Syracuse Basketball vs. Notre Dame: Game Preview
By David Stone
Syracuse basketball finally heads back home after a three game road trip to take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the Carrier Dome on Thursday at 7 pm.
And so begins the start of an absolutely crucial four game home stretch for Syracuse. If they want a chance at making the NCAA tournament they need to go 3-1 at worst, preferrably 4-0 in this stretch. It’s certainly feasible, given the next four opponents are a hobbled Notre Dame, followed by Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, and Florida State.
No game in the ACC is easy this year, but this is one of the better stretches for Syracuse. All four of those teams are very beatable.
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But before we look ahead too much, let’s delve into the matchup against Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish come into this game ranked 25th in the country and sitting at 14-5. They’ve won four straight ACC games, including a solid win over Duke on the road at Cameron.
However, Notre Dame is most likely going to have a serious problem when they take on Syracuse basketball, as they will almost assuredly be without their leading scorer and playmaker Demetrius Jackson. Jackson suffered a hamstring injury in Saturday’s game against Boston College. Although he was seen working out on Monday, Notre Dame coach Mike Brey said “It would be a miracle to come back (for Thursday’s game)”.
That is a massive loss for Notre Dame. Jackson was the team’s leader, scoring 16.6 points per game, dishing out 5 assists per contest, and grabbing 3.3 rebounds. He is tied for second in the ACC for assists per game, and top 10 in points. He’s the kind of player you just can’t replace. It’s incredibly unfortunate for him and Notre Dame, but definitely a big break for Syracuse.
With the loss of Jackson, Notre Dame is going to need to rely heavily on four other starters who are all averaging over 10 points per game. Zach Auguste, Steve Vasturia, Bonzie Colson, and V.J Beachem are all going to need to step up to try and fill the void he leaves.
Auguste is the team’s next best option, averaging 13.9 points and an impressive 10.1 rebounds per game. At 6’10, 240 lbs, he’s got the size to give the center of the Syracuse zone fits, an issue that teams have exploited against us all year.
Steve Vasturia is the guy who is going to have to step up at the point to fill in for Jackson. He’s averaging 12.8 points, 3.3 assists, and over 38% from 3, so he’s certainly got the credentials to fill in nicely. It will be interesting to see how he handles the top of the zone and if he can get any kind of penetration the way Jackson routinely has all season.
Colson and Beachem are a pair of forwards who are going to need to have big games if they want to keep Notre Dame in it. Both are competent scorers and Colson even averages 7 rebounds per game, so they could add to the inside threat from Auguste.
Even without Jackson, the team boasts an impressive array of offensive weapons. Thankfully, their defense is not particularly impressive. They’ve given up over 70 points 11 times this year. They’ve given up over 80 four times and even gave up 91 to Duke. Overall, they are 131st in points allowed per game. Compare that to Syracuse, who are 36th, and you can really see where we might have an advantage on them. Oh, did I mention Jackson was also the team’s best defender?
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This game is going to come down to which team is making their shots and which team is better on the glass. If either team gets hot from the perimeter, they’ll have a very strong chance of winning. Both teams have three players shooting 35% or better from outside, so it’s just a matter of who can make more and which can corral more of the misses.
Without Jackson, I think Syracuse has a very strong chance to win this game and add another impressive victory to their resume. If they pull it out, that would make three victories over top 25 opponents, including a win over top-10 Texas A&M, a team that has looked nearly unstoppable the past couple months.
Check back later for a more in-depth look at the keys to the game and what Syracuse will need to do to pull out a victory.