BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: Connecticut @ Syracuse
January 16, 2006
Another edition of Big Monday tips off tonight and it does not get much bigger in the Big East than Connecticut and Syracuse! Tonight they renew their rivalry on national television as this pair of heavyweights with their Hall of Fame coaches meet in the Carrier Dome on the Syracuse campus. Below are links to the many articles from the internet on tonight's game:
UConn's Frontcourt Will Test SU's Resolve (Rochester D&C)
Here Come the Huskies (Syracuse Post-Standard)
Austrie, Williams Keep Offense Moving (Norwich Bulletin)
UConn Set for Old Foe (Conn Post)
Conn Post Game Preview
No Time to Relax as Tough Stretch Begins (Waterbury Rep-Am)
Road Gets Tougher for UConn (Torrington Register-Citizen)
Time to Keep Eyes on the Road (Hartford Courant)
READ REST OF PREVIEW...CLICK "Read More" BELOW
The Huskies are a slight favorite this morning, coming off a pair of home wins last week, beating Cincinnati last Monday, 70-59, and getting past Georgetown, 74-67, on Saturday.
Syracuse, in the midst of a killer 5-game stretch, won a pair of road games last week, being victorious at Notre Dame (88-82) and at Cincinnati (77-58) and prepare to mee UConn tonight. After this game, the Orange have road trips to Villanova and Pittsburgh this weekend and next Monday.
Syracuse has won 12 straight games since their November hiccup against Bucknell. Gerry McNamara has scored 54 points in their last two games and will now prepare to face his nemesis in UConn.
McNamara is one of the most decorated playes in Syracuse history and has performed on the biggest stages with Big East Tournament championship and an NCAA Championship, but something about Connecticut turns GMAC, the pride of Scranton into a shooter as cold as a Syracuse winter. For his career, McNamara is 23-101 (22.8%) from the floor and 13-60 (21.7%) from 3-pt range while averaging 10.7 PPG in his career against UConn, while the Orange have dropped 5 of 7.
While the Orange are off to a 3-0 start in the conference, UConn comes in with teo straight conference wins after opening conference play with a road loss at Marquette. They have only played two road games on the season (Pepperdine on November 18) before tonight and this will be quite an adjustment from the friendly confines of the Hartford Civic Center or their on campus home, Gambel Pavilion.
UConn is led by Rudy Gay, averaging 15 PPG and 6 rebounds and he will start along the front court with Hilton Armstrong, a senior averaging 10 PPG, nearly 7 rebounds and 3 blocks in 25 minutes a game, but he has really stepped up his play of late to become the force inside for UConn. JR Josh Boone will also start and he chips in 9 PPG and 6 rebounds a contest. The Orange front line has been much-maligned as they will start a trio of juniors in Terrence Roberts, Darryl Watkins and Demetris Nichols. Nichols has really stepped up his play this season and gives Syracuse a long and athletic small forward who adds scoring punch from the perimeter (15.5 PPG and 6 rebounds), shooting 40% from 3-pt range. Roberts adds 12 PPG and 9 rebounds and Watkins chips in 6 PPG, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks. UConn will bring in freshmen Jeff Adrien off the bench as well as bruiser Ed Nelson. The only likely front court reserve for the Orange to see extended time is frosh Arinze Onuaku. Connecticut is a little more flexible and could move Gay to a 4-spot if need be.
Gerry McNamara and freshmen Eric Devendorf start in the backcourt for SU. McNamara is only shooting 34% from the floor (and 3-pt range) on the season, but leads the team with 17.8 PPG and 6.4 assists. Devendorf has been coming into his own since wrestling the starting spot away from Louie McCroskey and averages 10 PPG. McCroskey, another junior, adds depth to the backcourt and has been playing well of late, giving them some toughness and energy. PG Josh Wright has struggled with an injured foot and finding his way back into the rotation with the emergence of Devendorf. He is a true PG and frosh Andy Rautins also could see a little time as a spot shooter. For the Huskies, Marcus Williams has reclaimed the starting role at the PG position and will certainly be a target of the SU fans tonight. In his 4 games since returning from suspension, Williams is averaging 10.5 PPG and 7 assists a game. In the last game, he was joined in the starting line-up by Craig Austrie, a freshmen averaging 5 PPG and 4 assists, but most of his time comes at the point. Senior Denham Brown has also been a starter but has struggled since battling a sore knee and freshmen Marcus Johnson has also started at the spot. The most productive, offensively, member of the backcourt has been senior Rashad Anderson. The dead-eye marksman has averaged 14.5 PPG off the bench for the Huskies.
If Syracuse can get away with playing seven players against the deeper Huskies, meaning no foul trouble, then they do match-up very well. Roberts and Watkins have a history of foul trouble in their careers, but have been better this year, but will be tested tonight. Connecticut can not rely on settling for perimeter jumpers against the Orange zone, if they concentrate on getting the ball to the foul line and attacking from there, they should be in good shape.
I do worry about how in-sync the Huskies are right now, especially defensively on the perimeter with a revolving door of players. If Gerry McNamara can take advantage of this and rise above his historical woes against UConn, this could be an exciting win for the Orange. Tonight, I am going with the senior GMAC as he adds another chapter to his tall tale of an Orange legend.
