2011-2012 Syracuse Orange
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Overall
34-3
 NCAA Elite Eight Schedule Results
Big East
17-1
 Big East Regular Season Champions Previous Next

Coach: Jim Boeheim

Player Cl Pos G GS Min FG FGA FG% FT FTA FT% 3PT 3PA 3P% Ast Reb DReb OReb Fls DQ TO ST BS Pts Ppg Apg Rpg
Scoop Jardine Sr G 37 37 934 126 266
47.4%
 38 69
55.1%
 39 103
37.9%
 181 87 72 15 39 1 85 50 4 329 8.9 4.9 2.4
Brandon Triche Jr G 37 37 834 121 287
42.2%
 62 80
77.5%
 42 120
35.0%
 95 91 56 35 51 0 51 37 4 346 9.4 2.6 2.5
Kris Joseph Sr F 37 37 1192 164 390
42.1%
 117 157
74.5%
 51 148
34.5%
 56 174 118 56 62 0 55 50 23 496 13.4 1.5 4.7
Rakeem Christmas Fr F 37 35 425 43 75
57.3%
 16 28
57.1%
 0 0
---
 7 108 68 40 63 4 23 11 30 102 2.8 0.2 2.9
Fab Melo So C 30 30 763 98 173
56.6%
 38 60
63.3%
 0 0
---
 21 175 95 80 85 3 43 15 88 234 7.8 0.3 5.8
C.J. Fair So F 37 9 977 115 248
46.4%
 78 105
74.3%
 6 24
25.0%
 34 199 125 74 54 0 29 40 18 314 8.5 0.9 5.4
Dion Waiters So G 37 0 891 170 357
47.6%
 86 118
72.9%
 41 113
36.3%
 92 85 67 18 69 1 48 67 12 467 12.6 2.5 2.3
James Southerland Jr F 37 0 593 96 206
46.7%
 23 33
69.7%
 37 110
33.6%
 14 115 82 33 49 2 13 31 34 252 4.9 0.5 3.1
Baye Keita So C 35 0 431 32 45
71.1%
 16 24
66.7%
 0 0
---
 2 87 52 35 66 1 11 7 35 80 2.3 0.1 2.5
Michael Carter-Williams Fr G 26 0 269 25 58
43.1%
 13 23
56.5%
 7 18
38.9%
 54 38 29 9 25 0 16 20 7 70 2.7 2.1 1.5
Mookie Jones Jr G 7 0 38 6 22 27.3% 3 5
60.0%
 5 17
29.4%
 3 4 3 1 1 0 1 5 0 20 2.9 0.4 0.6
Brandon Reese Sr G 13 0 19 1 8
12.5%
 5 7
71.4%
 0 2
0.0%
 2 4 3 1 1 0 3 0 0 7 0.5 0.2 0.3
Matt Tomaszewski Sr F 10 0 19 5 9
55.6%
 0 0
---
 4 7
57.1%
 0 5 3 2 3 0 0 1 0 14 1.4 0.0 0.5
Nick Resavy Sr G 11 0 15 1 4
25.0%
 0 0
---
 0 2
0.0%
 2 4 2 2 0 0 2 1 0 2 0.2 0.2 0.4
Matt Lyde-Cajuste Jr F 9 0 10 1 1
100%
 0 0
---
 0 0
---
 1 4 2 2 2 0 1 0 0 2 0.2 0.1 0.4
Griffin Hoffman Jr G 9 0 8 1 3
33.3%
 0 0
---
 1 3
33.3%
 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 3 0.3 0.0 0.0
Russ DeRemer So G 3 0 3 0 1
0.0%
 0 0
---
 0 0
---
 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Albert Nassar Fr F 2 0 2 1 1
100%
 0 0
---
 0 0
---
 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2.0 1.0 0.0 0.0
Nolan Hart So G 2 0 2 0 2
0.0%
 0 0
---
 0 1
0.0%
 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Trevor Cooney Fr DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.0 0.0 0.0

Syracuse started the season returning nine of the team’s top ten players from the previous year, plus two heralded freshman in Rakeem Christmas and Michael Carter-Williams. The only loss was Rick Jackson, the Big East Defensive Player of the Year, and the team’s top rebounder, but consensus was the depth of the team would make the difference. The AP poll thought the same with the Orange starting the year ranked #5.

