In The Paint: Pittsburgh

IN THE

PAINT

SYRACUSE VS. PITTSBURGH JAN. 19, 2019

Guard the glass Syracuse guards Elijah Hughes, Tyus Battle and Frank Howard have upped their rebounding totals to 13.5 per game in conference play.

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Not all right Syracuse shooting guard Tyus Battle has added to his scoring repertoire and boosted his NBA draft stock by improving his offhand in the offseason.

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On the beat The Daily Orange caught up with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Craig Meyer to break down the Panthers ahead of their matchup with Syracuse on Saturday.

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In Syracuse’s 95-91 upset victory over Duke, Elijah Hughes, Tyus Battle and Frank Howard all grabbed at least four rebounds. SU’s three guards, 6-foot-6 or shorter, average 8.33 rebounds per game combined. alexandra moreo senior staff photographer

BOARD GAMES

Syracuse guards have committed themselves to rebounding, helping the Orange on the boards in a recent stretch

By Billy Heyen

senior staff writer

D

uke’s Alex O’Connell fired a shot from the wing early in Monday’s second half as Syracuse battled the No. 1 Blue Devils. Standing above the right elbow in Cameron Indoor Stadium, Frank Howard tracked the shot as it bounced off the rim. Two of the Blue Devils’ highest leapers, Zion Williamson and Javin DeLaurier, crashed hard toward the basket from the perimeter.

But Howard drifted down into the lane, anticipated a rebound off the back of the rim and snatched it before Williamson, who was sprinting in for a put-back slam.

Howard’s movement and anticipation were subtle but also indicative of a trend that’s helped Syracuse to three wins in its first four conference games.

No. 1 Duke entered Monday’s contest against Syracuse (12-5, 3-1 Atlantic Coast) with the fourth-highest offensive rebounding rate in the country, per KenPom.com. The stats show the Blue Devils still executed on the offensive

glass, but the Orange did enough to get to overtime and pull out a 95-91 win. Elijah Hughes, Tyus Battle and Howard all grabbed at least four rebounds and eclipsed their season averages.

“That’s what we haven’t been doing,” Syracuse University head coach Jim Boeheim said of SU’s rebounding after the win against Duke. “That was a big part of winning.”

In Syracuse’s nine nonconference games since Howard returned against Colgate on Nov. 21, SU’s three 6-foot6-or-shorter starters averaged 8.33 rebounds collectively per game. They’ve upped that to 13.5 per matchup in the Orange’s four ACC games, with the worst output (seven) coming in SU’s lone conference loss, last Saturday to Georgia Tech. The increased rebounding rate has accounted for 32.9 percent of SU’s rebounds in conference play. “(Rebounding) was good for us,” Battle said after Notre Dame on Jan. 5. “I think that’s what we need to do to win games going forward.”

Hughes, who plays one of the wing spots along the backline of Syracuse’s zone, would normally be in the best position of the guards to grab rebounds. But he rarely

appeared to attack the ball off the rim, contributing to SU’s nonconference struggles.

That changed when the Orange opened conference play at Notre Dame. Hughes grabbed 10 rebounds against the Fighting Irish, with nine coming on the defensive end. After the game, Hughes remarked that a lot of balls bounced right to him — and that’s true, as a few of his boards fell right into his lap. But more consistently, it appeared Hughes wanted to go get the basketball.

“Coach has been on me and Elijah about it, so we’ve been trying to do a better job,” Battle said.

Battle added five rebounds of his own against the Irish.

He emphasized that it’s important for him as a guard to come back and grab the long rebounds that come off 3-pointers.

And against Duke, Battle made a few big plays on the glass. Midway through the second half, Blue Devils forward Jack White took a 3 from the right wing and Williamson slid inside Oshae Brissett behind Syracuse’s defense. The Duke phenom had perfect position for the rebound. But Battle drifted back into the play, leapt over Williamson and see rebound page 10

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Opponent preview: Everything to know about Pittsburgh sion I, per KenPom.com.

By Billy Heyen

senior staff writer

How Syracuse beats Pittsburgh:

Pittsburgh (12-5, 2-2 Atlantic Coast) and Syracuse (12-5, 3-1) were long-time Big East rivals that have renewed their battle in the ACC in recent years. Both come off major upsets on Monday night: SU at No. 1 Duke and Pitt against No. 11 Florida State. They’ll meet at 2 p.m. on Saturday in the Carrier Dome looking to start winning streaks.

