Syracuse Basketball: We're Back Online

I have to apologize for the lack of updates from The Cuse Connection the past week or so. Haven't had the time necessary to dedicate to covering the Syracuse Orangemen but I'm ready to get back into the thick of things. Time to dust off the cobwebs and get back to work.

During my absence, the Syracuse Orangemen have split two games and seen quite the display from head coach Jim Boeheim during the post game news conference of the victory over West Virginia on Valentines Day.

The loss came on a Saturday afternoon at 12 o'clock in the KFC Yum Center, a 73-69 defeat at the hands of Rick Pitino's Louisville Cardinals. Syracuse had a few things going against them on this day. For starters, the Orangemen always come out FLAT during noon tip offs. I don't know what it is, maybe the team doesn't go to bed early enough. Whatever the reason, Syracuse is always sluggish for the 12PM tip. Couple that with Rick Pitino's recent success against Jim Boeheim (although to be fair Jim used to own Rick Pitino) and Louisville's unbelievable efficient 3-point shooting barrage and you had the recipe for disaster.

Syracuse was holding their own on the road in Louisville, entertaining a 3 point lead at the under 4 minute official time out in the first half (26-23). Then the Cardinals started raining three pointers. Preston Knowles, Kyle Kuric, Preston Knowles, Kyle Kuric. It felt like a horror film. When the dust settled Louisville was up 40-30 at the break.

The three pointers continued to fall for Louisville as they opened up a 57-37 2nd half lead with 15:30 to go in the ball game. That's when Brandon Triche decided enough was enough. The defense started clamping down for the Cuse and Triche started nailing some 3-pointers of his own to narrow the deficit. Even Scoop Jardine knocked down a 3-point shot. By the time the under 4 time out came in the 2nd half, the Louisville Cardinals were clinging to a 5 point lead.

Unfortunately for Syracuse they didn't have enough in the tank and the game wasn't a few minutes longer, and the Orangemen dropped yet another Big East game to Rick Pitino. Final score Syracuse 69 Louisville 73. Brandon Triche lead the Orangemen with 21 points and Scoop Jardine finally showed some signs of life, finishing with 20 points on 8 of 15 shooting, 4 of 8 from 3-point range. C.J. Fair also put together a solid game, playing 33 minutes and finishing with 11 points and 7 rebounds on 4 of 6 shooting. Fair also made 2 steals.

A couple days later and Syracuse was right back out on the floor, this time at home for a Valentines Day showdown against the West Virginia Mountaineers. Once again, it was Brandon Triche who lead the way for the Orangemen, establishing himself as the most consistent scoring threat and shooter for the Cuse.

Triche finished with 20 points on 7 of 12 shooting and C.J. Fair added 8 points and 5 rebounds in 37 minutes of action. Kris Joseph also contributed 16 points on 5 of 10 shooting from the floor.

The most interesting storyline developing for the Orangemen was the lack of Fab Melo on the floor. Not the usual, "Oh Fab only played 3 minutes tonight." Fab did not start and did not make an appearance in either the Louisville nor the WVU game. Coach Boeheim said Fab Melo missed practice without letting the coaching staff know, and was done playing for now. Melo said he was dealing with some family issues back home in his native Brazil. Either way we are all waiting to see how this plays out.

Back to the game, Syracuse controlled much of the action, however Casey Mitchell kept the Mountaineers in the game shooting an unbelievable 7 of 12 from behind the three point line. Mitchell had a game high 23 points, and every time Syracuse started to make a run and pull away, Casey Mitchell was right there answering back with a 3-pointer and keeping his team in the game.

In the end, Brandon Triche and C.J. Fair were able to keep pacing the Orangemen offense and Syracuse held on for a big 63-52 Big East victory over the Mountaineers to improve their record to 21-6 overall, 8-6 in the Big East.

