In the Paint: Pittsburgh

IN THE PAINT

syracuse vs pitt

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CODE RED

Could Wednesday’s loss against Louisville be a sign of bad things to come for Syracuse’s frontcourt? See page 3

POINT MAN

Frank Howard played a career-high 23 minutes against UofL and showed promise for the future that he’s more than a stopgap. See page 5

I’LL PASS

Malachi Richardson has evolved into a more complete player, adding a skilled passing component to his arsenal. See page 10

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CHINANU OUAKU and the Louisville frontcourt dominated Syracuse on Wednesday night. The Orange was outscored in the paint, 50-20, and the performance may be a worrysome sign for the near future. Syracuse’s bigs will next face a team it was bullied down low by in the teawms’ first meeting. luke rafferty senior staff photographer

A BIG PROBLEM?

Louisville game could be an ominous sign for Syracuse frontcourt

L

OUISVILLE, Ky. — Most of the Louisville crowd had filed out of the stadium 20 minutes ago, when cheering for uncontested alley-oops had somehow grown old. When Syracuse had completely unraveled and the last five minutes were only delaying an inevitable Cardinals win. When they could still beat the traffic before the streets surrounding the KFC Yum! Center turned into a mosh of brake lights and car horns.

When the final buzzer sounded on Wednesday night, finalizing No. 18 Louisville’s 72-58 win, there were more empty red seats than cheering fans. The Orange hurried off the court. The Cardinals didn’t linger much longer. But 200 or so people, clad in Louisville red, stood behind the home team bench as if another game was about to start.

“We can’t leave yet,” a young fan, no older than 10, said to his dad. “I want to see Chinanu ... Here he comes!”

The small crowd cheered Cardinals center Chinanu Onuaku as he walked toward the tunnel. They shouted to get his attention. They jockeyed for position to steal a high-five. They all wanted a piece of the player who, for 29 minutes, made Syracuse’s three-man frontcourt look like little brothers tying to play in a big kid game.

Six-foot-10 center Dajuan Coleman, 6-foot-8 forward Tyler Roberson and 6-foot-8 Tyler Lydon — none of them had the size nor strength to keep Onuaku and the Louisville frontcourt from grabbing 14 offensive rebounds and scoring 50 points in the paint. Difficulties defending the paint and rebounding the basketball, the themes of SU’s once-reeling season, have resurfaced at an inopportune time. Because if

JESSE DOUGHERTY

THE DOCTOR’S IN

Syracuse (18-9, 8-6 Atlantic Coast) doesn’t leave those problems in Kentucky, it could put a serious dent in its NCAA Tournament hopes.

The Orange hosts Pittsburgh (18-7, 7-6) at 2 p.m. in the Carrier Dome on Saturday, and the Panthers are one of many teams to have dominated SU inside this season. Then SU hosts N.C. State, which ranks 21st in the country in Kenpom.com’s offensive rebounding percentage.

Then a game at No. 5 North Carolina, which has possibly the country’s best frontcourt. Then the regular season ends at Florida State, which has more length than talent on the inside but can exploit Syracuse with its sheer size.

It’s getting to be that time where we roll out all situations in which SU will or will not receive a Tournament bid. One would think the Orange has to win two of its next four games, against teams that are simply stronger and longer in the paint, for a sound regular-season resumé. The frontcourt that played against Louisville won’t allow Syracuse to do that.

“The second half we just went back to probably 10 games ago where we didn’t rebound the ball,” SU head coach Jim Boeheim said after the loss to Louisville. “I thought that was probably the main difference in the second half.”

Eleven games ago, Boeheim returned from his nine-game suspension and the Orange dropped to 0-4 in ACC play with a loss to UNC. The Tar Heels scored 46 points in the paint to

erase Syracuse’s upset bid. At that time, the game could have been seen as the low point of the SU frontcourt’s season — rivaled by troubling performances against Wisconsin, at Georgetown and at Pittsburgh.

But in the nine games that followed, Syracuse went 8-1 and only twice gave up more than 14 offensive rebounds. Boeheim hinted at marginal improvements inside. Lydon was more aggressive on both ends. Coleman played more minutes and effectively threw his weight around. Roberson collected 20 rebounds in a win at Duke and 15 at Virginia.

