Syracuse Basketball: 4 Keys to Beating UNC
By David Stone
Gbinije Needs a Big Game
Against Virginia, Gbinije struggled. He shot just 4-13 from the field and was harassed all game. While I strongly feel that part of it was due to some pretty horrific officiating all game, some of it was just poor decisions on his shot selection. He didn’t make a single 3-pointer all game and of the four he took, only one was actually a good shot. The other three were rushed and just didn’t look pretty.
He also missed 3-6 free throws and just struggled offensively all night. That can’t happen against North Carolina. Regardless of how good Richardson and Lydon have been, against North Carolina that just won’t be enough. We need Gbinije to step up and deliver a masterful performance like his game against MTSU. In that game, he scored 23 points on 10-14 shooting.
He was relentless with the ball, attacking the basket with ease and draining 3-pointers when the opportunity arose. That’s what we need from him against North Carolina. He needs to play with confidence and the swagger of a fifth year senior. He has already catapaulted into the top 10 guards in program history in my opinion, and now he needs to cement his legacy with a huge Final Four performance.
It all starts his off the ball movement. Gbinije has been great with the ball in his hands, but sometimes stagnates a bit when off the ball. He and Trevor Cooney need to feed off each other’s energy and make life hell for the UNC defenders. That means lots of back cuts, lots of screens, and constantly moving without the ball.
When he does have it in his hands, he needs to be aggressive. He needs to get the ball to the hoop. If he’s doubled on the inside, he’s become an excellent passer and I’m confident he can find the open man. If help defense doesn’t come, he’s about as good a finisher at the rim as anyone I’ve seen in recent Syracuse basketball history.
If he can attack the basket, it will open things up from the outside. And truthfully, that’s where we can win this game: 3-point shooting. Between Gbinije, Lydon, Cooney, and Richardson, that is four guys who can all hit the 3-ball. That’s a lot of players to guard and sooner or later, it’s going to be too much for UNC to handle. Gbinije is a big part of that because of his ability to take players off the dribble, which means they have to give him a bit of room. He can utilize that to rise up and score from outside.
If he does that, it could be a very long game for the Tar Heels.
Next: Interior Defense is Key