Point guard Brandon Triche vs. Maurice Acker

While Triche is just a freshman, he’s been playing like a veteran on the court, helping lead the Orange to its fantastic start. He’s shooting over 53 percent from the field and is averaging 10.4 points per game (third best on the team). He could look to improve on his assist-to-turnover ratio, though, which stands at 1.36. Acker is a small senior at just 5 feet 8 inches who serves as the point guard in Marquette’s three-guard set. He’s averaging just 8.4 points per game, but his assists-to-turnover ratio has been solid at 2.29. After scoring just 94 points last season, he’s already exceeded that mark this year. While Acker has the experience advantage, Triche has been great for the Orange. It doesn’t hurt to have a surrounding cast as talented as he has, and it makes his life easier as he grows.

Advantage: Syracuse.

Shooting guard Andy Rautins vs. Darius Johnson-Odom

Rautins has been the leader of this Syracuse team all season and is in the middle of his best stretch of basketball. He’s finding the open man in his passing game, dishing out assists left and right, and playing stellar defense. His play has been a big reason why the loss of three stars from last year’s team has been a mute point. Johnson-Odom is a transfer from Hutchinson Community College, where he averaged 21.6 points and 5.2 rebounds per contest. In his first year at Marquette, he’s third on the team with 11.9 points and leads the team in 3-point shots made. He’s shooting 46.8 percent from the field. With Rautins playing as well as he is right now, it will be hard for Johnson-Odom to match him at the Dome. This matchup could be interesting if it becomes a 3-point shooting contest.

Advantage: Syracuse

Small forward Wes Johnson vs. David Cubillan

Johnson has been the best player for Syracuse all season, contributing at both ends of the court. Whether it’s scoring key baskets, blocking shots or creating turnovers, Johnson has been everything and more that Syracuse fans could have hoped for this year. He leads the team in scoring and rebounding. Cubillan is a senior guard who had been a backup until this season, as he has started all 18 games. While he only scores 6.2 points per game, he has only turned the ball over 19 times this season while dishing out 52 assists. While these two will not match up as Marquette employs a three-guard set, Johnson will have the clear advantage at his position Saturday. If a guard like Cubillan guards him, it could be a long day for Marquette. The Golden Eagles will have to switch up their looks, most likely employing another big man, to give it a shot in the game.

Advantage: Syracuse

Power forward Rick Jackson vs. Lazar Hayward

Rick Jackson has been slumping lately for the Orange. The towering forward has reached double figures in only two of his last seven games, frequently giving way to super-sub Kris Joseph. But it depends on the matchup. Some games, as was the case against Florida, Jackson devours smaller players. In the Big East, it’s been up and down for the forward. Marquette is much softer than, say, Pittsburgh and West Virginia, and as a result, Jackson could be a factor. Marquette lacks a prototypical ‘power forward’ or ‘center’ starter. Lazar Hayward and Jimmy Butler can both score, but neither is physically imposing. Look for Syracuse to dump the ball into the paint as much as possible. And if it doesn’t work, Joseph is always one Boeheim nod away from entering the game. Overall, Syracuse’s bigs will find success. Still, we are going with Marquette at power forward. Hayward is a special player. He can score in bunches and keep his team in big games. In Marquette’s crushing two-point loss to Villanova on Jan. 2, he scored 17 points and had 14 boards.

Advantage: Marquette

Center Arinze Onuaku vs. Jimmy Butler

Since the Orange’s 10-point loss to Pitt at home, its frontcourt has muscled up considerably. No longer are pesky guards ripping the ball away from Onuaku’s grasp. Syracuse’s center has seven rebounds in each of his team’s last two road games … both in unfriendly environments. So Saturday shouldn’t be a daunting challenge. Size-wise, the Golden Eagles are a step down. Onuaku carries dozens of more pounds than the players he’ll face on the block. He must continue to be strong with the ball and finish around the rim. His baby hook is effective at times, but Onuaku needs to flush everything he can. The Orange can’t afford to miss gimmies in big games. At practice this week, Onuaku and SU’s big men worked on catch-and-dunks with coaches blasting them with pads on the way up.

Advantage: Syracuse

Coach Expect to see Buzz Williams for a while. He sure was a hit last year in Wisconsin. In his first season, Williams led Marquette to 25 wins, including 12 in the brutal Big East. The success parlayed into one of the nation’s top recruiting classes. HoopScoopOnline.com ranked Williams’ 2009 crop No. 1 in the nation. Look for him to keep loading and reloading in the middle of a cutthroat conference. For now, though, he pales in comparison to Boeheim. Syracuse’s 2-3 is clicking on all cylinders, frustrating opponents into continuous deep balls. Marquette knows exactly what’s coming but will probably still have trouble. Cracking Boeheim’s zone this season has been a daunting task. SU’s opponents are shooting only 37.5 percent from the field.

Advantage: Syracuse

Published on January 21, 2010 at 12:00 pm