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RYAN GUTHRIE recorded his first sack of the season against Wake Forest on Nov. 3, eventually totaling two sacks in the game.
ALL IN
Ryan Guthrie made his own path to Syracuse through junior college By Andrew Graham senior staff writer
O
n a cold and windy December morning in Iowa Falls, Iowa, Ryan Guthrie sat in the office of Ellsworth Community College then-head coach Jesse Montalto and thought about New Orleans. It was national signing day for junior colleges and Guthrie had his National Letter of Intent ready to fax to Tulane, where he planned to play his final two years of college football. He ignored two Division I offers the year prior for a better opportunity — he wanted a Power 5 look. Still, it eluded him. Syracuse had come on strong late, spurring Guthrie to decommit from the Green Wave two days before signing day, but there was no offer from the
Orange. He had resettled on Tulane. Then his phone rang. Guthrie doesn’t remember exactly who was on the other end of the line, but it was Syracuse, offering him a scholarship. “He’s a pretty stoic kid,” Montalto, who had been told of the offer the night before, said, “so he doesn’t say a ton. But you could tell he was excited about it and he was happy … It was almost relief.” For Guthrie, it marked the end of a two-and-a-half year pursuit that took him from the familiarity of north Georgia and dumped him in the middle of Iowa cornfields before he advanced him to Syracuse. He bet on himself and with one last game remaining in the Carrier Dome for the Orange, he won. “It probably wouldn’t have happened any other way,” he said recently, half joking. “There’s no easy way for me to do things.”
josh shub-seltzer staff photographer
Like so many high school athletes, Guthrie promised his sophomore self that he’d play college football. He started at West Forsyth (Georgia) High School undersized and bounced around different positions. He played safety until settling at outside linebacker his senior year. He had gotten taller, but not more muscular and was “still stringy,” he said. In his senior season, Guthrie played for first-year head coach Adam Clack, who had been promoted from offensive coordinator. Guthrie was one of Clack’s most mature players, he said, and that Guthrie’s voice held weight in the locker room. When Clack had an idea for the team, it went through Guthrie first. They’d talk constantly — in the hallways, in Clack’s office after practice or his classroom during the school day. “I’d throw some things at him and he’d throw some things at me and it was a really, really beneficial relationship to have,” Guthrie said. Local Division II schools like Mercer and Kennesaw State offered walk on spots. Guthrie kept searching. When the Wolverines missed the playoffs on a tiebreak on the last day of the season, Guthrie had no scholarship offers and no time left to earn one. National signing day passed. Guthrie remained unoffered and unsigned. Was walking on his only option? On a late April evening, Guthrie groomed the Sawnee Mountain Park baseball fields. As he rode a John Deere Gator, dragged the infields smooth and painted baselines, Mike Minikwu, then a coach at Ellsworth, see guthrie page 10
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football
basketball
Football beat writers Basketball beat writers predict redemption for SU preview Morehead State By The Daily Orange Sports Staff
No. 13 Syracuse (7-2, 4-2 Atlantic Coast) hosts Louisville (2-7, 0-6) on Friday night in the Carrier Dome. The Orange enter after a 41-24 win against Wake Forest, which marked their first November victory since 2015. Louisville has lost six-straight games, most recently falling 77-16 to No. 2 Clemson. Below, The Daily Orange beat writers weigh in on Syracuse’s final home game of the season.
Andrew Graham (7-2)
No more Lamar, no more problem Syracuse 55, Louisville 21 Louisville’s 2018 football team is really a shrine to the excellence of Lamar Jackson’s college career. In the past two seasons with the 2016 Heisman winner, the Cardinals averaged 538.8 yards a game. Through nine games postJackson? The Cardinals average 344.7 yards. That figure isn’t exactly bad, but it’s a massive regression. Toss in the fact that Louisville is allowing more yards (462.8) than it gains in any given game and you have a very bad football team. Syracuse, on the other hand, isn’t a very bad football team. Syracuse is, in fact, quite good this season. Perhaps better than anybody thought it could be. With a No. 13 ranking in the College Football Playoff top-25 and a potential marquee matchup with No. 3 Notre Dame in Yankee Stadium next weekend, don’t expect SU to mess this one up like it might in years past.
