#BeatDuke

The day is finally here. Duke. Syracuse. Carrier Dome. Boeheim. Coach K. Damn.  So what should we expect?  Well, don't let the #17 next to Duke fool you, this team is for real and Coach K will have them ready to disappoint the 35,446 fans in the Dome.  Jabari Parker is the real deal and the team will be ready to go tomorrow night.

1,897 wins and a few Freshman

These kids mean business and
Jimmy B's squad better be ready

So as most of you know Boeheim is 2nd all time in career wins in college basketball.  Well the guy who is in the top spot will be sitting across the scorers table.  Mike Kryzewski has coached at Duke for a measly 34 years and amassed 901 wins with the Blue Devils and 957 wins overall in his career.  He and Jimmy B are actually good friends that have coached together many times as the coaches of the USA national team.  So, if you think that the Orange's patented 2-3 zone is news to Coach K take a lap, because these two know each other well and this will be a battle.  Let's move on to the people who actually put the ball in the hoop.  Jabari Parker was the #1 (#2 on some rankings) recruit in the nation this summer.  Tyler Ennis was the #20 ranked recruit.  Funny thing is that Ennis has moved ahead of Parker on many people's "Rookie of the Year" lists.  Even though Ennis has been, as Jay Bilas said, unflappable, he doesn't have either the size or the shooting range that Parker does.  Parker averages almost 19 ppg and 8 rpg.  If those numbers don't make your jaw drop go to youtube and type in Jabari Parker, because then your jaw will drop.  This kid is the real deal.  His body type is like a mix of KD and LeBron.  He's fairly tall like KD but he's got some girth to him like LeBron.  He has had some down games but don't count on that to happen tomorrow.  This game means just as much, if not more, to the Blue Devils than it means to us.

Oh yeah, the rest of the team

Yeah, don't let the 4 losses fool you about this team.  Andre Dawkins may not have the astounding numbers that Jabari Parker has but he does have something.  Experience.  The 6-5 senior guard also has the potential to drop 20 on a team, as Jamie Dixon's Pitt squad found out.  And then there's Rodney Hood, a 6-8 forward who is averaging more that 17 ppg and almost 5 rpg.  Hood, a sophomore transfer from Miss. St. is shooting over 50% from the field and almost 45% from 3-pt land.  He could cause some real issues for the syracuse forwards who haven't really had to deal with very big opponents so far this season.  You can expect CJ Fair and Jerami Grant to be firing out of the zone early and often to cover this big man.  Speaking of big men, Amile Jefferson is a 6-9 forward that gobbles up about 7 boards per game.  While Syracuse has been playing much better on the boards, I can see the rebound numbers dipping a little with the trees that wear blue and white swallowing up the boards.

Prediction

OFFENSE!!!!

So this what everyone looks to see in the posts anyways right? OK so I think that if Syracuse's offense continues its current slip-N-slide that its on there could be some MAJOR problems.  Now I'm not saying this is best I've ever seen SU's defense play, but it is the 2nd best, only to how they played in the NCAA tourney last year.  the 20-0 record you see next to Syracuse is 160345693405% because of the defense.  The problem is that we need the offense to start stepping up.  Cooney needs to find his stroke again, and find it fast.  Like really fast.  This all being said, I think Syracuse does not disappoint the largest on-campus crowd in history and pulls out a close one, 65-62.

Your Orange Foreign Corespondent

-Ron

Ennis Clutch Down the Stretch, Orange Tie School Record at 20 Wins

Tyler Ennis' clutch second half led the
 no. 2 Orange over Wake Forest.

With 12 minutes left in the second half, a Madison Jones layup cut Syracuse's lead to just 3 points.  After regrouping with a timeout, Tyler Ennis scored 11 points down the stretch to lead Syracuse past the Demon Deacons in Winston-Salem.

Ennis is proving that he can be the go to scorer late in games when Trevor Cooney and C.J. Fair are not hitting their shots (6-23 from the field, 1-9 from 3 point range).  The silky smooth freshman did it again on Wednesday night and Syracuse tied a school record with 20 straight wins to start a season.

In what was a slow game offensively for a while, Syracuse relied on its defense and rebounding to keep the lead against Wake Forest.  Jerami Grant pulled in seven offensive rebounds (12 total) and chipped in 10 points to record his third double-double of the season.  He also has scored in double figures in 6 straight games.  Defensively, Syracuse held Wake Forest to 34% from the field.  Rakeem Christmas and Baye Keita locked down the paint combining for eight blocks on the night.

