Here’s a full breakdown of the next opponent for the Syracuse basketball team. What’s wrong with Louisville hoops and Jordan Nwora? Here are the details.
What the heck is going on with the Louisville basketball squad and leading scorer Jordan Nwora?
The next task for the Syracuse basketball squad is a road trip to the KFC Yum! Center to play not only one of the top teams in the ACC, but one of the best teams in the entire country.
Although Louisville hasn’t necessarily played like one of the best teams in the league recently. After winning 10 in a row suddenly the Cardinals have lost two in a row to the bottom feeders of the conference (at Georgia Tech, at Clemson).
So what has gone wrong for Louisville? Why has Jordan Nwora struggled? What’s the blueprint on this squad?
We asked all of those questions to our friends over at the Big Red Louie, our FanSided sister network covering all things Louisville basketball related. Here are the top five things you need to know ahead of this contest.
1. Louisville is clearly one of the top teams in the ACC but they’re in the midst of a two-game losing streak, what has gone wrong recently for the Cardinals?
"“That’s a pretty tough question to answer given the sharp drop-off from Louisville’s 10-game winning streak to suddenly getting blown out by two of the worst teams in the conference. I think you hit the nail on the head that the Cardinals are one of the best teams in the league, and may have their deepest squad in the last five years. However, the last two losses at Georgia Tech and Clemson have been nothing short of head-scratching. Losing to those two teams is one thing. To start, they both have quality wins under their belts, they have veteran guard play, tough bigs, and sharp head coaches. Both teams also previously traveled to Louisville and took tough losses, which probably fueled the fire even more. It was the way that Louisville lost those two games that’s made for nauseating sports radio over the last week and has the city up in arms. Louisville went from controlling its own destiny with a chance to seal its first ACC regular-season title against FSU next Monday to looking completely lost against some lesser opponents. The Cardinals have gone cold from all over the floor, seen their defense drop off, and looked completely lost at times on both sides of the ball. We will get to Jordan Nwora later, but Louisville has really relied on his scoring freeing up offense elsewhere, and his defense up until this two-game skid was much improved over last year. That has not been the case of recent. Louisville head coach Chris Mack said after the Clemson loss that even he couldn’t quite figure out what was wrong with the team and those who have followed the Cardinals closely feel the same way. I believe that it’s just one of those things that happen from time to time when you deal with a group of 18 to 22-year-old kids. Overall, Louisville’s body of work has proven that they are one of the top teams in the country and still have the ability to win the ACC and beyond. The big question is whether or not they can regain the focus and cohesion that they had for the first half of conference play.”"
2. According to the metrics, Jordan Nwora is the only double-digit scorer on the team this year. What makes him so special? What are his strengths and weaknesses?
"“Nwora, in my opinion, is the best pure scorer at Louisville since Russ Smith. He was a preseason first-team All-American and preseason player of the year and has lived up to the billing so far. What makes Nwora so special is his versatility and ability to score in a hurry. He is 6-foot-8 and plays at the three and four spots, so he becomes a match-up nightmare in a number of scenarios. If he is being guarded by a player lesser in stature, he can shoot over the top, and if he switches off on a slower four or opposing big, he has a solid first step and finishes well at the basket. His release is extremely quick, so he is a nightmare to prepare for in catch-and-shoot situations, particularly if he knocks down a look early. He also has developed an arsenal of crossovers and stepbacks that help him create enough space to get off a shot. Prior to last week, Nwora was shooting 45 percent from beyond the arc and was averaging a touch over 19 points per game. He is also second-leading rebounder and, when he wants to be, he is terrific defensively. But, again, “when he wants to be” is the key here. That’s situational. So when you discuss Nwora’s weaknesses, everything really starts and ends with his mental toughness and ability to focus and do his part. He said after a recent win that he can go for 20 points with ease on any given night, and he proved as much from the beginning of this season. It’s more a matter of Nwora really wanting to do all of the little things. When Nwora is on, he is the most dynamic player in the country. I truly believe that. He went for 37 at Boston College two weeks ago, and when he gets hot, he is a terror to defend. It’s when things go south for Louisville that there are issues. A portion of the fan base is skeptical of his attitude and body language, and perhaps they have a case. However, more times than not, he is the lifeblood of Louisville’s offense and one of their timeliest playmakers on the roster. 90 percent of the time, Nwora is incredible to watch. It’s just that 10 percent that we are all hoping Louisville can learn to play through and still find ways to win.”"
