Syracuse Basketball: Struggles from 3 have not bothered the Orange

Syracuse Basketball has hit a cold streak from beyond the arc. The Orange have not really missed a beat offensively as guys develop their skills sets.

Syracuse basketball has struggled to knock down three-point shots. Over the past five games, one of the most prolific three-point shooting teams in the ACC has lost their touch from beyond the arc. Over the last five games, Syracuse has only made 25 threes while attempting 124, barely over 20 percent.

While those numbers are putrid and have dropped the Orange to 6th in the ACC in team three-point field goal percentage. They are at 34.7 percent on the year after starting the season living and dying from deep.

Over their resurgence in conference play, moving them into a spot comfortably in the top five of the ACC, the Orange have found other ways to score. In their last seven games, they are 5-and-2 and have scored 74.4 points a game. In just the last five they actually have been slightly better, 76.4 points per game.

Syracuse’s big three perimeter threats; Elijah Hughes, Buddy Boeheim and Joe Girard III, have found different ways to score. It has been a year of growth for all three in the ability to score in different variety of ways.

Hughes has consistently been one of the top guys getting to the free-throw line and shown an ability to score in a variety of ways. Boeheim has taken on more of the load as of late adding more than just three-point shooting.

Since Syracuse’s win at Virginia, Boeheim has taken 56 two-point field goals compared to 58 three-point field goals. Boeheim, never someone with a free throw rate like Hughes has taken 44 percent of his free throw attempts on the year.

Adding more options has helped Syracuse and this improvement from Boeheim’s freshman year to his sophomore year has been a major bonus for the Orange. A jump that has come sooner than people might have thought.

Boeheim isn’t the only one making improvements.

In his freshman year, there have been lows and highs for Girard III. He has been asked to contribute more than originally planned. His production has been hampered more by inexperience being a freshman in a prominent conference.

While Girard III has not yet shown the same ability to score in different ways and has had a tendency to shoot unjustified “heat checks,” but Girard III has shown those flashes to develop into an all-around scorer.

In their last game against Duke Girard III got to the free-throw line for eight attempts. He challenged and put pressure on tough perimeter defender Tre Jones and forced the action.

While Girard III has not closed the gap between his three-point and two-point field goals, 50 to 23 attempts in their last seven, he has been able to create for others with his aggression. Girard III had seven assists against Duke and now holds a 2 to 1 assist to turnover margin on the year.

In a growth year for the Orange, it has been pleasant to see even with injuries, even with their planned first-team offensive option failing of late, Syracuse has found ways to grow and build a foundation to get back to the NCAA Tournament sooner then later, even if it is not in 2020.