Now that Wake Forest is behind us, it's time to get ready for the Duke.  8 AM is pretty early, but I know I'll be in the Dome for the College Gameday taping and you should be too.  BEAT DUKE!

~Ted Gioia

Trap Game? Probably Not, But Don't Take Wake Forest Lightly

There's no such thing as a "trap game"
according to Jim Boeheim.

With Duke looming ahead on Saturday, some think The Orange will overlook Wake Forest.  According to Jim Boeheim, the phrase "trap game" is a media term.  Whether he's right or wrong, Syracuse still faces a tough Demon Deacon team on the road tonight, and it could spell trouble if they don't bring their A-game.

What to Expect From Wake Forest

Coming off of two big wins at Virginia Tech and more recently at home against Notre Dame, the Demon Deacons are picking up momentum and showing they can compete in the ACC.

Codi Miller-McIntyre has led his Demon
Deacons to an above .500 record in ACC play.

Offensively, Wake Forest relies heavily on sophomores Codi Miller-McIntyre and Devin Thomas.  Point guard Miller-McIntrye is having a breakout year, nearly doubling his freshman year scoring with 15.2 points and 4 assists per game.  The 6-9 250 pound Thomas is a force on the boards with 8.5 per game, and also contributes in double figures offensively.  He's very efficient offensively, ranking third in the ACC in field goal percentage at 56.7%.  Rakeem Christmas and Baye-Keita will have their hands full keeping him off the offensive boards.

Is This a Trap Game?

Maybe, but I would be shocked if a team coached by Jim Boeheim is really dumb enough to overlook an ACC road game.  I don't think Syracuse is going to take a respectable Wake Forest team lightly, but I do think there is a chance Syracuse gets a scare tonight.  Wake Forest is one of the best rebounding teams in the ACC, keeping opponents to under 28 rebounds per game.  We've all seen those games when opponents take advantage of the 2-3 zone and crash the offensive glass **cough cough Pitt** .  If Syracuse can keep this game reasonable on the boards, they should coast past Wake's mediocre offense.

At the end of the day, I think the cold blooded Tyler Ennis and crew are too much offensively for the Demon Deacons.  I've got Syracuse running away with this one in the second half, 77-63.

Go Cuse.

~Ted Gioia

Memory Lane | 2013 Season

Before we watch the Orange go for their 20th consecutive win this season, why don't we take a trip down memory lane.  Take a look at a video I made to commemorate the awesome season we witnessed from Boeheim's boys last year.

Time to calm the kittys - Looking at Cuse vs. Pitt

Jamie Dixon
1. a piece of shit
2. ON THE COURT!!
Photo Cred: ESPN

If you've been a Syracuse fan for long enough you know how big of a pain in the ass Jamie Dixon and his group of kitty cats can be for the Orange.  First thing I want to do is express how much is PISSES ME OFF when Jamie coaches from like halfway out on the court and never gets called for a T! What gives?  Any who...the Pitt Panthers are the 2nd ranked team in the ACC and are no joke.  They played probably the easiest non-conference schedule in the nation but they have only lost one game to the now #19 Cincinnati Bearcats.  They also only scored a season-low 43 points in that game, and we can't assume that will happen again because they average 77.3 ppg overall.   

Through the Trees 

So we're used to people talking about Syracuse's height right? Well guess what, Pitt is really tall. Like really really tall.  This could be an issue as our big men are semi useless.  Although Rak seems to have figured out how to offensive rebound again which is nice, but we are really going to need help from Baye, DaJuan, and even Jerami.  The resident old man of the Panthers is also their best player, 6-5 senior forward Lamar Patterson.  Patterson is averaging almost 18 points per game, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists, and frankly this dude can do it all.  He can create his own shot and get the basket and could create fits for the Orange is the zone takes a day off like it did when BC shot 50% the other day.  Then there's Talib Zanna, the 6-9 senior from Nigeria that leads the team with 8 boards per game as the Panthers as a team average more than 37 boards per game.  So the key, as I see it, to this game is the get the ball in the hands of Trevor Cooney and have him have another day like he did in Boston.

Prediction

I think we go to 18-0 but this won't be easy.  Jamie Dixon's squad is 5-1 in the Dome in the past 6 years.  This year I have a good feeling that this Orange team in fairly unbeatable and this is not the team that will knock us off.  So I think we pull out a close one in the snow covered Dome, 77-71 'Cuse

Had to make sure the flat in London
gets a little bit of Orange

The Orange Juices are flowing free in the U.K.

