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As we transition from the month of February to March, expectations for the nation’s best squads rise to an all-time high. Tournament talk is headline news. An ugly loss to no. 12 Virginia Saturday locks up the ACC for the Cavs and leaves SU scratching its head. How has Syracuse hoops handled this time of the year in the past two seasons? The trend looks awfully similar.
2012 – 2013 Season Start: 22 – 4 February 23rd – March 9th: Lost 4 of 5 games played
2013 – 2014 Season Start: 25 – 0 February 19th – March 1st: Lost 3 of 4 games played
With Selection Sunday just two weeks away, SU puts itself in a frustrating situation, just like last year. No one saw this coming when you consider the program is in a new conference with different competition. The Big East challenged the Orange year in and year out and it was pretty much a guaranteed grind to get through each season. The hot start in the ACC teased SU. Even though the losses got the undefeated monkey off its back, Syracuse is now in jeopardy to land a no. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
A big reason for each of the two squads’ mid-winter slides was, and is, the lack of offensive production. Take a look:
Offensive Averages in these Stretches
12 – 13 (Feb. 23rd – Mar 9th)               13 – 14 (Feb. 19th – Mar 1st)
Total Points Scored       57.4                               58
Field Goal Percentage   30.8%                       
   36.7%
Syracuse has shot the ball better percentage-wise in comparison to last year, but the numbers still sit in the 30s. As for total points, fewer than 60 on a consistent basis is no winning formula. The fact of the matter is the Orange has rode along with four locked-in scoring options. Now the wear and tear of the regular season is getting to it. In just two games all year, CJ Fair played less than 35 minutes. Tyler Ennis has logged multiple 35+ minutes games as well. Throw in an injured Jerami Grant and a slumping Trevor Cooney and Syracuse is desperate for ways to put the ball in the basket.
How does Syracuse pull itself out of this hole? Obviously more scoring should help but that’s not all. More efficiency on the glass is a major concern going forward. If Grant sits out tomorrow’s affair against Georgia Tech and the season finale next Sunday at Florida State, Syracuse has to expect guys like Bae Keita and Michael Gbinije to take advantage of more opportunities. Bae’s injury against Clemson turned out to not be very serious. It’s a good thing he’s a healed body that can come off the bench for impact minutes. Jim Boeheim’s choice to play his starting five tiring minutes indicates A) it’s SU’s best chance to win and B) come this time of the year he trusts his bench plays appropriately when called upon.
The encouraging tidbit in regards to last season’s group is, of course, SU went all the way to Atlanta for the Final Four as a four seed. By no means is the 2014 team done, but we can go as far as saying trouble could be on the way in the ACC Tournament. Confidence is lacking right now, but as we saw with Michael Carter-Williams and company, that can all change fast.
Expect Keita and Fair to receive warm applauses¬†Tuesday¬†as it’s the senior duo‚Äôs final game in the Carrier Dome. But the Orange also looks to assure its home crowd that everything‚Äôs just fine. A look back to 2013‚Äôs devastating winter-play was necessary. A slide was bound to happen and it has. Whether it continues remains the question. Not a bad team to face to clean up the act, as Georgia Tech sits third to last in the ACC standings.
Posted by: Brendan Glasheen
9 responses to “D√©j√† Vu: Syracuse‚Äôs Recent Woes Reminiscent of Last Year‚Äôs Regular-Season Meltdown”
I don’t understand point B..the bench plays appropriately when called upon//cuz JB AINT CALLING ON THEM..which has been part of the problem.
Cap’t OBVIOUS here…for us to make a run Grant has to be healthy..Keita too. It gives us 4 players in the back and 3 at the guard spot. JB can make a 7 player rotation work at tourney time.
A little factoid…as bad as Cooney has been (and at times programs have had to repaint rims after we played them) for the season he has shot pretty much what Southerland did last season- about 38% each from the 3.
After reading all of the comments about the 7 man rotation that Boeheim uses,I tried to stay away from putting my two cents in.
If Grant is hurt,I can’t see why Tyler Roberson isn’t the first to come off the bench as his replacement. What’s the worst thing that could happen if he’s put into the game? No points scored or rebounds gotten? Isn’t that exactly what’s happening now?
When Trevor Cooney or Tyler Ennis isn’t producing on the court I just don’t understand why a player like Ron Patterson isn’t put into the game. He’s physical,fast,full of energy and can score, the kid never stops and always goes full speed while on the court. If Cooney and Ennis is struggling put Michael Gbinije and Ron Patterson in at the guard positions to give the starters a rest.
After watching the Virginia game on Saturday I feel something has to change.Boeheim could start by using Ron Patterson and Tyler Roberson more.
Just my opinion gentlemen,jusy my opinion.
Cooney’s recent misses aren’t clankers. Many look like they are going in but rattle out. He has taken few bad shots. I look for them to start falling-hopefully at the Dome tomorrow.
@terry;
Here’s the latest update on the new IPF for you.
Drove by the Skytop parking lot yesterday and I noticed that they have a lot of the steel work needed for the building stock piled up there. But last Wednesday to Friday eleven or twelve flatbed trailers were brought to the site and left there loaded with materials for the new building. It looks to me like the roofing for the building setting on the trucks.
Things are progressing with the building,just thought I’d let you know.
Thank you and Thank you RON but where’s the SU F-O-O-T-B-A-L-L info!! Enough already!!
DO NOT FORGET THE KIDS OF PSABUSEDU!! THE NCAA DID!!
@Terry;
Terry, hang in there just a little longer,spring practice starts in two weeks with the Spring Football Game being held on April 19th.
as usual we’re going to be talking about recruiting,what to expect for the 2014 campaign,what effect will this years recruits have on the team. You know all the usual things. Looking forward to the debates,aren’t you?
I just want to add that Syracuse is after a 5* 6’10” 230 lb (C) Thomas Bryant for basketball and the class of 2015
Come on Ronnie there is more to SUFB than Spring practice. At least a 1/2 dozen issues have come up! Its been over a week and nothing on SUFB. During prime SUFB time(# 1 sport in college) there were articles about the SUBB program a number of times. Bull bleep to that!! WAKE UP DA!! LOL!! I hung in long enough-huh???
All I’m saying Terry is that people are not into the football frame of mind yet! Spring practice starts on the 18th and that’s when people will start to think about football and all that comes with it.
Terry I should have added in my last post,that the biggest story coming out of spring practice will be about the QB competition and who becomes the starter for the opener against Villanova in September. Will it be Terrell Hunt,Austin Wilson or Mitch Kimble?
Going to be interesting.