In The Paint: Duke

IN THE PAINT

syracuse vs duke

f e b r u a r y 1 3 - 1 4 , 2 0 1 5 | d a i ly o r a n g e . c o m

2 february 13-14, 2015

the daily orange in the paint

t h e i n de p e n de n t s t u de n t n e w s pa p e r o f s y r a c u s e , n e w yo r k

Seniority Check out a poster of SU senior big man Rakeem Christmas throwing down a dunk.

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february 13-14, 2015 3

the daily orange in the paint

WHO WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE FOR 2015GAME? ROSTER ONE

vs.

COURTESY OF JON GARDINER DUKE PHOTOGRAPHY

CHASE GAEWSKI STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Syracuse’s Christmas shuts down opponents, adds emerging offense to defensive prowess

Duke phenom Okafor boasts inventiveness, dominance around rim like no other big man

’m trying to remember the last time Rakeem Christmas actually lost a defensive post matchup.

You know, that time when an opposing team’s big man controlled the paint against him. It’s almost as hard to remember as it is to do — mostly because it hasn’t happened yet. And that’s why if you give me one game and a head coaching job, I’d take Christmas over Jahlil Okafor.

This is a today question, by the way.

Okafor’s a lockdown lottery pick for the NBA Draft. Christmas is trying to get drafted.

When the two are both retired from basketball, I expect that Okafor will have a more decorated pro career. But that’s not when this game is being played.

Instead, it’s happening in a season when Christmas doesn’t lose on defense. And that’s really what this boils down to.

Both he and Okafor have demonstrated

on’t get me wrong — Rakeem Christmas is having a hell of a season.

He’s enjoyed a relatively unprecedented spike in production for a Syracuse big man. A year after being the Orange’s fourth scoring option — and I use the word option cautiously — he’s in the conversation with the country’s best post players.

I’d gladly have his production on my team.

But I wouldn’t pass on Jahlil Okafor first.

The 6-foot-11, 270-pound Duke freshman is in line for a ton of accolades this season and will probably be the first player to emerge from the green room at the NBA Draft. Christmas’ draft potential won’t even land him in the arena that day. In the long term, this isn’t much of a debate. On a one-day rental, though, it’s closer — but I’m still taking Okafor.

He’ll likely have his way against Christmas and the Orange on Saturday — partly because

I

JACOB KLINGER CLEAR EYES, ONE HEART

that they’re too dynamic to be contained.

They both average 18 points per game, they’re both going to get a lot of touches and they’re going to explode past their defenders to the rim or arc shots in over them.

Their athleticism is truly an inevitability.

Their passing is, too. Okafor can’t be double-teamed out of a game, partly because his teammates are some of the best in the country, but mostly because he has fantastic hands. That said, Christmas’ passing is highly underrated. Even in his worst outing of the season, he burnt Boston College by zipping passes to open teammates. see klinger page 4

D

PHIL D’ABBRACCIO

THE REAL SLIM SHADY

SU doesn’t have the depth to play Duke physically, but also partly because he’s just a more talented big man than Christmas is.

“He has a toughness. Jah’s special in every way,” Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski told reporters after Duke beat Boston College on Jan. 3. “He’s really got everything.”

Maybe not everything — Okafor’s defense is suspect, particularly in the pick-and-roll game.

But on the other hand, we haven’t seen Christmas defend anybody man-to-man for a whole game since high school. And in my hypothetical one-game moonlight as a head coach, zone probably wouldn’t be the way to go. see d’abbraccio page 4

4 february 13-14, 2015

from page 3

klinger “Really he should’ve had more assists,” SU head coach Jim Boeheim said. “I guess they might’ve put them on the floor or something, but he made a lot of passes out of those double

The impact he has defensively with blocking shots, about two a game, those are big, big-time numbers.

Jeff Capel blue devils associate head coach

teams that got guys good shots.”

Which brings us back to why Christmas wins.

Okafor struggles to defend the pick-androll. That would be the offense that Syracuse runs all the time.

And it leaves viewers with the distinct possibility of not getting to see Christmas versus Okafor much at all when SU has the ball. Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski could opt to have Amile Jefferson defend Christmas instead.

Think about that. We’re arguing about who you’d rather have when the other guy might just sit out half the matchup because he doesn’t defend one of the simplest offensive

plays in the game well enough.

Duke might even drop into a zone to deny Christmas, who I expect to show off some 15-foot range on Saturday.

But OK, fine, write off that glaring hole in Okafor’s still-developing game and take a look at how Christmas is going to defend him. It’s pretty much straight up. Christmas doesn’t let his men turn and face. And while that’s a no-duh aspect of playing defense in basketball, I’ve been watching Christmas dominate with it all season.

Duke knows it, too.

“The impact he has defensively with blocking shots, about two a game, those are big, big-time numbers,” Blue Devils associate head coach Jeff Capel said.

I do expect Okafor to get his offensively. If we’re lucky as a viewing public, we’ll be treated to a real duel. Regardless, Duke has too many weapons to not free him up.

But you give me one man for one game, I’m going with Christmas. He’s defensively undefeated. And if Okafor gets the best of him on Saturday, he’ll be the first to do so.

Don’t feel too badly for the Duke center.

He’ll probably leave the Carrier Dome on Saturday with a win. It’s just that Christmas will have the belt for best big man in the country.

Jacob Klinger is the development editor at The Daily Orange, where his column appears occasionally. He can be reached at jmklinge@ syr.edu or on Twitter at @Jacob_Klinger_.

christmas POINTS PER GAME Christmas - 18.0 Okafor - 18.0

the daily orange in the paint

REBOUNDS PER GAME Christmas - 9.3 Okafor - 9.1

from page 3

d’abbraccio Even though Christmas moves quickly enough to be a better one-on-one defender than Okafor, what the Duke center brings to the table offensively more than makes up for his defensive inabilities.

Not only does he have 2 inches and 20 pounds on Christmas, but Okafor — who grabs more offensive rebounds than any other Atlantic Coast Conference player — uses his size better than the SU senior does.

Christmas is an imposing big man, but a bit too thin to body up some of the country’s biggest post players — not that SU’s thin rotation would allow him to do that anyway.

Don’t be swayed by the fact Christmas has exploded for 35 points this season and slightly edges Okafor in the rebounding column. The SU big man has played five consecutive full games. Okafor has spent more than 35 minutes on the floor in just two games this season — and has still scored in double digits in every game, unlike Christmas.