NBE Blogger Prediction:
Syracuse 76 Connecticut 71
Another edition of Big Monday tips off tonight and it does not get much bigger in the Big East than Connecticut and Syracuse! Tonight they renew their rivalry on national television as this pair of heavyweights with their Hall of Fame coaches meet in the Carrier Dome on the Syracuse campus. Below are links to the many articles from the internet on tonight's game:
UConn's Frontcourt Will Test SU's Resolve (Rochester D&C)
Here Come the Huskies (Syracuse Post-Standard)
Austrie, Williams Keep Offense Moving (Norwich Bulletin)
UConn Set for Old Foe (Conn Post)
Conn Post Game Preview
No Time to Relax as Tough Stretch Begins (Waterbury Rep-Am)
Road Gets Tougher for UConn (Torrington Register-Citizen)
Time to Keep Eyes on the Road (Hartford Courant)
READ REST OF PREVIEW...CLICK "Read More" BELOW
The Huskies are a slight favorite this morning, coming off a pair of home wins last week, beating Cincinnati last Monday, 70-59, and getting past Georgetown, 74-67, on Saturday.
Syracuse, in the midst of a killer 5-game stretch, won a pair of road games last week, being victorious at Notre Dame (88-82) and at Cincinnati (77-58) and prepare to mee UConn tonight. After this game, the Orange have road trips to Villanova and Pittsburgh this weekend and next Monday.
Syracuse has won 12 straight games since their November hiccup against Bucknell. Gerry McNamara has scored 54 points in their last two games and will now prepare to face his nemesis in UConn.
McNamara is one of the most decorated playes in Syracuse history and has performed on the biggest stages with Big East Tournament championship and an NCAA Championship, but something about Connecticut turns GMAC, the pride of Scranton into a shooter as cold as a Syracuse winter. For his career, McNamara is 23-101 (22.8%) from the floor and 13-60 (21.7%) from 3-pt range while averaging 10.7 PPG in his career against UConn, while the Orange have dropped 5 of 7.
While the Orange are off to a 3-0 start in the conference, UConn comes in with teo straight conference wins after opening conference play with a road loss at Marquette. They have only played two road games on the season (Pepperdine on November 18) before tonight and this will be quite an adjustment from the friendly confines of the Hartford Civic Center or their on campus home, Gambel Pavilion.
UConn is led by Rudy Gay, averaging 15 PPG and 6 rebounds and he will start along the front court with Hilton Armstrong, a senior averaging 10 PPG, nearly 7 rebounds and 3 blocks in 25 minutes a game, but he has really stepped up his play of late to become the force inside for UConn. JR Josh Boone will also start and he chips in 9 PPG and 6 rebounds a contest. The Orange front line has been much-maligned as they will start a trio of juniors in Terrence Roberts, Darryl Watkins and Demetris Nichols. Nichols has really stepped up his play this season and gives Syracuse a long and athletic small forward who adds scoring punch from the perimeter (15.5 PPG and 6 rebounds), shooting 40% from 3-pt range. Roberts adds 12 PPG and 9 rebounds and Watkins chips in 6 PPG, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks. UConn will bring in freshmen Jeff Adrien off the bench as well as bruiser Ed Nelson. The only likely front court reserve for the Orange to see extended time is frosh Arinze Onuaku. Connecticut is a little more flexible and could move Gay to a 4-spot if need be.
Gerry McNamara and freshmen Eric Devendorf start in the backcourt for SU. McNamara is only shooting 34% from the floor (and 3-pt range) on the season, but leads the team with 17.8 PPG and 6.4 assists. Devendorf has been coming into his own since wrestling the starting spot away from Louie McCroskey and averages 10 PPG. McCroskey, another junior, adds depth to the backcourt and has been playing well of late, giving them some toughness and energy. PG Josh Wright has struggled with an injured foot and finding his way back into the rotation with the emergence of Devendorf. He is a true PG and frosh Andy Rautins also could see a little time as a spot shooter. For the Huskies, Marcus Williams has reclaimed the starting role at the PG position and will certainly be a target of the SU fans tonight. In his 4 games since returning from suspension, Williams is averaging 10.5 PPG and 7 assists a game. In the last game, he was joined in the starting line-up by Craig Austrie, a freshmen averaging 5 PPG and 4 assists, but most of his time comes at the point. Senior Denham Brown has also been a starter but has struggled since battling a sore knee and freshmen Marcus Johnson has also started at the spot. The most productive, offensively, member of the backcourt has been senior Rashad Anderson. The dead-eye marksman has averaged 14.5 PPG off the bench for the Huskies.
If Syracuse can get away with playing seven players against the deeper Huskies, meaning no foul trouble, then they do match-up very well. Roberts and Watkins have a history of foul trouble in their careers, but have been better this year, but will be tested tonight. Connecticut can not rely on settling for perimeter jumpers against the Orange zone, if they concentrate on getting the ball to the foul line and attacking from there, they should be in good shape.
I do worry about how in-sync the Huskies are right now, especially defensively on the perimeter with a revolving door of players. If Gerry McNamara can take advantage of this and rise above his historical woes against UConn, this could be an exciting win for the Orange. Tonight, I am going with the senior GMAC as he adds another chapter to his tall tale of an Orange legend.
NBE Blogger Prediction:
Syracuse 76 Connecticut 71
posted by NBE Blogger @ 8:07 AM
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