ACC Tournament: What To Watch For

As Notre Dame and Wake Forest have tipped off in round 1, it's officially ACC Tournament time.  Freshmen try and prepare themselves for the madness of March, and seniors put on their jerseys knowing it could be the last time they do so.

It's definitely a little weird that we aren't on our way to The Garden with a potential matchup against UConn or Georgetown looming, but there's still a lot to look forward to this week:


1. From Madison Square Garden to Greensboro Coliseum

ACC Player of the Year TJ Warren
will need to pull off a magical run for NC State
to have a chance on Selection Sunday.

The 15 team bracket is a new look for the ACC, who welcomes Syracuse, Pittsburgh, and Notre Dame this year.  Notre Dame is playing for pride at this point as the loss of Jerian Grant pretty much took them out of contention a while ago.  Pittsburgh is fighting for their NCAA tournament lives, and with Lamar Patterson's hand 100% healthy, they could once again be dangerous.  And finally Syracuse, who makes a habit of using conference tournaments to regain their mid-season form.

While the three newcomers are used to playing in the physical, fast-paced, backyard brawl-esque Big East Tournament, I don't think the fun in Greensboro will be all that different.

While the ACC certainly has its own style, there are plenty of similarities to previous seasons in the Big East.  Isn't Virginia a carbon copy of the all too familiar 'Nova teams known for a slow pace and defense?  Could ACC Player of the Year, TJ Warren, pull a "Kemba" and lead NC State from the bubble to an NCAA Tournament bid?  There are the four clear cut heavy weights who receive double byes, and then there's the upset-hungry middle tier playing to keep their post-season dreams alive.

The ACC has plenty of talent across the board that could make this week just as ridiculous as any BET in recent memory.

2. Quarterfinal Friday Could Be Dangerous For Top Four

There's no question that this ACC Tournament means a lot to the four NCAA locks in Virginia, UNC, Duke, and Syracuse for different reasons.  However, it means more for the few teams that are sitting atop, or just off of, the bubble.

I would be surprised to see any team playing on Wednesday upset a top 8 seed given the drop-off of talent towards the bottom of the ACC.  Therefore, there's is big chance that Friday's match-ups will all be "bubble vs. lock", which never fails to entertain.


Pittsburgh, Clemson, NC State, Maryland, and Florida State are all bubble teams.  Pittsburgh has the best shot at making the field, but if they can't beat UNC they might be left disappointed on Selection Sunday as their resume features only one win against the top 50.

Florida State will probably need two wins this week to get in, and the rest of the the previously mentioned ACC bubble teams will need a magical run to the ACC Championship game to get into the discussion.

Lunardi says Pitt is in, Lamar Patterson
isn't going to take his word for it.

Prospectively, Friday's slate of games could be:

-1 Virginia vs. 8 Maryland/9 Florida State

With one of Virginia's two conference losses coming to Maryland last Sunday, a rematch between the two schools on Friday would be fun to watch.  Add the fact that this is Maryland's last ACC Tournament before heading to the Big Ten, and you've got the potential for a thriller.

-4 UNC vs. 5 Pittsburgh

This game is most intriguing of all as Pitt will be playing to lock up an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.  UNC is looking to get back to the ACC Championship after losing to Miami last year, and I doubt they'll take the Panthers lightly.  Look for Marcus Paige and Lamar Patterson to light up the score sheet in this one.

-2 Syracuse vs. 7 NC State

Fresh off his anointment of ACC POTY, TJ Warren is looking to keep his season alive.  Warren dropped 23 in the first matchup between these two teams back in mid-February, in a game that saw a last second layup by CJ Fair win it for The Orange.  This is a tough draw for struggling Syracuse, who will have to put down the desperate Wolfpack if they want to head into the NCAAs with any confidence whatsoever.

-3 Duke vs. 6 Clemson

Clemson handed Duke a huge loss on January 11th that served as a needed wake up call for the Blue Devils, who would go on to win nine of their next ten.  First Team All-ACC forward, KJ McDaniels, is a beast who is capable of taking over any game just like he did in the previously mentioned game against Duke (24 pts, 10 reb).

Coming off of a loss to lowly Wake Forest, Duke responded by downing North Carolina at Cameron.  Jabari Parker is playing with a chip on his shoulder after being snubbed in the race for ACC Player of The Year.  If that isn't motivation enough, a win in this one could mean a winner take all grudge match against newly established rival Syracuse, which leads me to...