But numbers aside, let’s get down to the skill sets.

Christmas has really come a long way offensively. His footwork, baby hook and shooting touch from point-blank range are miles better from when he came to SU as a defensive and rebounding specialist. And he’s made good decisions when ACC teams

vs.

BLOCKS PER GAME Christmas - 2.4 Okafor - 1.5

have sent double teams his way.

But Okafor takes it a step further. His inventiveness around the basket — switching hands seamlessly at the rim, reversing direction from seemingly dead spots in the paint and, most of all, converting from anywhere — is something no other big man in the country can compete with.

“I was just trying to be aggressive and send a message that one man can’t guard me,” Okafor told reporters after Duke routed Notre Dame last Saturday.

With his massive hands, hauling in entry passes and kicking them back out of double teams is nearly effortless — and Okafor’s been doing that since before ACC play began.

Christmas can only receive the ball in so many spots on the court and be effective. Okafor makes it work with whatever space he’s given.

Surround him with shooters, like Krzyzewski has, and Okafor’s even more of a weapon.

Christmas doesn’t dribble well enough to get to spots like Okafor does, and he doesn’t connect from midrange nearly well enough, either — the two biggest clouds hanging over the SU big man’s NBA prospects.

But again, this debate isn’t about the big picture.

It’s about the one who can simply do more with the ball in his hands.

Phil D’Abbraccio is the sports editor at The Daily Orange, where his column appears occasionally. He can be reached at pmdabbra@syr.edu or on Twitter at @PhilDAbb.

okafor FIELD-GOAL PERCENTAGE Christmas - 58.2 Okafor - 66.5

ASSISTS PER GAME Christmas - 1.4 Okafor - 1.4

february 13-14, 2015 5

the daily orange in the paint

B.J. JOHNSON got to play significant minutes for the first time in conference play against Boston College on Wednesday. He helped space the floor with his four 3-pointers, while Tyler Roberson played just 11 minutes in the win. Johnson will look to continue getting big minutes when Syracuse hosts Duke on Saturday. margaret lin web developer

Johnson tries to build off strong game in Duke matchup

By Sam Blum asst. sports editor

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. — ­ B.J. Johnson saidleading up to Syracuse’s game against Boston College, everything started to click for him in practice. His shots started to fall and his confidence began to rise.

So when SU head coach Jim Boeheim saw the heavy double teams that Rakeem Christmas was drawing, he told Johnson to let it fly when the opportunity presented itself before putting him in the game.

“It just took a lot of pressure somewhat off my shoulders to make shots,” Johnson said. “I

just got to keep doing what I’ve been doing and try and do it next game.”

Johnson made four of the 12 3-pointers that he hoisted in Syracuse’s 70-56 win over Boston College on Wednesday night. After subbing in just two minutes into the game, he played all but four minutes for the rest of the night, his most playing time on the floor in a game this season.

He was consistently left open on the perimeter, and didn’t pass up any open opportunities.

Tyler Roberson, who has gotten more playing time after Chris McCullough tore his ACL and meniscus, was in the game for just 11 minutes, and scored one point. Johnson hopes to build off his momentum and get another shot

time for play 35

B.J. Johnson had his shot early in the season to get significant minutes. Here’s a breakdown of his minutes per game in the 16 contests he’s appeared in.

MINUTES PLAYED

30 25 20 15 10 5 0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

GAMES

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

at becoming a sustained part of the rotation when Syracuse (16-8, 7-4 Atlantic Coast) hosts No. 4 Duke (21-3, 8-3) on Saturday at 6 p.m. in front of what will be a sold out Carrier Dome.

“He’s a very good shooter,” Boeheim said, “and at least if he makes a few, they’ll come out and play him and then he can get the ball inside to Rak.” Johnson’s 7-for-11 shooting and 19 points in the season opener on Nov. 14 teased to his potential, but the sophomore fell off afterward. After gaining meaningful minutes in SU’s first five games, he has logged more than 10 minutes in a game just twice since Dec. 2 before Wednesday.

He had a combined four field goals in the 10 games leading into the BC game, but tallied that same amount in his 34 minutes on the floor.

Boeheim said his decision to go with Johnson had to do with Roberson’s slow start, along with the head coach’s desire to space the floor.

He knew Johnson — a far more capable 3-point shooter than his fellow sophomore forward — would get some makeable open looks with the way the Eagles were face-guarding Christmas.

Johnson missed his first two opportunities from behind the arc Wednesday, but swished one from the corner to cap off an 8-0 Syracuse run that spanned just 72 seconds and pushed SU’s lead to 21-13 with another triple.

“He’s been making them in practice,” guard

Trevor Cooney said. “So it was good to see him come out in the game and bury them as well.”

It was far from a great game for Johnson, though. He missed eight of his 3-point shots

He’s been making them in practice. So it was good to see him come out in the game and bury them as well.

Trevor Cooney su guard

and nine shots overall. His defense, Boeheim said, is still far from satisfactory. His purpose of making shots to spread the defense and create room for Christmas didn’t go as planned.

But if Christmas and Cooney turn in a similarly inefficient offensive outing against Duke, Johnson may have to yet again carry a greater share of the offensive load.

“That was great for me. Me and B.J., we talk a lot on and off the court,” forward Michael Gbinije said. “And I’m happy for the success that he had tonight.” sblum@syr.edu | @SamBlum3

6 february 13-14, 2015

the daily orange in the paint

Kelly walks on to Duke roster after 3 years as team manager

By Paul Schwedelson asst. copy editor

Sean Kelly’s mother, Doreen Kelly, made all of her children read Alan Williams’ book, “Walkon: Life from the End of the Bench,” when they were entering high school.

It taught them lessons about understanding roles, making sacrifices and putting the team first. Williams walked onto Wake Forest’s basketball team and Doreen Kelly wanted to make sure her kids knew that every team member was important.

We have really intense practices, whether it’s a drill, scout team or whatever it is, you’re just on the sideline trying to keep it loud...

Sean Kelly duke guard

“You see how you can still contribute,” Kelly said of reading the book, “even though it may never be on the court, he still had an impact on his team. That always resonated with me.”

Before this season, Kelly walked on to No. 4 Duke (21-3, 8-3 Atlantic Coast), which will take on Syracuse (16-8, 7-4) at 6 p.m. on Saturday. The senior’s path to becoming the Blue Devils’ least-used player this season has been

an unusual one, from not even playing varsity basketball in high school to serving as a team manager for the past three seasons.

