In The Paint: Miami

IN THE

PAINT

SYRACUSE VS. MIAMI JAN. 24, 2019

STRONG STEALS

Frank Howard was one of the nation’s leading stealers last season. The senior breaks down how he learned to defend well.

Page 3

SHORT GAINS

Chris Lykes became Miami’s leading scorer this season using his 5-foot-7 frame to his advantage as point guard.

Page 4

BATTLE POINT

As Syracuse looks for more shooters, Tyus Battle has spent time playing point guard to spread the Orange’s offense.

Page 5

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2 in the paint

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in the paint 3

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GAMBLE and GO

FRANK HOWARD has used his length at the top of Syracuse’s 2-3 zone to become one of the leading steal-getters in the Atlantic Coast Conference. He led the league last year with 1.9 steals per game, and despite missing time earlier this season with an injury, he’s 14th in the year with 1.6 steals per game. tony coffield staff photographer

Frank Howard breaks down his successful stealing technique

By Matthew Gutierrez

senior staff writer

B

efore practice on Thursday, Jan. 17, Frank Howard fixed his eyes on the MacBook screen in front of him. He was watching a replay of Syracuse-Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium. When SU led, 89-88, with just over two minutes left in overtime, Howard pounced on Alex O’Connell’s pass. He intercepted the ball and laid it in for two points, pushing SU’s lead to three.

Howard rewound the tape. As O’Connell dribbled on the wing, Howard stood at the top of the key, close to Duke star RJ Barrett.

Howard recognized SU needed him to rebound in the paint. So he found a midpoint, a few feet from the passing lane, close enough to corral a long rebound — but far enough that he’d bait O’Connell.

“I knew Barrett’s the guy they wanted to get the ball to there,” Howard recalled. “I was kind of cheating, looking to cut his lane the whole play. I also knew O’Connell likes to shoot off a pass, and he had the ball, so he’d probably try to pass there.

“I timed it, and I got one.”

Keen instinct. Deception. Length. The 6-foot-5 Howard uses a num-

ber of attributes at the top of the Syracuse (13-5, 4-1 Atlantic Coast) 2-3 zone to clutter passing lanes and sneak into crevices. He strips dribbles and intercepts passes like an NFL cornerback. His knack for stealing requires a combination of positioning, timing and patience.

The senior has established himself as not only Syracuse’s best defender, but one of the best in the country. Last season, he led the ACC in steals per game, and he’s currently 14th in the conference despite missing significant time due to injury.

Howard absorbs how ball handlers try to escape traps, navigate the perimeter and dribble-drive. Junior shooting guard Tyus Battle said Howard has an encyclopedic knowledge of the 2-3 zone and opponent tendencies that he’s developed in his four years at SU. He knows where teams try to set screens and where they try to open up passing lanes. Deception helps, too. Howard baits opponents by making ball handlers think he’s resting or sagging off them. Then he makes his move.

“I always try to be as big and as tall as possible,” said Howard, who’s see steal page 10

4 in the paint

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Miami’s Chris Lykes uses short frame to his advantage

By Andrew Crane staff writer

Chris Lykes dribbled outside the 3-point arc, pumped his head and faked a 3-pointer. It was Jan. 12, and Miami led Wake Forest 42-39 when Lykes crossed over and drove to the basket.

The 7-foot center Olivier Sarr awaited. Sarr had abandoned his man, Ebuka Izundu, on the right block to stop the 5-foot-7 Lykes’ penetration. Lykes lept, dumped it to Izundu, now wide open, for an easy layup.

At Miami and everywhere else he’s played, Lykes has always been one of the shortest players. His size disadvantage fueled Lykes and created his motto, “Heart over height.” Lykes moves quick, attacking with lateral speed on offense and defense. While others focused on Lykes’ height — he was tied for the shortest player in the NCAA tournament last season — he developed into a playmaker. As a sophomore, Lykes averages 18.1 points and 33.5 minutes per game, first on the Hurricanes (9-8, 1-4 Atlantic Coast) in both categories. Thursday night, he travels to the Carrier Dome to face Syracuse (13-5, 4-1), whose point guard Frank Howard measures 10 inches taller than Lykes.

“At my size, it’s not debatable,” Lykes said.

