Two teams missing their top scorers….only on the CW
The Syracuse Orange (4-3) open up ACC play at the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (4-5) at Noon on Saturday. The game will be on the CW (hopefully without Thom Brennaman on commentary) and here’s what we’re watching for:
Kevin: Veteran leadership
Syracuse has struggled because they aren’t getting what we expected from upperclassmen. This is an opportunity to build some positive momentum after the Knoxville Nightmare, but it’s up to the players to take some accountability. The Orange need to treat this game like it’s an elimination game and play with some increased effort and intensity.
Szuba: Top guns off duty; who steps up?
Both squads will be without their top player as Starling is out indefinitely with a broken left wrist and Notre Dame’s Markus Burton is out with an MCL injury. Who steps up on each side? For Syracuse, the answer has been the freshmen and as Kevin alluded to the Orange desperately need more from its upperclassmen. Notre Dame has had Braeden Shrewsberry and Matt Allocco shoulder the scoring load without Burton. This game might be determined by which complimentary players step up.
Finn: Turnover Battle
The Orange have done a good job keeping the ball secure so far this year, averaging among the top 30 teams for the least turnovers in D1. Notre Dame, who are on a five-game losing streak, have had an absolutely wretched time with turnovers during this winless run, averaging over ten a game. This has resulted in them generating much fewer looks on offense than they would like. This matchup could be a great opportunity for the Orange to build defensive confidence and stifle a Notre Dame offense that already struggles to generate good chances.
Mike: Going Back to Fundamentals
There are a lot of areas Syracuse needs to clean up in but if they can’t even get the simple stuff right, they are not going to survive this prolonged stretch without J.J. Starling. That starts with understanding individual roles on both sides of the ball, communicating, and preferably not missing three straight free throws when given the chance. The Irish aren’t exactly in great shape either so this likely comes down to who is better prepared.
Dom: Avoid the early deficit
For the first time this season against Tennessee, Syracuse saw itself in a hole that it couldn’t climb itself out of especially coming out of halftime. Notre Dame missing Markus Burton will help the Orange once you consider how much the Fighting Irish have spiraled over the past few weeks. In a game like this where the top reliable scorers are out for both teams, Syracuse needs to get out of the gate strong and not rely on a second-half surge to win.
Sam: Paint touches
I’ll have much more on this on Saturday, but Syracuse’s guards struggled badly with any sort of dribble penetration against Tennessee. Even Elijah Moore, who had an excellent game, didn’t get into the paint much. The inability to break the first line of pressure and get into the paint cuts the ways in which the Orange can create offensive advantages in half, or even more.
Max: Keep calm and carry on
The Irish offense already moves at a snail’s pace (18.6 seconds per possession, 295th in the country), and expect them to move even slower without Burton. On the contrary, the Orange defense should have no problems setting up, something we haven’t seen much this season with all these high-scoring affairs. Adrian Autry’s defense certainly needs a statement game, and this banged-up Notre Dame team presents a perfect opportunity.
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What will you be watching for in this one?