sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to Early National Letter of Intent Day!
The National Letter of Intent (NLI) is a document used to indicate a student athlete's commitment to participating in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) colleges and universities in the United States. The NCAA Eligibility Center manages the daily operations of the NLI program while the Collegiate Commissioners Association (CCA) provides governance oversight of the program. Started in 1964 with seven conferences and eight independent institutions, the program now includes 676 Division I and II participating institutions. There are designated dates for different sports, and these dates are commonly referred to as "Signing Days".
Division III institutions are specifically banned from using the NLI, or any similar document that is not executed by non-athletes at those institutions.[1]
NLIs are typically faxed by the recruited student to the university's athletic department on a National Signing Day.[2] The NLI is a voluntary program with regard to both institutions and student-athletes. No prospective student-athlete or parent is required to sign the National Letter of Intent, and no institution is required to join the program.
SU News
Beat writers unanimously predict double digit Syracuse win over Northeastern (DO; Staff)
Syracuse (4-1, 1-0 ACC) is facing off against nonconference opponents again when Northeastern (1-1) travels to the Carrier Dome on Wednesday. The Orange played and won their first Atlantic Coast Conference game of the season against Boston College on Saturday.
The Huskies are 1-1 so far in the 2020-21 season — splitting a pair of games against Massachusetts — and they won their most recent matchup on Sunday. Tyson Walker, a sophomore guard, leads Northeastern with 24.5 points per game.
Here’s what The Daily Orange’s three beat writers think will happen when SU takes on the Huskies:
Andrew Crane (5-0)
Is Syracuse fur real?
Syracuse 85, Northeastern 64
Though it may be easy to jump to conclusions after wins like the one Syracuse will get against the Huskies, we won’t know how good the Orange actually are until ACC play picks up.
The Orange’s offense can score at incredible rates when it’s hot from behind the arc, but a glaring question has been the 2-3 zone, which has struggled mightily at times. Their depth at forward has only really been tested once. Joe Girard III has yet to string together consistent performances to counter his slow start.
These games aren’t intended to serve as roadblocks for Syracuse’s NCAA Tournament bid — they serve as tune-ups for games such as Notre Dame (Dec. 22) that could help boost a resume and its spot in the ACC standings. As long as they’re not looking too far ahead, the Orange should have no problem with Northeastern.
Anthony Dabbundo (5-0)
All bark, no bite
Syracuse 82, Northeastern 68
Syracuse had an open game on its schedule and probably could have found a stronger opponent than Northeastern, who ranks No. 176 in KenPom and will not improve the Orange’s Tournament resume. Instead, Syracuse has another tune-up game that it should win by double digits — anything less would be a disappointment for the Orange.
I’m less bullish on the Orange’s chances of a blowout as my colleagues, as the Huskies do have some size to compete with Syracuse and aren’t reliant on the 3-ball to stay in games. Both of those keep this game relatively close, but the Orange are never threatened and cruise to 5-1.
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Opponent preview: What to know about Northeastern men’s basketball (DO; Crane)
After a loss against Rutgers and a win over Boston College on the road, Syracuse (4-1) returns home to face Northeastern (1-1) on Wednesday. The Huskies split a pair of games played against Massachusetts and will now play their first Power 5 opponent of the season.
The game was announced just days in advance following an opening from both SU and the Huskies. The Orange’s multiple-team event contest against Binghamton fell through Friday when the Bearcats went on pause due to a positive COVID-19 test within the program. The Huskies lost a game from its schedule against Bryant this week.
Here’s what you need to know about Northeastern before they face Syracuse:
All-time series: Syracuse leads, 7-0
Last time they played:
Behind Oshae Brissett’s double-double (21 points, 14 rebounds) and Elijah Hughes’ 17, the Orange cruised past Northeastern 72-49 on Dec. 4, 2018. The victory extended Syracuse’s winning streak in nonconference play to five games, but losses to Old Dominion and Buffalo followed.
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Syracuse basketball has to pounce on porous Northeastern defense (itlh; Adler)
Syracuse basketball will host Northeastern in a rare mid-week afternoon battle.
After Syracuse basketball absolutely crushed fellow Atlantic Coast Conference foe Boston College on the road this past Saturday afternoon, head coach Jim Boeheim said in his post-game virtual press conference that the Orange hoped to add another non-conference duel this week.
Well, here it is. The ‘Cuse (4-1) will welcome Colonial Athletic Association (“CAA”) participant Northeastern to the Carrier Dome on Wednesday, Dec. 16. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 pm, with television coverage on the ACC Network.
This encounter between the Orange and the Huskies (1-1) gives the ‘Cuse a full 27-contest schedule for the 2020-21 term, which is the maximum amount allowed by the NCAA amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.