“I have to work a lot harder than all the guys on the floor.”

When Lykes was in ninth grade, he played under-15 AAU basketball for Team Takeover.

Lykes was a shooting guard, but eventually needed to switch to point guard. He still had the dynamic scoring touch, but now the “height monster” caught up to him, Steve Turner, Lykes’ head coach at Gonzaga College (Washington D.C.) High School, said.

Lykes and Team Takeover won the King James Shooting Stars Classic in Akron, Ohio, and it transitioned him to a true point guard who can not only score, but facilitate as well.

Lykes formed a backcourt with current Butler University point guard Aaron Thompson.

At Gonzaga College, he opened freshman year

CHRIS LYKES spent last season overshadowed by Lonnie Waler IV and Bruce Brown Jr. But now as the Hurricanes’ starting point guard, the 5-foot-7 sophomore is the team’s scoring leader. courtesy of university of miami athletics

coming off the bench, but injuries lifted him up the depth chart within weeks. After that, he was a constant in the Eagles starting lineup. In high school, he ran the offense as the primary scorer.

His second year at Miami, it’s been the same.

“He always came in with a chip on his shoulder,” Turner said. “He certainly used that (his height) as his motivation.”

When redshirt freshman guard Anthony Mack defended Lykes last summer, he routinely bit the head fakes and drives Lykes packaged together. Last May, Mack noticed Lykes ascend into a leadership role. Lonnie Walker, the former Hurricanes star and No. 18 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, was gone, and Lykes needed to fill in.

This season, Lykes’ playmaking has devel-

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oped chances for the scorers around him. As Lykes begins his drives, Mack dashes to the corner. He knows that once Lykes breaks past his initial defender, there’s a good chance someone else will slide to help. When Lykes then switches hands and shifts directions, it’s not uncommon for a third defender to scrape down. Then, Mack said, there are two Hurricanes open in opposite corners.

For Lykes, it’s all about staying in attack mode.

All the talk about his size has gotten old, he said.

He started focusing on what advantages can come from his size a long time ago. Low to the ground.

Lateral quickness. A deep shooting touch.

“It’s something you can never ever work on,” Team Takeover coach Doug Martin said.

“What he’s doing is 100 percent God-given.

Because you can’t get into the gym and work on changing directions and sudden bursts.”

While watching the Syracuse-Duke game last week, Mack saw Blue Devils’ forward Jack White shoot 0-10 from 3-point range. But he also saw Alex O’Connell’s success from behind the arc.

In a 62-55 loss to the Orange last season, Lykes went 2-for-10 on 3-point shots, and settled for outside looks instead of attacking the zone. For him to succeed on Thursday night, Lykes will have to resort to his instincts. Spread SU’s zone out, Lykes said, and the gaps will open. Lykes’ dribble drives that start with quick lateral movements, often end with defenders left behind him.

“He’s a pain in the ass for the other team,” Mack said. arcrane@syr.edu

in the paint 5

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TYUS BATTLE has filled in as the point guard at times this season to free up more playing time for Buddy Boeheim and Elijah Hughes, two of Syracuse’s leading 3-point shooters. But Battle’s score-first mentality has remained, now aided by shooters to kick out to. gabriel kotico staff photographer

Recasting

roles Tyus Battle’s play as point guard has opened up Syracuse’s offense

wasn’t successful early in the season with the absence of Howard, but it’s become a new go-to lineup in conference play. hen Frank Howard checked out “The one advantage from Frank being against Pittsburgh on out is Tyus learned how to play Jan. 19, freshman the point,” SU head coach Jim Jalen Carey didn’t jog to the Boeheim said. “And we did the scorer’s table like he used to same things we did at Duke. We The one earlier in the season. Instead, just let him have the ball right advantage from away. That way, they can’t keep Syracuse opted to slide Tyus Battle to play point guard.

Frank being out is him from getting that.”

