sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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There is scant information as to what this holiday is about, apparently because whoever created it thought its details were unmentionable. Some people probably celebrate it, likely inside their own heads, without mentioning it. They probably think about taboo subjects and unmentionable thoughts.
Festival of Unmentionable Thoughts, also known as Taboo Day, is being observed today! It has always been observed annually on December 12th.
SU News
Syracuse men’s basketball roundtable: Looking back at the season’s one-third mark (DO; Round Table)
Almost a third of the way into the season, Syracuse (7-2) is in the midst of a five-game winning streak. The Orange haven’t lost since their two losses in 24 hours at Madison Square Garden last month. There have been positives in the SU backcourt but negatives down low as Syracuse seeks to keep its winning streak alive.
Here’s what our beat writers think about three major topics so far.
Are Syracuse’s centers its weakest position group?
Billy Heyen: Yes. The Orange have two point guards they trust and a number of effective wing players. Syracuse has the ability in the middle to find success: a 7-foot-2 rim protector in Paschal Chukwu, good hands and footwork of Bourama Sidibe, and the playmaking of small-ball center Marek Dolezaj. But it hasn’t come together. When SU has played star centers, like Oregon’s Bol Bol and Georgetown’s Jessie Govan, there hasn’t been much defensive resistance. As Jim Boeheim said, Syracuse needs its centers to be a strong team in the long run. But so far, they’ve been bad.
Charlie DiSturco: Yes. Syracuse’s centers have struggled immensely with both scoring, defense and foul discipline. Even Oshae Brissett, a forward, averages 3.4 rebounds per game more than Paschal Chukwu — and Elijah Hughes outrebounds Bourama Sidibe. This group of centers have potential, but they have been unable to stop other talented bigs, like Georgetown’s Jessie Govan Saturday. Every other position group has multiple players that are regular contributors at some capacity. The centers do not.
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Syracuse Basketball: Jalen Carey earns his stripes in Georgetown win (itlh; Esden Jr)
Syracuse basketball guard Jalen Carey proved that he belongs after a thrilling performance vs Georgetown on Saturday that delivered a major win.
Being a young player on one of the top schools in the entire country is tough. That is the first world problem that Syracuse basketball guard Jalen Carey is dealing with in 2018.
Not only is he transitioning from high school to the division one college basketball level, but he’s being asked to be a major cog in the Orange’s chase for another national championship. Currently plays the fifth most minutes among all Syracuse players (20.8 minutes per game).
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Syracuse Still Behind Schedule – Orange Fizz – Free Syracuse Recruiting News (orangefizz.net; Hoppe)
Syracuse is rolling. After a big 72-71 win over Georgetown on Saturday, the Orange are 7-2 and back inside the AP Top-25. That win over the Hoyas was a great representation of how the early part of this season has been for SU: a roller coaster ride. If you include the two preseason games, the Orange looked great to start the year. Then things turned for the worse in New York City.
The Orange’s response has been fantastic. With five straight wins since Frank Howard returned to the lineup, some may say that Syracuse’s problems are solved. Not so fast.
Tyus Battle saved the day against Georgetown, but what if that shot doesn’t fall. Keep in mind how poorly the Orange played in the first half on Saturday. The team shot 25% from the field and 7.1% from downtown. Those numbers prompted Jim Boeheim to say this to the Syracuse IMG Sports Network at halftime.
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Gerry McNamara Show 12-11 ESPN Syracuse podcast (player.fm; GMac & Seth)
Gerry McNamara talks to Seth Goldberg about the Orange's win over Georgetown and gives a little peak in to what Coach Boeheim said to Tyus Battle to get him going in the second half.
Sal Capaccio “On The Block” 12-11 | WTLA-AM (espnsyracuse.com; radio; Axe)
WGR’s Sal Capaccio joins Brent “On The Block” to talk Bills, Sabres and University of Buffalo Bulls basketball.
Episode 49: Syracuse-Georgetown lives and a conversation with Syracuse.com's Jason Murray (soundcloud.cm; podcast; Axe)
Episode 49: Syracuse-Georgetown lives and a conversation with Syracuse.com's Jason Murray
ACC Basketball Power Rankings: Miami, Clemson falls after tough losses (bustingbrackets.com; Anderson)
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6. Syracuse Orange (7-2)
Last week: 8th (↑2)
It looked like the Syracuse Orange were going to fall big to the Georgetown Hoyas this past Saturday, then Tyus Battle woke up. Battle scored 21 of his 26 points in the second half, including the final shot with 2.5 seconds left.
It was a tale of two halves for the Battle and the Orange as they trailed 35-22 at halftime. Battle went 7-of-10 in the second half and gave his team to boost they needed to get a 72-71 victory in the end.
