1. Fix defensive woes on 3-point shooting

Following his atypical blasting of the local Syracuse media, it was back to the same old Jim Boeheim. The Boeheim who has surfaced in postgame press conferences all year long. The Boeheim who swears teams will continue to make 3-point shots against his 2-3 zone.

The Boeheim who speaks as if what has occurred is almost a given. And will continue to fester.

‘We found (West Virginia guard) Casey Mitchell, and once we took him away, we tried to go inside, and we made some plays,’ Boeheim said. ‘Sometimes you cannot stop that open (3-point) shot, whether you are playing zone or man. People are going to get 3-point shots.’

In SU’s win over West Virginia, it was the Mountaineer reserve Mitchell who lit up the Orange in its latest poor effort guarding the 3-point line. On 50 percent shooting, West Virginia routinely shot over the Orange 2-3 zone, sinking 11-of-22 3-pointers. Mitchell was the major threat, finding gaps in the zone for seven 3s himself.

By halftime, the Mountaineers registered seven made 3s. This came from a WVU squad that, entering the game, was 12th in the Big East in shooting 32 percent from deep. By half, it held a four-point lead with a staggering 70 percent of its points coming from behind the arc.

But it was hardly the first time all year a team has held an edge versus Syracuse primarily thanks to 3s. In the game immediately preceding WVU, Louisville bombed away with nine first-half 3-pointers. It gave the Cardinals a 10-point halftime lead, and despite a tidal wave of a comeback led by Brandon Triche, the first-half 3s let Louisville escape.

Against Georgetown, it was more of the same. The Hoyas shot 40 percent in the first half and made six 3s. And SU suffered an eight-point loss. In the loss to Villanova, the Wildcats again shot 61.5 percent in the first half for eight 3s. And in the calamity against Seton Hall, the Orange gave up seven first-half 3s.

So it seems as if it would go without saying that the Orange has to halt Rutgers’ barrage from behind the 3-point line Saturday.

Rutgers will pose a threat for the Orange, as it is sixth in the Big East on the year, shooting 35 percent from 3. And another Mitchell will spearhead the opposition once again: this time Rutgers’ leading scorer, Jonathan Mitchell, who is shooting 42 percent on the year.

Because after 27 games, it can’t be a given that teams will make 3-pointers. At some point, it has to fall on the Orange defense. Right?

— Tony Olivero, development editor, aolivero@syr.edu

2. Rick Jackson needs to dominate

Battered, bruised and scratched up, Rick Jackson was frustrated after Syracuse’s 73-69 loss at Louisville last Saturday.

‘Can’t say nothing, can’t do nothing but just play through it,’ Jackson said of the physical play that surrounded him during the loss. ‘I don’t know if the refs think I’m a tough guy and I can just take it or whatever, but guys come in here. They reach. They grab. I don’t say much. I just try to play.’

It’s not hard for opposing coaches to identify the anchor of this Syracuse team. That anchor is Jackson. And as Big East play has worn on, SU’s opponents have had greater success in stopping that anchor through double- and triple-teams and physical play.

Jackson had something of a bounce-back game against West Virginia on Monday, finishing with 10 points and nine rebounds. Against Rutgers on Saturday and with the final stretch of the regular season upon the Orange, Jackson needs to continue that play for Syracuse to be successful.

Jackson struggled through his two worst games of the season at home against Georgetown and on the road against the Cardinals. In those two games, he combined for just 11 points and 15 rebounds. They were a far cry from performances like his against Villanova, when he went for 16 and 15.

But in SU’s win Monday over WVU, Jackson returned to form — especially in the clutch. He was on the receiving end of a nifty pass from Scoop Jardine midway through the half. And with the Orange taking control late, he used a nifty pass of his own to find Kris Joseph for the exclamation point on the game.

Against an undersized Scarlet Knights squad Saturday, Jackson could be ripe for his first double-double in four games — and for domination.

Said Jackson after Louisville: ‘We have to finish this season strong.’

— Brett LoGiurato, sports editor, bplogiur@syr.edu

3. Stop another Mitchell

The 6-foot-7 Jonathan Mitchell is the primary threat Syracuse has to stop Saturday.

But it won’t be easy. Mitchell is a winner. That was validated once again last weekend against Villanova, when Mitchell’s game-winning 3-pointer against highly favored Villanova looped every hour on SportsCenter’s ‘Top Plays.’

Mitchell, a transfer from Florida, has willed the sorry Scarlet Knights hoops program to Big East competitiveness, as he is the only Rutgers player averaging double figures with 14.9 points per game. He has a knack to connect from deep, shooting 42 percent on the year. And he isn’t afraid to mix it up down low with his 225-pound frame, as he slashes to get fouled and uses his 75 percent clip from the free-throw line to his advantage. And he hauls in just fewer than six rebounds per game.

But it all stems from the playground-engrained winner’s mentality of the Mount Vernon Junior Knights basketball program. It is led by Dwayne ‘Coach D’ Murray and has produced the likes of former Connecticut star Ben Gordon, West Virginia’s Kevin Jones and Mitchell’s teammate, RU guard Mike Coburn. Mitchell then moved on to 2011 McDonald’s All-American head coach Bob Cimmino’s Mount Vernon High School program, winning multiple New York State Championships.

While at Mount Vernon, he chose to join a winner at Florida. He rode the pine for the second of the Gators’ two consecutive national championships. A year later, he transferred to Rutgers, where he is now their best player as a senior.

His mature mentality is the main reason the Scarlet Knights have kept it close with the Big East’s best. He is averaging 23.5 points per game in his last four games, all barn-burners against talented Big East teams: St. John’s, Notre Dame, Villanova and Seton Hall.

The winner just keeps on amplifying his penchant to carry his team. And if SU naps against another Mitchell, the Orange will have a tough time.

— Tony Olivero, development editor, aolivero@syr.edu

Published on February 17, 2011 at 12:00 pm