Coming up next for the Orangemen, who are now ranked #17 in the AP Top 25 and #20 in the ESPN/USA Today Poll, is Rutgers on Saturday afternoon at 4PM in the Carrier Dome, followed by a trip to Philadelphia to take on the Villanova Wildcats. Two very big games for the Cuse.

photo courtesy of syracuse.com

Orangemen fall to Cardinals

With a chance to clinch a post-season birth for the first time since 2004 in front of the home town fans, the Syracuse Orangemen dropped the ball (literally). After a lackluster performance in the first half, Syracuse still managed to go into the locker room up 17-14 at the break.

Unfortunately the Orangemen's shut down second half defense did not arrive in the Carrier Dome with their luggage following an extremely successful road trip, and the Louisville Cardinals dropped the Syracuse Orangemen 28-20 in the Dome in front of 40,735 fans.

Louisville jumped out to a 7-0 lead following a Ryan Nassib fumble that the Cardinals recovered at the Syracuse 41 yard line. Two plays later Jeremy Wright ran untouched 28 yards into the end zone with 6:08 left in the first quarter.

Just fifty-eight seconds later Ryan Nassib found Alec Lemon for a 51 yard touchdown strike to even the game at 7-7. After a great kick-off return by Dorian Graham that set Syracuse up at their own 44 yard line, Carter rushed for 5 yards and then Nassib found his receiver wide open down the middle of the field. For a football team searching for their first bowl game appearance since 2004, it was a tremendous response to the early score and got the Orange faithful back into the game.

Louisville answered on their next drive for another touchdown with 1:39 left in the first quarter. For a Cardinal team playing without starting QB Adam Froman and star Running Back Bilal Powell, it was a very impressive first quarter.

On the other hand, Syracuse committed 6 penalties for 47 yards just in the first quarter and were getting torched in the secondary by a backup quarter back who had only three starts in his career at Louisville.

The Orangemen would find a way to tie the game again on a 70 yard 4:53 drive in the 2nd quarter. With Delone Carter and Antwon Bailey leading the way down field, Syracuse was set up 1st and goal from the 8 yard line. Delone Carter took a Ryan Nassib hand off and scampered into the end zone to tie the game 14-14 with 5:42 left in the 1st half. For all the missed tackles and penalties Syracuse endured, the score was still tied and Syracuse seemed like they were going to make a game of it.

Syracuse got their first break of the game with 2:18 seconds left in the half. Mikhail Marinovich came off the end and absolutely obliterated Justin Burke, who fumbled the ball. Chandler Jones recovered the loose ball for a Syracuse first down at the Louisville 17 yard line. The Cardinals defense would hold and force Ross Krautman onto the field who drilled a 23 yard field goal attempt to give the Orangemen a 17-14 lead which they would hold into the half. As bad as Syracuse was performing, and with all the penalties adding up, the Orangemen still found a way to grab a half time lead and give the faithful hope that a bowl birth might be clinched on this day.

The second half would open with an illegal procedure penalty when Rob Long's kick off went out of bounds. Louisville got the ball at their own 40 yard line, and proceeded to run the ball down the throats of the Orangemen defenders. One can hardly imagine what the outcome of this game would have been like if Bilal Powell had played given the poor tackling by the Orangemen. It probably would have been a blowout. Jeremy Wright capped off the drive with his second touchdown of the game, this time from 12 yards out just 4:26 into the second half to give Louisville a 21-17 lead.

On the following Syracuse drive wide receiver Alec Lemon committed possibly the biggest gaffe of the season. Wide open at the goal line was Alec Lemon when Ryan Nassib hit him right in the numbers. Instead of catching the ball and walking with ease over the goal line the ball bounced off his chest, through his hands, and possibly off his foot onto the turf. Two plays later Ross Krautman came on and hit a 42 yard field goal to cut Louisville's lead to 21-20. That would essentially be the ball game. Instead of Syracuse jumping back out in front 24-21, Louisville still had the lead and Syracuse would never recover.

