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Syracuse continues its nonconference schedule with Niagara on Thursday after narrowly winning against Bryant in its season-opener on Friday. Head coach Jim Boeheim said postgame that Friday’s matchup shouldn’t have been played. 

SU will be without starting center Bourama Sidibe, who the team announced will be sidelined around four weeks with a torn meniscus. 

Former Syracuse quarterback Greg Paulus, Niagara’s head coach, brings his team to the Carrier Dome for its season-opener Thursday. Here’s everything you need to know about the Purple Eagles: 

All-time series: Niagara is Syracuse’s 12th most common all-time opponent. Syracuse is 35-23 against the Purple Eagles.

Last time they played: 

Syracuse controlled almost the whole game in last year’s meeting in the Carrier Dome, coasting to a 71-57 win. Forward Elijah Hughes dominated, leading all scorers with 19 points, nine assists and nine boards. Sidibe stuffed the stat sheet with 10 points, 13 rebounds, five blocks and three steals. 

Niagara played a combination of zone and man-to-man but didn’t have answers for Syracuse’s offense, which had four players score in double-digits.

Betting odds: N/A

The Niagara report: 

The Purple Eagles, led by guards Marcus Hammond and James Towns, finished sixth in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference out of 11 last year with a 12-20 overall record. Towns graduated, but Hammond is returning. The junior shooting guard led Niagara in scoring (14.3 points per game) and finished ninth in the conference in average. Nearly half of Hammond’s field goal attempts came from behind the arc. 

Niagara had the 325th most efficient defense in the nation last year, according to KenPom. They allowed opponents to shoot 35.6% from three and fouled too much, sending players to the line for free points. Besides freshman Touba Traore (6-foot-11), the Purple Eagles only have one player 6-foot-9 or higher, so the loss of Sidibe shouldn’t hurt Syracuse too much inside. 

How Syracuse beats Niagara: 

Without Sidibe, everyone else will need to step up. Marek Dolezaj will presumably assume the brunt of the center minutes, but if he gets in early foul trouble, SU will have to turn to unproven options such as Jesse Edwards or freshman Frank Anselem. The rebounding of Quincy Guerrier and Alan Griffin will be crucial on both ends of the court, regardless of who’s manning the middle. 

Offensively, Joseph Girard III will have to play much better than he did in the opener. He shot 2-for-14 against Bryant, which Boeheim said was about as bad as he can play. He also struggled in last year’s matchup with Niagara, going 4-for-12 and 1-for-7 from 3. If he can’t get going, Syracuse might be in trouble. 

Stat to know: 17.7%

With its lack of front court size, Niagara really struggles on the offensive glass. It collected just 17.7% of its misses last year, a percent ranked 352nd in the nation and above only Wyoming. One way to attack the Syracuse zone — especially one without its 6-foot-11 center — is by crashing the glass hard. The Purple Eagles don’t appear to be equipped to do that very well. 

Player to watch: No. 10 Marcus Hammond, junior shooting guard

Hammond was one of the MAAC’s most efficient players last year. He finished in the top-10 in both true shooting percentage and turnover rate, indicating he takes smart shots and values the ball. Without Towns, his offensive role will likely be expanded, and he’ll be expected to become a better playmaker. Syracuse’s guards will have to locate him on the perimeter to prevent him from getting hot, as he’s a 42.5% 3-point shooter.

Published on December 2, 2020 at 4:00 pm

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