers to watch the replay of Watkins missing an 8 footer instead of the action on the floor, leaving them to wonder what that massive cheer from the live crowd is for. Overlapping replays are by far the worst feature of Time Warner 26, easily surpassing their graphics from 1983 and the grainy commercial for Jerry's Carpets. Someone needs to get on that.
Anyways, it was refreshing to see the dome crowd back in full force, especially since it was the most exciting game of the season since the Manhattan Miracle. The spirit of Hak was in the building last night, and the Cuse channeled it to dominate their opponents inside. Roberts was throwing down alley-oops. Nichols went to the hoop from the top of the key in two steps . Watkins blocked like 43 shots from behind. On more than one occasion, Fast Eddie would lean over to me and say, "That was a Warrick move, man!" in reference to a play that had just happened on the court. The fans were into it as well, especially after a second-half offensive spurt that caused Devendorf to lose his mind and morph into Steve Wojciechowski, waving his arms and screaming for the fans to get out of their seats to cheer him on as he locked eyes with the opposing point guard, daring him to make a move on the perimeter. It was one of the key moments in the game for me - that specific point in the season when the crowd realizes that this is Syracuse basketball, and it's going to be an exciting year. Devendorf avoided the floor-slap, (it's a little played out) but the attitude was there: just bring it, son, 'cause we're gonna whoop your butt.
The Orange really showed their aggressive side last night, as evidenced by the scrum on the Kent State end of the court during a battle for a loose ball. SU's lead was more than ten points, but the Cuse were still playing with heart. After the fight, McCroskey and one of the Golden Flashes were both charged with personal fouls for the brief shoving match that occured while on their backs after the whistle blew. When it was over, though, it was the Orange slapping each other five and commending one another for their tough play. Kent State, however, simply went back to their coach to figure out how they could keep up with the faster, better skilled Syracuse players who finally had more determination to boot.
Paul Harris and Johnny Flynn were in the house as well, if only to get a small taste of what their home crowd will be like when they end a fast break with their own version of Mac to Hak in 2007. I can only assume they left the building impressed and excited to put on some orange and make 30,000 people go nuts.
It was fun to go to the game last night and see more season ticket holders actually making use of their seats. It was good to know that if the usual 2,000 or so students were there, the crowd would have been as loud as a UConn game. Even though the shirtless ones were back home on break, us older folks had a good time making some noise and letting our team know that their home floor is still going to give them the edge necessary to beat the Huskies and Wildcats when they bring their players up to Cusetown. It's 8 days till the Big East, and we couldn't be more eager to get it rolling.
Anyways, it was refreshing to see the dome crowd back in full force, especially since it was the most exciting game of the season since the Manhattan Miracle. The spirit of Hak was in the building last night, and the Cuse channeled it to dominate their opponents inside. Roberts was throwing down alley-oops. Nichols went to the hoop from the top of the key in two steps . Watkins blocked like 43 shots from behind. On more than one occasion, Fast Eddie would lean over to me and say, "That was a Warrick move, man!" in reference to a play that had just happened on the court. The fans were into it as well, especially after a second-half offensive spurt that caused Devendorf to lose his mind and morph into Steve Wojciechowski, waving his arms and screaming for the fans to get out of their seats to cheer him on as he locked eyes with the opposing point guard, daring him to make a move on the perimeter. It was one of the key moments in the game for me - that specific point in the season when the crowd realizes that this is Syracuse basketball, and it's going to be an exciting year. Devendorf avoided the floor-slap, (it's a little played out) but the attitude was there: just bring it, son, 'cause we're gonna whoop your butt.
The Orange really showed their aggressive side last night, as evidenced by the scrum on the Kent State end of the court during a battle for a loose ball. SU's lead was more than ten points, but the Cuse were still playing with heart. After the fight, McCroskey and one of the Golden Flashes were both charged with personal fouls for the brief shoving match that occured while on their backs after the whistle blew. When it was over, though, it was the Orange slapping each other five and commending one another for their tough play. Kent State, however, simply went back to their coach to figure out how they could keep up with the faster, better skilled Syracuse players who finally had more determination to boot.
Paul Harris and Johnny Flynn were in the house as well, if only to get a small taste of what their home crowd will be like when they end a fast break with their own version of Mac to Hak in 2007. I can only assume they left the building impressed and excited to put on some orange and make 30,000 people go nuts.
It was fun to go to the game last night and see more season ticket holders actually making use of their seats. It was good to know that if the usual 2,000 or so students were there, the crowd would have been as loud as a UConn game. Even though the shirtless ones were back home on break, us older folks had a good time making some noise and letting our team know that their home floor is still going to give them the edge necessary to beat the Huskies and Wildcats when they bring their players up to Cusetown. It's 8 days till the Big East, and we couldn't be more eager to get it rolling.
December 29, 2005
Commentator Know-It-Alls
Any serious fan of Syracuse University Basketball is well aware of the most popular criticism of Hall of Famer Jim Boeheim and his teams: the Syracuse Orange don't travel out of state enough and only play cupcakes during the pre-Big East part of the season. ESPN commentators such as Doug Gottlieb (an NBA wannabe from Oklahoma St. who averaged 5 pts/game for his career, shot 46% from the free throw line and, according to my man Carolina Jay, has no friends) and Dick Vitale (a terrible NBA coach with a record of 34-60 who gave his first born son to Christian Laettner) continually bash the program on the air, always reminding us that "The Orange don't even leave New York State until their 11th game!" and "Their non-conference schedule just isn't difficult enough to give them top-ten consideration!" The argument made by these "experts" is that when you're only beating up on the intrastate likes of Siena and Binghamton every season, you're nowhere near the top teams like Duke or North Carolina.
The assumption here is that Syracuse is inferior to other teams because they usually don't leave the home state until January, creating a poor strength of schedule and not properly preparing the Cuse for the meat of the season. Gottlieb and Vitale will tell you that teams like Duke obviously play a better non-conference schedule than the Orange - they'd let us know if they felt the Blue Devils were skimping a little on the quality of their contests, as it's their job to do so. We needn't double check their statements, of course, since it's such common knowledge that Syracuse plays a super easy in-state schedule, right? It would be foolish for me to actually look at the team's scheduling record - I'm sure that professionals like Gottlieb and Vitale do their homework by reading the schedule sheet before going on the air with their yearly bashfest.
Yeah. Well, I don't really have anything else to do...
Since the 2003-04 season Syracuse has played 35 games in November and December, 8 of them away from the Carrier Dome (with one more homer tomorrow). During that span, SU has gone 3-4 against seven top-40 opponents (Charlotte, Memphis, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Florida, Bucknell). Of those "quality non-conference" games, 5 were played on the somewhat neutral floor inside Madison Square Garden, 250 miles from the Dome. Not very many, right? Surely every top-ten team in the country has played more quality games than the Cuse and they always spend more time away from their home floors - it would be just plain silly to waste more effort in checking up on that...
Too bad for Gottlieb and Vitale that this blogger really has nothing of importance going on this afternoon.
After looking through their favorite team's schedule, I found that the Dukies somehow seem to have played a very similar schedule to that of the Orange! Just to be sure - since that can't possibly be correct - I double checked the numbers and discovered that as of today, Duke has played 29 November and December games since 2003 - 10 of them away from Cameron Indoor. Of those 10 away games, 3 were played at neutral Madison Square Garden, 490 miles from Durham. Yes - a big two more away games than the Cuse in three years. That's okay, though, because one can assume that Duke simply plays their oh-so-difficult non-conference schedule at home. They must be mowing down those Final Four teams with regularity, as professional commentators wouldn't dream of being wrong when making statements on the air.