Matt Liberman (7-2)
Birds fly south in the cold Syracuse 63, Louisville 28 I think it’s time we hand Lamar Jackson the 2018 Heisman Trophy because this Louisville
offense is terrible. The Cardinals average just over 20 points per game, one of the worst marks in the nation, while the Orange enter this contest the ninth-best scoring offense in the country, netting 41 points per game. But the numbers I’m looking at come on third down, where SU boasts the fourth-best defense, stopping its opponents nearly three quarters of the time. Meanwhile, Louisville allows its opponents to move the chains more than 50 percent of the time. Syracuse has had one of the hottest offenses in the country this year. Even against Wake Forest, when the passing game struggled, SU still put up 41 points. Syracuse should win this game easily and use it as a tune up for No. 3 Notre Dame.
Josh Schafer (8-1)
“Righting wrongs� Syracuse 62, Louisville 28 Two years ago, Syracuse was embarrassed 62-28 in the Carrier Dome on a Friday night ESPN-televised game. Four-year starting quarterback Eric Dungey has never beaten Louisville. He said head coach Dino Babers talked to the team about “righting wrongs.� On Sunday, Babers put up several stats from Syracuse’s last two matchups with Louisville. In Baber’s two games against Louisville as the SU head coach, the Orange lost both by a combined score of 118-38, allowing 1,572 yards in the two losses. In 2018, things are flipped. Syracuse is 7-2 while Louisville sits at 2-7. The Cardinals allow 462.8 yards per game, which ranks 115th in the country. UofL has allowed 56 or more points in three of its last four games. Syracuse gains the 15th most yards per game in the country, while ranking eighth in scoring. The math isn’t hard. If Syracuse’s offense plays up to its standards, the Orange will be on the right side of a blowout. sports@dailyorange.com
By The Daily Orange Sports Staff
No. 16 Syracuse (1-0) cruised to victory 66-34 over Eastern Washington (0-1) on Tuesday, opening the season. The Orange limited EWU to the lowest point total by an opponent in Carrier Dome history. Next up is a meeting with Morehead State (1-0) on Saturday at 7 p.m. The Eagles won by 20 points over Kentucky Christian on Tuesday to open the season. Kentucky Christian plays in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, a small colleges’ equivalent to the NCAA. The Eagles play at Connecticut on Thursday night before traveling to Syracuse.
32
Points Syracuse defeated Eastern Washington by in its season opener
Here’s what our beat writers predict will happen on Saturday.
Charlie DiSturco (1-0)
Easy as pie Syracuse 78, Morehead State 50 This game should be very similar to Tuesday night’s blowout over Eastern Washington. Syracuse is a much better team than Morehead State and the Orange won by 32 against EWU, while still struggling offensively. With Jalen Carey healing by the day and Tyus Battle likely bouncing back from an off 3-for-10 shooting performance, expect
another blowout win for SU. Morehead State is ranked 17 spots lower than EWU on Kenpom.com and will come off one day of rest after a road game at Connecticut. Expect Syracuse’s defense to shut down Morehead State much like Eastern Washington and remain perfect Saturday.
Matthew Gutierrez (1-0)
The road to November glory Syracuse 75, Morehead State 53 Morehead State is (admirably) hitting the Northeast with road games at Connecticut and Syracuse over the next few days. The Orange plays UConn in a week at Madison Square Garden, so the Morehead State-Huskies matchup should provide an indication of how the SU-UConn game could go down in Manhattan. The score may be closer than we think, next week. For now, on Saturday night, the No. 16 Syracuse Orange cruise by Morehead State and upgrades their record to 2-0 for the 15th-straight season.
Billy Heyen (1-0)
Chasing triple digits Syracuse 91, Morehead State 47 Syracuse will have no trouble with Morehead State, and there’s reason to think the score margin will be even wider than Tuesday’s 32-point SU win. Buddy Boeheim shot 1-for-11, and Tyus Battle 3-for-10, even as the Orange controlled the game the whole way. Elijah Hughes went 2-for-8, as well. There’s no way a shooter like Buddy and two scorers like Battle and Hughes combine to go 6-for-29 against an undersized, outclassed team like Morehead State. Victory won’t be in question. The century mark could be. sports@dailyorange.com
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‘Money down’
Syracuse opponents convert on 26.47 of their third-down plays, ranking the Orange’s third-down defense fourth in the nation.
