Orangeyes Daily Articles for Tuesday for Basketball

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Welcome to National Bobblehead Day!

Bobbleheads are celebrated today with National Bobblehead Day, a holiday created by the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum. The heads of bobbleheads are often oversized compared to their bodies and are connected to them with a spring or hook, so they move around—or bobble—if they are lightly tapped. These collectible figurines go by other names like wobbler, nodder, and wacky wobbler.

The history of bobbleheads dates back hundreds of years. In Asia in the 1600s, "temple nodders" were made of religious figures such as Buddha. Chinese nodding-head figures were found in England and throughout Europe by the 1760s or '70s. A painting from 1765 of Queen Charlotte in her dressing room in Buckingham Palace depicts two of these figures in the background. By the 1780s, great numbers of these figures were being imported to England, Europe, and the United States. The interest of the English in the figures was in large part driven by Charlotte's son, the Prince of Wales (later George IV), who had an interest in Chinese decoration.

SU News

Can Syracuse cut down on its turnovers? Plus, 4 more things to know vs. Georgia Tech (PS; Waters)

How bad has the Syracuse Orange’s ball-handling issue become? You know things are bad when 15 turnovers is considered an improvement.

Syracuse committed 15 turnovers in its 90-74 loss to Florida State on Saturday. Florida State capitalized on SU’s mistakes, converting the turnovers into 16 points.

The 15-turnover game continued a recent negative trend for the Orange. In its previous three games against Maryland, Bucknell and Wake Forest, Syracuse had finished with turnover totals of 21, 21 and 18. Combined with the 15 turnovers on Saturday, Syracuse is now averaging a whopping 18.7 turnovers in its last four games.



The Orange had more turnovers (15) on Saturday than it did assists (13) for the fourth straight game. That had happened just twice in SU’s first 10 games.



The increase in turnovers had coincided with junior guard JJ Starling’s absence due to a hand injury. Prior to Starling’s injury, Syracuse was averaging just 9.6 turnovers per game.

Starling returned for Saturday’s loss to the Seminoles, and while the Orange still committed far too many turnovers, there was some improvement. But there needs to be a focus on protecting the ball.
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What Georgia Tech basketball must do to earn fourth straight win Tuesday at Syracuse (ajc.com; Bishop)

The road has not been kind to Georgia Tech during the Damon Stoudamire era.
The Yellow Jackets have won just three times in 11 true road games under the second-year coach, including 0-2 this season. Stoudamire and his crew are intent on changing that trend at 7 p.m. Tuesday when they play at Syracuse.

“The biggest thing about road games — defense travels. Then you got to get your offense into those games,” Stoudamire said. “We have to continue to do the things that we’ve been doing to be successful. That’s no turnovers. That’s shot selection that doesn’t lead to them getting out and running. And then once the game settles in, we have to figure things out and rely on the things that we feel like can help us beat (Syracuse).

“We got to figure out a way to get our game from McCamish to (the JMA Wireless Dome).”

Tech won two of its final three road games in the 2023-24 season, but has begun this season with losses at Oklahoma and North Carolina. At home, though, the Jackets have gone 4-1 in a 2½-week stretch, with the loss coming against a top-five Duke squad.

The Jackets take a three-game winning streak to Syracuse and will be looking to win four in a row for the first time since December 2023.

“The road is different and I told them guys at midnight you got to turn the page and get ready for Syracuse because playing on the road is a little different, especially if you haven’t played in a dome. It’s a different type of environment,” Stoudamire said Saturday following a home win over Boston College. “We have to be prepared and we have to be locked-in, but I like where we’re at right now. We’re playing as a connected group and we’re playing intentional on both ends of the floor.”

Syracuse (6-8 overall, 0-3 in the ACC) has dropped two in a row and four of its past five. All six wins have come at home.

