In Monday?s title game, either Jim Boeheim or Roy Williams will get the national championship that has eluded him. Kansas is the better seed. Here?s how the Orangemen can pull off the upset:
Utilize all their assets on offense. Carmelo Anthony wasn?t a first-team AP All-America, but he probably will be the best player on the floor Monday -- as he has been all season. Still, during the Syracuse?s decisive 13-2 run against Texas, how many points did Anthony score? Zero. Hakim Warrick made two free throws and a spectacular dunk. Gerry McNamara hit a three and a two, and Josh Pace contributed a basket and a pair of free throws.
Continue to make their free throws. If past Syracuse teams had shot this well from the charity stripe, Boeheim already would have a championship to his name. This year's Orangemen have a sure thing in McNamara, who has missed nine of 99 attempts this season.
Everybody else who shoots free throws with regularity can make them. Anthony, Warrick, senior Kueth Duany, and Billy Edelin all shoot nearly 70 percent.
Don?t slow it down, but don?t make it a race. Syracuse thrives in the full-court game, just like Kansas. The Jayhawks make nearly half their shots, and Syracuse holds opponents to less than 39 percent. Apart from Kirk Hinrich, Kansas isn?t known for busting zones with the three. But Michael Lee was perfect against Marquette, and Aaron Miles set the tone against the Golden Eagles with an early trey.
If the Jayhawks can?t shoot 42 percent from behind the arc as they did against Marquette, they?ll need Keith Langford to attack the zone for easy baskets, and they?ll need a transcendent effort from Nick Collison.
Command the paint. The Jayhawks? interior passing can lead to easy baskets by everybody. If they don?t make shots, Collison is the best in the country at turning offensive rebounds into two-foot bank shots. Craig Forth and Jeremy McNeil -- who didn?t attempt one basket against Texas -- still play a large role. The Orangemen don?t count on them for points or rebounds, so their sole goal will be to keep Collison and Jeff Graves under control.
Continue to keep their emotions under control. Despite their youth, the Orangemen haven?t seemed awed by their surroundings so far. Though Kansas is a senior-led team, they're also carrying more baggage. With the possibility that Roy Williams might be headed for North Carolina, Kansas may be feeling that it?s the end of an era.
Both teams have played loose all tournament. If Kansas tightens up with the championship on the line, the Orangemen will have the last laugh
Utilize all their assets on offense. Carmelo Anthony wasn?t a first-team AP All-America, but he probably will be the best player on the floor Monday -- as he has been all season. Still, during the Syracuse?s decisive 13-2 run against Texas, how many points did Anthony score? Zero. Hakim Warrick made two free throws and a spectacular dunk. Gerry McNamara hit a three and a two, and Josh Pace contributed a basket and a pair of free throws.
Continue to make their free throws. If past Syracuse teams had shot this well from the charity stripe, Boeheim already would have a championship to his name. This year's Orangemen have a sure thing in McNamara, who has missed nine of 99 attempts this season.
Everybody else who shoots free throws with regularity can make them. Anthony, Warrick, senior Kueth Duany, and Billy Edelin all shoot nearly 70 percent.
Don?t slow it down, but don?t make it a race. Syracuse thrives in the full-court game, just like Kansas. The Jayhawks make nearly half their shots, and Syracuse holds opponents to less than 39 percent. Apart from Kirk Hinrich, Kansas isn?t known for busting zones with the three. But Michael Lee was perfect against Marquette, and Aaron Miles set the tone against the Golden Eagles with an early trey.
If the Jayhawks can?t shoot 42 percent from behind the arc as they did against Marquette, they?ll need Keith Langford to attack the zone for easy baskets, and they?ll need a transcendent effort from Nick Collison.
Command the paint. The Jayhawks? interior passing can lead to easy baskets by everybody. If they don?t make shots, Collison is the best in the country at turning offensive rebounds into two-foot bank shots. Craig Forth and Jeremy McNeil -- who didn?t attempt one basket against Texas -- still play a large role. The Orangemen don?t count on them for points or rebounds, so their sole goal will be to keep Collison and Jeff Graves under control.
Continue to keep their emotions under control. Despite their youth, the Orangemen haven?t seemed awed by their surroundings so far. Though Kansas is a senior-led team, they're also carrying more baggage. With the possibility that Roy Williams might be headed for North Carolina, Kansas may be feeling that it?s the end of an era.
Both teams have played loose all tournament. If Kansas tightens up with the championship on the line, the Orangemen will have the last laugh
