shermstheman
2019-20 Iggy Co-Winner Leading Rebounder
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Sorry if already posted, nothing we all don't know but the reaffirmation is nice: Link: http://college-basketball.si.com/20...e-villanova-tyler-ennis-iowa-state/?eref=sihp
Article:
Game of the week (2): No. 2 Syracuse 78, No. 8 Villanova 62
Two long-time rivals, both undefeated and ranked in the top-10 of the AP Poll, squared off Saturday, and it wasn’t even the most highly anticipated matchup of the day. Syracuse-Villanova might not rival Kentucky-Lousville’s national discussion-dominating power, but it typically presents an entertaining game between two great teams.
On Saturday, one player on one of those teams turned the game into his own personal showcase. Orange point guard Tyler Ennis was the No. 22-ranked recruit in the 2013 class, but the number of freshmen that have played better than him this season can be counted on one hand.
Ennis scored 20 points on 6-of-14 shooting and committed zero turnovers in 37 minutes Saturday to lead Syracuse to yet another impressive non-conference win (the Orange had already beaten Minnesota, Cal, No. 11 Baylor, Indiana and St. John’s coming in). Syracuse’s star freshman is now averaging 12.8 points, 5.1 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game, boasts a turnover percentage of 9.8, one of the 120 best marks in the country, and a steal percentage of 5.2 (11th in the country).
With help from sophomore guard Trevor Cooney, Ennis has extinguished the doubt many had in the preseason about how Syracuse’s backcourt would fare without first-round draft pick Michael Carter-Williams and Brandon Triche. As Luke Winn pointed out in his most recent power rankings, Ennis has actually been better than MCW so far this season.
After Syracuse fell behind 25-7 midway through the first half, Ennis helped his team score 20 unanswered points and hold Villanova scoreless for more than seven minutes. The Orange took a 38-34 lead into halftime and pulled away after the break. The Wildcats made it interesting late in the latter part second half, pulling within three at the seven-minute mark, but they couldn’t do enough to hang with Ennis and the Orange, who are now 12-0 and have established themselves as the clear favorite to win the ACC.
“Syracuse has a really good team,” Villanova coach Jay Wright told reporters afterward. “They really played at a high level. This is a tough place to play.”
The breadth of Ennis’ contributions cannot be captured by the box score. There’s something unique about the way he plays. His advanced understanding of the game, and the point guard position in particular, is obvious to anyone who watches him play.
His body control, sublime vision, ability to read angles, ward off aggressive defenders with tight dribbles and change directions and speeds comprises a skill set unlike any other point guard’s in college basketball. There’s something distinctly throwback about his game. He just seems more in control when he has the ball than anyone else on the court.
“He’s just really clever,” Orange coach Jim Boeheim said of Ennis. “He kind of lulls people to sleep like he’s not going. And we’re getting good movement to create lanes for him.”
Syracuse will begin conference play Jan. 4, when it hosts Miami. Besides No. 9 Duke, no ACC team looks like it can challenge the Orange for the league’s regular-season crown. With Ennis playing this well, this team might be the best in the country, too.
Article:
Game of the week (2): No. 2 Syracuse 78, No. 8 Villanova 62
Two long-time rivals, both undefeated and ranked in the top-10 of the AP Poll, squared off Saturday, and it wasn’t even the most highly anticipated matchup of the day. Syracuse-Villanova might not rival Kentucky-Lousville’s national discussion-dominating power, but it typically presents an entertaining game between two great teams.
On Saturday, one player on one of those teams turned the game into his own personal showcase. Orange point guard Tyler Ennis was the No. 22-ranked recruit in the 2013 class, but the number of freshmen that have played better than him this season can be counted on one hand.
Ennis scored 20 points on 6-of-14 shooting and committed zero turnovers in 37 minutes Saturday to lead Syracuse to yet another impressive non-conference win (the Orange had already beaten Minnesota, Cal, No. 11 Baylor, Indiana and St. John’s coming in). Syracuse’s star freshman is now averaging 12.8 points, 5.1 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game, boasts a turnover percentage of 9.8, one of the 120 best marks in the country, and a steal percentage of 5.2 (11th in the country).
With help from sophomore guard Trevor Cooney, Ennis has extinguished the doubt many had in the preseason about how Syracuse’s backcourt would fare without first-round draft pick Michael Carter-Williams and Brandon Triche. As Luke Winn pointed out in his most recent power rankings, Ennis has actually been better than MCW so far this season.
After Syracuse fell behind 25-7 midway through the first half, Ennis helped his team score 20 unanswered points and hold Villanova scoreless for more than seven minutes. The Orange took a 38-34 lead into halftime and pulled away after the break. The Wildcats made it interesting late in the latter part second half, pulling within three at the seven-minute mark, but they couldn’t do enough to hang with Ennis and the Orange, who are now 12-0 and have established themselves as the clear favorite to win the ACC.
“Syracuse has a really good team,” Villanova coach Jay Wright told reporters afterward. “They really played at a high level. This is a tough place to play.”
The breadth of Ennis’ contributions cannot be captured by the box score. There’s something unique about the way he plays. His advanced understanding of the game, and the point guard position in particular, is obvious to anyone who watches him play.
His body control, sublime vision, ability to read angles, ward off aggressive defenders with tight dribbles and change directions and speeds comprises a skill set unlike any other point guard’s in college basketball. There’s something distinctly throwback about his game. He just seems more in control when he has the ball than anyone else on the court.
“He’s just really clever,” Orange coach Jim Boeheim said of Ennis. “He kind of lulls people to sleep like he’s not going. And we’re getting good movement to create lanes for him.”
Syracuse will begin conference play Jan. 4, when it hosts Miami. Besides No. 9 Duke, no ACC team looks like it can challenge the Orange for the league’s regular-season crown. With Ennis playing this well, this team might be the best in the country, too.
