February 18, 2011

17 e

Do

m

ra cu ar r ie s e r ., C

Sy

p. m

AT

da y, 4

at

ur

Ru tg er s S

IN THE

PAINT FEBRUARY 18 - 20, 2011

Pick

UP THE

pace

With 4 games remaining in regular season, SU looks to finish on high note

Page 3

3 things Syracuse must do to beat Rutgers

Page 5

John: Weighing in on Boeheim

Pages 6-7 Syracuse vs. Rutgers: Head-to-head

Page 11

Position-by-position breakdown aaron katchen | staff photographer

2 februa ry 18 -2 0, 2 011

sports@ da ilyor a nge.com

t h e i n de pe n de n t s t u de n t n e w spa pe r of sy r acuse, new york

Katie McInerney

Kathleen Ronayne

editor in chief

managing editor

Sports Editor Presentation Director Photo Editor Development Editor Copy Chief Asst. Sports Editor Asst. Sports Editor Asst. Photo Editor Asst. Photo Editor Asst. Copy Editor Asst. Copy Editor

Brett LoGiurato Becca McGovern Kirsten Celo Tony Olivero Susan Kim Michael Cohen Mark Cooper Danielle Parhizkaran Brandon Weight Chris Iseman Rachel Marcus

We ather today

tomorrow

sunday

H52| L48

H30| L18

H32| L26

General Manager Student Business Manager IT Director IT Manager Circulation Manager Street Team Captain Senior Advertising Designer Advertising Designer Advertising Designer Advertising Representative Advertising Representative Advertising Representative Advertising Representative Advertising Representative Advertising Representative Classifieds Manager Special Advertising Sections Business Intern Business Intern

Peter Waack Rebekah Jones Mike Escalante Derek Ostrander Harold Heron Brooke Williams Lauren Harms Dom Denaro Matt Smiroldo Adam Beilman Eric Forman Bianca Rodriguez Kelsey Rowland Andrew Steinbach Yiwei Wu Michael Kang Michelle Chiu Tim Bennett Chenming Mo

courtesy of rutgers athletic communications | tom ciszek

SPORTS@ DA ILYOR A NGE.COM

3 KEYS TO BEATING

STOP JONATHAN MITCHELL

The 6-foot-7 Jonathan Mitchell is the primary threat Syracuse has to stop Saturday.

But it won’t be easy. Mitchell is a winner.

That was validated once again last weekend against Villanova, when Mitchell’s game-winning 3-pointer against highly favored Villanova looped every hour on SportsCenter’s “Top Plays.”

Mitchell, a transfer from Florida, has willed the sorry Scarlet Knights hoops program to Big East competitiveness, as he is the only Rutgers player averaging double figures with 14.9 points per game. He has a knack to connect from deep, shooting 42 percent on the year. And he isn’t afraid to mix it up down low with his 225-pound frame, as he slashes to get fouled and uses his 75 percent clip from the free-throw line to his advantage. And he hauls in just fewer than six rebounds per game.

But it all stems from the playground-engrained winner’s mentality of the Mount Vernon Junior Knights basketball program. It is led by Dwayne “Coach D” Murray and has produced the likes of former Connecticut star Ben Gordon, West Virginia’s Kevin Jones and Mitchell’s teammate, RU guard Mike Coburn. Mitchell then

RUTGERS

moved on to 2011 McDonald’s AllAmerican head coach Bob Cimmino’s Mount Vernon High School program, winning multiple New York State Championships.

While at Mount Vernon, he chose to join a winner at Florida. He rode the pine for the second of the Gators’ two consecutive national championships.

A year later, he transferred to Rutgers, where he is now their best player as a senior.

His mature mentality is the main reason the Scarlet Knights have kept it close with the Big East’s best. He is averaging 23.5 points per game in his last four games, all barn-burners against talented Big East teams: St. John’s, Notre Dame, Villanova and Seton Hall.

The winner just keeps on amplifying his penchant to carry his team. And if SU naps against Mitchell, the Orange will have a tough time.

— Tony Olivero, development editor, aolivero@syr.edu

februa ry 18 -2 0, 2 011

3

FIX DEFENSIVE WOES AGAINST 3-POINT SHOOTING

Following his atypical blasting of the local Syracuse media, it was back to the same old Jim Boeheim. The Boeheim who has surfaced in postgame press conferences all year long. The Boeheim who swears teams will continue to make 3-point shots against his 2-3 zone.

The Boeheim who speaks as if what has occurred is almost a given. And will continue to fester.

“We found (West Virginia guard) Casey Mitchell, and once we took him away, we tried to go inside, and we made some plays,” Boeheim said. “Sometimes you cannot stop that open (3-point) shot, whether you are playing zone or man.

People are going to get 3-point shots.”

In SU’s win over West Virginia, it was the Mountaineer reserve Mitchell who lit up the Orange in its latest poor effort guarding the 3-point line. On 50 percent shooting, West Virginia routinely shot over the Orange 2-3 zone, sinking 11-of-22 3-pointers. Mitchell was the major threat, finding gaps in the zone for seven 3s himself.

