It was another game of inconsistencies for Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim. Syracuse’s tight 61-56 victory over Seton Hall Saturday provided Boeheim with more reason to fire off more statements of, ‘We have to get better.’

But the one aspect of the close win against an inferior opponent that bothered Boeheim the most was on the glass. Largely led by senior forward Rick Jackson, SU had built a solid plus-six rebounding margin through its first 15 games.

Not so against the physical bodies of the Pirates. Two of those bodies — Herb Pope and Jeff Robinson — combined to out-rebound the entire Orange team. Something that didn’t sit well with Boeheim.

‘The biggest disappointing is when you rebound the ball all year,’ Boeheim said after the game, ‘and we just didn’t do a good job.’

As Boeheim and SU (16-0, 3-0 Big East) prep for a trip to Madison Square Garden Wednesday to take on resurgent St. John’s (10-4, 3-1) at 7 p.m., it’s a stat that will be key. It’s a game first-year Red Storm head coach Steve Lavin compared Monday to the team’s electric win over Georgetown in the Garden last week.

‘It’s similar to the Georgetown game – it’s not a game that you really have to get your kids hyped up for,’ Lavin said. ‘They understand. They’ve been in this league and they know that we’re facing an undefeated Syracuse team and one of the top programs in the country currently ranked in the top 5 on our home court.’

Here’s a look at how SU matches up with the Red Storm:

POINT GUARD

Scoop Jardine (6-2, 190, JR.) vs. Dwight Hardy (6-2, 196, SR.)

Two guys who aren’t afraid to carry a team to victory in the game’s final minutes. If anyone has taken to Steve Lavin it has been Hardy. Hardy has averaged almost 20 points in SJU’s last eight games. It’s a case here for Jardine of not letting Hardy — a 96 percent free throw shooter in his last eight games — slash into the heart of the SU zone to draw fouls and easy shot attempts. On the other side, Jardine’s direction of SU through SJU’s active matchup-zone will be a huge factor with regards to if SJU can hang into the game’s final 10 minutes.

SHOOTING GUARD

Brandon Triche (6-4, 205, SO.) vs. D.J. Kennedy (6-5, 214, SR.)

How often does Triche play against a guard who is not only taller, but perhaps more solid than himself? Rarely. Kennedy, the lengthy sharpshooter, was the Johnnies’ go-to scorer when they met SU last year. This year, he has stepped aside for Hardy, but is still averaging 36 minutes and 12 points in his last seven games. Similar spot-shooters with these two in Kennedy and Triche. Whoever has the better game will help his team get its half of the Garden crowd going.

SMALL FORWARD

Kris Joseph (6-7, 210, JR.) vs. Dwayne Polee II (6-7, 193, FR.)

Clear edge for SU. Polee is nicknamed ‘Bambi’ for his svelte figure and ridiculous jumping abilities. Much like the rest of the athletic Johnnies squad, a Polee fastbreak dunk could ignite the Garden crowd. He can take off from around the free-throw line with his 40-inch vertical. In a game that may turn fastbreak-heavy, expect to see St. John’s get its share of dunks. But, Joseph will manhandle Polee for 20 minutes. Wisdom and wit easily trump raw potential here.  

POWER FORWARD

Rick Jackson (6-9, 240, SR.) vs. Justin Brownlee (6-7, 219, SR.)

For the second consecutive game, Jackson will be forced to go against a quicker, more athletic forward who can do a little bit of everything. Each player has arguably been the best player on his respective team this season and will play a key role in this game.

CENTER

Fab Melo (7-0, 244, FR.) vs. Dele Coker (6-10, 257, SR.)

Melo finally faces an opposing center who has produced less, on paper, than he has halfway through a disappointing freshman campaign. This matchup is likely to be irrelevant, as both Melo and Coker aren’t likely to play more than a dozen minutes apiece.

COACH

Jim Boeheim (845-293, 34 seasons) vs. Steve Lavin (155-82, 8 seasons)

Last time Lavin faced Boeheim away from the Carrier Dome, he guided UCLA to a 93-69 win over the Orange. That was nearly 12 years ago, and Lavin doesn’t have the same talent on the floor. Still, he has a veteran group capable of pulling the upset, as seen on Jan. 3 when St. John’s took down then-No. 13 Georgetown, 61-58.

FREE THROWS

St. John’s earned four votes in the latest Associated Press poll, putting the Red Storm tied for 39th in the nation. The last time SJU was ranked was on Nov. 28, 2000, when it was No. 24.

Syracuse’s next victory will be the 1,800th in program history.

STAT TO KNOW

Syracuse has won the past four matchups between these two teams, as well as 10 of the last 11.

BIG NUMBER: 47.2

The percentage Syracuse shot from the free-throw line in its narrow victory over Seton Hall on Saturday, its worst mark of the season.

FORTUNE COOKIE: Red alert!

 

BEAT WRITER PREDICTIONS

Andrew L. John

Syracuse 72, St. John’s 67

With the experience St. John’s is displaying on the court, it’ll remain close throughout the game. Syracuse’s inconsistent shooting will help.

Brett LoGiurato

Syracuse 69, St. John’s 65

This might be the best game we’ve seen all season, because I believe in the St. John’s hype. SU will eek out another close one, but it needs to respond to its struggles at Seton Hall with a collective offensive effort.

Tony Olivero

Syracuse 76, St. John’s 68

The reason SU seemed so down for the Seton Hall game? Because it was so up for this one. The team knows the stakes here. It truly is a battle for New York City college hoops dominance, and SU has everything to lose while SJU has everything to gain. Yes, the Johnnies have all those seniors. But the Orange has the tested wisdom to escape.

— Compiled by The Daily Orange basketball beat writers Brett LoGiurato, Tony Olivero and Andrew L. John

Published on January 11, 2011 at 12:00 pm