-- your Orange foreign corespondent Ron

Fly Eagles Fly: The #2 Orange Should Take Advantage of Lowly BC on the Road

The Orange getting some reps from the free throw stripe pre-game

Photo Credit: Brendan Glasheen

SU Must Contain Eagles Soph Olivier Hanlan

The Quebec product averages just about 20 points a game. He scored an ACC All-Time high 41 points in the ACC Tournament last year and was the conference's Rookie of the Year. Look for the top of the SU Zone led by T. Dot and Trevvvv to contain Hanlan.

Ennis Looks to Add to His Impressive Freshman Resume

Ennis was just named the best freshman point guard in the country by ESPN. He went off against UNC and another zippo turnover affair. T. Dot is straight scheming out on the floor. He's got the mindset of a senior stud out there.

Moo Moo Looking to Milk It Out on the Floor Again Tonight

Jerami Grant an impressive 12 points and 12 rebounds against the Tarheels Saturday. He's only going to get better off the bench in that sixth man role. Boeheim loves him there and he always will as long as Grant plays well as he did over the weekend.

Prediction

SU wins no probelm...70 - 56. Lesssss go Orange!

INSTAGRAM STRAIGHT COACHIN

Fair, Grant lead Orange past Tar Heels

Trevor Cooney was having a miserable day from the field.  James McAdoo was actually knocking down shots.  A lethal combination for the Orange?  Not so much.  CJ Fair and Jerami Grant propelled Syracuse over the struggling Tar Heels.

3- Stars:

CJ Fair- Fair had 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 blocks in a full 40 minutes of playing time today against the Heels.  On a day that Syracuse shot miserably from the field, CJ kept the offense rolling throughout the game.  Fair used a combination of attacking the rim with his mid-range jumper game to keep UNC on their toes, and they never really figured out how to stop Fair.  James McAdoo was given the tall task of trying to guard CJ and it's safe to say Carlton James won this one.

Jerami Grant- Back to back double doubles for Jerami Grant has most of Cuse Nation thinking this kid should be permanently in the starting lineup.  It's not just Grant's freakish ability to attack the rim on drives and put backs, but also his length on the defensive end of the floor.  Grant sucked in 8 defensive rebounds while leading the teeth of the zone against the Tar Heels.  Grant and Christmas altered countless UNC shots today, and that was a deciding factor in today's game.

2-3 Zone- Clearly, the 2-3 zone was very effective in slowing down the Tar Heel offense.  Holding a team with that kind of talent to 45 points is no small task.  Syracuse forced 14 Tar Heel turnovers, including 4 from freshman guard Nate Britt.  Trevor Cooney was struggling shooting the ball, but his 5 steals all but made up for it on the defensive end.  The Tar Heel forwards besides McAdoo scored just 7 points in total, which doomed UNC.

All in all it was an impressive Victory from the Orange, who face BC on Monday before a huge game against Pitt.  After Duke's shocking loss to Clemson today, there's no doubt that Syracuse is the hands down favorite to win the ACC.  The real question is... can this team lose?

Roy Williams... We meet again

Somewhere in New Orleans back in 2003, Jim Boeheim modestly shook the hand of Roy Williams after Hakim Warrick solidified the National Championship victory for Syracuse over Kansas.  Fast forward almost 11 years later, and Williams is now the coach at the University of North Carolina with two championships of his own under the belt.  For the first time in the new ACC, Boeheim and Williams meet again...

What's the deal with UNC?
North Carolina boasts the three best wins of any team in the country.  Home against #3 Louisville, away at #1 Michigan State, and home against #11 Kentucky.  One would think this would solidify them a high rank in the top 25, but that couldn't be further from the truth.  North Carolina has been plagued with some BAD losses... I mean losing to UAB after knocking off Louisville bad.  More recently, the boys in baby blue have lost an ugly pair of back to back games against Wake Forest and Miami, putting them at 0-2 in ACC play.  Sophomore Marcus Paige had been the only source of consistency for the Tar Heels, and he has failed to score in double figures these past two games.  However, UNC's main issues are in their front court.  Where Brice Johnson and Kennedy Meeks once showed flashes of greatness, they now show signs of mediocracy.  Paige's struggles combined with slacking big men have been the main reasons for this major slump.