By halftime, the Mountaineers registered seven made 3s. This came from a WVU squad that, entering the game, was 12th in the Big East in shooting 32 percent from deep. By half, it held a fourpoint lead with a staggering 70 percent of its points coming from behind the arc.

But it was hardly the first time all year a team has held an edge versus Syracuse primarily thanks to 3s. In the game immediately preceding WVU, Louisville bombed away with nine first-half 3-pointers. It gave the Cardinals a 10-point halftime lead, and despite a tidal wave of a comeback led by Brandon Triche, the first-half 3s let Louisville escape.

Against Georgetown, it was more of the same. The Hoyas shot 40 percent in the first half and made six 3s. And SU suffered an eight-point loss. In the loss to Villanova, the Wildcats again shot 61.5 percent in the first half for eight 3s. And in the calamity against Seton Hall, the Orange gave up seven first-half 3s.

So it seems as if it would go without saying that the Orange has to halt Rutgers’ barrage from behind the 3-point line Saturday.

Rutgers will pose a threat for the Orange, as it is sixth in the Big East on the year, shooting 35 percent from 3.

And another Mitchell will spearhead the opposition once again: this time Rutgers’ leading scorer, Jonathan Mitchell, who is shooting 42 percent on the year.

Because after 27 games, it can’t be a given that teams will make 3-pointers. At some point, it has to fall on the Orange defense. Right?

— Tony Olivero, development editor, aolivero@ syr.edu

RICK JACKSON NEEDS TO DOMINATE

Battered, bruised and scratched up, Rick Jackson was frustrated after Syracuse’s 73-69 loss at Louisville last Saturday.

“Can’t say nothing, can’t do nothing but just play through it,” Jackson said of the physical play that surrounded him during the loss. “I don’t know if the refs think I’m a tough guy and I can just take it or whatever, but guys come in here. They reach. They grab. I don’t say much. I just try to play.”

It’s not hard for opposing coaches to identify the anchor of this Syracuse team. That anchor is Jackson. And as Big East play has worn on, SU’s opponents have had greater success in stopping that anchor through double- and triple-teams and physical play.

Jackson had something of a bounce-back game against West Virginia on Monday, finishing with 10 points and nine rebounds. Against Rutgers on Saturday and with the final stretch of the regular season upon the Orange, Jackson needs to continue that play for Syracuse to be successful.

Jackson struggled through his two worst

games of the season at home against Georgetown and on the road against the Cardinals. In those two games, he combined for just 11 points and 15 rebounds.

They were a far cry from performances like his against Villanova, when he went for 16 and 15.

But in SU’s win Monday over WVU, Jackson returned to form — especially in the clutch. He was on the receiving end of a nifty pass from Scoop Jardine midway through the half. And with the Orange taking control late, he used a nifty pass of his own to find Kris Joseph for the exclamation point on the game.

Against an undersized Scarlet Knights squad Saturday, Jackson could be ripe for his first double-double in four games — and for domination.

Said Jackson after Louisville: “We have to finish this season strong.”

— Brett LoGiurato, sports editor, bplogiur@syr.edu

aaron katchen | staff photographer

4 februa ry 18 -2 0, 2 011

sports@ da ilyor a nge.com

Perspectives compiled by chris iseman | asst. copy editor

If you played Jim Boeheim one-onone, who would win and why?

“I think I’d be a little faster than him, but he’s got all the basketball knowledge. I’m going to have to go with Boeheim.”

James O’Hare

sophomore history major

“Me, because I’m younger than him. I’d hope I’m quicker than him.

He may have more knowledge, but physically, I’d have a better shot.”

Zach Rabosky

junior aerospace engineering major

dailyorange.com

“I think I could take him half court but not full court. He’s got the height, so he could back me down, but I might be quicker.”

Josh Schulman

junior public relations major

“I’d win because I’m younger and quicker.”

Agustin Montanez

undecl ared freshman in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management

sports@ da ilyor a nge.com

februa ry 18 -2 0, 2 011

5

Last time they played Jan. 13, 2010 Syracuse 81, Rutgers 65

mitchell franz | staff photographer jim boeheim has Syracuse sitting at eighth place in the Big East. Boeheim lashed out at critics after his team’s win over West Virginia on Monday. The Orange sits at 21-6 overall and 8-6 in the conference this season going into its game against Rutgers.

J

You always know what you’re getting with Boeheim

im Boeheim had every intention of commenting on what he believed were personal attacks on his recent track record as a head coach. To him, a line had been crossed.

And he wasn’t about to just let it go.

It doesn’t matter if you’re new to the job or in your 35th year as the head coach at a basketball powerhouse. It’s almost impossible to keep your cool when you become the target of public criticism.

That’s why it’s hard to fault Boeheim for taking issue with a graphic and an accompanied story in The Post-Standard when he stepped to the podium Monday after Syracuse’s 63-52 win over West Virginia.

