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Welcome to Ash Wednesday!
Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, observed in many Western Christian denominations. It takes place forty-six days before Easter, and may take place anytime between February 4 and March 10. Depending on denomination, it is observed with religious services, a ritual with ashes, and fasting.
In ancient times, ashes were used to express grief. The sprinkling of ashes on heads takes place in numerous places in the Bible. Christians continued the tradition as a sign of repentance. Christians in Western Europe were receiving ashes on the first day of Lent by the tenth century, although not yet in the Catholic Church. In 1091, the Catholic Church joined the ritual, after Pope Urban II ordered ashes should be given in Rome. The day soon came to be called Ash Wednesday. Some denominations stopped giving out ashes after the Reformation, sometime around 1600, but still observed Ash Wednesday as the first day of Lent.
SU News
Clemson forward PJ Hall (24) dunks over Syracuse center Jesse Edwards (14) during a game last January. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com
Syracuse travels to South Carolina to visit a bubbly Clemson: What to know (PS; $; Ditota)
Syracuse will travel to South Carolina to play Clemson on Wednesday.
The Tigers are in something of a tailspin right now. Clemson, a team that was ranked as high as 19th by the AP and in the Coaches’ Poll on Jan. 22, is currently unranked. The Tigers have dropped four of their last five games, including an 83-73 loss to the ACC’s last-place Louisville on Saturday.
This is the first and only time SU and Clemson will square off during the regular season. The teams met just once last season, too. The Orange emerged with a 91-78 victory over the Tigers in the (then) Carrier Dome. Joe Girard scored 23 points in that one.
Clemson holds the series record at a slim 7-6.
The Orange (16-11, 9-7) faces the Tigers (19-8, 11-5) at 7 p.m. The game will be televised by the ACC Network.
Despite Clemson’s solid record, the Tigers sit squarely on the NCAA Tournament bubble. Clemson is 81 in the NET, the sorting tool used by the NCAA to help determine its tournament field. It is 3-2 in Quad 1 games but has four losses to Quad 3 and Quad 4 teams, including the stinging defeat at Louisville on Saturday.
(Syracuse, in case you’re wondering, is 101 in the NET. It has yet to win a Quad 1 game this season in six tries. Right now, this is a Quad 2 game for SU and a Quad 3 game for Clemson.)
Here’s what to know about the game:
Home-wreckers?
Clemson, like most middle-of-the-pack ACC teams, has struggled on the road. The Tigers are 4-4 away from Littlejohn Coliseum, that Saturday loss at Louisville the most damning.
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Out beat writers are split on whether Syracuse will defeat Clemson (DO; Staff)
Syracuse followed up its biggest win of the season over then-No. 23 NC State with a 77-55 loss to Duke on Saturday night. The Orange had their inside game completely closed down by the Blue Devils. Aside from a solid run in the middle of the first half, they quickly fell behind due to a 21-2 run to end the first half and never recovered. Now, they head to Clemson for the first of two straight road games against the Tigers and Pittsburgh — two of the top teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Joe Girard III continued his cold slide against the Blue Devils, while Jesse Edwards was shut down inside against Dereck Lively and Kyle Filipowski. Though Judah Mintz led the charge with 18 points, there was hardly enough help against the Blue Devils. Clemson, meanwhile, has lost four out of its last five games after bursting out to an 18-4 start, including a 10-1 record in the ACC.
Here is what our beat writers project will happen Wednesday night against the Tigers:
Anish Vasudevan (20-7)
Zero offense
Clemson 65, Syracuse 60
Looks like Anthony and I were big “Go Orange” guys last week, thinking that Syracuse could surprise everyone with a second straight strong performance. But Duke’s defense was nothing like NC State’s, rendering Edwards obsolete and SU’s forwards a nonfactor. Now, there’s only a little time for the Orange to regroup before two more challenging matchups.
Clemson isn’t as scary as Duke. The Tigers had one of the strongest starts to the season in the country, including a 10-1 run to begin ACC play, but they’ve lost four of their last five games. While the Orange hung around with North Carolina, Clemson lost by 10. It couldn’t defeat Boston College (13-15, 7-10 ACC) or Louisville (4-24, 2-15 ACC) either, two teams SU came out on top of.
Still, the game will depend on if Syracuse can score the basketball. Head coach Jim Boeheim said the Orange showed nothing offensively against the Blue Devils, who are the second-best defense in the ACC. The Tigers have the third-best scoring defense in the conference and will most likely have a concrete plan to stop Edwards and Girard. I don’t think Chris Bell, Justin Taylor or Benny Williams will do enough on the road to keep Syracuse in this. The Tigers have only lost once at home this season.
Connor Smith (23-4)
Bouncing back
Syracuse 77, Clemson 70
The Orange turned in one of their worst performances of the season against Duke, barely looking competitive in the second half. The loss showed how SU’s 2-3 zone and full-court press can be thoroughly dissected, and once again, how the lack of production from Edwards is something Syracuse’s offense can’t overcome.
Next, there’s Clemson, which just a month ago looked like a tough road trip. Since, though, the Tigers have stumbled from their post as the ACC’s top dog, and have lost four of their past five games — including against lowly Louisville by 10 points on Saturday. Clemson also lost to Boston College just a few weeks ago, and like Syracuse, is in desperate need of a win on Wednesday night.
The Tigers are a good shooting team — ranking fourth in the ACC in 3-point shooting percentage — and also average 75 points per game. That alone makes me want to pick them to win at home, but their lack of offensive rebounding strength (338th nationally in that category, per KenPom) will leave them with plenty of one-and-done possessions. Edwards is going to have to battle inside with PJ Hall, and Syracuse is going to have to limit leading scorer Chase Hunter. In the end, I see the Orange doing enough to pick up a road win over a struggling Clemson team.
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Opponent preview: What to know about 19-8 Clemson (DO; Smith)
Syracuse dropped its seventh Atlantic Coast Conference game of the season on Saturday against Duke. The arrival of the Blue Devils brought the largest on-campus crowd in college basketball this season, but also a sluggish SU performance and 77-55 loss. It was the Orange’s eighth straight loss to Duke, and dropped them to No. 101 in the NET rankings, the main factor in NCAA Tournament selections.
