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Posted: Friday April 04, 2003 12:29 PM
SI.com’s Mark Button breaks down each national semifinal.
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Texas (26-6) vs. Syracuse (28-5)
Saturday, April 5, 8:47 p.m. EST (CBS)
New Orleans Superdome (54,500)
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Texas survived as the sole No. 1 seed to reach the Final Four, while Syracuse was one of three teams to knock off a top seed en route to the party in New Orleans. The Orangemen also sent packing a pair of Big 12 teams -- Oklahoma State and Oklahoma -- displaying the conference's apparent trouble with Syracuse's 2-3 zone. Both teams were helped by the second year of the NCAA "pod" system that allowed Texas to play its regional semifinal and championship a short drive from its Austin campus in San Antonio, while Syracuse basically had home games against Auburn and Oklahoma State at the Albany Regional. Much like the other national semifinal, this game has plenty of star power, including SI.com's Player of the Year T.J. Ford and Freshman of the Year Carmelo Anthony.
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T.J. Ford
AP |
Backcourts
Though he is only a freshman, Syracuse's Gerry McNamara will be the most difficult assignment Texas' Ford has seen in the tournament to date. Perhaps the toughest player still left in the NCAAs, McNamara (a.k.a "G-Mac") left the Oklahoma State game with a severe gash on his head after a collision and returned to hit three decisive 3-pointers in the 'Cuse victory. Jim Boeheim says G-Mac has spoiled Syracuse and that the freshman "plays like a senior and we expect him to play like a grad student sometimes." In addition to McNamara, Syracuse gets a lift and a change of pace from backup Billy Edelin, a high-energy, 6-foot-4 point guard who can create matchup problems with his size. While McNamara will be a factor -- especially if the game comes down to the final minutes where G-Mac has proven lethal -- make no mistake about it: the most important guard on the floor for either team is Ford. Syracuse's zone has given its opponents fits, and if Ford struggles against the 2-3, Texas will lose. Ford must penetrate the top of the zone and suck the Orangemen defense to him, so he can distribute the ball to teammates running the baseline. And no one in the country has been better at finding his teammates -- especially running baseline -- than Ford. Another key guard is Texas' Royal Ivey, a stringy 6-3 defensive specialist who likely will draw the assignment of sticking Anthony. If Ivey, whose numbers don't even begin to tell his story at 7.5 ppg., 3.5 rpg., can contain Anthony and keep him around his tournament average (17.7 ppg., down from 22.0 in the reg. season) Texas' chances of advancing improve greatly.
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Carmelo Anthony
AP |
Frontcourts
Texas is the deepest team still remaining in the tournament, and the Longhorns will need that depth against the athletic frontcourt of Syracuse. If he stays out of foul trouble (not a given), Texas center James Thomas (10.5 ppg., 10.0 rpg.) can neutralize Syracuse's Craig Forth (0.5 ppg., 2.3 rpg) and shot-blocking sub Jeremy McNeil (4.5 ppg., 5.0 rpg.). More to the point, however, Texas will have to find answers for Hakim Warrick (12.3 ppg., 6.0 rpg.) and Kueth Duany (7.3 ppg., 6.0 rpg.) on the offensive glass, as both Syracuse forwards are amazingly quick to the ball and can squeeze through the tiniest cracks in the defense. Texas will need strong rebounding games from Brad Buckman (4.5 ppg., 3.3 rpg.), Brian Boddicker (10.3 ppg., 7.5 rpg.) and Jason Klotz (4.5 ppg., 3.5 rpg.). Much like Ford is the focus in the backcourt, Anthony is the story up front. If Ivey struggles to stay with Anthony early, Texas coach Rick Barnes will have to find a Plan B. Against Oklahoma, Anthony was aggressive early, setting the tone for a big game. Chances are several Longhorns will get their shot against Anthony, including Byron Mouton and Deginald Erskin.
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| While Syracuse's success against Big 12 teams in this tournament has been celebrated and discussed at length (even in this column), there are two reasons why things can be different for Texas. First, while Oklahoma State and Oklahoma had only one day to prepare for Boeheim's strangling zone, Barnes and the Longhorns have had a week to work on its weakness -- high penetration and distribution to baseline runners. Second, when the high post and penetration are not working, the other way to beat a zone is quick ball movement around the perimeter to find open jump shots. And where Oklahoma was hesitant to hoist 3-pointers, don't look for the same from Texas. Barnes will give the green light to shooters such as Mouton (35 percent 3-pointers), Boddicker (47 percent 3-pointers) and the flammable reserve, Sydmill Harris (41 percent 3-pointers), all who will let fly with abandon.
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Syracuse forward Carmelo Anthony
Freshman, 6-8, 220 pounds
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Texas guard Royal Ivey
Junior, 6-3, 190 pounds
We'll let you and your friends argue about who the best player remaining in the tournament is, be it Dwyane Wade, Nick Collison, Ford or Anthony. However, there is no debate regarding the most dynamic player still competing. Anthony has all the offensive moves of a veteran NBA player -- or even one in high school (You Know Who). Anthony can cross over and get to the glass from the wing. He loves getting to the baseline starting with a quick first step and ending with a two-hand flush. He can post up and get an opponent in foul trouble. He can hit the turnaround -- and the mid-range -- jumper. Or he can shoot over smaller defenders. It's this last skill that may benefit Anthony most, as Ivey gives up five inches to Anthony. |
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| The outcome of game comes down to one thing: the 2-3 zone. More specifically, it's how Texas attacks the zone that will determine the victor. Everything we know about Ford tells us he will be aggressive, slipping into the heart of the Syracuse defense and dropping off passes to cutters as the defense collapses. Remember, although we haven't seen the downside yet, the Orangemen's defense can be a Catch-22. It's the only defense Syracuse plays, and if Ford can penetrate and pitch early and Texas is successful shooting the 3-pointer, Boeheim, Anthony and Co. could be in for a long night. Two years ago, Syracuse caught another Big 12 team in the second round-Kansas-on a hot-shooting night and the Jayhawks destroyed the Orangemen 87-58 behind 56 percent shooting from the floor, including 7-of-14 from 3-point range. More recently, we saw it in the Big East semifinals when UConn shot 60 percent against the zone and won 80-67. We don't expect that type of blowout here, but we do think Texas wins.
The pick: Texas 72, Syracuse 65
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 Click here for Mark Button's breakdown of Kansas vs. Marquette |
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