Cornell's Adam Wire, 24, reaches for a loose ball while Seton Hall's Herb Pope, left, and Farrakohn Hall react during Friday night's game. Cornell visits Syracuse on Tuesday night, with Wire, Alex Tyler and Mark Coury rotating in the frontcourt. By Brian Delaney
Ithaca Journal
November 24, 2009
ITHACA -- Jim Boeheim reportedly described Wes Johnson as a potential one-and-done player. Steve Donahue compared him to a one-and-done Syracuse great.
Not surprisingly, Johnson's presence in an Orange uniform is a prime reason Syracuse is the rage right now in men's college basketball.
A game that, months ago, Cornell players might have thought eminently winnable now looks just as tough as that trip to No. 1 Kansas in January.
Cornell (2-1) makes its annual trek up Route 81 for a 7 p.m. tip Tuesday at the Carrier Dome.
After blowouts of No. 12 California and No. 6 North Carolina last Thursday and Friday at Madison Square Garden, Syracuse is 4-0 with a newly minted No. 10 national ranking in the Associated Press poll, and ninth in the ESPN/USA Today top 25.
"I would think this group plays together better than any team, offensively and defensively, that (Boeheim's) ever had since I've been here," said Donahue, who took over Cornell's program in 2000. "They really share the ball and play great team defense."
Johnson, a 6-foot-7 junior, has ignited the Orange's rapid rise. The Iowa State transfer, who sat out the 2008-09 season due to NCAA transfer guidelines, followed up a 17-point, 11-rebound, six-block performance against Cal with a 25-point, eight-rebound outing against the Tar Heels. He was named MVP of the 2K Sports Classic.
"Wes Johnson, to me, looks like a lottery pick type of kid," Donahue said. "I think he's someone that gives Syracuse something that Carmelo Anthony gave them, an inside-outside guy. Can he be as good as Carmelo Anthony? Well, he's older and he's long and athletic and he really shoots it."
Johnson has also been key to lengthening, and strengthening, Boeheim's patented 2-3 zone, which includes burly big men Arinze Onuaku and Rick Jackson -- both 6-9, 245-pound plus forwards -- and athletic 6-7 swingman Kris Joseph off the bench. Senior off-guard Andy Rautins, in his latest effort to shed the dreaded "shooter only" label, compiled 11 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and seven steals against UNC.
Redshirt sophomore Scoop Jardine and freshman Brandon Triche have split the point guard duties.
"They're playing much better as a team this year," Cornell senior center Jeff Foote said. "They're working together, and their defense looks really strong this year. Their 2-3 zone looks a lot more impressive than it has been in the past."
Cornell, meanwhile, simply wants a more crisp, consistent effort than put forth in Friday's 89-79 loss to Seton Hall. The Big Red endured two prolonged stretches of ineffective basketball that proved fatal. In the first half, it was a turnover-filled six-minute span that flipped the scoreboard in Seton Hall's favor for good; in the second half, an ice-cold 0-for-10 stretch that enabled the Pirates to build a substantial double-digit lead.
Offensively, it was the second straight game Cornell's Big Three weren't producing in synch.
Against Massachusetts last week, senior forward Ryan Wittman was limited to a collegiate-low four points. Against Seton Hall, it was senior guard Louis Dale held to four in 19 foul-plagued minutes. Foote finished with six points and zero trips to the free throw line.
The Big Red believes it can not only challenge Syracuse, but also win. Last year, with Dale out injured, Cornell opened up a 16-point first half lead and a 10-point halftime lead before tiring out and losing 88-78. The Big Red outrebounded the Orange, 36-32. Wittman scored a collegiate-high 33 points, sinking nine 3's.
"We're looking forward to it," Wittman said. "Syracuse is a great team; it'll be a great challenge."
As Syracuse was the latest to prove last weekend, unpredictability is king of college basketball in November. Now the Orange will be expected to back up their superb start.
"We know we're a good team that can play with anybody in the country," Foote said. "They had a great weekend. Maybe that plays out to our advantage a little bit; maybe they get a little conceited, a little cocky, and maybe that plays out to our advantage."
Scouting SyracuseNot surprisingly, Johnson's presence in an Orange uniform is a prime reason Syracuse is the rage right now in men's college basketball.