Louisville's ensuing drive put the nail in the coffin. After literally running through tackles and defenders who looked nothing like the team that knocked off West Virginia and Cincinnati on the road the two weeks prior, the Cardinals were faced with a 4th and 5 from the Syracuse 33 yard line and were going for it to open the 4th quarter. In weeks past the Orangemen's defense might have stiffled the attempt, however Andrell Smith snuck in between countless defenders who chose not to pick him up in coverage and caught a 12 yard pass to keep the drive alive and keep Syracuse on their heels. On the very next play Josh Chichester caught a 21 yard touchdown pass from Justin Burke and Louisville was on top 28-20.

Syracuse would get two drives to attempt to tie the game late in the 4th quarter however their play calling failed to give the Orangemen the first downs they needed. Ryan Nassib was unable to throw to the sticks on two consecutive 3rd down attempts and Louisville's defense held on to give the Cardinals their first road win in Big East play since 2007! Their first road win in 12 tries came against a Syracuse team that was just one win away from clinching a bowl birth for the first time since 2004.

It seemed as if the Orangemen walked into the Carrier Dome thinking that simply showing up would be enough to win the game against a depleted Cardinals team. The Cardinals, on the other hand, marched into the dome ready for a dog fight and gutted out an impressive victory.

However, the most disappointing thing about this game was the turnout from the Syracuse student section. There were two entirely empty sections of student-reserved seating which is baffling considering the high stakes up for grabs on this day. To the fans inside the Carrier Dome and watching at home, it was unconscionable.

The loss drops Syracuse to 6-3, 3-2 in the Big East and still very much alive in their quest to qualify for a bowl game. With three games left on the season, Syracuse needs just one win to earn a trip to a post-season game. Louisville improves to 5-4 on the season and 2-2 in Big East play.

Next week Syracuse will travel to New Jersey to take on Rutgers University. The game will be televised on ESPNU and will kickoff at 3:30PM.

Game Notes:

• Walk on Dorian Graham was very impressive in his kick returning job, averaging 26.5 yards per return.
• Delone Carter rushed for 107 yards on 21 carries and 1 TD. It was his 10th career 100 yard rushing game.
• Ryan Nassib finished with 155 passing yards on 19 of 32 passing attempts and 1 TD. He also lost one fumble.
• Alec Lemon finished with 5 catches for 73 yards and 1 TD to lead the receivers.

photo courtesy of syracuse.com

Syracuse's Road Warriors Return Home to Face Louisville

After winning two straight road games against West Virginia and Cincinnati the Syracuse Orangemen are coming home. This Saturday Syracuse will kickoff in the Carrier Dome against the Louisville Cardinals at noon on SNY. The Orangemen come back to the Dome sporting an impressive 6-2 record (3-1 in Big East play) and are just one win away from bowl eligibility. With a win on Saturday, Syracuse will ensure the program's first winning season since 2001 and their first bowl bid since the 2004 season.

Louisville comes to the Carrier Dome with an overall 4-4 record, 1-2 in the Big East and a laundry list of injuries. The Cardinals lost their last contest against Pittsburgh 20-3 and may be without their starting running back Bilal Powell, who suffered a knee injury in the game. Powell has 1,067 yard this season on 153 attempts and 9 rushing touchdowns along with 12 catches for 118 yards and 1 touchdown. Bilal Powell has the 5th most rushing yards in the nation and if he is unable to play Victor Anderson will get the majority of the carries. Anderson, who has 245 yards on 48 rushing attempts, missed the last three games for the Cardinals, including last weeks game against Pittsburgh, with a shoulder injury. However, he has been cleared to play against Syracuse on Saturday, although it is doubtful he will be 100% healthy.

Cardinals starting quarter back Adam Froman is another question mark going into the game on Saturday. Froman has yet to practice this week and has been seen on campus with crutches, however without any kind of cast or boot. Reports state that Froman has a thigh bruise, but no word yet on his status for Saturday. Froman has completed 132 of 218 passing attempts for 1,633 yards and 11 touchdowns with 4 interceptions. If he is unable to go Justin Burke will get the start. Burke is a senior who has only thrown 7 passes this season, completing 5 of them for 40 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT. He transferred to Louisville via North Carolina State and started three games last season. In 2009 Burke completed 49 of 97 passing attempts for 654 yards and 3 touchdowns. Unfortunately for the Cards he also threw 5 interceptions.

