The Syracuse basketball program wrapped up its exhibition schedule with a relatively lackluster win against Southern Connecticut State. ITLH explains why.
SU is my alma mater, and I bleed Orange through and through.
While I am totally biased when it comes to ‘Cuse hoops, I also try to remain somewhat objective when writing about the squad for Inside The Loud House.
The 2017-18 regular season is nearly upon us. And I don’t want to get too carried away, because a lot can transpire in a couple of weeks or months. Particularly for an extremely inexperienced and young roster.
However, if I am assessing the situation honestly at this juncture, Syracuse has a ton of work to do if it seeks to perform competitively this stanza.
Head coach Jim Boeheim, who isn’t afraid to constructively criticize his guys when appropriate, said as much in his post-game press conference after SU dispatched of Southern Connecticut State, 84-59, on Monday evening at the Carrier Dome.
The contest’s biggest disappointment, to him, amounted to effort – or a lack thereof, that is.
Orange players are not hitting the glass well enough. They are making bad mistakes on the offensive end. Careless turnovers. So-so shooting (42 percent from the field and 28 percent from downtown).
With four freshmen and a graduate transfer on board for 2017-18, we should expect growing pains. Learning the intricacies of the 2-3 zone will take time. Ball-handling and shooting can, hopefully, get corrected.
But insufficient intensity? That is alarming, and unacceptable.
I sincerely pray that this doesn’t turn into a trend. If it does, we’re in for a pain-staking term.
On the flip side, not everything is dire. Similar to the ‘Cuse’s recent 84-54 exhibition demolishing of Southern New Hampshire, when SU put on the full-court press versus the Owls of Southern Connecticut State, it enabled our team to generate some easy baskets.
We’ll need that, especially when Syracuse’s half-court offense struggles. As Boeheim noted, the press quickened things up a bit, and the Orange capitalized with some forced turnovers.
I am not hating on Southern Connecticut State. Not in the least. That outfit impressed me, actually.
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However, the ‘Cuse let the Owls race out to an 11-0 lead, which soared to as many as 15 points, with Southern Connecticut State ultimately holding a 29-24 advantage at the half.
A massive run after intermission helped propel SU to a 25-point victory. That’s a positive. Yet it felt like a hollow triumph.
Syracuse committed 17 turnovers. That cannot, I repeat cannot, occur. Also, the Orange, a much longer and taller group, “only” out-rebounded the Owls by 10. Still, the ‘Cuse did collect 11 blocks and 14 steals.
Scoring-wise, sophomore wing Tyus Battle had 20 points, junior point guard Frank Howard chipped in 19, while freshman Oshae Brissett nabbed 16.
Sounds good to me.
I’ll conclude this column with this concept: I am totally prepared for a bumpy 2017-18 campaign. A roller-coaster ride flush with an abundance of ups and downs would not surprise me at all. I’ll support our crew regardless of its record.
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What won’t sit well in my stomach is another JB presser in which he expresses disappointment about our squad’s unsatisfactory dose of effort.
Losses happen.
A dearth of intensity, my friends, should not.