Orangeyes Daily Articles for Wednesday for Basketball

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Welcome to Save the Eagles Day!

Today is for remembering eagles and working to save them from extinction. The bald eagle, the national bird of the United States, was once on the endangered species list, being on it from 1967 until 1995, when it was then reclassified as being "threatened." It was subsequently removed from that list in 2007, and is now listed in the "least concern" category. The work of scientists, and good stewards of both public and private land helped to spur the recovery of bald eagles. The banning of DDT helped with the eagles' recovery, as did the Endangered Species Act, which protected nesting, feeding, and roosting sites of the eagles. Although the Endangered Species Act no longer applies to bald eagles, they are still protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and the Lacey Act.

SU News

Syracuse basketball vs. Boston College: 5 Key Things to Know (PS; Waters)

The Syracuse Orange will host Boston College on Wednesday in a critically important game for both teams.

For Syracuse, the home game comes in a stretch of rigorous road games. The Orange (10-4 overall, 1-2 ACC) is coming off an 86-66 loss at Duke laset week. After playing BC at the JMA Wireless Dome on Wednesday, Syracuse will play its next two games away from home ― at North Carolina on Saturday and at Pittsburgh next Tuesday.

At that point, Syracuse will have played four of its first six ACC games on the road.

That’s why the Orange really needs to protect its homecourt, get a win and avoid needing to get a win on its upcoming two-game road trip to avoid a four-game skid.

Boston College (10-4, 1-2) is coming off a 95-87 win at Georgia Tech. The Eagles erased a 16-point second-half deficit on the road in that one and have now won five of their last six games.

Boston College already has one Quad 1 victory (over St. John’s in what is ridiculously being considered a neutral-court game despite it being played in Brooklyn). If the Eagles beat Syracuse, it could give the Eagles a second Quad 1 win and begin to really build a resume worthy of an NCAA bid.

The SU-BC game is scheduled for a 9 p.m. tip and will be televised on the ACC Network.

Here are 5 Key Things to Know about the matchup:

40 minutes of defense​

Syracuse is allowing opponents to score 71.5 points per game. However, the four teams that have beaten Syracuse have been able to push that number up to 79.7 points.

Syracuse coach Adrian Autry was particularly displeased with his team’s second-half defense in the 86-66 loss to Duke last week. The Orange gave up 51 points in the second half of the game.

Second-half defense has been an issue in each of SU’s four losses. The Orange has allowed 37 points in the first half of losses to Tennessee, Gonzaga, Virginia and Duke.
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Opponent Preview: What to know ahead of Boston College (DO; O'Brien)

Syracuse’s five-game winning streak came to an abrupt end at Cameron Indoor Stadium with an 86-66 defeat to then-No. 14 Duke. After suffering their second Atlantic Coast Conference loss, the Orange now return home for the first game in 2024 at the JMA Wireless Dome to take on Boston College.

The Eagles, in their third season under head coach Earl Grant, have the same current record as SU (10-4) and the same projected record, according to KenPom (18-13). But the Orange are still favored and led by players like Judah Mintz and Maliq Brown — the latter of whom scored a career-high 26 points versus Duke.

Here’s everything you need to know about Boston College (10-4, 1-2 ACC) before it takes on Syracuse (10-4, 1-2 ACC):

All-time series​

Syracuse leads 57-26.

Last time they played​

On Feb. 4, 2023, SU bested BC 77-68 in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Former Syracuse center Jesse Edwards, who’s currently with West Virginia, dominated the Eagles. He scored a career-high 27 points and nabbed seven boards to lead the Orange to a victory.

Although SU only made four 3-pointers on 14 attempts, it shot 51% from the field and held BC’s Quinten Post to 18 points.

KenPom odds​

Syracuse has a 62% chance of winning, with a projected score of 80-76.

The Eagles report​

Last year, Grant led the Eagles to nine conference wins, the most for the program since the 2010-11 season. And so far through in 2023-24, BC has shown rapid improvement. Through 14 games in 2022-23, Boston College only had seven wins, improving by three wins over the same span this season.

