College men's basketball: Syracuse gives man-to-man scheme workout in exhibition win
Nov. 2—SYRACUSE — Syracuse University men's basketball fans received their longest look at man-to-man defense from the Orange in more than 13 years Tuesday night.
Syracuse played man defense throughout a 72-58 victory over Division II Southern New Hampshire with 3,124 spectators present in the JMA Wireless Dome to complete its two-game exhibition slate.
Syracuse will open the regular season by hosting Lehigh at 8 p.m. next Monday in the JMA Wireless Dome. The nonconference opener can be streamed on ACC Network Extra.
"We're trying to get as much practice in for that before the season starts and it's mostly just getting used to it," SU senior center Jesse Edwards said. "Everybody can play man, we're all fast enough and all athletic enough, it's just getting used to the different systems people run against it and we got some different looks at that tonight, so it was good."
The Orange claimed its 25th straight exhibition victory, last losing to Le Moyne in 2009, which helped push head coach Jim Boeheim toward sticking solely with his signature 2-3 zone ever since, with a few rare exceptions.
Boeheim has hinted that the new-look Orange with six incoming freshmen bringing an influx of athleticism could cause him to break from his traditional scheme and utilize man defense to mix up alignments this season. He followed through with an extended look to wrap up the preseason.
Syracuse played man-to-man on some defensive possessions in the exhibition opener last Tuesday — an 86-68 victory over Indiana University of Pennsylvania — but stuck in the alignment almost exclusively until deep into the second half against SNHU.
"I don't think any decision has been made on that, it's a work in progress, both defenses," said Boeheim, entering his 47th season. "The thing that will happen during the year is there are some teams that the man will be more effective against, there are other teams that the zone will be more effective against. We're going to use it the way we see fit."
Syracuse limited Southern New Hampshire to 31 percent shooting, including a 5-for-28 mark on 3-point field goals, forced seven turnovers, and finished with nine blocks and nine steals collectively.
In the first half, the Penmen made just 2 of 10 attempts from deep and shot 28 percent while committing nine turnovers. The Orange led 43-23 at the break.
"Our man (defense) has been good in practice, and it's been pretty good in these two games, obviously there are some things on film we can pick up and get better on, but you can do that in any game," said SU senior shooting guard, Joe Girard III. "We're going to get better at it, keep working at it, and make sure it's ready to go for the opener."
Girard III scored 15 points, including a 9-for-9 mark at the free throw line, and fellow veteran Edwards added 13 points as the only other Orange to score double figures.
Syracuse fell into a sloppy second half, especially on offense, and was out-scored 35-29 after the halftime break.
Boeheim started the same unit as the exhibition opener with Judah Mintz and Girard III in the backcourt, Benny Williams and Chris Bell at forward, along with Edwards at center.
BOEHEIM, PEARL CEREMONY SET
SU coach Jim Boeheim and program legend Dwayne "Pearl," Washington will be formally recognized as members of the SU Athletics Ring of Honor when SU hosts Georgetown on Dec. 10 in the JMA Dome.
The duo was part of the inaugural class unveiled along with football icons Jim Brown, Ernie Davis, and Floyd Little, but the university held off on a full celebration due to past COVID-19 restrictions.
The football trio was officially recognized during a halftime ceremony on Oct. 15. Longtime men's lacrosse coach Roy Simmons Jr. has also since been added to the Ring of Honor in the Dome.
