Orange drop Big East opener

Syracuse faithful have tried to be patient with the vaunted class of 2007. After three years of inconsistency, their senior year is put up or shut up time. If the Big East opener versus Pitt last night was any indication, this could be a quiet season. The Orange lost for the third time at the Carrier Dome this season and dropped to 0-1 in Big East play with a 74-66 defeat. Senior trio Demetris Nichols, Daryl Watkins, and Terrence Roberts played well in spots, but could not do enough to seal a big win. Beating a top ten team is no easy task, but the Orange had plenty of opportunities to do so. Pitt did not take the lead until the first basket of the second half, but would not relinquish it. Syracuse has showed time and again this season they will battle back from deficits, but with a limited bench last night it was very difficult. Matt Gorman sat out with injury, Terrence Roberts missed most of the second half after receiving a blow to the face, and freshman Mike Jones has left the team.

Lavance Fields paced Pitt with an impressive array of big threes and tough drives to the basket. Everytime Syracuse made a run in the second half, either Fields or backcourt mate Antonio Graves came up clutch. All-American candidate Aaron Gray struggled against the mixing defenses, finishing with 9 points and 9 rebounds. Credit Daryl Watkins with a tenacious defensive effort. Entering last night's game, Demetris Nichols lead the Big East in scoring. He showed why in the first half, scoring from all over the court. But as he has done in the past, he lost his aggressiveness in the second half. Pitt's defense made it difficult for him to get looks, but he still does not command the ball enough. He attempted only three shots in the second half and was a relative non-factor. The last of the class of '07, (I discount Matt Gorman because he came in with Carmelo) Terrence Roberts played pretty well before getting knocked out of the game. He still plays a bit too fast at times and takes some questionable shots, but got a few tough buckets in the paint last night.

The seniors aren't the only inconsistent ones. Several underclassmen need to play a huge role this season. They got a boost last night from a re-energized Eric Devendorf. Devendorf, whose been slowed by injuries and personal issues, showed what made him so impressive as a freshman last year. He is a pure scorer who does a great job of creating his own shots. However, when Boeheim benched Josh Wright for being careless with the basketball, Devendorf showed questionable decision making himself. If Wright continues to make these mistakes, more ball-handling responsibilites will be thrown on Devendorf. Wright has shown more of a scoring touch this season, but gets caught up trying to push the tempo. He's prone to turnovers, something this team can ill afford. The defense is most effective when it has time to set up in the zone, which is usually after made baskets. Having to play transition defense is not a good fit for this team. Inserted as a starter for the troubled Devendorf, Andy Rautins showed great range and good court vision throughout the game. He brings a lot of energy and will be good coming off the bench in the future. Last, but certainly not least, is highly regarded freshman Paul Harris. The most athletic player on the team, Harris seems content to defer to his older teammates. His inability to knock down long shots has let opponents play off him to limit his ability to get to the basket. He is a tremendous rebounding guard and playmaker. Boeheim should allow the ball to be in his hands more, and probably will with Wright's turnover troubles. If Syracuse wants to contend in the Big East this season, they will need to start beating good teams at home. They have a good mix of senior leadership and talented underclassmen. Boeheim just needs to continue trying to find the lineup that will blend together well.