Syracuse Basketball Performs So-So In Rout Of Southern New Hampshire

The Syracuse basketball outfit steamrolled Southern New Hampshire, 84-54, to kick off its exhibition slate. ITLH takes a look at the highs and the lows.

College basketball is back.

My beloved Orange hoops team started things off in solid, albeit somewhat shaky, fashion. The ‘Cuse’s 84-54 exhibition throttling of Southern New Hampshire on Wednesday night from the Carrier Dome is an initial tell-tale sign of what we might anticipate from SU in the 2017-18 campaign.

There are four freshmen and six new guys overall on the current Syracuse roster. Tons of potential and talent, but also a bevy of inexperience and youth.

I’m eager to see how head coach Jim Boeheim’s bunch performs this term. Expectations are muted. We will witness an abundance of growing pains, but if this crew comes together, it could prove a sight to see.

Versus the Penmen, the Orange played a bit sloppy at the get-go. I imagine that nerves factored in to the equation, and that’s understandable.

Eventually, the ‘Cuse’s full-court press and vaunted 2-3 zone clamped down on Southern New Hampshire, and SU cruised to a 30-point victory.

Sophomore wing Tyus Battle, whom I believe is going to have a break-out year, led the way,

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scoring 20 and dishing out five assists.

Freshman forward Oshae Brissett, meanwhile, generated a double-double in his collegiate debut, with 17 points and 11 boards. The sample size is razor thin, but my gut tells me that Brissett will amount to one of the premier rookies in the Atlantic Coast Conference, when all is said and done.

Junior point guard Frank Howard produced a mixed-bag. He had 15 points, eight rebounds and three steals. That’s nice. But he also committed six turnovers against just two dimes. That’s not-so-nice. For the Orange to succeed, Howard has to take much better care of the ball.

Especially considering that fellow point guard Geno Thorpe, a graduate transfer from South Florida, remains out with a sprained ankle.

"“His ankle is still bothering him,” Boeheim told Syracuse.com. “We’re not being cautious. He can’t play. He can’t put weight on it. He can’t run.”"

This is alarming. SU possesses nine primary dudes in 2017-18, so depth isn’t crazy plentiful. I sincerely hope that Thorpe can suit up soon.

On a positive note, freshman combo guard Howard Washington hit three shots from downtown, tallying 11 total points. Should Thorpe stay on the sidelines for a while, Washington’s contributions will prove even more pivotal.

The ‘Cuse held a “block party” in this affair, netting an insane 16 blocks. Centers Paschal Chukwu, a junior, and Bourama Sidibe, a freshman, each had six.

Moreover, in addition to Howard’s three thefts, freshman forward Marek Dolezaj snagged five steals. Overall, the Orange forced 20 turnovers.

On the flip side, though, Syracuse posted 16 turnovers of its own. We absolutely must clean that up as the competition intensifies.

Our field-goal and free-throw shooting both came in at respectable clips (45 percent and 73 percent, respectively). However, 29 percent from 3-point land is rough, but not surprising, given that we lost Andrew White III, Tyler Lydon and John Gillon.

JB & Co.’s offense is no doubt a work in progress. It’s the defensive end of the floor that, I think, will ultimately flourish. At every position, we are athletic and long. That could propel us to a lot of blocked shots, steals and turnovers created, as well as poor shooting outputs by our opponents.

The Penmen, for example, connected on a mere 25 percent from the field and 30 percent from 3-point range.

Rebounding is a huge key. SU feasted on Southern New Hampshire, a much smaller unit, to the tune of a 54-41 advantage. Redshirt freshman forward Matthew Moyer chipped in 10 boards. But let’s hold the significant applause until the ‘Cuse collects those types of stats for numerous more match-ups.

Syracuse had some good and bad things occur on Wednesday night in Central New York. Yet nothing terribly shocking.

I like the promise that this squad holds. I’m cautiously optimistic about the Orange’s outlook. One game at a time, my friends.

Speaking of that, the ‘Cuse’s second – and final – exhibition tune-up is set for this Monday evening, when SU hosts Southern Connecticut State.

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Then, the regular season commences on Nov. 10 as Syracuse and Jim Boeheim square off at the Carrier Dome with Cornell and JB’s son, Jimmy Boeheim.

I can hardly contain my excitement!

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