Syracuse’s strong third-down defense helps it dominate possession
josh shub-seltzer staff photographer
By Matt Liberman staff writer
W
ith just under three minutes left, Syracuse’s lead over North Carolina State evaporated. After mounting a 10-point lead midway through the fourth quarter, the Wolfpack suddenly trailed by just three. Down 44-41, NC State suddenly had 3:12 to drive for a potential game-winning touchdown, something the Orange failed to stop in their two losses of the season. After back-to-back plays for no gain, NC State quarterback Ryan Finley dropped back. Looking for a first down on 3rd-and-10, Finley threw a pass down the left side, but SU linebacker Andrew Armstrong snatched the ball for a late interception in Wolfpack territory to seal the win and continue Syracuse’s defensive dominance on third down. “That’s what we call our money down,” Alton Robinson said. “(We) definitely ramp it up.” In a season in which No. 13 Syracuse (7-2, 4-2 Atlantic Coast) has defied expectations, the Orange are doing exactly what head coach Dino Babers has always preached about: the little things. SU enters its upcoming home matchup with Louisville (2-7, 0-6) ranked fourth in the nation on third down defense which helps Syracuse, a quick strike offensive team, control possession. This season, Syracuse’s opponents are converting on just 26.47 percent of third downs, sliding in just behind Miami (FL) and UAB. And while players believe that SU owns a third-down advantage at home due see third
down page 10
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Shooting for balance Oshae Brissett fine tunes his jump shot with help of assistant coach Adrian Autry By Billy Heyen
asst. sports editor
O
n Oshae Brissett’s second 3-point attempt on Tuesday night, he air-balled. About two minutes later, he passed up a wide-open 3 from the right corner for a contested spinning fadeaway inside, which he missed. Late in the first half, he caught the ball on the right wing. This time, in a decision that may not have happened last year after the early misses, Brissett let fly again. He drained it. “Last year when he missed one or two, he would try to fix it,” Syracuse assistant Adrian Autry, Sr. said. “I think he has to trust his shot, shoot the same shot every time.” So far, through two exhibition games and Syracuse’s season-opening win over Eastern Washington, Brissett has shot 16 3s and made six, for 37.5 percent. After leading the Orange in 3-point percentage last year (33 percent), Brissett said he’s more comfortable and consistent with his shot from outside. It’s a weapon that, when paired with new sharp-shooting additions to the court Elijah Hughes and Buddy Boeheim, makes Syracuse a bigger threat from 3-point range than it ever was last season. “Lot of guys, they’re gonna be focused on Elijah (Hughes), Tyus (Battle), Buddy (Boeheim), Frank (Howard), which really helps me get open,” Brisset said. “Same thing for me, if they’re gonna focus on me, that helps other guys. It’s good to have different weapons on the court.” When Brissett arrived at Syracuse before last season, Autry knew the freshman’s jumper would need work. But after watching Brissett shoot for a day or two, Autry realized that less needed changing than he initially thought. The pair worked before and after practices to spread his hands wider on the basketball and raise Brissett’s release point. They wanted to make him a “two-eyed shooter,” meaning Brissett would have a clear window to see the hoop when he raised the ball. It led to some increased success down the stretch of the season, including a 5-for-7 game from beyond the arc against North Carolina on March 7, but Brissett still shot 34 percent from 3 starting Feb. 14 to the end of the season. During the offseason, his shooting remained a focus. “Just go until I would get tired or it’d get too late or something like that,” Brissett said. “Or until they kick us out of the gym.” When Brissett arrived back on campus prior to this season, Autry saw that the sophomore had maintained the changes they made to his stroke. Now, it was time for the fine-tuning. Autry wanted Brissett to shoot the same every time, whether off the dribble or stepping back or catching-andshooting. “His footwork is imperative,” Autry said. “His balance is imperative. And then it’s the same shot. To be honest, his shot is nothing that needs to be changed. It just needs to be see jump
shot page 10
OSHAE BRISSETT averaged 14.9 points per game during his freshman season. In Syracuse’s first game this season, the now-sophomore tallied 20 points and 8 rebounds. tj shaw staff photographer
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High pressure Syracuse turned to the full-court press in its season-opening win
By Charlie DiSturco senior staff writer
I
