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FEBRUARY 18 - 20, 2011PAINT

Page 3 3 things Syracuse must

do to beat Rutgers

Pages 6-7Syracuse vs. Rutgers:

Head-to-head

Page 5John: Weighing in on

Boeheim

PickUP THEpace

With 4 games remaining in regular season, SU looks to finish on high note

aaron katchen | staff photographer

Page 11Position-by-position

breakdown

2 f e brua r y 18 - 2 0 , 2 0 1 1 s p o r t s @ d a i l y o r a n g e . c o m

Katie McInerney editor in chief

Kathleen Ronayne managing editor

t h e i n d e p e n d e n t s t u d e n t n e w s p a p e r o f s y r a c u s e , n e w y o r k

Weather

today tomorrow sunday

h52| L48 h32| L26h30| L18

Sports editor Brett LoGiuratoPresentation director Becca McGovernPhoto editor Kirsten Celodevelopment editor Tony Oliverocopy chief Susan Kimasst. Sports editor Michael Cohenasst. Sports editor Mark Cooperasst. Photo editor Danielle Parhizkaranasst. Photo editor Brandon Weightasst. copy editor Chris Isemanasst. copy editor Rachel Marcus

general manager Peter WaackStudent Business manager Rebekah Jones it director Mike Escalanteit manager Derek Ostrandercirculation manager Harold HeronStreet team captain Brooke WilliamsSenior advertising designer Lauren Harmsadvertising designer Dom Denaroadvertising designer Matt Smiroldoadvertising representative Adam Beilmanadvertising representative Eric Formanadvertising representative Bianca Rodriguezadvertising representative Kelsey Rowlandadvertising representative Andrew Steinbach advertising representative Yiwei Wuclassifieds manager Michael KangSpecial advertising Sections Michelle ChiuBusiness intern Tim BennettBusiness intern Chenming Mo

FIX DEFENSIVE WOES AGAINST 3-POINT SHOOTINGFollowing his atypical blasting of the local Syracuse media, it was back to the same old Jim Boeheim. The Boeheim who has surfaced in postgame press conferences all year long. The Boeheim who swears teams will continue to make 3-point shots against his 2-3 zone.The Boeheim who speaks as if what has occurred is almost a given. And will con-tinue to fester. “We found (West Virginia guard) Casey Mitchell, and once we took him away, we tried to go inside, and we made some plays,” Boeheim said. “Sometimes you cannot stop that open (3-point) shot, whether you are playing zone or man. People are going to get 3-point shots.”In SU’s win over West Virginia, it was the Mountaineer reserve Mitchell who lit up the Orange in its latest poor effort guard-ing the 3-point line. On 50 percent shoot-ing, West Virginia routinely shot over the Orange 2-3 zone, sinking 11-of-22 3-point-ers. Mitchell was the major threat, fi nding gaps in the zone for seven 3s himself. By halftime, the Mountaineers reg-istered seven made 3s. This came from a WVU squad that, entering the game, was 12th in the Big East in shooting 32 percent from deep. By half, it held a four-point lead with a staggering 70 percent of its points coming from behind the arc. But it was hardly the fi rst time all year a team has held an edge versus Syra-cuse primarily thanks to 3s. In the game immediately preceding WVU, Louisville bombed away with nine fi rst-half 3-point-ers. It gave the Cardinals a 10-point halftime lead, and despite a tidal wave of a comeback led by Brandon Triche, the fi rst-half 3s let Louisville escape. Against Georgetown, it was more of the same. The Hoyas shot 40 percent in the fi rst half and made six 3s. And SU suffered an eight-point loss. In the loss to Villanova, the Wildcats again shot 61.5 percent in the fi rst half for eight 3s. And

in the calamity against Seton Hall, the Orange gave up seven fi rst-half 3s. So it seems as if it would go without saying that the Orange has to halt Rut-gers’ barrage from behind the 3-point line Saturday. Rutgers will pose a threat for the Orange, as it is sixth in the Big East on the year, shooting 35 percent from 3. And another Mitchell will spearhead the opposition once again: this time Rutgers’ leading scorer, Jonathan Mitchell, who is shooting 42 percent on the year. Because after 27 games, it can’t be a given that teams will make 3-point-ers. At some point, it has to fall on the

Orange defense. Right?

— Tony Olivero, develop-ment editor, aolivero@

syr.edu

RICK JACKSON NEEDS TO DOMINATE

Battered, bruised and scratched up, Rick Jackson was frustrated after Syracuse’s 73-69 loss at Louis-ville last Saturday. “Can’t say nothing, can’t do nothing but just play through it,” Jackson said of the physical play that surrounded him during the loss. “I don’t know if the refs think I’m a tough guy and I can just take it or whatever, but guys come in here. They reach. They grab. I don’t say much. I just try to play.” It’s not hard for opposing coaches to identify the anchor of this Syracuse team. That anchor is Jackson. And as Big East play has worn on, SU’s opponents have had greater success in stopping that anchor through double- and triple-teams and physical play. Jackson had something of a bounce-back game against West Virginia on Monday, fi nishing with 10 points and nine rebounds. Against Rutgers on Satur-day and with the fi nal stretch of the regular season upon the Orange, Jackson needs to continue that play for Syracuse to be successful. Jackson struggled through his two worst

