Jim Boeheim didn’t need to give a lengthy explanation. Asked to talk about his Syracuse team’s trip to face Pittsburgh Monday, he gave the simplest answer of the matchup in ordinary circumstances.

‘It’ll be a tough game,’ Boeheim said. ‘Pittsburgh is as good as any team in the country. It’ll be a great game.’

But after SU’s leading scorer, Kris Joseph, went down against Cincinnati Saturday with a head injury, this game is no longer under ordinary circumstances. Without Joseph, No. 3 SU (18-0, 5-0 Big East) heads to Pittsburgh (17-1, 5-0 Big East) for a nationally televised matchup at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN. The two teams stand with Villanova as the only undefeated members of the Big East in conference play.

The Panthers’ only loss of the season came to then-No. 13 Tennessee on Dec. 11. They have taken care of all games since that point, winning seven in a row, including victories over Connecticut and Georgetown.

They have scorers — three averaging double figures. They pass fluidly — first in the nation in assists per game. And they have unprecedented physicality — first in the nation in rebounding margin.

‘They came in here last year and beat us,’ SU guard Scoop Jardine said. ‘They’ve beaten us probably every year I’ve been here.

‘They’re just a tough team. They have some guys that really play great on the offensive end. They have shooters. They have gritty guys.’

All of which makes this contest tougher for the Orange without its leading scorer.

The scene Saturday scared his teammates. Joseph laid on the ground after a hard foul that kept him out of the entire second half during Syracuse’s game against Cincinnati Saturday. Curled up, hands on his head and hiding his face, Joseph stayed down for more than a minute.

Eventually, he got up under his own power, dazed, and walked to the SU locker room.

Meanwhile, looking on from the bench, Joseph’s immediate replacement, C.J. Fair, knew the task at hand.

‘Kris, he’s our leading scorer,’ Fair said. ‘As far as me and James, we knew we had to try to fill in his shoes.’

 

Fair, of course, was referring to James Southerland. The pair combined to score 12 points and grab 11 rebounds in Joseph’s absence.

Southerland, especially, stepped into Joseph’s role seemingly with ease. He started the second half in Joseph’s usual spot — down low in the left of Boeheim’s 2-3 zone.

Immediately, he blocked a 3-point attempt from Cincinnati’s Dion Dixon, who had kept the Bearcats in the game with four first half 3-pointers. The block led to a Brandon Triche jumper that started a 16-0 run to open the half and blow open the game.

For Southerland, the sense of urgency kicked in.

‘I think Coach has enough confidence to believe that C.J. and I are going to step up for this team,’ Southerland said. ‘With me and C.J., I think we’ll be fine.’

Joseph went out with 7:02 remaining in the first half and the Orange holding a 22-15 lead. That lead shrunk to two before Fair grabbed an offensive rebound and put in a layup at the halftime buzzer.

In Joseph’s place, Southerland hit both of his field-goal attempts in the second half, and he created opportunities with his rebounds.

A rebound on the defensive end led to a quick break and a Fab Melo dunk. A rebound on the offensive end led to a 3 from Triche.

‘He’s been coming out here and knocking down 3-pointers, rebounding,’ Triche said of Southerland. ‘Especially if he rebounds. If he rebounds and he’s tough down there, there’s not going to be a difference.’

That toughness inside will be key Monday, as the Panthers have incredible balance with six players averaging more than four rebounds per game.

Syracuse has also had more balance than usual this season, though. At times, Boeheim employs a rotation of as many as 10 instead of the usual seven to eight. And Monday, that balance will be put to the test.

‘We’ve always been balanced,’ Boeheim said. ‘James has had a big role. C.J. has had a big role. It wasn’t any surprise to them to be out there. … We just have to be the best we can.’

bplogiur@syr.edu

Published on January 16, 2011 at 12:00 pm