Coach Adrian Autry’s team is one of the league’s worst in free throw shooting, scoring defense, steals, 3-point shooting and turnovers. Junior guard J.J. Starling, a former five-star recruit who has missed significant time with a hand injury, is averaging nearly 19 points per game. True freshman forward Donnie Freeman, who considered Tech during the recruiting process, is averaging 13.4 points and 7.9 rebounds.

Tech is 3-6 in its history at Syracuse, including a 96-76 victory in 2023.
“Just staying connected. Really, we’re gonna be the only ones that we got on the road,” Tech point guard Nait George said about being in the hostile environment. “Just staying together with that same energy, regardless of no fans or not. Just staying connected for 40 minutes and just having our minds right is the main thing.”
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Syracuse Orange look for first ACC win of season vs. Georgia Tech (spectrumlocalnews.com; Velazquez)

The Orange got good news Saturday night in Tallahassee with the return of JJ Starling, but he couldn't mask the flaws we've seen from the Orange all season. Syracuse basketball is the losers of six of their last eight games as turnovers and poor defense continue to be a theme this season.

This season, Syracuse has given up the most points per game of any team in the ACC. The team also has the worst turnover margin in the conference at -2.21. Over their last four games, the Orange have committed 74 turnovers, an average of 18.5 per game.

"We just have to do a better job of taking care of the basketball," said head coach Adrian Autry after Syracuse's 90-74 loss to Florida State. "These last four games, it's going to be hard for us to do anything if we keep turning the ball over like this."

Starling scored 12 points on 5-16 shooting Saturday in his first game since Nov. 27 after breaking his hand in practice on Dec. 2. The Syracuse guard will look to get in a rhythm against Georgia Tech Tuesday. Starling is averaging 18.7 points per game in seven contests this season.

"Having JJ back, that was probably the best news we had," Autry said after the Florida State game. "I thought he gave us an injection of energy, getting to the basket, creating for others. We gotta keep building on that."

Autry continues to make changes in hopes of finding something that works for the squad. In addition to Starling's return, Lucas Taylor was inserted into the starting lineup in place of Chris Bell. Bell responded by having his best game of the season, scoring 18 points and shooting a perfect 4-4 from beyond the arc.

"It felt good," Bell said after the game. "When I saw the first one go in, I knew it was going to be a good night. Just being able to see the ball go through the rim and being aggressive, I feel like that's one thing I haven't done lately is just keep shooting the ball. I usually stick to maybe one or three shots. If I miss them, then I'm kinda in my head but tonight, I kept shooting."
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Orange head coach Adrian Autry, in a Zoom call, dished on the recent performances of several Syracuse basketball players. | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

Syracuse Basketball: Adrian Autry dishes on Chris Bell, Kyle Cuffe and Elijah Moore (itlh; Adler)

Syracuse basketball redshirt junior guard Kyle Cuffe Jr., who has scored at least nine points in five of the Orange's past six games, has given the 'Cuse a strong boost off the bench of late, second-year head coach Adrian Autry said on Monday.

Autry and other Atlantic Coast Conference coaches participated in a media call via Zoom on Monday. During his time on the call, Autry briefly touched on several Orange players, as the 'Cuse (6-8, 0-3 in the ACC) prepares to host Georgia Tech (8-7, 2-2 in the ACC) this Tuesday evening at the JMA Wireless Dome.

Cuffe has seen his minutes increase in recent affairs. While his shooting percentages aren't terrific, he has been assertive in attacking the paint, and he gets after it on the defensive end, too.

Autry said that Cuffe provides great energy on offense and defense, he's tough, he competes and he can put pressure on the rim.

These days, Syracuse basketball is mightily struggling, having lost two straight and six of its last eight encounters. As such, Autry has tinkered some with his starting line-up and rotation combinations. He even acknowledged that on Monday, noting that he's trying to find the right mix of guys for the Orange to be successful.

Syracuse basketball head coach Adrian Autry also discussed two of his sharp-shooting wings.