games of the season at home against Georgetown and on the road against the Cardinals. In those two games, he com-bined for just 11 points and 15 rebounds. They were a far cry from performances like his against Villanova, when he went for 16 and 15. But in SU’s win Monday over WVU, Jackson returned to form — especially in the clutch. He was on the receiving end of a nifty pass from Scoop Jardine midway through the half. And with the Orange taking control late, he used a nifty pass of his own to fi nd Kris Joseph for the excla-mation point on the game. Against an undersized Scarlet Knights squad Saturday, Jackson could be ripe for his fi rst double-double in four games — and for domination. Said Jackson after Louisville: “We have to fi nish this season strong.”

— Brett LoGiurato, sports edi-tor, bplogiur@syr.edu

f e brua r y 18 - 2 0 , 2 0 1 1 3S P O R T S @ D A I L Y O R A N G E . C O M

3KEYS TOBEATING

S P O R T S @ D A I L Y O R A N G E . C O M

33STOP JONATHAN MITCHELL

The 6-foot-7 Jonathan Mitchell is the primary threat Syracuse has to stop Saturday. But it won’t be easy. Mitchell is a winner. That was validated once again last weekend against Villanova, when Mitchell’s game-winning 3-pointer against highly favored Villanova looped every hour on SportsCenter’s “Top Plays.” Mitchell, a transfer from Florida, has willed the sorry Scarlet Knights hoops program to Big East competitiveness, as he is the only Rutgers player averaging double fi gures with 14.9 points per game. He has a knack to connect from deep, shooting 42 percent on the year. And he isn’t afraid to mix it up down low with his 225-pound frame, as he slashes to get fouled and uses his 75 percent clip from the free-throw line to his advantage. And he hauls in just fewer than six rebounds per game. But it all stems from the playground-en-grained winner’s mentality of the Mount Vernon Junior Knights basketball program. It is led by Dwayne “Coach D” Murray and has produced the likes of former Connecticut star Ben Gor-don, West Virginia’s Kevin Jones and Mitchell’s teammate, RU guard Mike Coburn. Mitchell then

moved on to 2011 McDonald’s All-American head coach Bob Cimmi-no’s Mount Vernon High School program, winning multiple New York State Championships. While at Mount Vernon, he chose to join a winner at Florida. He rode the pine for the second of the Gators’ two consecutive national championships. A year later, he transferred to Rutgers, where he is now their best player as a senior. His mature mentality is the main rea-son the Scarlet Knights have kept it close with the Big East’s best. He is averaging 23.5 points per game in his last four games, all barn-burners against talented Big East teams: St. John’s, Notre Dame, Villanova and Seton Hall. The winner just keeps on amplifying his penchant to carry his team. And if SU naps against Mitchell, the Orange will have a tough time.

— Tony Olivero, development edi-tor, aolivero@syr.edu

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RUTGERS year a team has held an edge versus Syra-cuse primarily thanks to 3s. In the game immediately preceding WVU, Louisville bombed away with nine fi rst-half 3-point-ers. It gave the Cardinals a 10-point halftime lead, and despite a tidal wave of a comeback led by Brandon Triche, the fi rst-half 3s let Louisville escape. Against Georgetown, it was more of the same. The Hoyas shot 40 percent in the fi rst half and made six 3s. And SU suffered an eight-point loss. In the loss to Villanova, the Wildcats again shot 61.5 percent in the fi rst half for eight 3s. And

in the calamity against Seton Hall, the Orange gave up seven fi rst-half 3s. So it seems as if it would go without saying that the Orange has to halt Rut-gers’ barrage from behind the 3-point line Saturday. Rutgers will pose a threat for the Orange, as it is sixth in the Big East on the year, shooting 35 percent from 3. And another Mitchell will spearhead the opposition once again: this time Rutgers’ leading scorer, Jonathan Mitchell, who is shooting 42 percent on the year. Because after 27 games, it can’t be a given that teams will make 3-point-ers. At some point, it has to fall on the

Orange defense. Right?

— Tony Olivero, develop-ment editor, aolivero@

syr.edu

games of the season at home against Georgetown and on the road against the Cardinals. In those two games, he com-bined for just 11 points and 15 rebounds. They were a far cry from performances like his against Villanova, when he went for 16

But in SU’s win Monday over WVU, Jackson returned to form — especially in the clutch. He was on the receiving end of a nifty pass from Scoop Jardine midway through the half. And with the Orange taking control late, he used a nifty pass of his own to fi nd Kris Joseph for the excla-

Against an undersized Scarlet Knights squad Saturday, Jackson could be ripe for his fi rst double-double in four games —

Said Jackson after Louisville: “We have to fi nish this season strong.”

