Syracuse Basketball: Orange need to avoid trap game vs Pittsburgh

The Syracuse basketball squad has a signature success in its back pocket, but SU faces a formidable foe in Pittsburgh this weekend.

I can’t figure this Orange team out, and my guess is that the same holds true for much of ‘Cuse Nation.

SU, coming into the 2018-19 campaign with lofty expectations and numerous pre-season rankings, has five losses at present, including a head-scratching three in Central New York. The most-recent agonizing defeat, to Georgia Tech last Saturday evening on the Hill, left me quite worried about the Orange’s post-season possibilities.

On the flip side, Syracuse sports a nifty 3-0 mark on the road, including a triumph at Ohio State a while back, and a huge overtime upset of No. 1 Duke on Monday night.

So which Orange outfit will show up on Saturday afternoon, when the ‘Cuse (12-5, 3-1) hosts Pittsburgh? It’s anybody’s guess, if you ask me. What I can tell you is that SU must remain locked-in versus the Panthers, or chalk up setback number four at the Carrier Dome.

Pitt (12-5, 2-2) has nicely revitalized itself under first-year head coach Jeff Capel, a former long-time assistant coach with the Blue Devils.

Its most-recent game, at home versus No. 11 Florida State on Monday evening, resulted in a 75-62 achievement for the Panthers. Pittsburgh also had an overtime conquering of Louisville on the Panthers’ own turf earlier this month.

While Pitt suffered through a dreadful 2017-18 campaign, not prevailing in a single Atlantic Coast Conference clash, the Panthers are now trending in a positive direction due to Capel’s guidance.

Pittsburgh’s two best wins to date are against the aforementioned Seminoles and Cardinals. The Panthers have fallen to N.C. State and North Carolina in ACC competition, along with Iowa, Niagara (huh?) and West Virginia in the non-conference slate.

During the 2017-18 term, the Orange emerged victorious against Pitt both at home and on the road. This, however, is a much different, and much improved, Panthers group.

Currently, Syracuse has a NCAA NET rating of 49th, while Pittsburgh checks in at 53rd. As such, it’s pretty safe to say that these programs are, for the most part, evenly matched.

The Panthers, at this juncture, produce about five more points than SU on offense, but Pitt also allows about three additional points on defense.

In the bevy of statistical categories, the Panthers hold slight edges over the ‘Cuse, including field-goal, free-throw and 3-point shooting, as well as rebounding, assists and blocks. I’d note, though, that these advantages are relatively small.

Pittsburgh does commit about 14 turnovers a game, so it’s critical for the Orange to perform well in its 2-3 zone, create deflections and steals, and secure break-away buckets out in transition.

Four guys on the Pitt roster average double-figures in scoring, led by freshman guard Xavier Johnson, who gets roughly 17 points per contest and connects on a solid 39 percent from beyond the arc.

If senior point guard Frank Howard can continue with his recent strong play for Syracuse, it will do wonders for SU’s offensive schemes, as he provides a welcome balance to the scoring of junior wing Tyus Battle, redshirt sophomore forward Elijah Hughes, and sophomore forward Oshae Brissett.

It’s totally a ‘Cuse thing to get smoked at home by the Yellow Jackets, then beat Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium, and follow all of that up by laying an egg at the Dome versus the Panthers, who are 0-3 when traveling away from Pittsburgh.

Hopefully, that scenario doesn’t occur, because SU did a beautiful deed against the Blue Devils, and every Orange fan out there, myself included, wants the momentum train to keep rolling.