sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to National Pie Day!
National Pie Day is a "day to maintain America's pie heritage, pass on the tradition of pie making and promote America's love affair with pie." It is a day to bake and eat pies, try new recipes, and give pies to others. Charlie Papazian, who later went on to found the Great American Beer Festival, started the day in 1975 in his classroom, while teaching in Boulder, Colorado. He chose his birthday, January 23, as the day of celebration. In 1986, the American Pie Council began sponsoring the day, in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of Crisco. National Pie Day is also celebrated on December 1, but it is unknown why this date was also chosen or who chose it.
SU News
Will ESPN's GameDay come to the Syracuse-Duke basketball game at the Carrier Dome? (Mike's Mailbox) (PS; Waters)
We didn't get to Syracuse's 95-91 overtime win over Duke in last week because Mike's Mailbox was entirely devoted to a list of the greatest leapers in Syracuse history?
One week later, though, Syracuse's huge upset of the then-No. 1 Blue Devils still resonates, especially among Orange fans.
Several questions arose from Syracuse's game at Duke on Monday, Jan. 14, and we'll get to them this week. But first, there's a question about Syracuse's home game against Duke on Saturday, Feb. 23.
Got a question for Mike Waters? Email him at mwaters@syracuse.com or find him on Twitter at @MikeWatersSYR.
Q: When do they expect to hear if ESPN's GameDay is coming to the Carrier Dome for the Duke game?
Mike: If ESPN has decided to bring its popular GameDay show to the Carrier Dome for Syracuse's game against Duke on Feb. 23, the network hasn't let Syracuse officials in on their plans.
I talked with SU director of media relations Pete Moore and he said that in recent years the notification window has gotten smaller and smaller.
I'd guess that we'll probably hear about two weeks before the game if ESPN will feature the SU-Duke game.
A look at that day's schedule of games in college basketball shows a few other possibilities.
Virginia is at Louisville, but that game is already scheduled at noon on the ACC Network. Auburn is at Kentucky, but that game has a 1:30 p.m. start on CBS. Tennessee is at LSU with a noon start.
I think the other real potential GameDay destination on Feb. 23 is Lubbock, Texas, where No. 14 Texas Tech is hosting No. 9 Kansas. There is currently no time set for that game.
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Upcoming road games critical to Syracuse's season - The Juice Online (the juice; Auger)
A famous football coach once said, “you are what your record says you are.”
And right now, Syracuse’s record of 13-5 says that they’re good but not great. Perhaps pretty good? But the path they’ve traversed to arrive at that record has been a bit odd.
Two losses at Madison Square Garden, albeit to UConn and Oregon. And three losses already in the friendly confines of the Carrier Dome. Yet the Orange remains undefeated in three road games. And yes, you read that correctly. Syracuse DOES leave New York for true road games, despite tired narratives from those who continue to push them.
With ACC play a handful of games old, the league standings are as you might expect; jumbled. North Carolina leads the pack at 5-1 with four teams – Syracuse, Louisville, Duke, and Virginia all a half game back at 4-1.
The bottom of the league is as crowded as the top. Miami, Notre Dame, Wake Forest, Florida State, and Boston College have all stumbled out of the gate to marks of 1-4.
After hosting Miami on Thursday night, Syracuse plays three straight road games in eight days. The outcome of those three games could very well position the Orange for the remainder of the ACC regular season.
Sweep all three and they’re probably fighting Duke, UNC, and Virginia for conference supremacy. Lose all three and they’ll find themselves on the wrong side of the bubble.
The fun starts Saturday in Blacksburg.
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Roundtable: Have these teams turned a corner for real? (si.com; Staff)
More than two months into the season, the early results of November can start to feel like a lightyear away. Remember Duke's opening night rout of Kentucky, or how Ohio State was No. 1 in the first-ever NET ranking? A lot has happened since then, and while a team like the Blue Devils continues to look like one of the nation's very best, others have used the time to grow since November and December slip-ups.
For this week's roundtable, we gave our writers a list of 11 teams that either got off to a rough start or weren't on many people's radars in November and are now enjoying a strong January, and asked each to pick a few that they believe are for real—or not. From defending champ Villanova to Ole Miss, here are their answers.
VILLANOVA
Why Dan Greene Is Buying In: Yes, this season has been uncharacteristically uneven, and yes, given the Big East's depth, there will surely be a few losses to come. But the Wildcats' offense is coming together nicely (it's been the Big East's most efficient during league play) and they have been getting positive contributions of late from freshman point guard Jahvon Quinerly, who was such a nonfactor early that he's basically like a midseason acquisition. Plus I just trust in Jay Wright. They're still my Big East favorites until proven otherwise.