Marcus Paige is UNC's go to player.

Who should Syracuse be worried about?
Marcus Paige is a dynamic player who really can do it all.  He's got great vision, great scoring ability, and although he has struggled the past two games, I still consider him in the mix for ACC Player of the Year.  Junior James Michael McAdoo is a McDonald's All American who has been scoring consistently for the Tar Heels (14.4 ppg), but he isn't really a difference maker.  Leslie McDonald is the player who might make it rain from three point land against the zone.  As UNC's only real sharp shooter this season, McDonald has struggled to find his shot.  Don't be surprised though if he starts knocking them down, because he surely has it in him.

Expectation
UNC has a knack for playing up or down to the level of their opponent, so don't be surprised if the Tar Heels come out and give the Orange a great game.  Sometimes when there's not much to lose, as there isn't for UNC, it's easier for an underachieving team to find their swing.  You can definitely expect the Loud House to be just that in Syracuse's first big ACC matchup.  While North Carolina will probably make a game of it, I still think Syracuse is just too much for them at this point in the season.  As long as Trev and CJ don't have atrocious days shooting, Syracuse should be fine in this one.  I'm going with The Orange here in a game that will be closer than most expect, 76-70.

Throwback Thursday: Gerry Mcnamara's 2006 Big East Tournament

I use to watch this video back in middle school before basketball games to get me pumped. I watched this video before I wrote this blog to amp me up. Yes there's 8 minutes of sub par quality footage but these highlights show why Gerry Mcnamara is one of the greatest competitors in Syracuse Basketball history. First Cincy, then Uconn, and eventually Georgetown: back to back to back game winners all involving Gmac. Then Gerry and Co. took on the Pitt panthers for the Big East Championship. Gerry averaged 16 points and dished out about 8 assists per game in his Senior year Big East tournament quest. Crazy to think how Melo played here for a single year, won a 'ship, and has his jersey in the rafters. Yet Gmac played almost as big a role as Carmelo did that year, and gave us 3 more years filled with magical moments and Jerami Grant is rocking #3. Also he's currently an assistant coach like can the guy do anymore for this program? Seriously, just watch video.


Just for the heads up: Was in attendance for the Providence College vs. Georgetown game last night in Rhode Island. PC won 70-52, it was embarrassing for the Hoyas. Can't defend and can't score. We got out of that conference at the right time.

Hokies...That was Easy

Welp, I guess the "Syracuse hasn't won an ACC game on the road yet so undefeated means nothing" talk can stop now.  Granted it was the lowly Va Tech Hokies but damn did SU look good. CJ looked like CJ, Trev looked like Trev, and Ennis played his game.  Oh, and the freshmen got in for more than 2 minutes, almost unheard of in Boeheimland.  The Orange weathered every storm that was thrown at them, as little as they may have been, and they walked away with their 3rd straight 15-0 record.

The Leaders are back

So what cause the 9,000 heart palpitations that I had last week during Miami was the fact that the leaders of this team took a bit of a lay off.  Well that didn't last long.  CJ blew the doors off the place and dropped 17 of the most sultry, smooth points I've seen all year.  I mean he was back to his old ways of the beautiful baseline midrange jumpers.  And Cooney, after going 2 for 12 from 3 range vs. Miami, dropped 11 of his own and looked like his shooting motion was back in town.  So with these guys back being themselves we can all breathe a sigh of relief. Oh yea and Jerami Grant added a double-double 12 points and 10 rebounds.  Is it just me or does it seem like SU always has their best all around player come off the bench?  Jerami Grant might not be refined but he has a helluva lot of talent.  It's only a matter of time before Grant becomes one of the best players in the nation. Mark my words. 

Bring on them Tar Heels

So going into this past week I thought this would be a huge match up for the 'Cuse.  And even though UNC just lost to Wake Forest, I don't think it's any different.  This is still a huge match up for 'Cuse.  It is the first real test for the Orange in the ACC and will definitely be a close game.  It really depends of what UNC team we see as to how tough this game will be, but something tells me Roy Williams would love to welcome the Orange to the ACC with a win.  I do feel confident with the way the leaders of this team played tonight and I think the Orange has a great chance to move on to a 16-0 record. 