3. 'Cuse - Duke III (Knock On Wood)

Last season, rival Georgetown smoked us in The Dome and then dominated us in the regular season finale.  I was positive that a third meeting with the Hoyas at The Garden would be a storybook ending to such a great rivalry and nothing could ever possibly compare to the way---I'll stop myself there: I was so wrong.

I'm hands down more excited to (possibly) see Syracuse-Duke Part 3.  If both teams win their quarterfinal matchup on Friday, this wish will be granted.  After the overtime thriller on February 1st followed by Boeheim's epic freakout, I don't think there could be anything better than an ACC semifinal game to decide the first of many season series.

CJ Fair puts in what he thought would be the game winning basket, the refs thought otherwise.

We've witnessed the beginning of what's to be a legendary rivalry.  After all, even John Thompson and the Hoyas couldn't get Jimmy B to flip his lid in such a fashion.  The rematch at Cameron drew 4.2 million viewers for ESPN, after the first game between the two had the fourth largest TV audience for a college basketball game since 2002.

I think it's safe to say that EVERYONE wants to see this third game happen... Plus, we all knew that it couldn't actually end in a 1-1 tie after the worst call of the season.



Predictions:


I think with Jerami Grant back and CJ Fair on fire, Syracuse is the team to beat in this tournament.  I'm taking UNC over Virginia and Syracuse over Duke in the semis.

Syracuse beats UNC 72-69 in the ACC Championship:  Ennis > Paige

Go Orange!












~Ted Gioia

Fair, Grant Shine In Route Of FSU

Jerami Grant looked 100% in his return.

It's good to have Jerami Grant back, let's just start there...  Grant played 35 minutes and contributed 16 points and 8 rebounds in his first game back from a nagging back injury.

I think we all knew Syracuse probably wasn't going anywhere without a healthy Jerami Grant, who is projected to be a lottery pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.  Grant used his size and athleticism to dominate the boards and knife along the baseline for buckets, as always.

The full strength Orange dominated Florida State on both ends of the floor, and earned its first 15 point victory since Janurary 7th against Virginia Tech.  While Grant's return is encouraging, nothing pleases me more than the play of CJ Fair, who was just named First Team All-ACC.

In CJ's final regular season game, he scored 22 points on 9 of 13 shooting, and pulled in 7 rebounds.  This is coming off of his 28 point explosion in the loss to Georgia Tech on Senior Night.  He looks like he's ready to will this team deep into the NCAA Tournament, and after three years of waiting, I think it's long over due for CJ to be "the guy" in March.  Don't forget he was the only reason for Syracuse even being close in that Final Four game against Michigan last year.

CJ Fair has scored 50 points over his last two games.

Trevor Cooney... what gives man?  After struggling early in this one, missing a pair of wide open three balls, Cooney actually found his shot late in the game coming up with two huge triples to bury FSU.  Regardless, Trevor was still 3 of 13 from the field and a dismal 2 of 8 from 3.  All signs are pointing to confidence issues shooting the ball, which is the epitome of the (not so) sharp shooter's freshman campaign.

What made the difference in this one though was Syracuse's defense and transition game.

Syracuse held its Florida State to just 38% from the field on Sunday, after letting Georgia Tech and Virginia go off for 48% and 50%, respectively.  Fair and Ennis combined for 7 of the teams 9 steals, and the 2-3 zone looked stingy once again.

For the first time in recent memory, Syracuse used the 2-3 to generate offense.  Ennis did a great job of running the court and slicing to the basket for easy buckets on the fast break.  We even saw Jerami Grant throw up an absolutely filthy alley for Christmas, which ended quite favorably for the Orange.

Now let's all in unison let out a big sigh of relief as it seems Syracuse has remembered how to play elite basketball again.  With the ACC Tournament looming this week, it is great to see these guys get back to their old ways of dominating inferior opponents and closing out games for a change.

Syracuse will be the number 2 seed in the ACC Tournament, which means a double bye and a matchup on Friday with the winner of NC State and Miami/Virginia Tech.  If both Syracuse and Duke advance in the quarterfinals, they will square off against each other on Saturday for an all too fitting 3rd meeting to decide the season series.

