With 5 losses to energy convention groups and 5 wins over mid-majors, there’s been a irritating uniformity for Syracuse in its second season beneath Adrian Autry.
The Orange (5-5) will try and buck that development once they face Maryland (9-2) on Saturday afternoon within the Gotham Traditional in New York Metropolis.
The exasperating half for Syracuse is that many of the losses might have been wins. 4 of the 5 defeats have come by 5 or fewer factors. In every of these 4 losses, they led in some unspecified time in the future within the second half.
In a 75-71 setback at residence in opposition to Georgetown on Dec. 14, Syracuse was up 64-58 with seven minutes left. However Jaquan Carlos’ 3-pointer with 4:12 to go was the ultimate subject aim for the Orange because the Hoyas made a late 7-0 run.
“Each sport we have been in and we misplaced, we in all probability might have and may have received,” ahead Jyare Davis stated. “Now we have bought to complete.”
Ending has been troublesome in additional methods than one for the Orange with out their high scorer, JJ Starling (19.8 factors per sport), who suffered a damaged left (non-shooting) hand in observe early this month.
Autry stated that he’s “nonetheless ready on a timeline” for the return of Starling.
Till then, Syracuse should depend on frontcourt gamers Donnie Freeman, who averages 13.4 factors and seven.9 rebounds per sport, Chris Bell (11.8 ppg) and Davis (11.1 ppg).
Maryland is off to its finest begin since 2019-20, with each of its losses coming to ranked groups, Marquette and Purdue, by a mixed margin of 9 factors.
The Terrapins lead the nation in scoring margin (27.1 factors per sport) and are specializing in scoring sprees. They’ve made 18 double-digit runs this 12 months, which is 2 greater than they achieved all of final season.
Three of these spurts got here Tuesday in a 111-57 romp over Saint Francis (Pa.).
“We could not have these runs final 12 months as a result of we could not rating,” Maryland coach Kevin Willard stated. “When you may’t rating, you may’t press.”
All 5 Maryland starters are scoring at a double-digit clip, led by Derik Queen (17.3), Ja’Kobi Gillespie (13.8) and Rodney Rice (12.6). Julian Reese (12.1) paces the Terrapins on the boards with 8.5 per sport.
–Discipline Stage Media