So to say that Wednesday’s feeble frontcourt performance blindsided the Orange would probably be an understatement. Onuaku leads a very talented frontcourt — arguably the most athletic in the conference — but it’s also without 7-foot center Anas Mahmoud and 6-foot-10 forward Mangok Mathiang due to season-ending injuries. Still, Louisville scored 34 points in the paint in the second half alone while Onuaku finished with 13 points and 15

8

1/13, +8 vs. BC

6

1/16, +8 vs. WF

1/18, +7 vs. Duke

4 2 0 -2 -4 -6 -8 -10 -12

rebounds, seven of which were offensive.

It made the game easy to sum up: Louisville was bigger. Louisville was stronger.

Syracuse couldn’t compete.

“We just had one of those nights,” Lydon said. “It was just one of those nights.”

Onuaku hung onto the moment, not eager to leave the court and put his most complete performance of the season in the rearview mirror. He waved to fans, chatted with a few close to the court and then ducked into the tunnel out of sight.

“Chinanu was so good,” the son said as he and his dad turned to leave.

“Yeah, but Syracuse is just too small,” the dad answered.

A Louisville fan doesn’t decide Syracuse’s fate. Neither does one game. But he was right about one thing: The Orange’s size could.

Jesse Dougherty is a Senior Staff Writer at The Daily Orange, where his column appears occasionally. He can be reached at jcdoug01@syr.edu or @dougherty_jesse.

2/2, +7 vs. VT 1/28, +4 vs. ND

2/11, +7 vs. FSU 2/14, +6 vs. BC

1/9, +2 vs. UNC

Board Game

Since Jim Boeheim’s 1/24, -3 return 11 games ago, vs. UVA the Orange has been up and down on the glass.

Here’s a look at SU’s rebounding margin over that span.

X-Axis: Date of game Y-Axis: Syracuse rebounding margin 1/30, -5 vs. GT

2/17, -11 vs. L’Ville

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women’s basketball

SU grabs win against No. 10 Florida St.

By Jon Mettus digital editor

The third-largest Carrier Dome crowd of the season rose to its feet as point guard Alexis Peterson hoisted two arms into the air at midcourt.

Tears streamed down Brittney Sykes’ face.

Brianna Butler, who was standing in front of Sykes in the handshake line, wiped hers away.

On the other side of the court, No. 10 Florida State was mostly expressionless — some going through the line with their heads down and scampering off the court as quickly as possible.

“Great quality win for our season,” head coach Quentin Hillsman said. “We knew coming into this game that this was one of the opportunities that we had to beat a very good basketball team and tonight we came out and did that.”

The No. 23 Orange (21-6, 11-3) was dominated down low, getting outrebounded by 13 boards, outscored by 26 in the paint and giving up 14 second-chance points. But SU scrounged up an 83-73 win over No. 10 Florida State (21-5, 11-2), on Thursday night. It was SU’s highest-ranking win of the season and one that’s significance transcends just this year.

“This is a Top 10 team,” Sykes said. “This is a program-changing win.”

The change has been a process.

On Wednesday, one day prior to the game, Hillsman said there was no pressure on Syracuse to win. Nobody was expecting it. The team didn’t win its first NCAA Tournament game until two years ago — also the first time it

The Syracuse bench celebrates one of Taylor Ford’s five treys while Jade Phillips and Brittney Sykes hold up their right hands in a “3-pointer” sign. Ford, a senior, made a personal season-high from beyond the arc. evan jenkins staff photographer

reached the tournament in consecutive years.

“There was a time when we were trying just to be .500,” Hillsman said. “We just didn’t want to have a losing season and the goals have changed.”

But in 2012, Hillsman brought in Butler, Sykes, Taylor Ford, Cornelia Fondren and others — all seniors who played possibly their last games at the Carrier Dome on Thursday — to make up the sixth-best recruiting class in the country, a record for the Orange. The class’ 72 winning percentage over the last four years is a record, too.

Butler, the 3-point record holder for SU,

was the first to lead the charge for SU on Thursday, knocking down four 3-pointers in the first quarter. When she cooled off, Sykes chipped in with 15 points, and Fondren added six steals, five assists and nine points.

“A road loss up here isn’t anything to hang our heads about,” Florida State head coach Sue Semrau said. Consistent wins over highly ranked opponents have always eluded Syracuse. But SU has beaten three ranked teams this season, the most during Hillsman’s tenure and the most since the 2001-02 season.

