sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Hanukkah, which is the Hebrew word for "dedication," is a Jewish celebration that lasts eight days and eight nights. It commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, where, according to Jewish belief, a miracle occurred that allowed oil to light a menorah for eight days, when there only was enough oil for one day. The holiday begins on a different day each year, as it follows the lunisolar Jewish calendar, not the Gregorian calendar. It starts on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev, which usually falls between late November and late December.
SU News
SU basketball dispatches cold-shooting Cornell (Axe recap) (PS; $; Axe)
It was a tale of two halves at the JMA Wireless Dome on Saturday afternoon.
The Syracuse University basketball team played its best in the one that mattered more.
Syracuse overcame a sluggish first half to shut down cold-shooting Cornell to win 78-63.
Syracuse trailed by as many as 11 points in the first half but went into the break tied with the Big Red at 37.
Over the first 10 minutes of the second half, SU held Cornell to just 15.8% (3-of-19) from the field.
At one point in the second half, Cornell was so cold it missed 21 of 22 shots.
The Orange, despite some obvious flaws we’ll cover below, has won five-straight games and improved to 8-4.
It’s all ACC, all the time now for Syracuse as Cornell was the last non-conference game on the regular-season schedule.
Now we all find out if the Orange is ready for the rigors of league play, where it will have the thinnest margin of error to remain in the NCAA Tournament conversation.
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Three takeaways from Syracuse’s 78-63 win vs Cornell (TNIAAM; De Guzman)
The Syracuse Orange crawled to start the game against the Cornell Big Red, but the Orange tightened up play and starting sinking better shots to wrestle control away from the Big Red. Better rebounding and defense stalled out the Cornell offense which allowed Syracuse to grab a 78-63 win.
Here’s our three takeaways from a fifth-straight Orange win:
Waking up the wings
A big reason why Syracuse fell behind early was due to a familiar problem - wing play. For almost the whole first half, it seemed like that every wing combination that Jim Boeheim threw out on the floor couldn’t cover the corner or the baseline. At the same time, the wings couldn’t support Jesse Edwards in the rebounding effort, which allowed Cornell to grab quick offensive boards and turn them into threes. Finally, after two timeouts in the first half, Boeheim’s message got through to the frontcourt and the forwards finally provided more pressure and chased more rebounds to deny Cornell’s shooting opportunities. The wing adjustments were crucial for Syracuse to stop the bleeding and take control of the game.
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Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
Syracuse 78, Cornell 63: Mintz-Girard duo, fastbreak offense gives Orange fifth-straight win (TNIAAM; Chiappone)
Even with most of the students gone for winter break, the fans inside the JMA Wireless Dome brought all the energy needed in Saturday afternoon’s close contest between the Syracuse Orange men’s basketball team (7-4, 1-0) and the Cornell Big Red (7-2).
In the end, Syracuse men’s basketball (8-4, 1-0) completes its second-half comeback to defeat Cornell (7-3) 76-63.
Both teams entered the contest on an interesting note within their seasons. The Orange were coming off their fourth-straight win but recently competed in a surprisingly-close contest against Monmouth Tuesday night. On the other hand, Cornell hadn’t played since December 7, falling then to #25 Miami (FL) despite scoring 105 points in the contest versus the Hurricanes.
The contest versus Cornell would be the last nonconference game of the season for the Orange, with Syracuse playing its next 19 regular season games against the ACC.
It was a slow start for Syracuse right from tip-off, with the Orange struggling to get going on offense outside of a few early jumpers from Joe Girard III. Big Red went up as early as 11 points courtesy of some hot shooting from three (4/7 to begin the game) and some excellent ball movement that caused the Syracuse 2-3 zone to collapse.
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Bouie’s last phone call with Orr: ‘I guess he just wanted to have a normal conversation’ (PS; $; Waters)
About a month ago, Roosevelt Bouie got a phone call from Louis Orr.
The two former Syracuse teammates tried to talk every so often, but sometimes the time in between conversations would be a little more than either intended.
The calls would usually happen after Bouie had texted Orr. He rarely called unprompted. Nor was he the type to call back right away. Orr stayed off his phone for long stretches. But eventually he would call, and the two would talk for an hour.
But this time, Orr called.
“We talked about old times and good times,’’ Bouie said. “We chuckled at some stories about playing together and some of our teammates and the coaches.’’
Orr never mentioned the pancreatic cancer that would eventually take his life on Thursday.
“I guess he just wanted to have a normal conversation,’’ Bouie said.
Orr kept his illness private almost to the very end. Eventually, Bouie did learn that his teammate and friend was dying. He knew when Orr entered hospice care.
When no one else would say why Orr, who for the past five years had been an assistant to Georgetown coach Patrick Ewing, did not travel to Syracuse for last Saturday’s game between the Hoyas and the Orange, Bouie knew.