While it's clearly no Big East Tournament at The Garden, this should be a great week for the ACC.  I'm taking 'Cuse over UNC in the finals.

~Ted Gioia

State of the Union: No Need To Panic Yet

Boeheim's ejection might have cost
Syracuse the game.

Mayday! Mayday! Call the Coast Guard because this ship is surely sinking...  After a flawless 25-0 start, Syracuse has dropped back to back games against BC and Duke.  According to ESPN, Syracuse fans should be worried about their recent play.  I'm not convinced.

First of all, Syracuse played well enough to win in Cameron.  A terrible call decided what was a brilliant basketball game.  Parker had an identical take earlier in the game that was called the other way.  It doesn't mean we should feel good about losing to Duke, but it wasn't a bad loss.

There's no question that Boeheim's double technical/ejection put the game on ice, but sometimes a statement like that goes further than the final score.  I'm not going to preach that the freakout was warranted, but it's definitely not the end of the world.  As a fan I was just as livid, and also ecstatic that Boeheim put that ref in his place while showing that he's "still got it in him".  On another positive note, it's really just adding fuel to the growing fire that is the Syracuse-Duke Rivalry.

At the end of the day, Syracuse leaves Cameron with a loss, but definitely some valuable lessons learned.  It will come back to benefit them come March.  

So Syracuse has lost two straight games, one of which was a terrible loss at home to the lowly BC Eagles.  Is it time to freak out? I'm not there yet.

Last year's team taught me a lot about college basketball.  The 2012-2013 Orange boasted an 18-1 record and the #7 ranking before going on a miserable 5-7 slump that included a horrendous 22-point loss to that one school from DC that shall not be named.  That is when red flags should've probably been flying.  I had actually written off that Syracuse team and wanted Michael Carter-Williams to pack up and head to the NBA a month or two early.  I shouldn't have to remind you how badly I was wrong, but just for fun here's a heartwarming picture: 

Michael Carter-Williams and CJ Fair celebrate
being Final Four bound.

Carter-Williams led Syracuse to the final Big East Tournament Championship Game, and then to Atlanta for a Final Four appearance that just happened to come a clean ten years after Melo's Cornrows' finest moment in New Orleans. 

The point is that no matter how bad a couple of losses seem, they are essential to the progression of a young team and it doesn't necessarily indicate that this team won't be able to pick it up when it matters most.  Syracuse has two huge opportunities ahead at Maryland and then Virginia.  

The next few weeks is when we really learn who this Syracuse team is, and how they handle their first taste of adversity.  

That Being Said, what in the world has overcome this seemingly titanic Syracuse bunch?  Well I guess we've learned that Tyler Ennis is human after all.  A dismal 2 of 13 from the field in Cameron, and four turnovers in a near escape at home against NC State.  I think it speaks to Tyler's performance this season that we're making a fuss about one bad shooting performance and just four turnovers, but nonetheless the freshman point guard was completely out-shined by Jabari Parker on Saturday night.

Against NC State, Ennis, Cooney, and Fair all struggled shooting and it led to Syracuse's second lowest point total of the season.  When Boston College came to the Dome, CJ and Ennis shot the ball decently, but Syracuse got virtually no offensive contributions from Cooney or the short-handed Syracuse bench.

As the offense has been struggling, the defense hasn't really picked up the slack.  Holding BC to 62 points, Duke to 66 points, and NC State to 55 points would usually seem like a job well done. I wouldn't say this was the case here. 

Olivier Hanlan split the 2-3 zone and
forced the game into overtime. 

With 47 seconds left in regulation, Syracuse let Olivier Hanlan slice right through the teeth of the zone for a layup that would eventually send the game to overtime.  With 46 seconds left in the extra period, Patrick Heckmann got to the rim easily for the go ahead bucket.  Boston College shot almost 43% from the field and 11 of 22 from three.

On Saturday, Parker had an abusive put-back over Cooney and Grant to give Duke a six point lead late in the game.  Although the Blue Devils were way short of their ACC-leading 80.1 points per game, they came close to 48% shooting!  Those are remarkable numbers considering Quinn Cook went 2 for 11.  A lot of this can be credited to Duke's 14 second chance points, which stem from their 11 offensive rebounds.   