Over the course of the last three seasons, Duke has gone 7-0 versus top-30 opposition (Michigan State twice, Texas twice, Oklahoma, Memphis, Indiana). It seems that Duke is willing to schedule the toughest teams they can find - #2 Texas is certainly a great deal better than a #30 Charlotte or #20 Mississippi State - but that's still only 7 of 29 basketball games that were played against quality teams. Granted, it is a higher percentage of total games (24%) than the Orange's (20%) and Duke has fared significantly better than Syracuse in such contests, but it certainly doesn't demonstrate a supreme lack of schedule strength in Syracuse.
Just to be sure, as I don't want Coach K to be labeled as a weak scheduler like Jimmy B, I looked through a few other team schedules as well. During the same three season span, big-time powerhouses UConn (5), Texas (6), and North Carolina (6) all played less quality games than Syracuse. Teams like Illinois (8) and Michigan State (10) have worked harder during their pre-conference months, but still use November and December primarily as practice for the games that really matter.
Sure, Syracuse plays nearly all of their early games in the state of New York (though the distance to Madison Square Garden is greater than the full length of Massachussetts or Connecticut). Yes, 80% of those games are 'gimmes' that serve the same purpose as a scrimmage during practice. Even so, the Orange aren't the only ones who make a habit out of easy scheduling. The colormen with their catchphrases need to stop yelling at us about what they "know" of the teams and start making fair comparisons. After all, it is their job to do so.
December 23, 2005
johnny f'n damon?
Don't blame Johnny! I think Red Sox fans should start hating the management - not the players they casually let go without a fight. Their stars don't stay loyal to the ownership because the ownership isn't loyal to them.
Roger Clemens: i think "washed up" was the key phrase...
Pedro Martinez: not worth the money, right?
Johnny Damon: the "face of the franchise" doesn't deserve a matching offer, let alone a phone call?
how many position players are left from the Boston Red Sox 2004 world championship team, now that we're about to hit 2006? hmmm... that'd be 4, (Ortiz, Ramirez, Nixon, Varitek) with Manny begging to leave ASAP. In less than 2 years, they've dropped 3 infielders and 2 outfielders that helped win them their only damn championship. None of them due to retirement, though - all of them because the suits felt the team would be better off without 'em. yeah.......
That's some seriously smart management over there in beantown.
How many postion players are left from the Yankees' 2000 world championship team? 3 - Jeter, Posada, Williams. Of the other five, three retired as Yankees and two are named Shane Spencer and Chuck Knoblauch, who couldn't hit the Empire State Building from the corner at 34th and 5th.
Money's not the reason, either - every Sox fan knows that Boston can afford to pay one or two more stars if they really want to. Unfortunately, the guys running the show aren't bright enough to lock down their best players.
I bet it won't be too much fun for those fans to be looking up at Toronto next season... bummer.
Roger Clemens: i think "washed up" was the key phrase...
Pedro Martinez: not worth the money, right?
Johnny Damon: the "face of the franchise" doesn't deserve a matching offer, let alone a phone call?
how many position players are left from the Boston Red Sox 2004 world championship team, now that we're about to hit 2006? hmmm... that'd be 4, (Ortiz, Ramirez, Nixon, Varitek) with Manny begging to leave ASAP. In less than 2 years, they've dropped 3 infielders and 2 outfielders that helped win them their only damn championship. None of them due to retirement, though - all of them because the suits felt the team would be better off without 'em. yeah.......
That's some seriously smart management over there in beantown.
How many postion players are left from the Yankees' 2000 world championship team? 3 - Jeter, Posada, Williams. Of the other five, three retired as Yankees and two are named Shane Spencer and Chuck Knoblauch, who couldn't hit the Empire State Building from the corner at 34th and 5th.
Money's not the reason, either - every Sox fan knows that Boston can afford to pay one or two more stars if they really want to. Unfortunately, the guys running the show aren't bright enough to lock down their best players.
I bet it won't be too much fun for those fans to be looking up at Toronto next season... bummer.
December 21, 2005
a better yankee bullpen?
Johnny Damone got me a little excited about the Yankees today, so I did a little catch-up work on the team to try and get a sense of how improved they really are going to be.
The main weakness of the New York Yankees last season was the ridiculously bad bullpen. They consistently made blowout games tight and blew chances for the offense to mount late comebacks. I wasn't nearly as concerned about centerfield going into this offseason as I was about Mariano's help in the pen.
Apparently, Cashman felt the same way, as he's made a few additions while dropping the dead weight. Since the end of the 2005 season, he's signed Kyle Farnsworth, Ron Villone, Mike Myers, and is about to close a deal on Octavio Dotel. I decided to run a stat check on these guys and compare them to last year's bullpen. The results are very encouraging:
I took all the regular relievers (minus Rivera) from last year's team and figured out their combined ERA for the Yanks. This group is comprised of Tom Gordon, Colter Bean, Tanyon Sturtze, Buddy Groom, Felix Rodriguez, Steve Karsay, Scott Proctor, Wayne Franklin, Paul Quantrill, Mike Stanton, Alan Embree, Alex Graman, Ramiro Mendoza, and Jorge Depaula. I left sometime relievers Aaron Small and Al Leiter off the list, considering they started games significantly more often than they relieved.
Last year's bullpen combined for 351.1 innings pitched. Their combined ERA: 5.05
That number is way too high for a bunch of guys that only have to pitch an inning or two every other day. Most of them have been let go, making room for the new guys I previously mentioned. I took the numbers from Proctor and Sturtze (who will be staying) and added the stats from the newbies: Farnsworth, Myers, Villone, and Dotel. Leiter will probably be in the bullpen at the start of the season too, but I still left his numbers out because I had trouble finding anything that separated his relief stats from starting stats.
Those six pitchers currently scheduled to set up Rivera from the bullpen combined for 309.1 innings pitched last year. Their combined ERA? 3.96
Of course, that number will increase - considering that Yankee Stadium has been known to cause more than its share of pitching jitters - but at this point anything around 4.00 looks pretty good to me. At the least they'll be able to spare Rivera's arm a little more, as he shouldn't have to mop up someone else's mess as much as he did in '05. Cashman has made good moves so far - hopefully everything will work out as expected.
The main weakness of the New York Yankees last season was the ridiculously bad bullpen. They consistently made blowout games tight and blew chances for the offense to mount late comebacks. I wasn't nearly as concerned about centerfield going into this offseason as I was about Mariano's help in the pen.
Apparently, Cashman felt the same way, as he's made a few additions while dropping the dead weight. Since the end of the 2005 season, he's signed Kyle Farnsworth, Ron Villone, Mike Myers, and is about to close a deal on Octavio Dotel. I decided to run a stat check on these guys and compare them to last year's bullpen. The results are very encouraging:
I took all the regular relievers (minus Rivera) from last year's team and figured out their combined ERA for the Yanks. This group is comprised of Tom Gordon, Colter Bean, Tanyon Sturtze, Buddy Groom, Felix Rodriguez, Steve Karsay, Scott Proctor, Wayne Franklin, Paul Quantrill, Mike Stanton, Alan Embree, Alex Graman, Ramiro Mendoza, and Jorge Depaula. I left sometime relievers Aaron Small and Al Leiter off the list, considering they started games significantly more often than they relieved.
Last year's bullpen combined for 351.1 innings pitched. Their combined ERA: 5.05
That number is way too high for a bunch of guys that only have to pitch an inning or two every other day. Most of them have been let go, making room for the new guys I previously mentioned. I took the numbers from Proctor and Sturtze (who will be staying) and added the stats from the newbies: Farnsworth, Myers, Villone, and Dotel. Leiter will probably be in the bullpen at the start of the season too, but I still left his numbers out because I had trouble finding anything that separated his relief stats from starting stats.
