Spring Break
The Daily OrangeMBB | After 0-for-7 outing, Rautins not worried about shooting
By Jared Diamond and Michael Bonner
Posted: 11/19/08, 1:30 AM EST Section: Sports
Andy Rautins stood at the foul line with four seconds left in the game, looking to finally get on the board. At that point, the Syracuse junior guard was 0-for-7 from the field, including 0-for-5 from 3-point range.
Rautins' first free throw fell short, hitting the front of the rim. The second bounced gently off the back rim and rattled before eventually dropping in. Rautins' final stat line: 26 minutes, one point, two rebounds and three assists.
"You know, shots didn't fall tonight," Rautins said. "Jonny (Flynn) picked up the slack and Eric did, too. I mean we came out with a W so I can't be mad at the outcome, but I'll be getting in the gym tomorrow and hopefully next game will go much better."
Rautins was coming off a solid outing against Le Moyne in SU's season opener. He tallied 12 points and a career-high nine assists in the Orange's 85-51 win over the Dolphins. But Rautins wasn't stellar from the field in that game, either. He shot 4-of-10 from the field and 3-of-9 from beyond the arc.
"I mean everything felt OK," said Rautins, who missed all of last season with a torn ACL. "It's just, you know, some of the shots didn't fall. I mean I could have gotten my legs underneath me a little more, but you're going to have those nights."
In his first two games back from the injury, Rautins is 3-for-14 (21 percent) from deep.
Even with the low shooting percentage, head coach Jim Boeheim knows Rautins' stroke will return.
"Andy got some great looks," Boeheim said. "You know, it's just going to take him some time to get his legs back. I'm comfortable with the five 3's he shot. He's going to make those once he (gets his legs back). It's going to take time."
KO'd
Kristof Ongenaet didn't fare any better, struggling for the second consecutive game. Syracuse's starting power forward did not score Tuesday night, playing 24 minutes and missing all three of his shots, including a 3-point attempt that wasn't close. Ongenaet started Sunday against Le Moyne but was in early foul trouble and scored only two points.
Despite Ongenaet's poor showing on offense, Boeheim did not seem too disappointed in his performance, citing Ongenaet's strong defensive effort. Ongenaet grabbed a team-high seven rebounds and blocked a shot.
"He brings what he brings," Boeheim said. "He's an energy guy. He helped us on defense. He had seven rebounds. That's what he's going to do. That's his game."
With Ongenaet held in check, Syracuse often went to a three-guard set, using Flynn, Rautins and Eric Devendorf on the court at the same time. Rick Jackson, who looked good in the preseason subbing in for Ongenaet, played only nine minutes, didn't score and snagged three rebounds.
Not so free throws
Syracuse's five-point victory easily could have been by a much wider margin if not for another disappointing effort from the free-throw line. The Orange shot 12-of-19 (63.2 percent) for the game and 10-of-16 (62.5 percent in the second half).
Flynn, usually a reliable shooter from the line, missed five free-throw attempts Tuesday night, including important shots down the stretch when Syracuse was looking to ice the game. He shot 2-of-4 in the game's final 30 seconds.
"I don't even want to talk about the free throw situation," Flynn said. "I'm just happy we got the win."
Syracuse shot 10-of-17 (58.8 percent) from the free-throw line Sunday in its season-opener against Le Moyne.
mibonner@syr.edu
jediamon@syr.edu
Rautins' first free throw fell short, hitting the front of the rim. The second bounced gently off the back rim and rattled before eventually dropping in. Rautins' final stat line: 26 minutes, one point, two rebounds and three assists.
"You know, shots didn't fall tonight," Rautins said. "Jonny (Flynn) picked up the slack and Eric did, too. I mean we came out with a W so I can't be mad at the outcome, but I'll be getting in the gym tomorrow and hopefully next game will go much better."
Rautins was coming off a solid outing against Le Moyne in SU's season opener. He tallied 12 points and a career-high nine assists in the Orange's 85-51 win over the Dolphins. But Rautins wasn't stellar from the field in that game, either. He shot 4-of-10 from the field and 3-of-9 from beyond the arc.
"I mean everything felt OK," said Rautins, who missed all of last season with a torn ACL. "It's just, you know, some of the shots didn't fall. I mean I could have gotten my legs underneath me a little more, but you're going to have those nights."
In his first two games back from the injury, Rautins is 3-for-14 (21 percent) from deep.
Even with the low shooting percentage, head coach Jim Boeheim knows Rautins' stroke will return.
"Andy got some great looks," Boeheim said. "You know, it's just going to take him some time to get his legs back. I'm comfortable with the five 3's he shot. He's going to make those once he (gets his legs back). It's going to take time."
KO'd
Kristof Ongenaet didn't fare any better, struggling for the second consecutive game. Syracuse's starting power forward did not score Tuesday night, playing 24 minutes and missing all three of his shots, including a 3-point attempt that wasn't close. Ongenaet started Sunday against Le Moyne but was in early foul trouble and scored only two points.
Despite Ongenaet's poor showing on offense, Boeheim did not seem too disappointed in his performance, citing Ongenaet's strong defensive effort. Ongenaet grabbed a team-high seven rebounds and blocked a shot.
"He brings what he brings," Boeheim said. "He's an energy guy. He helped us on defense. He had seven rebounds. That's what he's going to do. That's his game."
With Ongenaet held in check, Syracuse often went to a three-guard set, using Flynn, Rautins and Eric Devendorf on the court at the same time. Rick Jackson, who looked good in the preseason subbing in for Ongenaet, played only nine minutes, didn't score and snagged three rebounds.
Not so free throws
Syracuse's five-point victory easily could have been by a much wider margin if not for another disappointing effort from the free-throw line. The Orange shot 12-of-19 (63.2 percent) for the game and 10-of-16 (62.5 percent in the second half).
Flynn, usually a reliable shooter from the line, missed five free-throw attempts Tuesday night, including important shots down the stretch when Syracuse was looking to ice the game. He shot 2-of-4 in the game's final 30 seconds.
"I don't even want to talk about the free throw situation," Flynn said. "I'm just happy we got the win."
Syracuse shot 10-of-17 (58.8 percent) from the free-throw line Sunday in its season-opener against Le Moyne.
mibonner@syr.edu
jediamon@syr.edu
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