That means — barring a surprise ACC Tournament run that ends in Syracuse hoisting a trophy — SU will be lucky to even make it into the NIT Tournament. The Orange have plenty of work to do to get into the postseason conversation, though a win at Clemson (NET No. 81) on Wednesday evening would certainly help. The Tigers were once a top-25 team atop the ACC standings, but have dropped four of their last five games, including a 10-point loss to a dismal Louisville team over the weekend.
Here’s everything to know about Clemson (19-8, 11-5 ACC) before the Orange’s visit on Wednesday night:
The victory improved SU to 9-9 overall, and 3-4 in ACC play. Syracuse tried its hand at a three-guard lineup that included Symir Torrence, Girard and Buddy, moving Jimmy to the power forward spot. While the offense got a boost in the win, Syracuse let Clemson shoot 48% in the second half, and the Tigers came back from a double-digit deficit to get within six with 3:53 left. The Orange, though, finished the game on a 13-6 run.
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Opponent preview: What to know about 19-8 Clemson (DO; Staff)
Will to Win: Documentary (downtownsyracuse.com)
On the 20th anniversary of the Syracuse basketball team’s historic run, Syracuse.com will debut a breakthrough long-form documentary movie about the championship team beloved by Orange basketball fans everywhere.
The film is packed with fresh and revealing interviews from the players and coaches involved in the most unforgettable period in SU basketball history – one that united an entire community.
“Will to Win: Syracuse basketball’s unlikely rise from underdog to national champs” includes behind-the-scenes accounts from every player and coach of the 2003 NCAA championship team. Carmelo Anthony, Gerry McNamara, Hakim Warrick, Jim Boeheim and others tell stories never revealed in news coverage.
This movie chronicles the team’s struggling start, resurgence and rise to overcome the odds. It shows how the team full of new faces bonded, overcame sports and personal setbacks, and developed a swagger that made them unbeatable.
“Our will to win was strong,” McNamara told Syracuse.com’s Mike Waters. “And to me that outweighs any other thing. We wanted to win. It’s as simple as that.”
The film premieres Wednesday, March 29 at the Landmark Theatre in Syracuse.
This retrospective is full of untold stories of a historic season. Hall of Fame reporter Mike Waters traveled from coast to coast to interview every Syracuse player and coach from that season.
Sponsorships, tickets and VIP packages are available now.
VIP ticket holders will have the exclusive opportunity to mix and mingle with former coaches and players from the 2003 team.
Additionally
– Will to Win: Documentary starts at 7:00 P.M., Doors open at 5:30 P.M.
– For guests needing additional sound amplification, assistive listening devices are available at the concession stand on the main floor.
EVENT WEBSITE
GET TICKETS
Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Syracuse men’s basketball: Freshman Quadir Copeland has been Syracuse’s energy and enthusiasm from the bench (TNIAAM; Szuba)
The Syracuse Orange men’s basketball team has received a lift in one form or another from freshman Quadir Copeland throughout this season. The 6-foot-6 versatile guard, who doubles as small forward, provides enthusiasm for teammates when he’s on the bench and energy on the court when he gets game time.
Syracuse fans have been quick to notice how animated he’s been from the sideline and they’ve appreciated his contributions and hustle when he gets an opportunity to play.
At times when Jim Boeheim has needed a jolt, he’s turned to the freshman from Philadelphia as the spark plug. Copeland, whose dad was a boxer, has fought hard for Syracuse in short rounds this season. In a comeback effort against Pittsburgh that fell just short, Copeland initiated the run and had ten points, five rebounds, two blocks and a steal in the process.
At Georgia Tech he grabbed six rebounds and had two assists off the bench after Syracuse got off to a slow start, which helped continue a scoring run. He’s worked hard in practice throughout the year. Coaches have pointed out his efforts in the Melo Center.
“He’s been really good in practice,” Jim Boeheim began on Copeland. “He’s been able to get to the basket. His shooting has improved. He’s more active than our other guys. Even though he plays the one, two and the three, right now he can play the three. He’s active there. He rebounds as well as any of our three men do and he has the ability to put it on the floor better than the other guys do.”
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Keeping Up With The 315 2-21-23 (espn; radio; The 315)
Brian Higgins starts the show with a theory on why it’s so maddening to ACC fans that the conference won’t have a large presence in the NCAA Tournament. Then, an update on Syracuse’s NFL Draft prospects and where they may land. Later, a caller has a suggestion for the Orange in terms of men’s basketball scheduling. Finally, Tim Leonard joins Brian to discuss one of the craziest college basketball stories in recent memory.
Joe Girard "On The Block" 2-21-23 (espn; radio; Axe)
After a tough loss to Duke, Syracuse guard Joe Girard joins Brent Axe to give his thoughts on the game. Plus, a look ahead to Clemson this Wednesday and a chance for the Orange to get back on track.
ACC News
"In The Zone" Described | 2023 ACC Men's Basketball (youtube; video; ACC DN)
Have you ever wondered what it feels like to be "in the zone" on a basketball court while playing in a big-time college basketball game? We asked several ACC players and coaches to describe what it feels like to truly reach that point in a game where every shot you take is going in and every move you make is the right one. Hear how players like Quinten Post, Joe Girard III, Caleb Mills and Jordan Miller describe the feeling, and listen to how coaches like Jeff Capel and Steve Forbes coach differently when they've got a player "in the zone" here.
Oglesby: ACC Basketball is bad this season (youtube; video; 99.9 The Fan)
Terrence Oglesby of the Field of 68 shared his thoughts on the ACC, why the blue bloods like UNC basketball and Duke basketball have not lived up to their standards this season, and how ACC basketball stacks up to other conferences.
Feb 18, 2023; Coral Gables, Florida, USA; Miami Hurricanes guard Wooga Poplar (55) and guard Jordan Miller (11) react after a play against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the second half at Watsco Center. Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
ACC Roundup - Miami & Pitt Roll On (DBR; King)
In Tuesday’s ACC Action, Miami survived Virginia Tech 76-70 and Pitt downed Georgia Tech 76-68.