The graphic and story, which ran Saturday, pointed out Boeheim’s six (now seven) consecutive losses against Rick Pitino.

Boeheim took issue with the fact that the graphic only showed Pitino’s 6-1 record against the Orange during his time at Louisville. It neglected to show that Boeheim has had his fair share of success against Pitino, with a 6-3 record, before Pitino took over at UL. And after looking at the graphic, it’s understandable why Boeheim would be upset.

Yet at the same time, Boeheim doesn’t exactly have an exemplary track record when it comes to making personal attacks of his own. Over the years, it’s no secret Boeheim has had his fair share of run-ins with the media.

Most of the time, he is simply coming to the defense of his team or his own reputation.

But on Dec. 4 following a Syracuse win over North Carolina State inside the Carrier Dome, what could have been a simple “next question” became a five-minute reproach. And it became personal.

During the postgame press conference, I asked Boeheim about Scoop Jardine’s shot selection. It was a question he had already

andrew l. john

goin’ hog wild addressed in part. I tried to prod for more specifics, and Boeheim wasn’t having that.

“Didn’t I just answer that question?” Boeheim replied.

Instead of it ending there, though, Boeheim came back to it after another reporter began to ask a question.

“Do you guys pass any classes?” Boeheim said. “Seriously. I don’t know. Listen. You’re worse than my kids.”

Fair or not, there is a strain between coaches and the media. And often times, though usually unintentional, someone crosses the line and makes it personal.

Although I never really considered it to be a big deal, I still get asked about that incident occasionally. I think it’s because a lot of people who were there at the press conference thought those remarks were a bit personal. And it was far from an isolated incident for Boeheim.

Some feel that line was crossed again when Boeheim came after two reporters from The Post-Standard because of the story and graphic. To him, it’s not a big deal. He was just defending himself against what he believed to be unfair criticism.

On Thursday, Boeheim maintained his statements are never meant to be personal.

“There’s nothing personal about anything I’ve ever said,” Boeheim said in a phone interview. “I don’t talk about somebody’s personal life. It’s business. It’s not personal. Personal is

when you attack somebody’s character or what they do off the court or off their job. That’s personal. Their integrity, their honesty or whatever.

“But everybody has their own opinion, and I’ve had my say, and it’s over. It’s no big deal. People are making some big deal about it. It’s not.”

It’s interesting to note that despite Syracuse’s win over West Virginia, which gave the Orange its 21st victory of the season, the conflict came with four games remaining in the regular season and a NCAA Tournament bid awaiting.

“We’ve got four games left and have won 21 games, but the season is over with in some people’s minds,” Boeheim said Monday. “It never ceases to amaze me.”

The reality is Syracuse is just one game out of third place in the best league in the country with four games left to play.

It doesn’t matter if you cover the team or simply watched some games this season. It’s difficult to deny Boeheim’s squad has shown flashes this season, despite a recent 3-6 stretch.

This is the same team that won 18 in a row.

And whether he’s making wise cracks or busting on you for asking a stupid question in the postgame press conference, you know what you’re getting from him.

That’s Jim Boeheim.

Like a lot of us, he sometimes takes things personal, too. If you’re going to criticize his team or his recent record against another coach, make sure it’s fair.

And heading into the last four games of the regular season, with a lot still left to play for, it’s time to hold the criticism and wait and see what happens.

Andrew L. John is a staff writer at The Daily Orange, where his column appears occasionally. He can be reached at aljohn@syr.edu.

Andy Rautins had another surprising game. He did the things that were asked of him, but he also did more. Twenty-three points - a season high at the time - nine assists and eight rebounds.

Syracuse improved to 16-1 overall and 3-1 in the Big East with an 81-65 win over Rutgers on Jan. 13, 2010. Rautins and the Orange played up to their No. 5 ranking with the thrashing.

But that didn’t mean Rautins was completely pleased.

“It’s pretty cool,” Rautins said after the game, “but I still had five turnovers, and that bugs me seeing that on there. That kind of takes away from the good play a little bit.”

Wes Johnson didn’t think so. Johnson, who had 11 points and 10 rebounds of his own, said Rautins stepped up and made shots to help the team.

“He’s a leader, and we expect stuff like that out of him,” Johnson said.

Rautins’ 23 points allowed the Orange to pull away after Rutgers got the score close at 53-45.

He hit a jumper to push the lead back to doubledigits and found open shooters when he wasn’t hitting shots of his own.

Then-Rutgers head coach Fred Hill was impressed by Rautins’ overall play against his squad.

“He really sees the floor well, and he’s a great passer in traffic,” Hill said.

When he wasn’t shooting or passing, Rautins was leading the defense. He had five of the Orange’s 18 steals in SU’s 2-3 zone.

The game gave Rautins the validation he was looking for. He thought the performance displayed he was more than just a shooter. He was a complete player.

“I try to tell them time and again I’m not one-dimensional,” Rautins said. “And there it is, I guess.”