A game that, months ago, Cornell players might have thought eminently winnable now looks just as tough as that trip to No. 1 Kansas in January.
Cornell (2-1) makes its annual trek up Route 81 for a 7 p.m. tip Tuesday at the Carrier Dome.
After blowouts of No. 12 California and No. 6 North Carolina last Thursday and Friday at Madison Square Garden, Syracuse is 4-0 with a newly minted No. 10 national ranking in the Associated Press poll, and ninth in the ESPN/USA Today top 25.
"I would think this group plays together better than any team, offensively and defensively, that (Boeheim's) ever had since I've been here," said Donahue, who took over Cornell's program in 2000. "They really share the ball and play great team defense."
Johnson, a 6-foot-7 junior, has ignited the Orange's rapid rise. The Iowa State transfer, who sat out the 2008-09 season due to NCAA transfer guidelines, followed up a 17-point, 11-rebound, six-block performance against Cal with a 25-point, eight-rebound outing against the Tar Heels. He was named MVP of the 2K Sports Classic.
"Wes Johnson, to me, looks like a lottery pick type of kid," Donahue said. "I think he's someone that gives Syracuse something that Carmelo Anthony gave them, an inside-outside guy. Can he be as good as Carmelo Anthony? Well, he's older and he's long and athletic and he really shoots it."
Johnson has also been key to lengthening, and strengthening, Boeheim's patented 2-3 zone, which includes burly big men Arinze Onuaku and Rick Jackson -- both 6-9, 245-pound plus forwards -- and athletic 6-7 swingman Kris Joseph off the bench. Senior off-guard Andy Rautins, in his latest effort to shed the dreaded "shooter only" label, compiled 11 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and seven steals against UNC.
Redshirt sophomore Scoop Jardine and freshman Brandon Triche have split the point guard duties.
"They're playing much better as a team this year," Cornell senior center Jeff Foote said. "They're working together, and their defense looks really strong this year. Their 2-3 zone looks a lot more impressive than it has been in the past."
Cornell, meanwhile, simply wants a more crisp, consistent effort than put forth in Friday's 89-79 loss to Seton Hall. The Big Red endured two prolonged stretches of ineffective basketball that proved fatal. In the first half, it was a turnover-filled six-minute span that flipped the scoreboard in Seton Hall's favor for good; in the second half, an ice-cold 0-for-10 stretch that enabled the Pirates to build a substantial double-digit lead.
Offensively, it was the second straight game Cornell's Big Three weren't producing in synch.
Against Massachusetts last week, senior forward Ryan Wittman was limited to a collegiate-low four points. Against Seton Hall, it was senior guard Louis Dale held to four in 19 foul-plagued minutes. Foote finished with six points and zero trips to the free throw line.
The Big Red believes it can not only challenge Syracuse, but also win. Last year, with Dale out injured, Cornell opened up a 16-point first half lead and a 10-point halftime lead before tiring out and losing 88-78. The Big Red outrebounded the Orange, 36-32. Wittman scored a collegiate-high 33 points, sinking nine 3's.
"We're looking forward to it," Wittman said. "Syracuse is a great team; it'll be a great challenge."
As Syracuse was the latest to prove last weekend, unpredictability is king of college basketball in November. Now the Orange will be expected to back up their superb start.
"We know we're a good team that can play with anybody in the country," Foote said. "They had a great weekend. Maybe that plays out to our advantage a little bit; maybe they get a little conceited, a little cocky, and maybe that plays out to our advantage."
Coach: Jim Boeheim (33rd season)
National ranking: No. 10 AP Poll / No. 9 ESPN/USA TODAY
Record: 4-0
Last time out: Wes Johnson scored 25 points, and the Orange ran away from defending national champion North Carolina in the second half for an 87-71 victory Friday at Madison Square Garden. The game was the championship of the 2K Sports Coaches vs. Cancer Classic.
Probable starters: Wes Johnson (6-foot-7, 205 pounds, junior, forward), Arinze Onuaku (6-9, 261, Sr., F), Rick Jackson (6-9, 240, Jr., F), Andy Rautins (6-4, 195, Sr., G), Brandon Triche (6-4, 198, Fr., G).