As we thought, Virginia Tech pushed Miami, leading in the first half by nine. The ‘Canes came back in the second though, going up by 10 before the Hokies cut that lead back.
Miami killed Virginia Tech on the line, hitting 15-19 to 5-7 for the Hokies. That translated into significant foul trouble for Mike Young’s team as Grant Basile and Justyn Mutts both finished with four each. Sean Pedulla had three.
All of Tech’s starters pulled more than 32 minutes with Hunter Cattoor going for 40.
Miami’s minutes weren’t that much different with only Wooga Poplar getting less than 34 (he had 25).
It’s been an unfortunate season for Virginia Tech and there’s almost no chance this team will make the NCAA tournament, unless it gets hot and wins the ACC Tournament to get there.
Thing is, there’s enough talent - and great shooting - to pull that off. And you can’t say that about some schools.
Take Georgia Tech.
The Yellow Jackets might make a bit of a run in the ACC and win a game or two. But there’s not enough offensive talent to do much more than that.
So they’re basically running out the string, finishing off a disappointing season.
The Yellow Jackets were 10-17 going into this game and they left it 11-17, as expected.
Still, Tech hung in there for much of the game. With 10:48 to play in the second half, Georgia Tech was up 50-49.
From there on, Pitt began to pull away and there wasn’t much Georgia Tech could do to stop it.
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Joe Lunardi, Bracketology Need to Put Some Respect on ACC Hoops' Name; Conference Rankings Debunked (youtube; video; Locked on ACC)
As the regular season winds down, many (Joe Lunardi & other analysts) are doubting the strength of the ACC, again. If 2022 told us anything, it's to never doubt the ACC. Kenton Gibbs shares why the ACC deserves more respect.
UNC basketball bracketology: Tar Heels currently outside looking in for NCAA Tournament (fayobserver.com; Gray)
UNC basketball has lost five of six games, turning the Tar Heels into a team on the outside looking in at the NCAA Tournament field.
The Tar Heels, who started the season ranked No. 1, are now ninth in the ACC and among the first four out for many recent bracketology projections.
The Tar Heels are 48th in the NET rankings and have an 0-8 record against Quadrant 1 opponents. All 11 losses are within Quadrants 1 and 2. UNC has games at Notre Dame, Virginia, at Florida State and Duke remaining on the schedule; the two home games are huge opportunities for the Tar Heels to erase the last month's issues.
Here are some bracketology projections heading into Wednesday's game against Notre Dame.
"UNC sits as First Team Out in this latest bracket update, which is probably generous, and is running out of time to do anything about it," Lunardi wrote in his bracketology analysis. "With just four games remaining before the ACC tournament, the Heels (16-11, 8-8 ACC) would appear to need to win at least three or face an AQ-or-bust scenario in Greensboro next month."
Wake Forest (at NC State), Wisconsin (vs. Iowa) and New Mexico (at Boise State) all have games Wednesday against teams currently in the NCAA Tournament field.
USA TODAY's projections have Virginia, Duke, NC State, Pitt and Miami (Fla.) as ACC teams in the field.
With two weeks of regular-season play remaining, the Tar Heels are the second team out and find themselves projected into the field in only 14 of 104 bracketology projections considered this week. Wisconsin is the last team in, while New Mexico is the first team out of the composite field.
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Evaluating UVA basketball’s paths to winning the ACC Regular Season Title (streakingthelawn.com; Carey)
As the Virginia Cavaliers have just four games remaining in their regular season schedule, they’re now sitting in a pretty solid position in the ACC with sole possession of first place following Pitt’s loss to Virginia Tech this weekend. But, with the Panthers one game back and Miami one loss (or half a game) away from the Wahoos and UVA looking shaky against recent opponents Louisville and Notre Dame, it’s still all to play for.
The Straightforward Path: Win out
With sole possession of first in the conference, the simplest path to winning the conference outright would be by handling business against Boston College, North Carolina, Clemson, and Louisville. By winning those four remaining games, the Cavaliers would seize the ACC Tournament #1 seed and sole possession of the Regular Season Title.
How likely are they to do that? Well, tomorrow’s game at Boston College and March 4th’s game against Louisville in Charlottesville ought to be straightforward victories. Those are two teams that have been severely worse than Virginia over the entirety of the season. Boston College’s best wins this season have come against Virginia Tech, twice, and Clemson at home. Otherwise, they don’t have a single win over a team inside KenPom’s top-100. Back in late January, the ‘Hoos came out slowly against the Eagles but still won by 19. Even if things are closer on the road, tomorrow night’s contest should be a UVA win.
In similar fashion, UVA should also handle Louisville on March 4th. Yes, the Cardinals played the Cavaliers close last week, just upset Clemson, and have been playing far better basketball of late. Still, though, Virginia played its worst game of the season against Louisville on the road and still came out with the win. If they play even marginally better at home against Louisville, we should be able to assume a victory. Yes, upsets can happen. But if the Wahoos drop either of these two games they’ve got bigger problems than winning the ACC.
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Virginia Tech falls short in 76-70 loss to No. 13 Miami - Virginia Tech Athletics (hokiesports.com)
Virginia Tech had three players score in double figures, but still fell short to Miami – 76-70 – on Tuesday night in Cassell Coliseum.
Hunter Cattoor posted Tech's most impressive statline of the night with 15 points, six boards, four assists and four steals. With his first bucket, Cattoor became the 50th player in program to reach 1,000 career points.
Sean Pedulla led Tech with 17 points and six rebounds, while Grant Basile chipped in as well with 13 points.
At 46.7%, the Hokies posted a better field-goal percentage than the visitors, however Miami's 39-31 advantage on the boards separated them from Tech.
How It Happened
After falling behind 22-19, Virginia Tech went on a 6-0 run with 7:41 left in the first half, culminating in a bucket from Mj Collins, to take a 25-22 lead. The Hokies then surrendered that lead and entered halftime down 36-32.
Miami kept widening its lead after intermission, constructing a 41-32 advantage before Virginia Tech went on a 6-0 run, finished off by Basile's three, to shrink the deficit to 41-38 with 16:32 to go in the contest. Miami responded and outscored the Hokies the rest of the way, ending the game with a final score of 76-70. Virginia Tech shot well from three-point range in the half, hitting seven shots from deep to score 21 of its 38 points.