The team did not disappoint anyone as the team went to 20-0, with wins over #10 Florida and #20 Marquette. The team’s defense was outstanding with Fab Melo dominating the interior paint with his shot blocking, and the Syracuse zone defense forcing opposing team’s into very poor shot selection. Syracuse was extremely adept at running the fast break off their defense, and would go on several big scoring runs in games. They would reach #1 in the nation before their December 17th game.

Syracuse was playing the deepest bench in coach Jim Boeheim’s coaching career, with 10 players involved in the game-to-game rotation. Boeheim was using four guards: Scoop Jardine, Brandon Triche, Dion Waiters and Michael Carter-Williams. C.J. Fair and James Southerland saw a lot of playing time off the bench at forward, with Kris Joseph and freshman Rakeem Christmas starting. Melo and Baye Keita manned the center position.

As well as the team played on defense, there were some struggles with the team on offense. The Orange were not very adept at running half-court sets, and struggled to find a consistent three point shot.

Trouble would first hit the team after the first semester when Melo was suspended for three games pending investigations into academic issues. The Orange defense struggled in those three games, and they would lose a lopsided game at Notre Dame, and barely win a close game against West Virginia.

Melo would be re-instated onto the team, and the Orange would win out the rest of the regular season. Waiters blossomed as the team’s best offensive player, though Boeheim preferred to use him off the bench. Waiters would, however, finish all games.

Christmas struggled all year, though he was starting most games. As the year progressed, he would get pulled earlier and earlier from the game, effectively starting but playing no other time.

The Orange would have some big wins down the stretch including a 64-61 overtime win against #12 Georgetown, and two wins against ranked Louisville, including a defensive battle 58-49 in front of 33,205 Carrier Dome fans to close the season. The Orange would easily win the Big East Regular Season Championship, going 17-1.

Boeheim would switch up the line up entering the Big East tournament, starting Fair over Christmas. The Orange would struggle against Connecticut, though beat them in the first round. They would then lose a close game to Cincinnati in the next round 71-68, though Fair and Waiters played very well.

At the close of the Big East Tournament it was once again announced that Fab Melo had eligibility issues for Syracuse University. The rumors were that they were academically related, though never confirmed. The University would suspend Melo for the NCAA tournament.

Syracuse received a well earned #1 seed in the NCAA tournament. However, the defense struggled in the first game, as the Orange barely beat UNC-Asheville. The Orange played much better in the second round with Waiters leading the way with 18 points, and Christmas having his best game of the season with 11 rebounds.

The Sweet Sixteen saw the Orange in a close game with Wisconsin. Strong play by Fair helped the Orange win 64-63. The Orange would face #2 seed Ohio State in the Elite Eight. Ohio State had All-American big man Jared Sullinger, and was expected to give Syracuse a tough time down in the middle. It was expected to be a tough game for both teams.

The officiating for the game was terrible, with numerous poor calls against both teams. The NCAA had been plagued with several poorly officiated games all season, and this was no exception. The two teams would be called for a combined 48 fouls. Waiters would foul out with only 20 minutes of playing time, Southerland with only 11. Sullinger missed playing time in the first half with foul trouble, and the two teams were tied 29-29 at the half. Ohio State would pull away in the second half of the game, and win 77-70, ending one of the most successful seasons in Syracuse basketball history.

The Orange would win a school record 34 games, tie the Big East record with 17 conference wins, and go undefeated at home.

© RLYoung 2011-2012