Spring Break
The Daily OrangeAnthes | Strange but true: Roberts should follow Watkins
By Rob Anthes
Posted: 2/27/06, 12:28 AM EST Section: Sports
Roberts provides a huge emotional spark for the Orange it can not do without. In essence, Syracuse played more than half the game without a huge piece thanks to Roberts' foul trouble, damaging SU's chance to win.
"He's one of the catalysts of this team," Syracuse guard Eric Devendorf said. "When he gets going the whole team gets going. It definitely hurt."
In the end, what it comes down to for Syracuse is all the pieces need to fit together for the Orange to really shine. That wasn't the case against the Hoyas, and SU fell flat.
While Syracuse is and always has been a guard-oriented team, it needs an inside threat to pull defenses off the shooters. Watkins has made great strides, and Roberts has shown he is capable of great things. The Orange needs both of them to play well if there's any hope for success the rest of the season.
"Mookie played great," Syracuse guard Gerry McNamara said. "Without him, this game is a lot worse. It's such a difference. You see Terrence get in foul trouble and what he did for us in the West Virginia game, the difference when our big guys play well. We're so much better. We need both of them in there."
This much is true - the big men are the difference between a two-point upset win and a 15-point loss. Only one of them fulfilled that call this weekend.
Rob Anthes is an assistant sports editor at The Daily Orange, where his columns appear occasionally. E-mail him at rmanthes@syr.edu.
"He's one of the catalysts of this team," Syracuse guard Eric Devendorf said. "When he gets going the whole team gets going. It definitely hurt."
In the end, what it comes down to for Syracuse is all the pieces need to fit together for the Orange to really shine. That wasn't the case against the Hoyas, and SU fell flat.
While Syracuse is and always has been a guard-oriented team, it needs an inside threat to pull defenses off the shooters. Watkins has made great strides, and Roberts has shown he is capable of great things. The Orange needs both of them to play well if there's any hope for success the rest of the season.
"Mookie played great," Syracuse guard Gerry McNamara said. "Without him, this game is a lot worse. It's such a difference. You see Terrence get in foul trouble and what he did for us in the West Virginia game, the difference when our big guys play well. We're so much better. We need both of them in there."
This much is true - the big men are the difference between a two-point upset win and a 15-point loss. Only one of them fulfilled that call this weekend.
Rob Anthes is an assistant sports editor at The Daily Orange, where his columns appear occasionally. E-mail him at rmanthes@syr.edu.
