Syracuse men’s basketball aims for fifth straight win when Cornell visits Saturday

After losing three straight games, Syracuse men’s basketball has strung together a streak of four consecutive wins. SU has the chance to make it five in a row when in-state foe Cornell comes into town on Saturday.

Syracuse is coming off of an 86-71 win over Monmouth on Monday night. While the scoreline may not seem out of the ordinary, SU’s performance marked another inconsistent display for the Orange. Despite a 1-9 record entering the game, Monmouth trailed Syracuse 42-40 at halftime. The Hawks shot 48% on the night while the Orange defense let Monmouth guard Jack Collins tally 5 triples en route to a 20 point game.

“We didn’t want to play tonight, our forwards have not wanted to play this year and if they don’t want to play, we won’t be very successful,” Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim said postgame.

The forward position has been a spot of concern for the Orange throughout the season. Boeheim has been frustrated with a lack of rebounding from both forward spots, specifically regarding the play of freshman Chris Bell. Bell, who started on Monday, didn’t record a single board in 12 minutes of game time.

Heading into Saturday’s matchup with Cornell, rebounding could play a huge part in deciding who wins the game, as both the Orange and Big Red average 37 boards per game. One key difference between the two teams, however, is where the rebounds come from. Cornell bolsters 5 players who average more than 3 rebounds a game, while Syracuse features only 3 such players. The majority of SU’s production on the glass comes from 6 '11 center Jesse Edwards, whose 124 rebounds this season is good enough for 3rd in the country. The Dutchman averages 11 boards per game while the next closest Orange player sits at 4.6 per contest.

Although forward play has been inconsistent throughout the season, the Syracuse guards have stepped up during SU’s winning streak. Backcourt mates Judah Mintz and Joe Girard III have helped lead the way for Syracuse. Both players have recorded 20+ point outings over the last four games, including a career-best 24-point performance for Mintz against Monmouth.

“I know what I can do. My main goal is winning, so if I can get 24 points to do that, then that’s great,” Mintz said in regards to his offensive production against the Hawks.

In addition to Girard and Mintz’s scoring, the duo has been able to limit turnovers after struggles earlier on. As the two primary ball handlers for the Orange, neither Girard nor Mintz has turned the rock over more than twice through the last four matchups. Mintz has made a name for himself in the two-man game with center Jesse Edwards. The freshmen guard has recorded 20 dimes in the last three contests, including a 10-assist game against Georgetown.Managing turnovers will be key for the Orange when Cornell enters the Dome this weekend. The Big Red thrive off of forcing takeaways and getting out into the open court. Cornell averages just over 21 fast-break points per game, which is good enough for second-best in the nation. Cornell’s frenetic speed has helped senior guard Greg Dolan to shine this year. The sharpshooter out of Williamsville, N.Y., leads the Big Red with just under 14 points per game and shoots a mesmerizing 58% from beyond the arc.

Cornell head coach Brian Earl has built his team around playing with pace, something that has paid off over the last two years. Last season the Big Red finished 3rd in the country in pace of play; this year Cornell currently sits at fifth. Earl’s squad stands at 7-2 on the season; both of its losses were by 2 points to ACC opponents Miami and Boston College.

Gametime between Syracuse and Cornell is scheduled for 3 p.m. WAER’s coverage begins at 2:30 with McClurg Team Countdown to Tipoff.