Kelly’s older brother, Ryan, played for Duke from 2009–13 and they overlapped as contributors to the men’s basketball program for two seasons.

When Ryan Kelly was being recruited to play college basketball, his parents made sure he always asked the team’s walk-ons how they were treated. He wanted to join a team that valued all its players.

“Really quality programs are the ones that treat all members of the program really well and that’s what we’ve seen at Duke,” Doreen Kelly said. “That every member of the program matters. We know that. We saw that happen.”

Ryan Kelly now plays for the Los Angeles Lakers and said Kelly helped comfort him after his senior season ended in the 2013 Elite Eight with a loss against Louisville.

Though Kelly was just a manager at the time, he helped the team by loading luggage on team planes, making Gatorade and wiping sweat off the court in practice.

In high school, Kelly’s main sport was baseball and he stopped playing basketball. At Duke, Kelly has again embraced contributing in unique ways since he isn’t able to get on the court.

“You’re always trying to be as loud as you can and a voice,” Kelly said. “We have really intense practices, whether it’s a drill, scout team or whatever it is, you’re just on the sideline trying to keep it loud and keep the energy high.”

Though Kelly didn’t play varsity basketball at Ravenscroft School (North Carolina), he was surrounded in a family of basketball players —

SEAN KELLY (CENTER) was a team manager for Duke for three seasons, but before his senior year, he walked onto the Blue Devils’ roster. courtesy of duke sports information

his brother, father, uncle and grandfather all played collegiately.

But playing sports didn’t factor into Kelly’s college choice after he was accepted by Duke.

When his freshman year started, though, he went through the rigorous application process to become a student manager for the Blue Devils and joined his brother in the men’s basketball program.

Kelly played pickup basketball nearly every day of his first three years of college. By the spring of his junior year, he was in the best shape of his life. He started doing the same workout plan that players did and he eventually approached associate head coach Jeff Capel about the idea of being on the roster, but he would have to prove it over the coming weeks.

“He showed an incredible commitment this summer to do that,” Capel said, “and after doing that and seeing how he would gain the respect of players on the team, we thought it was a no-brainer to have him.”

With the same work ethic that Kelly used to contribute behind the scenes, he is now utilizing as one of two seniors on Duke’s roster.

And as Kelly’s first and last season as a collegiate player wears on, he’s experiencing the role of a basketball walk-on like he read about years ago.

“I would have never guessed when I read the book that I would be (in a similar spot),” Kelly said. “It’s a ton of fun … it’s pretty much everything you can ask for.” pmschwed@syr.edu | @pschweds

the daily orange in the paint

february 13-14, 2015 7

Okafor’s personality, demeanor stand out both on, off court

JAHLIL OKAFOR is regarded as one of the top players in the country, but there’s more to him that just that. The 6-foot-11 freshman combines a radiant personality with a composed demeanor both on and off the court. It’s something those who know him highlight and something that defines him beyond just basketball. courtesy of jon gardiner duke photography

By Matt Schneidman asst. sports editor

Jahlil Okafor’s younger relatives will text and call him, telling the 6-foot-11 freshman that they saw him on TV, in Sports Illustrated or that their friends are talking about him.

For Okafor, it’s not about the NBA mock drafts that project him to go No. 1 overall, the constant praise from national media or even those hailing the 19-year-old as the best player in the country.

“For me the best part is having little brothers and little cousins that look up to me and them being able to see that,” Okafor said to The Daily Orange via Duke Athletics. “It makes them happy and it makes me feel good about myself.”

This season, Okafor is averaging 18 points and 9.1 rebounds, among the best numbers in the Atlantic Coast Conference, for a No. 4 Duke (21-3, 8-3 ACC) team that will visit the Carrier Dome for a matchup with Syracuse (16-8, 7-4) at 6 p.m. on Saturday. But for the freshman phenom, there’s a lot more than what’s visible on the court.

Okafor’s unique experiences, which include the passing of his mother when he was 9 years old, have given him a different perspective on life, Duke associate head coach Jeff Capel said.

Okafor is now not just a teenager who possesses a skill set uncanny for his age. He exudes a composure beyond his years, which not only makes him amicable off the hardwood, but an effective presence on it.

“He’s probably the happiest young person I’ve been around,” Capel said. “He’s a guy that gets fouled a lot and they’re not called. And he’s able to handle it the right way and without being demonstrative, without complaining, without being overt, he does that.”

A typical morning for Okafor is just like one for any other college basketball player. He’ll wake up, go to the team’s film session and then walk to class. He joked that he’ll even text center Marshall Plumlee to make sure Plumblee doesn’t sleep through his class.

Then it’s back to his room on Duke’s East Campus to hang out with suitemate and freshman point guard Tyus Jones. There’s nothing about Okafor’s routine that shows he’s the highest-touted freshman in the country.

double dozen

24

Jahlil Okafor has scored in double digits in each of Duke’s 24 games this season.

His 18 points per game lead the Blue Devils and matches SU’s Rakeem Christmas.

“He’s funny, he’s nice, he’s a class act,” senior walk-on Sean Kelly said. “I guess a lot of people probably just see him on the court, but off the court he’s just as good as he is on.”

Kelly said that there’s no sense of secluded friend groups or cliques among the team and that Okafor’s lighthearted personality is one of the main catalysts for that.

In the locker room, Okafor will crack jokes all the time, Kelly said. He added that when Okafor puts on a song that he likes, the rest of the team often says, “Oh man, I really like that.”

And whenever Okafor is driving on the street and sees what he called a “beautiful“ dog, his soft side comes out and he stops just to

look at the animal he said he plans on owning several of in the future.

“Jahlil Okafor is a fun-loving guy,” Okafor said.

Almost six minutes into Duke’s game on Monday, the Blue Devils had yet to score and trailed Florida State, 2-0. FSU’s Phil Cofer caught a swing pass just inside the 3-point arc, took one dribble and elevated to dunk right over Okafor for an and-one.

It happens so rarely that Okafor took to Twitter after the game to poke fun at himself.

More times than not, it’s the freshman on the other end of a dunk, often followed by a finger point to acknowledge the teammate who passed him the ball.

And whether it’s the opponents he’s dunking on or his little brothers, people constantly look up to Okafor. The person he’s molded himself into has allowed him to be a 19-year-old superstar, but it’s what people don’t see that he prides himself on.