Here’s what to know about the Panthers.

All-time series: Syracuse leads, 68-45

Last time they played: Last season, Syracuse played Pittsburgh twice and won both times. The second meeting came on the Panthers’ home court, and the Orange pulled out a 60-55 victory. That win featured Bourama Sidibe’s best game of his freshman season: an 18 point, 16 rebound performance that led SU in both categories.

Tyus Battle joined the center in doublefigure scoring with 14 points of his own.

Both Sidibe and Paschal Chukwu blocked three shots.

The Pittsburgh report: Like each of Syracuse’s last two opponents, Pittsburgh enters its meeting with the Orange ranking No. 29 in the country in defense, per KenPom.com. The Panthers limit both 3-point and 2-point shooting to rates well below the national average. After SU’s win against Duke, head coach Jim Boeheim said that he expects the Panthers to play a lot of zone, a defense the Orange struggled to handle in their loss to Georgia Tech.

The Panthers feature four players who score in double figures: Xavier Johnson, Trey McGowens, Jared Wilson-Frame and Au’Diese Toney. Those four leaders are also the four Pitt players to have made double-digit 3s this season. Johnson holds the keys to the Panthers’ offense, as in addition to his teamleading scoring total, he leads the way with 4.7

OSHAE BRISSETT is Syracuse’s third-leading scorer and leading rebounder. He averages 11 points and 8 rebounds per game. todd michalek staff photographer

assists per game On the defensive end, it’s McGowens averaging 2.7 steals per game as Pitt’s playmaker.

Six-foot-10 sophomore Terrell Brown averages 2.5 blocks per game as the Panthers’ top rim protector.

McGowens starred in Pittsburgh’s Monday

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win over Florida State, scoring 30 points and stealing the ball five times. He worked his way to the line consistently, eventually shooting 19 free throws in the win. Johnson shot 10 free throws of his own for the Panthers on Monday, and Pitt gets the fifth-highest percentage of its points from the foul line of any team in Divi-

Rely on rim protectors and avoid fouling.

Only three teams have been blocked on a higher percentage of their shots this season than the Panthers, who have been rejected 14.1 percent of the time they shoot field goals. For perspective: That’s higher than the individual block rate of Paschal Chukwu, who ranks ninth in the country. Coming off a 10-point, 18-rebound showing at Duke, Chukwu could be key in using his length to disrupt Panthers’ shooters that are susceptible to being denied near the basket.

As mentioned above, Pittsburgh relies on its foul shots more than almost any team in the country. More than a quarter of the Panthers points come from the charity stripe, and they shoot it at 72.5 percent from there, above the national average. Boeheim has said before that the Orange play a zone in part to limit fouls, and against a Pittsburgh team that likes drawing fouls, that will become all the more important.

Stat to know: 220 That’s the number of free throws Xavier Johnson and Trey McGowens have combined to shoot this season.

KenPom.com odds: Syracuse is given a 77 percent chance to win, by a projected 70-62 score Player to know: Xavier Johnson, guard, No. 1 Johnson is already a freshman and already the best player the Panthers have (along with the best Fortnite and NBA 2K player on the team, per his roster bio). He leads them in scoring and assists, along with being second in 3-point attempts and freethrow attempts. The 6-foot-3 Johnson will face a test when presented for the first time in his career with Syracuse’s 2-3 zone. How he responds could be crucial to the outcome on Saturday. wmheyen@syr.edu | @wheyen3

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Helping Hand Tyus Battle’s left hand scoring enhancement boosts his draft stock

By Matthew Gutierrez senior staff writer

T

yus Battle, Syracuse’s leading scorer over the past two seasons, knew exactly where he needed to improve entering his junior year.

Feedback from NBA scouts after the 2018 combine focused on two main focal points: his shot and his weak hand.

Since Syracuse lost to Duke in the 2018 Sweet 16, Battle’s improved left hand has flipped opposing team’s defensive approach. Now, they shade the natural right-hander to the right. Syracuse University assistant coach Allen Griffin even said he was “stronger” going to his offhand. On the wings, some defenders urge him to drive right, despite it being his dominant side.