Although Rautins stole the show for SU, the Orange also got contributions from other members on the team. Guards Scoop Jardine and Brandon Triche each had 12 points, and Jardine added six assists.

The Orange was able to limit Rutgers star Mike Rosario to 6-of-19 shooting, and when Rosario started hitting shots, Rautins was the one to hit the key baskets for SU. “If I’m feeling good like that,” Rautins said, “I won’t hesitate to pull up.”

Rautins ended up leading the Orange in scoring and assists. He proved he was more than just a shooter.

And Rutgers’ Hill could see that at the end of the game after Rautins picked apart the Scarlet Knights throughout the entire contest.

“Andy Rautins is a much better player than shooter,” Hill said. “And you watch him on film, and the one thing I don’t think people give him credit for is he is an outstanding passer.”

— Compiled by Rachel Marcus, asst. copy editor, rnmarcus@syr.edu

6 februa ry 18 -2 0, 2 011

SPORTS@ DA ILYOR A NGE.COM

HALF-COURT SHOTS Kansas (22) Ohio State (14) Texas (23) Pittsburgh (6) Duke San Diego State Brigham Young Notre Dame Georgetown Wisconsin Purdue Arizona Connecticut Florida Villanova Louisville Syracuse Vanderbilt North Carolina Missouri Texas A&M Kentucky Temple Xavier Utah State

USA TODAY/ESPN

Sponsored by

(21-6)

SATURDAY, 4 P.M., CARRIER DOME

(First-place votes in parentheses)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

februa ry 18 -2 0, 2 011

RUTGERS AT SYRACUSE 17

(13-12)

AP TOP 25

SPORTS@ DA ILYOR A NGE.COM

STARTING LINEUP

BEAT WRITER PREDICTIONS

POINT GUARD

SHOOTING GUARD

SMALL FORWARD

POWER FORWARD

CENTER

COACHES Syracuse 78, Rutgers 62

Eleven straight against Rutgers shouldn’t be a problem.

SCOOP JARDINE

BRANDON TRICHE

6-2, 190, JR. 12.3 PPG, 6.0 APG

KRIS JOSEPH

6-4, 205, SO. 11.2 PPG, 2.8 APG

6-7, 210, JR. 14.8 PPG, 4.8 RPG

RICK JACKSON

6-9, 240, SR. 12.8 PPG, 11.1 RPG

BAYE MOUSSA KEITA

6-10, 213, FR. 2.5 PPG, 4.3 RPG

ANDREW L. JOHN

JIM BOEHEIM

850-299 34 seasons

Syracuse 73, Rutgers 67

This one will be closer than expected. The Orange gets itself out of a, um, “Situation” late and pulls out the win.

BRETT LOGIURATO

MIKE COBURN

JAMES BEATTY

6-0, 185, SR. 8.1 PPG, 4.1 APG If SU finds itself trailing late, Coburn is the one to foul. He’s shooting just 17-of-37 from the freethrow line in the final three minutes of games and overtime. Jardine is coming off two solid performances in a row.

DANE MILLER

6-2, 190, SR. 8.7 PPG, 2.8 RPG

6-7, 215, SO. 9.3 PPG, 5.7 RPG

Triche willed the Orange to victory Monday, and he almost willed the team to a comeback victory last Saturday at Louisville. SU head coach Jim Boeheim would love for him to continue that streak.

Miller is very athletic, but he’s shooting just 20 percent from beyond the 3-point line on the year. Against the zone, he’ll struggle. Joseph has scored in double figures in seven of eight games since returning from a concussion.

JONATHAN MITCHELL

6-7, 225, SR. 14.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG Mitchell is Rutgers’ main threat, and he’s been on fire lately. Jackson needs a dominant game after struggling somewhat in his past three outings.

GILVYDAS BIRUTA

MIKE RICE

Syracuse 68, Rutgers 64

6-8, 230, FR. 9.0 PPG, 5.2 RPG

86-43 3 seasons

Moussa Keita gets the nod here after fellow freshman Fab Melo didn’t play against West Virginia. C.J. Fair is getting more and more minutes spelling the centers and Joseph.

Lost in the midst of Boeheim’s press conference was the fact that he won a semi-milestone 850th game as a head coach.

He’ll take on a newbie in the Big East in Rice.

(First-place votes in parentheses)

Kansas (14) Texas (13) Ohio State (3) Pittsburgh (1) Duke San Diego State Notre Dame Brigham Young Georgetown Wisconsin Purdue Connecticut Arizona Villanova Florida Louisville Texas A&M Vanderbilt North Carolina Syracuse Missouri Kentucky Saint Mary’s Utah State Temple

Syracuse beats Cincinnati to earn the No. 3 ranking. On the same day, it loses its first game to Pittsburgh.

Data based on AP Top 25 poll 1 2 3 4

After winning Legends Classic in Atlantic City, N.J., Syracuse rises No. 8. Jim Boeheim feels his team is underperforming.