15 Ws and a big old goose egg

--Ron

Virginia Tech Preview - Bring on the Hokies

The Hokies best player, Jarell Eddie,
is no stranger to the Orange

Ok so let's just get past the heart attacks that we all suffered last game.  Now that I have a clear head what we can take away from that game is that we now know we can win a dogfight, and win when our stars aren't performing.  The game was grinded out and the Orange walked away with the W.  Now to move forward to SU's next ACC opponent, the Virginia Tech Hokies.

The Arc

One of the main concerns of playing a 2-3 zone is 3 point shooting.  If a team gets hot from behind the arc, it is usually a rough day for the Orange.  Look at the Villanova game...SU was down 18 in the 1st half because 'Nova was drilling it from three land.  Same thing happened in the Miami game.  This could be a problem against Virginia Tech.  The Hokies rank 6th in the nation in 3-pt field goal percentage at 42.5%.  This means that Jimmy B's squad better be ready to extend the zone out or their 3rd straight 15-0 start may be a goner.  The Hokies are led by senior forward Jarrell Eddie.  Eddie leads the team with over 17ppg and leads the team with 47% from down town.  Eddie has already hit 42 3s in VT's first 13 games.  VT will, however, most likely be without 2 of their top sharp shooters, Adam Smith, out with a strained calf, and Marshall Wood, probably out because of the flu.  This will definitely hurt the Hokies chances of ending SU's current streak.  

StUggling Offense

Let's admit it.  The offense in the last game for the Orange was awful.  Not just bad.  But awful.  That is going to need to change if the Orange wants the get its second ACC win.  The Hokies hit a lot of threes, as I previously stated.  And the Orange give up a lot of threes, as we've seen.  So while the zone will probably be able to force outside shots from Va Tech's shooters, they are most likely going to make some.  So that means that Cooney needs to get out of his funk from 3 land, CJ Fair needs to start playing like the ACC POY, and the big men down low need to start being big men down low on the offensive side of the ball.  I mean come on 49 points against 8-5 (at the time) Miami? They can do better than that.  And they'll need to in order to come out of Blacksburg unscathed. 

Prediction

While it seems like I've been all doom and gloom this whole preview I still think the Orange is the better team.  I think CJ and Trev get back on track, I think T-Dot keeps being T-Dot, and the big men start to play better down low and the Orange comes out with a win.  My prediction -- SU 75 Va Tech 63. 

-- Ron 

Around the ACC

Welcome to our first edition of Around the ACC, where at the beginning of each week we'll take a look at what's going on during conference play.

Is anyone else a little bit shocked that are really only five teams that can actually compete in the ACC?  This was supposed to be the power conference!  The unstoppable! Right now the ACC can't even touch what the Big East once was.. but there's a lot of basketball left to be played.

Cream of the Crop:

-Syracuse: Yeah, I heard these guys are pretty good.  Without question the favorite.  Let's move on.

Jabari Parker was held to just 7 points
against Notre Dame.

-Duke: Yes, Duke is still an elite contender in my eyes, even after their loss to Notre Dame.  A Jerian Grant-less Irish team was able to upset the Dukies at home in shocking fashion.  We learned that Jabari Parker may even be human after all.  Parker scored seven points on 2-10 shooting, and was held out of the last few minutes of the game by Coach K.  There's no doubt that Duke is one of the most talented offensive teams in the country, with Parker, Quinn Cook, and Rodney Hood.  However, they're going to need to do a much better job of rebounding if they want to compete with the men in Orange.  In their three losses, Duke has been out rebounded 114-82.  The Blue Devils are 212th in the nation in rebounding...212.  Duke is definitely a contender, but they have some holes to fill before they can be considered a Final Four caliber team.

-North Carolina: The Tar Heels, like the Blue Devils, boast a line-up of 5-star recruits and McDonald's All Americans.  They've shown that they have the potential to be a great team, but they haven't won over 3 games in a row yet this season.  UNC has been the biggest head scratcher in college basketball this year.  After beating Louisville, they lost to UAB.  After beating Michigan State and Kentucky, they lost to an average at best Texas team at home.  Marcus Paige is hands down one of the best point guards in the country, and Leslie McDonald can shoot the lights out from behind the arc.  The Tar Heels will have to prove that they can win consistently during conference play, and a win at Syracuse on Saturday might be a nice confidence boost.

Contenders:

Lamar Patterson could be
in the running for ACC POTY.

