Beat writer predictions

Michael Cohen: Syracuse 68, Indiana 67

Are you Smarter than a fifth-grader?

Ryne Gery: Indiana 73, Syracuse 67

Smart pick.

Chris Iseman: Indiana 74, Syracuse 70

Welcome to Indiana basketball.

The Matchups

Point guard

Michael Carter-Williams

6-6 185 So.

7.8 ppg 7.7 apg

Jordan Hulls

6-0 182 Sr.

5.25 ppg 3.0 apg

Carter-Williams has the length and athleticism to frustrate Hulls, but if Hulls gets room he’s nearly automatic from beyond the arc, shooting 46 percent on the year.

Shooting guard

Brandon Triche

6-4 210 Sr.

13.3 ppg 3.0 apg

Yogi Ferrell

6-0 178 Fr.

8.5 ppg 3.5 apg

Ferrell is talented, but inexperienced. Triche, however, needs to quit settling for jumpers and attack the rim to take advantage of the undersized Ferrell.

Small forward

James Southerland

6-8 215 Sr.

14.2 ppg 5.2 rpg

Victor Oladipo

6-5 214 Jr.

12.3 ppg 8.0 rpg

Southerland continued his hot shooting against California, but Oladipo, one of the best perimeter defenders in the nation, will match up with Southerland if the forward gets hot.

Power forward

C.J. Fair

6-8 215 Jr.

14.5 ppg 6.0 rpg

Christian Watford

6-9 232 Sr.

11.8 ppg 5.5 rpg

Watford’s shooting lets Indiana stretch the floor, but Fair can do the same for Syracuse as the Orange’s most consistent player. He also gives SU an advantage athletically.

Center

Rakeem Christmas

6-9 242 So.

3.3 ppg 3.0 rpg

Cody Zeller

7-0 240 So.

15.8 ppg 15.0 rpg

Christmas is a starter just by title now as Baye Moussa Keita has been getting the majority of time at center. Either way the All-American Zeller has a major advantage.

Coaches

Jim Boeheim

918-313

Tom Crean

274-177

Crean has turned Indiana around, but Boeheim has a national title under his belt and won both meetings with Crean’s Marquette team when the two played in the Big East.

Free throws

Indiana big man Cody Zeller became the third member of his family to be named Indiana Mr. Basketball. Tyler Zeller, who now plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Luke Zeller, now last played for the Phoenix Suns, won the 2008 and 2005 awards respectively.

Indiana point guard Jordan Hulls’ grandfather, John, served as a shooting coach under legendary head coach Bob Knight at Army and IU.

Stat to know

Michael Carter-Williams dished out just three assists in Syracuse’s 66-60 win over California in the Round of 32, the fewest helpers the point guard handed out in an SU win since Feb. 16 against Seton Hall.

Big number

4 – Number of points Victor Oladipo allowed in a victory over then-No. 1-Michigan, according to ESPN analyst Jay Bilas’ Twitter account. The Indiana wing guarded four different players over 45 possessions.

 

Coaches

Jim Boeheim

918-313

Tom Crean

274-177

Crean has turned Indiana around, but Boeheim has a national title under his belt and won both meetings with Crean’s Marquette team when the two played in the Big East.

Free throws

Indiana big man Cody Zeller became the third member of his family to be named Indiana Mr. Basketball. Tyler Zeller, who now plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Luke Zeller, now last played for the Phoenix Suns, won the 2008 and 2005 awards respectively.

Indiana point guard Jordan Hulls’ grandfather, John, served as a shooting coach under legendary head coach Bob Knight at Army and IU.

Stat to know

Michael Carter-Williams dished out just three assists in Syracuse’s 66-60 win over California in the Round of 32, the fewest helpers the point guard handed out in an SU win since Feb. 16 against Seton Hall.

Big number

4

Number of points Victor Oladipo allowed in a victory over then-No. 1-Michigan, according to ESPN analyst Jay Bilas’ Twitter account. The Indiana wing guarded four different players over 45 possessions.

Published on March 28, 2013 at 3:40 pm