Cornell Big Red — 2017-18 Syracuse scouting report with Ivy Hoops Online

Lydon
Syracuse cruised past Cornell last year
Lydon
Syracuse cruised past Cornell last year

It’s time for The Juice Online’s annual exchange with  Ivy Hoops Online since another edition of Cornell-Syracuse is upon us. But this is not just another Big Red vs. Orange matchup. It’s the season opener for both teams, and it’s the first occasion for Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim to square off with his son, Cornell freshman forward Jimmy Boeheim. Check out TJO’s Syracuse scouting report for this matchup at Ivy Hoops Online, and here’s Ivy Hoops Online’s take on the Syracuse side of the Boeheim Bowl:

The Juice Online: Tell us about IvyHoopsOnline.

Michael Tony: IvyHoopsOnline is a blog that has provided a colorful take on Ivy League basketball since 2011, with a dozen writers who love reading the Ivy tea leaves.

TJO: What are the major story lines with Cornell?

MT: The Brian Earl effect was gradual but noticeable in the Princeton alum’s first season as coach in Ithaca. Earl’s implementation of a more methodical Princeton Offense-inspired system resulted in Cornell leading the Ivy League in two-point percentage, after it ranked just sixth in 2015-16. Cornell is a program in the right direction, but it still has a ways to go at both ends. The Big Red are ranked 214th in adjusted offensive efficiency and 218th in adjusted defensive efficiency per KenPom, so they don’t have any gaping deficiencies or prominent strengths apart from two-time Ivy leading scoring leader Matt Morgan and versatile point forward Stone Gettings. Cornell’s interior defense isn’t built to turn back opposing teams, as the Big Red roster doesn’t feature any players taller than 6-foot-8.

» Related: Roster analysis — 2017-18 Syracuse Basketball Preview

TJO: Who are the stars on Cornell?

MT: What’s great about Morgan, a junior guard, is that he just keeps getting better the more Cornell leans on him. As Kevin Whitaker of NYC Buckets noted in his Cornell season preview, Morgan has an offensive rating of 110 over seven games with usage at or exceeding 35 percent. In other words, Morgan gets more efficient as he factors more heavily into the offense, not less, which is highly unusual. Gettings, now a junior, was the only player in the Ivy League to finish in the conference’s top 10 in rebounds, assists and blocks last season. Freshman forward Jimmy “Red, not Orange” Boeheim, looked like he’ll be a game-ready, Earl-friendly threat from the get-go based on his performance in Cornell’s Red-White Scrimmage, as does JUCO transfer Steve Julian.

TJO: What are your predictions for the game?

MT: Syracuse makes hay against Cornell’s interior D and cruises to a 81-61 victory, and Jimmy Boeheim shows some promise in his first collegiate game.

TJO: Bonus question: over/under on how many times ACC Network Extra broadcast mentions that Jim Boeheim is coaching against his son?

MT: 30.5.

Make sure to check out the Syracuse scouting report for this matchup at Ivy Hoops Online.

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About Wes Cheng 2907 Articles
Wes has worked for Rivals.com covering the New York Knicks, as well as for Scout.com covering Syracuse athletics. Wes has also been a contributing writer for the South China Morning Post (Hong Kong), for SportsNet New York (SNY) as a news desk writer covering all of New York professional sports, and reported on the NBA and MLB for the New York Sportscene. A native of Long Island, New York, Wes graduated from Syracuse University in 2005 with a degree in journalism. Contact him at wes[at]sujuiceonline.com.