PITTSBURGH – UNC Asheville’s game plan is apparently to beat Syracuse at its own game.
The Bulldogs rank fifth in the nation with 81.2 points per game, and they score in bunches via the fast break. The Orange also thrives in transition, and with its size and athleticism, most teams have tried to slow things down against SU.
But UNC Asheville won’t be one of them.
‘Any team that gets easy buckets in transition will be pretty good,’ senior J.P. Primm said. ‘That’s what Syracuse thrives on, on transition points. But we do the same thing. That’s not going to stop us from doing that.’
The 16th-seeded Bulldogs (24-9) won’t change their game plan despite matching up with the No. 1 seed Syracuse (31-2) in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday. Their offense has been their biggest strength throughout the year, and they rank in the top 20 in the nation in scoring, field goal percentage, assists per game and free throw percentage.
The transition attack has been a key for UNC Asheville all year, and they don’t plan on adjusting despite the Orange’s size and athleticism advantages.
‘That’s not going to change,’ Primm said. ‘That’s been our game plan all year. Push the ball in transition, get easy buckets.’
In both of SU’s losses this year, its opponents managed to slow the game down and stop Syracuse from scoring in transition. Notre Dame blanked the Orange in fast-break points while Cincinnati held it to just one bucket on the break.
If UNC Asheville wants to get out and run, SU likely won’t have any objections. But assistant coach Gerry McNamara understands why the Bulldogs won’t hesitate to push the ball upcourt.
‘I think it plays into both of our strengths,’ he said. ‘At the end of the day, you don’t want to change who you are. … When you get to this time of year, there’s a reason you’re at this point. It’s because you’re playing your game, and you’re doing it effectively.’
The transition game may also help UNC Asheville overcome a major size advantage against the Orange. The tallest starter on the Bulldogs is 6-foot-5 forward Quinard Jackson, while SU boasts five key players at 6-foot-7 or taller.
By getting out on the break, UNC Asheville could prevent Syracuse’s lanky athletes from getting set in its 2-3 zone defense.
‘That’s against any team that plays zone,’ Primm said. ‘Or playing man. You always want to beat them down the court by pushing the ball or with a pass.’
Added Bulldogs head coach Eddie Biedenbach: ‘We’re not changing anything.’

Upset brewing?
Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim doesn’t understand how UNC Asheville is a No. 16 seed. He saw them play earlier in the year and was impressed with the Big South champion Bulldogs.
‘This year’s team is a really good basketball team,’ he said. ‘They can shoot the ball. They get it up and down. They’re shocking to me to be a 16 seed.’
A No. 1 seed has never lost to the No. 16 seed since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, but the Orange head coach believes UNC Asheville is one of the best No. 16 seeds in NCAA history. And after falling to top-seeded Pittsburgh as the No. 16 seed last year in the tournament, the Bulldogs have their sights set on bigger goals than simply qualifying for the field.
‘We’re not satisfied just being here this year,’ said leading scorer Matt Dickey. ‘We talked about that. We want a win. We want to make our team and city known. This is a chance to do that.’
To pull off the upset, UNC Asheville will have to overcome a distinct size advantage and figure out a way to beat SU’s dominant 2-3 zone. Scoring has been the Bulldogs’ biggest strength, but they struggled to hang with other major conference foes early this year.
But simply having that experience playing against top teams adds to UNC Asheville’s confidence. The Bulldogs played five teams in this year’s field this season – North Carolina State, North Carolina, Connecticut, Tennessee and Ohio.
‘We’ve played against teams like Syracuse in the past,’ head coach Eddie Biedenbach said. ‘… We’re not afraid to play anybody.’

Possible lineup changes without Melo
For the final five minutes against Cincinnati, Brandon Triche found himself in a peculiar spot.
Instead of manning one of the top positions in SU’s 2-3 zone, the junior guard was playing the left wing spot along the back line of the defense. It was a desperate attempt to climb back into the game against the Bearcats, a game the Orange ultimately lost, and it was perhaps a hint at what the Syracuse lineup could be like in the NCAA Tournament.
With the news Tuesday that starting center Fab Melo is ineligible for the entire tournament, it’s possible Syracuse could play around with a three-guard lineup to offset the loss of its big man. Triche took the court with Scoop Jardine, Dion Waiters, Kris Joseph and C.J. Fair against Cincinnati, and several of the SU players and coaches hinted that a similar lineup could be used going forward.
‘I think we can go with a three-guard lineup,’ Jardine said.
On Wednesday, Triche told reporters he had been spending a lot of time practicing on the back line of the zone defense. If he were he to take that spot on the floor with Waiters, Fair, Jardine and Joseph, Syracuse would have its five highest scoring players on the floor at one time.
Head coach Jim Boeheim wouldn’t specifically address whether Triche could play in the back line Thursday, but he did say that anything is possible come game time.
‘I mean, during the course of the game, I wouldn’t rule anything out,’ Boeheim said. ‘I wouldn’t rule anything out. That’s not a primary thought, but I wouldn’t rule it out, that happening.’
zjbrown@syr.edu
mjcohe02@syr.edu

Published on March 16, 2012 at 12:00 pm