With 30 seconds left on the game clock

and the final result all but absolute, the crowd erupted. Cutouts of Butler, Ford, Fondren and Maggie Morrison bounced above fans’ heads in the stands.

In what could be their last game in Syracuse, the winningest class in team history, the one that started it all, gave Syracuse one of its biggest regular-season wins of all-time.

“Every year we just had to build bigger and bigger,” Sykes said. “We go to NCAA, get the win, go to the second round. Now, going into the post season and finishing out these two games we just want to make more records.” jrmettus@syr.edu | @jmettus

women’s basketball

Ford scores 15 points on Senior Night against FSU

By Sam Blum

senior staff writer

Brianna Butler watched Taylor Ford catch a pass. As Ford got her feet set, Butler extended her arm and raised three fingers high in the air. She’d seen the first four 3-pointers Ford take swish effortlessly through the net.

She knew that her fifth make was on its way.

And Butler kept her hand right where it was even after her confident expectation proved to be right. She ran down the court with Ford, the Orange holding a 10-point lead with 11:32 left to play.

“I basically know everything about Taylor, especially on the court,” Butler said.

“Today, when I see her go off, I just know the feeling she was going to make that next 3. I had to celebrate early for her.”

Ford’s 15 points were the highest mark she’s had in all of conference play. In a season where Ford has seen her minutes — and scoring — slashed nearly in half, the senior waited until her final Carrier Dome appearance to put on her best performance in SU’s best win of the season.

Each of her shots created more separation in No. 23 Syracuse’s (21-6, 11-3 Atlantic Coast) 83-73 win over No. 10 Florida State (21-5, 11-2).

Ford had been averaging just two points in SU’s last four games and hadn’t scored in double-figures since Dec. 9 against Coppin State. She made up for it on Thursday.

“I think instead of my sentimental emotions, my aggressive emotions came out, and I

was knocking down 3s,” Ford said. “Once I hit the first one, I was really, really confident.”

Ford hit her first three from the right wing off a Butler pass with just over a minute left in the first quarter. Then, just four seconds into the second quarter, she connected again.

She scored nine of SU’s 18 points in the quarter. The first was to turn a seven-point lead into 10. The next turned a 12-point lead into 15. But when FSU again brought it down to seven, Ford swished in another.

“If she takes open shots, and she’s shooting the ball with confidence … she’s a very good basketball player,” SU head coach Quentin Hillsman said. “I’m never surprised when she comes out and has a very good game.”

Ford told teammates before the game that she thought she would cry. But as she reflected on her performance well after the final buzzer, those tears had yet to come.

On the season, Ford had shot just 29.4 percent from the field and only 20 percent from behind the arc. She’s always been a player that Hillsman admittedly is hard on. On Thursday, he gave her credit almost immediately after sitting down at the press table. After the game, all her teammates were jumping on her.

It was a night to commemorate the seniors, and Ford waited all year to celebrate in grand fashion.

Said Ford: “I’ll probably cry when I get home.” sblum@syr.edu | @SamBlum3

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FRANK HOWARD (LEFT) has drawn praise from Jim Boeheim this season for being a facilitator despite not receiving many minutes. The freshman point guard has gone from a seldom-used backup to a point guard who played a season-high 23 minutes against Louisville on Wednesday night. luke rafferty senior staff photographer

QUITE FRANKLY Frank Howard has shown he’s more than just a stopgap as a freshman point guard

By Jesse Dougherty senior staff writer

L

OUISVILLE, Ky. — Whether it was Quentin Snider, Trey Lewis or Damion Lee, Louisville’s guards were going to make Frank Howard work for every inch of space on Wednesday night.

Howard is a freshman point guard with limited experience, and the Cardinals’ fullcourt pressure and extended matchup zone could have swallowed him whole. But he remained calm, used his 6-foot-4 frame and long arms to protect the ball, and turned in his most convincing performance of the season in the Orange’s 72-58 loss to No. 18 Louisville at the KFC Yum! Center.

In a season-high 23 minutes, Howard matched a season-high six assists and committed just one turnover when he was stripped driving into the lane. He grabbed two of SU’s seven steals and by assuming all of Syracuse’s ball-handling abilities, he allowed Michael Gbinije, Trevor Cooney and Malachi Richardson to exclusively work off the ball and in space on the wings.