The position shift doesn’t Battle’s first experience as change Battle’s game — he just Tyus learned how Syracuse’s point guard came takes the ball up the court. But to play the point. in the season opener. Howard it’s allowed Syracuse to add an suffered a lower leg injury in Jim Boeheim extra shooter to its sometimes preseason, missing the Orange’s su head coach stagnant offense while spacing first four games. Carey started the floor. Rather than using a true point guard, in his absence, but against a high-pressure Battle is often paired with Buddy Boeheim and Connecticut defense, it was often Battle that Elijah Hughes, the Orange’s two best outside ran point. shooters. It was a new offensive look from the SU struggled without Howard and Orange (13-5, 4-1 Atlantic Coast), one that dropped back-to-back games against UConn

By Charlie DiSturco senior staff writer

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Players embrace pick and roll in Syracuse’s offense

By Matthew Gutierrez senior staff writer

When former Syracuse center Roosevelt Bouie (1976-80) went to set high-ball screens, he bumped his opponents so hard that the other players’ jersey number would stick to his. Decades ago, players called setting a pick “headhunting.”

“I wanted to wear 50-22,” Bouie said last month, referring to his desire to stick his opponents jersey number to his No. 50 uniform when setting a screen. “Mastering the pick-and-roll is why I played 13 years in Europe. I learned at Syracuse that if you want the ball, all you have to do is go away from the ball and set a great screen. You’re not just setting a pick. You’re setting up an entire offensive move.”

For players, embracing a pick-and-roll heavy offense isn’t a suggestion. It’s a requirement to play productive minutes and help the Orange score. Syracuse calls a pick-and-roll nearly every possession. The pick-and-roll has always been a part of modern basketball, but its usage has soared in the past decade. Over that time, the offensive maneuver has become the cornerstone of the Syracuse offense. At SU, former standouts Gerry McNamara and Carmelo Anthony initiated the move in earnest as they led the Orange to the 2003 national title. And even though the defense knows it’s coming, this year’s Syracuse (13-5, 4-1 Atlantic Coast) team counts on the move more than anything else on offense.

SU’s best play is also its least complicated, dozens of former and current SU players and coaches said. One player, usually a guard, dribbles on the perimeter and calls another player, usually a big, to set a pick that blocks the path of the guard’s defender. While the move diminishes the traditional post game, players said they love it because it initiates offense — quickly.

“It’s a difficult play to defend,” SU head coach Jim Boeheim, in his 43rd season, said Monday. “A lot of teams end up trying to switch it, and it’s hard to do that. You get mismatches.”

In the Big East, Villanova was the first team to base many of its offensive sets on the high screen, Boeheim said. Now, Syracuse runs up to seven ball-screens on a single offensive possession.

When Syracuse freshmen arrive on campus, they learn within a few practices that SU’s offense runs through the pick-androll. Freshman guard Jalen Carey said part of SU’s pitch to him during the recruiting process centered on his role in SU’s ball-

screen offense. Former players said they were initially surprised that a high-major program relies heavily on a play they learned in elementary school.

“Is the defense going to hedge? Switch it?

You don’t know,” junior guard Tyus Battle said. “That’s what makes it so effective.”

“We’re tall and lengthy. It’s something we thrive off,” sophomore forward Oshae Brissett said.

McNamara, a former four-year starter at SU, noted that screen-oriented offenses enable players to attack the rim. Penetration in the paint is the goal. Guards who can work through an initial hedge and get into the middle of the floor thrive.

The beauty, he added, is that it sets up players on offense to be in rebounding position.

One defender can’t fully focus on the ball and the screener at the same time. Even if the first options are covered well, teams can set another high screen and reset. Sometimes, he said, a third or fourth consecutive pick could be the one that frees up a man.

“Any defense you play against, if you can get to that middle area and create drive angles to break the defense down, you’re going to open up your options,” McNamara said. “We’re never going to get away from the pick-and-roll.”

The Orange exclusively play a 2-3 zone defense, but a lot of teams still set high-ball screens to get shooters open. Syracuse’s zone slows down offenses. A pick-and-roll can provide a spark. For SU, players said the defensive priority is to eliminate dribble penetration. When guards find room in the middle of the floor, the zone breaks down. This puts a responsibility on the guards to cut off drives and fight through ball screens. Smaller players also have to try to avoid slamming into a human wall, which Bouie likened to “getting slapped in a dark room.”

Players agree the hardest part of the pick-and-roll is the pick. The ball handler has to wait for the screener to come over and set up. If he waits too long, the play is broken. If he goes too early, the screener can be called for a foul. Once the screen is sturdy, the player with the ball needs to run his man into the screen.