n the final two minutes of the first half, against an overmatched Eastern Washington team and in a game where Syracuse struggled offensively, the Orange went to something it couldn’t use for a large part of last season. Syracuse pressed forward past half court. A double team led to a jump pass quickly intercepted by freshman point guard Jalen Carey. The next two possessions, the Eagles pushed tempo only to throw the ball out of bounds. Outside of a rebounding foul that led to a 1-and-1 free-throw opportunity, Eastern Washington crossed the midline only once in that span. Even then, the shot bounced off the rim and out. And the Orange went the other way. “We really couldn’t get anything going offensively,” SU head coach Jim Boeheim said. “We got some steals. That was really, I thought, the difference in the game. We got points off the press.” A theme from last season continued in 2018, as the Orange’s offense struggled yet boasted an improved defense through the
addition of depth and its use of the full-court press. In its season opener, No. 16 Syracuse (1-0) dominated on the defensive side of the ball in a 66-34 win over Eastern Washington (0-1) on Tuesday night, allowing the least amount of points ever in a game inside the Carrier Dome. Last season, during Syracuse’s Sweet-16 NCAA Tournament run, what it lacked offensively, the Orange made up for defensively. Only once did SU allow more than 56 points in a Tournament game, in its season-ending loss to Duke. That came with three players averaging over 38 minutes per game and another two with 27-plus minutes. Because of a smaller rotation last season, Syracuse rarely deployed the press. This year, Syracuse is just one of four Division I programs that returned its entire starting five. The Orange also added three freshmen, transfer Elijah Hughes and return now-healthy rotational players Bourama Sidibe and Howard Washington. “It’s always great to have nine, 10 guys you can sub in and out,” freshman guard Buddy Boeheim said. “We’re definitely looking to press more, and it definitely helps to have more see press page 10
TYUS BATTLE guards Eastern Washington’s Austin Fadal. Battle shot 30 percent in Syracuse’s win against the Eagles. alexandra moreo senior staff photographer
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from page 3
guthrie called. He tried his best to sell Guthrie on ECC and central Iowa. “I got off the phone and said, ‘Oh I’m not going to do that. It’s in Iowa? Whoa,’” Guthrie said. But Ellsworth stuck with him, as did the encouragement from his high school coaches, who for a few months had sporadically
He was going to be important and he wasn’t going to come home with his tail between his legs. He was going to be somebody. Lisa Guthrie
ryan guthrie’s mother
mentioned the junior college route. Guthrie liked the notion of going so far away: he could do his own thing. Ellsworth offered Guthrie a scholarship when no one else had. If he wanted to play college football, this was the path forward. Without visiting Ellsworth or even consulting his parents, he took what he had. “If it didn’t work out,” Lisa, Guthrie’s mother, said, “it didn’t work out, you can always come back home. But Ryan does not have that mindset.” “He was going to be important,” she continued, “and he wasn’t going to come home with his tail between his legs. He was going to be somebody.” In June, Guthrie and his father, Steve, packed a rental car and departed Georgia around 5 a.m. for the 16-hour drive that is now famous within the Guthrie family. Plodding through the heart of the United States, Steve and Guthrie encountered a massive thunderstorm and ate at a “weird Denny’s truck stop” outside of St. Louis, Ryan said. About two miles from Ellsworth, going 80 miles per hour in the rental, Steve said, they hit a large deer. They got out, surveyed the damage, thought about how close they were — from page 9
press guys on the court.” The full-court press has been deployed consistently throughout both of SU’s scrimmages and the majority of Tuesday night. Everyday during practice, the team works on its pressing strategies for 10-to-20 minutes, Buddy said. Syracuse ranks third among all teams in the NCAA in average height, at 6-feet, 7.3-inches per player, according to Kenpom. com. Not only does the height help SU close out shooters or stop drives in the paint, but it from page 5
third down due to the noise echoing in the Carrier Dome, the team’s third down splits on the road are nearly even with the ones at home: 26.15 percent at home versus 26.62 percent on the road. North Carolina State has been the only team this season to break 40 percent on third down against Syracuse, converting on six of 15 attempts, and the Wolfpack have been one of the best teams in the nation on third down, moving the chains 46.24 percent of the time. Prior to its game against Syracuse, NC State ranked No. 1 in the country, converting a first down 58.49 percent of the time. The worst opponent percentage comes from Florida State, which managed just one conversion in 14 attempts. That’s problematic for Louisville, which enters Friday’s contest ranked 68th in the nation in third-down conversion offense. In addition, the Cardinals struggle mightily on the road. UofL is the 11th-worst third-down offense in the country on the road, moving the chains 29.31 percent of the time. With Syracuse’s stingy third-down