Battle’s said he’s always felt comfortable going left, even as a 10-year old. He developed his signature stepback jumper going left, giving him a new scoring element away from his dominant side.

Yet, last season, Battle noticed a lot of his points were on dribbles to the right. When he’d get into the paint with his left, he previously tried to finish with his strong hand. But it wasn’t always there. For Battle, a junior guard for Syracuse (12-5, 3-1 Atlantic Coast), his weak-hand development represents the latest refinement in his evolving game. Polishing both his abilities to get to the rim via either hand, then finishing up close, could provide a slight boost to his draft stock, players and coaches said.

“Ever since I was young, people would force me left. Now I feel really comfortable with either hand,” said Battle, who’s averaging a team-high 18 points per game on 45.2 percent shooting. “Over the summer and now, I’ve been working on my left hand a lot, finishing at the rim. It seems to be paying off.”

Last summer, Battle worked with renowned trainer Drew Hanlen, who has dozens of NBA stars as clients. In addition to the progress on his shot, Battle practiced

TYUS BATTLE has worked to develop his left hand to improve his offensive versatility. He scored a season-high 32 points on Monday night in Syracuse’s upset of No. 1 Duke. molly bolan staff photographer

dribbling with his head up, and pounded basketballs to the ground from his weak side to make him virtually ambidextrous.

Battle, who averages 1.5 turnovers per game despite playing 36.3 minutes per game, has always been strong with the ball in his hands. But his off-hand ability was the missing piece.

“He’s a big lefty driver, very good at going that way,” Griffin said. “He just looks comfortable that way. Actually, I think most teams try to force him right.”

After bolstering his left-handed dribble strength, Battle went further. As a teenager, he’d begun to develop the ability to stop in place when driving — even when going left.

Change of speed and direction, regardless of hand, makes him more unpredictable as a driver and ball-handler.

Then, Battle added another dimension to his weak-side development through constant practice: finishing. A lot of college players favor one hand, several players and coaches said. Among the small pot that use both, even fewer players feel comfortable going all of the way to the rim and finishing

with their weak hand. But players said that’s where Battle excels.

Consider his and-1 in SU’s win over thenNo. 16 Ohio State on Nov. 28, which Battle said epitomizes his left hand development.

With one minute remaining, he drove left into the lane and floated a left-handed scoop shot in traffic. Battle weathered contact and rolled the ball off his fingertips to extend the Orange’s lead late.

While SU begins to hit the thick of conference play, Battle and Syracuse’s success hinges in part on his ability to tweak, fine-tune and add layers to his game. As the Orange’s most important player over the past two seasons, he knows unpredictably and aggression are two of his greatest assets. Going left helps him do both.

“Last year, I remember he preferred one hand,” said freshman guard Buddy Boeheim.

“Now he’s doing both and that makes him a lot harder to guard. He’s growing, finetuning areas of his game, which is scary to think about. When he attacks the basket off the dribble, we seem to have a good rhythm.” mguti100@syr.edu | @Matthewgut21

He’s a big lefty driver, very good at going that way.

He just looks comfortable that way. Actually, I think most teams try to force him right.

Allen Griffin

su assistant coach

THE CAMERON CRAZIES SYRACUSE 95, DUKE 91

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Q&A with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Craig Meyer

By The Daily Orange Sports Staff the daily orange

Ahead of Syracuse’s (12-5, 3-1 Atlantic Coast) matchup with Pittsburgh (12-5, 2-2) on Saturday at the Carrier Dome, we connected with Craig Meyer. A Pitt beat writer for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Meyer addressed former Duke coach Jeff Capel III, the possibility of a Syracuse win and how Pittsburgh has gotten off to a surprising start so far.

The Daily Orange: What is the sense of first-year head coach Jeff Capel’s job so far?

How has the team differed from a season ago?

Craig Meyer: I think it’s undeniably optimistic in a way it hasn’t been since maybe 2011, when Pitt was a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament before losing in the second round to Butler. Even in the years that followed, when they would win 20-25 games but lose early in the tournament, there was some bewilderment over why they weren’t quite as good as they once were. Capel’s hire was incredibly wellreceived, which was far from a guarantee.