— Brett LoGiurato, sports edi-tor, bplogiur@syr.edu

His mature mentality is the main rea-son the Scarlet Knights have kept it close with the Big East’s best. He is averaging 23.5 points per game in his last four games, all barn-burners against talented Big East teams: St. John’s, Notre Dame, Villanova

The winner just keeps on amplifying his penchant to carry his team. And if SU naps against Mitchell, the Orange will have a tough

— Tony Olivero, development edi-tor, aolivero@syr.edu

RUTGERSRUTGERS

aaron katchen | staff photographer

4 f e brua r y 18 - 2 0 , 2 0 1 1 s p o r t s @ d a i l y o r a n g e . c o m

“I think I’d be a little faster than him, but he’s got all the basketball knowledge. I’m going to have to go with Boeheim.”

James O’Haresophomore history major

PersPect ivescompiled by chris iseman | asst. copy editor

“I think I could take him half court but not full court. He’s got the height, so he could back me down, but I might be quicker.”

Josh Schulmanjunior public relations major

“I’d win because I’m younger and quicker.”

Agustin Montanezundeclared freshman in the martin j.

Whitman school of management

“Me, because I’m younger than him. I’d hope I’m quicker than him. He may have more knowledge, but physically, I’d have a better shot.”

Zach Raboskyjunior aerospace engineering major

dailyorange.com

If you played Jim Boeheim one-on-one, who would win and why?

f e brua r y 18 - 2 0 , 2 0 1 1 5s p o r t s @ d a i l y o r a n g e . c o m

J im Boeheim had every intention of com-menting on what he believed were per-sonal attacks on his recent track record as

a head coach. To him, a line had been crossed. And he wasn’t about to just let it go.

It doesn’t matter if you’re new to the job or in your 35th year as the head coach at a basket-ball powerhouse. It’s almost impossible to keep your cool when you become the target of public criticism.

That’s why it’s hard to fault Boeheim for taking issue with a graphic and an accom-panied story in The Post-Standard when he stepped to the podium Monday after Syra-cuse’s 63-52 win over West Virginia.

The graphic and story, which ran Saturday, pointed out Boeheim’s six (now seven) consecu-tive losses against Rick Pitino.

Boeheim took issue with the fact that the graphic only showed Pitino’s 6-1 record against the Orange during his time at Louisville. It neglected to show that Boeheim has had his fair share of success against Pitino, with a 6-3 record, before Pitino took over at UL.

And after looking at the graphic, it’s under-standable why Boeheim would be upset.

Yet at the same time, Boeheim doesn’t exactly have an exemplary track record when it comes to making personal attacks of his own. Over the years, it’s no secret Boeheim has had his fair share of run-ins with the media. Most of the time, he is simply coming to the defense of his team or his own reputation.

But on Dec. 4 following a Syracuse win over North Carolina State inside the Carrier Dome, what could have been a simple “next question” became a five-minute reproach. And it became personal.

During the postgame press conference, I asked Boeheim about Scoop Jardine’s shot selection. It was a question he had already

addressed in part. I tried to prod for more spe-cifics, and Boeheim wasn’t having that.

“Didn’t I just answer that question?” Boe-heim replied.

Instead of it ending there, though, Boeheim came back to it after another reporter began to ask a question.

“Do you guys pass any classes?” Boeheim said. “Seriously. I don’t know. Listen. You’re worse than my kids.”

Fair or not, there is a strain between coach-es and the media. And often times, though usually unintentional, someone crosses the line and makes it personal.

Although I never really considered it to be a big deal, I still get asked about that incident occasionally. I think it’s because a lot of people who were there at the press conference thought those remarks were a bit personal. And it was far from an isolated incident for Boeheim.

Some feel that line was crossed again when Boeheim came after two reporters from The Post-Standard because of the story and graphic. To him, it’s not a big deal. He was just defending himself against what he believed to be unfair criticism.

On Thursday, Boeheim maintained his statements are never meant to be personal.

“There’s nothing personal about anything I’ve ever said,” Boeheim said in a phone inter-view. “I don’t talk about somebody’s personal life. It’s business. It’s not personal. Personal is

when you attack somebody’s character or what they do off the court or off their job. That’s personal. Their integrity, their honesty or whatever.

“But everybody has their own opinion, and I’ve had my say, and it’s over. It’s no big deal. Peo-ple are making some big deal about it. It’s not.”

It’s interesting to note that despite Syra-cuse’s win over West Virginia, which gave the Orange its 21st victory of the season, the conflict came with four games remaining in the regular season and a NCAA Tournament bid awaiting.

“We’ve got four games left and have won 21 games, but the season is over with in some people’s minds,” Boeheim said Monday. “It never ceases to amaze me.”

The reality is Syracuse is just one game out of third place in the best league in the country with four games left to play.

It doesn’t matter if you cover the team or simply watched some games this season. It’s difficult to deny Boeheim’s squad has shown flashes this season, despite a recent 3-6 stretch. This is the same team that won 18 in a row.

And whether he’s making wise cracks or busting on you for asking a stupid question in the postgame press conference, you know what you’re getting from him.

That’s Jim Boeheim. Like a lot of us, he sometimes takes things

personal, too. If you’re going to criticize his team or his recent record against another coach, make sure it’s fair.