“He’s able to feel things and see things from a different lens in a different way than most young people,” Capel said. “Just a really, really special and unique young man.” mcschnei@syr.edu | @matt_schneidman

8 february 13-14, 2015

the daily orange in the paint

time machine

Syracuse, Fair outlast Duke in overtime in 1st ACC meeting

C.J. FAIR led the way for Syracuse with 28 points against Duke in the 91-89 overtime win for the Orange on Feb. 1, 2014. Duke’s Rasheed Sulaimon sent the game to overtime with a buzzer-beating 3. SU head coach Jim Boeheim called it the best game he’s ever seen in the Carrier Dome, and the win kept Syracuse undefeated at 21-0. sam maller staff photographer Editor’s note: The article below is a republished story from The Daily Orange’s Feb. 3, 2014 edition. Then-sports editor Stephen Bailey wrote it on Syracuse’s epic overtime win over Duke in the Carrier Dome two days before. A shortened version of the story has been republished for space considerations.

In one flick of the wrist, Syracuse’s best start in program history disappeared and C.J. Fair’s heroic performance was discounted.

Rasheed Sulaimon slipped past Fair’s foul attempt at half court and swished a gametying 25-foot leaner at the buzzer. The record 35,446 fans in the Carrier Dome were completely and utterly shocked.

Some thrashed in rage. Others hung their heads in sorrow. Others still gazed into nothing, hands held on their heads, mouths left agape in disbelief.

But the hands left on heads would rise again.

“I don’t think I’ve been involved in a better game in here that I can remember,” SU head coach Jim Boeheim said.

No. 2 Syracuse (21-0, 8-0 Atlantic Coast) rebounded from Sulaimon’s stunner and came back from three points down in overtime to beat No. 17 Duke (17-5, 6-3) 91-89 in an instant classic.

For all the hype surrounding Saturday’s ACC clash — the historic head coaches and fantastic freshmen, the christening of a new rivalry and chaos of a record-setting crowd, the 12 nights of camping and 17 months of waiting — somehow, some way, the game exceeded expectations.

And if that wasn’t enough, No. 1 Arizona fell

to California 60-58 later in the night, meaning SU’s monumental victory will make it No. 1 come Monday.

“If you paid $3,400 on the market for a courtside seat, it was money well spent. You should be happy that you did,” Boeheim said.

“If you sold your tickets for this game, you should be ashamed because you made some money and missed an epic.”

Senior forward C.J. Fair scored a careerhigh 28 points on 12-of-20 shooting, catching fire in the second half while burning Jabari Parker, the rookie who’s stolen his spotlight as the conference’s star.

It’s a great, unbelievable feeling. This rivalry seems like it’s been going on for 30 years.

It’s just the beginning.

C.J. Fair

former su forward

Jerami Grant finished with a career-high 24 points and 12 rebounds, carrying the Orange in the extra period against a Duke lineup so depleted from fouls that 6-foot-8, 215-pound forward Rodney Hood was playing center.

“This was knockout blow after knockout blow,” Syracuse assistant coach Mike Hopkins said. “You think that person has an advantage, and then you come back, and then they have the advantage.

“This is one of the greatest regular-season

games, if not the greatest, I’ve ever been a part of.”

After Sulaimon’s shot, Fair turned his head in disgust. Boeheim just stood smiling.

But while the fans were rattled, still trying to fathom the series of events that had just unfolded, the players weren’t.

They didn’t talk about the shot. They looked ahead. Parker and Amile Jefferson had fouled out.

There were mismatches to take advantage of.

“We knew we had control for most of the game, so we were fine going into overtime,” Grant said. “We knew we were just going to come out aggressive.”

Grant abused Hood and the rest of the Blue Devils unlucky enough to be on the receiving end of three monstrous jams in a span of 2:18.

But for a moment, all of that seemed for naught when Andre Dawkins drained a 3-pointer with 1:21 left. 87-84, Duke.

Going into that timeout, the team that has found a way to win 20 times this season needed one more.

Fair carried the weight in the second half, Grant through most of overtime. Now it was Tyler Ennis — the hero in SU’s last three games — who drew a foul on Dawkins and knocked down two free throws.

Grant did the same with 39 seconds left to put Syracuse back ahead. Then Rakeem Christmas got two fingers on a vicious Hood dunk attempt to knock it off-line.

And with Syracuse leading by two, following Fair’s split of two free throws with six seconds left, Quinn Cook’s contested jumper from the right wing sailed over both sides of the iron.

Fair held his right fist high as he walked off

the court. Syracuse survived.

“To start a new rivalry, it was like a storybook ending for us,” Ennis said.

Fair heightened the mystique of the game with each shot he took after halftime.

A walk-in 3-pointer from the top of the key.

A two-dribble baseline move past Marshall Plumlee for a lefty slam right after Parker went to the bench. A floater over Dawkins that bounced around the rim as the whistle blew.

He stood, left hand held up until the ball finally dropped through, then slung his limb down in euphoria.

“I knew he was focused from the moment we picked him up,” Grant said. “You could tell he was focused at the game.”

All of Syracuse was. So was all of Duke.

Tyler Thornton scored all nine of his points on a trio of 3 pointers on three consecutive possessions, his last pulling the Blue Devils within two at 70-68 with 4:25 left in regulation.

Then it was Sulaimon’s turn to answer Fair, striking from range once with 48 seconds left before escaping Fair’s grasp and making the 3-pointer over Trevor Cooney to force overtime.

“I honestly didn’t think it was going in,” Fair said. “I thought it was a little short but it went in and I was like, ‘Aw man.’

“I felt if we were to lose that game, it was going to be on me because I didn’t foul him.”

But Syracuse didn’t. The first chapter in the Syracuse-Duke rivalry has been written.

The next begins in three weeks.

Said Fair: “It’s a great, unbelievable feeling.

This rivalry seems like it’s been going on for 30 years. It’s just the beginning.”

february 13-14, 2015 9

the daily orange in the paint

time machine

Boeheim’s ejection buries SU in 6-point loss at Blue Devils

time machine

JIM BOEHEIM reacts to a questionable charge call against C.J. Fair with 24 seconds remaining. Boeheim was given two technical fouls for his protest of the call and Duke went on to win 66-60 against then-No. 1 Syracuse on Feb. 22, 2014. The Orange shot only 22 percent from behind the arc in the game. sam maller staff photographer Editor’s note: The article below is a republished story from The Daily Orange’s Feb. 24, 2014 edition. Former staff writer David Wilson wrote it on Duke’s thrilling win over SU two days before.

