Jackson puts up a three..... No.
Brandon Triche tries one out, hmmm, not there. Undefeated SU has been spinning, winning, and pulverizing their opponents in the paint, however they can't seem to sink an outside shot.
Starting point guard Scoop Jardine cannot convert on the "conventional" three point play after a foul going up to the hoop with 6:40 left in the first, however, it is becoming clear that Jardine, Triche , may be the teams only two go-to guys who can convert on the "un" conventional three point play, the 3-ball.
The team moves on as we see Dion Waiters with the tasteful stuff in transition. SU still has the razzle dazzle, but will it be enough?
As the score progresses to 31-20 , SU starts to pull away with their largest lead of the night.
Airball from 15 feet out by Jackson. Humhph.
Then Iona answers with a three by Jenkins. The Iona Gaels continue to trail persistently by no more than 5 or 10 points behind the Orange and enjoy a better 3 point range shooting percentage than SU at close to 35% (http://statsheet.com/mcb/beyondthearc/teams/iona).
Collectively, SU's shooting from behind the arc is set at 29.0%, putting the Orange at 293rd in the nation in this category. What's more startling is that statistics show that teams who can go to the hoop but struggle from three point range, don't win NCAA championships, in fact, they don't even make it to the NCAA tournament (http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/tag/_/name/scoop-jardine).
This all can change. Jardine and Triche have no choice but to step it up.
By the half, SU is out-rebounded by Iona by one rebound, so Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim checks in freshman phenom Fab Melo to help grab some rebounds. However, Boeheim retracts this decision and pulls the ailing Melo out 30 seconds later, as the center is limping on his right leg, showing he is still not 100%, still bothered by a knee injury.
"The Big Three" then for SU, Scoop Jardine, Rick Jackson, and Brandon Triche are forced to turn the heat on Iona, and extend the SU lead to 10 early in the 2nd half.
Dion Waiters gives a helping hand to the trio by continuing to pound the paint.
However, Iona continues to exploit the Orange's signature zone defense's one weakness, the outside shot, and the three point shot. SU's lead wavers around 5 with about 15 minutes left in the game. Jackson does what he can to power SU to a 12 point lead. It begins to look a lot like Christmas as SU holds onto the lead.
Then, Mike Glover for Iona hits the rim one to many times from the baseline for Boeheim, and he calls a time-out to talk it over.
Southerland then comes in for SU and hits a big three from way downtown, a much needed spark for the Orange's outside shooting confidence.
Then "The Canadien" Kris Joseph ( #32 shown right) slams one down off of an assist by Triche to extend SU's lead to 15, their biggest lead of the night.
Iona will not go quietly though, as Kyle Smyth hits a few threes for the Gaels, in vain as the Orange continue to percolate in the paint. However, SU continues to look nervous and reluctant to shoot from even 15 feet out.
Almost a nail biter, undefeated SU comes up with the win over unranked Iona 83-77.
No comments:
Post a Comment