And heading into the last four games of the regular season, with a lot still left to play for, it’s time to hold the criticism and wait and see what happens.

Andrew L. John is a staff writer at The Daily Orange, where his column appears occasion-

ally. He can be reached at aljohn@syr.edu.

a n d r e w l . j o h n

goin’ hog wild

mitchell franz | staff photographerjim boeheim has Syracuse sitting at eighth place in the Big East. Boeheim lashed out at critics after his team’s win over West Virginia on Monday. The Orange sits at 21-6 overall and 8-6 in the conference this season going into its game against Rutgers.

You always know what you’re getting with Boeheim

Andy Rautins had another surprising game. He did the things that were asked of him, but he also did more. Twenty-three points - a season high at the time - nine assists and eight rebounds.

Syracuse improved to 16-1 overall and 3-1 in the Big East with an 81-65 win over Rutgers on Jan. 13, 2010. Rautins and the Orange played up to their No. 5 ranking with the thrashing. But that didn’t mean Rautins was completely pleased.

“It’s pretty cool,” Rautins said after the game, “but I still had five turnovers, and that bugs me seeing that on there. That kind of takes away from the good play a little bit.”

Wes Johnson didn’t think so. Johnson, who had 11 points and 10 rebounds of his own, said Rautins stepped up and made shots to help the team.

“He’s a leader, and we expect stuff like that out of him,” Johnson said.

Rautins’ 23 points allowed the Orange to pull away after Rutgers got the score close at 53-45. He hit a jumper to push the lead back to double-digits and found open shooters when he wasn’t hitting shots of his own.

Then-Rutgers head coach Fred Hill was impressed by Rautins’ overall play against his squad.

“He really sees the floor well, and he’s a great passer in traffic,” Hill said.

When he wasn’t shooting or passing, Rautins was leading the defense. He had five of the Orange’s 18 steals in SU’s 2-3 zone.

The game gave Rautins the validation he was looking for. He thought the performance displayed he was more than just a shooter. He was a complete player.

“I try to tell them time and again I’m not one-dimensional,” Rautins said. “And there it is, I guess.”

Although Rautins stole the show for SU, the Orange also got contributions from other mem-bers on the team. Guards Scoop Jardine and Brandon Triche each had 12 points, and Jardine added six assists.

The Orange was able to limit Rutgers star Mike Rosario to 6-of-19 shooting, and when Rosario started hitting shots, Rautins was the one to hit the key baskets for SU.

“If I’m feeling good like that,” Rautins said, “I won’t hesitate to pull up.”

Rautins ended up leading the Orange in scor-ing and assists. He proved he was more than just a shooter.

And Rutgers’ Hill could see that at the end of the game after Rautins picked apart the Scarlet Knights throughout the entire contest.

“Andy Rautins is a much better player than shooter,” Hill said. “And you watch him on film, and the one thing I don’t think people give him credit for is he is an outstanding passer.”

— Compiled by Rachel Marcus, asst. copy editor, rnmarcus@syr.edu

Last time they pLayed

jan. 13, 2010Syracuse 81, Rutgers 65

Syracuse has beaten Rutgers 10 times in a row, dating back to Jan. 29, 2003. That was the same year the Orange won the national championship.

f e brua r y 18 - 2 0 , 2 0 1 1 7S P O R T S @ D A I L Y O R A N G E . C O MS P O R T S @ D A I L Y O R A N G E . C O M6 f e brua r y 18 - 2 0 , 2 0 1 1

(21-6)

BAYE MOUSSA KEITA6-10, 213, FR.

2.5 PPG, 4.3 RPG

JIM BOEHEIM850-299

34 seasons

GILVYDAS BIRUTA6-8, 230, FR.

9.0 PPG, 5.2 RPG

MIKE RICE86-43

3 seasons

CENTER COACHES

Moussa Keita gets the nod here after fellow freshman

Fab Melo didn’t play against West Virginia. C.J. Fair is

getting more and more min-utes spelling the centers

and Joseph.

Lost in the midst of Boe-heim’s press conference was the fact that he won a semi-milestone 850th game as a head coach.

He’ll take on a newbie in the Big East in Rice.

BEAT WRITER PREDICTIONS

ANDREW L. JOHN

BRETT LOGIURATO

TONYOLIVERO

FREE THROWSRutgers forward Jonathan Mitchell scored 25 points to lead Rutgers to an upset over Villanova on Feb. 9. Mitchell converted a four-point play as time expired to lead the Scarlet Knights to the 77-76 upset.

Rutgers freshman Austin Carroll is a high school teammate of Syracuse freshman C.J. Fair. And the Scarlet Knights’ Dane Miller and SU’s Brandon Triche played on a Donyell Marshall AAU team.

STAT TO KNOW

FORTUNE COOKIE

Syracuse 78, Rutgers 62Eleven straight against Rutgers shouldn’t be a problem.

Syracuse 73,Rutgers 67This one will be closer than expected. The Orange gets itself out of a, um, “Situation” late and pulls out the win.