-Pittsburgh: The Panthers believe that they are one of the most underrated teams in college basketball right now.  Pitt would boast a flawless record if it were not for a last second loss to a very tough Cincinnati Bearcats team.  The only problem is that Pitt is yet to really beat a quality opponent.  Pitt's first go at the ACC schedule will prove a lot about how good these Panthers really are.  Senior Lamar Patterson is one of the best all around players in the country, as his great scoring is complemented by his ability to distribute and rebound the ball.  This Pitt team has to find some more scoring before they can be considered among the big boys in the ACC, but they're definitely a team to watch for throughout conference play.


-Notre Dame: The cat is out of the bag.  Jerian Grant (brother of Moo Moo) pulled an Everett Golson and was kicked out of Notre Dame for academic reasons.  Most would think that this would eliminate the Irish from being relevant this college basketball season.  However, this Notre Dame team has shown that they have a lot of fight in them, no pun intended.  Eric Atkins proved against Duke that he can be the guy in the absence of Grant, as he scored 19 points along with 11 assists.  In addition to Atkins, Pat Connaughton is an absolutely lethal 3-point shooter who can also rebound.  Holding it down in the frontcourt is 6'11" senior Garrick Sherman who, despite a hideous beard, can actually put points the board.  Notre Dame has too much depth to be ruled out just yet, and they showed that in their first ACC conference game by beating the Blue Devils.

TJ Warren is the only thing keeping
N.C. State afloat.  

Teams Worthy of Watching:

-NC State: T.J. Warren.  T.J. Warren.  T.J. Warren.  One of the best if not the best scorers in the ACC at 23.9 points per.  Compile that with eight rebounds per game and you have an exciting race for ACC Player of the Year with the likes of Jabari Parker, C.J. Fair, Lamar Patterson and Marcus Paige.  Yes, NC State has lost 2 of their last 3 to Missouri and Pittsburgh, but these are at least quality losses.  Freshman guard Anthony Barber provides for Warren among others while putting up double digit points consistently.  NC State has a lot of kinks to work out, but with a player like T.J. Warren, the Wolfpack are capable of surprising a top dog.

On the Brink of Relevance:

-Virginia
-Florida State
-Wake Forest
-Clemson

Oh yeah and before we go, let's all take a minute to laugh in the face of UConn.  0-2 in the AAC?  I think the Big 10 made the right choice on shutting them out.  Somewhere in his nice New England home Jim Calhoun is crying himself to sleep.

~Ted Gioia

Miami's Storm Can't Bring The ORANGE Down

Syracuse improved to 15-5 all time versus the Hurricanes
on Saturday January 4th

  Miami did everything right against Syracuse this afternoon by controlling the pace and tempo for the entire game. 'Cuse was not able to stretch their legs out and run on Miami because the hurricanes were able to hold possessions late into the shot clock, slowing every glimpse of momentum Syracuse would have. Also oddly enough, Miami played an extremely effective 1-2-2 zone on the Orange that limited them to a dismal 25 points at half. Down four during the break, The U continued to move the ball well and knock down some valuable threes while slowing down the Orange. They also could compete with Syracuse around the rim and off the glass (MIA: 27 rebs, 6 blocks/SYR: 29 rebs, 3 blocks) allowing them to take the lead for a  vast majority of the second half.

Syracuse on the other hand could not ignite an offensive spark whatsoever. The Orange were suffocated by Miami's offensive possessions and what little shots they did get off, they could only hit 36% of them. That is just never going to go well when you're also 3-15 from long range. Syracuse desperately even stretched their zone out to a full court press 5 minutes into the second half just to try and force some steals for easy buckets. For you members of the Coonsquad out there, Trevor unfortunately did not perform his best today going 2-12 from the floor, all from behind the arc might I add. I love Cooney as much as I've admired every other great college shooter but I like it when he attacks the hoop or at least looks to score in other ways every once in a while. He can make himself more 1 dimensional than he actually is and that can hurt a team especially when you're playing 39 minutes like he did today. However he did manage to finish the game with 11 points.

Jerami Grant started his first game of the season this year

with Dajuan Coleman out with a knee injury

Thankfully C.J. Fair (15 pts)  and Tennis (10 pts, 7 asts)  provided some late game heroics. Fair banged a corner three and hit another clutch layup late in the second half while Tyler had 2 marvelous takes to the basket that each resulted in scores for the Orange in their final possessions. Despite a rough outing, Syracuse proved they're a difficult team to beat even when things aren't going their way. Syracuse wins 49-44.

