Reactions: Syracuse-Georgetown

It's been a couple of days since Georgetown's 64-56 win over Syracuse, its first in the Carrier Dome since 2002. But looking back on the game, there's a lot the Orange can learn. It almost felt like a microcosm of Syracuse's season so far; they were in it the whole time but managed to let it slip away at the very end. Some important tidbits on the team:

• I realized that I had overestimated Syracuse's offense a little, but it may be worse than I thought. On the year the Orange have averaged a respectable 73 PPG, but against the Big East they've averaged just under 64 PPG. This is a strong conference, but a nine point drop is significant.

• Why is this happening? Syracuse hits nearly 53% of its two point shots but only 34% of its threes. The team lacks an outside scorer. In four of their five the losses, the Orange faced a time late in the game when a three pointer would've kept them alive, but they couldn't hit one. Kris Joseph and Brandon Triche haven't been consistent enough, and Scoop Jardine continues to toss up ill-advised shots at pivotal points.

Chin up, Scoop. (AP Photo/Kevin Rivoli)


• The team's one constant had been Rick Jackson, but he struggled against Georgetown due to some questionable officiating. When Jackson got his fourth foul early in the second half, the Orange were able to hold on for a while. But when Jackson returned he played timidly and wasn't effective at all.

• Jackson's loss was mitigated by the superb play of freshmen C.J. Fair and Baye Moussa Keita. Fair contributed on offense, scoring 12 points against the Hoyas, while Moussa Keita recorded 5 blocks.

• Syracuse's other pair of freshmen, Fab Melo, and Dion Waiters, haven't exactly lived up to the hype. Melo appears to be moving in slow motion on the court, and Waiters has nearly turned into Jardine Lite, jacking up questionable threes early in the shot clock.

• The biggest improvement, though, has been the team defense. After collapsing during the team's four game losing streak, Syracuse's defense was back to its old self. The Orange held Kemba Walker and UConn to 58 points, South Florida to 49 points, and Georgetown to 64.

Overall, Syracuse fans should understand by now their team is not as good as its 18-0 start, but not as bad as its four game losing streak. If the Orange find consistency on offense, they can right the ship. Their next chance will be at Louisville on Saturday.

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