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Cummings Leads Panthers to 76-68 Win Over Georgia Tech - Pitt Panthers #H2P (pittsburghpanthers.com)
Nelly Cummings scored a team-high 22 points, including nine in the final four minutes of play, to lead Pitt to a 76-68 win over Georgia Tech Tuesday evening at the Petersen Events Center. The Panthers made 8-of-10 shots from the field and went 8-of-8 from the foul line in the final 10 minutes of the second half en route to securing their 20th win of the season and their 13th victory in ACC play.
Blake Hinson added 19 points and six rebounds with his fifth three-point field goal of the night giving Pitt a 70-62 lead with 1:42 remaining. Pitt also received double figure scoring efforts from Federiko Federiko (14 points) and Jamarius Burton (12 points) on the night.
Pitt went up 15-7 at the 13:48 mark in the opening half on a Cummings three-point field goal. Georgia Tech chipped away and took a brief lead on a Miles Kelly jumper at the 4:36 mark to cap a 7-0 Yellow Jacket run.
Hinson buried a three-pointer 14 seconds later to give Pitt the lead and the Panthers carried a 33-32 lead into halftime. Hinson went 3-of-4 from beyond the arc and had 11 points in the opening half to lead the Panthers.
Georgia Tech stayed connected by taking care of the ball and outscoring Pitt, 11-0, in points off turnovers. The Yellow Jackets did not commit a turnover in the opening half.
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ACC men’s basketball power rankings: stand back the Hurricanes are coming through (TNIAAM; Wall)
The Syracuse Orange men’s basketball team split their home games last week, so where will they land in this week’s TNIAAM ACC Power Rankings?
Don’t ask us to explain our ratings system- just be grateful that the Fake Nunes Statistical Index staff are keeping busy this winter.
Now let’s get to this week’s rankings..
1) Miami Hurricanes (22-5, 13-4)
The ACC might not want Miami to win the title but in our minds Duke beat Virginia on that missed call so Miami would have the edge. Also, you can’t barely beat Notre Dame at home and expect our FNSI staff to cut you some slack.
2) Virginia Cavaliers (21-4, 13-3)
Virginia is going to get a protected seed but they are playing with fire with all these close games.
3) Pittsburgh Panthers (19-8, 12-4)
Pitt has sold out the game against Syracuse...let’s hope the Orange treat it like 2014 and not 2022.
4) Duke Blue Devils (19-8, 10-6)
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Other
All you can think: An exhaustive guide to trivia nights (almost) every weeknight in Central NY (PS; Rhodes)
Trivia night is the perfect mid-week activity for families, coworkers, competitive friend groups or anyone looking to get out of the house. Most trivia nights take place in bars or restaurants. Get to know your local pubs while showing your smarts. Because nothing’s better than sharing a few beers and showing your friends you’re smarter than them. Most places allow up to seven people and give out weekly prizes.
Here’s a roundup of free trivia nights in Onondaga County.
Tables are full with trivia contestants at Biergarten. Maddie Rhodes
Monday
World of Beer at 7 p.m.
Destiny USA, Syracuse
World of Beer has weekly trivia where you can enjoy outsmarting people over beer and pub food. They give away $30 and $15 gift cards for the top two teams. Reservations are recommended because it gets fairly busy.
Trappers at 7 p.m.
5950 Butternut Dr., East Syracuse
Trappers hosts Syracuse Trivia Company every Monday night. The locally-owned sports pub is known for its pizza and wings. They have volleyball tournaments in the summer and hold events like art workshops in the winter. They’re even doing an indoor volleyball tournament in late February.
Recess Coffee (Tipp Hill) at 7 p.m.
429 Ulster St., Syracuse
Recess hosts trivia nights as well, but coffee isn’t the only thing they’re serving. There’s beer and wine along with food such as paninis and flatbreads. The winning team gets a $25 gift card the runner-up gets a pound of any bag of coffee.
Salt City Bar at 7 p.m.
484 S. Salina St., Syracuse
The bar at Salt City Market has specialty and signature cocktails like the Mood Ring which has vodka, elderflower, blackberry, lemon and butterfly pea flower. Or you could ask for the bartender’s favorite. The bar doesn’t serve food, but some vendors at the market next door are open for food in the evening.
PressRoom Pub at 7 p.m.
220 Herald Pl., Syracuse
There’s plenty of trivia to go around while you work your way through PressRoom’s 32 beers on tap. The pub serves food like wings, sandwiches, burgers and riggies. First and second place receive a $50 and $25 gift card, respectively, while third place gets 30 trivia points which can be used at any Syracuse Trivia event.
120 Wilkinson St., Syracuse
Usually you have to call to reserve a spot for trivia on the day of the event after noon at this Syracuse craft brewery. First place wins six drink tokens and second place wins four drink tokens.
Vicinos Brick & Brew at 6:30 p.m.
7789 Brewerton Rd., North Syracuse
The trivia lasts around two hours and is based on general knowledge questions with weekly themes for all ages. They have beer on tap and serve food like pizza and burgers. Winners get gift cards and trivia points for prizes every week.
The Wildcat at 6:45 p.m.
3680 Milton Ave., Camillus
The Wildcat is a sports pub that specializes in pizza, sandwiches and bar food. Spots fill up, so get there early. Teams are limited to eight people and prizes are a $25 gift card for first place and $15 for second place.
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Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, observed in many Western Christian denominations. It takes place forty-six days before Easter, and may take place anytime between February 4 and March 10. Depending on denomination, it is observed with religious services, a ritual with ashes, and fasting.
In ancient times, ashes were used to express grief. The sprinkling of ashes on heads takes place in numerous places in the Bible. Christians continued the tradition as a sign of repentance. Christians in Western Europe were receiving ashes on the first day of Lent by the tenth century, although not yet in the Catholic Church. In 1091, the Catholic Church joined the ritual, after Pope Urban II ordered ashes should be given in Rome. The day soon came to be called Ash Wednesday. Some denominations stopped giving out ashes after the Reformation, sometime around 1600, but still observed Ash Wednesday as the first day of Lent.
