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The Daily OrangeMBB | Dragon Tales: Drexel burns Syracuse for Orange's 3rd non-conference loss
Syracuse falls to 9-3 with 84-79 loss
By Jackie Friedman
Posted: 12/20/06, 12:57 AM EST Section: Sports
"We're fragile right now," head coach Jim Boeheim said. "We can't afford to play without Terrence. We had no answer defensively without him."
Nichols said Drexel continued getting the ball in the high post and kicking it back out, which led to the Dragons going 4-for-9 from 3-point land in the second half. Center Frank Elegar, who Roberts helped guard in the game's first half, accomplished a new career high with 27 points.
"We just needed another big man in there," Watkins said.
However, if Watkins hadn't accomplished the standout game he did, the gap in the score would have been much wider. Alongside his 13 rebounds, Watkins posted 14 points and five blocks before fouling out with a minute and a half to go.
On both ends, Watkins' contributions to the Demetris Nichols spectacle just didn't suffice. Watkins said he wants to be a member of Nichols' supporting cast, but thus far, the show's been from the two of them.
"We're relying so much on Demetris right now, and it's just not going to work," Boeheim said. "We need to find another option."
Who that option is remains to be unseen.
SU appeared on a rampage to come back with a pair of Nichols jumpers with just more than two minutes to go in the game. But as the Orange experienced in its two other losses this season, it was too little, too late. A pair of free throws by freshman Paul Harris cut the lead to three with 36 seconds to play, but the Dragons converted 3-of-4 free throws in the game's waning minutes.
In the last minute alone, Nichols, Harris and sophomore guard Andy Rautins all missed shots, and junior guard Josh Wright one of two free throws.
While the shots didn't fall, the intensity peaked. But that, Harris said, is just another part of the problem.
"If we could play as hard as we do when we're down when we're up, we'd win every game," Harris said. "We need to keep doing what got us the lead. We need to learn how to close games out."
Nichols said Drexel continued getting the ball in the high post and kicking it back out, which led to the Dragons going 4-for-9 from 3-point land in the second half. Center Frank Elegar, who Roberts helped guard in the game's first half, accomplished a new career high with 27 points.
"We just needed another big man in there," Watkins said.
However, if Watkins hadn't accomplished the standout game he did, the gap in the score would have been much wider. Alongside his 13 rebounds, Watkins posted 14 points and five blocks before fouling out with a minute and a half to go.
On both ends, Watkins' contributions to the Demetris Nichols spectacle just didn't suffice. Watkins said he wants to be a member of Nichols' supporting cast, but thus far, the show's been from the two of them.
"We're relying so much on Demetris right now, and it's just not going to work," Boeheim said. "We need to find another option."
Who that option is remains to be unseen.
SU appeared on a rampage to come back with a pair of Nichols jumpers with just more than two minutes to go in the game. But as the Orange experienced in its two other losses this season, it was too little, too late. A pair of free throws by freshman Paul Harris cut the lead to three with 36 seconds to play, but the Dragons converted 3-of-4 free throws in the game's waning minutes.
In the last minute alone, Nichols, Harris and sophomore guard Andy Rautins all missed shots, and junior guard Josh Wright one of two free throws.
While the shots didn't fall, the intensity peaked. But that, Harris said, is just another part of the problem.
"If we could play as hard as we do when we're down when we're up, we'd win every game," Harris said. "We need to keep doing what got us the lead. We need to learn how to close games out."
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Joel Cohen
posted 12/20/06 @ 8:38 AM EST
No mention of Harris or Devendorf, did they leave for Christmas break instead of a fast break?
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