The Eagles have been boosted by Post’s strong play and the help of Claudell Harris Jr. — a Big South transfer. The guard has become an impressive second scorer for Boston College, averaging 15.5 points per game. With Harris and Post, BC is averaging 80.4 points per game, 14 more than last season when it was the second-worst offense in the ACC.

In a win over Georgia Tech on Jan. 6, Boston College scored a season-high 95 points, led by Harris Jr. (26) and Devin McGlockton (30).

How Syracuse beats Boston College​

No one on Syracuse’s roster has seen a Boston College offense this good. The trio of Post, Harris and McGlockton will give the Orange defense headaches, especially from beyond the arc. The Eagles shoot 36.8% from 3, which ranks as the 48th-best mark in the country. SU will have to lockdown the 3-point line and can’t let Post work from down low.

Similarly, Syracuse’s offense, particularly Justin Taylor and Chris Bell, will need to provide a spark if it hopes to keep up. The duo combined for just three points against Duke and barely shot from behind the 3-point line.

Stat to know: 77.4%​

Opponent free-throw percentage may not be a clear indicator of skill for a defense. But Boston College has allowed a 77.4% free-throw percentage, which is bottom 10 in the nation. It will be interesting to see if Syracuse can take advantage of this, especially since it owns one of the better free-throw rates in the conference, converting at a 73.9% clip.

Player to watch: Quinten Post, center, No. 12​

Without a doubt, Post is the main source of Boston College’s offense. Through all 14 games this season, Post has scored at least 10 points, with a season-high coming in BC’s opening game against Fairfield (31). The Mississippi State transfer was named the 2022-23 ACC Most Improved Player and led the Eagles in scoring last season.

Post is also the team leader in rebounds with 109, which ranks sixth in the conference. Post has also seen a leap in his blocking rate, tallying a mark of 7%, which ranks 89th overall in all of Division I.

So far in three ACC games, Post is averaging 18.1 points per game with a 20-point performance during a home loss to Wake Forest.
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Beat writers predict Syracuse will defeat Boston College (DO; Staff)

At Cameron Indoor Stadium on Jan. 2, Syracuse trailed then-No. 14 Duke 35-33 at halftime. It held the Blue Devils to an 0-for-9 performance from 3 and sustained an 18-point outburst from Mark Mitchell.

But in the second half, the Orange fell apart. SU committed 17 turnovers and conceded a season-worst 26 points off of turnovers. Duke caught fire from the perimeter and canned eight 3’s on perfect shooting. Mitchell finished with a career-best 21 points as five Blue Devils notched totals in the double-digits. And, despite a career-high 26 from forward Maliq Brown, Syracuse slumped to an 86-66 defeat.

Following an eight-day break, SU returns to action at the JMA Wireless Dome to take on Boston College. The Eagles enter off of a 95-87 away win over Georgia Tech.

Here’s what our beat writers predict will happen when the Orange (10-4, 1-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) host BC (10-4, 1-2 ACC) on Wednesday:

Cole Bambini (13-1)
BC bounce-back
Syracuse 76, Boston College 68

An eight-day break came at the right time for the Orange following their tough 20-point defeat at Duke. It now welcomes Boston College, which has lost to Syracuse 10 consecutive times, and SU can get another conference win before it faces No. 7 UNC on Saturday.

In two games against the Eagles last season, Judah Mintz combined for 33 points and 12 assists, and with more of a scoring role this year, he’ll need to lead the charge offensively. Syracuse, though recently getting strong outings from bench players like Brown, has to get more out of Justin Taylor and Chris Bell to ensure the win.

Boston College comes in with momentum following a win over Georgia Tech, and I expect them to rely on their 7-foot center Quinten Post, who has scored in double-digits every game this season. This game is a must-win for Syracuse. I don’t think it’ll be as easy as in the past, but a bounce-back victory over BC will put the Orange in a better position before a top-10 opponent a few days later.

Henry O’Brien (13-1)
Predictable
Syracuse 82, Boston College 71

At least against teams ranked inside KenPom’s Top 60, Syracuse has been about as predictable as a fringe bubble team can get, holding a record of 1-4 with a lone win coming at home against Pittsburgh. For the most part so far, the Orange can say they beat the teams they are supposed to beat and lose to the teams they are supposed to lose to.