And when the Orange (18-9, 8-6 Atlantic Coast) hosts Pittsburgh (18-7, 7-6) at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Howard’s calm approach to running the offense could help against a Panthers man-to-man defense that matches Louisville’s pressure and intensity.

“When he’s able to get in the lane and make plays, we normally have a smaller lineup in and we’re able to space the floor well,” Cooney said after the loss to Louisville. “That’s what he’s good at. He’s good at making plays and he did a good job tonight.”

“ I see shots sometimes and I pass it instead of shooting it, and it’s something they’ve been talking to me about, putting that in my game and looking to score a lot more.

Frank Howard su guard

What he’s not as good at, defending atop the 2-3 zone and creating his own scoring opportunities, is what Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim quickly pointed to after the game. Boeheim acknowledged Howard’s playmaking ability — which he’d already done by playing him extended minutes against one of the country’s best defenses — but wasn’t as encouraged by Howard’s

development in other areas.

On the season, he’s shooting 23.9 percent from the field (11-for-46) and 6.7 percent from 3 (1-for-15). In conference play, he’s shooting 18.2 percent from the field (4-for22) and 12.5 percent (1-for-8) behind the arc. He mostly played in a four-guard lineup with the 6-foot-8 Tyler Lydon at center on Wednesday, and the lineup struggled to defend the perimeter despite a combination of length and speed at the top and on the wings of the zone.

“Typically I’m looking for the pass,” Howard said of how he could create more scoring opportunities. “Definitely I could start shooting more. I see shots sometimes and I pass it instead of shooting it, and it’s something they’ve been talking to me about, putting that in my game and looking to score a lot more.”

But in the short term, Howard’s court vision and knack for fitting passes into tight spaces gives SU’s offense an important complexion. His calm demeanor gives it needed organization. His ability to get to the rim, whether he’s scoring the ball or not, sucks in defenders and frees up big men inside.

Pittsburgh’s defense, like Louisville’s doesn’t yield a lot of clean looks and held the Orange to just 20 made field goals on Dec. 30. Howard created a lot of those for his teammates against the Cardinals — like when he took two dribbles toward the lane

17

Frank Howard has assisted on 17 buckets in Syracuse’s last five games

before flipping a pass to Cooney for an open 3, bounced a one-handed pass to Gbinije for a layup or pulled Dajuan Coleman’s defender out of the paint before throwing a wraparound pass for an uncontested Coleman dunk.

Even if Howard has a long way to go in other areas on the court, his passing has made him the last addition to Boeheim’s tight seven-man rotation.

It seems that every one of his passes has at least a hint of style to it. He throws them one-handed. He looks away at the last second. He dribbles one way, craning his neck to see the whole court, then turns on a dime to cast the ball in another direction.

And while it may seem the flash and flare set him apart, simply creating shots for his teammates is how he’s come to effect games.

“I think Frank should get some good minutes against Pitt, he can help us a lot against them,” Gbinije said. “He just has to continue what he’s been doing and try do a little bit more.” jcdoug01@syr.edu | @dougherty_jesse

photo by by luke rafferty senior staff photographer

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DAMON WILSON runs onto the floor on Dec. 30, the night Pittsburgh ran over Syracuse 72-61 in the Atlantic Coast Conference opener for both teams. The Panthers outrebounded the Orange 43-25 and pulled away in the last five minutes from what was once a close game. Pittsburgh, though, has lost four of its last six. sam maller staff photographer

IN THE PITT Here’s everything you need to know about the Panthers before Saturday’s matchup

By Matt Schneidman sports editor

I

n the second installment of SyracusePittsburgh this season, the Orange (18-9, 8-6 Atlantic Coast) is coming off its biggest loss of the season while the Panthers (18-7, 7-6) are fresh off a five-point double-overtime win against Wake Forest.

Both teams figure to be on or near the NCAA Tournament bubble when they tip off in the Carrier Dome at 2 p.m. on Saturday, with the stakes infinitely higher than their ACC opener back on Dec. 30.

Here is everything you need to know about Jamie Dixon’s ball club.

All-time series Syracuse owns a 65-42 advantage, but the Orange is only 6-13 when facing a Dixoncoached Panthers team.

