Looking at the numbers, the player Syracuse C DaJuan Coleman most resembles on paper is Rick Jackson. Except, unlike Jackson, Coleman started 20 of the 24 games he played during his freshman season.
It has been a recent theme for Syracuse basketball to have highly ranked center recruits disappoint in their freshman years. It takes big men longer to get used to the college game, the saying goes. This was certainly the case for Coleman.
Tyler Ennis, who may well become the starting point guard for Syracuse next season when the Orange head to the ACC, led the barrage with a 28-point, 12-assist, 6-steal effort.
Now, Coleman may not have been the most important player on this SU team, but he will be missed greatly. We’re not just talking about talent missing anymore. We’re talking about sheer bodies.