Syracuse drops back down to No. 17 after losses at home against Georgetown and on the road at Louisville in the KFC Yum! Center.

5 6 7 8 9

rank

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

RANKINGS TRACKER

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

TONY OLIVERO

The winner pulsing through Jonathan Mitchell gives Rutgers a shot.

A much better shot than anyone in Syracuse thinks, besides Jim Boeheim. But aside from him, their ineptitude from deep will kill RU.

FREE THROWS

THEY SAID IT

Rutgers forward Jonathan Mitchell scored 25 points to lead Rutgers to an upset over Villanova on Feb. 9. Mitchell converted a four-point play as time expired to lead the Scarlet Knights to the 77-76 upset.

“We’ve got four games left and have won 21 games, but the season is over with in some people’s minds. It never ceases to amaze me.”

Jim Boeheim

SU HEAD COACH

“I’m just trying to take open shots and try and get into a rhythm. All of the coaches are telling me to come out early. I’m scoring most of my points in the second half. I try to get up six or seven shots to try and get into a rhythm.”

Brandon Triche

Rutgers freshman Austin Carroll is a high school teammate of Syracuse freshman C.J. Fair. And the Scarlet Knights’ Dane Miller and SU’s Brandon Triche played on a Donyell Marshall AAU team.

STAT TO KNOW Syracuse has beaten Rutgers 10 times in a row, dating back to Jan. 29, 2003. That was the same year the Orange won the national championship.

SU GUARD

“Rutgers can play with anyone. I saw them beat Villanova. They play great basketball.

Even if you play well you can have a problem. That is just the nature of the league and you have to be ready for that.”

Pre week

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

FORTUNE COOKIE #MediaCup2

Jim Boeheim

15

SU HEAD COACH

@VILLANOVA

@GEORGETOWN

DEPAUL

BIG EAST TOURNAMENT

FEB. 21, 7 P.M.

FEB. 26, NOON

MARCH 5, 4 P.M.

MARCH 8-12

011

7

8 februa ry 18 -2 0, 2 011

sports@ da ilyor a nge.com

Dance game Orange looks to improve tournament resume in crucial game at St. John’s

By Zach Brown Staff Writer

The Syracuse women’s basketball team’s 53-45 slugfest win over Louisville gave the team multiple reasons to be excited.

First, the victory brought the Orange back to .500 in the Big East. It gave SU some confidence heading into the final stretch of the Who: St. John’s regular season. And Where: New York, N.Y. it inched the team When: Saturday, 3 p.m. closer to a 20-win season.

But perhaps more importantly, it added a resume-strengthening win in Syracuse’s last chance to do so at home this year.

“I think it was important to protect your home floor,” senior guard Erica Morrow said.

“It’s so hard to win tough games on the road that you need to protect your home floor and win as many as possible when you have the advantage.”

The matchup with Louisville marked the beginning of a critical two-game swing for the Orange (18-7, 6-6), with the postseason rapidly approaching. Entering this week, ESPN placed Syracuse just outside its projected NCAA tournament field in the “last four out” group. But both the Cardinals and St. John’s, who SU plays Saturday at 3 p.m. in New York City, were in the field of 64. With only three games left after the weekend, this may be Syracuse’s last chance to earn a resume-building win in the regular season.

“We knew how big Louisville was going in because we knew exactly where they were in all that,” SU head coach Quentin Hillsman said.

“Obviously, going into St. John’s, it’s the same thing.”

Before the win against the Cardinals, Syracuse’s slate of victories was void of many signature wins. The best was a Jan. 22 triumph at Marquette. A win over then-No. 6 Ohio State

UP NEXT

on Dec. 11 in the Carrier Dome has lost most of its luster as the Buckeyes have limped to a 15-9 mark.

Other than those wins, the Orange has missed a slew of opportunities. The Big East schedule has provided plenty of chances for SU to beat tournament teams, but it has struggled against its more talented counterparts.

Add those blundered chances to an RPI of 63 and strength of schedule that ranks 95th in the country, and ESPN projected Syracuse to barely miss the tournament.

“Normally, they’re pretty accurate,” Hillsman said. “You’ve almost got to look at it and say, ‘Hey, that’s kind of where we are.’”

But this week could be the difference for Syracuse’s tournament chances.

It already pulled out the win over Louisville, adding another decent win to the resume. St. John’s may be a taller task on the road, but as Hillsman said, a victory in New York would be just as important — if not more — as the win Wednesday in the Dome.

“I think it’s very important that we just finish the season strong,” sophomore guard Elashier Hall said. “Right now, we’re 6-6. It’s OK, but we would love to finish out these games.”

And in fact, a win over the Red Storm may be Syracuse’s last chance at a resume-improving victory. Its first two opponents after St. John’s are Cincinnati and Providence, both of whom have losing records. After that, SU travels to Storrs, Conn., for a bout with No. 2 Connecticut, who it hasn’t beaten since 1996.

