Syracuse Basketball: Highly efficient offense has suddenly gone ice cold

Since Syracuse basketball has often struggled in its zone defense throughout the 2021-22 campaign, the Orange has relied on its often potent offense to light up the scoreboard and outscore its opponents.

However, over its last two games, both losses on the road, the ‘Cuse offense has proven anything but potent. In fact, the team’s offense has been downright dreadful, and that’s obviously concerning.

After the Orange fell at Pittsburgh by a count of 64-53 earlier this week, Syracuse basketball head coach Jim Boeheim said in his post-game press conference that his squad can’t score in the 50s and expect to emerge victorious.

The Panthers are a solid defensive group, but not an elite one. Last weekend, the ‘Cuse lost 79-59 on the road to a top-10 Duke team that likely has several future NBA players on its roster.

So in its two most recent Atlantic Coast Conference clashes, the Orange (9-11, 3-6) is averaging 56 points per game on offense. That amount of scoring output will not result in many successes moving forward.

Syracuse basketball needs to pump up the volume on offense.

Against Pitt, according to ESPN statistics, the ‘Cuse connected on just 30.2 percent from the field, 19.4 percent from downtown, and 56.3 percent from the charity stripe.

Versus the Blue Devils, the Orange hit on only 35.3 percent from the field as a whole, a meager 17.2 percent from beyond the arc, and an awful 50.0 percent from the free-throw line. Those are some bad numbers.

In the 2021-22 stanza to date, Syracuse basketball is at 44.5 percent from the field, 35.6 percent from 3-point land and 71.6 percent from the charity stripe. Not great, but not terrible, either.

Not too long ago, the ‘Cuse ranked within the top-20 nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency via KenPom. At the time of this writing, though, that rating had slipped to No. 27 across the country.

Syracuse basketball really has to regain its offensive footing. Up next for the team is a home date this Saturday night against Wake Forest, which is one of the ACC’s best squads so far in 2021-22.

Toward the beginning of January, the Orange experienced a heart-breaking, 77-74 overtime defeat to the Demon Deacons on the road. The ‘Cuse really should have prevailed in that league affair.

Speaking of offense, per ESPN data, Wake Forest is averaging an impressive 79.6 points a game. If Syracuse basketball hopes to knock off the Demon Deacons in Central New York, the Orange will have to generate way more points on offense than it has produced of late.