Syracuse 68, Rutgers 64The winner pulsing through Jonathan Mitch-ell gives Rutgers a shot. A much better shot than anyone in Syracuse thinks, besides Jim Boe-heim. But aside from him, their ineptitude from deep will kill RU.

BIG EAST TOURNAMENTMARCH 8-12

#MediaCup2011

THEY SAID IT

SATURDAY, 4 P.M., CARRIER DOME

SCOOP JARDINE6-2, 190, JR.

12.3 PPG, 6.0 APG

BRANDON TRICHE6-4, 205, SO.

11.2 PPG, 2.8 APG

KRIS JOSEPH6-7, 210, JR.

14.8 PPG, 4.8 RPG

RICK JACKSON6-9, 240, SR.

12.8 PPG, 11.1 RPG

MIKE COBURN6-0, 185, SR.

8.1 PPG, 4.1 APG

JAMES BEATTY6-2, 190, SR.

8.7 PPG, 2.8 RPG

DANE MILLER6-7, 215, SO.

9.3 PPG, 5.7 RPG

JONATHAN MITCHELL6-7, 225, SR.

14.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG

STARTING LINEUPPOINT GUARD SHOOTING GUARD SMALL FORWARD POWER FORWARD

If SU fi nds itself trailing late, Coburn is the one to foul. He’s shooting just 17-of-37 from the free-

throw line in the fi nal three minutes of games and

overtime. Jardine is coming off two solid performances

in a row.

Triche willed the Orange to victory Monday, and he almost willed the team to a comeback victory last

Saturday at Louisville. SU head coach Jim Boeheim

would love for him to continue that streak.

Miller is very athletic, but he’s shooting just

20 percent from beyond the 3-point line on the year. Against the zone,

he’ll struggle. Joseph has scored in double fi gures in seven of eight games since returning from a

concussion.

Mitchell is Rutgers’ main threat, and he’s been on fi re lately. Jackson needs

a dominant game after struggling somewhat in his past three outings.

1. Kansas (22)2. Ohio State (14)3. Texas (23)4. Pittsburgh (6)5. Duke6. San Diego State7. Brigham Young8. Notre Dame9. Georgetown10. Wisconsin11. Purdue12. Arizona13. Connecticut14. Florida15. Villanova16. Louisville17. Syracuse 18. Vanderbilt19. North Carolina20. Missouri21. Texas A&M22. Kentucky23. Temple24. Xavier25. Utah State

(13-12)

RANKINGS TRACKERData based on AP Top 25 poll

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5

6

7

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Pre 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

After winning Legends Classic in Atlantic City, N.J., Syracuse rises No. 8. Jim Boeheim feels his team is underperforming.

HALF-COURT SHOTS

DEPAULMARCH 5, 4 P.M.

@GEORGETOWNFEB. 26, NOON

@VILLANOVAFEB. 21, 7 P.M.

1. Kansas (14)2. Texas (13)3. Ohio State (3)4. Pittsburgh (1)5. Duke6. San Diego State7. Notre Dame8. Brigham Young9. Georgetown10. Wisconsin11. Purdue12. Connecticut13. Arizona14. Villanova15. Florida16. Louisville17. Texas A&M18. Vanderbilt19. North Carolina20. Syracuse21. Missouri22. Kentucky23. Saint Mary’s24. Utah State25. Temple

AP TOP 25

USA TODAY/ESPN(First-place votes in parentheses)

rank

week

RUTGERS AT SYRACUSE 17(First-place votes in parentheses)

Syracuse beats Cincinnati to earn the No. 3 ranking. On the same day, it loses its fi rst game to Pittsburgh.

Sponsored by

“We’ve got four games left and have won 21 games, but the season is over with in some people’s minds. It never ceases to amaze me.”

Jim BoeheimSU HEAD COACH

“I’m just trying to take open shots and try and get into a rhythm. All of the coaches are telling me to come out early. I’m scoring most of my points in the second half. I try to get up six or seven shots to try and get into a rhythm.”

Brandon TricheSU GUARD

“Rutgers can play with anyone. I saw them beat Villanova. They play great basketball. Even if you play well you can have a problem. That is just the nature of the league and you have to be ready for that.”

Jim Boeheim SU HEAD COACH

Syracuse drops back down to No. 17 after losses at home against Georgetown and on the road at Louisville in the KFC Yum! Center.

By Zach BrownStaff Writer

The Syracuse women’s basketball team’s 53-45 slugfest win over Louisville gave the team mul-tiple reasons to be excited.

First, the victory brought the Orange back to .500 in the Big East. It gave SU some confidence

heading into the final stretch of the regular season. And it inched the team closer to a 20-win season.

But perhaps more importantly, it added a resume-strengthening win in Syracuse’s last chance to do so at home this year.

“I think it was important to protect your home floor,” senior guard Erica Morrow said. “It’s so hard to win tough games on the road that you need to protect your home floor and win as many as possible when you have the advantage.”

The matchup with Louisville marked the beginning of a critical two-game swing for the Orange (18-7, 6-6), with the postseason rapidly approaching. Entering this week, ESPN placed Syracuse just outside its projected NCAA tour-nament field in the “last four out” group. But both the Cardinals and St. John’s, who SU plays Saturday at 3 p.m. in New York City, were in the field of 64. With only three games left after the weekend, this may be Syracuse’s last chance to earn a resume-building win in the regular season.