A victory over UConn could certainly be the golden ticket for the Orange to get into the tournament. But as that hasn’t happened in 15 years, SU’s performance this week could be the decisive factor for the Orange’s tournament goals.

Syracuse already took one major step toward the field of 64 with the win over Louisville on Wednesday. And back-to-back wins over project-

sean harp | staff photographer carmen tyson-thomas and Syracuse are fighting for a spot in the NCAA tournament. SU heads to New York City on Saturday to face St. John’s in a critical contest. ed tournament teams would certainly improve its chances.

“I think it’d be really important,” Hillsman said. “We’re not going to downplay the game. It’s

a very important game playing against a great team, and we’ve got to go down there and get it done.” zjbrown@syr.edu

sports@ da ilyor a nge.com

februa ry 18 -2 0, 2 011

9

Around the nation GamestoWATCH No. 3 Texas (23-3) at Nebraska (17-8)

of their tries. If Nebraska can keep Texas off the line or if Texas fails to convert, look for the Huskers to keep this one close as well.

Looking at these two teams’ records might not give the impression that this game will be close. But considering how Nebraska has played against top teams, it isn’t farfetched to think the Cornhuskers can hang with the Longhorns. Don’t forget, this team started the season 13-2. Nebraska lost by only three points on the road at Kansas, by one at Texas Tech and by four to Baylor. Plus, the Huskers have a huge win over then-No. 13 Texas A&M under their belts.

On the other side of the coin, Texas is arguably the hottest team in the country.

Since losing to Connecticut back on Jan. 8, the Longhorns have rattled off 11 straight wins. Only one of those games was won by nine points or fewer. When Ohio State fell last week, many people around the country were saying Texas should take over the top spot. It’s very possible for the Longhorns to win out in Big 12 play with zero games remaining against ranked teams.

No. 6 San Diego State (26-1) at Air Force (13-11)

X-factor: Free throws In Nebraska’s three-point loss to Kansas earlier this season, free throws helped keep the Huskers in the game. They shot more than 80 percent from the stripe in the game, while the Jayhawks converted on just 52.6 percent

X-Factor: Michael Lyons, guard, Air Force It seems silly to say a team’s leading scorer would be the X-factor in a game, but with Lyons, it really is true. In games where he scores 15 or more points, the Falcons are undefeated with a record of 8-0. So if he can

This could be a trap game for San Diego State. After tying a school record by earning its 26th win of the season Feb. 16 against New Mexico, the Aztecs are poised to break it against a mediocre Air Force team. However, looming just past the Falcons is a date with Jimmer Fredette and BYU. If SDSU gets caught looking ahead, a Falcons team could take advantage. And Air Force isn’t going to want to be the team that gives up a school record to the Aztecs, especially at home.

Another encouraging note for the Falcons is the sloppy play the Aztecs have exhibited lately. Four of SDSU’s last five games have all been single-digit wins. Over that particular stretch, San Diego State has only surpassed 68 points once. It could be the perfect time for an upset bid.

come up with a big game, Air Force should be in good shape against a team that might be looking ahead to a rematch with Fredette.

Washington (18-7) at No. 12 Arizona (22-4)

The last time these two teams played, Washington embarrassed the Wildcats with a 17-point win. The Huskies hung 85 points on Arizona. But since then, the Cats have responded with a seven-game winning streak. Overall, Arizona has won 10 of its last 11 games and is returning to its nationally recognized form from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Washington is one of the most disappointing teams in the country this season.

Though the Huskies still sit 11 games above .500, they haven’t lived up to their preseason No. 17 ranking. The win over Arizona on Jan. 20 is the team’s only victory against a ranked team. But Isaiah Thomas is one of the best point guards in the country, and his 16.8 points per game should keep the Huskies close.

X-Factor: Lamont Jones, guard, Arizona Jones is playing second fiddle to teammate and All-American candidate Derrick Williams.

But lately, he’s been on fire. Prior to his last game against Arizona State earlier this week, Jones had scored in double figures for six consecutive games. He even exploded for 27 points against California. If he can step up again and support Williams, the Wildcats should handle the Huskies easily.

No. 2 Ohio State (25-1) at No. 11 Purdue (21-5)

The Buckeyes bounced back from their first loss of the season to Wisconsin by beating Michigan State on Feb. 15. This game at Purdue, though, might be the toughest test the Buckeyes have left until the season finale rematch with the Badgers. Especially considering Purdue is undefeated at home in Big Ten play this season.

The Boilermakers are currently flying high after upsetting No. 10 Wisconsin earlier this week. In that game, Purdue finally got a contribution from someone besides JaJuan Johnson and E’Twaun Moore. Guard Lewis Jackson stepped up and put in 18 big points to complement Purdue’s stellar duo. If he can put together another solid game, the Boilermakers have a chance against one of the nation’s most balanced teams.

X-Factor: Purdue’s perimeter defense Ohio State handled Purdue easily on Jan. 25, winning 87-64 in Columbus, Ohio. In that game, the Buckeyes knocked down 11 3-pointers and shot 57.9 percent from beyond the arc.