Heading into the 2024-25 season, I assumed that the team's two biggest 3-point threats would consist of junior small forward Chris Bell, who shot 42 percent from deep a stanza ago, and freshman shooting guard Elijah Moore, who came to the Hill with a tremendous reputation as a 3-point specialist.
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Syracuse men’s basketball: what to watch for vs Georgia Tech (TNIAAM; Staff)
The Syracuse Orange (6-8, 0-3) return home tomorrow to face the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (8-7, 2-2). The game tips off at 7:00 ET on the ACC Network/WatchESPN and here’s what we’re watching for in this one:

Kevin: Locate the shooters

Georgia Tech has two players hitting over 40% from 3 this season - Lance Terry and Javian McCollum - so the Orange need to do a better job of communicating and going over screens. Syracuse’s defense has been awful and if they want to get the first ACC win of the season, they need to focus and expend more effort on that end of the floor.

Mike: Go Blow for Blow

I have little doubt that the Yellow Jackets will cause issues on the wings so the Orange need to match that with some outside shooting of their own. Chris Bell may have finally found his stride coming off the bench so will he stay there as Lucas Taylor gets another start? At the same time Elijah Moore has been eerily quiet - some combo of those three need to have an impact from the arc to keep pace here.

Max: Make a living at the foul line

The Yellow Jackets hold an advantage over the Orange in nearly every statistical category except when it comes to fouling. GT commits fouls at one of the worst rates in the ACC (18 per game), and that should come in handy for Syracuse, who racks up nearly 25% of its points at the free-throw line (highest rate of any ACC team in conference play). We know outside shooting isn’t a strong suit for Autry’s crew, so pound the rock inside and get rewarded with chances at the charity stripe.

Szuba: Turnover battle

Over the last four games Syracuse has turned the ball over 75 times. The Orange are in the bottom 300 in the country when it comes to turning the other team over and Georgia Tech is just behind Syracuse in that category. In other words, Georgia Tech doesn’t turn teams over, either. With ball security becoming more problematic, can Syracuse value possession of the basketball in a game such as this and limit points off turnovers?
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(youtube; radio; Cuse Sports Talk)

Etan Thomas joins Paulie and Mario to react to the loss to Florida State, give his thoughts on how the zone defense looked and how the Orange can improve.

Mike McAllister on Syracuse basketball, football transfer portal update, Kyle McCord waiver timeline (youtube; radio; Cuse Sports Talk)

SyracuseOn247 publisher Mike McAllister joins Paulie Scibilia and Mario Sacco after the tough loss at Florida State to discuss the state of SU basektball and the latest happenings in the transfer portal for Syracuse football

Keeping Up With The 315 1-6-25 (ESPN; radio; The 315)

Brian Higgins begins the show discussing the chances Syracuse misses the ACC tournament and why this is a big week to bag some much needed wins. Then, callers give their thoughts on the state of the program, switch to the ACC, Kyle McCord’s chances of going to a different school next year, the officiating in the FSU game and more.

Eric Devendorf "Orange Nation" 1-6-25 (ESPN; radio; The 315)
ACC Network announcer and former Syracuse great Eric Devendorf joins Brian Higgins to discuss what he saw from the Orange during the last game against Florida State and explain his comments where he defended Red Autry on the broadcast.

The Sports Show w/Cody Mack 1-6-25 (ESPN; radio; Cody Mack)

Cody begins the show by answering a phone call on Syracuse basketball and giving his thoughts on why it’s too early to move on from Adrian Autry. Then, he previews the return of WWE on Netflix tonight.

Is there still hope for Syracuse basketball? (orangefizz.net; Shalam)

The Orange sit at 6-8, the worst start to a season since 1968 when Syracuse was at 4-10. Take that in for a second. It’s been over 50 years since Syracuse have had this bad of a start. In that 1968 campaign, SU would finish the season at 9-16.