While Syracuse has been holding opponents to relatively low point totals, it's been the breakdown late in games along with the inability to protect the defensive glass that has cost the Orange two victories and they're lucky it wasn't four.  In these past four games Syracuse is giving up an average of 12 offensive rebounds... It makes for an awfully painful game watching experience.  The defense has to get its swagger back if Syracuse wants to make a run at the ACC Title and beyond.  

I Can Truthfully Say, that I'm not worried.  I liked what I saw out of Syracuse against Duke and I think they will right the ship in Maryland.  Like I said before, this is when we will really find out if Ice Man's veins are still frosty and if CJ Fair will go out like the jackhammer he's been for the past four years.  

And with legacies and dreams of the national title on the line...

Stay tuned Orange fans.  

~Ted Gioia

P.S. 

Did I mention he's still got it?

ACC Player Of The Year Watch List

Welcome to our first edition of the ACC Player Of The Year Watch List.  This is definitely relevant for Syracuse this year as both CJ Fair and Tyler Ennis are very much in the conversation.

 Don't forget that Fair was named ACC Preseason Player Of The Year, and he was also my pick to win the award when he decided to come back for his senior season.

What's happened since then?  More or less the emergence of the top two freshman in the nation in Ennis and Duke's Jabari Parker.  But this is more than just a three man race.  Here's my rankings                                                          through Wednesday's games:

1.) Jabari Parker, Duke- Jabari Parker had his case of midseason slump, but it's safe to say that is over and done with.  In the past 5 games, the freshman phenom is averaging 17.6 points and 11.4 rebounds per game.  Despite fouling out in the loss at 'Cuse, Parker is the reason Duke has regained its swagger winning 6 of 7. The biggest win in that stretch was in Pittsburgh, one of the hardest places to play in the country, where Parker scored 21 and pulled in 11 boards for his 7th double double of the season.

2.) CJ Fair, Syracuse-  After going off against Duke for 28 points, CJ shot 2-13 and scored just 6 points against Notre Dame.  Besides that mishap, Fair has been Mr. Consistent for the Orange offense.  Before Monday's game, Fair had put up double figures in 17 straight games.  To me, he's still Syracuse's go-to player and he proved that in the Duke game.  This was a tough call, but Parker is consistently putting up more points and more rebounds than Fair.  While CJ has reached 20 points in just 6 games this season, Parker has more than doubled that with 13 20-point games.  If you watch the two play, Parker is definitely more of a force to be reckoned with, but it's close.


3.) Tyler Ennis, Syracuse- There's no doubt that Tyler Ennis has emerged onto the scene as one of the best freshman in the country.  Ennis' stability is just what Syracuse has needed.  He manages games, gets the ball where it needs to go, and scores pretty efficiently.  On top of that, Ennis is fantastic at the top of the 2-3 zone averaging almost two and a half steals per game.  Asking who is more valuable between CJ and Tyler isn't really a fair question (no pun intended) because they feed off of one another.  I'm giving the edge to CJ here because of the Duke game.

4.) Lamar Patterson, Pittsburgh- Patterson might be the best pure shooter in the ACC, shooting 43% from 3 and 48% from the field.  On top of his scoring, Patterson is a capable passer with over four assists a game, most of them to big man Talib Zanna on the inside.  With good strength and toughness, the 6-5 small forward is a good rebounder and above average defender.  It was hard not to put T.J. Warren here, because there is no doubt he is the best overall scorer in the ACC (22.4 ppg). However, Patterson is a key to his teams success where Warren just shoots 18 times a game and NC State is probably not even a tourney team.

5.) Rodney Hood, Duke- There's really nothing Rodney Hood can't do.  At 6-8, he is one of the hardest jump shots to stop in college basketball as Syracuse found out on February 1st.  After transferring to Duke last year from Mississippi State, Hood has exploded onto the scene as one of the ACC's elite.  There's no question that Parker is the man in Durham, but Hood constantly reminds people that he is worthy of attention too or else he will go off, just ask Notre Dame.  Rakeem Christmas still has his number though:

HONORABLE MENTION


TJ Warren, NC Sate

Marcus Paige, North Carolina 


~Ted Gioia

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

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.

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

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

Texas Bowl Post-Game Recap: In Terrel We Trust

Terrel Hunt runs into the end
zone for the go ahead touchdown.

