Syracuse Basketball: Rebounding is a big concern on both ends of the floor

In recent years, it’s no secret that Syracuse basketball hasn’t proven great on the glass.

Sure, the 2-3 zone can make rebounding a bit trickier on the defensive end, since Orange players are guarding a space, rather than a specific opposing player.

But still, probably nothing has frustrated ‘Cuse fans more in recent seasons than how Syracuse basketball has performed on the boards. Even when the Orange is a darn good team, rebounding has seemed to be the squad’s Achilles’ heel.

If the team’s two exhibition contests are any indication of how Syracuse basketball will fare in this department during the 2021-22 campaign, the boards could once again prove a huge issue for the ‘Cuse.

Syracuse basketball needs to be laser-focused on the glass.

In its first exhibition encounter on the Hill, versus Pace, the Orange outrebounded its opponent by a slim final margin, 38-35, according to statistics from cuse.com.

In the Orange’s more recent exhibition match-up, against Le Moyne, the ‘Cuse held an advantage of 40-32.

Now, Syracuse basketball won both of these games easily, 79-60 over Pace, and 90-50 over Le Moyne. But against upcoming non-conference or Atlantic Coast Conference opponents, if the Orange isn’t better on the boards, it’s going to be a problem.

I totally acknowledge that this season’s ‘Cuse roster isn’t as athletic as line-ups in other recent stanzas, including last year. This past off-season, Syracuse basketball lost six guys to the transfer portal or professional aspirations, some of whom were quite athletic, while the Orange brought in three transfers and one freshman.

Personally, I think that freshman forward Benny Williams and junior guard Symir Torrence, who transferred in from Marquette, are quite athletic. I don’t know if the same can be said for graduate student forward Jimmy Boeheim, from Cornell, and senior forward Cole Swider, from Villanova (and I mean no disrespect here).

The bottom line is that Syracuse basketball may have to make up for a perceived slight lack of athleticism by relying on other attributes, such as anticipation, physicality and strong positioning within the 2-3 zone and on offense, too.

The ‘Cuse doesn’t have to dominate its foes on the glass. The Orange just has to hold its own, in my humble opinion. In my many years as a Syracuse basketball fan, I have grown frustrated at times when my beloved Orange falls in a close game, and part of the reason for the loss was due to its opponent netting a ton of second-chance points via the offensive glass.

For me, I believe that all of the primary rotation players need to do their part in the rebounding arena. That includes the centers and forwards, obviously, but also the guards.

After his team crushed Le Moyne, head coach Jim Boeheim addressed the situation on the boards in his post-game press conference, saying that his players continue to work on their rebounding.

He also noted that while his wings and forwards can score with proficiency and have shooters’ mentalities, they also have to possess a mindset of hitting the offensive glass with authority. I fully agree with Coach B in this regard.