Syracuse Basketball vs. Charlotte: Player Grades

The Syracuse basketball team defeated Charlotte 83-70 earlier today in the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament and will face the winner of UConn/Michigan tomorrow.

Nov 25, 2015; Paradise Island, BAHAMAS; Syracuse Orange guard Malachi Richardson (23) passes as Charlotte 49ers center Joseph Uchebo (50) defends in the second half during the 2015 Battle 4 Atlantis in the Imperial Arena at the Atlantis Resort. Photo Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The game probably didn’t go the way a lot of SU fans were hoping it would. After roaring out to a 23-point halftime lead, Syracuse gave most of it back in the second half with sloppy offensive play and laziness on defense. In the end, Syracuse was able to pull out the 83-70 victory.

Although the game had it’s low points for Syracuse, such as a 9-0 run early in the second half for Charlotte, the overall outcome is the important part. Syracuse won. They move on to the semifinals.

They also showed some very good things as a team, such as an improved effort on the glass and the ability to get hot in a hurry from behind the arc. They made 14 3’s in the game, and could have easily had more. Gbinije led the way hitting six of them, but all told four different players hit 3’s, and all four hit at least two of them

What that tells me is that this team has multiple options from the perimeter. That will be a nightmare for teams to guard, as Syracuse will be able to space the floor and find open shooters by penetrating into the lane and kicking the ball out. Don’t be surprised to see a bunch more games with Syracuse making double digit 3’s.

Aside from the team aspect, there were some standout performances by individuals as well. Let’s take a closer look at how each player performed. I will break down the gameplay and give an overall rating for each player. Let’s work our way from best to worst.