Men's Basketball

Beat writer Q&A: Houston Chronicle’s Joseph Duarte previews SU-Houston

Courtesy of Jamie Schwaberow | NCAA Photos

Syracuse will play No. 2-seed Houston in the Sweet 16 on Saturday night.

By Anthony Dabbundo

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No. 2 seed Houston (26-3, 14-3 American Athletic) will play No. 11 seed Syracuse (18-9, 9-7 Atlantic Coast) on Saturday in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. The Cougars are one of the nation’s top offensive rebounding teams and have won nine consecutive games entering the contest. 

The Daily Orange talked with Joseph Duarte, who covers Houston basketball for The Houston Chronicle, to learn more about the Cougars.

The Daily Orange: Where is DeJon Jarreau’s impact seen most within Houston, and how does his injury affect the team? 

Joseph Duarte: There is a reason coach Kelvin Sampson calls Jarreau the most indispensable player on the roster. He takes on so many different roles – facilitator, floor general, emotional leader. Just in the past year, Jarreau has developed into an all-around talent. He produced the program’s first triple-double in nearly 30 years with 15 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in the AAC Tournament quarterfinals against Tulane. Like every guard on the roster, Jarreau is relentless at chasing loose balls. His biggest strides have been in decision-making, allowing him to cut down on turnovers and post 100-plus assists for the third straight year. He played through visible pain in the second-round win over Rutgers and spent most of the week resting and receiving treatment for his hip pointer. The hip “feels fine,” Jarreau says, although it likely will remain a major storyline in the game. The Cougars become younger and look different if Jarreau is limited (particularly on drives to the basket) or must come out of the game for long stretches. 



D.O.: If the Cougars have a weakness within their team, what is it?

J.D.: This is not a good first-and even second-shot team, and many of their games involve winning “ugly.” Where Houston runs into problems, especially at this stage of the season, is scoring lulls that can sometimes go for 4-, 5- or 6-minute stretches. Quentin Grimes, the Cougars’ All-America guard, has been the most consistent scorer, but even he is streaky. But on any night, it’s a guess who else will show up. Marcus Sasser? He’s been up-and-down all season. Jarreau? He’s hit-or-miss. Perhaps freshman Tramon Mark? A few times this season, the Cougars have shown the potential with balanced scoring. If Grimes, Sasser, Jarreau and even forward Justin Gorham get going from 3-point range, watch out. 

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D.O.: How do the Cougars match up with the Syracuse 2-3 zone, and how have they fared against other zones this year? 

J.D.: Houston plays against a 2-3 zone maybe once a year, and it’s nowhere close to anything they will see from Syracuse. Houston has struggled against teams that press, most recently Memphis in the regular-season finale. To counter the zone, Houston this week kept going back to the things they do among the best in the country – offensive rebounds, the relentless pursuit of loose balls, points off turnovers and baskets in transition. Houston expects to have to take long 3s. It’s what comes next – “unscripted points” off second and third chances – is where the Cougars tend to do the most damage. 

D.O.: How will Houston match up with Buddy Boeheim and try to stop the Orange’s recent 3-point shooting barrage? 

J.D.: The defensive assignment will likely fall on Grimes, the 6-foot-5 guard who transferred from Kansas. Houston has been successful at defending the 3 this season, ranking fifth nationally with a 28.3% average. 

What else you should know before Syracuse takes on Houston:

D.O. What are the keys for Houston to win on Saturday night? Who wins, and why? 

J.D.: Even though they lack some of the traditional size, especially in the frontcourt, the Cougars are among the most physical teams in the country. They make up for shooting with rebounding and defense. They also do not make a lot of mistakes. Sampson is a master of making in-game adjustments, which could be key as Houston looks for openings against Syracuse’s 2-3 zone. With backs against the wall, Houston had to dig deep to rally from a 10-point deficit late against Rutgers. They had not been in that position much this season, and (it) now gives them confidence as they attempt to reach the Elite Eight for the first time since Phi Slama Jama. If Jarreau plays most of the game and is effective, the Cougars win 67-61.





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