The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel did what many other publications do when Syracuse rolls into town — Resort to time-honored clichés using the word “Orange.”
After starting the week 18-0, the No. 3 Orange has dropped its last two games against No. 4 Pittsburgh and No. 7 Villanova. That leads to the fairly logical conclusion that the Orange, while very good, are not among the elite.
Syracuse, which shoots 67.7 percent collectively from the line, has been the victim of aggressive free throw defense all season. It is currently ranked 167th in the NCAA at the charity stripe.
Joseph struggled in the early season, scoring just 10 points against Canisius and three points against Detroit. After a 3-for-12 shooting performance against N.C. State, head coach Jim Boeheim noted that Joseph looked like he was “auditioning for something” and demanded more of his rising star.