The Syracuse Orange (2-0) travel to Philadelphia tomorrow to face the Drexel Dragons (1-2) in the Autumn Invitational. This one tips at 3:30 and is streaming on Peacock and here’s what we’re watching for
tomorrow:
Kevin- Hit the glass
Drexel wants to play like most teams, which means taking 3s. Syracuse has defended the arc well, but the rebounding could be better. The Orange wing players have started the season by helping out on the defensive boards and I want to see players going after long rebounds so the Orange can get out and run. If the perimeter guys can rebound, it allows Donnie Freeman and William Kyle a chance to get to the rim for easy buckets
Sam: Three-point volume
Syracuse’s first two opponents attempted just 27 total three-pointers. I asked Levell Sanders after his game against Niagara whether he planned on attempting more than 12ish threes per game, and he said that was a good number. Drexel isn’t exactly bombing threes out there, but they will attempt way more than Binghamton and Delaware State. Will the pendulum of variance begin to swing?
Dom: Maintaining the defensive intensity
As Sam has pointed out to our staff, Syracuse’s pressure (especially in the half-court) is noticeably different compared to last year. The offense it has faced are not close to the level it’s going to see once P4 opponents start to appear on the schedule, but the athleticism across the board is suffocating, leading to turnovers and generating a substantial number of points for the offense, who has struggled so far from the perimeter. Especially with the big tournament in Vegas fast approaching, keeping that defense consistent will be key for the Orange going forward.
Szuba: Guard matchup
Drexel’s top four scorers are all guards. Can Syracuse keep those guys in check? The Dragons want to shoot it as Kevin mentioned, so I’ll be curious to see how aggressive the defense wants play on the perimeter and whether Syracuse can turn them over. If JJ Starling can’t go this could be another good opportunity for Bryce Zephir.
*********************************************************************************************************What will you be watching for in this one?