If all goes to plan, the possibilities begin to open up. Mismatches and gaps follow.

“As long as you hit the guy and your teammate rolls or pops hard,” Carey said, “I feel like it’s unstoppable.”

– Senior Staff Writer Billy Heyen contributed reporting to this story.

from page 5

point guard and Oregon. The offense shot a combined 22 percent from 3, and scoring was limited.

Carey, who still played alongside Battle, averaged 20 points in 37 minutes per game, but had eight turnovers and one total assist in both matchups.

Howard’s return still led to mixed results for Syracuse’s offense, but it began to take a step forward. Carey went back to being a reserve, and Battle slid to his normal spot on the wing.

Slowly, though, Carey’s minutes regressed as Howard reached full health.

In limited minutes, the No. 38 recruit still battled turnover problems while Buddy found his stroke.

Buddy’s recent hot-streak added another valuable threat to a Syracuse offense that has had trouble shooting 3-pointers all season. He struggled to start the season, shooting 8-for-36 from 3 through SU’s nonconference schedule (22.2 percent). But since conference play started, his shot — which assistant coach Gerry McNamara likened to that of NBA all-star Klay Thompson — has broken through.

Good shooting practices translated into a 4-for-5 performance from beyond the arc against Pittsburgh on Jan. 19. Buddy’s scoring has led to an uptick in playing time for the freshman, who is shooting at a 50-percent clip from 3 in ACC play.

It soon became a two-man battle for extra playing time — between Buddy and Carey.

Battle barely left the court — he’s sat just seven minutes through five conference games thus far. And with Howard, Oshae Brissett and Hughes playing large stretches, Buddy and Carey have fought for the remaining time.

Buddy has played 20 more minutes than Carey since conference play started, though Boeheim said his decision changes based on SU’s needs. Fifty-nine seconds into Syracuse’s matchup with Duke, Howard picked up two fouls. A minute later, he was subbed out for Carey who turned the ball over twice in 30 seconds. Boeheim was forced to sub

back in Howard. Later, when the senior was struggling with three fouls, Buddy replaced him, and Battle played point.

“I’m just trying to be aggressive, looking for my shot more,” Battle said of his recent success as a point guard. “… Just look for my shot, look for my open teammates and try and make plays.”

Battle picked up two quick assists when he was slotted at the point. He attacked RJ Barrett, whether it was a stepback jumper or inside the paint. He made seven-straight free throws, scoring 20 of Syracuse’s 48 first-half points. Buddy added a 3, too.

The next game, against Pittsburgh, Carey never saw the floor, beginning the trend of Battle running the point with shooters surrounding him. “(Battle) was trying to run the team earlier in the year,” Boeheim said. “Now he’s just trying to take advantage.”

Boeheim said the Orange needed a shooter against the Panthers, leading to Carey’s lack of playing time. Add Battle’s previous experience at the point earlier this season, and it was a smooth transition. Using the trio of Battle, Buddy and Hughes up top stretches the defense out thin and allows Battle to do what he does best: drive and score inside the arc.

Since balancing both roles, Battle has arguably strung together his best week of the season. The junior picked up his third ACC Player of the Week award, the most of any player this year. He scored 32 points in a monumental upset over then-No. 1 Duke and followed it up with 22-point showing against Pittsburgh — after missing his first five shots.

“Early in the season, when I was up top with the ball, I wasn’t looking for my shot as much,” Battle said. “I know I am a scorer, and I have to be aggressive.”

Battle said he doesn’t change his approach when running point. Instead of looking to pass first, his scoring mentality is still intact.

Drives inside the paint come often.

But now Battle has two spot-up shooters waiting for him on the wing if the defense converges in the paint. csdistur@syr.edu | @charliedisturco

mguti100@syr.edu | @Matthewgut21

Beat writers unanimously pick Syracuse over Miami

By The Daily Orange Sports Staff the daily orange

Two days before traveling to Virginia Tech, Syracuse (13-5, 4-1 Atlantic Coast) hosts Miami (9-8, 1-4) at the Carrier Dome. The Hurricanes are coming off a loss to North Carolina, while the Orange have won back-to-back games.