SU News
Clemson forward PJ Hall (24) dunks over Syracuse center Jesse Edwards (14) during a game last January. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com
Syracuse travels to South Carolina to visit a bubbly Clemson: What to know (PS; $; Ditota)
Syracuse will travel to South Carolina to play Clemson on Wednesday.
The Tigers are in something of a tailspin right now. Clemson, a team that was ranked as high as 19th by the AP and in the Coaches’ Poll on Jan. 22, is currently unranked. The Tigers have dropped four of their last five games, including an 83-73 loss to the ACC’s last-place Louisville on Saturday.
This is the first and only time SU and Clemson will square off during the regular season. The teams met just once last season, too. The Orange emerged with a 91-78 victory over the Tigers in the (then) Carrier Dome. Joe Girard scored 23 points in that one.
Clemson holds the series record at a slim 7-6.
The Orange (16-11, 9-7) faces the Tigers (19-8, 11-5) at 7 p.m. The game will be televised by the ACC Network.
Despite Clemson’s solid record, the Tigers sit squarely on the NCAA Tournament bubble. Clemson is 81 in the NET, the sorting tool used by the NCAA to help determine its tournament field. It is 3-2 in Quad 1 games but has four losses to Quad 3 and Quad 4 teams, including the stinging defeat at Louisville on Saturday.
(Syracuse, in case you’re wondering, is 101 in the NET. It has yet to win a Quad 1 game this season in six tries. Right now, this is a Quad 2 game for SU and a Quad 3 game for Clemson.)
Here’s what to know about the game:
Home-wreckers?
Clemson, like most middle-of-the-pack ACC teams, has struggled on the road. The Tigers are 4-4 away from Littlejohn Coliseum, that Saturday loss at Louisville the most damning.
...
Out beat writers are split on whether Syracuse will defeat Clemson (DO; Staff)
Syracuse followed up its biggest win of the season over then-No. 23 NC State with a 77-55 loss to Duke on Saturday night. The Orange had their inside game completely closed down by the Blue Devils. Aside from a solid run in the middle of the first half, they quickly fell behind due to a 21-2 run to end the first half and never recovered. Now, they head to Clemson for the first of two straight road games against the Tigers and Pittsburgh — two of the top teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Joe Girard III continued his cold slide against the Blue Devils, while Jesse Edwards was shut down inside against Dereck Lively and Kyle Filipowski. Though Judah Mintz led the charge with 18 points, there was hardly enough help against the Blue Devils. Clemson, meanwhile, has lost four out of its last five games after bursting out to an 18-4 start, including a 10-1 record in the ACC.
Here is what our beat writers project will happen Wednesday night against the Tigers:
Anish Vasudevan (20-7)
Zero offense
Clemson 65, Syracuse 60
Looks like Anthony and I were big “Go Orange” guys last week, thinking that Syracuse could surprise everyone with a second straight strong performance. But Duke’s defense was nothing like NC State’s, rendering Edwards obsolete and SU’s forwards a nonfactor. Now, there’s only a little time for the Orange to regroup before two more challenging matchups.
Clemson isn’t as scary as Duke. The Tigers had one of the strongest starts to the season in the country, including a 10-1 run to begin ACC play, but they’ve lost four of their last five games. While the Orange hung around with North Carolina, Clemson lost by 10. It couldn’t defeat Boston College (13-15, 7-10 ACC) or Louisville (4-24, 2-15 ACC) either, two teams SU came out on top of.
Still, the game will depend on if Syracuse can score the basketball. Head coach Jim Boeheim said the Orange showed nothing offensively against the Blue Devils, who are the second-best defense in the ACC. The Tigers have the third-best scoring defense in the conference and will most likely have a concrete plan to stop Edwards and Girard. I don’t think Chris Bell, Justin Taylor or Benny Williams will do enough on the road to keep Syracuse in this. The Tigers have only lost once at home this season.
Connor Smith (23-4)
Bouncing back
Syracuse 77, Clemson 70
The Orange turned in one of their worst performances of the season against Duke, barely looking competitive in the second half. The loss showed how SU’s 2-3 zone and full-court press can be thoroughly dissected, and once again, how the lack of production from Edwards is something Syracuse’s offense can’t overcome.
Next, there’s Clemson, which just a month ago looked like a tough road trip. Since, though, the Tigers have stumbled from their post as the ACC’s top dog, and have lost four of their past five games — including against lowly Louisville by 10 points on Saturday. Clemson also lost to Boston College just a few weeks ago, and like Syracuse, is in desperate need of a win on Wednesday night.
The Tigers are a good shooting team — ranking fourth in the ACC in 3-point shooting percentage — and also average 75 points per game. That alone makes me want to pick them to win at home, but their lack of offensive rebounding strength (338th nationally in that category, per KenPom) will leave them with plenty of one-and-done possessions. Edwards is going to have to battle inside with PJ Hall, and Syracuse is going to have to limit leading scorer Chase Hunter. In the end, I see the Orange doing enough to pick up a road win over a struggling Clemson team.
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Opponent preview: What to know about 19-8 Clemson (DO; Smith)
Syracuse dropped its seventh Atlantic Coast Conference game of the season on Saturday against Duke. The arrival of the Blue Devils brought the largest on-campus crowd in college basketball this season, but also a sluggish SU performance and 77-55 loss. It was the Orange’s eighth straight loss to Duke, and dropped them to No. 101 in the NET rankings, the main factor in NCAA Tournament selections.
That means — barring a surprise ACC Tournament run that ends in Syracuse hoisting a trophy — SU will be lucky to even make it into the NIT Tournament. The Orange have plenty of work to do to get into the postseason conversation, though a win at Clemson (NET No. 81) on Wednesday evening would certainly help. The Tigers were once a top-25 team atop the ACC standings, but have dropped four of their last five games, including a 10-point loss to a dismal Louisville team over the weekend.