DURHAM, N.C. — Jim Boeheim had coached 1,260 games before Saturday and never had there been a call that infuriated him so much as the one that Tony Greene made in the final seconds at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

It was another close Syracuse-Duke game, but C.J. Fair appeared to have tied it up on a baseline drive with 10 seconds remaining. The forward collided with Rodney Hood as the lefty banked in an impressive right-handed layup to tie the game.

Offensive foul.

“Bullsh*t!” Boeheim yelled as he rushed out to midcourt. “That’s bullsh*t!”

Greene didn’t hesitate. He threw the head coach out for the first time in his Hall of Fame career. That call — and Boeheim’s colorful reaction — sealed the No. 1 Orange’s fate.

Quinn Cook sunk 3-of-4 free throws for the double technical and the No. 5 Blue Devils (226, 11-4 Atlantic Coast) pulled out a 66-60 win in SU’s (25-2, 12-2) first trip to Durham, N.C., as a member of the ACC.

“I just thought that was the worst call of the year. That’s all,” Boeheim said after the game.

“I just hate to see a game decided on that call.”

It was a classic just like the first time these two played in the Carrier Dome, only it finished differently than most classics do.

Syracuse had the opportunity to force overtime on Duke’s home floor just as the Blue Devils did earlier in the month in the Carrier Dome.

With a six-point lead in the final minutes, Duke had its chances to put away the game. But SU fought back, and a 1-for-2 trip by Rasheed Sulaimon at the free-throw line left Syracuse down by two with 24 seconds remaining.

The Orange found Fair isolated on the left wing against Tyler Thornton with 13 seconds remaining. He burned the guard with a quick dribble along the baseline and tossed up a circus shot through some contact with Hood to tie the game.

“When I went for the drive, from my perspective, my angle, I felt as though he wasn’t set away from me,” Fair said. “I thought he kind of met me there.”

He stumbled along the rest of the baseline in time to see Greene signal something with his hands. Fair thought he was saying andone. Instead, it was a charge that kept SU two points behind. And Boeheim’s technical fouls put the game out of reach.

“That was the play,” Boeheim said. “That was the game-decider right there.”

Just like the game in the Dome three weeks ago, the officials played a critical role. In that game, Jabari Parker and Amile Jefferson fouled out before overtime. That game also saw Hood on the other end of a questionable foul, when Rakeem Christmas was credited with a

I just thought that was the worst call of the year.

Jim Boeheim su head coach

block of Hood in overtime.

On Saturday, it was Syracuse that spent the game in foul trouble. The Orange’s two centers, Baye Moussa Keita and Christmas, both had four personal fouls by the midway point of the second half.

After Keita picked up his fourth with 12:50 remaining, the Blue Devils converted seven of their next nine field goals to build a six-point lead.

But with each punch that Duke delivered, SU countered.

Parker slammed home a ferocious put-back dunk, then Tyler Ennis got to the rim for a

layup and Jerami Grant dropped in a floater.

Hood sunk an elbow jumper then Syracuse sunk three straight free throws.

“It was a tremendous basketball game, just like the one at Syracuse was,” Boeheim said.

“This was just a different game, but it was a great game.”

As Duke watched its lead slip away, it appeared that Syracuse was headed to another miracle.

But the iconic moment in this comeback effort wasn’t an improbable basket, but a controversial whistle and an angry head coach.

“I definitely thought it was a block,” Grant said. “That’s the new rule. If he’s coming toward you or if he’s already got his gathering step going then it’s a block.”

Boeheim compared it to a similar play earlier in the half when Michael Gbinije tried to draw a charge against Parker, but was whistled for a block.

That one went against the Orange, and so did the play at the end. SU and Duke could meet again before season’s end, but Saturday’s finish leaves the feeling that there could have been more.

“I would’ve been happy with a no-call,” Boeheim said. “Let the players finish the game and see what happens. It was a great game, a tremendously well-officiated game.

“I just disagree with that last call.”

PART 2 OF 3

spencer bodian staff photographer

the daily orange in the paint

a round the nation

UK looks to defend top rank amid other Top 25 matchups South Carolina (12-11, 3-8 Southeastern) at No. 1 Kentucky (24-0, 11-0), Saturday, 2 p.m.

The last time these two teams played, Kentucky won by 15, but now as the Wildcats are getting deeper into their conference schedule, their margin of victory in each game is shrinking. UK is coming off a narrow two-point victory over Louisiana State on Tuesday, and while Kentucky is the favorite, it’s getting to that time of year in college basketball when weird things start to happen.

No. 6 Villanova (22-2, 9-2 Big East) at No. 18 Butler (18-6, 8-3), Saturday, 6 p.m.

These are the two best teams in the Big East and the only two Top 25 teams in the league. Villanova is undefeated at home this year as its 46.4 field-goal percentage has propelled the nation’s sixth-ranked team. Both teams are on a five-game winning streak since losing to Georgetown in mid-January and this matchup should determine which team truly is the beast of the Big East.

No. 16 Baylor (18-6, 6-5 Big 12) at No. 8 Kansas (20-4, 9-2), Saturday, 1 p.m.

Allen Fieldhouse is always a tough place to play and Kansas’ only home loss this season came against No. 1 Kentucky in November. Baylor has lost three of its last eight games and the last time these teams played, the Jayhawks edged out the

Bears in a thrilling one-point win on the road.

KU is looking to make a late-season push to earn a top seed in the NCAA Tournament and to do so, it must defend home court in games like these.

No. 21 West Virginia (19-5, 7-4 Big 12) at No. 14 Iowa State (17-6, 7-4), Saturday, 4 p.m.

The last time these two teams played, Iowa State barely prevailed, thanks to the Cyclones’ Dustin Hogue blocking Tavarius Shine’s 3-point attempt with under a second to go. Another instant classic could be in store although WVU comes in struggling a bit. It’s lost its last three games against ranked teams and faces another one Saturday.

These two teams sit tied for third in the Big 12 and this result will likely shake up the standings.

No. 23 Ohio State (19-6, 8-4 Big Ten) at Michigan State (16-8, 7-4), Saturday, noon Michigan State has a chance to get its first win over a ranked team this season. A signature win would do wonders for the Spartans’ resume as crunch-time approaches. Meanwhile, Ohio State enters the game winning five of its last six and as one of the nation’s best shooting teams with a 50.1 percentage from the field.