Those six pitchers currently scheduled to set up Rivera from the bullpen combined for 309.1 innings pitched last year. Their combined ERA? 3.96
Of course, that number will increase - considering that Yankee Stadium has been known to cause more than its share of pitching jitters - but at this point anything around 4.00 looks pretty good to me. At the least they'll be able to spare Rivera's arm a little more, as he shouldn't have to mop up someone else's mess as much as he did in '05. Cashman has made good moves so far - hopefully everything will work out as expected.
captain caveman
JOHN-NY DA-MON!
(clap clap clapclapclap!!)
JOHN-NY DA-MON!
(clap clap clapclapclap!!)
...can't wait till role call this season...yeah!
this move made two people in my life very very happy:
#1 the girlfriend, who said she'd become a diehard Yankee fan with me if they managed to sign "the only reason she watches baseball" because of his dashing good looks....surprisingly, this makes me happy as well, as Mr. Damon will provide another reason why we should be watching Yankees-Devil Rays instead of the new episode of ER sometime in August. sweet.
#2 my uncle bud (along with my favorite aunt, Bananas Foster), who thoroughly enjoys referring to the handsome dark-haired centerfielder as one "Johnny Damone," pronounced in the same way as the late great Vic Damone. we get a kick outta that one.
JOHN-NY DA-MON!
JOHN-NY DA-MON!
December 19, 2005
gerry's career year?
After a slow start to the season, Gerry McNamara is proving he will be one of the elite players in the Big East for a fourth straight year. In last night's 90-80 win over Davidson, Gerry put 38 on the board to go with 5 assists, 3 steals, and a block. Yes - McNamazing filled the entire stat sheet by picking up his first official block of the season (though he did have another in an exhibition game). Nichols also had a career night, finishing with a personal best 26 points and was the only Orangeman to play every minute of the game. As a whole, the team did pretty well, even if they needed a top notch effort from their leaders to get past the Wildcats from the NC. Watkins overcame another horrific offensive performance (2 for 10 from within 10 feet) by pulling down 7 rebounds and sharing the glass lead with On The Spot Gorman and Terrence Roberts, who went for 21 and 5 (21 minutes and 5 fouls).
Unfortunately, I haven't had a chance to watch the entire game yet (fear not - it's Tivo'd) as my man Fast Eddie had his son, Fleet Foot AJ, baptized during halftime and we missed about 10 minutes of the second half. Quite alright, though, as baptisms always turn into killer parties - especially on NFL Sundays - and if anyone knows how to take care of a baptism while watching the Cuse and Colts at the same time, it's Fast Eddie.
So, since I've decided to wait a little while before watching the tape of what we missed - tonight's Packer-Ravens game seems like a good opportunity to catch up on old film - I looked through Gerry's career stats to get a sense of the impact his sudden scoring binge has had on his season averages. Considering that each of SU's past and future opponents have identified him as the team's primary scoring threat, we should expect that Mr. Mac would have a tough time shooting this year, right? The team gets little to no help in the paint, and Nichols is only just starting to cement his spot as the number 2 player on the floor. Logic would lead us to believe that McNamara would be hounded into bad shots and poor percentages by the competition again, much like last year. Of course this would also lead many of the fans to complain about the decline of #3 - as they did last season - when the argument was that he doesn't have "it" anymore and takes too many shots, missing more than he should.
Well, to the dismay of the naysayers and despite being the primary target of every opposing defense, Gerry McNamara is getting started on putting together the best season of his Syracuse career. Since his frustrated start of the season that gave his detractors a little more firepower when the team opened 3-2, McNastic has come on strong and played some of his best games since enrolling in 2002. During the first five games of this year, Gerry averaged just 13 points per game on 28% shooting. It seemed that he was struggling to find his touch, even though he maintained he felt good each time he took the floor and didn't know why the shots weren't falling. As a result of feeling so good, he found himself shooting a Damone Brownian 24% from three point range, including the 0 for 10 spell during the Cornell debacle. He was only able to survive by playing the point guard position well, as he helped the team with 88% from the stripe and a 2.7:1 assist-to-turnover ratio to go with 1.4 steals per game. Gerry was a strong floor general, but the team was averaging only 71 ppg and looked desperate for him to pick up the scoring slack.
Since the back-to-back losses, though, Syracuse has significantly increased the pace of the offense. In the last 5 games the team is averaging 82 points per contest and Gerry's finally managed to discover that shot he knew would come back to him. During the current stretch he's scoring 22 ppg on 40% shooting. Thanks to last night's 8 for 12 jumpshooting clinic, his 5-game 3 point percentage is at .405 (he's now 37% for the season). The assist-to-turnover dropped to 1.6:1, but Gerry's compensated with some disruptive defense, doubling his steals per game to 2.8 since the Bucknell game.
I can't mention all this improvement without noting the altered team strategy that paralleled McNamara's recovery, though - the five games since the Bucknell loss are the same five games that one Eric Devendorf has started. Hmmmm...Coincidence? Perhaps having another shooting threat in the game has helped Gerry find open looks - during the TCU game any fan near the court could actually hear the opposing coach repeatedly screaming the same two words at his team every time ex-starter McCroskey touched the ball: "NON-SHOOTER! NON-SHOOTER!" If it was that obvious to TCU, imagine what teams were able to do if they had actually played the Orange before. Even if he doesn't score 20 or grab 10 rebounds, Devendorf gives SU a third option on the outside that the opposition must respect or they risk getting burned (see same TCU game).
Regardless of the reason, McNamara is back to his old form and looking to get even better (his scoring, rebounding, and assist averages are all at career highs) as the season progresses. As usual, it's still difficult to determine just how good his senior year will be until the Orange play that Big East schedule. If he can keep his touch, though, Mr. McNamara is on his way to repeating as a member of the first team All Big East that will further cement his place as an all-time great.
December 11, 2005
No tacos? No problem!
With 7:22 left to play in last night's 58-35 win over Colgate, Jim Boeheim substituted 4 new players into the lineup. McCroskey, Rautins, Wright, and Onuaku came in for the starters at their respective positions, the first substitution of the second half. Just Terrence Roberts remained from the five who began the last 20 minutes on the floor, and only because he happened to be at the foul line when the mass replacement occured. Less than a minute later, Stormin' Gorman entered the contest to fill Roberts' spot in the post.
32 minutes and 38 seconds into the game, Syracuse led the Red Raiders 49-22 and had just capped a 27-4 run on back-to-back triples from McNarrific that began soon after the initial inbounds pass that signaled the start of the second half. By taking out the all of starters simultaneously and giving some experience time to the bench players, Coach Boeheim was letting everyone know that he was finally pleased with the Syracuse starting five. No one played poorly in the second half; nobody needed to be put into the seat next to the hall of famer for a good ol' tongue lashing. For only the second time this year, the Coach was fully satisfied with his team defense. As a group they had allowed just 9 Colgate baskets, one of which was only put in the box score on account of some overzealous defense (goaltending).
If those starting five players were allowed to stay in the game, who knows the kind of defensive dominance they could have demonstrated to the Dome denizens - a final score of 65-24, perhaps? Zero free throw attempts for the Raiders, instead of the record-tying two tosses they managed in the last minute? The point stopping presence put on by the Orange last night mustn't be over-complemented - considering the competition - but it shouldn't be underestimated either.
