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The Notre Dame Fighting Irish (11-8, 3-3) tip off against the No. 1 Syracuse Orange (20-0, 7-0) on Saturday afternoon in Big East conference play.
Despite an inconsistent performance during the non-conference schedule, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish have proven to be a difficult matchup in Big East play. This has proven particularly true in the opening half against No.1 Syracuse, as Notre Dame delivered an impressive offensive effort in the opening half to take a 35-23 lead over the undefeated Orange.
On the offensive end, Notred Dame delivered a complete team performance, shooting 54.5% from the field as a team. Eight different players scored in the opening half, with Alex Dragicevich leading the way with eight points on 2/4 shooting from the field. The Irish were particularly good from behind the arc, drilling 6/10 attempts.
Notre Dame contained the explosive Syracuse offense in the opening half. Syracuse shot just 8/28 from the field and looked like a completely different team without Fab Melo in the lineup. James Southerland was the leading scorer for the Orange in the opening half with eight points on 3/6 shooting.
Check out, the SB Nation's blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician for everything Orange, whileOne Foot Down is all about the Irish. For more on Big East basketball, visit the SB Nation blog Big East Coast Bias. If you're a college basketball nut, well, SB Nation's college basketball hub will solve your hoops cravings.
It can't get much more difficult that it will be for the Notre Dame Fighing Irish (11-8, 3-3) on Saturday afternoon when they take on the undefeated and No.1-ranked Syracuse Orange (20-0, 7-0). Big East conference play can always be a wrecking ball, but any time you take on a team that's riding a 20 game winning streak, while suffering a two-game losing streak yourself, it compounds the matter by tenfold. The one thing that cuts in favor of the Irish is that they host the game. They are 10-1 at home this season, while Syracuse has only played four true road games thus far. Then again, the Orange has won seven out of the last eight times they have played Notre Dame on the road. Still, maybe ESPN knows something we don't when it comes to this one.
The Orange have done a lot of good things this season, but an unsung hero along the way has been point guard Scoop Jardine. Although the senior has seen his stats dip a bit from his junior year, he is more efficient and less turnover prone than ever before. SB Nation New York's Jared Smith breaks down why he thinks Jardine is a championship caliber point guard right now:
At times, mainly in the past, Jardine's self confidence hurt SU. However, with a new role in 2012, which takes a lot of his "lets force the issue here" decision making out of his hands, he has become an outstanding assets to guys like Joseph, Waiters, and 3-point threat, junior forward James Southerland, whose productions have all been either more efficient or has increased this season.
Mock Mr. Jardine all you want, but this is one Syracuse basketball beat writer who's standing (and or living and dying) by him.
Here is some information to help you find the game:
Game date, time: 5:00 p.m. CT, Saturday, Jan. 21st, 2012
Location: Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center, South Bend, IN
TV: ESPN
Spread: Syracuse is currently favored by 9 points, and the over/under is currently 134.5 points.
Check out, the SB Nation's blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician for everything Orange, whileOne Foot Down is all about the Irish. For more on Big East basketball, visit the SB Nation blog Big East Coast Bias. If you're a college basketball nut, well, SB Nation's college basketball hub will solve your hoops cravings.
Notre Dame Vs. Syracuse Score Update: Fighting Irish Earn Signature Upset
In order to stay in the top half of the Big East standings throughout the season, Notre Dame knew it had to defend its home court throughout conference play. Despite hosting the No. 1 ranked Syracuse Orange, the Fighting Irish did just that, delivering a complete performance in their 67-58 upset victory over the previously undefeated Orange.
With a focus on controlling the tempo and playing team basketball on the offensive end, the Fighting Irish were able to limit the number of possessions. Notre Dame shot 50% from the field, hitting 20/40, and out-rebounded Syracuse by 13. Jack Cooley led the way for the Fighting Irish, scoring a team-high 17 points and pulling down 10 rebounds for the double-double. Scott Martin chipped in 13 points in the victory, while Jerian Grant scored 11 points and dished out six assists.
Syracuse used its depth to try and rally, with Dion Waiters and James Southerland both coming off the bench to score in double-figures. Southerland scored a team-high 15 points, while Waiters added 11 on just 4/14 shooting from the field.
Check out, the SB Nation's blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician for everything Orange, whileOne Foot Down is all about the Irish. For more on Big East basketball, visit the SB Nation blog Big East Coast Bias. If you're a college basketball nut, well, SB Nation's college basketball hub will solve your hoops cravings.
Jan 21 7:34p by Max Mandel