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m arch 2 4, 2011
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48-point Senior Day win over DePaul, the greatest margin of victory in Big East history. Heading into postseason play, confidence was high again. The Orange made the Big East tournament as a No. 4 seed, one spot from where SU was pegged preseason. The Orange made the NCAA Tournament as a three seed, about where SU was pegged throughout the season by bracketologists. But dig deeper and the season was anything but steady. The Jekyl and Hyde act from the team as a whole spoke to that. One game, Scoop Jardine was saving the Orange and sending a Big East tournament semifinal into overtime. The next, he was shooting the Orange out of that game as well as the NCAA Tournament’s third round. Kris Joseph could go for 21 points while willing SU to an overtime win over Rutgers. But the next game, he was not demanding the basketball in the final seconds against Marquette on a play designed for him. One game, Fab Melo would show up. The next, he wouldn’t. All the freshmen took turns playing well and then disappearing. When taking into account preseason expectations, only one player met those expectations: Rick Jackson. Syracuse seemed to surf the unsteady season fine. But in retrospect, there was little progression with regard to expecting steady contributions from anyone but Jackson. And it all melded into the perfect storm against Marquette. The final minute against the Golden Eagles said it all. There was a disconnect on an inbounds play designed for Joseph, as the ball was passed to Jardine. There seemed to be a disconnect with regard to roles and expectations for SU’s players all season. And even if the numbers on the surface look fine, how SU departed spoke to the rockiness of the season overall.
Superlatives
19
marks from page 24
Baye Moussa Keita:
C+
Based on preseason expectations, Moussa Keita probably surprised some people. He gave the Orange frontcourt depth in the absence of DaShonte Riley. With that said, he wasn’t ready to play major minutes, and Jackson was thrust into the middle of the zone at inopportune times.
Fab Melo:
D
While there were flashes of productivity at the end of the season, Melo’s freshman season will go down as a disappointment based on the early hype. It was clear from the first week of the season that he would be a work in progress, and he didn’t put it all together quickly enough to play a significant role.
Dion Waiters:
B-
The guard went through many ups and downs in his freshman season with the Orange. From not seeing any time in SU’s first loss at Marquette in January to becoming its go-to scorer in the second matchup last Sunday, he came a long way, though. Overall, he looks to have a promising future.
nate shron | staff photographer
nate shron | staff photographer
MVP
Most improved
This is an obvious choice. Both Scoop Jardine and Kris Joseph said after SU’s loss to Marquette that there was “no telling” how far the Orange would have gone without him. And with good reason — averaging a double-double speaks for itself.
Triche adjusted to his new role as the two-guard as the season wore on and became a huge factor in SU’s late-season surge. Starting with the Orange’s victory at Seton Hall on Jan. 8, Triche scored in double figures in 12 of 14 games to finish the season strong.
Rick Jackson
Brandon Triche
aolivero@syr.edu
ahead
C.J. Fair:
B
This freshman’s future also looks bright. If he bulks up in the offseason, he will be better able to handle playing down low in the physical Big East. And if he works on his midrange jumper, he could be a lethal weapon next season. The supreme athleticism is already there.
Jim Boeheim:
C
Boeheim lost three outstanding college basketball players after last season and did well immediately with the hand he was dealt. However, it became clear this group had more talent than an exit in the Round of 32. He has now reached the Elite Eight only once in the past 15 seasons. —Compiled by The Daily Orange Sports staff
from page 24
Jim Boeheim will likely be fortunate enough to have a problem most coaches envy. He’ll have enough depth that will allow him to sprinkle in a trio of freshmen. That includes Rakeem Christmas and Michael Carter-Williams, who were selected as McDonald’s All-Americans, and Trevor Cooney, rated the No. 17 shooting guard in the Class of 2011 by Scout.com. With the loaded roster Boeheim has coming back, that will be no small task. In addition, Boeheim will likely have 7-foot center DaShonte Riley back after he took a medical redshirt this season due to a foot injury. “We’ve got a lot of experience coming back,” said Kris Joseph, who said Sunday he plans to return for his senior season. “The freshmen who played are going to come back and help us. We’ve got a freshman class that’s unbelievable, and they’re going to be able to come in and contribute. So I’m looking forward to it.” But talent doesn’t necessarily translate to a deep NCAA Tournament run. SU had talented rosters each of the past three seasons, yet never advanced further than the Sweet 16. Perhaps that will add fuel to the fire. Triche said SU has had too much talent to be content with winning a mere game or two before bowing out. With an experienced core, a star-studded recruiting class and a Hall of Fame coach, the hype will begin not too far after this season ends. “It’s tough because we thought we could’ve done better this season,” Triche said. “Now all I want to do is fast forward to next season.” aljohn@syr.edu
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brown bears? nate shron | staff photographer
Biggest surprise C.J. Fair
With Kris Joseph out due to a concussion at Pittsburgh, Fair began his rise from freshman afterthought to key contributor. He had big games at home when SU beat Rutgers in overtime (17 points) and in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against Indiana State (14 points).
danielle parhizkaran | asst. photo editor
Biggest disappointment Kris Joseph
Joseph led the team in scoring, but from watching him on a game-bygame basis, it was clear he never amounted to what Jim Boeheim hoped he’d become this season. He was mostly solid throughout the year, but rarely spectacular as the go-to option. He struggled to fill the shoes of firstteam All-American Wes Johnson. —Compiled by The Daily Orange Sports staff
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