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Points scored by point guard Michael Carter-Williams in Syracuse’s 61-50 win over Indiana, a career high.

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Syracuse forward James Southerland’s sister, Sabrina, was named 2013 Girls Athlete of the Year by the Armory Track and Field Center on Thursday.

These two teams last met in the NCAA Tournament in 2011 when the Big East had 11 schools selected, forcing a second-round matchup between the No. 3-seed Orange and the No. 11-seed Golden Eagles.

The Matchups

Stats in 2013 postseason play

Point guard

Michael Carter-Williams

6-6 185 So.

10.1 ppg 6.7 apg

Junior Cadougan

6-1 205 Sr.

8.8 ppg 1.0 apg

Carter-Williams is as hot as he’s ever been while Cadougan’s tapered off in terms of raw production since the postseason’s started. If the Syracuse point guard shows the same range he did last game, the Orange becomes nearly impossible to defend.

Shooting guard

Brandon Triche

6-4 210 Sr.

13.4 ppg 2.9 apg

Vander Blue

6-4 200 Jr.

17.8 ppg 1.3 apg

Unlike Jordan Hulls, Blue can matchup physically with Triche. That doesn’t mean Triche should stop driving, though. When he does, SU’s offense transforms from predictable pass-and-shoot to a dynamic maze of slashes, dumps and kicks.

Small forward

James Southerland

6-8 215 Sr.

12.9 ppg 5.5 rpg

Trent Lockett

6-5 210 Sr.

7.0 ppg 8.5 rpg

Southerland’s quiet showing against the Hoosiers hints he’s due to drop a few 3s on Marquette. Ability to stretch the opposing defense aside, this matchup is most crucial on the boards where Southerland is severely underrated.

Power forward

C.J. Fair

6-8 215 Jr.

14.0 ppg 6.4 rpg

Juan Anderson

6-6 210 So.

0.5 ppg 1.8 rpg

Anderson’s likely to give way to Jamil Wilson as he only played six minutes against Miami in the Sweet 16. The struggle for either player will be to keep track of Fair around the lane and limit his deadly mid-range jumper.

Center

Rakeem Christmas

6-9 242 So.

2.8 ppg 2.6 rpg

Chris Otule

6-11 275 R-Sr.

7.0 ppg, 5.3 rpg

While Otule plays more significant minutes than Christmas, the real center battle will be fought by Baye Moussa Keita and Davante Gardner where Keita, and Christmas, will be tested by an even stronger physical presence than Indiana’s Cody Zeller.

Coaches

Jim Boeheim

919-313

37 seasons

Buzz Williams

136-70

6 seasons

The two coaches are no strangers and the Orange zone will surprise no one. Both teams roll about eight-deep. Boeheim’s biggest game planning will have been done on shutting down Davante Gardner and Williams will push his player to hit the defensive glass and keep SU out of the transition play it revels in.

Published on March 30, 2013 at 12:48 am