The Syracuse Orange are actually 8-4 with the ultimate non-conference recreation approaching, but it surely hasn’t been completely fairly.
The Orange defeated Northeastern by eight factors at residence on Saturday, however in opposition to an opponent that ranks sub-200 within the NET, definitely followers have been anticipating a extra promising consequence coming off a not-so-convincing win the sport prior in opposition to Mercyhurst.
Advertisement
Here are three takeaways from Syracuse’s penultimate non-con contest:
Offense improves, however protection regresses
Starting off with a constructive, Syracuse’s offense did produce. Five gamers reached double-figures, led by a 22-point and six-assist efficiency from Naithan George. Kiyan Anthony (18 factors on 5.6 capturing) and Tyler Betsey (14 factors on 4/6 capturing) mixed for all 32 of the Orange’s bench factors. Nate Kingz and William Kyle every had 14, whereas J.J. Starling chipped in 9 en path to a recreation the place Syracuse scored its most complete factors all 12 months.
That mentioned, the place the scoring took a step ahead, its skill to cease the opponent from placing the ball within the basket took one backwards.
Advertisement
Northeastern had its manner for basically all the recreation, capturing just below 47% within the first half and nearly 50% within the second half. For a second-straight recreation, the Orange have been outscored by two factors popping out of halftime, this time giving up 52 factors to the Huskies within the recreation’s remaining 20 minutes.
For Northeastern, that included environment friendly performances from Ryan Williams (team-high 20 factors on 8/10 capturing), Xander Alarie (19 factors on 5/13 capturing) and Youri Fritz (17 factors on 7/12 capturing). And, it’s not just like the Huskies completely shot the lights out from three, making simply eight of its 23 perimeter appears to be like.
Consistency from begin to end and on each side of the ball will decide simply how profitable Syracuse might be in opposition to the ACC.
Not dominating on the elementary strengths
Outside “Level 5 energy,” there’s been constant objectives for the Orange on the courtroom: get out in transition, win the turnover battle and common plus constant defensive depth. Against Northeastern, it was one other recreation the place ‘Cuse either didn’t do all three or received these battles by a razor-thin margin.
Advertisement
In the Huskies recreation, the Orange had 15 factors off turnovers, in comparison with 11 for Northeastern. Syracuse pressured 13 turnovers however gave the ball up 11 instances. Northeastern had 19 quick break factors and 12 second-chance factors. Northeastern received each these classes with 21 and 16, respectively.
Syracuse can possibly afford to lose of of these key stats, however all of them can’t be inside 2-5 factors.
Hip-hip hooray free of charge throws
There’s one early-season “crisis” that seems to a minimum of be falling again all the way down to earth.
Syracuse not solely shot 48 instances from the foul line in opposition to Northeastern, its first time getting north of 40 makes an attempt all 12 months, but it surely made 34 of them. That’s nearly a 71% success fee on the freebies.
Advertisement
George scored greater than half his factors on free throws, changing 12 of his 14. Anthony (8/12) and Betsey (5/6) additionally made essentially the most of their appears to be like. The trio have been the one gamers with greater than two makes an attempt, however once more, a promising development that may hopefully sustain throughout convention play.