“We knew how big Louisville was going in because we knew exactly where they were in all that,” SU head coach Quentin Hillsman said. “Obviously, going into St. John’s, it’s the same thing.”

Before the win against the Cardinals, Syra-cuse’s slate of victories was void of many sig-nature wins. The best was a Jan. 22 triumph at Marquette. A win over then-No. 6 Ohio State

on Dec. 11 in the Carrier Dome has lost most of its luster as the Buckeyes have limped to a 15-9 mark.

Other than those wins, the Orange has missed a slew of opportunities. The Big East schedule has provided plenty of chances for SU to beat tournament teams, but it has struggled against its more talented counterparts.

Add those blundered chances to an RPI of 63 and strength of schedule that ranks 95th in the country, and ESPN projected Syracuse to barely miss the tournament.

“Normally, they’re pretty accurate,” Hills-man said. “You’ve almost got to look at it and say, ‘Hey, that’s kind of where we are.’”

But this week could be the difference for Syracuse’s tournament chances.

It already pulled out the win over Louisville, adding another decent win to the resume. St. John’s may be a taller task on the road, but as Hillsman said, a victory in New York would be just as important — if not more — as the win Wednesday in the Dome.

“I think it’s very important that we just finish the season strong,” sophomore guard Elashier Hall said. “Right now, we’re 6-6. It’s OK, but we would love to finish out these games.”

And in fact, a win over the Red Storm may be Syracuse’s last chance at a resume-improving victory. Its first two opponents after St. John’s are Cincinnati and Providence, both of whom have losing records. After that, SU travels to Storrs, Conn., for a bout with No. 2 Connecticut, who it hasn’t beaten since 1996.

A victory over UConn could certainly be the golden ticket for the Orange to get into the tournament. But as that hasn’t happened in 15 years, SU’s performance this week could be the decisive factor for the Orange’s tournament goals.

Syracuse already took one major step toward the field of 64 with the win over Louisville on Wednesday. And back-to-back wins over project-

ed tournament teams would certainly improve its chances.

“I think it’d be really important,” Hillsman said. “We’re not going to downplay the game. It’s

a very important game playing against a great team, and we’ve got to go down there and get it done.”

zjbrown@syr.edu

8 f e brua r y 18 - 2 0 , 2 0 1 1 s p o r t s @ d a i l y o r a n g e . c o m

sean harp | staff photographercarmen tyson-thomas and Syracuse are fighting for a spot in the NCaa tourna-ment. SU heads to New York City on Saturday to face St. John’s in a critical contest.

DancegameOrange looks to improve tournament resume in crucial game at St. John’s

UP NEXTWho: St. John’sWhere: New York, N.Y.When: Saturday, 3 p.m.

No. 3 Texas (23-3) aT Nebraska (17-8)Looking at these two teams’ records might not give the impression that this game will be close. But considering how Nebraska has played against top teams, it isn’t farfetched to think the Cornhuskers can hang with the Longhorns. Don’t forget, this team started the season 13-2. Nebraska lost by only three points on the road at Kansas, by one at Texas Tech and by four to Baylor. Plus, the Huskers have a huge win over then-No. 13 Texas A&M under their belts. On the other side of the coin, Texas is arguably the hottest team in the country. Since losing to Connecticut back on Jan. 8, the Longhorns have rattled off 11 straight wins. Only one of those games was won by nine points or fewer. When Ohio State fell last week, many people around the country were saying Texas should take over the top spot. It’s very possible for the Longhorns to win out in Big 12 play with zero games remaining against ranked teams.

X-factor: Free throwsIn Nebraska’s three-point loss to Kansas ear-lier this season, free throws helped keep the Huskers in the game. They shot more than 80 percent from the stripe in the game, while the Jayhawks converted on just 52.6 percent

of their tries. If Nebraska can keep Texas off the line or if Texas fails to convert, look for the Huskers to keep this one close as well.

No. 6 saN Diego sTaTe (26-1) aT air Force (13-11)This could be a trap game for San Diego State. After tying a school record by earning its 26th win of the season Feb. 16 against New Mexico, the Aztecs are poised to break it against a mediocre Air Force team. How-ever, looming just past the Falcons is a date with Jimmer Fredette and BYU. If SDSU gets caught looking ahead, a Falcons team could take advantage. And Air Force isn’t going to want to be the team that gives up a school record to the Aztecs, especially at home. Another encouraging note for the Falcons is the sloppy play the Aztecs have exhib-ited lately. Four of SDSU’s last five games have all been single-digit wins. Over that particular stretch, San Diego State has only surpassed 68 points once. It could be the perfect time for an upset bid.

X-Factor: Michael Lyons, guard, Air ForceIt seems silly to say a team’s leading scorer would be the X-factor in a game, but with Lyons, it really is true. In games where he scores 15 or more points, the Falcons are undefeated with a record of 8-0. So if he can

come up with a big game, Air Force should be in good shape against a team that might be looking ahead to a rematch with Fredette.

