The Syracuse Orange (5-6) are back home on Saturday to face the Bucknell Bison (4-8) The game tips off at 2:00 et on The CW and here’s what we’re watching for on Saturday:
Kevin: A sense of urgency
It’s clear the fanbase has not only written off this season, but also the head coaching career of Adrian Autry. The only way this team can convince people that the program hasn’t bottomed out is by coming out and playing with some passion and urgency against a team they should dominate. After being humiliated for the first time this season, we’ll see if this group has some pride or if they’ve written themselves off already too.
Dom: Strong start, stronger finish
Kevin hammered home the broader point our staff and I’m sure pretty much all fans are feeling — after the disaster in Brooklyn, is there a bounce back performance where Syracuse can really return to home, hold the advantages across most of the stat sheet and rebuild some confidence among the fans? Considering the beginning of ACC play starts New Year’s Eve and the slate isn’t totally juggernaut (Wake Forest, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Boston College and Louisville in the next five games), there is still time to at least turn the year around somewhat.
Max: Ugly basketball
There is still some time to revive this season, but at this point, it’s hard to expect anything different on Saturday. We all know of Syracuse’s three-point shooting woes (28.9%, 323rd), but Bucknell isn’t much better (30.2%, 294th). The Bison actually one-up the Orange at the free-throw line, shooting an abysmal 63.2% at the stripe (353rd). It looks like baskets will be at a premium once again, but hey, maybe two wrongs make a right and both teams heat up?
Sam: Play like your life depends on it
It’s basically the same thing that Kevin said, but I’m going to bring it back up. Bucknell is a team that Syracuse should beat easily, but the Bison are going to go into this game thinking they can win. If John Griffin can get Noah Williamson back on track, then this should be a team that is competitive at the top of the Patriot League. When Syracuse comes back from break, it has two options; capitulate the season, or look in the mirror and come back with a new energy. Regardless of whether the team is good enough to win in the ACC, they can still come out and play like their life depends on it, and at this point, that’s all any Syracuse fan can really ask for.
Mike: Avoiding Red Dusk
G-Mac’s Siena squad beat Bucknell by 13 earlier this season, largely off sound perimeter shooting, so unless you want a portion of your fanbase getting vocal – well, even more vocal than they already are – this had better be at least a comparable win to close out the calendar year. The Bison are an even worse team at shooting free throws (63.2%) so don’t be afraid to throw some weight around in the paint if that’s what it takes to get to the basket or open up the corners.
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What will you be watching for in this one?
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