And while the 2024-25 Orange are better at this point in the season than in ’68, SU still hasn’t beaten a power five squad, and have yet to win an ACC game.

While this team already has six wins, this is seeming like it could be the worst season for Syracuse in a longtime if things don’t get fixed quickly.

It’s hard to be optimistic about this squad right now. If you look at the calendar, you’ll see that the Orange are currently in their easiest stretch of play. Yet, Syracuse has failed to compete in every single ACC game so far. Part of that is attributed to not having guard JJ Starling for the first two, but even with him in SU’s last game the Orange simply fell apart in the second half. Head coach Adrian Autry was well aware of the squads struggles, “ “I thought our first half was one of the better ones this year. In the second half we didn’t show up… Just too many turnovers.”

The turnovers have been a constant theme throughout this season for Syracuse, with the squad averaging 12.7 a game, third most in the ACC. Those turnovers have let opposing ACC squads score an average of over 45 points in the second half. Autry must use those numbers to rally the squad, and shift the culture around the squad.
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Other

Performers at the Center for the Arts of Homer weekly open mic night, Tuesday, Feb. 21. Jules Struck | jstruck@syracuse.com

Ultimate RV Show, Folksmarch, tribute bands: 18 things to do this week in Central NY (PS; Long)

Start the week by taking the stage at Center for the Arts of Homer’s open mic night or cheer on those who do.

Try your hand at making homemade pasta at Vince’s Gourmet Imports on Wednesday, then head to the New York State Fairgrounds Thursday to view more than 300 new and used RVs and dream about your next road trip.

The weekend is full of live music performances in genres from classical to alternative metal, including several tribute bands’ shows at venues such as the Rome Capitol Theatre, Westcott Theater and Middle Ages Beer Hall on Friday and Saturday nights.

Get your steps in and make some new friends at the year’s first Folksmarch on Saturday and Sunday or set your sights on the birds at Rice Creek Field Station on Saturday morning. On Sunday, strap on some snowshoes at the Amboy 4-H Environmental Education Center and explore.

Know of an event you would like to see on this list? Email us at least two weeks in advance at features@syracuse.com.

TUESDAY​

Open Mic Night​

Take the stage on Tuesday at Center for the Arts of Homer or encourage others who are brave enough to do their thing in front of a live audience. Showcase your musical talents, share a story or spoken word performance or tighten up a comedy routine on the main stage at this 400-seat community arts venue housed in a former church.

Where: 72 S. Main St., Homer

When: Tuesday, Jan. 7 from 7 to 9 p.m.

How much: Free.
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USDA-trained sharpshooters will be hunting for deer in areas of Syracuse again in 2025. (Post-Standard file photo)

Deer sharpshooters start yearly culling this week in Syracuse (PS; Boyer)

Specially trained deer hunters with the federal government will start the city of Syracuse’s annual culling program this week.

The city announced that U.S. Department of Agriculture wildlife managers will be hunting from dusk to dawn through March. The city has employed the state-approved program for several years to address public health and safety issues caused by an overabundance of deer, including tick-borne illnesses such as Lyme Disease, damage to parks and gardens, and higher risk of deer-automobile crashes.

Hunting takes place on sites on the east, west and south sides of the city where deer populations are high. The sites must meet safety criteria established by the state Department of Environmental Conservation. Property owners provide written permission for the sharpshooters to be on their land. The sites are closed off to the public when the hunting is taking place.

The city said no wildlife management officer should be on private property without permission, so if residents see anything suspicious, they should call 911.

A frequently-asked-questions guide titled “What Syracuse residents should know about Deer Damage Management” is available at goto.syr.gov/factsheet-tickanddeer or by calling the Syracuse Parks Department at (315) 473-4330.

In addition to the shooting activity, Syracuse this year is trying a pilot program using trapping on private residential properties on the East Side. Deer can be captured in cage trap that sends an alert to USDA wildlife manager, who then responds and euthanizes the deer with a captive bolt gun.
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