WashiNgToN (18-7) aT No. 12 arizoNa (22-4)The last time these two teams played, Washington embarrassed the Wildcats with a 17-point win. The Huskies hung 85 points on Arizona. But since then, the Cats have responded with a seven-game winning streak. Overall, Arizona has won 10 of its last 11 games and is returning to its nationally recognized form from the late 1990s and early 2000s. Washington is one of the most disap-pointing teams in the country this season. Though the Huskies still sit 11 games above .500, they haven’t lived up to their preseason No. 17 ranking. The win over Arizona on Jan. 20 is the team’s only victory against a ranked team. But Isaiah Thomas is one of the best point guards in the country, and his 16.8 points per game should keep the Huskies close.

X-Factor: Lamont Jones, guard, ArizonaJones is playing second fiddle to teammate and All-American candidate Derrick Williams. But lately, he’s been on fire. Prior to his last game against Arizona State earlier this week, Jones had scored in double figures for six consecutive games. He even exploded for 27 points against California. If he can step up again and support Williams, the Wildcats should handle the Huskies easily.

No. 2 ohio sTaTe (25-1) aT No. 11 PurDue (21-5)The Buckeyes bounced back from their first loss of the season to Wisconsin by beating Michigan State on Feb. 15. This game at Purdue, though, might be the toughest test the Buckeyes have left until the season finale rematch with the Badgers. Especially con-sidering Purdue is undefeated at home in Big Ten play this season. The Boilermakers are currently flying high after upsetting No. 10 Wisconsin earlier this week. In that game, Purdue finally got a contribution from someone besides JaJuan Johnson and E’Twaun Moore. Guard Lewis Jackson stepped up and put in 18 big points to complement Purdue’s stellar duo. If he can put together another solid game, the Boilermakers have a chance against one of the nation’s most balanced teams.

X-Factor: Purdue’s perimeter defenseOhio State handled Purdue easily on Jan. 25, winning 87-64 in Columbus, Ohio. In that game, the Buckeyes knocked down 11 3-point-ers and shot 57.9 percent from beyond the arc. If Purdue wants to have a shot at the upset this time around, it can’t allow OSU to get 33 points on 3-pointers. Look for the Boilermakers to make an effort to get out on the Buckeye shooters.

— Compiled by Michael Cohen, asst. sports editor, mjcohe02@syr.edu

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Around the nationGamestoWatCH

No. 13 CoNNeCtiCut (20-5, 8-5) at No. 16 LouisviLLe (19-7, 8-5)Friday, 9 p.m., ESPNConnecticut and Louisville will meet for the second time in a three-week span, and if this rematch is anything like the first meeting, fans at the KFC Yum! Center will be in for a treat. In that first meeting 20 days ago, Louisville went into UConn’s Gampel Pavilion and stole a 79-78 dou-ble-overtime victory. Peyton Siva’s 19 points led the Cardinals, and the win put UL a game above UConn in the Big East standings. But here they meet again, and just like the first meeting, the two teams are tied in the conference standings. Huskies star Kemba Walker is coming off one of his best games of the season Wednesday, when he scored 31 points and dished out 10 assists in a win over No. 9 Georgetown. He scored 20 in UConn’s first meeting with the Cardinals but was inefficient, shooting just 2-of-10 from 3-point range. Louisville will be glad to play at home Fri-day. The Cardinals have lost three straight road games, including a 63-54 loss to Cincinnati on Wednesday. Louisville is 16-2 at home on the season and is 6-0 at home in Big East play.

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Around the Big East

setoN haLL11-15 (5-9)

provideNCe14-12 (3-10)

rutgers13-12 (4-9)

marquette15-11 (6-7)

viLLaNova20-6 (8-5)

st. johN’s16-9 (8-5)

georgetowN20-6 (9-5)

Notre dame21-4 (10-3)

pittsBurgh24-2 (12-1)

south fLorida8-19 (2-12)

standings

123456789101112

13141516

CoNNeCtiCut20-5 (8-5)

syraCuse21-6 (8-6)

LouisviLLe19-7 (8-5)

west virgiNia16-9 (7-6)

CiNCiNNati20-6 (7-8)

depauL7-18 (1-12)

GamestoWatCH

No. 4 pittsBurgh (24-2, 12-1) at st. johN’s (16-9, 8-5)Saturday, noon, ESPNPittsburgh is in for a very tough road game as it travels to New York City to play St. John’s on Saturday. The Red Storm has been on a tear recently, winning five of six. That stretch includes victories over No. 5 Duke and No. 13 Connecticut, putting SJU in a good position to make the NCAA Tournament in head coach Steve Lavin’s first year. A win over the Big East’s leader could seal the deal completely. The biggest difference for St. John’s in its hot stretch has been the elevated play of Dwight Hardy. He has been one of the best players in the country over the past three weeks, scoring 26 against Duke, 32 in a loss at UCLA, 33 against UConn and 28 in a road win over Marquette on Tuesday. Pittsburgh has been cruising right along in front of the pack in the toughest conference in the country, winning five straight since its lone Big East loss to No. 8 Notre Dame on Jan. 24. Even in that 56-51 loss, the Panthers played good defense. Pitt’s defense has been spectacular for most of conference play. The Panthers haven’t allowed an opponent to score more than 66 points since they gave up 81 in an 89-81 win over Marquette on Jan. 8. Defense wins championships, and with a two-game lead and five games to play, Pitt is in good position to win the Big East title.