Here’s everything to know about Clemson (19-8, 11-5 ACC) before the Orange’s visit on Wednesday night:
All-time series
The series is tied, 6-6.Last time they played
Syracuse and Clemson met in the Dome last January, with SU coming out on top, 91-78. The Orange poured in 51 points in the second half — Buddy Boeheim scored 25 points, four of which were made 3s, and Joe Girard III scored 23 points, 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. Jesse Edwards had 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Jimmy Boeheim added 13 points and 10 boards. Syracuse as a team shot 53.4% from the field, and made 41% of its 3-pointers.The victory improved SU to 9-9 overall, and 3-4 in ACC play. Syracuse tried its hand at a three-guard lineup that included Symir Torrence, Girard and Buddy, moving Jimmy to the power forward spot. While the offense got a boost in the win, Syracuse let Clemson shoot 48% in the second half, and the Tigers came back from a double-digit deficit to get within six with 3:53 left. The Orange, though, finished the game on a 13-6 run.
KenPom odds
Clemson has a 68% chance of winning, with a projected score of 75-70....
Opponent preview: What to know about 19-8 Clemson (DO; Staff)
Will to Win: Documentary (downtownsyracuse.com)
On the 20th anniversary of the Syracuse basketball team’s historic run, Syracuse.com will debut a breakthrough long-form documentary movie about the championship team beloved by Orange basketball fans everywhere.
The film is packed with fresh and revealing interviews from the players and coaches involved in the most unforgettable period in SU basketball history – one that united an entire community.
“Will to Win: Syracuse basketball’s unlikely rise from underdog to national champs” includes behind-the-scenes accounts from every player and coach of the 2003 NCAA championship team. Carmelo Anthony, Gerry McNamara, Hakim Warrick, Jim Boeheim and others tell stories never revealed in news coverage.
This movie chronicles the team’s struggling start, resurgence and rise to overcome the odds. It shows how the team full of new faces bonded, overcame sports and personal setbacks, and developed a swagger that made them unbeatable.
“Our will to win was strong,” McNamara told Syracuse.com’s Mike Waters. “And to me that outweighs any other thing. We wanted to win. It’s as simple as that.”
The film premieres Wednesday, March 29 at the Landmark Theatre in Syracuse.
This retrospective is full of untold stories of a historic season. Hall of Fame reporter Mike Waters traveled from coast to coast to interview every Syracuse player and coach from that season.
Sponsorships, tickets and VIP packages are available now.
VIP ticket holders will have the exclusive opportunity to mix and mingle with former coaches and players from the 2003 team.
Additionally
– Will to Win: Documentary starts at 7:00 P.M., Doors open at 5:30 P.M.
– For guests needing additional sound amplification, assistive listening devices are available at the concession stand on the main floor.
EVENT WEBSITE
GET TICKETS
| Date/Time | 3/29/2023 7:00 PM |
| Contact Phone | 315-475-7979 |
| Contact Email | amasters@landmarktheatre.org |
| Venue | Landmark Theatre 362 S. Salina St. Syracuse, NY 13202 |
Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Syracuse men’s basketball: Freshman Quadir Copeland has been Syracuse’s energy and enthusiasm from the bench (TNIAAM; Szuba)
The Syracuse Orange men’s basketball team has received a lift in one form or another from freshman Quadir Copeland throughout this season. The 6-foot-6 versatile guard, who doubles as small forward, provides enthusiasm for teammates when he’s on the bench and energy on the court when he gets game time.
Syracuse fans have been quick to notice how animated he’s been from the sideline and they’ve appreciated his contributions and hustle when he gets an opportunity to play.
At times when Jim Boeheim has needed a jolt, he’s turned to the freshman from Philadelphia as the spark plug. Copeland, whose dad was a boxer, has fought hard for Syracuse in short rounds this season. In a comeback effort against Pittsburgh that fell just short, Copeland initiated the run and had ten points, five rebounds, two blocks and a steal in the process.
At Georgia Tech he grabbed six rebounds and had two assists off the bench after Syracuse got off to a slow start, which helped continue a scoring run. He’s worked hard in practice throughout the year. Coaches have pointed out his efforts in the Melo Center.
“He’s been really good in practice,” Jim Boeheim began on Copeland. “He’s been able to get to the basket. His shooting has improved. He’s more active than our other guys. Even though he plays the one, two and the three, right now he can play the three. He’s active there. He rebounds as well as any of our three men do and he has the ability to put it on the floor better than the other guys do.”
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Keeping Up With The 315 2-21-23 (espn; radio; The 315)
Brian Higgins starts the show with a theory on why it’s so maddening to ACC fans that the conference won’t have a large presence in the NCAA Tournament. Then, an update on Syracuse’s NFL Draft prospects and where they may land. Later, a caller has a suggestion for the Orange in terms of men’s basketball scheduling. Finally, Tim Leonard joins Brian to discuss one of the craziest college basketball stories in recent memory.
Joe Girard "On The Block" 2-21-23 (espn; radio; Axe)
After a tough loss to Duke, Syracuse guard Joe Girard joins Brent Axe to give his thoughts on the game. Plus, a look ahead to Clemson this Wednesday and a chance for the Orange to get back on track.
ACC News
"In The Zone" Described | 2023 ACC Men's Basketball (youtube; video; ACC DN)
Have you ever wondered what it feels like to be "in the zone" on a basketball court while playing in a big-time college basketball game? We asked several ACC players and coaches to describe what it feels like to truly reach that point in a game where every shot you take is going in and every move you make is the right one. Hear how players like Quinten Post, Joe Girard III, Caleb Mills and Jordan Miller describe the feeling, and listen to how coaches like Jeff Capel and Steve Forbes coach differently when they've got a player "in the zone" here.
Oglesby: ACC Basketball is bad this season (youtube; video; 99.9 The Fan)
Terrence Oglesby of the Field of 68 shared his thoughts on the ACC, why the blue bloods like UNC basketball and Duke basketball have not lived up to their standards this season, and how ACC basketball stacks up to other conferences.
Feb 18, 2023; Coral Gables, Florida, USA; Miami Hurricanes guard Wooga Poplar (55) and guard Jordan Miller (11) react after a play against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the second half at Watsco Center. Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
ACC Roundup - Miami & Pitt Roll On (DBR; King)
In Tuesday’s ACC Action, Miami survived Virginia Tech 76-70 and Pitt downed Georgia Tech 76-68.
