Syracuse Basketball: Rebounding solid, transition defense needs work

Rebounding is always a hot-button topic for Syracuse basketball fans, and it’s no secret that the Orange has sometimes struggled on the boards in recent years.

In the two recent exhibition wins for the ‘Cuse, over Pace and then Le Moyne, Syracuse basketball didn’t look altogether great on the glass.

Now, with four new players – three transfers and one freshman – it’s understandable that it could take some time for the Orange roster to gel as a cohesive unit within the team’s trademark 2-3 zone.

It’s a tiny sample size, but when Syracuse basketball crushed Patriot League member Lafayette, 97-63, in the 2021-22 season opener on Tuesday night in Central New York, the ‘Cuse did some fairly positive things on the glass, albeit against an opponent that isn’t quite as big or lengthy as others that the Orange will encounter in the near future.

Syracuse basketball looked good on the boards but has work to do in other areas.

According to statistics posted on ESPN’s Web site, the ‘Cuse held a 48-30 overall advantage in the rebounding department versus Lafayette.

On the defensive glass, Syracuse basketball led 37-22, and on the offensive boards, the Orange had an 11-8 edge. Considering that the ‘Cuse shot lights-out in its conquest, and the Leopards struggled from the field, for the Orange to have more offensive rebounds than Lafayette was impressive, in my opinion.

Senior forward Cole Swider, a Villanova transfer, paced Syracuse basketball with a dozen boards. Graduate student forward Jimmy Boeheim, a Cornell transfer, and sophomore center Frank Anselem each chipped in with five rebounds.

And in an encouraging sign, the Orange’s three primary guards tallied a total of 10 boards, something that head coach Jim Boeheim said pleased him during his post-game press conference.

What didn’t please Boeheim as much was the Syracuse basketball transition defense. On a couple of occasions, the Leopards beat the ‘Cuse down the floor, resulting in several fast-break opportunities. Boeheim said that this needs to get cleaned up.

In their own separate post-game interviews, Jimmy Boeheim and senior shooting guard Buddy Boeheim echoed their father’s sentiments, saying that the Orange has to do a better job of getting back on defense and not allow an opponent to notch easy transition points.