How many games can you remember Syracuse playing in the Carrier Dome during the month of November in which you'd put them down as a 25-30 point favorite, possibly even wagering the 401k that they'd hold the opposition to less than 50 points? A lot, I'd guess. Probably at least 60% of the 200 (roughly)Dome-hosted home games that have preceded the Big East schedule, really. Considering the number of games that SU has played in the Dome during November, they must have put on a stronger defensive performance than they did last night, right? They've played the worst teams of all time during that span, and there has to have been another team that failed to put together 36 points in a blowout loss, right? Nope. As they like to say in the 90210, seldom right - wrong again, Sanders. To find the last time Syracuse basketball played such defense, one would have to go back to 1963 and a 88-33 thrashing of Toronto.
Toronto? Yes. Toronto.
Tell ya what - I bet Colgate could put a serious whuppin on Toronto. Actually, I propose that from this point forward any game in which the Cuse confuses the opposing team enough that they shoot under 30% and fail to reach 45 points be deemed a "Gater Game" in honor of last evening's display. When Paul Harris drops 40 in 15 minutes versus LeMoyne next year and the Orange win by 50, it'll simply be known as yet another 'Gater Game. Last night's performance was the best defense SU has ever played at home - a style that the Orange must play every game this season if they plan to contend for the Big East.
It should also be noted that the Orange finally tried to put up some points in the paint. They attempted just 15 threes (way down from last Saturday's 29 tries) and it was obvious that it was part of the gameplan to penetrate the lane to get easy baskets. It was refreshing to see Nichols hit a few jumpers from 7 feet and watch Roberts throw down a dunk or two after a guard-delivered dish (they each picked up 8 pts. inside the arc). They may not have scored a ton of points, but the offense looked much more balanced this time around, and it resulted in a very strong 47.8% field goal percentage.
When Boeheim's happy, I'm happy. I left the game last night feeling much more satisfied with the team's effort than I have in a few weeks, even if they didn't provide us with ticket stub tacos. I'm more than content to trade the paradise that is the free Taco Bell for a 'Gater Game or two - especially if they come in January and February.
32 minutes and 38 seconds into the game, Syracuse led the Red Raiders 49-22 and had just capped a 27-4 run on back-to-back triples from McNarrific that began soon after the initial inbounds pass that signaled the start of the second half. By taking out the all of starters simultaneously and giving some experience time to the bench players, Coach Boeheim was letting everyone know that he was finally pleased with the Syracuse starting five. No one played poorly in the second half; nobody needed to be put into the seat next to the hall of famer for a good ol' tongue lashing. For only the second time this year, the Coach was fully satisfied with his team defense. As a group they had allowed just 9 Colgate baskets, one of which was only put in the box score on account of some overzealous defense (goaltending).
If those starting five players were allowed to stay in the game, who knows the kind of defensive dominance they could have demonstrated to the Dome denizens - a final score of 65-24, perhaps? Zero free throw attempts for the Raiders, instead of the record-tying two tosses they managed in the last minute? The point stopping presence put on by the Orange last night mustn't be over-complemented - considering the competition - but it shouldn't be underestimated either.
How many games can you remember Syracuse playing in the Carrier Dome during the month of November in which you'd put them down as a 25-30 point favorite, possibly even wagering the 401k that they'd hold the opposition to less than 50 points? A lot, I'd guess. Probably at least 60% of the 200 (roughly)Dome-hosted home games that have preceded the Big East schedule, really. Considering the number of games that SU has played in the Dome during November, they must have put on a stronger defensive performance than they did last night, right? They've played the worst teams of all time during that span, and there has to have been another team that failed to put together 36 points in a blowout loss, right? Nope. As they like to say in the 90210, seldom right - wrong again, Sanders. To find the last time Syracuse basketball played such defense, one would have to go back to 1963 and a 88-33 thrashing of Toronto.
Toronto? Yes. Toronto.
Tell ya what - I bet Colgate could put a serious whuppin on Toronto. Actually, I propose that from this point forward any game in which the Cuse confuses the opposing team enough that they shoot under 30% and fail to reach 45 points be deemed a "Gater Game" in honor of last evening's display. When Paul Harris drops 40 in 15 minutes versus LeMoyne next year and the Orange win by 50, it'll simply be known as yet another 'Gater Game. Last night's performance was the best defense SU has ever played at home - a style that the Orange must play every game this season if they plan to contend for the Big East.
It should also be noted that the Orange finally tried to put up some points in the paint. They attempted just 15 threes (way down from last Saturday's 29 tries) and it was obvious that it was part of the gameplan to penetrate the lane to get easy baskets. It was refreshing to see Nichols hit a few jumpers from 7 feet and watch Roberts throw down a dunk or two after a guard-delivered dish (they each picked up 8 pts. inside the arc). They may not have scored a ton of points, but the offense looked much more balanced this time around, and it resulted in a very strong 47.8% field goal percentage.
When Boeheim's happy, I'm happy. I left the game last night feeling much more satisfied with the team's effort than I have in a few weeks, even if they didn't provide us with ticket stub tacos. I'm more than content to trade the paradise that is the free Taco Bell for a 'Gater Game or two - especially if they come in January and February.
December 05, 2005
Bombs Away!
Editor's note: the following five posts originally appeared on Syracuse.com's OrangeJuice Blog page. They have been transcribed to this page in order to ensure maximum exposure to the masses.
Last night's 80-64 win over TCU was a statement game for Coach Boeheim and the Orange. On Wednesday while J. Wright was calling the Manhattan win a "miracle" of a comeback, Jimmy B. was expressing concern that the team had developed a perimeter offense that spends too little time in the post. He noted that this will make it very difficult for the Cuse to win, as it forces them to shoot more jumpshots instead of taking advantage of the size differential under the hoop.
Against the lame-named Horned Frogs, though, the SU players proved they are capable of controlling a game by shooting the long ball. Boeheim made the decision to bench Watkins and Onuaku for the majority of the contest, going with a three-guard lineup for several minutes at a time. This made the team much quicker, but also much smaller on the inside. Jimmy B. relied on the team's shooters for points and they didn't disappoint, putting on a show for the Dome crowd by hitting 12 threes (none of them from McNamara, surprisingly) at 41 percent. Nichols and Devendorf each caught fire, with their respective sharpshooting streaks divided by the intermission. Nichols felt good in the first half once more, dropping all six of his treys in the first 20 minutes, then Devendorf made all five of his bombs in the second half, picking up exactly where Nichols had left off. (seems to me there isn't anything more reliable this year than D. Nichols draining everything he attempts between the two half-opening fan claps, then suddenly going dead cold - the man is a completely different player after halftime. I'm starting to think he's under a hypnotic spell in which the trigger is mass synchronized clapping and it turns him into an immortal supershooter with can't-miss touch. However, the hypnotist didn't know the mass clap happens twice during Cuse games, thus allowing Nichols to return to his normal everyday self for the final period...I think we should all agree to stop clapping before the second half - I bet he'd average 40 pts/game for the rest of the season)
Boeheim is dealing with a new sort of team this year, one that he's not accustomed to coaching - a team that can shoot, especially from long range. Take away Gerry's 0 for 6 night beyond the arc and the rest of the squad was 52% in their three point efforts. The last time McNamazing had any help from the outside - let alone 50% help - was never. This year's team is on pace to make 280 threes (assuming they only play the average 33 games) while attempting 796. That's a lot of jumpers, considering the most triples ever attempted by a Syracuse team is 651 by P. Shump, DeShaun Williams, and Q Dawg Duany during the '01-'02 season.