With Boston College coming to the Dome, I don’t think SU fans have to fret too much as the Orange have beaten the Eagles 10 straight times. I expect the Orange to make it 11 on Wednesday. Mintz will have no trouble scoring against BC after scoring 18 points against Duke. If Brown and Quadir Copeland can keep providing a spark, then Syracuse should cruise against one of the ACC’s weaker defenses.

The Orange may have trouble against Post, Boston College’s best scorer by a mile. Post may dominate down low against Naheem McLeod. But if SU can draw double teams and limit damage on the offensive boards, then this could be a blowout.

Tyler Schiff (12-2)
Back on track
Syracuse 75, Boston College 72

SU’s 86-66 defeat at Duke abruptly halted a five-game win streak and ever-increasing hopes that the Orange could contend with the ACC’s best. But there’s still time. 17 league games remain and a pivotal bounce-back victory can be achieved at home against Boston College.

The Eagles are led by Post and Charleston Southern transfer Claudell Harris. The two average a combined 33 points per game and have impressed for BC this season despite the loss of star guard Makai Ashton-Langford.

But despite wins over St. Johns and Vanderbilt through the 2023-24 campaign, convincing losses to NC State and Wake Forest have cemented that Boston College continues to be a middling ACC team — one that Syracuse can comfortably handle. The Eagles’ backcourt cannot contend with SU’s, and if the Orange can find a way to slow down Post, BC’s offense will likely crumble. I still think this will be a competitive matchup, but not one where Syracuse will ever look out of sorts.
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Syracuse men’s basketball returns home to battle Boston College Wednesday (waer.org; Finder)

After a disappointing trip to Durham, Syracuse men’s basketball (10-4, 1-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) returns to the familiar confines of the JMA Wireless Dome aiming to bounce back against Boston College (10-4, 1-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) on Wednesday.

If there’s one ACC squad that the Orange have beat up on in recent history, it’s the Eagles. In the past five seasons, SU has earned ten straight victories against its northeast rival by an average margin of 14.6 points.

Despite those successes, the ‘Cuse won’t be marking down this matchup as an easy win. Boston College put on a strong non-conference performance this season that was highlighted in an 86-80 Quad I victory over St. John’s. In early ACC play, BC has played its opponents tough down to the wire. The Eagles narrowly lost their first two conference games by six points each, before pulling off a 95-87 win over Georgia Tech on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Orange are coming off one of their shakiest defensive performances under Coach Autry’s tenure. Syracuse allowed a season-high 86 points in its loss to Duke. SU’s head man identified a major factor that derailed his squad.

“It comes down to turnovers and I think we’ve got to do a better job taking care of the ball,” Autry said.

Duke took advantage of sloppy ball control and scored 26 points from Syracuse’s 17 turnovers. SU won’t be able to get away with those mistakes against BC either. The Eagles have converted at least 19 points off of turnovers in 6 games this season.
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Fizz Five 1/9: Marcellus Barnes Commits, Big Week of Basketball, and a Hoops Recruiting Update (orangefizz.net; podcast; Fizz Radio)

Liam Griffin and Ethan Frank are back together for another edition of Fizz Five to discuss the biggest stories in Central New York:

1. Marcellus Barnes Jr. Commits to Syracuse Football (1:10)
2. Syracuse Men’s Basketball Week Preview (7:45)
3. Syracuse Women’s Basketball Week Preview (14:55)
4. Syracuse Football 2024 Schedule Analysis (21:25)
5. Syracuse Basketball 2025 Recruiting Update (27:10)

Syracuse Orange forward Maliq Brown (1) to the basket. The Syracuse Orange men’s basketball team host the Pittsburgh Panthers at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse N.Y. Dec 30, 2023. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.comdnett@syracuse.com

ACC basketball stats: See where Syracuse players rank through Jan. 7 (PS; Mink)

Syracuse faces two of the best big men in the ACC this week.

Boston College’s Dutch 7-footer Quinten Post ranks in the Top 8 in scoring and rebounds. He’s near the top of the conference in blocks. He makes his free throws, and he can step out and hit the 3.

Then, North Carolina’s Armando Bacot, who averages a double-double, looms this weekend.

