Orangeyes Daily Articles for Monday - for Basketball | Syracusefan.com

Orangeyes Daily Articles for Monday for Basketball

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Syracuse vs North Carolina: Game Preview and Prediction (rantsports.com; Letcher)

The North Carolina Tar Heels host the Syracuse Orange in an ACC matchup on Monday (7:00 ET, ESPN).

North Carolina has won five straight games and 10 of its last 11 entering Monday’s contest. On Saturday, the Tar Heels topped the Florida State Seminoles 78-74 in Chapel Hill to move to 16-4 overall and 6-1 in league play.

All-American guard Marcus Paige leads the Tar Heels in scoring at 13.8 points per game, despite playing with ankle and foot injuries. Kennedy Meeks averages 12.8 points and a team-high 8.3 rebounds per game. Brice Johnson averages 12.0 points and Justin Jackson scores 10.3 points per outing for head coach Roy Williams.

Syracuse is 14-6 on the season and 5-2 in the ACC. The Orange dropped a heartbreaker to the Miami Hurricanes on Saturday, 66-62 at the Carrier Dome. Syracuse has now lost two of its last three games.

Rakeem Christmas is having an outstanding season for head coach Jim Boeheim and the Orange. Christmas, an All-American and Wooden Award candidate, averages team highs in scoring (18.3), rebounding (8.9) and blocked shots (2.1). Junior guardTrevor Cooney averages 14.1 points per game, while junior guard Michael Gbinije averages 10.7 points per outing.

Syracuse has had scoring problems lately, scoring more than 70 points only twice in their last eight games. That could be a problem against a North Carolina team that likes to push the pace and averages 79.4 points per game. The Syracuse zone should slow Carolina down a bit, but with the game being playing at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, the Tar Heels have a clear advantage.

Final score prediction: North Carolina 70, Syracuse 57
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UNC vs SU Pick/Odds/Prediction (sportschatplace.com; Chambers)

The Syracuse Orange and North Carolina Tar Heels play Monday at the Dean E. Smith Center.

The Syracuse Orange have split their last four games and play their sixth true road game. On the season, Syracuse is averaging 68.4 points on 43.8 percent shooting and is allowing 59.8 points on 37.8 percent shooting. Rakeem Christmas is averaging 18.3 points and 8.9 rebounds while Trevor Cooney is averaging 14.1 points and 2.4 assists. Michael Gbinije is the third player averaging double-digit points and Tyler Roberson is grabbing 7.4 rebounds. The Syracuse Orange are a defensive team that’s allowing 29.2 percent shooting from deep and has given up 66 or less points in seven of their last eight games. Offensively, Syracuse is shooting 65.1 percent from the line and 32 percent from downtown. Syracuse is 2-3 SU on the road.

The North Carolina Tar Heels have won five straight games and look for their seventh ACC win. On the season, NC is averaging 79.4 points on 46.4 percent shooting and is allowing 65.7 points on 37.1 percent shooting. Marcus Paige is averaging 13.8 points and four assists while Kennedy Meeks is averaging 12.8 points and 8.3 rebounds. Brice Johnson is grabbing 7.7 rebounds and Justin Jackson is dishing 2.5 assists. The North Carolina Tar Heels are allowing 27.7 percent shooting from deep and have given up 71 or more points in five of their last six games. Offensively, North Carolina is shooting 69.4 percent from the line and 31.8 percent from beyond the arc. Joel James is questionable with a knee injury.

The Orange are 3-12-1 ATS in their last 16 vs. Atlantic Coast and 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games overall. The Tar Heels are 6-13 ATS in their last 19 games following a ATS loss and 0-4 ATS in their last 4 home games.
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Syracuse Can Only Hold On to Carrier Dome Magic for So Long (sbnation.com; Tynes)

Blue and orange balloons crisscrossed the air from section 309 at the top of the Carrier Dome after a Tyler Roberson crank and tomahawk smash.

One student sat at in awe in the front of the Orange student section in a tangerine-stained cape and a matching mask with horns to bring together his ensemble. Another wore a massive blue Afro, sunglasses and a bright orange morph suit in the middle of the pandemonium.