“My two nieces wanted to see Uncle Louis,’’ he said.
Bouie and Orr played together at Syracuse from 1976 to 1980. They were part of Jim Boeheim’s first recruiting class as head coach of the Orange.
Bouie remembered seeing Orr for the first time.
“He was so thin,’’ Bouie said. “He was 160 pounds. I only weighed 198 pounds with four rocks in my pocket, but nobody noticed because I looked big, strong and husky next to Louis.’’
It took very little time for Bouie to realize that Orr’s slender frame belied his toughness. In the fall of their freshman year, Boeheim made the Syracuse players run a mile in 6 minutes.
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Syracuse Basketball: Top opponents for ‘Cuse in new ACC/SEC Challenge (itlh; Adler)
When Syracuse basketball got crushed by top-20 Illinois on the road, 73-44, in late November, that marked the final ACC-Big Ten Challenge contest for the ‘Cuse.
Since moving from the Big East Conference to the Atlantic Coast Conference in the 2013-14 campaign, the Orange has suited up in 10 ACC-Big Ten Challenges, sporting a sub-par 4-6 overall record in this annual event.
Unfortunately, that blowout setback to Illinois will be the final memory for Syracuse basketball and its fan base in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge.
Starting in the 2023-24 stanza, according to a recent announcement from the ACC, the Southeastern Conference and ESPN, the Orange and its league peers will participate in the ACC-SEC Challenge.
Ideal foes for Syracuse basketball in the ACC-SEC Challenge.
The SEC is a darn good basketball league these days. Its members consist of Mississippi State, Alabama, Arkansas, LSU, Missouri, Tennessee, Auburn, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Georgia, Texas A&M, Florida, South Carolina and Vanderbilt.Big 12 Conference powerhouses Oklahoma and Texas are slated to join the SEC in the future as well.
In last week’s Associated Press top-25 poll, Alabama checked in at No. 4. The Crimson Tide recently knocked off then-No. 1 Houston. Tennessee is No. 6, Texas is No. 7, Arkansas is No. 10, Kentucky is No. 13, Mississippi State is No. 17, and Auburn is No. 19.
Here are some of my top choices for Syracuse basketball to battle in upcoming ACC-SEC Challenge affairs.
Tennessee
The ‘Cuse and the Volunteers are both Orange-clad schools. Long-time Syracuse basketball recruiting target Joseph Estrella, a 2023 four-star big man, is committed to Tennessee.
Plus, my son’s favorite squad is the Volunteers. Syracuse basketball is a supremely distant second in his mind. We’d have some fun smack-talking going on.
Kentucky
This is a no-brainer, given that the Wildcats have proven one of the best SEC groups for a long while now, and their head coach, John Calipari, is an ace recruiter.
Calipari and his assistants have won numerous recruiting wars over the years with the ‘Cuse.
Alabama
The Crimson Tide is an excellent unit these days, led by head coach Nate Oats, the former boss at Buffalo.
Alabama does quite well in the recruiting arena, and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if the Crimson Tide ends up being the No. 1 team in the SEC during the 2022-23 term.
Arkansas
The Razorbacks are extremely well coached, recruit at an ultra-high level, and have journeyed to the Elite Eight of the Big Dance each of the past two seasons.
Auburn
The Tigers’ head coach, Bruce Pearl, is quite the character. In the 2021-22 stanza, Auburn crushed Syracuse basketball at a preseason tournament in the Bahamas.
The Tigers, which went to the Final Four in 2019, have a current roster that includes 2022 four-star guard Chance Westry, who was pursued by the Orange coaching staff for a long time and even took an official visit to the Hill in the summer of 2021.
LSU
A few months ago, 2023 four-star guard Mike Williams chose the Tigers over Syracuse basketball and several other finalists. I’d like to see the Orange face off with Williams and his LSU colleagues at some point.
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Syracuse Basketball: Carmelo Anthony loves that SU offered his 4-star son (itlh; Adler)
Syracuse basketball coaches recently offered a scholarship to 2025 four-star shooting guard Kiyan Anthony, who is the son of Orange legend and long-time NBA star Carmelo Anthony.
Since the ‘Cuse offered the 6-foot-3 Kiyan Anthony last month, he has said in interviews that this offer means a lot to him. He has said that the potential opportunity to continue his dad’s legacy on the Hill means a lot to him, too.
And Anthony, a top-65 national prospect in the sophomore class, has also said that he’s taking his time with his recruiting process and keeping his options open, which is smart, since many more high-major offers are likely to arrive for him.
Plus, as cool as it would be for Anthony to suit up for Syracuse basketball down the line, there would also likely be added pressure, given that his father had a historic one-and-done season in Central New York, leading the Orange to its only national championship in the 2002-03 campaign.