A stanza ago, Northeastern wrapped things up at 17-16 overall, including a 9-9 mark in league competition. As the No. 6 seed in the CAA post-season tournament, the Huskies advanced all the way to the title match-up, where they fell to No. 1 seed Hofstra.
Per an announcement from cuse.com, these two squads have squared off on seven occasions, and Syracuse basketball has yet to lose in this series. Most recently, in December of 2018, the Orange blasted Northeastern, 72-49, on the Hill.
In the CAA’s pre-season poll, as voted on by coaches, public-relations directors and media members, the Huskies were picked to finish at No. 7 in the conference.
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Syracuse basketball has a loss but still a solid seed in ESPN bracketology (itlh; Adler)
Our favorite bracketologist, Joe Lunardi, is giving Syracuse basketball some love.
The 2020-21 campaign is in its early stages, and Syracuse basketball has already suffered a defeat, but that isn’t stopping ESPN’s Joe Lunardi from putting the Orange in his newly released mock field of 68.
Lunardi, who has forged a love-hate relationship with ‘Cuse fans in recent years as it pertains to March Madness, is arranging Syracuse basketball as the No. 9 seed in Region 1, where the Orange would face No. 8 seed Florida.
As we reported not too long ago, NCAA officials are expected to hold the 2021 Big Dance in one metropolitan region, likely Indianapolis. That’s why Lunardi has the ‘Cuse in Region 1.
This region, by the way, is stacked. Should Syracuse basketball get past the Gators in the round of 64, it would most likely entertain a match-up in the round of 32 with No. 1 seed Gonzaga, which is currently ranked No. 1 in both major top-25 polls.
Other high-quality squads in this region include No. 2 seed Kansas, No. 3 seed Illinois, No. 4 seed and 2019 national finalist Texas Tech, No. 5 seed Michigan, No. 6 seed and fellow Atlantic Coast Conference member Louisville, No. 7 seed Oregon and No. 10 seed Connecticut.
Lunardi’s four No. 1 seeds, if you’re wondering, are the aforementioned Gonzaga, Iowa, which smoked the Orange in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge a stanza ago, Baylor and Villanova.
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Orange Watch: A different sartorial look for the Syracuse basketball sideline - The Juice Online (the juice; Bierman)
Item: Before this pandemic-stricken college basketball season got underway, ACC coaches voted to abandon the traditional formal suit and tie look and wear more casual clothing, including polo shirts, khaki-style pants and non-dress shoes. With no spectators in attendance, there seemingly is no reason to dress to impress. To us, it should be a lasting change.
We have never thought it made sense for basketball coaches to wear $2,500 suits or $800 sports jackets on the sideline with athletes running around sweating and emitting bodily substances.
Understanding the professorial nature of a coach teaching his team during competition is a similar exercise to an esteemed lecturer dressing the part in front of a classroom full of students, the difference, however, is that athletics is not academics.
The sight of a coach such as Villanova’s consistently snappily attired Jay Wright hugging one of his players always makes us cringe, knowing the garment was quickly headed to the dry cleaners for special care.
It’s traditionally rare for college basketball coaches not to have worn a shirt and tie. The exceptions are few and far between. One of the earliest we know of is Princeton Hall of Famer Pete Carill who coached the Tigers from 1967-1996.
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Syracuse looks to keep rolling vs. Northeastern (10 things) (247sports.com; Shults)
Just two days ahead of time, Syracuse basketball added a mid-week game against Northeastern for Wednesday. The non-conference matchup will be the Orange’s fifth played outside of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Sandwiched in between SU’s loss at then-No. 21 Rutgers and the Northeastern game was Syracuse’s first conference game — a 38-point beatdown of Boston College. The contest was Syracuse's biggest conference victory since 2011 against DePaul.
The Orange (4-1, 1-0 ACC) will host Northeastern (1-1, 0-0 Colonial Athletic) in the Carrier Dome at 3 p.m. and look to build on a polished performance against high-major opposition.
With Buddy Boeheim back in the starting lineup at BC, point guard Joe Girard seemed to be the biggest beneficiary. Rather than jacking up contested threes, Girard was more patient in his shooting, finishing with 17 points of 5-of-7 shooting from behind the arc. That was a stark difference from his three-point, 1-for-8 shooting night against Rutgers.
"You have to remember when they're playing (Girard) that tight and they're switching and they're helping, that's how we got all those layups," head coach Jim Boeheim said. "That's how Quincy got three opens threes. That's how we got those backdoor layups. Because they're playing him that tight. And when Buddy's out there, it gives them another guy who they've got to play tight."