3. Does Nwora have any help? Who are some of the other players on the roster Syracuse fans should keep an eye out for?
"“Nwora has plenty of help, and Orange fans should be aware that although there isn’t a second go-to guy, any of one the other eight players in the rotation has and can show up. Among the two most dangerous heading into this game is center Malik Williams and point guard David Johnson. Even in Louisville’s two recent losses, Williams and Johnson have remained consistent in regards to attitude and effort. Neither player has started a game this season, yet over the course of conference play, it has been a rarity for them to not finish the game together. Williams, a team captain, has battled injuries and streaky shooting, but he brings maybe the most consistent energy level and is hands down Louisville’s best defender. Louisville will hedge hard on screens at the top of the key, and the length of Williams disrupts the flow in the lane for opposing offenses. There’s a one hundred percent chance you will notice No. 5 on the floor on multiple occasions on Wednesday. Johnson is a true freshman and Louisville native who has been the hottest topic locally all season. Though he has yet to start a game since returning from injury early in the season, he has been perhaps the biggest reason for Louisville’s mid-season surge. Mack has called Johnson Louisville’s “best playmaker,” and when he is in it is evident why. He is 6-foot-5 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan and is the most athletic player on the team. Though Louisville often has to settle for freshman mistakes with Johnson, it is well worth it. He gets into the lane at will, finishes strong at the rim, and is the best passer on the team. Look for Johnson to finally notch his first start of the season against Syracuse. Starting center Steven Enoch remained in school after testing the draft waters last season, and he is Louisville’s most polished low post player. Redshirt senior wing Dwayne Sutton is Louisville’s glue guy who will be of value rebounding in the Cuse zone and is often looked to when Louisville is in need of a big-time play. Finally, redshirt senior Ryan McMahon has been streaky of late, but if he makes a three early, he can make them in bunches. He is maligned because of his lack of athleticism, but numbers show that Louisville is better when he and Johnson are on the court.”"
4. How capable are the Cardinals on defense this season? What do they run and how effective are they on that side of the ball?
"“If you would have asked about Louisville’s defense three weeks ago, you would have received a glowing review. However, over the last four games, the Cardinals defense has been trending downward. Since the start of February, Louisville’s Adjusted Defense metric, according to Ken Pomeroy, has dropped from 17th all the way down to 44th. Now, do consider that Louisville played a really solid all-around game against Virginia last Saturday and it took their best shooting night of the season, including 27 points from JUCO transfer Tomas Woldentensae and 23 from Kihei Clark, for the Cavs to remain within striking distance. That performance alone from UVA skewed Louisville’s rating a bit. The fact remains though that Louisville’s defense has become increasingly problematic in recent games. If you’re going to beat the Cardinals, it starts from outside. Louisville plays Chris Mack’s version of the pack-line defense, and that means that they are going to deny in the lane and try to force you into contested shots. Unfortunately for Louisville, they lack in size in the backcourt and have been late to contest shooters, allowing players to find their rhythm from deep. I think if I’m a Syracuse fan, given the number of solid shooters with length and athleticism, I’m okay with that. Mack has implemented a pretty basic 2-3 zone in recent games, too, and experimented with some bigger, longer lineups, and that has worked pretty well. With that said, I think you could label Louisville’s defense a work in progress. They started the year strong and as teams have figured out the secret to busting the Cardinals “D,” the coaching staff has used a bit of trial and error to figure out what works best for the Cards. If I am a Syracuse fan, I am hopeful that the Orange can knock down some open looks to start, because then things can really open up against Louisville when the defense has to extend.”"
5. What’s your prediction for this contest? How do you see this one playing out?
"“This is really based on intuition more than anything, but I think Louisville responds well with its backs against the wall. Given what this program and players have been through in recent years, its understandable that this city and fanbase has been on edge this past week, and coaches and players have undoubtedly heard the rumblings. Against Syracuse, a team that is still vying for a high seed in the ACC tournament, Louisville will likely have its full attention turned to this game. As Orange fans are probably well aware, preparing for Syracuse is completely different than planning for any other team. I think that’s a positive for a squad looking to regain focus and confidence. Teams obviously take a ton of threes out of necessity against that vaunted zone, and that could be a good thing for Louisville. I think they are likely to try to get Williams and Sutton into the soft spot of that zone and try to play inside to outside or get some high-low action going towards the basket. If Louisville finds a rhythm early on, it could be one of many games where the Cardinals are content at taking a ton of threes. Prior to the two losses last week, Louisville was the best three-point shooting team in a power five conference, and I think the shooting in the losses is an exception and not the norm. On the defensive end, I really look forward to seeing how Elijah Hughes and Joseph Girard match up with Louisville. Hughes likely draws a tough defensive assignment in Dwayne Sutton, and I think junior Darius Perry or Johnson will shadow Girard for the majority of the game. Louisville thrives in games where they push the tempo and get up and down the floor without allowing opponents to set up the defense (see Duke, Virginia, Boston College). It’s not in their DNA, nor is it Mack’s philosophy to try to rack up steals and create fast breaks, but Louisville will certainly seize opportunities to set the pace if given them. Syracuse is really impressive on offense, and for that reason, I think this is an exciting game. With that said, Louisville desperately needs this one."
"Look for Nwora and Johnson to key this one in a back-and-forth offensive battle. Louisville 76, Syracuse 68.”"