Others came with associated helmets and knit scarves, multitudes with carrot-colored paraphernalia. The 30, 677 ‘Cuse crazies, the largest crowd in the NCAA this season, that packed the dome, were more than raucous. The deafening racket only increased when Jim Boeheim beckoned the fans to belt louder.

Every time they got within 10 of Miami they rose. Another shot. Miss. Huge rebound. Rakeem Christmas slam. But Miami would always respond. Ron Patterson would rip the ball from Angel Rodriguez in transition. Every time. Every chance they had. They continued to rise. They continued to chant. The magic acquainted with the old dome hasn’t left the concrete sphere. Every run was more emphatic than its predecessor.

"New York’s College Team", as the signs read circling Boeheim Court read, couldn’t dig out of the hole they created. But without their devotees, their diehards, they wouldn’t have had the chance to even stand next to Miami.

"When it gets loud, yes," Miami’s Rodriguez said when asked if crowd noise rattled the Hurricanes guards. "It’s hard to judge an arena like this one and compare it to Cameron Indoor Stadium or those arenas. We do a good job of controlling the crowd. But no doubt, it’s a great atmosphere. 30,000 fans? I’ve never played in front of that many people. When they get an opportunity to get loud. They do very good."
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ACC News

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Coach K Gets 1000th Win As Duke Beats St Johns, Pitt Gets Embarrasses at Loss vs UL and BC Nips GT (PS; Stevens)

Mike Krzyzewski earned his 1000th career victory.

Pittsburgh lost to another good team.

Boston College got on the board in ACC play.

That, plus a look at Monday's game, in the ACC night in review.

DAY TO REMEMBER

Mike Krzyzewski, Duke

You might have heard the Blue Devils' coach reached the 1,000-victory plateau for his career with Duke's comeback 77-68 defeat of St. John's at Madison Square Garden. But the way the victory unfolded was thoroughly appropriate for the occasion.

Krzyzewski not only uncannily pushed the right buttons to prod on a rally (more of Marshall Plumlee and Matt Jones, less of Justise Winslow and Amile Jefferson), but he also had the team that made far better choices in the closing minutes.

Coach K's Duke teams usually ooze copious amounts of talent, but they often are more than happy to let opponents fritter away advantages and the pounce. The shoddy shot selection from St. John's down the stretch helped the Blue Devils (17-2) erase a 10-point deficit while ending the game with a 26-7 burst.
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Other

Flights Cancelled From Syracuse to NYC as The Big Apple Prepares for a Potentially Historic Blizzard (PS; McMahon)

Flights from Syracuse to the New York City area are being cancelled as New York prepares for a potentially historic blizzard.

The first three flights to New York City's John F. Kennedy International and LaGuardia airports from the Syracuse Hancock International Airport have been cancelled. Those flights were scheduled for 11 a.m., 11:31 a.m. and 11:33 a.m.

No other flights have been delayed or cancelled at this time, but New England and the Boston area are expected to be hit by heavy snow Monday afternoon into Tuesday.

Newark Liberty International Airport as well as JFK and LaGuardia airports are reminding fliers to check the status of flights prior to arriving at the airport due to "anticipated severe weather."
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Would you rather coast or be tested? (ESPN)

Once again this week, the Associated Press ranked 25 teams. None of them were named Michigan, Michigan State, Syracuse, Florida or UConn. The last time that didn't happen before this season?

March 10, 1997, according to our crackerjack Stats & Info folks.

Why does that matter? Because sports thrive on big names and college basketball right now is without some of its traditionally biggest. Those five schools count 28 Final Fours among them and at least one has appeared in five of the past six national semifinals...

...College basketball is wildly cyclical, especially with the NBA claiming more and more players early. Sustaining excellence on a revolving door ain't easy, and all five of these schools just happened to hit a downward spiral at the same time. Syracuse, UConn and Michigan lost six players early to the NBA last year, while Michigan State and Florida said goodbye to six seniors.

It happens, but the fact that it is happening simultaneously has landed a body blow to the game, taking even more air out of conference races, and by extension the game.
 

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