In a 80-68 win over Georgetown, there was obviously a lot to like from Syracuse. Let’s take a look at who graded out the highest in the latest edition of the Fizz Report Card.
Judah Mintz: A-
Mintz did the most important thing to help Syracuse win: get to the foul line. The guard went 13/15 from the charity stripe, making up over half of his 25 points.
Although scoring from the free throw line is critical, leading the team in scoring itself is an expectation for Mintz, so he doesn’t get too much credit. The sophomore had a few bad turnovers in the first half, which holds back his grade a bit.
JJ Starling: A+
This is the type of game that Orange fans were hungry for from Starling. 21 points, a trio of three-pointers, and some really strong defense. He even shot well, going 57% from the field and 100% on triples. While this might not be consistent, it’s a flash of what Starling can be at his best.
Quadir Copeland: A+
How about that, Copeland doubters? 14 points on 6/7 shooting, four rebounds, and potentially the dunk of the year for SU. He was much more than a vibes guy in this one.
Maliq Brown: A
This is what Brown does. Scores on a few open looks inside, plays bigger than he is on defense, and creates opportunities for his teammates. Brown only had two steals and a block, but if caused turnovers were a stat, he might have ten of them.
Justin Taylor: C
When Taylor doesn’t shoot well, he usually doesn’t provide much. He was 1/7 against Georgetown, but at least he didn’t disappear for Syracuse otherwise. The wing snagged six rebounds, which led the Orange and kept Taylor relevant.
Naheem Mcleod: Incomplete
There’s nothing to grade here. The center played four minutes, all in the first half. His only stat was one rebound. In the second half, even Mounir Hima was playing over him. That’s a bad, bad sign for McLeod.