Here’s what our beat writers think will happen Thursday night.

Billy Heyen (14-4)

Sunny days ahead Syracuse 74, Miami 66 SU is coming off a week that might define its season, and don’t expect a slip-up against an undersized Miami team with just one conference win. 5-foot-7 Chris Lykes should cause issues for the Orange, as many star guards have this season. But Syracuse shouldn’t be outclassed by anyone else on Jim Boeheim Court on Thursday night. Expect Tyus Battle to continue his hot scoring against smaller defenders and the Orange to head to Blacksburg on Saturday on a three-game win streak.

Charlie DiSturco (13-5) Weathering the storm

Syracuse 72, Miami 67 Syracuse is beginning to find its groove and, before a three-game road trip, will face a struggling Miami team. As I’ve said before, winning home games — especially against unranked conference opponents — are a necessity down-thestretch. The Hurricanes are not a team to take lightly, as their offense ranks No. 62 in adjusted efficiency, per Kenpom.com. Expect this game to go down to the wire with Battle continuing his dominant scoring streak, as the Orange remain atop the ACC heading into Blacksburg.

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Matthew Gutierrez (12-6)

Category 1 hurricane Syracuse 70, Miami 64 I figure we’ve got another close ACC game Thursday night at the Dome. Make no mistake, every conference team is capable of beating Syracuse, even at home. But Miami 2019 isn’t quite the Miami that made the Sweet 16 three years ago and six years ago, respectively.

Syracuse should improve to 5-1 in conference play ahead of an important trip to Virginia Tech this weekend. Momentum from a win over Miami would give the Orange a boost come Blacksburg during Saturday primetime. sports@dailyorange.com

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Syracuse’s next opponent: What to know about Miami

By Billy Heyen

senior staff writer

Miami (9-8, 1-4 Atlantic Coast) travels north to take on Syracuse (13-5, 4-1) on Thursday night in the Carrier Dome. The Hurricanes are coming off a loss over the weekend to North Carolina, and their only conference win is against sub-.500 Wake Forest. SU comes off a week where it beat then-No. 1 Duke on the road and Pittsburgh at home.

Here’s what to know about the Hurricanes before Thursday’s tip at 8 p.m.

All-time series: Syracuse leads, 18-8

Last time they played: Last Feb. 17, Syracuse beat Miami, 62-55. On the road, SU went into the half tied, but pulled away in the second half. All three of the Orange’s leading scorers — Tyus Battle, Frank Howard and Oshae Brissett — played the game’s full 40 minutes. Howard led the way with 18 points and six assists. Brissett added 16 points of his own to go along with 12 rebounds, from page 3

steal averaging 1.6 steals per game. “I might leave a space open, so they think the space is open, then I’ll close it off and take the ball away.”

He also has a long wingspan, big hands and tall, skinny fingers. But his ball-hawking has paid a price. When he examined his hand recently, he pointed to a once-broken finger, a jammed thumb and a few cuts. All from poking the ball and sticking his hands in passing lanes.

“My hands are done,” Howard joked.

There aren’t drills to improve steals, but Howard’s equipped himself with tools that make him a better defender. Assistant coach Gerry McNamara, who averaged 1.9 steals per game for SU between 2002-06, echoes a message during practice: “Know your distance.”

Players focus in the Orange’s 2-3 zone

and Battle contributed 13 points. Marek Dolezaj joined them in double figures with 11 points, his highest scoring output last February.

The Hurricanes struggled to make shots, finishing 20-of-59 from the field and 7-of 31 from 3-point range. Chris Lykes, the Miami point guard who returns this season, led the Hurricanes with 14 points and four assists.

Eventual NBA first-round pick Lonnie Walker added 12 points of his own.

The Miami report: The Hurricanes are led by the 5-foot-7 Lykes. He leads Miami in scoring and assists, and he’ll spur any fastbreak attempts that the ‘Canes pursue. Lykes isn’t the only Miami weapon, though, as he’s joined by four teammates in double-digit scoring: Zach Johnson, Anthony Lawrence, Ebuka Izundu and Dejan Vasiljevic.

Izundu is the size: He’s 6-foot-10, 232 pounds and plays the majority of the center minutes for Miami. He couples double-digit scoring with 9.4 rebounds per game and more than a block per contest. Izundu’s joined in the

frontcourt by the 6-foot-7 Lawrence.