Scroll through the charts below to see where Syracuse players rank in the ACC.
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Preview: Boston College Men’s Basketball vs Syracuse (bcinterruption.com; Flannery)

On Wednesday night, the Boston College Eagles men’s basketball team faces their closest ACC rival (in terms of proximity) when they travel down the pike to face the Syracuse Orange in the Carrier Dome.

Who: Syracuse Orange (10-4) vs. Boston College Eagles (10-4)

Where: Carrier Dome, Syracuse, NY

When: Wednesday January 10th

Tip-Off Time: 9pm ET

How to Watch: Wednesday’s game will be broadcasted live on the ACC Network

How to Follow: Follow the game on X (Twitter) by checking in with our live coverage at @bcinterruption

Syracuse saw their GOAT head coach Jim Boeheim retire in the spring of 2023, so its been first-year head coach Adrian Autry at the helm for the Orange this season. He has Syracuse off to a nice 10-4 start with wins over Oregon, Georgetown, and others already in the bag. But Cuse hasn’t fared well against their tougher competition so far, falling to #7 Tennessee, #11 Gonzaga, #14 Duke, and unranked Virginia by at least 17 points in each game. They failed to reach 60 points in two of those games and failed to reach 70 points in all four of them, clearly struggling to find much of an offensive rhythm.

Syracuse does at least have a very impressive spark plug on offense: sophomore guard Judah Mintz. He’s able to do about everything the Orange ask of him from playmaking to scoring in transition to spot-up shooting. The offense runs through him and is at its best when he’s on the floor thanks to his ability to drive to the basket and either score or get his teammates open. He’ll certainly be a focus for Boston College’s defense, who can sometimes struggle to defend smaller guards with speed. Outside of Mintz, though, it’s not looking great. Fellow sophomore JJ Starling rounds out a solid backcourt for SU, but their frontcourt leaves some to be desired. Sophomore starting center Naheem McLeod is 7’4” but doesn’t bring much to the Orange outside of his paint defense and shot-blocking ability, while promising sophomore forward Chris Bell is still figuring out his role.

That sure is a lot of sophomores!

BC basketball meanwhile is coming fresh off of a comeback win down in Atlanta against Georgia Tech. Devin McGlockton had a wild 30-point game and, alongside Claudell Harris, the Eagles clutched out a big win. If McGlockton can repeat a performance like that against a weak Syracuse frontcourt, or if Quinten Post starts doing his thing, the Orange could be in trouble.

Prediction: Boston College 78 Syracuse 75

Syracuse basketball: TNIAAM mid-season roundtable on men’s and women’s hoops (TNIAAM; Staff)

As we head into mid-January, we’re approaching the midpoint of the season for the Syracuse Orange men’s and women’s basketball teams. Non-conference games are officially over with, both teams face a critical stretch to begin ACC play and there’s some decent optimism about the path towards some postseason basketball in March.

Felisha Legette-Jack continues to build off her success in her second year with women’s basketball, while Adrian Autry has the Orange rejuvenated in his first season at the helm.

We’ve sent out the Nunes signal to get some thoughts from the staffers about the seasons so far for both teams and what to look forward to the rest of the way:

How are we feeling about the Orange in Autry’s first season so far?​

Dom: At worst, this is still a very fun team to watch and there’s certainly a renewed sense of optimism around the program. The Orange being 0-4 in Q1 games is a tough blow so far for the fringe NCAA Tournament bid talk, but considering the tough non-conference slate, it’s good to see Syracuse be competitive on a consistent basis.

Kevin: I’ve been impressed with the effort from the Orange and how the team has handled themselves after big losses. Autry has shown that he’s not afraid to use his bench and to close games with the players performing the best that night. I’m hoping to see some improvement in the half-court offense the rest of the way.

Max: It’s been a huge success so far. What initially stood out to me was Autry’s guidance in SU’s comeback win over Colgate two months ago. It was looking like a third straight embarrassing loss to the Raiders, but this year’s squad showed us that maybe they’re something different. The Maui Invitational was tough, as expected. However, Syracuse’s chemistry is starting to build and key contributors off the bench has me excited for more ACC play.

