4 defining stats from Syracuse men’s basketball’s Quad 1 gauntlet
Syracuse struggled to rebound and shoot from beyond the arc while point guard Naithan George had turnover issues during its Quad 1 gauntlet. Eli Schwartz | Staff Photographer
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Syracuse entered a pivotal four-game stretch 4-0 and exited 5-3. Following a flurry of lower-level nonconference opponents to begin its third year under Adrian Autry, SU faced a gauntlet in Las Vegas.
Without leading scorer Donnie Freeman, the margin for error was slim. The Orange fell to then-No. 3 Houston, Kansas and then-No. 15 Iowa State in the Players Era Festival, making their home matchup versus then-No. 13 Tennessee practically a must-win. Syracuse took down the Volunteers 62-60, building off its lessons from Las Vegas to keep its March Madness hopes alive.
With the four-game gauntlet in the rearview, the Orange have a favorable remaining nonconference schedule before their Atlantic Coast Conference opener against Clemson on Dec. 31.
Here are four stats that defined Syracuse’s recent Quad 1 stretch:
Naithan George’s 4.25 turnovers per game
Syracuse brought in Naithan George to operate its offense. He proved in his sophomore campaign at Georgia Tech that he could be a top point guard in the ACC with a conference-leading 6.5 assists per game. However, George turned the ball over 3.0 times per game.
George’s turnover totals have fluctuated this season. He was heavily pressured in SU’s four-game stretch versus Quad 1 opponents and turned the ball over 4.25 times per game, despite tallying zero giveaways against Kansas.
Houston and Iowa State’s top-ranked defenses stuck to George directly after he crossed halfcourt. Freeman’s absence put even more pressure on George to facilitate, resulting in his six turnovers versus the Cougars and a season-high seven in SU’s 31-point loss to the Cyclones. George also notched four turnovers against Tennessee despite the win.
The four-game slate proved George still has work to do against top teams in the nation. He eclipsed double-digit points and five assists just once. With Freeman on the court against lesser opponents, he showed he’s more than capable of efficiently conducting SU’s offense. Now, it’s just a matter of putting it all together when the lights are brightest.
25.9% from 3
Much of the attention surrounding Syracuse’s shooting woes often points to the free-throw line, where it ranks near the bottom of the country. But the Orange have produced just as poorly from beyond the arc. Syracuse is shooting 29% from 3 overall this season, 3.8% lower than last year. In its last four games, it shot 28-for-108 from 3, good for a 25.9% clip.
SU proved in its win over Tennessee that it doesn’t need 3s to win games. But it surely helps, as Nate Kingz showed with two big triples in the first half while J.J. Starling added a key one late in the second. The Orange brought in Kingz from Oregon State and Tyler Betsey from Cincinnati to be their top 3-point threats, yet neither has clicked at the same time.
Betsey impressively made four 3s versus Houston and Kansas but went a combined 2-for-12 against Iowa State and Tennessee. Kingz shot 44.6% from 3 last season but finished 5-for-21 in the four games against Quad 1 opponents, pushing his overall mark to 25%.
If there’s any positive to spin from the putrid shooting effort, it’s that the Orange were in all four games for at least a half without hitting from deep. SU’s defense held its opponents to 29-for-76 (38%) 3-point shooting, so if it can increase its numbers just a bit, it’s in good shape once conference play rolls around.
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-32 rebounding margin
The loss of Freeman, who tallied 7.3 rebounds per game across his first 18 college contests, gave the Orange some noticeable holes inside. Despite Sadiq White’s added energy, Syracuse failed to rebound with the nation’s best teams, posting a -32 rebounding margin across the four games.
White failed to record more than four rebounds in a game in Las Vegas but doubled his career-high with nine against Tennessee. Center William Kyle III is obviously pivotal to SU’s rebounding formula, leading the team with 63 rebounds — 30 more than Syracuse’s next closest player, Kingz (33) — but had just two against Iowa State.
The Orange kept the rebounding margin close against Houston, but Kansas pulled away by dominating the glass. The Jayhawks finished with 49 rebounds to SU’s 29. Syracuse struggled on the offensive boards, scoring just 14 second-chance points.
The issues have been a recurring theme this season. SU lost the rebounding battle to Drexel despite winning by 30 points and only slightly beat Delaware State and Monmouth on the glass. The Orange rank 131st in the country in offensive rebounding, limiting many second-chance opportunities. Syracuse’s 35.9 total rebounds per game is the second-fewest in the ACC, leading only NC State.
4.25 blocks per game
SU has built its identity around its defense, again led by Kyle. The 6-foot-9 center is using a freakish wingspan and vertical to deter opponents inside. The Orange tallied 4.25 blocks per game over the four-game sequence, with eight against the Volunteers.
Kyle led the way versus Tennessee with six, including a two-handed stuff amid an early second-half run that built Syracuse momentum. The UCLA transfer is up to 22 blocks on the season through eight games.
The Orange’s leader a year ago was Eddie Lampkin Jr. with 16. Kyle already surpassed that mark with 2.9 blocks per game on the year. When Kyle isn’t on the court, Akir Souare also added a punch with increased minutes following Freeman’s injury.
Syracuse ranks second in the ACC in blocks per game at 6.0 and third in blocks overall with 48. Even in its blowout loss to Iowa State, SU held a 4-2 blocking advantage. It also won the margin in its first four games of the regular season and will use its inside blocking to keep winning through the remainder of nonconference play.