— Compiled by Paul Schwedelson, asst. copy editor, pmschwed@syr.edu

february 13-14, 2015 1 3

14 february 13-14, 2015

the daily orange in the paint

women’s basketball

Butler connects, but not often enough as SU loses to Miami

By Jon Mettus staff writer

Brianna Butler stood near the top of the 3-point line in her usual, hunched-over position. She cut to the left corner, caught the inbound pass and sent the 435 fans, who were standing and clapping, to their seats.

The Syracuse guard dropped her hands to her side and jogged back down the court with hardly any reaction. Though she had just hit her third 3-pointer of the game, SU was still down by seven.

“Every time she catches the ball, the ball leaves her hands, the other team puts their arms in the air like, ‘We told you don’t leave her open,’” Syracuse head coach Quentin Hillsman said.

In what Hillsman called the Orange’s worst game of the season, Butler played well, despite cooling down in the second half. She finished second on the team with 19 points, dished out four assists and grabbed three steals, but it wasn’t enough. No. 23 Syracuse (17-8, 7-5 Atlantic Coast) fell to Miami (17-7, 7-4), 85-71, on Thursday, losing to an unranked team for the first time this season.

“Butler is doing the same thing that we need her to do,” Hillsman said. “She’s getting open looks, she’s taking really good shots and I think at the end of the day she has continue to do what she does.”

At times, Butler has shot abysmally this season. On the year, she’s shooting 27.6 percent and against North Carolina on Feb. 5, she hit just 2-of-21 shots and was 0-for-14 beyond the arc.

In the past two games, though, Butler has managed nearly 42 percent from the floor, including an 8-for-20 effort on Thursday.

“As a shooter you go through slumps and I think that these last two games I was able to knock down shots and get out of the slump and recover,” Butler said.

Butler was held without a shot for the first four and a half minutes of the game until she took a pass from SU guard Cornelia Fondren and knocked

BRIANNA BUTLER dribbles the ball outside the 3-point arc. She shot 8-for-20 from the field, but it wasn’t enough as SU fell 85-71 against Miami. larry e. reid jr. staff photographer

down a 3 from the top of the arc. Less than two minutes later, she added a floater .

“It was pretty good being able to hit the shots, but I could have done better,” Butler said.

Butler wasn’t able to score as effectively in the second half, and tried to score inside instead of on the perimeter. She drove from the right side of the net and airballed a layup attempt wide enough that it hit the support holding up the backboard. Butler persisted, regaining her rhythm with layups and mid-range shots to combat her second-half struggles from the 3-point line.

With Syracuse needing a play down the stretch, Butler was open again in the left corner.

A 3 would’ve put Syracuse within eight points with two minutes left, but her shot fell short.

She clenched her teeth as she watched the ball

get wedged between the rim and the backboard.

“She was trying to rescue her team there at the end, so she took three or four or five shots probably that weren’t in her rhythm,” Miami head coach Katie Meier said.

Hillsman subbed her out for just three seconds before she re-entered again. With the game out of reach, Butler hoisted up a 3 that never even connected with the net. As the ball fell to the floor and the final 10 seconds ticked away, she walked toward the bench with a blank stare on her face.

The buzzer sounded and all Butler could do was jog to the locker room, shaking her head.

“I think I did OK,” Butler said. “It’s definitely hard when you’re not coming out with the win at the end.” jrmettus@syr.edu

the daily orange in the paint

february 13-14, 2015 1 5

Duke’s Plumlee uses basketball to prepare for army future

By Connor Grossman asst. copy editor

Marshall Plumlee began having last-second thoughts about his college commitment.

After a trip to a U.S. Army base in Germany with his all-star team as a high school junior, Plumlee thought he wanted to take a different path in his life. “‘Dad, I think maybe I made a mistake, maybe I committed to the wrong school,’” his father, Perky Plumlee, recalls him saying. “‘I think maybe I should’ve gone to West Point instead of Duke.’”

Plumlee spoke with Lt. Gen. Robert Brown on

Part of growing up is learning how to make good choices and own your choices.

Perky Plumlee marshall plumlee’s father

his visit to Germany, a former basketball player under then-West Point head coach Mike Krzyzewski. Brown explained to Plumlee he could pursue a career in both basketball and the armed forces.

The 7-foot junior now doubles as a second-year ROTC student at Duke and the backup center for the Blue Devils. In January, Plumlee was sworn into the U.S. Army, where he will serve in the reserves upon his graduation in 2016.

As a basketball player, Plumlee’s teammates

and coaches see a skill set bound to translate to his military aspirations.

“He’s an incredibly hard worker and someone that enjoys being a part of something,” associate head coach Jeff Capel said. “When you’re serving in the military that’s basically what it is, selfless service. When you look at him as a teammate, he epitomizes that.”

What’s transpired to lead Plumlee to a life of basketball and military training has surprised no one more than his family. Growing up with two older brothers, Mason and Miles Plumlee, both currently in the NBA, Plumlee couldn’t keep up with them unless his father teamed up with him.

Perky Plumlee said the family didn’t think he could survive in basketball because he was always smiling and laughing. It wasn’t until he made his seventh-grade team that Plumlee’s father saw a transformation in his son. All of a sudden a scrawny, skinny Plumlee was posting up against opposing teams’ big men.

“It was kind of hilarious to us to see how he would morph and get so intense,” Perky Plumlee said. “His coach would tell us, ‘Marshall’s got the heart of a lion, he just doesn’t have many rocks in his pocket.’”

It was through basketball, though, that Plumlee fostered a love for camaraderie. Whether it was with his teammates or family, the Plumlee father said his youngest son always desired the unity or camaraderie that comes along with a team.

But it wasn’t until his visit to Germany when the idea of providing himself to a cause benefitting other people really struck a chord in him.

“I feel like the most rewarding feeling you can get is being a part of something bigger than

MARSHALL PLUMLEE knew he wanted to be a part of the army before he came to Duke.

In January, he was officially sworn in. courtesy of duke sports information

yourself,” Plumlee said to The Daily Orange via Duke Athletics. “And to me, there’s no bigger or more noble a call than serving our country.”

His military aspirations aren’t on the front lines of battle, though. He desires to become an officer in the reserves, just as his current head coach was upon graduating college. He’s also been told by Army officials that he’ll have the opportunity to pursue an NBA career if the chance comes his way.

Following the news of Plumlee’s inauguration, Perky Plumlee said he started receiving text messages reading, “We’ll be praying for him.” The Plumlee father says the news has been misconstrued, and this is something developed over the past several years for his son.

