Last year, Syracuse lit it up in the NCAA Tournament thanks to its superb effort on the defensive end. After finding out SU landed a 3-seed in the tourney CJ Fair was asked if the Orange could thrive with its defense again.
“Our offense isn’t going to be there every night, and our defense is our advantage. If we play the defense we are capable of playing, I think we can definitely make another Final Four run and go from there.”
Opponents shot over 50% against Syracuse just four times all season. Jim Boeheim has reiterated on multiple occasions that SU’s struggles most often come to the offensive end. Fair said the team is just trying to stick to what they’ve done all year:
“I don’t think we are trying to do too much. Our offense just feeds off our defense.”
He’s absolutely right. The Orange is at its best when its out on the break with numbers getting close, high-percentage looks. Some Orange teams in the past have worked well in half court sets. Not for this Syracuse team. SU works at its best when turnovers are created and steals are made. After solid back-to-back shooting outings to close the regular season, Fair was an abysmal 3 of 16 from the floor against NC State. Boeheim referenced how Syracuse earned a 3-seed.
“We win with balance. We won 27 games shooting it the way we are shooting it.‚Äù
The balance we saw against Florida State in Tallassee is exactly what he’s referring too. But again, Fair makes a strong case what happens defensively dictates SU’s finish to this season.
Thursday afternoon the Orange takes on a Western Michigan unit that just beat up Toledo and tallied 98 points. The Broncos carry a streaky 3-point shooter in David Brown and big man Shayne Whittington who’s averaged close to a double-double (16 ppg/9 rpg). They haven’t been challenged consistently like Syracuse has but WMU has some offensive options. The Orange defense needs to make a stand in Buffalo. Without it a once magical season will turn quickly into a pumpkin.
Posted: Brendan Glasheen
3 responses to “Buckling Down on Broncos: Syracuse’s Success in Buffalo Starts With Defense”
Defense is part of the problem…
“WE” have fallen in love with the 2-3 zone.
WE play it as good as it can be played.
But because it’s played solely, we allow the other team to dictate tempo…as a result , teams with inferior talent are allowed to “hang around” in games CUSE should consistently win in double digits.
And because JB and Co. choose to play the 2-3, and games are played at a paint drying pace, starters supposedly stay fresh and the bench need not be developed.
We’ve got an extra “big” in Keita and we’ve got an extra guard in Gbinije- who could ask for anything more?
No bench…means you cannot press effectively when needed. Early in the season when JB would maybe play 9, he’d slap on the press to change the pace of the game and get the dome crowd amped up…where has THAT been?
Hopefully, we see more jump traps and trapping on the baselines and corner..with anticipation as to where the next pass is going. If we can get ahead and make teams play against our zone, WE are a handful.
If we sit back docilely( is that a word?) and allow the other team to move us around for the first 20 secs of the shot clock, we are an accident waiting to happen.
On nights(seemingly about 3 out of 4)where we can’t shoot, the “D” needs to create some “O”. Lately, that aint happenng.
Ron SU lost out on a TE that just verbal to NC!! SU really wanted this kid. Another 2015 recruit lost. Zero for 2015-still. I guess DA must be hanging in Buffalo and just forgetting about SUFB!!
DO NOT FORGET THE KIDS OF PSABUSEDU!! THE NCAA DID!!
Don’t see SU getting past the 2nd game this year. The way the season ended it looks like JB just plain lost this team!!