The Orange have won five straight games since losing two games in a row in the 2K Empire Classic and are back in the Top 25. They got the better of the Hoyas on Saturday but against a team like the Buffalo Bulls, they’ll need to play a whole lot better.
In the first half, Syracuse shot 7-of-28 (25 percent) from the field and 1-of-14 (7.1 percent) from 3-point range. Frank Howard and Paschal Chukwu both fouled out in their victory over Georgetown. With their ranking back and intact, they’ll need better performances as the non-conference schedule comes to a close.
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Streaking the Lawn’s ACC Men’s Basketball Power Rankings - 12/12/18 (strakuingthelawn.com; Pierce)
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5. Virginia Tech Hokies (8-1, 0-0 - Last Week: 5)
BUZZ WILLIAMS INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
Buzz Williams
@TeamCoachBuzz
Communicate the RIGHT things...
to the RIGHT people...
at the RIGHT time...
@TeamCoachBuzz
Communicate the RIGHT things...
to the RIGHT people...
at the RIGHT time...
bold advice!
7. North Carolina State Wolfpack (8-1, 0-0 - Last Week: 8)
Since our last rankings, the Wolfpack played only in a blowout win against Western Carolina. Torin Dorn is pacing the team with 16 pts a game and shooting 47.8% from 3.
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FSU Basketball is off to a great start, but can it cut down on the turnovers? - ACCSports.com (accsports.com; Geisinger)
It’s been a fast start to the 2018-19 season for FSU Basketball. Florida State is 8-1 and ranked No. 10 in this week’s AP Poll; KenPom slots the Seminoles in as the No. 14 team in the nation, according to the site’s efficiency metrics. Already this season, FSU has three wins over top-50 KenPom teams, including No. 15 Purdue, thanks to a last-second floater from Trent Forrest.
Basketball Society@BBallSociety_
THIS IS WHAT HE DOES
Trent Forrest is one of the most clutch players in all of college ball.
(via @clippittv)
THIS IS WHAT HE DOES
Trent Forrest is one of the most clutch players in all of college ball.
(via @clippittv)
One month into the college basketball season, here's what we've learned (greensboro.com; Wilkerson-New)
It’s the least wonderful time of the college basketball year. With the players taking exams there are no games for students to cheer, or Zion Williamson jams.
Just over 30 days into the season, the schedule hits a lull to allow the student-athletes to focus on being students as the end of the fall semester draws near. With the action on hold until Saturday, it’s a perfect opportunity to reflect on what we’ve learned about the Big Four over the first month of the season.
Duke
Biggest strengths: The Blue Devils are among four teams that will rotate as the nation’s most efficient offense all season. Zion Williamson is the nation’s most efficient offensive player, while RJ Barrett has recently improved in that regard thanks to better shot selection. Most importantly though, Duke is playing its best defense in a decade and leads the nation in defensive turnover rate.
Areas to improve: As good as the Duke offense has been, the Blue Devils have left a ton of points at the free throw line, where they’re shooting just 65 percent. Duke will also need to shore up its defensive rebounding a bit in ACC play, which is abnormally average for a team that attacks the offensive boards well.
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Boston College star Ky Bowman has faith in the Eagles ability to make it to the NCAA Tournament this season. Just over a year after BC beat No. 1 Duke at home, Bowman says last year's experience is already having an impact on the team's expectations for when ACC play beings in just a couple of weeks.
Brownlow: Hard for me to know what UNC is going to be :: WRALSportsFan.com (wralsportsfan.com; video; Lauren, Joe and Adam)
WRALsportsfan.com's Lauren Brownlow joins Adam and Joe to discuss her thoughts on UNC basketball to this point, the caliber of league the ACC is shaping up to be, more hires to Mack Brown's staff and the Panthers latest loss to the Browns.
Other
On the hunt for CNY's best Italian restaurant: Francesca's Cucina (PS; Pucci)
No. 3: Francesca's Cucina
Francesca's opened on North Salina Street in Syracuse's Little Italy neighborhood in 2004, but the history of this family-owned restaurant dates back much further. Owner George Angeloro's grandparents, Angelo and Francesca, owned Angeloro's Cafe on State Street in the city from 1910 to 1989.
To this day, many of the recipes, from the marinara sauce to the homemade gnocchi, are Francesca Angeloro creations.
Address: 545 N. Salina St., Syracuse.
Francesca's
Salad greens are healthy and great and all, but when it comes to a great antipasto salad, it's all about what's on top. At Francesca's, it's cured pork and lots of it. Paper-thin slices of tender prosciutto and rolled and sliced capicola and salami were the foundation for the formidable meat mountain, which was complemented by provolone cheese, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, red onion, hot cherry peppers, olives and hard-boiled egg that was just the teeniest bit soft in the middle.
Just in case there wasn't enough protein, heaping chunks of tuna served as the cherry on top. The small version, pictured above, is $9.99, while the large is $12.99.
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