As thrilled as fans were that Kevin Stallings was fired, some of the candidates that were proposed or whose interviews were leaked during the coaching search were met with skepticism or outright anger. With Capel, there was jubilation. Though he was something of an unexpected choice, he filled two requirements Pitt desperately needed -- a top recruiter who could immediately improve a diminished talent pool within the program and someone with an intimate knowledge of the ACC. His first 10 months have gone better than basically anyone, myself included, thought they could have. In a brief period of time, he signed the program’s best recruiting class in five years, a trio of freshmen who have already emerged as the Panthers’ three best players. What was expected to be a transitional season in which Pitt would win a few more games than last season has turned into something else entirely, with the team already at 12-5 and 2-2 in ACC play. The squad itself is a lot different from the one last year, as five of Pitt’s top seven players this season either weren’t on the roster or weren’t eligible to play in 2017-18, with Jared Wilson-Frame and Terrell Brown being the lone holdovers. The atmosphere around the program is completely different, with thousands more fans showing up to games and there being a palpable sense of excitement that was so obviously absent during Stallings’ tenure. It’s a long way from what it was in the first decade of the new millennium, but it certainly seems to be on the way back in that direction.

The D.O.: Pittsburgh has played really well over the past three games. What’s fueled the Panthers?

C.M.: More than anything else, it’s their guard play. Trey McGowens came into Pitt as its highest-rated recruit in six years and has started to showcase that promise in a big way of late, scoring at least 30 points in two of the past three games (something no freshman had done in the history of Pitt men’s basketball prior to that point). Fellow freshman Xavier Johnson has been superb, as well, and more consistent, as he has scored in double figures in each of his first 17 college games. The two are quick, athletic players who have been able to get past almost any group of defenders they have faced this season, either finishing at the rim or drawing contact to send them to the foul line. Brown has been excellent during this stretch, as well. His play can be a little slow and robotic at times, particularly on offense, but he has been using his 7-foot-3 wingspan really effectively during conference play, with 26 blocks in Pitt’s past five games.

The D.O.: Which player has surprised you most?

C.M.: I’d have to say Johnson. He was the lowest-rated of Pitt’s three freshmen recruits -- McGowens and Au’Diese Toney were both top-150 prospects -- and because of that, he seemed to fly under the radar a bit. His shooting seemed to be the biggest concern of his game coming out of high school, and what prevented him from being a more highly touted player, but he’s shooting about 46 percent from the field and 39 percent from 3-point range more than halfway through the regular sea-

son, to say nothing of his 84.1 percent mark on free throws. People around the program I spoke with during the offseason raved about him, believing they were fortunate to land the player of the year from the prestigious Washington Catholic Athletic Conference at such a relatively late juncture in the recruiting calendar. It’s easy to see why now. He won’t win ACC freshman of the year — I hear that Zion kid at Duke is alright — but he looks like one of the best freshmen in one of the best conferences in the country.

The D.O.: How do you think Pitt matches up against the zone, specifically Syracuse’s 2-3?

C.M.: Not all that well. Capel is always quick to mention how his team has played well against the zone at certain points this season, but it seems like Pitt’s worst woes always seem to come against that kind of a look, and those aren’t even teams with the kind of length and athleticism (not to mention longstanding familiarity with the scheme) Syracuse has. It negates Pitt’s biggest offensive asset quite a bit, its dribbledrive game, and I think that should help keep the team’s guards off the free-throw line a bit, where they’ve feasted for so much of conference play. I’m also not sure Pitt has a bigger player it can comfortably and reliably have emerge at the top of the lane to pick apart the zone from within. If there’s one player to do that, I would think it would be Toney, a 6-foot-6 guard/forward who has performed admirably while being forced to play slightly out of position (he’s ideally a wing, but has been more of a de-facto power forward given his size and rebounding ability, as well as the Panthers’ overall lack of size). Then again, I also thought Florida State, with its size and athleticism, would be a really bad matchup for a smaller Pitt team and the Panthers ended up winning that game by 13, against a top-15 team, no less.

The D.O.: Syracuse has really struggled to score this season. How would you characterize Pitt’s defense this far?