No. 8 Notre dame (21-4, 10-3) at west virgiNia (16-9, 7-6)Saturday, 1 p.m., CBSTwo teams heading in opposite directions meet Saturday in a game that has different meanings for each team. The Fighting Irish enter West Virginia on a seven-game win-ning streak, while the Mountaineers have lost three of four, the most recent a 63-52 loss to No. 17 Syracuse on Monday. Notre Dame is second in the Big East and earned its first Top 10 ranking of the season this week. WVU is still in comfortable position to make the tournament field but has lost four straight games to ranked teams entering this game. While most of the Big East is beating up on each other, Notre Dame sits with Pitts-burgh above the rest. The 21-4 record is Notre Dame’s best start to a season since 1980-81. And the combination of guards Ben Hansbrough and Tim Abromaitis is the No. 1 reason for it. Together, they score 31.6 points per game. West Virginia was the first team outside the Top 25 receiving votes in the latest AP poll, but the loss to Syracuse earlier in the week will probably keep the Mountaineers from cracking the rankings. To say WVU has struggled of late may be harsh because the three losses in its last four games have come against No. 15 Villanova, No. 4 Pitts-burgh and the Orange. The lone win in that stretch is DePaul, which is last place in conference play. Mountaineers’ key player, Casey Mitchell, is finally beginning to find his form four games after returning from a suspension for a violation of team rules. The senior guard knocked down seven 3s against SU and scored 23 points after scoring just 18 in his first three games back.

— Compiled by Mark Cooper, asst. sports editor, mcooperj@syr.edu

courtesy of louisville media relations

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A position-by-position look at the game

On the blockPOINT GUARDIt’s amazing what a little familiarity can do for a point guard. Even if Mike Coburn is nowhere near as skilled in the passing game as Scoop Jardine, the senior from Mount Vernon, N.Y., has a weapon at his disposal that is equal to what Jardine has: a running mate he has known forever. Jardine’s childhood counterpart is SU stalwart Rick Jackson. For Coburn, the Scarlet Knights’ best player in Jonathan Mitchell grew up on the Lower Westchester playgrounds with the 6-foot point guard. Coburn rarely goes for points and will struggle more against SU’s zone. It’s what he is groomed for. It’s hard not to see Jardine having the advantage in this matchup.

Advantage: Syracuse

SHOOTING GUARDRick Jackson was SU’s MVP through the fi rst 25 games. Brandon Triche has taken that title in the last two. With Jackson struggling, Triche says he fi nally recognized he needed to assert himself in the SU offense, and against Louisville and West Virginia he went for 41 total points. SU head coach Jim Boeheim says Triche needs to be a scorer. Against the very average James Beatty (averaging 8.7 points per game), Triche will have a chance to eclipse his season average of 11.2 points per game.

Advantage: Syracuse

BENCHRutgers’ bench has some spark, including wing Mike Poole and forward Austin Johnson, who leads the team in fi eld-goal percentage. But the biggest factor off the bench will be from SU. That would be C.J. Fair, who has played an average of 35 minutes in the past two games. He’s averaging more than 10 points per game in his last three. Will Fab Melo get some minutes here?

Advantage: Syracuse

CENTERIt’s a matchup of two freshmen here, and it includes the freshman who should be starting at center for SU. Baye Moussa Keita is a starter by name only. Most of the time, C.J. Fair’s subbed in for Moussa Keita in the past two games. On the other side, Gilvydas Biruta has impressed in his freshman season. He’s among the top three fresh-men in the Big East in fi eld-goal percentage (fi rst), free-throw percentage (fi rst) and rebounding (third).

Advantage: Rutgers

POWER FORWARDThis is where Rick Jackson will look to exploit Rutgers’ lack of overall size, because on offense he’ll have the ability to match up against the undersized Jonathan Mitchell. Rutgers will undoubtedly double- and even triple-team Jackson, so SU’s other shooters have to step up. Mitchell’s claim to fame recently has been a four-point play that won his team a game over Vil-lanova, but he’s been lighting up the scoreboard lately with at least 20 points in fi ve of six games.

Advantage: Even

SMALL FORWARDKris Joseph is coming off a pretty complete perfor-mance against West Virginia, but to Jim Boeheim, Joseph’s game is still not where it should be. Dane Miller will be a challenge in some aspects of the game. For example, he’s fi fth in the Big East in blocks per game. But he has also proven the ability to not be much of an offensive threat at times, evidenced by his zero-point, one-rebound performance against Seton Hall last Saturday. He doesn’t compare with a player the caliber of Joseph.

Advantage: Syracuse

—Compiled by Brett LoGiurato and Tony Olivero

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