Mike: Pleasantly surprised. I really thought the non-conference slate would have gone worse than it did. Red has done what he can with the roster he only partially constructed, and with how much of a mess the center position is, unlocking Maliq Brown’s potential has been huge for the team’s trajectory. I’m excited to see where they’re at by next fall.
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https://www.newstimes.com/sports/article/shrewsberry-scores-25-points-notre-dame-ends-18599778.php (newstimes.com; AP)

Reserve freshman Braeden Shrewsberry scored a season-high 25 points, shooting 7 for 12, and Tae Davis and J.R. Konieczny both recorded double-doubles as Notre Dame beat Georgia Tech 75-68 in overtime on Tuesday night.

The win marked the Fighting Irish's first true road win since Feb. 12, 2022, when they beat Clemson 76-61. The win also ended a 13-game road losing streak in the ACC.

Julian Roper II's 3-pointer with 3:53 left in the extra session broke a 66-all tie and Notre Dame led for all of the extra session. The Yellow Jackets shot 1 for 8 in overtime and scored just two points.

Georgia Tech's Baye Ndongo, a 6-foot-9 freshman, buried an open straightaway 3-pointer with 5.5 seconds left in regulation to knot it at 66. Ndongo entered the game just 2 for 6 from beyond the arc. Off the inbound, Notre Dame's Markus Burton dribbled nearly the length of the floor but missed his roughly 13-foot pull-up jump shot to force overtime.
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Kyle Filipowski’s near-perfect night leads No. 11 Duke to an easy 75-53 win over Pittsburgh (wnct.com; Boyd)

When he gets it going, Kyle Filipowski can be borderline unguardable.

The Duke sophomore center’s impeccable footwork can make it tough to stay in front of him in the block. His passing makes opponents pay for double teams. His improved 3-point stroke means you can’t leave him alone when he steps outside.

All of it Filipowski’s considerable tools were on display in a decidedly easy 75-53 win over Pittsburgh on Tuesday night. Filipowski finished with 26 points on 11 of 12 shooting and chipped in 10 rebounds as the 11th-ranked Blue Devils (12-3, 3-1 ACC) won their seventh straight.

“He’s a difference maker when he plays that way for our team, it totally changes the dynamic for our offense, our defense,” Duke head coach Jon Scheyer said of Filipowski. “I don’t think there’s anybody like him in the country when he plays that way.”

Pitt (10-6, 1-4) certainly didn’t have an answer. The Panthers forced Filipowski into a rare mistake in the opening moments when a double team led to a turnover, one of the few miscues by Filipowski and the Blue Devils on a night in which they did pretty much whatever they wanted while building a 25-point halftime lead.
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http://allsportsdiscussion.com/2024...biggest-questions-for-week-of-january-9-2024/ (allsportsdiscussion.com)

As we start with conference season, we ask the three biggest ACC basketball questions for this week.

Can Wake Forest escape the house of horrors at FSU?

Wake Forest has won 9 games in a row. Florida State was coming off a loss to Lipscomb and wrecked Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech last week. There may be no team in the ACC be hotter. I really like how Wake Forest is playing, and I think they are going to make a statement at Florida State and continue their push to get to the NCAAs.

Is Clemson in trouble?

A week ago there were whispers of Clemson possibly being a 1 or 2-seed contender for the NCAA Tournament as the new year started. Certainly, last week was going to be tricky with a game at Miami, and then hosting UNC. Winning both would have been a bonus. A split is what I expected, but the Tigers lost both and now there are concerns. Clemson’s on-the-ball defense defense is lacking, and now they head to Virginia Tech. That’s never an easy place to play and host an improved Boston College team. Clemson isn’t in trouble yet, but that defense needs to get sorted out.

Can Miami establish itself as an ACC contender?

Miami got through a tough week against Clemson and a game at Wake Forest with a split. At 2-1 in the ACC Miami, can use this week to make a major step forward. They host reeling Louisville at home, and then go to Virginia Tech. Win both and the Canes are right there near the top of the ACC. You can also see this week Virginia Tech can make a major rebound if they can beat Clemson and Miami at home.