As we thought, Virginia Tech pushed Miami, leading in the first half by nine. The ‘Canes came back in the second though, going up by 10 before the Hokies cut that lead back.
Miami killed Virginia Tech on the line, hitting 15-19 to 5-7 for the Hokies. That translated into significant foul trouble for Mike Young’s team as Grant Basile and Justyn Mutts both finished with four each. Sean Pedulla had three.
All of Tech’s starters pulled more than 32 minutes with Hunter Cattoor going for 40.
Miami’s minutes weren’t that much different with only Wooga Poplar getting less than 34 (he had 25).
It’s been an unfortunate season for Virginia Tech and there’s almost no chance this team will make the NCAA tournament, unless it gets hot and wins the ACC Tournament to get there.
Thing is, there’s enough talent - and great shooting - to pull that off. And you can’t say that about some schools.
Take Georgia Tech.
The Yellow Jackets might make a bit of a run in the ACC and win a game or two. But there’s not enough offensive talent to do much more than that.
So they’re basically running out the string, finishing off a disappointing season.
The Yellow Jackets were 10-17 going into this game and they left it 11-17, as expected.
Still, Tech hung in there for much of the game. With 10:48 to play in the second half, Georgia Tech was up 50-49.
From there on, Pitt began to pull away and there wasn’t much Georgia Tech could do to stop it.
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Joe Lunardi, Bracketology Need to Put Some Respect on ACC Hoops' Name; Conference Rankings Debunked (youtube; video; Locked on ACC)
As the regular season winds down, many (Joe Lunardi & other analysts) are doubting the strength of the ACC, again. If 2022 told us anything, it's to never doubt the ACC. Kenton Gibbs shares why the ACC deserves more respect.
UNC basketball bracketology: Tar Heels currently outside looking in for NCAA Tournament (fayobserver.com; Gray)
UNC basketball has lost five of six games, turning the Tar Heels into a team on the outside looking in at the NCAA Tournament field.
The Tar Heels, who started the season ranked No. 1, are now ninth in the ACC and among the first four out for many recent bracketology projections.
The Tar Heels are 48th in the NET rankings and have an 0-8 record against Quadrant 1 opponents. All 11 losses are within Quadrants 1 and 2. UNC has games at Notre Dame, Virginia, at Florida State and Duke remaining on the schedule; the two home games are huge opportunities for the Tar Heels to erase the last month's issues.
Here are some bracketology projections heading into Wednesday's game against Notre Dame.
Joe Lunardi, ESPN.com: First team out
Lunardi has UNC as the first team out heading into Tuesday's games, just behind Wisconsin and just ahead of Charleston."UNC sits as First Team Out in this latest bracket update, which is probably generous, and is running out of time to do anything about it," Lunardi wrote in his bracketology analysis. "With just four games remaining before the ACC tournament, the Heels (16-11, 8-8 ACC) would appear to need to win at least three or face an AQ-or-bust scenario in Greensboro next month."
Jerry Palm, CBSSports.com: First four out
Palm has UNC in a group including Wake Forest, Wisconsin and Penn State among the first four out. Palm has USC, New Mexico, Mississippi State and West Virginia in the First Four games.Wake Forest (at NC State), Wisconsin (vs. Iowa) and New Mexico (at Boise State) all have games Wednesday against teams currently in the NCAA Tournament field.
USA TODAY: First four out
USA TODAY has UNC among Utah State, Penn State and Texas Tech in the first four out. UNC slipped out of the bracket following Sunday's loss to NC State.USA TODAY's projections have Virginia, Duke, NC State, Pitt and Miami (Fla.) as ACC teams in the field.
Bracket Matrix: Second team out
The Bracket Matrix formula considers the preeminent bracketology projections from across the web and averages them out to create a composite 68-team field.With two weeks of regular-season play remaining, the Tar Heels are the second team out and find themselves projected into the field in only 14 of 104 bracketology projections considered this week. Wisconsin is the last team in, while New Mexico is the first team out of the composite field.
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Evaluating UVA basketball’s paths to winning the ACC Regular Season Title (streakingthelawn.com; Carey)
As the Virginia Cavaliers have just four games remaining in their regular season schedule, they’re now sitting in a pretty solid position in the ACC with sole possession of first place following Pitt’s loss to Virginia Tech this weekend. But, with the Panthers one game back and Miami one loss (or half a game) away from the Wahoos and UVA looking shaky against recent opponents Louisville and Notre Dame, it’s still all to play for.
The Straightforward Path: Win out
With sole possession of first in the conference, the simplest path to winning the conference outright would be by handling business against Boston College, North Carolina, Clemson, and Louisville. By winning those four remaining games, the Cavaliers would seize the ACC Tournament #1 seed and sole possession of the Regular Season Title.
How likely are they to do that? Well, tomorrow’s game at Boston College and March 4th’s game against Louisville in Charlottesville ought to be straightforward victories. Those are two teams that have been severely worse than Virginia over the entirety of the season. Boston College’s best wins this season have come against Virginia Tech, twice, and Clemson at home. Otherwise, they don’t have a single win over a team inside KenPom’s top-100. Back in late January, the ‘Hoos came out slowly against the Eagles but still won by 19. Even if things are closer on the road, tomorrow night’s contest should be a UVA win.
In similar fashion, UVA should also handle Louisville on March 4th. Yes, the Cardinals played the Cavaliers close last week, just upset Clemson, and have been playing far better basketball of late. Still, though, Virginia played its worst game of the season against Louisville on the road and still came out with the win. If they play even marginally better at home against Louisville, we should be able to assume a victory. Yes, upsets can happen. But if the Wahoos drop either of these two games they’ve got bigger problems than winning the ACC.
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Virginia Tech falls short in 76-70 loss to No. 13 Miami - Virginia Tech Athletics (hokiesports.com)
Virginia Tech had three players score in double figures, but still fell short to Miami – 76-70 – on Tuesday night in Cassell Coliseum.
Hunter Cattoor posted Tech's most impressive statline of the night with 15 points, six boards, four assists and four steals. With his first bucket, Cattoor became the 50th player in program to reach 1,000 career points.
Sean Pedulla led Tech with 17 points and six rebounds, while Grant Basile chipped in as well with 13 points.