If Purdue wants to have a shot at the upset this time around, it can’t allow OSU to get 33 points on 3-pointers. Look for the Boilermakers to make an effort to get out on the Buckeye shooters.

— Compiled by Michael Cohen, asst. sports editor, mjcohe02@syr.edu

10 f e b r u a r y 1 8 - 2 0 , 2 0 1 1

sports@ da ilyor a nge.com

Around the Big East GamestoWATCH No. 13 Connecticut (20-5, 8-5) at No. 16 Louisville (19-7, 8-5)

Friday, 9 p.m., ESPN Connecticut and Louisville will meet for the second time in a three-week span, and if this rematch is anything like the first meeting, fans at the KFC Yum! Center will be in for a treat. In that first meeting 20 days ago, Louisville went into UConn’s Gampel Pavilion and stole a 79-78 double-overtime victory. Peyton Siva’s 19 points led the Cardinals, and the win put UL a game above UConn in the Big East standings. But here they meet again, and just like the first meeting, the two teams are tied in the conference standings.

Huskies star Kemba Walker is coming off one of his best games of the season Wednesday, when he scored 31 points and dished out 10 assists in a win over No. 9 Georgetown. He scored 20 in UConn’s first meeting with the Cardinals but was inefficient, shooting just 2-of-10 from 3-point range.

Louisville will be glad to play at home Friday. The Cardinals have lost three straight road games, including a 63-54 loss to Cincinnati on Wednesday. Louisville is 16-2 at home on the season and is 6-0 at home in Big East play.

courtesy of louisville media relations

No. 4 Pittsburgh (24-2, 12-1) at St. John’s (16-9, 8-5)

Saturday, noon, ESPN Pittsburgh is in for a very tough road game as it travels to New York City to play St. John’s on Saturday. The Red Storm has been on a tear recently, winning five of six. That stretch includes victories over No. 5 Duke and No. 13 Connecticut, putting SJU in a good position to make the NCAA Tournament in head coach Steve Lavin’s first year. A win over the Big East’s leader could seal the deal completely.

The biggest difference for St. John’s in its hot stretch has been the elevated play of Dwight Hardy. He has been one of the best players in the country over the past three weeks, scoring 26 against Duke, 32 in a loss at UCLA, 33 against UConn and 28 in a road win over Marquette on Tuesday. Pittsburgh has been cruising right along in front of the pack in the toughest conference in the country, winning five straight since its lone Big East loss to No. 8 Notre Dame on Jan. 24. Even in that 56-51 loss, the Panthers played good defense. Pitt’s defense has been spectacular for most of conference play.

The Panthers haven’t allowed an opponent to score more than 66 points since they gave up 81 in an 89-81 win over Marquette on Jan. 8. Defense wins championships, and with a two-game lead and five games to play, Pitt is in good position to win the Big East title.

No. 8 Notre Dame (21-4, 10-3) at West Virginia (16-9, 7-6)

Saturday, 1 p.m., CBS Two teams heading in opposite directions meet Saturday in a game that has different meanings for each team. The Fighting Irish enter West Virginia on a seven-game winning streak, while the Mountaineers have lost three of four, the most recent a 63-52 loss to No. 17 Syracuse on Monday. Notre Dame is second in the Big East and earned its first Top 10 ranking of the season this week. WVU is still in comfortable position to make the tournament field but has lost four straight games to ranked teams entering this game.

While most of the Big East is beating up on each other, Notre Dame sits with Pittsburgh above the rest. The 21-4 record is Notre Dame’s best start to a season since 1980-81. And the combination of guards Ben Hansbrough and Tim Abromaitis is the No. 1 reason for it. Together, they score 31.6 points per game.

West Virginia was the first team outside the Top 25 receiving votes in the latest AP poll, but the loss to Syracuse earlier in the week will probably keep the Mountaineers from cracking the rankings. To say WVU has struggled of late may be harsh because the three losses in its last four games have come against No. 15 Villanova, No. 4 Pittsburgh and the Orange. The lone win in that stretch is DePaul, which is last place in conference play. Mountaineers’ key player, Casey Mitchell, is finally beginning to find his form four games after returning from a suspension for a violation of team rules. The senior guard knocked down seven 3s against SU and scored 23 points after scoring just 18 in his first three games back.

— Compiled by Mark Cooper, asst. sports editor, mcooperj@syr.edu

standings

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

PITTSBURGH 24-2 (12-1)

notre damE 21-4 (10-3)

georgetown 20-6 (9-5)

connecticut 20-5 (8-5)

villanova 20-6 (8-5)

Louisville 19-7 (8-5)

ST. john’s 16-9 (8-5)

syracuse 21-6 (8-6)

Cincinnati 20-6 (7-8)

west virginia 16-9 (7-6)

marquette 15-11 (6-7)

seton hall 11-15 (5-9)

rutgers 13-12 (4-9)

providence 14-12 (3-10)

south florida 8-19 (2-12)

DEPAUL 7-18 (1-12)

SPORTS@ DA ILYOR A NGE.COM

februa ry 18 -2 0, 2 011

On the block

BENCH

Rutgers’ bench has some spark, including wing Mike Poole and forward Austin Johnson, who leads the team in field-goal percentage. But the biggest factor off the bench will be from SU. That would be C.J. Fair, who has played an average of 35 minutes in the past two games. He’s averaging more than 10 points per game in his last three. Will Fab Melo get some minutes here?

