Avoid foul trouble

Yes, Syracuse’s team is deeper than it was last year. But a seven-player rotation can still wear paper-thin like it did against Georgetown. Nothing is scarier than having your back against the wall and no frontcourt to rely on while bringing an inexperienced freshman on in a prime-time situation (sorry, DaShonte). Villanova’s tiny lineup will go right at Arinze Onuaku and Rick Jackson, trying to get them into foul trouble and forcing a repeat of the late-game panic against the Hoyas. But Onuaku and Jackson have been around the block and know how to deal with these situations – the two have only fouled out of two games each this year. For their sake, though, the frontcourt will have to try and not let the atmosphere go to their heads.

Utilize Wes Johnson

If there’s one thing we’ve learned about Syracuse this year that nearly everyone can agree on, it’s that the offense thrives when Wes Johnson is on. The explosive 100-point games from the beginning of the season were no coincidence, as Johnson waltzed through opposing defenses and broke them wide-open. Commanding more defenders means Andy Rautins will be open to take more 3s, Kris Joseph will have more room to drive and Brandon Triche will have an easier time finding his place in the offense. But when Johnson is down, the opposition is able to spread out and attack evenly, slowing down SU’s run-and-gun style. Of course, it’s well-known that Johnson hasn’t been healthy of late. A balloon-sized hand has hampered his drives and thrown off his shot accuracy. But there’s no better way to say ‘I’m back’ than in front of 34,000-plus at the Carrier Dome.

Get up early

The Carrier Dome is a bit of an anomaly on game day. When the stadium is loud, it’s deafening. But when Syracuse is losing, fans typically shell up and retreat into one of the nation’s most awkward silences (see the Georgetown matchup on Jan. 25). And for a team that thrives on momentum, this is something Syracuse will want to avoid against the Wildcats on Saturday. When the Hoyas broke out to a 14-0 run, the crowd was stunned, leaving it all on the players to gain the momentum back. But if the same thing happens against the Wildcats, Villanova may be slightly more reluctant to give the lead back. Remember, this game is more than just hype – a win or a loss can play a heavy hand to each team as they try and secure the best-possible tournament seed. So for the Orange to come out on top, it’s going to have to get up early, and keep it that way.

– Compiled by Sports Editor Conor Orr

Published on February 25, 2010 at 12:00 pm