Key reserves: Kris Joseph (6-7, 207, Soph., F), Mookie Jones (6-6, 220, Fr., F), Scoop Jardine (6-2, 190, Soph., G).
Statistically: Syracuse has won four games by margins of 32, 40, 22 and 16 points, shooting 48.3, 58.3, 57.1 and 54.4 percent along the way. ... Johnson is a budding star. Against No. 12 California on Thursday, he had 17 points, 11 rebounds and six blocks. ... Rautins had 11 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and seven steals against UNC. ... Boeheim earned his 800th career coaching victory in SU's season-opener against Albany. ... Syracuse is 85-31 against Cornell, with a 31-game win streak, including a 17-0 record against the Big Red in the Carrier Dome.
Outlook: When underclassmen Jonny Flynn, Eric Devendorf and Paul Harris declared for the NBA Draft last spring, who saw this kind of early season start coming for SU?
Boeheim, of course. The margins of victory were probably not what the Hall of Fame coach envisioned, but Boeheim was confident the team would upgrade with Johnson and a healthy Rautins over Harris and Devendorf, and that the combination of Jardine -- who sat out last year -- and Triche would serve just fine at the point.
Now, the Tar Heels replaced four of five starters from last year's title-winning team, and Cal was playing Thursday without an 18-point per game scorer in Theo Robertson. But Syracuse still looked efficient and enters Tuesday's game as the November darlings of college basketball.
Even though a trip to Kansas awaits in January, several Cornell players have indicated this game as the "circled" one on the calendar. To win, Cornell must take care of the ball against Syracuse's zone defense, shoot a high percentage from the three-point line and limit the Orange's second-chance opportunities. This year's SU team has been adept so far at forcing turnovers and defending the 3, so Cornell has its work cut out.
It'll take an elite performance to pull off an upset
Busy night on the hardwood this evening. Apart from Cornell-Syracuse, Cornell's women host IUPUI, and Ithaca College welcomes Oneonta for a women's-men's doubleheader beginning at 6 p.m.
To start, a few stories to whet your pallette:
IJ: Syracuse suddenly a daunting task for Cornell
IJ: Scouting Syracuse
IJ: First Around the Rim column of 2009-10
CBS Sports Preview: Cornell at Syracuse
Syracuse Post-Standard: Orange Scouting Report
Syracuse Post-Standard: Cornell comes to the Carrier Dome loaded with experienced seniors
How about Zach Spiker? The ex-Steve Donahue assistant has Army out to a 3-1 start, with consecutive wins over two Ivy League teams that are, in my opinion, going to be top-tier Ivy teams. (I think my preseason poll went Cornell, Princeton, Columbia, Harvard - and I'm standing by that at the moment.). Army forced 30 turnovers and beat Harvard last night, 56-53. Army held Jeremy Lin field goal-less. Also last night, Yale wore down in the second half and lost 88-74 to Charlotte at the Mack Sports Complex at Hofstra.
Cornell-Cuse is one of six Ivy games tonight.
Re-visit the IJ online tonight for my live-blog from the Carrier Dome. Very interested to see how Cornell performs against a team that's as hot as anyone in America right now. I'm sure you all are too.
To start, a few stories to whet your pallette:
IJ: Syracuse suddenly a daunting task for Cornell
IJ: Scouting Syracuse
IJ: First Around the Rim column of 2009-10
CBS Sports Preview: Cornell at Syracuse
Syracuse Post-Standard: Orange Scouting Report
Syracuse Post-Standard: Cornell comes to the Carrier Dome loaded with experienced seniors
How about Zach Spiker? The ex-Steve Donahue assistant has Army out to a 3-1 start, with consecutive wins over two Ivy League teams that are, in my opinion, going to be top-tier Ivy teams. (I think my preseason poll went Cornell, Princeton, Columbia, Harvard - and I'm standing by that at the moment.). Army forced 30 turnovers and beat Harvard last night, 56-53. Army held Jeremy Lin field goal-less. Also last night, Yale wore down in the second half and lost 88-74 to Charlotte at the Mack Sports Complex at Hofstra.
Cornell-Cuse is one of six Ivy games tonight.
Re-visit the IJ online tonight for my live-blog from the Carrier Dome. Very interested to see how Cornell performs against a team that's as hot as anyone in America right now. I'm sure you all are too.
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