"Syracuse may have scared some people off when it managed just 39 points in a lopsided loss to rival Georgetown less than two weeks ago...
That said, it's tough to pick against a team coached by Jim Boeheim -- especially in March. His squad has already avenged that loss to the Hoyas, made a run all the way to the championship of the Big East tourney and boasts some star power of its own. The combo of James Southerland, C.J. Fair and Brandon Triche can fill the hoop, and few teams have a player that can affect the game in the number of ways that Michael Carter-Williams can.
...In addition to the Orange's talent, they also pound the offensive glass better than most, hauling down 14.5 offensive rebounds per game. That's good for No. 5 in the nation, and second only to Minnesota in terms of NCAA Tournament teams. On top of that, they aren't overly dependent on getting to the free throw line. Boeheim would probably prefer his guys hit at higher rate than their current 67.5 percent clip when they do get to the charity stripe, but the fact that they don't fold if they're not getting calls tends to bode well."
I don't know anything about Syracuse this year, except that their name keeps coming up as a team that can reach the Final Four, plus they are very athletic.
Aren't they the team that plays 100% zone?
That said, it's tough to pick against a team coached by Jim Boeheim -- especially in March. His squad has already avenged that loss to the Hoyas, made a run all the way to the championship of the Big East tourney and boasts some star power of its own. The combo of James Southerland, C.J. Fair and Brandon Triche can fill the hoop, and few teams have a player that can affect the game in the number of ways that Michael Carter-Williams can.
...In addition to the Orange's talent, they also pound the offensive glass better than most, hauling down 14.5 offensive rebounds per game. That's good for No. 5 in the nation, and second only to Minnesota in terms of NCAA Tournament teams. On top of that, they aren't overly dependent on getting to the free throw line. Boeheim would probably prefer his guys hit at higher rate than their current 67.5 percent clip when they do get to the charity stripe, but the fact that they don't fold if they're not getting calls tends to bode well."
I don't know anything about Syracuse this year, except that their name keeps coming up as a team that can reach the Final Four, plus they are very athletic.
Aren't they the team that plays 100% zone?