CLEMSON, S.C. — After losing to Clemson on Saturday, Paschal Chukwu pointed out that certain teams are “playing for their life.” Syracuse, based on major bracketologists predictions, isn’t.

But there’s a big difference between a team comfortably making the NCAA Tournament, and one that can do damage. Syracuse hasn’t shown that upside yet.

Because of a weak bubble and a few marquee wins, Syracuse (19-12, 10-8 Atlantic Coast) will make the NCAA Tournament. It’ll be somewhere between an eight and 11 seed depending on the results of this week’s ACC tournament. But everything isn’t OK for SU. It still has issues all over the floor — guard play, the frontcourt and on the glass. For once, the edge of the bubble isn’t Syracuse’s biggest issue. The Orange’s shortcomings are.

“These games are gonna be hard, especially every game coming up now,” Oshae Brissett said about the incoming postseason. “So we just gotta take pride in ourselves to keep going for all 40 minutes.”

Two seasons ago, Syracuse missed the NCAA Tournament firmly on the bubble, and a year ago, the Orange were the final at-large bid to the dance. Since knocking off then-No. 1 Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium in January, SU’s had a leg up on a postseason spot.

Even after Saturday’s loss to Clemson, Yahoo! ranks Syracuse as one of its 10 seeds. CBSSports and ESPN’s Joe Lunardi slot SU as a nine seed. A loss in its ACC tournament opener shouldn’t push the Orange out of the field, either.

That gives Syracuse more than a week to alleviate the worries. It starts with Frank Howard, SU’s senior point guard and one of the catalysts in last year’s Sweet 16 run. He said months ago he’d fully recovered from a preseason leg injury. But he hasn’t looked like the player he was last season. Howard doesn’t get by anyone off the dribble. That keeps Syracuse’s offense stranded around the perimeter, forcing it to make difficult shots late in the shot clock.
Howard’s backcourt mate, Tyus Battle, shows game-changing ability at times, like his takeovers at Duke or Boston College, but when a defender keeps Battle in front, his jump shot still doesn’t look NBA-ready. He’s shot 8-of-30 in the Orange’s last two losses.

“We’re not getting any penetration from our guards,” Boeheim said. “…Tyus and Frank are averaging about one assist apiece in these losses.”

Alexandra Moreo | Senior Staff Photographer

Speaking of inconsistency: Elijah Hughes was a consistent double-digit scorer in the nonconference slate. But he didn’t have a single point against Clemson, and has only shot 50 percent or higher from the floor three times in the new year. Hughes didn’t try to get involved and SU didn’t try to involve him on Saturday.

Even as Brissett appeared to find his shooting form early in the season, it’s fallen off, as has his shot selection. He still struggles to finish at the rim, and often takes errant shots off the dribble.

“(Brissett) hasn’t played well offensively the whole year,” Boeheim said March 4.

Those four starters — Howard, Battle, Hughes and Brissett — are the keys to Syracuse’s offense. If the Orange can’t figure themselves out, they can’t let opposing teams out-possess them. While getting outrebounded in 9 of its last 10 games, including five straight, Syracuse has let opposing teams with already better offenses get more shots.

And those looks have been more and more open. Admittedly with a loaded back-end schedule, Syracuse’s defense has been dissected by its opposition, usually in the second half. The Orange simply can’t keep up.

“These first halves we can build off and just learn what we can take from it and build into the second half and just play a complete game,” freshman Buddy Boeheim said. “And that’s what we need to do come postseason is just play a full 40 and learn what adjustments we need to make.”

Last year, Syracuse had similar concerns heading into March: Not enough scorers, stagnation on offense, rebounding issues, no depth. That was all swept aside when the Orange made the Sweet 16 behind the 2-3 zone — which is tough for opponents unfamiliar with it in a tournament setting.

Athletes and coaches are fond of saying that the postseason is like a “new season.” In a way, everyone starts on equal footing.

“We have a perfect opportunity to show who we are,” Brissett said, “and I feel like the guys are ready for the challenge.”

But in other ways, things are plenty uneven. Syracuse’s struggles aren’t going anywhere. The Orange will reach the “new season” everyone wants. Once there, Syracuse will have to hope it doesn’t look like the same-old, flawed team it’s been.

Billy Heyen is a senior staff writer for The Daily Orange where his column appears occasionally. He can be reached at wmheyen@syr.edu or @Wheyen3.

Published on March 11, 2019 at 11:23 am