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where Guthrie needed to be — and kept going. At Ellsworth for the first time ever, Guthrie was on an island. “Corn for miles, and miles and miles,” Lisa said. He was lonely and found it difficult to meet people. So, he immersed himself in football, working constantly with defensive coordinator Matt St. Germain. St. Germain loved coaching Guthrie. He wasn’t a usual JUCO case of poor grades or misconduct holding him back from a Division I offer. St. Germain struggled to comprehend how no one offered Guthrie in the first place. He took good notes, studied film constantly, asked for clarification when he didn’t understand things and spent extra hours talking with St. Germain in his office. When an injury took down the incumbent middle linebacker during fall camp, Guthrie seized the job. He flourished and became a quasicoach. Against Independence Community College in 2016, Guthrie called plays from the middle of the defense. ICC had a dualthreat quarterback and played fast. Knowing he wouldn’t get the calls in, St. Germain spent the week preparing a wristband for Guthrie to wear. A 12-box matrix, featuring 24 different defenses, was Guthrie’s reference. He made calls based on ICC’s offensive alignment. Ellsworth allowed 10 points in the win. “I was really stressed that week in practice,” Guthrie said. “He got me right, time and time again.” “I completely trusted him,” St. Germain said. A second-team All-American in 2015, Guthrie had offers from Akron and Eastern Michigan. Division I football was a signature away. But he returned to Ellsworth for his sophomore year. Guthrie had come to Ellsworth to get out and to earn a Division I scholarship. He did that, then spurned both, betting that the work ethic and dedication that got him this close would net him a Power 5 offer. “I took a chance on myself when I went to junior college,” Guthrie said. “Nobody ever thought I would be where I am right now.” His sophomore year, Guthrie led the National Junior College Athletic Association in sacks and earning first-team All-American honors. His two offers ballooned to nearly 20. None of them were Power 5. After Thanksgiving 2016, Syracuse started calling. Then-linebackers coach can contribute toward knocking balls out of the air or double-teaming guards and blocking their view in press situations. When opposing guards try to slow the game down, Howard Washington said the Orange’s press pushes tempo. “Our press was meant to get them,” Washington added. “Speed them up, cause some quick turnovers here and there.” When deploying the full-court press, Syracuse normally puts a man jumping in front of the inbounder. Two or three of its players normally trail or faceguard their opponents. Once the ball is put into play, SU tries to trap players in the corner or off the defense, and Louisville’s struggles offensively, Syracuse could have a chance to dominate possession. Despite Syracuse running the fourth-most plays in college football, and attempting to score on drives within short time, SU still controls possession in the majority of contests it has played in. Meanwhile, the Cardinals build up their minutes toward the end of games once they have surrendered a huge deficit and teams stop throwing the ball. Louisville also puts forth the worst thirddown defense in the country, allowing opponents to continue drives 55.14 percent of the time. For a middle of the pack third-down offense like Syracuse, there may be an opportunity to run up and down the field early and build a substantial lead. Signs point to a Syracuse blowout. SU’s offense has been overpowering at points this season, while Louisville has one of the worst defenses in the country and struggles to score on offense. Yet Louisville has never lost to Syracuse in the ACC. This has been a long-circled game on the calendar, Eric Dungey said. “They smacked us the past three years,” Dungey said. “That’s the one team that’s had our number.” mdliberm@syr.edu
RYAN GUTHRIE tied for the Orange’s lead in tackles against then-No. 3 Clemson. His 11 tackles tied with Kielan Whitner. paul schlesinger staff photographer