Why Jake Fischer Remains Skeptical: It's difficult to believe in the defending champs, whose offense is still whirring at the 12th-highest efficiency per kenpom.com this season. The Wildcats just simply can't guard any offensive foe of substance, yielding 98.4 points per 100 possessions. Villanova's lineup has long featured four guards and one big man, but the Wildcats have trended even smaller this season, often playing Eric Paschall at the five in super-switchy lineups. Those units have failed miserably at protecting the rim. Villanova ranks a measly 136th in the nation block rate. And while Omari Spellman wasn't Hasheem Thabeet, it's a marked decline from a year ago. Sure enough, the Wildcats are 5–0 to open Big East play. And aside from human infernos Markus Howard and Shamorie Ponds, the conference doesn't have many threats to the reigning champions. This is by far one of the weaker teams Jay Wright has had in recent memory. Villanova will likely claim its league, but this team is not built for a long postseason run, whether it enters the Big Dance with a conference crown or an at large bid.
MARYLAND
Why Greene Is Buying In: Yes, the Terrapins just got shellacked in East Lansing, but that was their first loss by more than four all season and against an elite team. I'm still high on Maryland because a team this young (bottom-five nationally in experience, per kenpom) doesn't go on the kind of seven-game winning streak that the Terps just did if it's some kind of fluke. Bruno Fernando and Anthony Cowan are a legit inside/outside combo and despite turnover issues, Maryland has managed to be solid on both ends, which bodes well for sustainability.
MARQUETTE
Why Max Meyer Is Buying In: Everyone knows about how lethal Marquette’s offense can be, but the Golden Eagles’ defense is ranked 40th in adjusted defensive efficiency per kenpom.com. Marquette has one of the best scorers in the country in Markus Howard, but the Golden Eagles can also rely upon the Hauser brothers to help carry the load. They’re especially boosted by strong shooting from the outside (38.7% from three, 24th nationally) and the FT line (76.4%, 14th), a huge plus for a team that plays in a good amount of close games.
Why Jeremy Woo Remains Skeptical: I’m into Markus Howard’s game, but as a unit Marquette can be streaky and lacks talent up front. I watched as St John’s bottled up Howard on New Year’s Day and left the Golden Eagles mostly helpless. Since then, they’ve won a few tight games, but I’m not sure they can hold together defensively and score enough when Howard has cooler nights to hang as a top-15 team. To me, they feel as mercurial as anyone.
PURDUE
Why Molly Geary Is Buying In: The Boilermakers became a bit of an afterthought nationally after a 6–5 start, but they’re now 12–6 and all the way up to eighth on kenpom. Their only non-quality loss to date is still Notre Dame on a neutral court, which is far from a bad one. Still, Purdue entered 2019 having work to do, and so far in January it’s earned wins over Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana and Rutgers, three of which it’s directly battling in the Big Ten race. At 5–2 in the conference—with only one game left against a Michigan school—it’s in a good spot, and the recent emergence of freshman center Trevion Williams brings optimism to the Boilermakers finding more consistent scoring outside Carsen Edwards. With a top-10 offense and a dynamic go-to guy in Edwards, Purdue has the kind of profile that could make the Sweet 16 if things break right.
Why Michael Shapiro Remains Skeptical: It’s hard to count out the Boilermakers in any contest with scoring dynamo Carsen Edwards leading the way, but the rest of Purdue’s roster could make it difficult to string together victories in the Big Ten. Matt Painter’s squad doesn’t have the same interior presence as last season with Isaac Haas’s departure, and the easy baskets are few and far between. Consider the Boilermakers a sizable step below Michigan and Michigan State atop the Big Ten.
IOWA
Why Greene Remains Skeptical: The Hawkeyes have been deadeye shooters of late, putting up a wow-worthy 83.0% effective field goal percentage against Illinois on Sunday, and they get to the line at the third-highest rate in the country, which provides a nice baseline for their offense. But it's the defense that has me wary: it ranks 13th among the Big Ten's 14 teams in conference play, and its two best showings against relevant opponents have been against a fading Ohio State and middling Northwestern. While Iowa will still end up a tournament team, I think the next few weeks in the Big Ten may be a bit cooler.
SYRACUSE
Why Shapiro Is Buying In: Even if you cast aside Jim Boeheim’s propensity for March magic, Syracuse still has enough talent to position itself well for a run to the second weekend of the NCAA tournament. The Orange’s zone has suffocated opponents as usual in 2018–19, ranking No. 12 in the nation in defensive efficiency, per kenpom. Their offense isn’t unwatchable, either. Syracuse scored 95 points in an overtime victory against Duke on Jan. 14, including 32 from leading scorer Tyus Battle. The Orange have won six of their last seven. Expect them to finish closer to the top of the ACC than the conference cellar.