An Interview with Bob Costas | Syracuse University (youtube; video; SU)

Syracuse University broadcast and digital journalism major Chloe Smarz ’25 had the opportunity to interview someone she grew up watching on TV, the legendary sportscaster Bob Costas ’74. In a conversation at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Smarz quizzed the Emmy Award-winning broadcasting great about what influenced his decision as a high school student to join the Orange family, his early career, his ongoing connection to campus, Syracuse’s sportscasting tradition and advice for students who want to become the next Bob Costas.

Other

Longtime CNY barber has watched Syracuse skyline change

Get to know Nick Castrello, the longtime barber shop owner of Wave Lengths. Nick has been cutting hair in downtown Syracuse since 1981. He has watched the do...

youtu.be

Longtime Syracuse barber watched downtown’s drastic change over 4 decades (PS; Tulloch)

Nick Castrello has one of the best ground-level views in downtown Syracuse.

On the first floor of Syracuse’s famous “flatiron building,” Castrello cuts hair six days a week at Wave Lengths Cutting Salon at 231 E. Washington St.

He and his clients love people-watching from the floor-to-ceiling windows, as passersby grab coffee from Recess or seafood lunches from Fish Friar around the corner.

“I’ve been doing hair so long, my customers come from all over,” said Castrello, 71. “That’s the nice thing about this business, your customers become friends.”

Longtime clients now bring their kids and grandkids to his chair. They’re local lawyers, bankers, photographers, students, and government workers. Castrello has no idea how many customers he has now.

“A lot I guess; I got my Old Faithfuls,” he said. “And I’ve always taken pride in my craft. It’s just me working here, so there’s not a lot of chatter. I think my customers like that, the intimacy.”

Pictures and memorabilia cover the walls of Castello’s salon. There’s a New York Giants football pennant and helmet, old boxing posters, photos of beloved family dogs, and shots of Castrello performing with his band. (Castrello sings and plays guitar for The Scoundrels, a summer funk/blues/rock group.)

Castrello has always worked downtown. He gets lunch at his favorite spots throughout the week: Soup R Salads, Darwin, Fish Friar or Story’s). He likes The Communion, Cha McCoy’s new wine shop next door.

And he’s watched the downtown skyline change drastically in his 43-year career.

“When I started, there were all those department stores downtown,” Castrello said. “That was kind of neat. They all left when they built the Carousel Mall [now Destiny USA]. So we lost that. But the people living here has really picked things up.”

That’s the biggest change he’s seen downtown, Castrello said: Constant development of new condos and apartment buildings in the past two decades.
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A full moon is seen behind the Artemis I Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft, atop the mobile launcher, are prepared for a wet dress rehearsal to practice timelines and procedures for launch, at Launch Complex 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 14, 2022. On Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, NASA said astronauts will have to wait until 2025 before flying to the moon and another few years before landing on it.Cory Huston/NASA via AP

More delays for NASA’s astronaut moonshots; crew landing off until 2026 (PS; AP)

Astronauts will have to wait until next year before flying to the moon and at least two years before landing on it, under the latest round of delays announced by NASA on Tuesday.

The space agency had planned to send four astronauts around the moon late this year, but pushed the flight to September 2025. The first human moon landing in more than 50 years also got bumped, from 2025 to September 2026. NASA cited safety concerns with its own spacecraft, as well as development issues with the moonsuits and landers coming from private industry.

“Safety is our top priority,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. The delays will “give Artemis teams more time to work through the challenges.”

The news came barely an hour after a Pittsburgh company abandoned its own attempt to land its spacecraft on the moon because of a mission-ending fuel leak.

Launched Monday as part of NASA’s commercial lunar program, Astrobotic Technology’s Peregrine lander was supposed to serve as a scout for the astronauts. A Houston company will give it a shot with its own lander next month.

NASA is relying heavily on private companies for its Artemis moon-landing program for astronauts, named after the mythological twin sister of Apollo.

SpaceX’s Starship mega rocket will be needed to get the first Artemis moonwalkers from lunar orbit down to the surface and back up. But the nearly 400-foot (121-meter) rocket has launched from Texas only twice, exploding both times over the Gulf of Mexico. A third test flight is planned for February.
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