Tom Kaufman visited Guthrie in Iowa. Guthrie visited Syracuse. He fell in love with the coaches and players. Having his mom’s side of the family in New Jersey was an added bonus. But he went back to Iowa without an offer. “It was heartbreaking,” Guthrie said. Then, on signing day morning, Dec. 14, 2016, Syracuse called. The “stringy” kid who had won his varsity team’s “Ultimate Wolverine Award” his senior year achieved his ultimate goal. Guthrie’s promise to his 15-yearold self went unbroken and the past 12 months hadn’t been wasted. “He went on his own and it took a lot of courage and he never faltered,” Steve said. “He never complained. Not one time. And he was out there in the middle of nowhere. All in all, it was a great man-making kind of experience for him.” In the past two years at Syracuse, the same things that endeared Guthrie to previous coaching staffs have stood out. He willingly played defensive end last season,
aiding a thin group while buried beneath established linebackers Zaire Franklin, Parris Bennett and Jonathan Thomas. He lives with Eric Dungey, who said “you can always trust him.” In recent voting for captains, Guthrie was the defensive runner up, Dino Babers said. Reflecting on his journey on Tuesday, Guthrie said he wouldn’t change a thing. He cherishes relationships with Clack, Montalto, St. Germain and his Ellsworth teammates. He wouldn’t be the player he is now without disappearing to Iowa. Guthrie didn’t always know what was next and he doesn’t now. He might attend graduate school. Maybe he’ll try the NFL if the opportunity arises. He’s embraced the unknown on his journey, conquering obstacles whenever he encountered them in his pursuit of something he promised himself long ago. “Don’t really have a plan,” he said, shrugging, “just kind of let it happen.”
first dribble. Meanwhile, Paschal Chukwu or Sidibe stand on the other half, ready to play defense if the press is broken. “Once we see teams start to fold and once they’re not able to control our trap,” Carey said, “that’s what makes us even more hungrier on defense to get steals.” When the halftime buzzer sounded Tuesday, Eastern Washington’s 10 points matched its turnovers for the half. The Orange took advantage of the sloppy play in the second half as well, scoring 33 total points off turnovers. That’s 20 more than SU averaged per game last year.
The success did come against a weak Eastern Washington team, which ranks 189th out of 353 DI teams, per Kenpom. Syracuse’s press still has a lot to prove as the season continues and the level of competition increases. Early last season, the Orange went to the press on occasion, but not nearly as often as the two scrimmages or in its season opener. On a day where the offense failed to finish open looks, Syracuse showcased its new weapon. “New press that we put in,” Oshae Brissett said, “it’s been working for us.”
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jump shot the same, and he needs to have balance.” When Brissett shoots, Autry said the sophomore will occasionally land a foot or two in front of where he took off from. But the pair wanted Brissett to shoot straight up and down. Autry adjusted Brisett’s movement by simply staying in his ear. When Brissett shoots before or after practice, Autry stands nearby and reminds the 6-foot-8 Canadian to stay balanced. At halftime of the Le Moyne exhibition, Autry stood next to Brissett as he warmed up for the second half with 3-point attempts from the right wing. Autry didn’t appear to say much, and when asked, he didn’t remember any key points. But with Autry by his side, Brissett constantly landed with his feet where he’d jumped from. “Right now, the way he’s shot it, when he has balance, I think it’s going in every time he shoots it,” Autry said. The next step for Brissett is more arc on his shot, Autry said. They’ve had Brissett shoot on the “gun” in practice, which is a shooting machine that fires passes back out to the player. The key to the gun is
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higher netting that surrounds the actual basketball rim, which is meant to corral rebounds but also functions as a deterrent to line-drive shots. The work has led to good numbers in practice for Brissett. Autry said the sophomore has shot in the “mid-50s” percentagewise from 3-point range in practice, adding that’s “right up there with Buddy and Elijah.” It’s translated in a small sample to the Carrier Dome, and Autry expects it to continue. Brissett knows why he misses now, Autry said, which allows him to solve any issues in the moment. After a made jumper, Brissett’s preferred celebration is pulling out an imaginary arrow and shooting it with an imaginary bow. He picked it up from fellow Canadian and Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray. Brissett said he “tried to steal it from him.” With the confidence that Brissett and Autry have in his shot right now, what Murray calls the “Blue Arrow” may make more appearances in Orange. “I have complete confidence in my shot,” Brissett said. “Once the games come, once I let it fly, I have complete confidence that it’s gonna go in.” wmheyen@syr.edu | @wheyen3
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