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Syracuse's Alan Griffin meets the media after 4-1 start: Three takeaways from SU's leader (cnycentral.com; Hauswirth)
Alan Griffin is a quiet, humble guy who would rather let his play do the talking.
The Syracuse University junior met with the media on a Zoom call Tuesday morning, discussing a wide range of topics ahead of a pair of non-conference home games this week.
The Orange will host Northeastern on Wednesday at 3 p.m., followed by a matchup with Buffalo on Saturday at 6 p.m. -- both games televised on the ACC Network.
Griffin's been one of many bright spots on an Orange team who's 4-1 to start the year, discussing a variety of things with the local media Tuesday morning.
Below are three takeaways from Griffin's nearly 15-minute interview with reporters.
Syracuse's Ceiling Is High -- Really High
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Syracuse Basketball: PG Aden Holloway has ‘smooth and crafty game’ (itlh; Adler)
An analyst says Syracuse basketball target Aden Holloway is flying under the radar.
Syracuse basketball offered a scholarship to talented 2023 point guard Aden Holloway in the summer of 2019, before he had even entered the 9th grade. It amounted to his first collegiate offer.
Per a review of various recruiting Web sites, Holloway is up to five scholarship offers, including from the Orange, fellow Atlantic Coast Conference members Virginia Tech and Wake Forest, as well as Winthrop.
Since he’s only a sophomore at the Covenant Day School in Matthews, N.C., his recruitment likely has a long way to go, and the 6-foot-1 Holloway will surely receive many more high-major offers.
As more recruiting services publish their first national rankings of the 2023 class, or expand their current ratings of this cycle, indications are that Holloway will reside as a four-star, top-100 player, as well as one of the top point guards in the class.
However, for now, given recruiting limitations brought on by the novel coronavirus pandemic, Holloway is flying under the radar screen of college coaches, per a report by 247Sports national analyst Travis Branham.
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Men's basketball: Stepinac product Alan Griffin enjoys hot start at Syracuse (lohud.com; Rapay)
During his time at Stepinac, Alan Griffin was a do-it-all guard, a key player that provided highlights on both ends of the court as the Crusaders ran to CHSAA city and Federation titles his senior year.
He had his heart set on the University of Illinois, and although Syracuse had reached out, it was a bit too late and Griffin had to politely decline.
After two seasons with the Fighting Illini, where he mostly played off the bench and was boxed into a one-dimensional, spot-up shooter role, the confident Griffin entered the transfer portal. Despite the uncertainties surrounding sports due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he eventually reconnected with Syracuse.
Now, he's making the most out of his full circle moment.
"I wasn't heavily recruited in high school, but at the end of my senior year, that's when (Syracuse) reached out," Griffin said. "It was too late, but things happen for a reason. It means a lot to put on a 'Cuse jersey. Seeing the time from when (Carmelo Anthony) was here, that was a team I always looked at just because of Melo. There's also a lot of other pieces and coaches. (Assistant coach Gerry McNamara) was also on that team too. It's just cool to see that former players are now coaches, so you can get a lot from them."
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KENNY'S 2 PENNIES: Some sense of normalcy (podcast) - Fingerlakes1.com (fingerlakes1.com; podcast; Kenny 2 Pennies)
Kenny closes the book on a less-than-memorable Syracuse Orange football season before turning his attention to ‘Cuse basketball and the red-hot Buffalo Bills. 2020 is coming to a close… but not soon enough for Mr. Haas!
WTLA-AM (ESPN; radio; Axe)
Brent opens the show talking Syracuse basketball ahead of the Orange’s midweek matinee in the Dome on Wednesday. Later, he previews college football’s early signing period which opens on Wednesday and looks at the class the Orange has lined up.
Other
Downtown Syracuse restaurant to close permanently amid Covid: 'It’s been a good long run' (PS; $; Cazentre)
Another Central New York restaurant has announced it’s closing permanently amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
And the closing of this one, The Mission on Columbus Circle, brings a halt, at least for now, to the restaurant career of one of the city’s most noted chef-owners, Steve Morrison.
Morrison opened the Mexican/Latin American restaurant at 304 E. Onondaga St., in 2000. He had spent years at other restaurants, including a decade at another downtown stalwart, Pastabilities. Among his culinary career highlights was contributing to the creation of Pasta’s famous Spicy Hot Tomato Oil.
“I’ve worked my whole life in restaurants,” Morrison said. “I’ll probably explore some other options. It’s been a good long run for me and now I may look for some kind of change.”
The Mission will be open through Saturday, Dec. 19, before shutting down.
The closing of The Mission, which Morrison bills as having “pan American” cuisine, is not a complete surprise. Morrison had put the business up for sale earlier this year, but found that selling a restaurant in the middle of a pandemic was a bit of unfortunate timing.
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