“People have made it sound like he just walked in the gym when they were signing

people up that day and said, ‘Hey, count me in,’” Perky Plumlee said.

The Plumlee parents are now seeing an enhanced version of their son, one who’s not allowed on his cell phone when he’s in uniform for ROTC. He’s on a path that strays away from the Plumlee pedigree of years past.

But the third Plumlee brother is ready to see his military vision from a few years ago come to fruition at the school that at one point he wasn’t sure he wanted to go to.

“Part of growing up is learning how to make good choices and own your choices,” Perky Plumlee said. “This is a good choice that Marshall’s made. It’s his choice, and it wouldn’t work if it were not his choice.” cgrossma@syr.edu | @connorgrossman

the daily orange in the paint

february 13-14, 2015 17

Christmas struggles at BC; Boeheim talks late head coach

By Sam Blum and Jacob Klinger the daily orange

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. — Rakeem Christmas shrugged his arms at the referee as he backpedaled up the court.

He had been hounded in the post for the game’s first 19 minutes. He hadn’t scored a point. He had turned the ball over three times.

So when he finally connected on a short jumper over the outstretched arms of Boston College’s Dennis Clifford and Patrick Heckmann, he wanted a foul to go with it.

“I think he was definitely a little frustrated early,” forward B.J. Johnson said. “But as the game kept going on and we kept building on our lead, he just shook it off.”

Christmas played his worst offensive game of the season on Wednesday at Conte Forum.

He collected just seven points and 10 rebounds, committed five turnovers — including three travels — and missed on five of his eight shots.

He was double-teamed throughout Syracuse’s (16-8, 7-4 Atlantic Coast) 70-56 win over Boston College (9-14, 1-10) and was forced to help facilitate an offense that relied more primarily on players like Michael Gbinije, Kaleb Joseph and Johnson.

Now the Orange prepares to face No. 4 Duke (21-3, 8-3), a team with a talented frontcourt and a tendency to be unpredictable with its defense.

“This is the most anybody’s doubled him,” SU head coach Jim Boeheim said after beating BC. “He had a big game against them in Syracuse and I don’t think they did double him there. So they decided they were going to double him here today.”

Christmas — who left the locker room after the game before taking any questions from the media — drew the attention of his opponents, but still tried to create offense when it wasn’t there.

With 10:53 left, his turnaround jumper from the left of the basket sailed way over the rim and led to a transition layup for the Eagles.

With 5:45 left to play, he tried a left-handed hook shoot that hit the side of the backboard.

“I don’t know if he’s frustrated,” guard Trevor Cooney said. “He knows. He’s a senior.

He knows basketball. And he knows that double teams are going to come.”

On Wednesday those double teams left open lanes for Joseph to penetrate to the basket in ways he hasn’t in his freshman season. It let Johnson get 12 open shots up from behind the arc. It gave Gbinije a chance to take over the role as game-changer for a night.

For Christmas, it wasn’t the 18 points per game that he’s proven to be capable of on a nightly basis. But he did his part in helping the next line of scorers to an SU win.

The Blue Devils, who tip off with Syracuse on Saturday at 6 p.m. in the Carrier Dome, feature a lineup that includes 6-foot-11, 270pound phenom Jahlil Okafor — who isn’t known for his defense, but still poses a physical challenge to Christmas — and athletic 6-foot-9 forward Amile Jefferson.

To knock off previously undefeated Virginia on Jan. 31, Duke’s defense played anything from man-to-man to 2-3 zone to 3-2 zone.

The Blue Devils may very well throw a similar uncertainty the Orange’s way in how it tries to stop Christmas.

“When you have a double team, it’s like you’re playing a four versus three, and we made the extra pass and we were aggressive,” assistant coach Mike Hopkins said after SU’s win over the Eagles. “… There’s open lanes and open areas, and we found those tonight.”

Boeheim remembers late coach Tarkanian

Boeheim jokingly said he forgot the first time he faced Jerry Tarkanian.

“I think they beat the crap out of us, as I remember,” he said. “… If we lose, I don’t remember.”

Boeheim was working his last year as an assistant coach for Syracuse when the Orangemen lost to Tarkanian’s UNLV team, 105-83 on Dec. 5, 1975. After SU’s 70-56 win over Boston College on Wednesday night, Boeheim remembered his Hall of Fame coach and longtime friend, who died on Wednesday at the age of 84.

RAKEEM CHRISTMAS played his worst offensive game of the season on Wednesday against Boston College. The senior forward scored a season-low seven points in addition to his five turnovers — three of them on traveling calls. margaret lin web developer

Boeheim said he didn’t think he ever faced Tarkanian as a head coach — and he was right — but he still had plenty of tributes to pay to the late 30-year college coach.

“One of the very best,” Boeheim said of Tarkanian. “Probably the best pressure defensive coach that I’ve ever seen. His teams came after you, they went after you. Hard as any team in the country. His numbers are spectacular.”

Tarkanian coached UNLV from 1973–92 after leading Long Beach State for five seasons and later coached Fresno State from 1995–02. He won 729 Division I games as a head coach — 14th all-time — and is famous for the Running Rebels’ full-game, full-court press, known as “40 Minutes of Hell.”

But Boeheim remembered the man known as “Tark the Shark” as a humble man.

“Every time I saw Jerry Tarkanian at the end of the season (he’d say), ‘You guys are unbelievable, I can’t believe —’” Boeheim said. “His team

was 32-2. We would be 24-10. ‘I can’t believe you do that.’ He would do that. He did that almost every time I’d see him. People are different than their personas that the media cultivates.”

Both Boeheim and Tarkanian played themselves in the 1994 movie “Blue Chips.” Boeheim joked that he had a longer line because Tarkanian couldn’t remember his own.

But when Boeheim was done joking, he placed the former UNLV head coach among the game’s all-time best.

“He was a great guy, he really was a great guy and he really was a great basketball coach,” Boeheim said. “In my estimation, he’s up there with a lot of guys that everybody puts up there.

“Jerry Tarkanian. He’s a great basketball coach. Not a good basketball coach — a great basketball coach.” sblum@syr.edu | @SamBlum3 jmklinge@syr.edu | @Jacob_Klinger_

18 february 13-14, 2015

the daily orange in the paint

women’s basketball

Centers struggle in loss to unranked Miami

By Josh Hyber staff writer

Briana Day strutted toward the Syracuse bench after an SU timeout with her eyes peered into an almost-empty Carrier Dome miami 85 crowd. The center’s teammates gathered syracuse 71 to talk strategy, but Day wandered for a moment near the end of the SU bench. Somewhere she was searching for an answer.