Why Woo Remains Skeptical: Beating Duke was obviously well-earned, but we go through this with Syracuse every year: the zone works in mysterious ways, but at the end of the day, the offense becomes an issue and more talented teams gain an edge. This could look stupid when they get a couple good breaks and end up in the Sweet 16, but I’m skeptical the Orange can be consistent and efficient enough offensively to land in the top third of the ACC.
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UVA basketball leaves Duke defeat in its ‘Wake’, Cavaliers blow out Wake Forest (wtkr.com; Winkler)
Virginia’s first loss didn’t last.
After losing by two points at Duke Saturday, their first loss of the season, the Virginia Cavaliers bounced back with a resounding 68-45 victory vs. Wake Forest Tuesday. Five UVA players scored in double-figures in the victory.
Virginia (17-and-1 overall, 5-and-1 ACC) opened the game with a 25-3 run and never looked back.
The ‘Hoos have won 12 in a row at John Paul Jones Arena. However, 3rd ranked UVA will hit the road this weekend. Saturday, UVA takes on Notre Dame Saturday at 1:00 p.m. – a game to be broadcast nationally on CBS.
Another tough one in ACC for Notre Dame as Irish fall to Georgia Tech, 63-61 (ndinsider.com; Staff)
At this point, ACC stands not for Atlantic Coast Conference but Another Conference Crusher for the Notre Dame men’s basketball team.
Junior power forward John Mooney scored 22 points with 14 rebounds and freshman Nate Laszewski added a career-high 19 points, but it wasn’t enough as Notre Dame lost a third-straight ACC game on Tuesday night, 63-61, at Georgia Tech.
The Irish fall to 11-8 overall, 1-5 in the conference.
Bad weather back home was expected to keep Notre Dame from returning home until sometime Wednesday morning.
Mooney entered Tuesday’s game averaging 17.5 points and 17.5 rebounds in his last two league games. He tallied his fifth-straight double-double for points and rebounds and league-leading 11th overall — by halftime.
Three Laszewski free throws after being fouled on a missed 3 brought the Irish within two, 59-57, with 2:46 remaining. That capped a 10-1 Irish run.
But there were too many empty possessions and missed opportunities late in the game. Again.
Two T.J. Gibbs free throws got the Irish within two, 61-59, with 10 seconds left.
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https://www.wralsportsfan.com/willi...-down-pitt-79-64/18141996/(wralsportsfan.com; AP; Graves)
There are plenty of words Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski can use to describe his star-laden roster. Nervous is not one of them.
"My guys are not nervous," Krzyzewski said. "I'm nervous. But they are not. They love crowds. They love to compete."
Final 1 2 T
2 Duke 44 35 79
Pittsburgh 25 39 64
Preview | Boxscore
Leaders Duke Pittsburgh
Points R. Barrett 26 T. McGowens 14
Rebounds M. Bolden 9 T. Brown 6
Assists Z. Williamson 7 S. N'Dir 2
No matter who's watching. With the coach who helped recruit the current Blue Devils on the other bench and one of the greatest rappers in history sitting courtside, star freshmen Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett did what they've done seemingly since the day they stepped on campus last fall: They dominated.
Williamson hit his first 10 shots on his way to 25 points, Barrett scored 26 and the second-ranked Blue Devils had little trouble in a clinical 79-64 victory over Pittsburgh and former Duke assistant Jeff Capel on Tuesday night.
Capel helped bring Barrett and Williamson to Duke before leaving last spring to rebuild the Panthers. While Pitt appears to be on its way back, Capel understands the gap between his club and his alma mater remains massive.
"Zion, I don't know if I've seen anything like it," Capel said. "I looked up at one point in the first half and he had 17 and my assistants told me he hadn't missed a shot."
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BOZICH | ACC basketball Surprise Team? It's Louisville (wdrb.com; Bozich)
A six-way tie for first place in the Atlantic Coast Conference was transformed into a leader, a lagger and four teams squeezed into second place Monday.
Those four were surrounded by North Carolina (the new leader) and Virginia Tech (sixth place) after the Tar Heels dusted the Hokies Monday night. Stay tuned for additional programming.
Please understand the new leader is the same North Carolina team Louisville dominated by 21 points in Chapel Hill 10 days ago.
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Syracuse Basketball: Breakdown of Tyus Battle’s varying draft stock (bustingbrackets.com; Richards)
With the time officially ticking on Tyus Battle’s Syracuse Basketball career, where he lies, in terms of the 2019 NBA Draft, remains unknown.
Tyus Battle is a name that’s widely renowned in around the college basketball world. For fans who don’t follow the NCAA religiously, perhaps he’s not a name you would’ve heard of that much. He’s a player who nobody really knows how good he is yet. The Syracuse Basketball star has shown that he’s got a lot to work on, if he’s going to succeed in the NBA, but who hasn’t? Battle‘s a player who definitely has talent, there’s no doubt about it.
If you caught the Orange’s 95-91 OT win against the ‘Monster’-like Duke side on Tuesday, then you won’t, at all, be in the dark on what the young guard is able to produce on a basketball court. Battle led the unseeded Orange in scoring, with 34 points at the famous Cameron Indoor Stadium, resulting in a very important win for Syracuse against a fellow ACC rival, and a win that’ll look very nice on Jim Boeheim’s team’s CV when March comes around.
This Syracuse side is full of talent, with the likes of Battle, Frank Howard, and Oshae Brissett, who knows how far they can go this season? Battle will be the star for the remainder of the year and will be a big loss come next season, if he does leave. He declared for the 2018 Draft, but later decided to return for this year – which is his junior year. Where he lies in terms of NBA caliber talent going into next year remains a mystery. His draft stock is completely unknown and how he performs for the rest of the year will have major implications on this.
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Syracuse Looks to Continue Hot Streak in Home Matchup Against Miami (waer.org; Hatchett)
The Syracuse Orange (13-5, 4-1) will be looking to continue their recent hot streak when they host the Miami Hurricanes (12-5, 1-4) on Thursday night.
Coming off a road upset of Duke and a home win against Pittsburgh, Syracuse enters the game sitting at 4-1 in conference play, good enough for a tie for second place in the ACC.
The Orange have predictably been led by guard Tyus Battle. Battle played a combined 85 minutes during Syracuse’s two game win streak and was the team’s leading scorer with 32 and 22 points respectively.
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KENNY’S 2 PENNIES: On Syracuse Hoops & Romulus Coach Resignation (podcast) (fingerlakes1.com; Kenny 2 Pennies)
On this week’s episode of Kenny’s 2 Pennies brought to you by Dewey’s Third Ward Tavern & Coache’s Diner in downtown Waterloo Kenny talks Syracuse basketball and gives his opinion on the resignation of longtime girls head basketball coach Damon Nicholson.
30 Minutes In Orange Nation 1-22 ESPN Syracuse podcast (player.fm; radio; Steve and Seth)
Steve and Seth discuss Syracuse's win over Pittsburgh. Then, they talk about the NFC and AFC Championship games including the crucial no-call in the NFC Championship and if they believe their should be an NFL overtime structure change.
RJ Barrett On Pace To Be ACC’s Leading Scorer (DBR; Jacobs)
The ACC has rarely been noted for standout scorers. Only two league players ever led major colleges in points per game -- Grady Wallace of South Carolina in 1957, with 31.2 before there was an official Division I, and Virginia Tech’s Erick Green, with a 25.0 average in 2013.
Having ACC players finish in the national top 10 is more common. Duke freshman R.J. Barrett is threatening to become the fifth league scorer, and the first freshman, to finish at that elite level over the past 10 years.
Through 17 games Barrett, topped by his 30-point performance against Virginia’s vaunted defense, was averaging 23.8. That was good for 11th in Division I; the leader, Campbell’s Chris Clemons, pours in 29.2 per game.
Barrett’s average, if maintained, would break the ACC mark by a freshman. That record was set long ago – by Duke’s Marvin Bagley III in 2018. (Oddly, although Bagley contributed 21.0 points per outing, the ACC lists Georgia Tech’s Kenny Anderson as the freshman leader with 20.6 in 1990.)
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Other
B'Ville Big Chill, NY Sportsman's Expo: 13 things to do in CNY this weekend (PS; Pucci)
Mystery at The Exchange
It's a real-life treasure hunt at the Syracuse Antiques Exchange. Guests will have to figure out riddles and puzzles in order to find the keys left around the store by jewelry collector Mrs. Quinn.
Whoever finds the first key can unlock a box containing a Victorian 14k gold and opal necklace. This is the first of six such events. The six winners will return next winter for a final puzzle as they compete for an antique white gold and diamond ring.
Admission includes beer, wine, charcuterie and other snacks.
Where: Syracuse Antiques Exchange, 1629 N. Salina St., Syracuse.
When: Thursday, Jan. 24, at 6:30 p.m.
How much: Tickets are $10.
Syracuse basketball vs. Miami
The Orange are coming off a 2-0 week highlighted by the shocking upset of top-ranked Duke in their own arena. Syracuse will look to keep the good times going when Miami makes the trip to snowy CNY for a Thursday night tip-off.
Where: Carrier Dome, 900 Irving Ave., Syracuse.
When: Thursday, Jan. 24, at 8 p.m.
How much: Tickets start at $30.
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National Pie Day is a "day to maintain America's pie heritage, pass on the tradition of pie making and promote America's love affair with pie." It is a day to bake and eat pies, try new recipes, and give pies to others. Charlie Papazian, who later went on to found the Great American Beer Festival, started the day in 1975 in his classroom, while teaching in Boulder, Colorado. He chose his birthday, January 23, as the day of celebration. In 1986, the American Pie Council began sponsoring the day, in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of Crisco. National Pie Day is also celebrated on December 1, but it is unknown why this date was also chosen or who chose it.
SU News
Will ESPN's GameDay come to the Syracuse-Duke basketball game at the Carrier Dome? (Mike's Mailbox) (PS; Waters)
We didn't get to Syracuse's 95-91 overtime win over Duke in last week because Mike's Mailbox was entirely devoted to a list of the greatest leapers in Syracuse history?
One week later, though, Syracuse's huge upset of the then-No. 1 Blue Devils still resonates, especially among Orange fans.
Several questions arose from Syracuse's game at Duke on Monday, Jan. 14, and we'll get to them this week. But first, there's a question about Syracuse's home game against Duke on Saturday, Feb. 23.
Got a question for Mike Waters? Email him at mwaters@syracuse.com or find him on Twitter at @MikeWatersSYR.
Q: When do they expect to hear if ESPN's GameDay is coming to the Carrier Dome for the Duke game?
Mike: If ESPN has decided to bring its popular GameDay show to the Carrier Dome for Syracuse's game against Duke on Feb. 23, the network hasn't let Syracuse officials in on their plans.
I talked with SU director of media relations Pete Moore and he said that in recent years the notification window has gotten smaller and smaller.
I'd guess that we'll probably hear about two weeks before the game if ESPN will feature the SU-Duke game.
A look at that day's schedule of games in college basketball shows a few other possibilities.
Virginia is at Louisville, but that game is already scheduled at noon on the ACC Network. Auburn is at Kentucky, but that game has a 1:30 p.m. start on CBS. Tennessee is at LSU with a noon start.
I think the other real potential GameDay destination on Feb. 23 is Lubbock, Texas, where No. 14 Texas Tech is hosting No. 9 Kansas. There is currently no time set for that game.
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Upcoming road games critical to Syracuse's season - The Juice Online (the juice; Auger)
A famous football coach once said, “you are what your record says you are.”
And right now, Syracuse’s record of 13-5 says that they’re good but not great. Perhaps pretty good? But the path they’ve traversed to arrive at that record has been a bit odd.
Two losses at Madison Square Garden, albeit to UConn and Oregon. And three losses already in the friendly confines of the Carrier Dome. Yet the Orange remains undefeated in three road games. And yes, you read that correctly. Syracuse DOES leave New York for true road games, despite tired narratives from those who continue to push them.
With ACC play a handful of games old, the league standings are as you might expect; jumbled. North Carolina leads the pack at 5-1 with four teams – Syracuse, Louisville, Duke, and Virginia all a half game back at 4-1.
The bottom of the league is as crowded as the top. Miami, Notre Dame, Wake Forest, Florida State, and Boston College have all stumbled out of the gate to marks of 1-4.
After hosting Miami on Thursday night, Syracuse plays three straight road games in eight days. The outcome of those three games could very well position the Orange for the remainder of the ACC regular season.
Sweep all three and they’re probably fighting Duke, UNC, and Virginia for conference supremacy. Lose all three and they’ll find themselves on the wrong side of the bubble.
The fun starts Saturday in Blacksburg.
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Roundtable: Have these teams turned a corner for real? (si.com; Staff)
More than two months into the season, the early results of November can start to feel like a lightyear away. Remember Duke's opening night rout of Kentucky, or how Ohio State was No. 1 in the first-ever NET ranking? A lot has happened since then, and while a team like the Blue Devils continues to look like one of the nation's very best, others have used the time to grow since November and December slip-ups.
For this week's roundtable, we gave our writers a list of 11 teams that either got off to a rough start or weren't on many people's radars in November and are now enjoying a strong January, and asked each to pick a few that they believe are for real—or not. From defending champ Villanova to Ole Miss, here are their answers.
VILLANOVA
Why Dan Greene Is Buying In: Yes, this season has been uncharacteristically uneven, and yes, given the Big East's depth, there will surely be a few losses to come. But the Wildcats' offense is coming together nicely (it's been the Big East's most efficient during league play) and they have been getting positive contributions of late from freshman point guard Jahvon Quinerly, who was such a nonfactor early that he's basically like a midseason acquisition. Plus I just trust in Jay Wright. They're still my Big East favorites until proven otherwise.
Why Jake Fischer Remains Skeptical: It's difficult to believe in the defending champs, whose offense is still whirring at the 12th-highest efficiency per kenpom.com this season. The Wildcats just simply can't guard any offensive foe of substance, yielding 98.4 points per 100 possessions. Villanova's lineup has long featured four guards and one big man, but the Wildcats have trended even smaller this season, often playing Eric Paschall at the five in super-switchy lineups. Those units have failed miserably at protecting the rim. Villanova ranks a measly 136th in the nation block rate. And while Omari Spellman wasn't Hasheem Thabeet, it's a marked decline from a year ago. Sure enough, the Wildcats are 5–0 to open Big East play. And aside from human infernos Markus Howard and Shamorie Ponds, the conference doesn't have many threats to the reigning champions. This is by far one of the weaker teams Jay Wright has had in recent memory. Villanova will likely claim its league, but this team is not built for a long postseason run, whether it enters the Big Dance with a conference crown or an at large bid.
MARYLAND
Why Greene Is Buying In: Yes, the Terrapins just got shellacked in East Lansing, but that was their first loss by more than four all season and against an elite team. I'm still high on Maryland because a team this young (bottom-five nationally in experience, per kenpom) doesn't go on the kind of seven-game winning streak that the Terps just did if it's some kind of fluke. Bruno Fernando and Anthony Cowan are a legit inside/outside combo and despite turnover issues, Maryland has managed to be solid on both ends, which bodes well for sustainability.
MARQUETTE
Why Max Meyer Is Buying In: Everyone knows about how lethal Marquette’s offense can be, but the Golden Eagles’ defense is ranked 40th in adjusted defensive efficiency per kenpom.com. Marquette has one of the best scorers in the country in Markus Howard, but the Golden Eagles can also rely upon the Hauser brothers to help carry the load. They’re especially boosted by strong shooting from the outside (38.7% from three, 24th nationally) and the FT line (76.4%, 14th), a huge plus for a team that plays in a good amount of close games.
Why Jeremy Woo Remains Skeptical: I’m into Markus Howard’s game, but as a unit Marquette can be streaky and lacks talent up front. I watched as St John’s bottled up Howard on New Year’s Day and left the Golden Eagles mostly helpless. Since then, they’ve won a few tight games, but I’m not sure they can hold together defensively and score enough when Howard has cooler nights to hang as a top-15 team. To me, they feel as mercurial as anyone.
PURDUE
Why Molly Geary Is Buying In: The Boilermakers became a bit of an afterthought nationally after a 6–5 start, but they’re now 12–6 and all the way up to eighth on kenpom. Their only non-quality loss to date is still Notre Dame on a neutral court, which is far from a bad one. Still, Purdue entered 2019 having work to do, and so far in January it’s earned wins over Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana and Rutgers, three of which it’s directly battling in the Big Ten race. At 5–2 in the conference—with only one game left against a Michigan school—it’s in a good spot, and the recent emergence of freshman center Trevion Williams brings optimism to the Boilermakers finding more consistent scoring outside Carsen Edwards. With a top-10 offense and a dynamic go-to guy in Edwards, Purdue has the kind of profile that could make the Sweet 16 if things break right.
Why Michael Shapiro Remains Skeptical: It’s hard to count out the Boilermakers in any contest with scoring dynamo Carsen Edwards leading the way, but the rest of Purdue’s roster could make it difficult to string together victories in the Big Ten. Matt Painter’s squad doesn’t have the same interior presence as last season with Isaac Haas’s departure, and the easy baskets are few and far between. Consider the Boilermakers a sizable step below Michigan and Michigan State atop the Big Ten.
IOWA
Why Greene Remains Skeptical: The Hawkeyes have been deadeye shooters of late, putting up a wow-worthy 83.0% effective field goal percentage against Illinois on Sunday, and they get to the line at the third-highest rate in the country, which provides a nice baseline for their offense. But it's the defense that has me wary: it ranks 13th among the Big Ten's 14 teams in conference play, and its two best showings against relevant opponents have been against a fading Ohio State and middling Northwestern. While Iowa will still end up a tournament team, I think the next few weeks in the Big Ten may be a bit cooler.
SYRACUSE
Why Shapiro Is Buying In: Even if you cast aside Jim Boeheim’s propensity for March magic, Syracuse still has enough talent to position itself well for a run to the second weekend of the NCAA tournament. The Orange’s zone has suffocated opponents as usual in 2018–19, ranking No. 12 in the nation in defensive efficiency, per kenpom. Their offense isn’t unwatchable, either. Syracuse scored 95 points in an overtime victory against Duke on Jan. 14, including 32 from leading scorer Tyus Battle. The Orange have won six of their last seven. Expect them to finish closer to the top of the ACC than the conference cellar.
Why Woo Remains Skeptical: Beating Duke was obviously well-earned, but we go through this with Syracuse every year: the zone works in mysterious ways, but at the end of the day, the offense becomes an issue and more talented teams gain an edge. This could look stupid when they get a couple good breaks and end up in the Sweet 16, but I’m skeptical the Orange can be consistent and efficient enough offensively to land in the top third of the ACC.
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UVA basketball leaves Duke defeat in its ‘Wake’, Cavaliers blow out Wake Forest (wtkr.com; Winkler)
Virginia’s first loss didn’t last.
After losing by two points at Duke Saturday, their first loss of the season, the Virginia Cavaliers bounced back with a resounding 68-45 victory vs. Wake Forest Tuesday. Five UVA players scored in double-figures in the victory.
Virginia (17-and-1 overall, 5-and-1 ACC) opened the game with a 25-3 run and never looked back.
The ‘Hoos have won 12 in a row at John Paul Jones Arena. However, 3rd ranked UVA will hit the road this weekend. Saturday, UVA takes on Notre Dame Saturday at 1:00 p.m. – a game to be broadcast nationally on CBS.
Another tough one in ACC for Notre Dame as Irish fall to Georgia Tech, 63-61 (ndinsider.com; Staff)
At this point, ACC stands not for Atlantic Coast Conference but Another Conference Crusher for the Notre Dame men’s basketball team.
Junior power forward John Mooney scored 22 points with 14 rebounds and freshman Nate Laszewski added a career-high 19 points, but it wasn’t enough as Notre Dame lost a third-straight ACC game on Tuesday night, 63-61, at Georgia Tech.
The Irish fall to 11-8 overall, 1-5 in the conference.
Bad weather back home was expected to keep Notre Dame from returning home until sometime Wednesday morning.
Mooney entered Tuesday’s game averaging 17.5 points and 17.5 rebounds in his last two league games. He tallied his fifth-straight double-double for points and rebounds and league-leading 11th overall — by halftime.
Three Laszewski free throws after being fouled on a missed 3 brought the Irish within two, 59-57, with 2:46 remaining. That capped a 10-1 Irish run.
But there were too many empty possessions and missed opportunities late in the game. Again.
Two T.J. Gibbs free throws got the Irish within two, 61-59, with 10 seconds left.
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https://www.wralsportsfan.com/willi...-down-pitt-79-64/18141996/(wralsportsfan.com; AP; Graves)
There are plenty of words Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski can use to describe his star-laden roster. Nervous is not one of them.
"My guys are not nervous," Krzyzewski said. "I'm nervous. But they are not. They love crowds. They love to compete."
Final 1 2 T
2 Duke 44 35 79
Pittsburgh 25 39 64
Preview | Boxscore
Leaders Duke Pittsburgh
Points R. Barrett 26 T. McGowens 14
Rebounds M. Bolden 9 T. Brown 6
Assists Z. Williamson 7 S. N'Dir 2
No matter who's watching. With the coach who helped recruit the current Blue Devils on the other bench and one of the greatest rappers in history sitting courtside, star freshmen Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett did what they've done seemingly since the day they stepped on campus last fall: They dominated.
Williamson hit his first 10 shots on his way to 25 points, Barrett scored 26 and the second-ranked Blue Devils had little trouble in a clinical 79-64 victory over Pittsburgh and former Duke assistant Jeff Capel on Tuesday night.
Capel helped bring Barrett and Williamson to Duke before leaving last spring to rebuild the Panthers. While Pitt appears to be on its way back, Capel understands the gap between his club and his alma mater remains massive.
"Zion, I don't know if I've seen anything like it," Capel said. "I looked up at one point in the first half and he had 17 and my assistants told me he hadn't missed a shot."
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BOZICH | ACC basketball Surprise Team? It's Louisville (wdrb.com; Bozich)
A six-way tie for first place in the Atlantic Coast Conference was transformed into a leader, a lagger and four teams squeezed into second place Monday.
Those four were surrounded by North Carolina (the new leader) and Virginia Tech (sixth place) after the Tar Heels dusted the Hokies Monday night. Stay tuned for additional programming.
Please understand the new leader is the same North Carolina team Louisville dominated by 21 points in Chapel Hill 10 days ago.
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Syracuse Basketball: Breakdown of Tyus Battle’s varying draft stock (bustingbrackets.com; Richards)
With the time officially ticking on Tyus Battle’s Syracuse Basketball career, where he lies, in terms of the 2019 NBA Draft, remains unknown.