Here are SU's all-time team records for three pointers (by season):
Most 3-point field goals: 233, 1996-97
Most 3-point attempts: 651, 2001-02
Best 3-point FG Percentage: .365, 1996-97
Most 3-point FG per game: 7.3, 1996-97
Most 3-point attempts per game: 19.9, 1996-97
If the Orange continue to shoot as much as they have during the first 8 games of the 2005-06 season, they'll break nearly every record set by the Todd Burgan/Otis Hill team of '96-'97. At this rate, the Cuse is attempting 24 bombs per game and making 8.5 of them, well above the averages set by the trigger happy 96ers. Unfortunately, such three point aptitude has not translated to success for the Orange historically. SU finished the '96-'97 with a very forgettable homecourt loss to Florida State in the first round of the NIT (sorry to remind you). Meanwhile, neither of Syracuse's two most recent Final Four teams attempted more than 16 threes per game, although they were both able to shoot them very well (36% in '95-'96, 34% in '02-'03).
I think it would be safe to say that Jimmy B. knows his basketball, and when his primary concern with the team is its interior strength, SU is in trouble. I love the three point shot (especially now that there's more than one player making it) but The Rza is right: it's time for 'Cuse to diversify their bonds. They can't rely too heavily on one scoring skill - the Big East is too good to allow the Orange to win on threes alone. If they're going to be a perimeter team, that's ok, but they must step it up and start making plays under the basket also. There will be games when the guards struggle from outside (i.e. 1 for 19 vs. Cornell) and they'll have to score in the paint, whether it be by posting up or driving the lane. I enjoyed the 3-guard sets last night, but I get really nervous when I start seeing similarities to '96-'97, perhaps the least productive team in Boeheim's tenure.
Last night's 80-64 win over TCU was a statement game for Coach Boeheim and the Orange. On Wednesday while J. Wright was calling the Manhattan win a "miracle" of a comeback, Jimmy B. was expressing concern that the team had developed a perimeter offense that spends too little time in the post. He noted that this will make it very difficult for the Cuse to win, as it forces them to shoot more jumpshots instead of taking advantage of the size differential under the hoop.
Against the lame-named Horned Frogs, though, the SU players proved they are capable of controlling a game by shooting the long ball. Boeheim made the decision to bench Watkins and Onuaku for the majority of the contest, going with a three-guard lineup for several minutes at a time. This made the team much quicker, but also much smaller on the inside. Jimmy B. relied on the team's shooters for points and they didn't disappoint, putting on a show for the Dome crowd by hitting 12 threes (none of them from McNamara, surprisingly) at 41 percent. Nichols and Devendorf each caught fire, with their respective sharpshooting streaks divided by the intermission. Nichols felt good in the first half once more, dropping all six of his treys in the first 20 minutes, then Devendorf made all five of his bombs in the second half, picking up exactly where Nichols had left off. (seems to me there isn't anything more reliable this year than D. Nichols draining everything he attempts between the two half-opening fan claps, then suddenly going dead cold - the man is a completely different player after halftime. I'm starting to think he's under a hypnotic spell in which the trigger is mass synchronized clapping and it turns him into an immortal supershooter with can't-miss touch. However, the hypnotist didn't know the mass clap happens twice during Cuse games, thus allowing Nichols to return to his normal everyday self for the final period...I think we should all agree to stop clapping before the second half - I bet he'd average 40 pts/game for the rest of the season)
Boeheim is dealing with a new sort of team this year, one that he's not accustomed to coaching - a team that can shoot, especially from long range. Take away Gerry's 0 for 6 night beyond the arc and the rest of the squad was 52% in their three point efforts. The last time McNamazing had any help from the outside - let alone 50% help - was never. This year's team is on pace to make 280 threes (assuming they only play the average 33 games) while attempting 796. That's a lot of jumpers, considering the most triples ever attempted by a Syracuse team is 651 by P. Shump, DeShaun Williams, and Q Dawg Duany during the '01-'02 season.
Here are SU's all-time team records for three pointers (by season):
Most 3-point field goals: 233, 1996-97
Most 3-point attempts: 651, 2001-02
Best 3-point FG Percentage: .365, 1996-97
Most 3-point FG per game: 7.3, 1996-97
Most 3-point attempts per game: 19.9, 1996-97
If the Orange continue to shoot as much as they have during the first 8 games of the 2005-06 season, they'll break nearly every record set by the Todd Burgan/Otis Hill team of '96-'97. At this rate, the Cuse is attempting 24 bombs per game and making 8.5 of them, well above the averages set by the trigger happy 96ers. Unfortunately, such three point aptitude has not translated to success for the Orange historically. SU finished the '96-'97 with a very forgettable homecourt loss to Florida State in the first round of the NIT (sorry to remind you). Meanwhile, neither of Syracuse's two most recent Final Four teams attempted more than 16 threes per game, although they were both able to shoot them very well (36% in '95-'96, 34% in '02-'03).
I think it would be safe to say that Jimmy B. knows his basketball, and when his primary concern with the team is its interior strength, SU is in trouble. I love the three point shot (especially now that there's more than one player making it) but The Rza is right: it's time for 'Cuse to diversify their bonds. They can't rely too heavily on one scoring skill - the Big East is too good to allow the Orange to win on threes alone. If they're going to be a perimeter team, that's ok, but they must step it up and start making plays under the basket also. There will be games when the guards struggle from outside (i.e. 1 for 19 vs. Cornell) and they'll have to score in the paint, whether it be by posting up or driving the lane. I enjoyed the 3-guard sets last night, but I get really nervous when I start seeing similarities to '96-'97, perhaps the least productive team in Boeheim's tenure.
to the end
Earlier tonight I found myself accepting the fact that this team just isn't "there" yet. They aren't the team I wanted them to be, and they may never even reach their potential. No one steps up when it counts, the offense is dead and the defense has holes. I had given in to the belief Sports Illustrated had been preaching to me for two weeks: SU Basketball just isn't going to be much for Syracusans to brag about - they've lost too much talent and experience. Oh well. Maybe it's time to look forward to next year...
Then again, I couldn't completely give up on the season - Luke Winn and his anti-Boeheim ideology wasn't objective enough to correctly assess the Orange's chances, right? There's no way that a Jimmy B. hater could have been right about anything, let alone a set of college basketball rankings. Sure, they had already blown three wins this year, but all three came from a lack of execution - not from a lack of ability. These Orange still had a chance because they had yet to show their true colors - they still had potential. The season was bound to get better by January - not like it could get any worse, anyway. Tomorrow they would finally put November behind them, and they would move on to Saturday and Texas Christian. Eventually the offense would keep it going for a full 40 each night instead of sprinting for 15 minutes and dropping out of the race, as they had today....
At about 8:50pm this evening, as I debated which of the above perspectives I would take this year, Syracuse was trailing the Manhattan Jaspers 75-65 with 1:42 to play, and they were going to finish November 2005 with 3 losses - the first time it would happen in Jim Boeheim's 30 years as head coach.
By 9:15pm, the Cuse had won.
Sometime around 7 o'clock Sunday night, my gal and I were crawling our way home on a crowded thruway after witnessing an especially frustrating Buffalo loss to Carolina when Mama Dukes called to invite us to dinner at her house sometime later in the week - any day was good, as she had no evening events scheduled. Though I've since repressed the memory, both my mother and my gal maintain that it was I who suggested we share the aforementioned meal Wednesday night, as we didn't have plans and it had been too long since we tasted her chili. Oops.
Fast forward to today, Wednesday. I woke up this morning to my father's voice at the other end of the phone, asking me if I would like to go to the Orange game with him instead of Fast Eddie tonight, as he had finagled a couple blue seats for us right behind the Manhattan bench. Great seats, possibly the last time we sit there this year.
"What day is today? Wednesday? Oh...Can't do it. My gal and I already made plans with mom to have some chili at her place. I guess I'll be listening to the game...hopefully it's a blowout."