At 46.7%, the Hokies posted a better field-goal percentage than the visitors, however Miami's 39-31 advantage on the boards separated them from Tech.
How It Happened
After falling behind 22-19, Virginia Tech went on a 6-0 run with 7:41 left in the first half, culminating in a bucket from Mj Collins, to take a 25-22 lead. The Hokies then surrendered that lead and entered halftime down 36-32.
Miami kept widening its lead after intermission, constructing a 41-32 advantage before Virginia Tech went on a 6-0 run, finished off by Basile's three, to shrink the deficit to 41-38 with 16:32 to go in the contest. Miami responded and outscored the Hokies the rest of the way, ending the game with a final score of 76-70. Virginia Tech shot well from three-point range in the half, hitting seven shots from deep to score 21 of its 38 points.
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Cummings Leads Panthers to 76-68 Win Over Georgia Tech - Pitt Panthers #H2P (pittsburghpanthers.com)
Nelly Cummings scored a team-high 22 points, including nine in the final four minutes of play, to lead Pitt to a 76-68 win over Georgia Tech Tuesday evening at the Petersen Events Center. The Panthers made 8-of-10 shots from the field and went 8-of-8 from the foul line in the final 10 minutes of the second half en route to securing their 20th win of the season and their 13th victory in ACC play.
Blake Hinson added 19 points and six rebounds with his fifth three-point field goal of the night giving Pitt a 70-62 lead with 1:42 remaining. Pitt also received double figure scoring efforts from Federiko Federiko (14 points) and Jamarius Burton (12 points) on the night.
Pitt went up 15-7 at the 13:48 mark in the opening half on a Cummings three-point field goal. Georgia Tech chipped away and took a brief lead on a Miles Kelly jumper at the 4:36 mark to cap a 7-0 Yellow Jacket run.
Hinson buried a three-pointer 14 seconds later to give Pitt the lead and the Panthers carried a 33-32 lead into halftime. Hinson went 3-of-4 from beyond the arc and had 11 points in the opening half to lead the Panthers.
Georgia Tech stayed connected by taking care of the ball and outscoring Pitt, 11-0, in points off turnovers. The Yellow Jackets did not commit a turnover in the opening half.
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ACC men’s basketball power rankings: stand back the Hurricanes are coming through (TNIAAM; Wall)
The Syracuse Orange men’s basketball team split their home games last week, so where will they land in this week’s TNIAAM ACC Power Rankings?
Don’t ask us to explain our ratings system- just be grateful that the Fake Nunes Statistical Index staff are keeping busy this winter.
Now let’s get to this week’s rankings..
1) Miami Hurricanes (22-5, 13-4)
The ACC might not want Miami to win the title but in our minds Duke beat Virginia on that missed call so Miami would have the edge. Also, you can’t barely beat Notre Dame at home and expect our FNSI staff to cut you some slack.
2) Virginia Cavaliers (21-4, 13-3)
Virginia is going to get a protected seed but they are playing with fire with all these close games.
3) Pittsburgh Panthers (19-8, 12-4)
Pitt has sold out the game against Syracuse...let’s hope the Orange treat it like 2014 and not 2022.
4) Duke Blue Devils (19-8, 10-6)
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Other
All you can think: An exhaustive guide to trivia nights (almost) every weeknight in Central NY (PS; Rhodes)
Trivia night is the perfect mid-week activity for families, coworkers, competitive friend groups or anyone looking to get out of the house. Most trivia nights take place in bars or restaurants. Get to know your local pubs while showing your smarts. Because nothing’s better than sharing a few beers and showing your friends you’re smarter than them. Most places allow up to seven people and give out weekly prizes.
Here’s a roundup of free trivia nights in Onondaga County.
Tables are full with trivia contestants at Biergarten. Maddie Rhodes
Monday
World of Beer at 7 p.m.
Destiny USA, Syracuse
World of Beer has weekly trivia where you can enjoy outsmarting people over beer and pub food. They give away $30 and $15 gift cards for the top two teams. Reservations are recommended because it gets fairly busy.
Trappers at 7 p.m.
5950 Butternut Dr., East Syracuse
Trappers hosts Syracuse Trivia Company every Monday night. The locally-owned sports pub is known for its pizza and wings. They have volleyball tournaments in the summer and hold events like art workshops in the winter. They’re even doing an indoor volleyball tournament in late February.
Recess Coffee (Tipp Hill) at 7 p.m.
429 Ulster St., Syracuse
Recess hosts trivia nights as well, but coffee isn’t the only thing they’re serving. There’s beer and wine along with food such as paninis and flatbreads. The winning team gets a $25 gift card the runner-up gets a pound of any bag of coffee.
Salt City Bar at 7 p.m.
484 S. Salina St., Syracuse
The bar at Salt City Market has specialty and signature cocktails like the Mood Ring which has vodka, elderflower, blackberry, lemon and butterfly pea flower. Or you could ask for the bartender’s favorite. The bar doesn’t serve food, but some vendors at the market next door are open for food in the evening.
PressRoom Pub at 7 p.m.
220 Herald Pl., Syracuse
There’s plenty of trivia to go around while you work your way through PressRoom’s 32 beers on tap. The pub serves food like wings, sandwiches, burgers and riggies. First and second place receive a $50 and $25 gift card, respectively, while third place gets 30 trivia points which can be used at any Syracuse Trivia event.
Tuesday
Middle Ages Brewing at 6 p.m.120 Wilkinson St., Syracuse
Usually you have to call to reserve a spot for trivia on the day of the event after noon at this Syracuse craft brewery. First place wins six drink tokens and second place wins four drink tokens.
Vicinos Brick & Brew at 6:30 p.m.
7789 Brewerton Rd., North Syracuse
The trivia lasts around two hours and is based on general knowledge questions with weekly themes for all ages. They have beer on tap and serve food like pizza and burgers. Winners get gift cards and trivia points for prizes every week.
The Wildcat at 6:45 p.m.
3680 Milton Ave., Camillus
The Wildcat is a sports pub that specializes in pizza, sandwiches and bar food. Spots fill up, so get there early. Teams are limited to eight people and prizes are a $25 gift card for first place and $15 for second place.
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