 |
| Tonye Jekiri(23) was just too strong for the Syracuse Orange(Photo Credit: University of Miami) |
Written By: Nathan Skinner (@Canedude08)
Canes Rising Contributor
It wasn't pretty, it was infuriating to watch at times, but the 'Canes left the Carrier Dome victorious. This isn't the best Syracuse team to ever take the court, but they are a likely bubble team and Miami's 66-62 victory will look good on Selection Sunday. If one had to define this week in one phrase, it would be "Mission Accomplished" as the 'Canes defeated two teams that are expected to challenge Miami for one of the last spots in the NCAA Tournament.
The Good
Tonye Jekiri--The big fella took advantage of Syracuse's patented 2-3 zone, on the way to another double double, scoring thirteen points, and collecting fifteen rebounds. Tonye was more than a human squeegee, he played solid defense against Rakeem Christmas, a future NBA player. Jekiri didn't force the action, he took advantage of the opportunities that were available. He has quietly become one of the most improved players in the ACC.
Davon Reed--If you haven't been paying attention, this young man can play. Once again, Davon did a great job of taking a good offensive player out of the game, as he forced Trevor Cooney to settle for contested shots. Cooney did connect on some of those shots, but it wasn't an easy night for the sharpshooting guard. Reed did more than handcuff Cooney, he was an efficient offensive player, scoring eleven points on 80% shooting. The most impressive part of this performance was Davon's perimeter game, something that has been very inconsistent during his short career. Reed connected on three of his four attempts from the land of three, with most of them barely striking iron. It has been a pleasure to watch this young man blossom under Jim Larranaga's tutelage.
The Bad
Angel Rodriguez--Fortunately, Angel is a pesky defensive player, otherwise there wouldn't be any reason to play him at this point. Rodriguez continues to struggle with his shot selection, hoisting up numerous prayers on Saturday. It's not that Angel can't differentiate between a good shot and a bad one(he obviously can't), it's that his horrible shots end Miami runs. Whenever the 'Canes start to roll, he will take an awful shot which inevitably leads to points for the opposition. That happened on numerous occasions Saturday, as Syracuse turned horrible shots into easy points, points that allowed the Orange to stop the bleeding, and mount a comeback. Angel has to get this out of his system, if the 'Canes are going to be a factor in March.
Offensive Flow--When Miami is at their best, the ball moves freely and without delay. On Saturday, fans were treated to an offense that was inconsistent, and involved far too much isolation. Jim Boheim's zone isn't an easy defense to beat, but the keys to doing so are well known. Isolating Angel Rodriguez isn't one of those keys, in fact it plays right into Cuse's hands. It's safe to say that opposing teams will look at film from this game, and seek to recreate 'Cuse's zone. The 'Canes have to do a better job of executing, and moving the basketball around.
The Ugly
Free Throw Shooting--In a Canes Rising first, Miami's free throw shooting wasn't the problem, it was the Orange who were awful from the charity stripe. Rarely does a team shoot under 50% from the line, the Orange were the exception to that rule, shooting a horrific 42%. Fortunately for the 'Canes, 'Cuse couldn't connect, but it was awful to witness.
Differing Styles--In the first half, Miami and Syracuse were allowed to play tough, physical basketball, with a minimum of stoppages. After the intermission, the game was totally different, what wasn't considered a foul in the first half was now a foul. It looked like a completely different crew was working the game, when in reality, it was the same officials. There's few things worse than inconsistent officials, and while Miami was able to overcome the drastic change, it's still a noteworthy event.
Posts