Advantage: Syracuse

A position-by-position look at the game —Compiled by Brett LoGiurato and Tony Olivero

SMALL FORWARD

POINT GUARD

Kris Joseph is coming off a pretty complete performance against West Virginia, but to Jim Boeheim, Joseph’s game is still not where it should be. Dane Miller will be a challenge in some aspects of the game. For example, he’s fifth in the Big East in blocks per game. But he has also proven the ability to not be much of an offensive threat at times, evidenced by his zero-point, one-rebound performance against Seton Hall last Saturday. He doesn’t compare with a player the caliber of Joseph.

It’s amazing what a little familiarity can do for a point guard. Even if Mike Coburn is nowhere near as skilled in the passing game as Scoop Jardine, the senior from Mount Vernon, N.Y., has a weapon at his disposal that is equal to what Jardine has: a running mate he has known forever. Jardine’s childhood counterpart is SU stalwart Rick Jackson. For Coburn, the Scarlet Knights’ best player in Jonathan Mitchell grew up on the Lower Westchester playgrounds with the 6-foot point guard.

Coburn rarely goes for points and will struggle more against SU’s zone. It’s what he is groomed for. It’s hard not to see Jardine having the advantage in this matchup.

Advantage: Syracuse

Advantage: Syracuse

SHOOTING GUARD

Rick Jackson was SU’s MVP through the first 25 games.

Brandon Triche has taken that title in the last two. With Jackson struggling, Triche says he finally recognized he needed to assert himself in the SU offense, and against Louisville and West Virginia he went for 41 total points.

SU head coach Jim Boeheim says Triche needs to be a scorer. Against the very average James Beatty (averaging 8.7 points per game), Triche will have a chance to eclipse his season average of 11.2 points per game.

Advantage: Syracuse

POWER FORWARD

CENTER

It’s a matchup of two freshmen here, and it includes the freshman who should be starting at center for SU. Baye Moussa Keita is a starter by name only. Most of the time, C.J. Fair’s subbed in for Moussa Keita in the past two games. On the other side, Gilvydas Biruta has impressed in his freshman season. He’s among the top three freshmen in the Big East in field-goal percentage (first), freethrow percentage (first) and rebounding (third).

Advantage: Rutgers

This is where Rick Jackson will look to exploit Rutgers’ lack of overall size, because on offense he’ll have the ability to match up against the undersized Jonathan Mitchell. Rutgers will undoubtedly double- and even triple-team Jackson, so SU’s other shooters have to step up. Mitchell’s claim to fame recently has been a four-point play that won his team a game over Villanova, but he’s been lighting up the scoreboard lately with at least 20 points in five of six games.

Advantage: Even

11

5

$

Ch e e t a h

Deals.com The Spot for Deals

. . .. ..

USE YOUR MOUTH

888.227.9993

CheetahDeals.com/orange $15 off entire order, use code: HappySU at checkout

Factory Refurbished Acer Aspire Revo 3700-U3002

FEED YOURSELF FROM THE INTERNET

Off

Factory Refurbished Netbooks, Laptops, Desktops & Accessories

1.8GHz Intel Atom D525 dual-core processor Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) 2GB DDR3 Memory 250GB Hard Drive 802.11b/g/n (Wi-Fi) Wireless Keyboard & Mouse

Save up to 50% off SU bookstore prices!

Factory Refurbished Acer AO Happy Netbook available in Candy Pink Lavender & Lime Green

Our Price: $254

Retail: $329

after $15 off coupon

.. .. .. ..

10.1” LED Display Intel Atom Dual Core N550 1.5GHz Genuine Windows 7 Starter 250GB SATA Hard Drive Microsoft Office 2010 Starter 1GB DDR3 Memory 6-cell battery (up to 8 Hrs.) 802.11 b/g/n (Wi-Fi)

Get Social! /cheetahdeals

@cheetahdeals

/cheetahdeals

blog.cheetahdeals.com

Locally refurbished and supported in Liverpool, NY

“the original anti-war comedy”

F e b ru a ry 1 8 - 2 7

b y A ri s t o p h a n e s directed by stephen cross

Get $5 OFF your next order.

Enter coupon code at checkout.

CUSE5 Limit one per customer. First 2000 customers. Only valid for online orders at participating restaurants through Campusfood.com.

Min order $15. No cash value. Expires 2/22/11

Box Office: (315) 443-3275 vpa.syr.edu/drama C o n n e c t i v e C o r ri d o r S t o p : S y r a c u s e S t a g e

season sponsor: