sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to International Days of Persons with Disabilities!
International Day of Persons with Disabilities, created with United Nations General Assembly resolution 47/3, "aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. It also seeks to increase awareness of gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life." Each year, the day's main event is held at the UN Headquarters in New York City. In past years, the event has included an opening, panel discussions, and cultural events. There is a different theme for the day each year. From 1992 through 2006 the day was known as International Day of Disabled Persons, but since then it has been called the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
SU News
Opponent preview: What you need to know about Niagara (DO; Emerman)
Syracuse continues its nonconference schedule with Niagara on Thursday after narrowly winning against Bryant in its season-opener on Friday. Head coach Jim Boeheim said postgame that Friday’s matchup shouldn’t have been played.
SU will be without starting center Bourama Sidibe, who the team announced will be sidelined around four weeks with a torn meniscus.
Former Syracuse quarterback Greg Paulus, Niagara’s head coach, brings his team to the Carrier Dome for its season-opener Thursday. Here’s everything you need to know about the Purple Eagles:
All-time series: Niagara is Syracuse’s 12th most common all-time opponent. Syracuse is 35-23 against the Purple Eagles.
Last time they played:
Syracuse controlled almost the whole game in last year’s meeting in the Carrier Dome, coasting to a 71-57 win. Forward Elijah Hughes dominated, leading all scorers with 19 points, nine assists and nine boards. Sidibe stuffed the stat sheet with 10 points, 13 rebounds, five blocks and three steals.
Niagara played a combination of zone and man-to-man but didn’t have answers for Syracuse’s offense, which had four players score in double-digits.
Betting odds: N/A
The Niagara report:
The Purple Eagles, led by guards Marcus Hammond and James Towns, finished sixth in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference out of 11 last year with a 12-20 overall record. Towns graduated, but Hammond is returning. The junior shooting guard led Niagara in scoring (14.3 points per game) and finished ninth in the conference in average. Nearly half of Hammond’s field goal attempts came from behind the arc.
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Beat writers unanimously predict Syracuse to win over Niagara (DO; Staff)
Syracuse (1-0) hosts Niagara in the Carrier Dome on Thursday, six days after narrowly holding off Byrant in its season opener.
The Purple Eagles, who have yet to play a game this season, returned to practice three days ago after pausing all men’s basketball activities since at least Nov. 9 due to COVID-19. Marcus Hammond, who led Niagara in scoring last year at 14.3 points per game, headlines the team’s rotation.
Here’s what The Daily Orange’s beat writers think will happen when the Orange face Niagara:
Andrew Crane (1-0)
Taking flight
Syracuse 75, Niagara 55
Bryant gave Syracuse a scare on Friday, arguably playing well enough to win in the Orange’s first season-opening, single-digit victory since 2007-08 (NIT Season Tip-Off against Siena). This game against Niagara shouldn’t be close, though.
The Purple Eagles don’t have a ton of size, which allowed SU to build a large lead and hold on last year in the Carrier Dome. But after ranking 287th in experience in 2019-20, Niagara returns leading scorer Hammond and other key parts of the rotation.
What the Orange do at center if Marek Doelzaj gets into foul trouble will be interesting, but this will be Syracuse’s first blowout of nonconference play. The Orange will use a regular practice schedule and a stronger defensive performance to play a clean game.
Anthony Dabbundo (1-0)
No panic here
Syracuse 85, Niagara 68
Bryant’s near opening-day win against Syracuse should remind Orange fans that the same issues that plagued last year’s team appear to be back. The defensive issues seem real, but Niagara isn’t the team to exploit them due to their lack of size presence on the inside. The Purple Eagles also ranked last in height in the NCAA last year, making Niagara exactly the team the Orange can easily play small and fast against.
Much like last year, the Orange jump out to an early double-digit halftime lead and cruise to the finish. Niagara stays inside the point spread as head coach Jim Boeheim experiments with some of his bench options to see what he has from his younger centers and backups.
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Can Joe Girard rebound from 'nightmare' vs. Niagara? (10 things) (247sports.com; Gunn)
Syracuse basketball head coach Jim Boeheim admitted that his team's opener against Bryant should have been canceled at halftime of the contest. Afterward, Boeheim doubled down and took "100 percent" responsibility for playing the game despite the Orange having just one day of practice after a two-week pause.
SU looked out of sync, allowing 51 points at halftime to a Bulldogs team that topped 80 points only four times last year. Syracuse would go down as many as 13 points in the second half and the team looked gassed. Maybe the most shocking part about that game? The Orange actually won. In typical Boeheim fashion, SU (1-0, 0-0 ACC) found a way to pull out an ugly victory defeating the Bulldogs 85-84 as two potential game-winners for Bryant rimmed out on the final possession.
Syracuse gets its second non-conference game on Thursday at 8 p.m. in a showdown with Niagara. The game is being broadcast regionally, including on the YES Network in Central New York. The Purple Eagles will be opening their season after taking a multi-week break of their own due to a Covid-19 outbreak on campus. The two teams met in the Carrier Dome last season with Syracuse defeating Niagara 71-57.
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Where is Syracuse basketball in the first ACC Power Rankings of 2020-21? - The Juice Online (the juice; Vescovi)
It’s the best time of the year as we head into the thick of the holidays and the start of the college basketball season. Already, we’ve seen some major clashes with Duke losing to Michigan State and Louisville topping Seton Hall.
Here’s our breakdown after the first week of college hoops:
1. Duke (1-1)
Duke climbs to the top of the rankings after UVA tumbled. Head coach Mike Kkrzyzewski has a great team, although a young one. DJ Steward and Jalen Johnson look like stars that can carry this team all season. A 75-69 home loss against No. 8 Michigan State doesn’t change this (for now).
2. Louisville (4-0)
The Cardinals have one of the more impressive wins in this early part of the year when they took down Seton Hall. The team is playing well and shooting the rock exceptionally well from the floor. Louisville always has a good team and this year is no different.
3. North Carolina (3-1)
I’m hesitant to put the Tar Heels this high because the team was dreadful last year, but they are 3-1, with the one loss coming against No. 17 Texas. But they have loaded up on talent again and have the looks of a strong team. We will know more about UNC after games against No. 3 Iowa and No. 23 Ohio State.
4. Florida State (0-0)
FSU has not played a game yet but the talent this team has gives them the benefit of the doubt. Somehow, this team always has multiple 7-footers and long shooting guards that clog passing lanes who can shoot. This year is no different.
5. Virginia Tech (3-0)
VT was a late add to Villanova’s schedule after Temple paused activities. After they settled down in the game, Tech dominated Nova in overtime. This is the premier win for the league so far and just shows how you will have to bring your A-game every week in the ACC.
6. Clemson (3-0)
The Tigers aren’t just good at football; the basketball team took down Purdue and Mississippi State this week and did so with a balanced attack Let’s see if they keep up this success for the entire season.
7. Virginia (2-1)
UVA was feeling disrespected for not being ranked higher to start the year according to the fans on Twitter. However, they laid an egg against San Francisco and now they have tumbled from the top of the league all the way to No. 6. Look for this team to bounce back and move up all year… but their style of play allows for lesser opponents to stay in games. I could see the Cavaliers dropping a few games this year but at the same time making a deep run in the conference and NCAA tournaments.
8. Syracuse (1-0)
Syracuse was able to hold off a scare from Bryant after not practicing for 14 days. The Orange have the talent to play a game cold, but this is not something you want to see happen again. I expect the Orange to get back in the gym and find their groove. Losing Bourama Sibide for four weeks hurts the depth down low, but Jim Boeheim will find a way to overcome it.
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Men’s Basketball Tips-Off Season At Syracuse Thursday - Niagara University Athletics (purpleeagles.com)
The Niagara Purple Eagles start their 2020-21 campaign at the Syracuse Orange on December 3 at 8 p.m.
Scene Setter
• Niagara will be led by second-year head coach Greg Paulus, who was the recipient of the 2019-20 Joe B. Hall National Coach of the Year Award which is presented annually to the top first-year coach in NCAA Division I college basketball.
• Paulus, a native of Syracuse, was named Gatorade High School Football Player of the Year (2004) and the Gatorade High School Male Athlete of the Year (2005) at Christian Brothers Academy. After a successful playing career at Duke (2005-09), Paulus played on the Syracuse football team in 2009 where he was the starting quarterback and captain.
• The Purple Eagles and the Orange renewed their series for the first time in 19 years when they met at the Carrier Dome on December 28, 2019. Syracuse won 71-57, but the Purple Eagles were competitive throughout the game, and especially during the second half where they were outscored by only one point (30-29). Niagara outscored Syracuse in points off turnovers (12-7), bench points (33-8), and points in the paint (32-24) in the game.
• Nick MacDonald led the Purple Eagles in scoring with a then-career-high 11 points in a career-high 26 points. Greg Kuakumensah registered his second of two double-doubles on the season with 10 points and a career-high 11 rebounds.
• The Purple Eagles ended last season on a winning note. Niagara edged Marist in the 2019 MAAC Tournament First Round before the season was canceled due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus.
Tipoff Tidbits
• The Purple Eagles are one of 17 NCAA Division I teams to return at least 70 percent of their production from the last season in each of the following categories: points (80%), rebounds (74%), assists (91%), steals (96%), and blocks (83%).
• Last season, the Purple Eagles ranked statistically in the top-25 in the nation in fewest turnovers per game (10.6), fewest total turnovers (338), turnover margin (3.3), and 3-point field goal percentage (.372), while leading the MAAC in all four categories. Niagara had the best assist-to-turnover ratio (1.13) in the MAAC.
• NU returns eight letterwinners, including four of the top five leading scorers and the entire starting five, from last season's team that exceeded preseason predictions.
• Leading the way is the tandem of Marcus Hammond and Raheem Solomon, who were both named to Preseason All-MAAC teams. Hammond, who earned All-MAAC First Team honors last season, was a unanimous selection to the first team, while Solomon made the third team.
• The Purple Eagles were tabbed to finish sixth in the Preseason MAAC poll.
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Syracuse Basketball: With Bourama Sidibe out, other big men must step up (itlh; Adler)
Syracuse basketball won’t have starting center Bourama Sidibe for several weeks, and other big men need to fill the void.
Only one game into the 2020-21 season, and Syracuse basketball unfortunately saw senior starting center Bourama Sidibe go down with a knee injury.
First and foremost, let’s wish Sidibe a speedy recovery. A spokesman for the Orange program says that “Sidibe suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee” in the ‘Cuse one-point victory over Bryant last Friday afternoon at the Carrier Dome.
Surgery is needed for this type of injury, and Sidibe’s recovery time is estimated at four weeks, per Brad Pike, the ‘Cuse associate athletics director for sports medicine.
Head coach Jim Boeheim said after the Bryant contest that senior power forward Marek Dolezaj will start at center should Sidibe be out for a period of time. That slides junior Alan Griffin and sophomore Quincy Guerrier into the starting forward spots. Guerrier, by the way, started at forward versus Bryant, along with Dolezaj.
Syracuse basketball, despite the Sidibe void, still has plenty of depth, although Boeheim’s comments indicate that he trusts Dolezaj at center much more than the team’s trio of remaining true centers in sophomore Jesse Edwards, redshirt freshman John Bol Ajak and freshman Frank Anselem.
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Syracuse Basketball: Greg Paulus, now leading Niagara, is coming ‘home’ (itlh; Adler)
Syracuse basketball is slated to host MAAC member Niagara this Thursday evening.
Syracuse basketball only got to practice for one day prior to its one-point victory over Bryant last Friday afternoon in the Orange’s 2020-21 season opener.
That was the result of the ‘Cuse having to pause its hoops-related activities for 14 days after two members of the Orange program, including head coach Jim Boeheim, tested positive for Covid-19.
After the win versus Bryant, Boeheim said it was totally his fault and foolish for his squad to compete in that contest after having a mere one practice, which occurred on Thanksgiving.
Now the next ‘Cuse opponent, Niagara, is facing a similar – but not an identical – circumstance. The Purple Eagles paused their basketball activities on Nov. 9 because of a Covid-19 outbreak, per a report by Mike Waters of Syracuse.com.
Waters said that Niagara, a participant in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (“MAAC”), began practicing again on Sunday after “some stops and starts,” giving the Purple Eagles just four days to prepare for their own 2020-21 stanza opener on Dec. 3 against the Orange on the Hill.
“It’s a short window but it’s going to be a long season,” Niagara head coach and Syracuse native Greg Paulus said, according to the Waters piece. “I see a little bit of improvement each day since we’ve been back to practice. That’s what we want to continue to do. We’re excited to begin the journey.”
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Syracuse basketball keeps pursuing Brewster guys, latest Matas Buzelis (itlh; Adler)
Syracuse basketball has gotten in the mix for 2023 small forward Matas Buzelis.
In recent years, Syracuse basketball has pursued numerous prospects who reside at the powerhouse Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, N.H., and the latest guy is 2023 small forward Matas Buzelis.
Buzelis, a 6-foot-8 sophomore, disclosed on his Twitter page that the Orange has offered him a scholarship. It seems that his recruiting process is just getting started, which makes sense, considering he’s in the 10th grade.
Per a review of various recruiting Web sites, besides the ‘Cuse Buzelis currently holds offers from Illinois, fellow Atlantic Coast Conference member Wake Forest and Western Illinois. He also holds interest from Wisconsin.
While now a member of the Brewster Academy, Buzelis previously suited up for Hinsdale Central High School in Hinsdale, Ill., which is a suburb of Chicago.
The present Syracuse basketball roster features two Brewster Academy alums in junior shooting guard Buddy Boeheim and freshman combo guard Kadary Richmond. Other former Orange players to go to the Brewster Academy include C.J. Fair, Chris McCullough and Taurean Thompson.
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Alan Griffin Should Start. Permanently. – Orange Fizz – Free Syracuse Recruiting News (orangefizz.net; Unsworth)
Alan Griffin isn’t Elijah Hughes. We learned that in game one. While they play the same position, their styles are different. However, Griffin’s production is just as valuable.
Griffin is an above-average athlete. Everyone saw that last Saturday.
But Griffin’s most important contribution to SU’s 85-84 win came in the form of his 12 rebounds, nine of which came on the defensive end. In the past two years, the Orange have really struggled to rebound the ball, and now that Bourama Sidibe is out for at least a month, cleaning the class won’t get any easier. The fact that Griffin understands the importance of crashing the boards when playing on the wing of the 2-3 is a huge positive. Can he rebound effectively against a team with real size? The jury’s still out on that one.
Here’s another great stat. Griffin played 38 minutes last Saturday, and didn’t record a single foul!
When was the last time Sidibe, Marek Dolezaj, or Quincy Guerrier did that? Griffin was able to operate in all areas of the court without hacking a Bryant player, going over the back for a board, or committing a dumb infraction at the Bulldogs’ free throw line (a Dolezaj favorite). That’s the consistency Syracuse needs as Jim Boeheim begins to shorten his rotation.
Don’t worry about Griffin’s 3-9 mark from behind the arc. Keep in mind, it was his first game in the Carrier Dome. He’s a streaky shooter, just like Joe Girard and Buddy Boeheim. While those three all had relatively cold performances from behind the arc in SU’s first win, that won’t be a trend going forward. All three players found their rhythm late in the game, knocking down extremely timely shots.
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Mark your calendars! Louisville men's basketball reveals ACC times, TV (C-J; Russell)
Three weeks after Louisville's men's basketball team unveiled its 20-game Atlantic Coast Conference schedule, it now has times and TV to accompany it.
Seven of the Cardinals' league games will air on the ACC Network, six on ESPN and three on regional sports networks (Fox Sports South in Louisville). Three games will be determined later and will air on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU.
Louisville's ACC opener is Dec. 16 against NC State in the KFC Yum Center. The 7 p.m. game will be televised on ESPN. The Cards' ensuing conference game at Pittsburgh, Dec. 22 at 7 p.m., will air on regional sports networks.
More:Setbacks have arisen, but the Louisville's men's basketball MTE keeps playing on
News:Ongoing COVID-19 pandemic spurs location change for ACC Men's Basketball Tournament
This is the complete schedule.
Chris Mack's team (4-0) has three more non-conference games ahead as part of its 27-game schedule. Louisville hosts UNC Greensboro at 2 p.m. Friday on the ACC Network, plays at Wisconsin Dec. 9 at 7:15 p.m. in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge on ESPN, and hosts Kentucky Dec. 26 at noon on ESPN2.
Other
Hiking with goats: ‘It was so cool to go Upstate with them’ during Thanksgiving (PS; $; Figura)
When Anna Solveig Sicari came home to visit her parents on Thanksgiving she brought her young daughter and two unique guests – a pair of Nigerian dwarf goats.
During the visit, she took all three on an Adirondack hike. She plans to be back for more, she added.
Sicari, a teaching assistant for physical education at the Summit School, a therapeutic boarding school in Nyack in Rockland County, is also in charge of the school’s animal care program. The animal care program’s animals includes a pair of dogs, chickens, rabbits and the two goats.
Anna Solveig Sicari, is a teaching assistant at the Summit School, a therapeutic boarding school in Nyack. She is in charge of an animal care program at the school, which includes caring for dogs, chickens, rabbits and goats.
The goats, which weigh about 60 pounds apiece, are both females. One is named Sawyer; the other, Scout. Sicari compared them in size to a small golden retriever. Back in Nyack, she said she often takes the goats for hikes and has gone up to 9 miles with them during an outing.
Sicari, 34, said she has been hiking since she was 10 years old and is an Adirondack 46er. Since getting the goats for the school’s program 1 ½ years ago, she has been taking them on numerous local hikes, visiting such places as Hook Mountain State Park in Nyack and Harriman and Bear Mountain state parks, both at the Orange and Rockland county border.
The day after Thanksgiving, Sicari took her daughter, Luci, 10,and the two goats for a hike on the Pinnacle, a 2 1/2-mile trail that overlooks Lake George.
“It was so cool to go Upstate with them. Everyone we came across on the trail and on the street would stop and talk to us,” she said.
The next day, on the way home, Sicari stopped in the Catskills. She, her daughter and two goats hiked to Kaaterskill Falls in Greene County.
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