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After a long break for the Orange, the Syracuse-Villanova rivalry continues with yet another top-ten matchup early in the college basketball season.
While Syracuse was expected to be a top team in the country, Villanova’s quick rise has been more surprising. The Wildcats have played strong, with wins over Kansas, no. 2 in the country at the time, and Iowa, then no. 23. Villanova has gotten strong play out of senior James Bell and junior JayVaughn Pinkston. This year, much was expected out of Pinkston, who is averaging 16.5 points per game. But Bell has been much improved, scoring more than 15 points per game, up nearly seven points from last year. He also grabs nearly 2.5 more rebounds a game than he did last season.
The top of the Orange zone will be tested by Nova’s three guards: Bell, Darrun Hilliard and Ryan Arcidiacono (who hit some big three’s in Villanova’s win over Syracuse last year in Philadelphia). Each of the three guards play more than 28 minutes a game and they combine to shoot about 32 percent from beyond the three-point arc.
On the offensive end, Syracuse will need to get past Daniel Ochefu, who is averaging nearly two blocks a game. Ochefu is likely the best inside defensive presence the Orange has faced so far and the inside game for the Orange hasn’t gotten much production so far this year.
One of the biggest questions coming into this year was how the transition to the ACC would change the Orange. Even though SU has yet to play a game in the ACC, this game is an example of how the program has changed with the move to a new conference. It is hard to deny this is one of the more difficult—if not the most difficult—non-conference schedules the Orange has ever played. Saturday’s game against no. 8 Villanova.
In the Dome, this is a game the Orange should win and has to win. If they cannot get past Jay Wright and a familiar opponent in Villanova at home, what happens with Duke and UNC come to the Dome later this year? The Orange should beat Villanova as long as they keep the Pinkston in check. This is the kind of game that a top team wins, despite Villanova’s great run up the rankings.
Posted by: Seth Goldberg 
71 responses to “Toughest Test Yet: Syracuse Basketball Will Face Stiff Villanova Competition”
@Seth Goldberg;
Are you suffering the after effects of drinking way too much eggnog on christmas Day?
“In the Dome, this is a game the Orange should win and has to win. If they cannot get past Jay Wright and a familiar opponent in Villanova at home, what happens with Duke and UNC come to the Dome later this year”?
Has to win!!!!!!! Come on man, it’s not the NCAA Tournament yet. It’s going to be a close game and the 2-3 zone will have it’s effect on Villanova. Cooney,Ennis,Fair,and Grant will lead the team to victory. Our bigs is going to come alive in this game. You guys need to stay on tract more and stop posting all of these doom and gloom articles about the orangemen.
If I didn’t know better,after reading this article I would have sworn it was written by someone that works for the ESPN network.
Amen to Ron. First, we are not going undefeated. Second, we could lose to Nova and still beat anyone else, on any given day on any given court. Have you been watching what’s been going on this season with the top ranked teams? Are you going to compare a Xmas break game in front of 20K without the student section to the Duke game in front of 35K. Have you watched UNC lose games they shouldn’t than beat the better teams on their schedule? I’d like to win every game but I can’t worry about games in December when the focus is on getting us ready for the NCAA and what happens in March. If I wanted to read this kind of stuff, I’d go read the comments section on syracuse.com
Jay Wright always brings competitive teams to the dome. His 3 guards rotate the ball for open 3’s or dribble drive to the basket. Cuse has to rotate quicker and identify shooters and win the rebound battle against a smaller team.
Not sure what Irasez is talking about as this game will have well over 30k in attendance.
Cuse wins! Who’s next
What I meant is that this is a game that the top teams in the nation win. It is a top 10 matchup on your home court and the first one of the year. I didn’t mean it as a must win game like if SU loses it won’t be in the tournament or it would fall a seed. I just meant that in this kind of situation when the Orange is the more talented team, it is a game that it should win.
I wasn’t comparing the Nova game atmosphere to the Duke or UNC game atmosphere, it was more that this is just the first test for the Orange on its home court and the games are going to get tougher with Coach K and Jabari Parker, and Roy Williams and James Michael MacAdoo coming later in the month.
Basically, I was just saying this is a game that teams who are at the top of the nation and who are expected to do well in the conference and make a Tourney run win.
I think you could make the argument that nova will be a tougher out then Duke or UNC based on their familiarity /w the ‘Cuse. I mean could also argue that nova is a better right now then Duke and UNC. Don’t think it’s going to be a walk in the the park.
One last thing. I know everyone on the fizz staff likes to rip the teams bigs but what you continue to over look is that 95% of the time they don’t get a good entry pass from a guard to begin /w.
Your right on the money Carlton. If Cooney and Ennis starts to his some of those three point shots and hit a few 12-15 foot jumpers and pull the Villanove defensr away from the basket our bigs are going to control the inside game period. The key to getting them involved is to get them good passes. I love our bigs(Christmas,Grant,Coleman and Keita)we’re all going to see them dominate the boards on Saturday. If anyone out there believes that Syracuse or any other team goes undefeated through the season needs to see a doctor,because it’s impossible for any team in the country to achieve a goal of that magnitude.
I do see Syracuse making a legitable run to the national championship game come March. I can see them making a run for the ACC league championship and being the Champions of the ACC Tournament in the first year.
Ron, you said: “It‚Äôs going to be a close game and the 2-3 zone will have it‚Äôs effect on Villanova. Cooney,Ennis,Fair,and Grant will lead the team to victory. Our bigs is going to come alive in this game.”
Why would the 2-3 zone have its effect on Nova? Nova’s seen it before, and knows how to play Syracuse’s 2-3 zone. It’s not like it’s anything new. For your information, the series is tied 14-14 when Nova visits the Dome – we’re not afraid or intimidated by the amount of fans or the atmosphere at Cuse.
I’ll agree with you that Cooney, Ennis and Fair are gonna be your top 3 scorers – but I’m not so sure about your bigs. Our big, Ochefu, is very familiar with Christmas, after playing him multiple times in high school, and outplaying him every time. Now I’m not saying Ochefu is gonna turn into Shaq and dominate Cuse inside, because realistically, that’s just not happening.
I think it comes down to which school does better against which defense. Can Villanova get good looks and knock down 3’s like they have in the past when upsetting Syracuse? Or will Cuse find a way to break down Nova’s stingy defense that held a Kansas team to 59 points? Just so you know, with all due respect to Syracuse’s vaunted 2-3 zone, Nova’s defense is rated #2 in the country this year by KenPom.
Anyways, best of luck to you guys, and I’ll be hoping for a great game, and of course, a Villanova win 😉
@Sam;
Well I’m sorry Sam,I didn’t mean to give an accurate description as to what was going to happen in this game. Villanova had a what 27-7 lead early in the game. Cooney came alive and hit 5-8 three point shots,the zone was terrific after they clamped down on their shooters and from what I saw the zone just suffocated their shooters.
End result,Syracuse wins the game by 17 points.
Wasn’t it nice to play in front of 28,000 Syracuse Fans?
Villanova should have a conference call with the other 6 of the Catholic 7 schools that thought they were better than the other teams in the old Big East and say to them boy I wish Syracuse was still in our league,because having them in would sure give the new league credibility and recognition that’s lacking now. We’ve played St Johns and Villanova and the results have been the same.
In the end Sam,I think I let everyone know what was going to happen. Sorry we burst your bubble. Your going to have to play a lot better that that if you want your team to play with the big boys.
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