Last time they played In this year’s ACC opener for both teams, Syracuse led by two with 9:20 left in the game. But in what became a brief trend for SU early in conference play, the Mike Hopkins-led Orange folded down the stretch and fell to Pitt, 72-61. Trevor Cooney and Tyler Roberson each scored 15 to lead four in double figures for Syracuse, but Jamel

Artis’ near triple-double with 18 points, nine rebounds and eight assists were too much for SU to overcome in the end. It was the last game Syracuse was outright dominated on the boards, with Pitt grabbing 43 to Syracuse’s 25.

The Pittsburgh report Despite losing three out of its last four, Pittsburgh is still one of the top offensive teams in the ACC. The Panthers rank third behind North Carolina and Duke in points per game (78.7) and shoot a conference-best 76.4 percent from the foul line. Michael Young, who flies relatively under the radar when picking out the league’s best players, averages 16.6 points per game and 6.8 rebounds, both team-leading. The Panthers also rank 12th in the country in Kenpom.com’s offensive rebounding percentage and eighth in the nation in free-throw percentage, with an offensive efficiency rating of 113.7 that places 24th in Division I. Pittsburgh also has seven players averaging three or more rebounds per contest and nine players seeing double-digit minutes every game. Since beating the Orange on both teams’ last game of 2015, Pitt has a .500 record in conference while scoring under 65 points in its last three losses against Virginia, Miami and North Carolina. The Panthers

started 14-1, but have slipped into treacherous waters in the middle of the league ahead of Saturday’s matchup in the Dome.

How Syracuse beats Pittsburgh: A minus-18 rebounding margin will almost never be associated with a winning team, but Syracuse led with under 10 minutes to go even while being dominated on the boards during the teams’ last meeting.

Sufficient rebounding efforts have become commonplace for the Orange and Roberson and Tyler Lydon need to have at least seven or eight rebounds each in order for SU to fare better on the glass this time. If Syracuse can neutralize Pitt’s second- and third-chance opportunities and not seem like the team that spends the most time on defense in the entire country, then the Orange could pull out a much-needed win.

Player to watch Sheldon Jeter, a 6-foot-8 junior forward, is averaging an efficient 8.3 points and five rebounds per game in just 18 minutes per contest. He shoots over 53.7 percent from the field and 84.1 percent from the foul line.

He’ll be one of the main challenges for Syracuse’s frontcourt in its quest to quell the down-low domination that took place at the Petersen Events Center. mcschnei@syr.edu | @mattschneidman

BY THE NUMBERS

19.7

In its last three losses, Pittsburgh has scored an average of 59 points per game, 19.7 fewer than its current season average

65

All seven of the Panthers’ losses have been games in which they have scored fewer than 65 points

1

Pitt has played in one overtime game this season, its most recent one, a 101-96 double-overtime win over Wake Forest

10 february 19-20, 2016

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Malachi Richardson adds passing dimension to game

By Jesse Dougherty senior staff writer

It was in December when Michael Gbinije first mentioned the face Malachi Richardson makes before he throws a no-look pass.

Like he sees something no one else sees? No. Like he’s about to make a play that will put the crowd on its feet? Not quite.

Like he wants you to move into open space so he can zip the ball to you? That’s not it.

“It’s more like ... something good just came out of the oven,” Gbinije said. “Yeah, that’s what the face is.”

From the start of the season, it was evident that Richardson has great court vision and a knack for throwing flashy passes. But he never finished with more than three assists in non-conference play, and twice coupled double-digit scoring efforts with five turnovers. Now, with conference play rolling along and Richardson maturing with each passing game, he’s turned a previously hollow skill into a steady source of production for Syracuse (18-9, 8-6 Atlantic Coast) heading into a 2 p.m. date with Pittsburgh (18-7, 7-6) in the Carrier Dome on Saturday.

“ It’s more like ... something good just came out of the oven.

Destiny USA

Michael Gbinije su guard on malachi richardson’s face when completing no-look passes

The freshman finished with five assists against Florida State on Feb. 11 and five more against Boston College on Sunday, becoming the first SU player to collect five or more assists in back-to-back ACC games this season. And while he only had two assists in a loss to No. 18 Louisville on Wednesday, Richardson’s savvy passing remains a key part of the Orange’s guarddominated offense.

