On Saturday evening, Syracuse basketball will take on the North Carolina Tarheels with an opportunity to advance to the NCAA Championship game.
If you’re getting a bit of deja vu, don’t worry. For the second consecutive game, Syracuse basketball will be playing a rematch. Whereas with Virginia it was the second meeting of the teams this season, this will be the third such meeting between UNC and SU. North Carolina won the first two meetings, but both were highly competitive games that Syracuse was in until the very end.
So what has changed since the last meeting that will make the outcome of Saturday’s game different than the first two? Quite a lot actually.
For starters, Syracuse basketball is incredibly hot. They’re coming off four straight wins, two of which included some pretty epic comebacks. The team is brimming with confidence, determination, and a never-say-die attitude that makes them a threat to anyone they face.
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The defense has also changed a lot. Tyler Lydon has become much more confident in the middle. Tyler Roberson has been far more assertive on the glass and is getting over to help. Malachi Richardson has also stepped it up, playing some excellent trap defense in the corner and really being active along the baseline. The bottom of the zone was our problem all season, but it’s been so much better in the postseason.
Rebounding has also been much improved in the tournament. Syracuse is +20 in rebounding margin in four games. Although a lot of that came against Dayton, they have still outrebounded every opponent other than Gonzaga. With how big Gonzaga is, they still only lost the rebounding battle by four boards. Against Virginia they actually had a +2 margin, which is huge considering Virginia is an excellent rebounding team and beat us handily in the first meeting.
Lastly, the clutch factor has changed. Towards the end of the season it seemed like no one really wanted to step up and make the big shot, or else no one could. The ball always seemed to find it’s way into Trevor Cooney’s hands for an awkward three that he would inevitably miss.
Now, everyone has been working together to get the ball to the hot hand. Against Virginia it was Richardson and Lydon. Against Gonzaga it was Michael Gbinije. It seems like this team has finally learned the value of working together and feeding the right guy at the right time. On top of that, they’ve played some of the most clutch basketball I’ve ever seen in tough situations.
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It’s hard to expect a freshman to remain poised and hit the big shots with all the pressure of the tournament, but Tyler Lydon and Malachi Richardson have done just that. They’ve stepped up big time in big moments, and if it weren’t for those two, there’s no way we would have beaten Gonzaga or Virginia. Their maturity and growth has been phenomenal, and I know we can count on them when the game gets tough to support Cooney and Gbinije and make big plays.
All of these factors are why Syracuse basketball will have the upper hand against North Carolina and will advance. Although UNC is a very solid team with lots of depth, that’s not nearly as crucial in the NCAA tournament in a one and done format. Especially considering SU is coming off of six days of rest, allowing the heavy minutes players to recover their energy.
Look for a hard fought game on Saturday, and don’t be surprised if it once again comes down to clutch play in the final minutes. In that situation, SU has plenty of options. UNC haven’t really been tested much, and I think that’s going to bite them. SU has been in close games all year and have finally learned how to close out at the right time. I see that happening again on Saturday as Syracuse basketball once again advances.