The Hurricanes lack height besides those two, though, as Lykes is flanked by 6-foot-2 Johnson and 6-foot-3 Vasiljevic. Vasiljevic poses a major threat beyond the arc, making almost three 3s per game at a 44 percent clip. The smaller players also use their quickness to create turnovers, and three of the five Hurricanes’ starters rank nationally in steal percentage, per Kenpom.com: Lykes, Johnson and Lawrence.

How Syracuse beats Miami: Take advantage of size mismatches. Howard will hold 10 inches over Lykes; Battle is four inches taller than Johnson; Hughes has three inches on Vasiljevic. The Orange have grown reliant on the 3-point shot at times during ACC play, but that’s not the way to beat the Hurricanes. Getting to the rim and finishing there will be crucial for SU. On the defensive end, Syracuse needs its zone’s length to take the same advantage.

Miami shoots above average from 3-point distance, but SU’s tall guards should be able to close out and make long shots tough. If the

Hurricanes are forced to penetrate, SU’s effective shot blockers should hold an even larger edge against such smaller opponents.

Stat to know: 51.8 percent — That’s the percentage Miami’s opponents have shot from 2-point range against the undersized Hurricanes, well above the national average, per Kenpom.com.

KenPom odds: Syracuse has a 76 percent chance to win, by a projected score of 72-64.

Player to know: Chris Lykes, guard, No. 0 Syracuse has struggled all season to contain opponents’ best guards: Think Cornell’s Matt Morgan and Buffalo’s CJ Massinburg.

Lykes’ height at 5-foot-7, while notable, hasn’t stopped him from lighting up other teams in his career. His height is insignificant on the offensive end, because he’s learned how to play with his frame. The sophomore has scored in single digits just once this season. He’ll get his, but the Orange will have to prevent him from going for 25 to maintain a strong shot to win.

where they are in relation to the ball, the opponents near them and their teammates.

Being in the right spot puts Howard in prime position to take gambles, which lead to deflections and steals.

Growing up, Howard said he was taught to watch the man’s hips, not the ball. Now he watches the ball, which he said is a more effective approach. Before his junior season, he wasn’t as good of a defender because he wasn’t fully aware of his distance — to the ball and his man.

“I used to overplay by a step,” Howard said.

“Sometimes just a centimeter. Now I just know my distance and even their personality.

If someone misses a shot or two, they may be looking to pass. Or if they’re in a shooting slump, they’re going to try to move the ball faster. Or maybe the guard is young, I may try to test him a bit.”

Howard admitted he’s not one of the fastest

or quickest guards on the floor, nor the most athletic. He said he can’t reach for the ball as much as smaller guards because his arms are longer.

“It’ll look like a foul if I reach for the ball,” he said.

But his reflexes and timing compensate.

He estimated about half of his steals aren’t fully his own doing. Many times, he gets one because Battle positioned himself correctly. When Battle’s in the right spot, opponents may be forced to attempt a pass they otherwise wouldn’t. That’s when Howard goes for the ball. “(Howard)’s probably one of the biggest guards in the country,” said assistant coach Allen Griffin, a former SU guard who averaged 1.9 steals per game as a senior. “But it’s not just length. Frank knows when a screen’s coming.

He can feel, anticipate, read it.”

Sitting in the Carmelo K. Anthony Center last week, Howard glued his eyes to high-

lights from Syracuse-Georgetown last season. Down two, the Orange needed a stop. At the top of the key, Hoyas center Jessie Govan was guarded by Paschal Chukwu while Howard covered his area near the wing.

Howard racks up lot of steals from forwards and centers by looking at their eyes. A guard can deceive you, he said, but bigs generally signal what they’re going to do.

As Govan put his head down, Howard took a chance. Govan’s eyes lowered to the floor. He put the ball on the ground and tried to drive right, around Chukwu. Howard cut off his angle, poked the ball loose and finished at the other end to tie game.

“When we run a good zone, you know you have a security blanket behind you.”

Howard said. “You’re willing to stick your nose in there.”

wmheyen@syr.edu | @wheyen3

mguti100@syr.edu | @Matthewgut21

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