“Well he’s using the ball, he’s handling

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the ball more, he’s doing more with the ball,” SU head coach Jim Boeheim said after his team beat Boston College on Sunday. “... he’s a very good passer and he can make plays, and that’s important for us.”

Richardson’s evolution into a surehanded distributor hasn’t been without growing pains.

BY THE NUMBERS

10.6

Percentage of Syracuse’s assists that Malachi Richardson accounted for in nonconference play

19.4

Percentage of Syracuse’s assists that Malachi Richardson accounted for in conference play

In the first half against Florida State, he knifed through the lane and rocketed a no-look shovel pass that brushed Tyler Lydon’s hands and trickled out of bounds. As he jogged back on defense, Boeheim put his hands in the air as if to say “Slow down” and mouthed, “Softer ... softer.”

Later in the game, with the Orange coasting to victory, Richardson charged toward the lane in transition and lobbed a one-handed alley-oop to Gbinije. The pass was just out of Gbinije’s reach and he front-rimmed a dunk attempt before going to the free-throw line. This time Boeheim jumped off the bench, his face red with anger, and yelled at Richardson for not taking the easy layup.

But unlike earlier in the season, the results are greatly outweighing Richardson’s mistakes. Before mistiming that alley-oop, Richardson made the nicest pass of the night when he drew two defenders in the paint and shoveled a pass to Lydon for a dunk. Boeheim skipped into the air, subtly pumped his fist and let up a small smirk before turning his attention back to the game.

“I have to always be creative,” Richardson, who averages 13.5 points a game, said after the Florida State game, and he laughed and dropped his eyes when asked about Boeheim’s reaction to the failed alley-oop.

“That’s just me.”

When the Orange fell to Pittsburgh 72-61 on Dec. 30, Pitt’s in-your-face man-to-man defense held the Orange to just 13 assists and 20 made field goals, tied for its second lowest of the season.

That only heightens the importance of Richardson’s playmaking abilities, as he’s proven time and again that he can go off the dribble and find open teammates while bounding toward the rim. Not only does that free up Syracuse’s big men around the rim, but it can also draw help defense from perimeter defenders and lead to open jumpers for Gbinije and Trevor Cooney.

“He’s very deceptive when it comes to court vision,” Gbinije said after the Florida State game, adding that Richardson still makes “that face” when gearing to dish the basketball.

“You think he’s not looking at you then all of a sudden he’s throwing a pass.”

And of all of a sudden, those passes are turning into points with more regularity. jcdoug01@syr.edu | @dougherty_jesse

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Around the ACC: Duke-Louisville, Miami-UNC and more

By Paul Schwedelson asst. sports editor

With just a couple weeks until postseason time, here’s a look at the Atlantic Coast Conference slate for this weekend.

No. 20 Duke (20-6, 9-4) at No. 18 Louisville (20-6, 9-4) — Saturday at noon, ESPN Duke is coming off a thrilling victory on the road after it beat arch nemesis North Carolina Wednesday night. While postseason play isn’t in question for the Blue Devils, the win significantly helped Duke’s resume as it pushes for a high seed. Grayson Allen, who is averaging 20.7 points and shooting 48.4 percent from the field, leads Duke. On the other side, Louisville is on the heels of beating a previously streaking Syracuse team.

Though the Cardinals will not play in the postseason following its self-imposed ban, they are 16-1 at home and pose a tough challenge for the Blue Devils. It lines up to be one of the premier matchups of the weekend.

No. 11 Miami (21-4, 10-3) at No. 5 North Carolina (21-5, 10-3) — Saturday at 1 p.m., CBS While Miami surges, having won its last five games, North Carolina is reeling with three losses in its last five. The Hurricanes’ combination of Sheldon McClellan (averaging 16.1 points) and Tonye Jekiri (averaging 9.6 rebounds) has posed problems for oppositions. The Tar Heels, meanwhile, most recently suffered a heartbreaking loss to Duke. UNC has one of the best frontcourts in the nation featuring Brice Johnson, Kennedy Meeks and Isaiah Hicks. This matchup also shapes up to be a fun one to watch.