Carmelo Anthony weighs in on his son receiving a scholarship offer from Syracuse basketball.
Last Monday night, on ESPN2, Kiyan Anthony and his teammates at Christ the King Regional High School in Middle Village, N.Y., traveled to the Sierra Canyon School in Chatsworth, Calif., whose roster features 2023 four-star guard Bronny James, the son of LeBron James.
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Should Syracuse Basketball Prioritize the Transfer Portal over High Schoolers? – Orange Fizz – Daily Syracuse Recruiting News & Team Coverage (orangefizz.net; Unsworth)
The Syracuse football landscape has proven to be a wild one after the conclusion of the regular season. The Orange have lost two wide receivers and starting defensive backs to the portal, but in return, have gained two four star DBs. Even without a defensive coordinator in place (until yesterday), SU has brought it good talent from other programs, with the promise of immediate playing time and a potential NFL future.
So why doesn’t Syracuse basketball do the same?
Let’s be honest: the Orange are struggling with teams in non-conference play that shouldn’t be a problem. If anyone told you the 2012 edition of Jim Boeheim’s squad was struggling with Monmouth, your eyes would pop out of your head. However, this year’s crew is young, without a real identity, and weak points from the starting five to the end of the bench. And we all know what Boeheim will say when asked about this. “We’re a young team, we need to get better, these guys aren’t ready.”
Well, why not go to a place where the players are older, seasoned and battle-tested? Why wait for two years to play a center when you can get one with two years of college muscle and game-planning? A point guard who can shoot? To fill needs for one or two years while the younger guys develop?
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ACC Panic Room: Win over Ohio State the catapult for UNC? :: WRALSportsFan.com (wralsportdfan.com; podcast; ACC Panic Room)
Lauren Brownlow and Joe Ovies discuss UNC's comeback OT win over Ohio State. Is this the catapult the Heels needed to get their season in gear? Plus, NC State got a big game from an unlikely player in their win over Vandy.
Saturday Results 2022 Dec 17th (RX; HM)
Saturday Results 2022 Dec 17th
By now you know Louisville won their bowl game. Here are some more basketball and football results.
ACC Men's Basketball:
Many ACC teams played lower-level hoops opponents - although that doesn't mean they all won. Syracuse beat Cornell, but Florida State lost to St. John's. Miami took care of business against St. Fran.-Pa. Georgia Tech handled Alabama State, Pitt took down N. Florida, and Louisville won their 2nd in a row by defeating Florida A&M. A little later, Virginia Tech beat Grambling at home, and Clemson beat Richmond in Greenville, SC, too.In big-boy-basketball, Wake Forest lost to Rutgers and #2 Virginia lost to #5 Houston. However, N. Carolina took down #23 Ohio State in OT, 89-84 in Madison Square Garden. Finally, in the late game, NC State took down in Chicago, 70-66.
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Other
Jose Morales, who has been working as the chef at Today's Special, will take over the space in a new shop he'll call Storys
A popular downtown Syracuse lunch spot closed down. A new owner will offer a fresh take on it (PS; Cazentre)
Today’s Special Cafe, which served breakfast and lunch to downtown workers and residents for the past 17 years, has permanently closed.
But the space on the Water Street side of the State Tower Building won’t be shut for long: Jose Morales, who has been cooking at Today’s Special for several years, is buying the equipment, leasing the space and planning to reopen on his own.
It will be called Storys, according to a news release sent out today by the owners of the State Tower Building.
Storys will serve breakfast and lunch from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday (the same hours as Today’s Special).
But Morales, whose 16-year restaurant career saw him rise from dishwasher, to chef to owner, will bring his own approach to the place, “creating a fun menu with a fresh take on breakfast and lunch, making for a delicious experience you will not want to miss,” according to the release.
“It has been an amazing opportunity to serve the community for so long and I am thrilled to be owner of my own place and will bring my background and personality into the dishes I create and the way I run my business,” Morales said in the release.
An opening date for Storys has not been announced.
A sign posted on Today’s Special, and copied on its social media on Sunday, announced the closing. Today’s Special’s menu featured sandwiches and paninis, along with soups and salads. It billed itself as a “New York style”
The former owners, the Kraus family, could not be reached for comment. The shop, like many other, has been struggling finding staff. It closed temporarily during the summer due to staffing shortage, but then reopened.
Here’s the full text of the announcement:
“It comes with a heavy heart that We are saying Goodbye to Downtown Syracuse after 17 years of operation. We can’t tell you how much we have appreciated all of the smiling faces that have walked through our doors over the years. Your loyalty, patronage, and kind words allowed our business to thrive and made this a great place to work. For that, we will be forever grateful. Most importantly, we want to say a huge thank you to our hardworking staff who have made this work for as long as it did. Sincerely, Today’s Special Owners & Management”
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