Dad hung up the phone with a laugh, assuring me that I didn't have to feel bad about turning him down - he wouldn't have any problem filling the seat in my place. No kidding.
At first, it was a blowout. So much so, that I hardly paid attention to Matt Park and Gene Waldron calling the game on ESPN1260 while our quiet dinner progressed through coffee and dessert. By halftime we were finished, and so was Manhattan, down 38-18 to the Cuse. Normally I would have lamented missing a chance to watch such a dominating performance in person, but my stomach was full with good food and I didn't really mind skipping the traditional Varsity grease.
About 5 minutes into the second half, though, it was clear that SU was faltering. Apparently Watkins had gotten into some foul trouble on a few questionable calls in the first half, and now found himself on the bench with number four. Manhattan spent the next 12 minutes exploiting Syracuse's weakened interior defense and nailing everything from the perimeter to boot, creating a 31 point second half swing and leading 72-61. A couple possessions later, SU was down 10 with 1:42 to go and the game was over. Park and Waldron told us that many fans had vacated their seats, getting a headstart on making it to the Harrison Street traffic jam. Apparently, getting home to find out Kate's true past on "Lost" was way more important than sticking it out for the team.
Despite the lack of viewership, the game played on. It even started to get interesting. The Jaspers suddenly forgot about their huge lead and fouled McNamara while he was trying a desperation three. The automatic points that followed cut the lead to 8, and sparked the thought of a comeback. Gerry got hot, hitting two more threes and a couple foul shots before he was done, with Wright chipping in a three of his own and Manhattan giving extra help with an absurdly long stretch of poor foul shooting (at one point they bricked seven consecutively). Listening on the radio, you could tell that the remaining loyal fans were wreaking havoc on the nerves of the Jaspers. They couldn't make a lay-in at that point, let alone those necessary free throws. If it was that loud through a speaker at mom's, I can only imagine how loud it was in my forsaken blue seat. Ugh.
As I start to wonder what had made me forget about this epic game and make dinner plans instead (those Buffalo losers, perhaps the prospect of free food), Matt Park alertly gets me back to the action at hand - SU is down three with the ball and 22 seconds on the clock. Before I can really consider the options they have (Shoot the three? Drive and hope to get fouled? Put my dad in the game for Roberts?) Park tells me that the ball is inbounded to Wright under the Jasper basket, who quickly brings it up past midcourt and passes to the open freshman on his left who'd just subbed in for five-foul Nichols. Then, quite suddenly, and sounding as if the veteran play-by-play man was surprised by the speed at which the play was happening, "Devendorf puts it up from 25 feet!"
"YES! YES! YES! GIVE HIM THREE!!!"
Dome. Goes. Nuts.
79-79. It would be the only shot Devendorf made all night (he went 1 for 7). By the time the remaining 12 seconds tick off the clock and both teams miss their opportunities to win in regulation, we all know Manhattan won't be going home with smiles tonight. There was no way SU was going to lose in overtime - not after a 14-4 run in less than two minutes. The extra period wasn't nearly as exciting, but they managed to outscore the Jaspers 8-3 and close the deal.
The Cuse comeback was complete, and although I only had a radio to help me picture what had happened, I understood the significance of the final score. Regardless of what Boeheim says about the poor 2nd half defense (61 pts and 51% fg allowed) and the failure of the big men to produce tonight, this team finally showed some heart. They didn't hesitate to win this time, and they got the job done when it counted most. Most fans may have left at 1:42, but the team played it to 00:00.
Then again, I couldn't completely give up on the season - Luke Winn and his anti-Boeheim ideology wasn't objective enough to correctly assess the Orange's chances, right? There's no way that a Jimmy B. hater could have been right about anything, let alone a set of college basketball rankings. Sure, they had already blown three wins this year, but all three came from a lack of execution - not from a lack of ability. These Orange still had a chance because they had yet to show their true colors - they still had potential. The season was bound to get better by January - not like it could get any worse, anyway. Tomorrow they would finally put November behind them, and they would move on to Saturday and Texas Christian. Eventually the offense would keep it going for a full 40 each night instead of sprinting for 15 minutes and dropping out of the race, as they had today....
At about 8:50pm this evening, as I debated which of the above perspectives I would take this year, Syracuse was trailing the Manhattan Jaspers 75-65 with 1:42 to play, and they were going to finish November 2005 with 3 losses - the first time it would happen in Jim Boeheim's 30 years as head coach.
By 9:15pm, the Cuse had won.
Sometime around 7 o'clock Sunday night, my gal and I were crawling our way home on a crowded thruway after witnessing an especially frustrating Buffalo loss to Carolina when Mama Dukes called to invite us to dinner at her house sometime later in the week - any day was good, as she had no evening events scheduled. Though I've since repressed the memory, both my mother and my gal maintain that it was I who suggested we share the aforementioned meal Wednesday night, as we didn't have plans and it had been too long since we tasted her chili. Oops.
Fast forward to today, Wednesday. I woke up this morning to my father's voice at the other end of the phone, asking me if I would like to go to the Orange game with him instead of Fast Eddie tonight, as he had finagled a couple blue seats for us right behind the Manhattan bench. Great seats, possibly the last time we sit there this year.
"What day is today? Wednesday? Oh...Can't do it. My gal and I already made plans with mom to have some chili at her place. I guess I'll be listening to the game...hopefully it's a blowout."
Dad hung up the phone with a laugh, assuring me that I didn't have to feel bad about turning him down - he wouldn't have any problem filling the seat in my place. No kidding.
At first, it was a blowout. So much so, that I hardly paid attention to Matt Park and Gene Waldron calling the game on ESPN1260 while our quiet dinner progressed through coffee and dessert. By halftime we were finished, and so was Manhattan, down 38-18 to the Cuse. Normally I would have lamented missing a chance to watch such a dominating performance in person, but my stomach was full with good food and I didn't really mind skipping the traditional Varsity grease.
About 5 minutes into the second half, though, it was clear that SU was faltering. Apparently Watkins had gotten into some foul trouble on a few questionable calls in the first half, and now found himself on the bench with number four. Manhattan spent the next 12 minutes exploiting Syracuse's weakened interior defense and nailing everything from the perimeter to boot, creating a 31 point second half swing and leading 72-61. A couple possessions later, SU was down 10 with 1:42 to go and the game was over. Park and Waldron told us that many fans had vacated their seats, getting a headstart on making it to the Harrison Street traffic jam. Apparently, getting home to find out Kate's true past on "Lost" was way more important than sticking it out for the team.
Despite the lack of viewership, the game played on. It even started to get interesting. The Jaspers suddenly forgot about their huge lead and fouled McNamara while he was trying a desperation three. The automatic points that followed cut the lead to 8, and sparked the thought of a comeback. Gerry got hot, hitting two more threes and a couple foul shots before he was done, with Wright chipping in a three of his own and Manhattan giving extra help with an absurdly long stretch of poor foul shooting (at one point they bricked seven consecutively). Listening on the radio, you could tell that the remaining loyal fans were wreaking havoc on the nerves of the Jaspers. They couldn't make a lay-in at that point, let alone those necessary free throws. If it was that loud through a speaker at mom's, I can only imagine how loud it was in my forsaken blue seat. Ugh.
As I start to wonder what had made me forget about this epic game and make dinner plans instead (those Buffalo losers, perhaps the prospect of free food), Matt Park alertly gets me back to the action at hand - SU is down three with the ball and 22 seconds on the clock. Before I can really consider the options they have (Shoot the three? Drive and hope to get fouled? Put my dad in the game for Roberts?) Park tells me that the ball is inbounded to Wright under the Jasper basket, who quickly brings it up past midcourt and passes to the open freshman on his left who'd just subbed in for five-foul Nichols. Then, quite suddenly, and sounding as if the veteran play-by-play man was surprised by the speed at which the play was happening, "Devendorf puts it up from 25 feet!"
