You could point the finger so many different ways as to where this season has gone wrong. You could say there’s not enough talent like Tyler Aitken, or say it’s an attitude problem like Nico Horning. For me though, this boils down to one concrete issue. Syracuse men’s basketball last night against Pittsburgh and all season long has had zero semblance of an identity.
We’ll start on the offensive side of the ball. If someone were to ask you “What brand of basketball does Syracuse play,” you wouldn’t even know where to start to answer that question. Every time SU has taken the floor this season, especially with the ball in its hands, you have no idea what the game plan is. Some nights it’s feed JJ Starling, who while he puts up a good amount of points per game is shooting the ball at a horrible rate game in game out. When that doesn’t work or when he’s been injured, maybe it’s shoot the three ball, but with Chris Bell’s confidence being worse than mine in middle school and Elijah Moore’s struggles, the team hasn’t been able to rely on that. Syracuse touches the basketball and everyone looks confused out there, it’s unacceptable for a program in one of the best conferences in the country.
On the other side, things aren’t much better. It’s been a balancing act for Adrian Autry between man defense and the 2-3 zone, and every single time it’s the wrong choice for the situation. The guards this season have done a terrible job of getting around screens and contesting open shooters, which is why it’s one of the worst defenses in the ACC by a good margin. I know you have to try new things, but it seems like every choice goes wrong for Autry. Last night’s performance was pathetic on the defensive end, letting a meddling Panthers team outscore you by nearly 20 in the second half.
This brings me to my last point, this team is NOT TOUGH. Say what you want about a couple of altercations on the court here and there, but there is zero fight in this team. Eddie Lampkin is the biggest guy on the court most nights, yet plays like he’s undersized. Starling fights to the basket any chance he can get, but how often is he showing that large amount of emotion out there? You could point the finger and anyone and everyone here, but I would really love to think my team is trying out there and giving it their all when it’s clearly not the case.
At the end of the day, it’s a multitude of things that have led to a sub-.500 season and essentially disaster. But at least do us all a favor, give us a reason to watch down the stretch, and establish an identity for what Syracuse basketball is supposed to be.