It never came.

On Thursday night at the Carrier Dome, Miami (17-7, 7-4 Atlantic Coast) feasted for 44 points in the paint — many against Day directly — and cruised to an 85-71 victory over No. 23 Syracuse (17-8, 7-5). Though SU’s centers shot 50 percent from the field and missed just one free throw, they combined for seven turnovers and five fouls.

“There’s no way you can win a game giving up 44 points in the paint,” Syracuse head coach Quentin Hillsman said. “That’s not a formula to win a basketball game.”

Just 42 seconds into the game, Day had already committed two turnovers — the second of which was a three-second violation that Miami answered with a Suriya McGuire 3-pointer.

Eight minutes later, when Day looked into the stands after her second foul, SU trailed 17-12, and the center had four turnovers that led to five Hurricane points.

“You gotta be kidding me,” Hillsman yelled in the general direction of Day, Taylor Ford and Brianna Butler, before calling for reserve

28 44 Syracuse points in the paint

Miami points in the paint

center Bria Day to sub in for her sister.

“I felt I was letting my team down,” Briana Day said after the game.

But a minute later, Hurricanes forward Khaila Prather scored around Bria Day with a move that made Day’s headband fly off. Prather scored again a minute later with a strong move, giving Miami a 23-14 lead with nine minutes to go in the half.

Six minutes later, Bria Day corralled rebounds on two Alexis Peterson misses on the same possession, but failed to make a layup put-back attempt.

On the ensuing possession, Butler fouled Miami guard Adrienne Motley, putting the Hurricanes guard on the free-throw line. But thinking possession had changed in SU’s favor, Day headed up-court to play offense.

“Bria, come on,” Hillsman yelled.

“My B,” the center responded, putting her head

down and rushing to her position in the paint.

Day was taken out moments later and replaced

by SU’s third-string center, Amber Witherspoon.

The Hurricanes took advantage of the freshman, scoring its final four points of the half with two easy layups from Erykah Davenport.

Miami head coach Katie Meier said after the game that the Hurricanes ran a lineup with two post players for “maybe two minutes,” but spaced the floor with multiple four-guard lineups, allowing room for its centers inside. The coach also attributed its 49 percent field goal percentage on Briana Day being in foul trouble.

Day made four free throws early in the second half to chip at UM’s lead but, once again, the miscues and mistakes outshined any positive plays from the SU centers.

“We can’t have 16 turnovers and (Briana) has five of them,” Hillsman said. “That’s not acceptable. She has to do a better job.”

As a sign of the night that was, Day missed Syracuse’s second free throw with 2:54 left in regulation, all but putting the game out of reach with the Orange trailing by nine.

And with SU struggling mightily with its post defense, that’s as close as SU would come.

“They were just walking in the paint and turning around and shooting layups,” Hillsman said. “It really wasn’t anything too tricky … We’re in the best conference in the country.

If you give any post player in this conference that deep a catch, they’re going to make shots.” jmhyber@syr.edu

february 13-14, 2015 19

the daily orange in the paint

(21-3)

4

DUKE AT SYRACUSE CARRIER DOME, 6 P.M., ESPN

(16-8)

STARTING LINEUPS POINT GUARD

KALEB JOSEPH

6-3, 165, FR. 7.0 PPG, 4.4 APG

TYUS JONES

6-1, 180, FR. 11.3 PPG, 5.3 APG

POWER FORWARD

TYLER ROBERSON

Joseph has found himself in Jim Boeheim’s doghouse for the latter part of games this season, but he’s played late into the game over the last two contests. Jones has been far more effective, averaging 11.3 points per game to go along with a team-high 5.3 assists per game as the Duke starter.

6-8, 212, SO. 7.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG

AMILE JEFFERSON

6-9, 215, JR. 8.0 PPG, 6.8 RPG

Advantage: Duke

TYLER AMILE ROBERSON JEFFERSON

SHOOTING GUARD

TREVOR COONEY

6-4, 195, JR. 14.8 PPG, 2.5 RPG

QUINN COOK

6-2, 185, SR. 14.7 PPG, 3.3 RPG

Against BC, Cooney shot just 4-of-11 and missed a handful of open opportunities. On the season, his 34.6 3-point shooting percentage is down nearly 3 percent from last year. Cook has been a workhorse all season, and put up a season-high 26 points on 8-of-15 shooting against FSU on Monday.

JAHLIL OKAFOR

RAKEEM JAHLIL CHRISTMAS OKAFOR

Advantage: Duke

6-7, 200, JR. 12.3 PPG, 4.9 RPG

JUSTISE WINSLOW

6-6, 225, FR 11.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG

Assistant coach Mike Hopkins said Gbinije is playing as well as anyone in the country. When Christmas couldn’t score on Wednesday, Gbinije put up 21. Like three other Duke players, Winslow is averaging in double figures in scoring and is averaging 5.3 rebounds to go along with his scoring abilities.

Advantage: Syracuse

CENTER 6-9, 250, SR. 18 PPG, 9.3 RPG

TYUS JONES

SMALL FORWARD

MICHAEL GBINIJE

Advantage: Duke

RAKEEM CHRISTMAS

KALEB JOSEPH

Boeheim said that Roberson has a lot to work on with his defense. It was one of the reasons he played only 11 minutes against Boston College. Like Jahlil Okafor, Jefferson is shooting at a high percentage (63.6) from the floor.

However, in the past five games, he’s scored just 21 total points.

6-11, 270, FR. 18 PPG, 9.1 RPG

On the season, he’s averaging 18 points per game and more than nine rebounds, and has established himself as one of the best post players in the nation. Okafor has scored in double figures in every game this season, and has had double-digit rebounds in eight of them.

Advantage: Duke

HEAD COACH

TREVOR COONEY

JIM BOEHEIM

QUINN COOK

964 - 328

MIKE KRZYZEWSKI MICHAEL JUSTISE GBINIJE WINSLOW

1004 - 309

The Syracuse head coach is going through one of the more difficult seasons he’s had in his 39 as the SU head coach. Coach K picked up his 1,000th win this season against St. John’s in January. He’s proven to be one of, if not the greatest, coach in the history of the sport.

Advantage: Push