"YES! YES! YES! GIVE HIM THREE!!!"
Dome. Goes. Nuts.
79-79. It would be the only shot Devendorf made all night (he went 1 for 7). By the time the remaining 12 seconds tick off the clock and both teams miss their opportunities to win in regulation, we all know Manhattan won't be going home with smiles tonight. There was no way SU was going to lose in overtime - not after a 14-4 run in less than two minutes. The extra period wasn't nearly as exciting, but they managed to outscore the Jaspers 8-3 and close the deal.
The Cuse comeback was complete, and although I only had a radio to help me picture what had happened, I understood the significance of the final score. Regardless of what Boeheim says about the poor 2nd half defense (61 pts and 51% fg allowed) and the failure of the big men to produce tonight, this team finally showed some heart. They didn't hesitate to win this time, and they got the job done when it counted most. Most fans may have left at 1:42, but the team played it to 00:00.
at last!
On Friday SU Basketball came out against Siena and finally got themselves a win, staying undefeated all-time against the Siena Saints, 96-77. The game involved a series of tension-breaking moments, as we the fans have been getting a little more worried about this team with every game. At last, the Orange looked like a real team again. Aside from the opening minutes of each half, the offense clicked, reassuring all SU fans that they won't have to suffer through two painful sport seasons in one academic year.
Syracuse was able to address their most pressing issue of the season thus far: consistency on offense. There was a flow to the game this time, as teammates found each other for open shots on nearly every possession and even knocked them down fairly regularly. Gerry hit 6 of 11 from three, improving to 30% from behind the line for the season. J. Wright played 23 quality minutes and picked up 8 assists (2 turnovers), providing the team with a true point guard who gives McNamara a chance to find his shots. Roberts was benched through much of the first half (which probably should have happened earlier in the season) and responded with a strong 2nd half, hustling on both ends and showing some serious athleticism with a mighty one-handed alley-oop jam that literally threw me back against my seat in awe and caused most spectators to whoop and yell each time the replay was shown on the jumbotrons. Boeheim planted Watkins next to Roberts throughout most of the first half and, although he didn't respond as effectively as Terrence, the center showed that he would no longer take his position for granted. At last, the team had a different feel to it, from the announcing of the starting lineup (subtract McCroskey, add Devendorf) to playing comfortably at the end, passing on easy points in favor of running out the clock.
Now, Siena doesn't exactly share the same level of defensive prowess as UConn or perhaps Texas, but the Orange used the game-speed opportunity to show that they are clearly becoming more comfortable with each other on offense. As a team they dished the ball underneath for easy buckets and created open shots on the perimeter with solid screens and quick passing. At last, the Cuse had a solid game from long range, hitting 12 threes at 46%, and the Roberts/Watkins duo was much stronger in the post, combining for 28 points and 14 rebounds.
Personally, I felt they were at their best with Wright running the point - whether it was because he allowed Gerry to spot-up more often or because of his speed and vision while handling the ball, the offense was more productive with the sophomore at the top of the key. This isn't a knock on McNamara, as he plays the point as well as or better than anyone, but when Wright is filling the role, the sum of the parts seems to be more effective. It's almost as if by putting Gerry at the 2 spot, the team gives itself another scoring option. Perhaps Boeheim is thinking along the same line, as he allowed the Utica product to tally the most minutes of his young career against the Saints.
The statistical improvements represent an important step in the team's effort to regroup after The Bucknell Disaster, but the most important result of the Siena game is the increased confidence coefficient. By the time the final buzzer sounded, the Orange had a little bit of their swagger back - everyone on the floor seemed pleased to know that they aren't as bad as their worst losses, even if they may not be as good as their best win just yet (except McCroskey, who was visibly upset that Wright ran out the gameclock during the last two possessions instead of feeding him in the lane - perhaps he was determined to outscore Devendorf?). Up next is Manhattan on Wednesday, a team that SU has faced 2 of the last 3 seasons and seems to provide more competition than most Big East teams are able to muster in the Dome. They aren't as talented this time - no Luis Flores to wreak havoc on the zone - but they'll still do their best to prove they can play with the big boys, as SU is currently their only ranked opponent this season. Even so, I finally feel confident enough to pick the Cuse to win big over a less talented team. At last.
Syracuse was able to address their most pressing issue of the season thus far: consistency on offense. There was a flow to the game this time, as teammates found each other for open shots on nearly every possession and even knocked them down fairly regularly. Gerry hit 6 of 11 from three, improving to 30% from behind the line for the season. J. Wright played 23 quality minutes and picked up 8 assists (2 turnovers), providing the team with a true point guard who gives McNamara a chance to find his shots. Roberts was benched through much of the first half (which probably should have happened earlier in the season) and responded with a strong 2nd half, hustling on both ends and showing some serious athleticism with a mighty one-handed alley-oop jam that literally threw me back against my seat in awe and caused most spectators to whoop and yell each time the replay was shown on the jumbotrons. Boeheim planted Watkins next to Roberts throughout most of the first half and, although he didn't respond as effectively as Terrence, the center showed that he would no longer take his position for granted. At last, the team had a different feel to it, from the announcing of the starting lineup (subtract McCroskey, add Devendorf) to playing comfortably at the end, passing on easy points in favor of running out the clock.
Now, Siena doesn't exactly share the same level of defensive prowess as UConn or perhaps Texas, but the Orange used the game-speed opportunity to show that they are clearly becoming more comfortable with each other on offense. As a team they dished the ball underneath for easy buckets and created open shots on the perimeter with solid screens and quick passing. At last, the Cuse had a solid game from long range, hitting 12 threes at 46%, and the Roberts/Watkins duo was much stronger in the post, combining for 28 points and 14 rebounds.
Personally, I felt they were at their best with Wright running the point - whether it was because he allowed Gerry to spot-up more often or because of his speed and vision while handling the ball, the offense was more productive with the sophomore at the top of the key. This isn't a knock on McNamara, as he plays the point as well as or better than anyone, but when Wright is filling the role, the sum of the parts seems to be more effective. It's almost as if by putting Gerry at the 2 spot, the team gives itself another scoring option. Perhaps Boeheim is thinking along the same line, as he allowed the Utica product to tally the most minutes of his young career against the Saints.
The statistical improvements represent an important step in the team's effort to regroup after The Bucknell Disaster, but the most important result of the Siena game is the increased confidence coefficient. By the time the final buzzer sounded, the Orange had a little bit of their swagger back - everyone on the floor seemed pleased to know that they aren't as bad as their worst losses, even if they may not be as good as their best win just yet (except McCroskey, who was visibly upset that Wright ran out the gameclock during the last two possessions instead of feeding him in the lane - perhaps he was determined to outscore Devendorf?). Up next is Manhattan on Wednesday, a team that SU has faced 2 of the last 3 seasons and seems to provide more competition than most Big East teams are able to muster in the Dome. They aren't as talented this time - no Luis Flores to wreak havoc on the zone - but they'll still do their best to prove they can play with the big boys, as SU is currently their only ranked opponent this season. Even so, I finally feel confident enough to pick the Cuse to win big over a less talented team. At last.
same story, different loss
I started writing this entry by giving some stats detailing how ineffective the Orange offense was in the post tonight against Bucknell, giving special attention to the various disappearing acts put on by Watkins, Roberts and McCroskey (guess which one didn't play a single minute in the 2nd half...). I was just about to follow those points by noting how effectively the Bisons were able to execute their offense, aided by a Syracuse defense that failed to challenge and alter shots.