The Syracuse Orange are your 2013 Texas Bowl Champions!  First and foremost, what an amazing game.  What started out as a defensive showcase in the first half ended with 21 points in the fourth quarter and one hell of a finish.  A HUGE 70-yard punt return by Brisly Estime set up Terrel Hunt's second rushing touchdown of the night with 1:14 left to give Syracuse their third bowl win in four years.

Three Stars:

-Syracuse Run Defense: If you read my preview, my matchup to watch for was David Cobb and the Minnesota rushing attack vs. Syracuse's stingy defense.  This definitely held true in this one, as Minnesota ran the ball 38 times for just 127 yards as a team.  That's an impressive 3.3 yards per rush against for the Syracuse defense, who continued their season long streak of not allowing a 100-yard rusher.  Cobb had 91 yards on 18 carries.

After Philip Nelson struggled early under center, he was replaced by the dual threat redshirt freshman Mitch Leidner.  Syracuse's defense was too much for Leidner who was held to just 1.8 yards per carry. Cameron Lynch and Dyshawn Davis led the way defensively with 8 tackles each.  Lynch also had one of the Orange's 4 sacks on the day.  Minnesota had just 3 points heading into the fourth quarter.

-Terrel Hunt: Hunt looked poised all game, and never once did he seem overwhelmed or uncomfortable even when the offense was struggling early on.  Hunt made good decisions passing the ball going 19-29 for 188 yards and no interceptions.  Where Hunt was really effective though was on the ground.  Hunt scored two of Syracuse's three touchdowns with his feet, including the game winning score with 1:14 left in the game.  He finished with 74 yards and averaged just under 5 yards per carry.

Brisly Estime lays out for a
pass in the first quarter. 

-Brisly Estime: On the first offensive drive of the game, Syracuse was rolling and looked like they were ready to put the ball in the end zone or at least put points on the board.  Estime fumbled after making a nice move in the open field, giving the ball back to the Golden Gophers.  From here on out, Estime came to play.  Estime had five catches for 47 yards, but four of them were for first downs.  In the first quarter Estime layed out for a pass into the end zone and nearly made the catch of the year, but it he couldn't haul it in.  The biggest play of course was the 70 yard punt return to set up Syracuse's game winning touchdown.  Without that return there is a very good chance Syracuse is leaving Texas winless.  I couldn't be more excited about his future.

What this means?
-Syracuse has won another bowl game!  It's great to see where this program has come in the past five or so years.  I remember back in the Greg Robinson days when any talk of a bowl game would have been laughed at.  Now after appearing and winning in three bowl games in four years, Syracuse has established itself as a respectable and proud football program.  Hats off to Scott Shafer on a terrific first season as head coach.

George Morris II will likely be the
main threat in the Syracuse backfield next year.

-The future could be very, very bright.  Yes, that's right.  Syracuse could really be a contender in the ACC next year.  With Terrel Hunt coming back for two more years, along with Jarrod West, Ashton Broyld, and Brisly Estime, the Syracuse offense has a lot to look forward to next season.  With PTG and Jerome Smith likely gone, the backfield duties will likely be given to George Morris II, the freshman who looked good on eight carries tonight.

The defense returns a handful of key players as well, led by Dyshawn Davis, Cameron Lynch, Durrel Eskridge, and Robert Welsh.  They will have some work to do replacing Marquis Spruill and Jay Bromley, but tonight this defense showed that it can be very, very scary when it wants to be.


Final Thoughts:

Syracuse did what it had to do to win against the Golden Gophers.  They really dominated the game until the fourth quarter when things got a little bit more interesting.  There's something about Terrel Hunt's game tonight that has me thinking he has that "clutch" gene.  Seeing him find the lane to take off on third and long with the game on the line was a Syracuse fans' dream come true.  Hunt will obviously be the guy heading into training camp for next season, which will give him advantages he didn't have this year.  Farewell to all the seniors, and you have to realize this senior class was a huge part of turning this program around.  All of them have been a part of the three bowl wins, two under Marrone and now one under Shafer.  Jay Bromley, Marquis Spruill, Jerome Smith, Prince Tyson-Gulley, Macky MacPherson, and many others... THANK YOU!

Let's not forget that Syracuse takes on Villanova in the Dome at 2 p.m. tomorrow, so don't celebrate this win too hard.  Long live the Big East! Beat Nova!

