After having the remaining tournament hopes Jim Boeheim’s squad had crushed by North Carolina, the Orange will try to find some motivation to finish the year on a high note with their two remaining regular season games, this one against Boston College.
A consistent for the Orange has been a struggle to defend the three-point line. They have given up the 30th most threes in the entire country. Fortunately for them, after getting lit up by future NBA-er Cole Anthony and the Tar Heels, Boston College doesn’t shoot threes very well, 224th in the country in threes made per game. They also do not defend very well from three, and this mismatch resulted in Syracuse cruising by the Eagles in their first meeting this season, 76-50.
This game is another opportunity to show defensive growth for the Orange, specifically with Joe Girard and Buddy Boeheim up top. While we know their contributions on the offensive end, they are both a negative defensively, and looking to focus on improving the zone can benefit them for next season. In fact, the entire team can benefit from a heightened focus, as this is one of the worst defending Syracuse teams Jim Boeheim has ever had, highlighted by a lack of size and a tendency to foul early and often.
Fortunately, Boston College doesn't look built to exploit to expose Syracuse’s weaknesses.
You can catch the game tonight (Tuesday) on ESPN2, with tip-off at 7 pm.