I deleted all of that stuff, though, because I don't think it's as relevant or important to the primary problem currently facing the Orange. It wasn't poor shooting statistics or a lack of points in the paint that caused the loss tonight. It wasn't a Bucknell guard stripping the normally ball-savvy McNamara at the top of the key late in the game and racing to the other end of the court for a lay-in. It wasn't poor coaching, though I would have given Josh Wright a few more minutes to run the offense if I were on the bench. I really don't think the reasoning behind the result of this game can be found in the morning boxscore.
In order for Syracuse to start winning close games, as this one was up until the 1 minute mark, they need to finish strong. In each of the losses thus far, the team slipped when they realized they had to score on every possession to maintain a lead. Each time they got anxious, they pushed too hard and missed their shots. They've had good chances to win both games, only to fall just short at the last minute.
Despite allowing the Bisons (who aren't even original enough to create their own logo) to shoot 53% and turning the ball over 16 times tonight, Syracuse still gave itself an opportunity to pull out a win. They had late-game momentum with a lead and a significant edge in talent. Unfortunately, they didn't capitalize and ended up on the wrong side of the final score. How? Again, as with the Florida game, there wasn't an SU player that was able to step up and hit the big shot. Just before losing the lead for good, the Orange were up 4 and managed to pick up a steal at the Bison end of the court. McNamara caught a quick pass in transition just beyond the 3-point line and had an open look to put the Cuse up 63-56 (and seriously dampen any hopes for a comeback). The shot looked good from our seats - he was squared and the ball left his hand smoothly, but it didn't fall, just rimming out. Instead, Syracuse failed to score on a series of possessions and Bucknell went on a 13-2 run, never looking back. That shot could have effectively ended the game - Bucknell was already reeling from two straight 3's by McNamara and Nichols, and probably wouldn't have been able to recover from a third. When it missed, though, the Bisons knew they still had life.
If Devendorf doesn't score 6 of the team's 8 points during that final run in the second game of the season, SU is 1-2 right now and he has yet to play inside Madison Square Garden. Fortunately, he saved the win, not to mention SU's RPI Strength of Schedule. This team doesn't look like they'll be blowing away the competition - they're going to have to win a lot of close games this year to stay in the race for the Big East title. To get such wins, the Cuse has got to find the player that can score when it's needed most. One of them has already done it once - is there anyone else?
I deleted all of that stuff, though, because I don't think it's as relevant or important to the primary problem currently facing the Orange. It wasn't poor shooting statistics or a lack of points in the paint that caused the loss tonight. It wasn't a Bucknell guard stripping the normally ball-savvy McNamara at the top of the key late in the game and racing to the other end of the court for a lay-in. It wasn't poor coaching, though I would have given Josh Wright a few more minutes to run the offense if I were on the bench. I really don't think the reasoning behind the result of this game can be found in the morning boxscore.
In order for Syracuse to start winning close games, as this one was up until the 1 minute mark, they need to finish strong. In each of the losses thus far, the team slipped when they realized they had to score on every possession to maintain a lead. Each time they got anxious, they pushed too hard and missed their shots. They've had good chances to win both games, only to fall just short at the last minute.
Despite allowing the Bisons (who aren't even original enough to create their own logo) to shoot 53% and turning the ball over 16 times tonight, Syracuse still gave itself an opportunity to pull out a win. They had late-game momentum with a lead and a significant edge in talent. Unfortunately, they didn't capitalize and ended up on the wrong side of the final score. How? Again, as with the Florida game, there wasn't an SU player that was able to step up and hit the big shot. Just before losing the lead for good, the Orange were up 4 and managed to pick up a steal at the Bison end of the court. McNamara caught a quick pass in transition just beyond the 3-point line and had an open look to put the Cuse up 63-56 (and seriously dampen any hopes for a comeback). The shot looked good from our seats - he was squared and the ball left his hand smoothly, but it didn't fall, just rimming out. Instead, Syracuse failed to score on a series of possessions and Bucknell went on a 13-2 run, never looking back. That shot could have effectively ended the game - Bucknell was already reeling from two straight 3's by McNamara and Nichols, and probably wouldn't have been able to recover from a third. When it missed, though, the Bisons knew they still had life.
If Devendorf doesn't score 6 of the team's 8 points during that final run in the second game of the season, SU is 1-2 right now and he has yet to play inside Madison Square Garden. Fortunately, he saved the win, not to mention SU's RPI Strength of Schedule. This team doesn't look like they'll be blowing away the competition - they're going to have to win a lot of close games this year to stay in the race for the Big East title. To get such wins, the Cuse has got to find the player that can score when it's needed most. One of them has already done it once - is there anyone else?
we'll always have Texas Tech...
Talk about overzealous expectations... Last night the Cuse was fairly disappointing in the 75-70 loss to Florida - mostly during the second half scoring drought. There were a couple bright spots, though, as Nichols matched the Gators shot for shot all by himself during the first half, putting 18 on the board in the first 20 minutes. He finished with a career high 24, hitting 5 of 10 from beyond the arc, proving me wrong when I said he wouldn't be able to shoot the three this year. Impressive. McCroskey had a good night under the hoop as well, leading all players with 9 rebounds and demonstrating that someone will be able to fill the rebounding void left by Josh Pace. Although I'm not a huge McCroskey fan just yet, (he frequently looks wildly out of control when driving or in transistion) he still provided extra height on the glass and showed his length on defense, making the top of the zone more effective.
Otherwise, I thought one glaring deficiency stood out for these Orangemen as the game neared its end: there's no 'go-to' guy on the team. As the clock wound down last night and Florida kicked off that last 12-0 run to seal the deal, it was clear that Syracuse just didn't have a run-stopper - someone they can feed in the post or on the perimeter that will carry the team while everyone else struggles. When Terrence Roberts is chucking threes, down 10 and less than 3 minutes to go, we all know it's time to pay the tab and head home.
Last week against Cornell, Eric Devendorf played the role perfectly: the offense was breaking down and Boeheim knew he needed someone to penetrate the Big Red zone. He decided to play Devendorf, and the freshman single-handedly saved the game from disaster, dropping 6 points in under 3 minutes. It was great to see him step up under pressure and deliver when it was needed most.
In contrast, last night the Syracuse offense got so desperate for points during crunch time that instead of finding a player to stabilize the situation, they panicked. Roberts bricked the three. Nichols missed a layup and McCroskey's following tip attempt looked even worse. McNamara was pressing, bouncing shots off the back rim. Nobody was able to slow the Gator momentum and put pressure back on them to score instead.
A common complaint expressed by too many fans that bothers me most is the one that involves pining for past performances. The worst, of course, is the "If only they still had Carmelo - can you imagine how good they would be!?" which is currently followed by "I wish Hak was playing - he could carry the team whenever they needed him to." The past is the past - the Orange have adapted to big personnel losses before, even somehow managing to play for the NCAA Championship without Pearl in '87 or Moten in '96. Incredible, right? Who would have thought those teams could survive without their stars? Yes, 'Melo and Hakim would be of great service when points are at a premium, but the team must move on and find someone else to shoulder the load.
So who is it going to be? If Gerry's going to take the scoring lead, he'll need to shoot better than his current 22% from three to do it. Roberts has had a couple big games, but can he do it against a center taller than 5 foot? Can Nichols hit the big shots at the end - not just in the opening minutes? Thankfully, the team has several games to find out before opening the Big East schedule on January 8th. They can learn a lot from last night - surely they'll figure out how to put such knowledge to use.