~Ted Gioia

Texas Bowl Preview

Gameday is finally here!  Tonight your Orange (6-6) take on Minnesota (8-4)

in the 2013 Texas Bowl.  Minnesota could be in the midst of a historic year as they attempt to win 9 games in a season for the just the second time in 108 years.  A successful Big Ten campaign has Minnesota back in the Texas Bowl after losing last year to Texas Tech.  Syracuse is coming off of a successful transition into the ACC after going an unexpected .500 in conference play.  The Orange and the Golden Gophers have the 38th and 32nd ranked rushing attacks, respectively, so we might be seeing a whole lot of the ground and pound in this one.  The common conception leading into this one is that the Big Ten's Minnesota is probably a better all around team than the ACC's Syracuse, but let's break it down a little bit further to get a taste of what we might see tonight.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM MINNESOTA:

David Cobb leads the way for Minnesota's tenacious
rushing attack.

As I previously mentioned, Minnesota likes to run the football.  Running back David Cobb is definitely the player to watch for on Minnesota's offense, as he's racked up over 1100 yards this season and has averaged over five yards per carry while doing it.  While Cobb has a modest seven touchdowns this year, look for 6-4, 233 pound Mitch Leidner to provide a spark as well.  The freshman also has seven scores on the season and has played a little bit of quarterback on top of running back so he is a dynamic threat for the Golden Gopher offense.  Minnesota doesn't like to pass as sophomore quarterback Philip Nelson has only 1200 yards on the season.  If Nelson struggles look for Leidner to come in to mix things up at the QB position.  

Defenseively, there is one man you need to know on the Minnesota defense.  All Big Ten defensive tackle Ra'Shede Hageman is a top NFL prospect for the upcoming draft, and he could make it a long day for Macky MacPherson and the rest of Syracuse's interior offensive line.  Hageman leads Minnesota with 11 tackles for a loss on the season.  Other than Hageman though, the Minnesota run defense has been very inconsistent throughout the season, averaging over 154 rushing yards allowed per game (against some very tough opponents), so it will be interesting to see how they handle Jerome Smith.

ORANGE UPDATE:

We all know what we're going to see from the Orange, a steady rushing attack and hard-nosed Scott Shafer defense.  However, junior veteran wide receiver Jarrod West is back into the Syracuse lineup which gives Terrel Hunt another option downfield.  For the most part though, expect Jerome Smith to be the focus of the offense for his last game in the orange and blue.  Syracuse has averaged over 194 rushing yards per game this season between Smith, Hunt, PTG, and a couple of others.

Jarrod West's return could be a big
factor in tonight's game.

Durrel Eskridge has been ruled out of this one and that is a big hit to the Syracuse defense, however it would play more of a roll if Minnesota had a threatening passing attack.  Look for Jay Bromley and Marquis Spruill to hold it down for the Syracuse defense who hasn't allowed a 100-yard rusher all season long.  

MATCHUP THAT WILL DECIDE THE GAME:

The real matchup that is going to decide who goes home with the Texas Bowl is the Syracuse run-defense against David Cobb and the Golden Gopher rushing attack.  As I already mentioned, Minnesota loves to run the ball.  Syracuse has the 26th ranked run defense in the country, and they're going to have to slow down David Cobb if they want a shot to win this one.  Senior defensive tackle Jay Bromley will look to penetrate the Golden Gophers' offensive line and disrupt the run before it can get to the next level.  Spruill leads the Orange with 13.5 tackles for a loss on the year.  He will be just as important as Bromley in stopping Cobb and the Golden Gophers.  If Syracuse is able to limit Minnesota's rushing attack, I like their chances in this game.  

PREDICTION:

Ra'Shede Hageman is just
downright scary.

Terrel Hunt is going to have a full plate tonight.  Minnesota's defense is 27th in the country in points against, and is coming off a game in which they held Big Ten Champions Michigan State to just 14 points.  Syracuse is going to have to rely on its rushing attack to lead the way if they want to have a chance.  I think Syracuse's defense will make or break, as it's going to take a heroic effort from them to stifle the Minnesota rushing attack.  In the end: Minnesota is the slightly better team in an old school hard-nosed football game and ends up winning a close one 20-17.

Go Orange! ~ Ted Gioia