Things we learned: No game is a sure thing in the ACC

Hurricane Watch: Syracuse Takes on Miami in Their First Ever ACC Conference Game

                  On January 4^th, 2014 at 2pm the Orange will host the Canes in their first ever ACC game at the Carrier Dome. The era of the Big East has officially passed over us as we now look to make an impact in the Atlantic Coast Conference:

Rion Brown can do it all.

The Foe: The U is 8-5 so far in the 2013-2014 regular season, having beaten teams like Texas Southern, Georgia Southern, Cal State Fullerton, and other teams of said caliber. The Canes are also 0-1 in conference play having lost an overtime game to Virginia Tech by one point. Most recently they’re coming off a dominant 71-48 victory over Loyola of Maryland. The team as a whole only averages a mere 65 points per game while recording 37 team rebounds and shooting 42.6% from the floor (32.3% from behind the arc)

Players to Watch: Miami is led by their two 6’6 senior guards: Rion Brown and Garrius Adams. They

are the Canes leading scorers and take the most shot attempts for the team. Brown is averaging nearly 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists per game while Adams puts up 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists. Look for these experienced senior all-purpose guards to do anything they can to keep Miami above water in the ACC this year.

X Factor- Donovan Kirk: Senior 6’9 forward.  9.6 ppg/7.3 rpg/ 8 shot attempts per game

The Orange: Syracuse has been red hot all season which most frightens me about this upcoming cakewalk against an experienced ACC opponent. Everything’s been going right so far that they’re almost due to have a mishap or slipup. Recording a perfect 13-0 record against quality competition such as Baylor, California, and Indiana, ‘Cuse seeks out another win to add to their Dancing Resume and make a lasting first impression on an upcoming formidable UNC opponent. The Orange are also coming off a huge 70-48 win over Eastern Michigan. As a team, they’re putting up a solid 75 ppg and shooting 47.6% from the floor.  UPDATE: Dajuan Coleman is doubtful to play in this game.

Players to Watch: Syracuse’s two most important players are the star-studded freshman Tyler Ennis and POY candidate Carl Fair. Fair is one of the most consistent players the Orange have ever witnessed, providing a great safety net for ‘Cuse to fall back on during times of despair. He averages around 17 points a game and 6 rebounds while shooting a steady 46% from the floor. Tennis on the other hand is an electrifying guard who can straight up play basketball. He nets 12 points, records 6 assists, along with 4 rebounds and 3 steals per game. Expect these stars to show up Saturday and lead the Orange over the canes.

Trevor Cooney has been lights out
from beyond the arc this season.

X Factor(s) - Trevor Cooney: 6’4 sophomore guard. 14 points and 3 steals per game. Also shooting 50% from behind the arc

Jerami Grant: 6’8 sophomore forward.  Averages 13 points with 6 rebounds per game. Each game is without a doubt the best athlete on the floor for either team.

  







~Chris Adams

Throwback Thursday: That One Time Kris Joseph Beat Georgetown

Welcome to our first weekly edition of Throwback Thursday.  This is our way of making sure 'Cuse Nation doesn't forget about the greats of the past, and also just to celebrate our incredible history as one of the greatest college basketball programs of all time.  In today's edition, we go back to the senior season of "The Slasha" a.k.a. Kris Joseph: February 2012.

Kris Joseph hits the biggest
shot of his career, in OT vs. Georgetown
Credit: Kevin Colton, Fingerlakes1.com

John Thompson III can't believe his defense
let Kris Joseph get that wide open.

The Situation:

Second ranked Syracuse is 24-1 (11-1) going into this game against the visiting 12th ranked Georgetown Hoyas at 18-5 (8-4).  Of course as we all know this game would go into overtime where two clutch free throws by Dion Waiters would tie the game at 61.  After an Otto Porter turnover (classic), Syracuse had the ball with under a minute to go in a tie game. And then Scoop Jardine found Kris Joseph...

The Result:
Kris Joseph's 3 holds and Syracuse holds on to beat Georgetown on the back of The Slasha.  He ended the game with a career-high 29 points and a 64-61 victory against the rival Hoyas.  It's often said players' legacies are defined by how they played in the biggest games, and it shouldn't be forgotten that in Kris' last game against Georgetown, he simply could not be denied.  "The Shot" shall never be forgotten among the Syracuse faithful.  Here's some of K-Jo's departing thoughts from his senior season.  Long Live the Big East!

~Ted Gioia