When Adam Froman is healthy he likes to spread the ball around on offense. Doug Beaumont leads the receiving corp with 31 catches for 358 yards and 1 touchdown. Josh Bellamy leads the team in touchdown grabs with 4, and has 18 catches for 284 yards. Cameron Graham has 23 catches for 269 yards 3 touchdown grabs, and Josh Chichester has 13 catches for 215 yards and 2 scores. Lastly, Andrell Smith has 12 catches for 118 yards and 1 touchdown to round out the likely targets.

Louisville's defense enters the Carrier Dome allowing just 18.8 points per game which is 21st best in the nation. The Cardinals also allow 318.8 yards per game which is 25th best in the country. Due to the possibility of a depleted offense and with Syracuse's dynamic defense, it could be a long afternoon for the Cardinals defenders, which will certainly slow them down and make them vulnerable to big plays.

The Syracuse Orangemen are not without injuries. Starting offensive tackle Michael Hay has yet to practice this week and has been sporting a boot on his left foot on the sidelines. In his place has been Ian Allport, who is 6'4" 320 pounds, and Andrew Phillips who is 6'6" and 280 pounds. While Hay had an extremely bad start to the season, he has settled down the last two weeks and provided adequate blocking on the offensive line. Head coach Doug Marrone has not ruled Hay out for Saturday's game yet.

Additionally, Prince-Tyson Gulley has been ruled inactive for the second straight game as he is currently battling mono. With Gulley out Syracuse just has two eligible runners in their backfield, Delone Carter and Antwon Bailey. As long as the Orangemen don't suffer any more injuries they should be fine, however Adam Harris has also seen an increased work load due to the thin numbers in the backfield. Wide receiver Van Chew did not participate in practice on Tuesday, however he was back on the field Wednesday and head coach Doug Marrone said he was just giving Chew a day of rest.

Scott Shafer's defense has been the catalyst for Syracuse's success this season, and currently rank 13th in the country in average yards allowed per game with 298.5. Orangemen D is also 14th in the nation in points allowed, averaging just 17.5 per contest. After a brutal defensive showing in their last home game versus Pittsburgh, expect to see the defense get after it on Saturday. They have been playing too good to come home and pull another disappearing act.

On offense it has been business as usual for the Orangemen. They have been running down opponents throats and punishing defenders along the way. Ryan Nassib bounced back from a rough outing in Morgantown to complete 16 of 26 passing attempts for 125 yards and 2 touchdowns (1 interception) in the win against Cinci last week. He will need to continue to protect the football and not put it on the turf if Syracuse wants to continue the winning ways this Saturday.

Delone Carter and Antwon Bailey's dynamic duo has continued to perform as Carter showed no ill-effects from his hip injury in Morgantown. Carter ran for 109 yards on 19 carries last week. Antwon Bailey scored two touchdowns in Cincinnati last week, 1 rushing 1 receiving, and finished with 68 combined yards from scrimmage in the win. If the duo can stay healthy and continue to pick up positive yardage then this train can keep on rolling!

The Orangemen were also able to get big contributions out of their tight ends this past week. Nick Provo caught 4 passes for 40 yards to lead the team in receiving yardage and Jose Cruz made 3 catches for 20 yards. Provo caught a huge pass on 4th down and 3 for 19 yards to set up Syracuse's first touchdown.

Tune in Saturday at 12PM to catch the live action on SNY when Syracuse takes on Louisville in the Carrier Dome. With a win Syracuse will improve to 7-2 on the year, become bowl eligible for the first time since 2004, and ensure the first winning season for the football program since 2001. Tickets are still available and I highly encourage all Syracuse-Area fans to be in attendance.

photo courtesy of syracuse.com

[UPDATE: Louisville RB Bilal Powell and QB Adam Froman are both ruled OUT on Saturday, as is OL Michael Hay for Syracuse.]