C.M.: Perhaps more than anything aspect of Pitt’s improvement, I’ve been shocked by the team’s rapid defensive progress under Capel. Pitt’s the No. 29 team nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency, per KenPom. com, up from No. 166 at the end of last season, albeit with different personnel. It’s an aggressive, primarily man-to-man system that really prioritizes forcing turnovers and getting out in transition, where a sometimes-lethargic offense can get easier scoring opportunities. McGowens and Johnson are averaging a combined 3.5 steals per game, with the former accounting for 2.4 of those. That strategy can sometimes backfire, though, as Johnson has had a bad habit of late of getting two or more fouls in the first half, sometimes within the first five or 10 minutes. If the zone is frustrating them offensively, those kinds of mistakes may be more liable to happen on the other end. Since ACC play began, the rim protector Pitt so desperately lacked earlier has started to emerge in the form of Brown, who is among the top-10 Division I players in block percentage.

The D.O.: Who do you think wins Saturday and why?

C.M.: I’ve just about given up on predicting anything with this team. I came into the year thinking it would get four ACC wins at most, with two or three seeming much more likely.

There’s only so far you can go after a winless ACC campaign, even with an influx of young talent. Now, an NIT berth that was floated out as a best-case scenario in October looks more likely than not. Syracuse is a weird team, too, following up a home loss against Georgia Tech with a win at Duke a couple of days later. I’ll go with the Orange by a few points on Saturday.

I don’t think Pitt has faced a zone quite like the one Jim Boeheim will offer up and I can easily envision them struggling against it for long stretches. I offer that up with more than a few grains of salt.

The D.O.: Any other thoughts?

C.M.: I’ll be intrigued to see what, if anything, Capel can gather from Duke’s staff about what to do against Syracuse or what he can glean from watching film of the Orange against a team full of players he either coached or recruited. sports@dailyorange.com

BOURAMA SIDIBE finishes a slam dunk against Pitt in last year’s matchup. He tallied 18 points and 16 rebounds in 2018. todd michalek staff photographer

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Beat writers unanimously predict a Syracuse victory

By The Daily Orange Sports Staff the daily orange

Syracuse (12-5, 3-1 Atlantic Coast) is coming off an overtime upset at No. 1 Duke. Pittsburgh (125, 2-2) just upset No. 11 Florida State by doubledigit points. When the Orange and Panthers meet on Saturday afternoon in the Carrier Dome, both teams will be riding a high off major wins. Pitt has been a surprise in its first year under former Duke assistant Jeff Capel III, and the Orange will look to start a winning streak.

Here’s what our beat writers think will happen on Saturday after the 2 p.m. tip-off.

Billy Heyen (13-4)

Charlie DiSturco (12-5)

Pitt stop Syracuse 67, Pittsburgh 65 This game is eerily similar to Syracuse’s matchup against Georgia Tech a week ago.

Two really solid defensive teams that defend the 3 well. Both teams are coming off huge upset wins and will carry that momentum into Saturday night. The Orange will continue to shoot 3s, which will keep this game extremely close down the stretch. Pittsburgh has been playing extremely well of late, but have yet to win an away game. That’ll remain true on Saturday when the Panthers return to the road inside the Carrier Dome.

Beware the Pitt Syracuse 75, Pittsburgh 69 For a program that looked in disarray such a short time ago, Pittsburgh has made itself into a team Syracuse can’t look past. A win over No. 11 Florida State at the same time SU was upsetting No. 1 Duke set this up as a matchup of two teams feeling really good about themselves. The Panthers play some zone, which the Orange haven’t always solved this season, but with Tyus Battle and Elijah Hughes making shots of late, that should be enough.

Matthew Gutierrez (11-6)

from page 3

one to seal SU’s win over Clemson. When Marcquise Reed drove right by him with about a minute to go, Howard could’ve stood and watched from the outside. In the past, SU’s guards were often prone to watching instead of following. But Howard sped behind Reed, allowing Howard to grab the ball after Marek Dolezaj swatted the Clemson guard.

The Tigers went on to flagrant foul Howard, meaning he’d shoot free throws and SU would retain possession, all but ending Clemson’s hopes of a road win in the Carrier Dome.