Tyus Battle is a name that’s widely renowned in around the college basketball world. For fans who don’t follow the NCAA religiously, perhaps he’s not a name you would’ve heard of that much. He’s a player who nobody really knows how good he is yet. The Syracuse Basketball star has shown that he’s got a lot to work on, if he’s going to succeed in the NBA, but who hasn’t? Battle‘s a player who definitely has talent, there’s no doubt about it.
If you caught the Orange’s 95-91 OT win against the ‘Monster’-like Duke side on Tuesday, then you won’t, at all, be in the dark on what the young guard is able to produce on a basketball court. Battle led the unseeded Orange in scoring, with 34 points at the famous Cameron Indoor Stadium, resulting in a very important win for Syracuse against a fellow ACC rival, and a win that’ll look very nice on Jim Boeheim’s team’s CV when March comes around.
This Syracuse side is full of talent, with the likes of Battle, Frank Howard, and Oshae Brissett, who knows how far they can go this season? Battle will be the star for the remainder of the year and will be a big loss come next season, if he does leave. He declared for the 2018 Draft, but later decided to return for this year – which is his junior year. Where he lies in terms of NBA caliber talent going into next year remains a mystery. His draft stock is completely unknown and how he performs for the rest of the year will have major implications on this.
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Syracuse Looks to Continue Hot Streak in Home Matchup Against Miami (waer.org; Hatchett)
The Syracuse Orange (13-5, 4-1) will be looking to continue their recent hot streak when they host the Miami Hurricanes (12-5, 1-4) on Thursday night.
Coming off a road upset of Duke and a home win against Pittsburgh, Syracuse enters the game sitting at 4-1 in conference play, good enough for a tie for second place in the ACC.
The Orange have predictably been led by guard Tyus Battle. Battle played a combined 85 minutes during Syracuse’s two game win streak and was the team’s leading scorer with 32 and 22 points respectively.
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KENNY’S 2 PENNIES: On Syracuse Hoops & Romulus Coach Resignation (podcast) (fingerlakes1.com; Kenny 2 Pennies)
On this week’s episode of Kenny’s 2 Pennies brought to you by Dewey’s Third Ward Tavern & Coache’s Diner in downtown Waterloo Kenny talks Syracuse basketball and gives his opinion on the resignation of longtime girls head basketball coach Damon Nicholson.
30 Minutes In Orange Nation 1-22 ESPN Syracuse podcast (player.fm; radio; Steve and Seth)
Steve and Seth discuss Syracuse's win over Pittsburgh. Then, they talk about the NFC and AFC Championship games including the crucial no-call in the NFC Championship and if they believe their should be an NFL overtime structure change.
RJ Barrett On Pace To Be ACC’s Leading Scorer (DBR; Jacobs)
The ACC has rarely been noted for standout scorers. Only two league players ever led major colleges in points per game -- Grady Wallace of South Carolina in 1957, with 31.2 before there was an official Division I, and Virginia Tech’s Erick Green, with a 25.0 average in 2013.
Having ACC players finish in the national top 10 is more common. Duke freshman R.J. Barrett is threatening to become the fifth league scorer, and the first freshman, to finish at that elite level over the past 10 years.
Through 17 games Barrett, topped by his 30-point performance against Virginia’s vaunted defense, was averaging 23.8. That was good for 11th in Division I; the leader, Campbell’s Chris Clemons, pours in 29.2 per game.
Barrett’s average, if maintained, would break the ACC mark by a freshman. That record was set long ago – by Duke’s Marvin Bagley III in 2018. (Oddly, although Bagley contributed 21.0 points per outing, the ACC lists Georgia Tech’s Kenny Anderson as the freshman leader with 20.6 in 1990.)
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Other
B'Ville Big Chill, NY Sportsman's Expo: 13 things to do in CNY this weekend (PS; Pucci)
Mystery at The Exchange
It's a real-life treasure hunt at the Syracuse Antiques Exchange. Guests will have to figure out riddles and puzzles in order to find the keys left around the store by jewelry collector Mrs. Quinn.
Whoever finds the first key can unlock a box containing a Victorian 14k gold and opal necklace. This is the first of six such events. The six winners will return next winter for a final puzzle as they compete for an antique white gold and diamond ring.
Admission includes beer, wine, charcuterie and other snacks.
Where: Syracuse Antiques Exchange, 1629 N. Salina St., Syracuse.
When: Thursday, Jan. 24, at 6:30 p.m.
How much: Tickets are $10.
Syracuse basketball vs. Miami
The Orange are coming off a 2-0 week highlighted by the shocking upset of top-ranked Duke in their own arena. Syracuse will look to keep the good times going when Miami makes the trip to snowy CNY for a Thursday night tip-off.
Where: Carrier Dome, 900 Irving Ave., Syracuse.
When: Thursday, Jan. 24, at 8 p.m.
How much: Tickets start at $30.
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