Syracuse Basketball: 5 Reasons SU Men Win a Championship

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Mar 27, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Virginia Cavaliers guard Malcolm Brogdon (15) is defended by Syracuse Orange forward Michael Gbinije (0) and guard Malachi Richardson (23) during the second half in the championship game of the midwest regional of the NCAA Tournament at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports /

Keep the Defensive Intensity

I’m not sure what happened between the ACC tournament and the NCAA tournament, but whatever defensive light switch was flicked has been incredibly impressive to watch. The team has been dominant like I’ve never seen before, particularly in the second half.

So far in the second half, Syracuse basketball has given up an average of 26 points per game. That’s an average of one made two point field goal about every minute and a half. Factor in 3’s and it’s more like a made field goal every two minutes. I’m not sure if that means a lot to the layman, but that is absolute insanity. Conversely, UNC is giving up an average of 36 points per second half. That’s 10 more than the Orange. That’s in just one half.

The big reason for the dramatic difference is defensive intensity. While UNC is a great offensive team, they aren’t really known for their defense. They like to run and set the pace. SU likes to slow teams down and force them to use a lot of shot clock and then take a tough, contested shot. This is exactly what they need to do to beat UNC.

If they can force UNC into contested shots, that’s a win for the Orange. The big areas of concern, as always, will be the foul line and the baseline. If UNC can effectively get the ball to the high post, it opens a lot of options for them, especially since their guys can consistently drain those 12-18 footers. Syracuse needs to contest every single entry pass and then rotate up and not allow open shots if the ball does get in there.

If they can do that and get past UNC, it’s going to be more of the same against either Oklahoma or Villanova. While neither team has quite the athleticism of the Tar Heels, both are excellent passing teams that move the ball quickly and efficiently. SU needs to cut off the passing lanes and keep playing that smothering, swarming defense.

If they can do that and stay aggressive, they have a very real shot of winning a championship. But it’s not just defense that will win them these next two games. There are several other keys for Syracuse basketball.

Next: Backcourt Experience

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