Florida State (16-10, 6-8) at Virginia Tech (13-13, 5-8) — Saturday at 3 p.m., ESPN3 This is the type of game that Florida State has to win. Virginia Tech sits near the bottom of the conference while the Seminoles are projected just outside the NCAA Tournament field according to ESPN’s Joe Lunardi. If FSU was to keep its Tournament hopes alive, it needs to take care of business against teams like the Hokies. Look for freshmen Malik Beasley and Dwayne Bacon to continue leading the Seminoles like they have for most of the season.

Clemson (16-10, 9-5) at N.C. State (13-13, 3-10) — Saturday at 3 p.m., ESPN3 Clemson is listed among Lunardi’s “first four out,” making each of its four remaining regular-season games even more significant. As their season hangs in the balance, the Tigers must travel on the road to Raleigh. Though the Wolfpack hasn’t posed much of a threat to other ACC teams, Anthony “Cat” Barber is one of the best players in the conference. He’s averaging a league-high 23.7 points to go along with 4.5 assists in 38.8 minutes.

No. 19 Notre Dame (18-7, 9-4) at Georgia Tech (14-12, 4-9) — Saturday at 8 p.m., ESPN2 After a rocky three-game stretch losing to Syracuse and Miami, Notre Dame has righted the ship and won its last three against UNC, Clemson and Louisville.

The diverse Fighting Irish attack is led by Demetrius Jackson who is back to form after an injury sidelined him earlier in the season. He averages five assists per game, which ranks second in the conference

behind only Pittsburgh’s James Robinson.

Georgia Tech, a team Lunardi doesn’t project to make the Tournament, is paced by 16.5 points per game by Marcus GeorgesHunt and 10.4 rebounds per game from Charles Mitchell.

Boston College (7-19, 0-13) at Wake Forest (10-16, 1-13) — Sunday at 6:30 p.m., ESPNU At best, this matchup between the two worst teams in the conference provides a close one as their talent levels equal out.

But at worst, this will simply be a display of two terrible teams. Boston College has yet to win an ACC game this season. Wake Forest has only won one. The last time either of these two teams won a game was on Jan. 10, back when Jim Boeheim was only just returning from his suspension and the Orange was mired in a four-game losing streak. pmschwed@syr.edu | @pschweds

what ’s next ?

The remaining opponents on SU’s schedule

vs. Pittsburgh

Saturday, 2 p.m.

vs. N.C. State

Feb. 27, 2 p.m.

acc standings Take a look at the ACC standings entering this weekend’s action

TEAM

ACC OVERALL

Miami

10-3 21-4

North Carolina

10-3 21-5

Virginia

10-4 21-5

Duke

9-4 20-6

Louisville

9-4 20-6

Notre Dame

9-4 18-7

Clemson

9-5 16-10

Syracuse

8-6 18-9

Pitt

7-6 18-7

Florida State

6-8 16-10

Virginia Tech

5-8 13-13

Georgia Tech

4-9 14-12

NC State

3-10 13-13

Wake Forest

1-13 10-16

Boston College

0-13 7-19

at North Carolina Feb. 29, 7 p.m.

at Florida State

March 5, 2 p.m.

12 february 19-20, 2016

dailyorange.com sports@dailyorange.com

PREGAME PLAYBOOK by the numbers

1.6

key players

point guard

shooting guard

small forward

Syracuse turns the ball over 1.6 fewer times per game than its opponents this season.

The Orange has turned the ball over just 11.8 times per game.

3

Pittsburgh has lost three of its last five games, including contests against North Carolina, Miami and Virginia. A win against Wake Forest snapped the three-game skid.

MICHAEL GBINIJE

JAMES ROBINSON

TREVOR COONEY

STERLING SMITH

MALACHI RICHARDSON

JAMEL ARTIS

HT: 6’7” WGHT: 200 YEAR: RS-SENIOR

HT: 6’3” WGHT: 198 YEAR: RS-SENIOR

HT: 6’4” WGHT: 195 YEAR: RS-SENIOR

HT: 6’4” WGHT: 190 YEAR: SENIOR

HT: 6’6” WGHT: 205 YEAR: FRESHMAN

HT: 6’7” WGHT: 215 YEAR: JUNIOR

Gbinije averages 10.5 points per game on Saturdays this season, which bodes well for his 28-game double-digit scoring streak.

A tale of two gunners. Smith, who transferred to Pitt from Coppin State, averaged 68 3-pointers made in his last two seasons there.