“I think we all struggled scoring a little bit toward the end of the game,” Battle said after

rebound snagged the ball.

And with less than four minutes to go, a 3-point miss from White bounced out toward Duke guards on the perimeter for a long rebound. But Battle had tracked back into the lane and extended a firm right hand to catch the ball off the rim. That rebound led to an SU lead, as a Battle miss at the other end was followed up for two by Paschal Chukwu.

In addition to Howard’s season-high six rebounds against Duke, he recovered late for

Orange panther Syracuse 68, Pittsburgh 66 Kudos to former Duke coach and now firstyear Pitt head coach Jeff Capel III for what’s playing out as a solid turnaround. Optimism is all over the Panthers program, especially after Monday’s upset over FSU. Their guard play has been phenomenal. The thing is, Syracuse’s strength also is guard play. Give the edge to SU, which should pick up its fourth conference victory. sports@dailyorange.com

BOURAMA SIDIBE had a career night at Pittsburgh last season. This year, he’s averaged 2.5 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. todd michalek staff photographer

Clemson, “but we all kinda contributed in any way possible.”

In overtime against Duke, Hughes grabbed two rebounds in the final three minutes. The first came on a 3-ball that bounced right to him. But on the second, he was aligned on the same side of the floor as Williamson.

As the shot went up from the far side, Hughes peeked over his shoulder and seemed to spot Williamson on the left wing.

SU’s redshirt sophomore slid toward the left block to create a better rebounding angle, and as the ball deflected his way, Hughes leapt. Williamson charged, disrupting the

board, but Hughes was able to knock it toward Brissett, who deflected it back to Hughes to corral the rebound.

Syracuse retained its three-point lead because of Hughes’ willingness to jump with Williamson. It prevented a potential momentum-shifting rebound and dunk by the freshman star. And unlike earlier in the season, Hughes didn’t watch.

“It’s really an emphasis every game,” Brissett said on Jan. 5. “But I feel like we’ve made a step in the right direction, having other guys really contribute and help.” wmheyen@syr.edu | @wheyen3

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Check us out at: HousingSU.com • info@housingsu.com 315-565-7555

Housing Available ❑ Ackerman/Sumner/Lancaster Aves. ❑ 2, 3, 5, 6 Bedrooms 3, 6 Bedrooms ❑ Furnished ❑ Free Washer & Dryer ❑ Off street Parking ❑ Leases Begin June/August 2019 ❑ 12 & some 10 month leases ❑ www.willco-su-rents.com Call Rich @ 315-374-9508

EUCLID AVE

Available June

3, 4, 5, 6 bedrooms and rooms for rent Local landlord Off-street parking Fully-furnished Laundry facilities Short walk to campus Rent starts at $445 per bedroom Leases negotiable

Great 5,6,7 Bedroom House Fireplace, ADT Alarm Lots of parking Great porch Pets OK

Call or text anytime: 315-263-5757

315-447-9390

HEALTHY PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR CLINICAL TRIALS

BOOM BABIES

Call (315) 464-9869 or email trials@upstate.edu Compensation provided UPSTATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY

UVColvin.com

UNIVERSITY HOMES 2,4,5,6,7 BEDROOM Single family homes Safe, clean, great locations FURNISHED PAUL WILLIAMS 315 481 9517 30 years of quality service

Collegehome

your home away from home

2020-2021 2 thru 8 Bedrooms FURNISHED No charge for laundry & parking

John O. Williams Quality Campus Area Apartments Call John or Judy

315 - 478 - 7548 collegehome.com

Syracuse’s Premier Boutique Cool Clothing, Unique Jewelry, Gorgeous Gowns PT/ FT Retail Sales Near Campus; Off Euclid Walk-in & fill out app only M-F 11-7pm

Nice homes

2019-2020

Must-see Well-maintained 4-5 bedroom Furnished Free laundry Off st parking for five Call or text Peter at 315-439-3055

Collegehome

your home away from home

515 Euclid No charge for laundry & parking

2019-2020 4-6 Bedrooms Call John or Judy

315 - 478 - 7548 collegehome.com

AUDI/VW (used) 7 Days Sales - 38 Years *Good/Bad Credit!!

Service 315-789-2200 SelectEuroCars.com