Syracuse men’s basketball (8-9, 2-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) looks to split the season series with Notre Dame (8-9, 2-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) after dropping the first game by five points in early December.
However, the on-court dynamics won’t be the same this time around. Both teams’ leading scorers, SU guard JJ Starling and ND guard Markus Burton were out due to injury.
Since his return, Starling is averaging three assists, three rebounds, and 16 points. That’s despite coming off a season-low four-point performance on one-for-seven shooting against Louisville on Tuesday. The junior has not tallied four or fewer points in over a year. SU head coach Adrian Autry knows even with a subpar performance, Starling is still the leader.
After winning back-to-back games in conference play, @Cuse_MBB fell to @LouisvilleMBB 85-61.@TylerJAitken and @JLeonard1013 had the call from the JMA Wireless Dome. pic.twitter.com/gaGlSXwpOA
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“JJ now is the guy. I think, you know, that’s something that, you know, you can’t take lightly. You know, it’s—you know—you’ve got to shoulder it, you know, good or bad. You know, you’ve got to be there, and you—we’ve got to depend on you,” SU head coach Adrian Autry said.
Lucky for JJ, he knows a thing or two about Notre Dame, spending his freshman year with the Fighting Irish, averaging double-digit points that season. It will be the second time Starling squares off with the Irish. Last season, the Baldwinsville native scored 14 points on the way to a three-point ‘Cuse victory.
However, after coughing up the ball a career-high six times against Louisville, the storyline may not be Starling’s scoring but his ability to limit turnovers. For Starling, there is no reason to dwell on past play.
“I am going to use this feeling that I have right now and use it to motivate me throughout the rest of the season,” Starling said.
Fortunately for the Orange, the Irish are second to last in the ACC in forced turnovers, with just 10 a game.
On the other side of the court, ND guard Markus Burton is ready to take on Syracuse for the first time this season. The sophomore has played in only 10 games, averaging 19 points, four rebounds, and three assists. In his four games since his injury, Notre Dame has won just once. Still, the fight was there for the Irish. Against both North Carolina and North Carolina State, ND lost by one point and put together a respectable eight-point loss against fourth-ranked Duke. It’s not all about results but effort for head coach Micah Shrewsberry.
“I’m just proud of our guys for keeping the faith. We haven’t gotten the result that we wanted, but they’ve never wavered from what’s been needed to give ourselves a chance to win,” Shrewsberry said.
Burton and the rest of Notre Dame should certainly have faith in the Dome, especially when it comes to the offensive side of the ball. The Orange defense is dead last in the ACC, giving up 78 points per game.
Midway through the season, @Cuse_MBB sits below .500 with a tough ACC slate ahead.@JonahWeintraub and @RyanBridges project what the realistic expectations are for SU in the coming weeks.
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In what is sure to be a high-scoring affair between the two sides, it should prove interesting to see how much both Burton and Starling influence the game for their respective sides and, more importantly, how they can disrupt each other. It’s not often two players can so easily sway the outcome of a game, but don’t be surprised if the battle between the two guards is emblematic of the scoreboard when all is said and done.
Game time from the JMA Wireless Dome is at 4 p.m. on Saturday. WAER’s coverage on 88.3 FM and waer.org begins at 3:30 with McClurg Remodeling Countdown to Tipoff.