Artis has a blend of guard skills and forward size, much like Syracuse’s Richardson. Saturday will be a battle of two quality wings.

power forward

center

head coaches

18

The Panthers outrebounded Syracuse by 18 in the teams’ first matchup, the worst rebounding performance SU has had during conference play this season.

beat writer predictions Since Pittsburgh beat Syracuse in both teams’ ACC opener, the Panthers have gone 6-6 while slipping to the middle of the pack in the league. The Orange (18-9, 8-6) squares off against Pittsburgh (17-6, 7-6) in the Carrier Dome at 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Here’s how our beat writers predict the game will unfold.

SAM BLUM (18-9)

pittsburgh 70, syracuse 58

BLOWING BUBBLES Syracuse looked more like a bubble team against Louisville than it did an NCAA Tournament team. The loss didn’t put the Orange back on the bubble, but a loss to Pittsburgh has the Orange back in desperation mode. The feel-good days of SU’s streak are over, as the Panthers do to SU what they did in the Steel City, and run away with a once-close game to send the Orange to its second straight loss.

TYLER ROBERSON

MICHAEL YOUNG

DAJUAN COLEMAN

SHELDON JETER

JIM BOEHEIM

JAMIE DIXON

HT: 6’8” WGHT: 226 YEAR: JUNIOR

HT: 6’9” WGHT: 235 YEAR: JUNIOR

HT: 6’9” WGHT: 268 YEAR: SENIOR

HT: 6’8” WGHT: 225 YEAR: JUNIOR

W-L: 882-332 40TH SEASON

W-L: 325-118 13TH SEASON

For the second game in a row, Roberson has a size disadvantage down low. In the Louisville loss, 6-foot-10 Raymond Spalding held him to four boards, less than half his ACC average. rebounds per game.

stacking up SYRACUSE

free-throw percentage

PITT

REBOUNDING MARGIN PER GAME

0 8 ASSISTS PER GAME

67.9%

shots made

shots made

SU

Pitt is one of the best foul-shooting teams in the country with a 76.4-percent mark from the chairty stripe this year.

3 pt. field-goal percentage

14

36.4%

36.4%

shots made

18

PITT

STEALS PER GAME

shots made

SU

8

The Orange and Panthers boast identical 36.4-percent clips from 3-point range this season.

they said it

5 POINTS PER GAME

70.6

MATT SCHNEIDMAN (19-8)

“I just have to be more aggressive … In my situation, sometimes that means shooting the ball.”

Tyler Lydon

pittsburgh 73, syracuse 67

78.7

PANTHER’S LAIR The bubble covering the Carrier Dome isn’t the only bubble in play on Saturday afternoon. After a 14-point loss to Louisville, Syracuse inched just a bit closer to the proverbial straddling line for the NCAA Tournament and would benefit greatly, an understatement, from a win against a Pittsburgh team in similar waters. But the versatility of Michael Young hurts Syracuse in all areas and the Orange has its back to the wall.

76.4%

PITT

syracuse 62, pittsburgh 58

Syracuse was really bad in the second half against Louisville. The Orange’s game against Pittsburgh on Saturday will have an old Big East feel for 35 minutes — fought on the glass and floor with an unrelenting defense. But then SU’s talent will shine the brightest in crunch time, with Malachi Richardson, Michael Gbinije and Trevor Cooney doing what needs to be done to bring SU back into the win column.

Dixon has dominated the Orange with a 13-6 record against SU. Boeheim, despite vacating 101 wins, still boasts a 557-win advantage over Dixon. In the past five matchups, Pitt has won three games.

stats to know

JESSE DOUGHERTY (19-8)

CLIMBING OUT

Jeter moved down low from the wing last season and his lack of size could be a point for the Orange to exploit with Coleman inside. Coleman is averaging 4.3 rebounds per game.

3-POINT FIELD GOALS PER GAME

8.8 6.6

su center after su’s first game against pittsburgh

“The second half, we went back to probably 10 games ago when we didn’t rebound the ball.”

Jim Boeheim

su head coach on syracuse’s loss to louisville

“We don’t have room for error with two guys having bad nights like that.”

Jim Boeheim

su head coach on malachi richardson and tyler lydon

“It was just a bunch of different things. Just not making the right rotations on defense, getting offensive rebounds, it was just a mixture of things.”

Tyler Lydon

su center on su’s loss to louisville