Detroit Titans at #4 Syracuse Orange
Monday, December 17, 2012, 7:00 pm Eastern, TV: ESPN2
Carrier Dome – Syracuse, New York
Opening Line: Syracuse -20
Current Line: Syracuse -18 1/2
Opening Total: 151 1/2
Current Total: 151 1/2
Opening Money Line: Syracuse -4750 / Detroit +2375
Current Money Line: Syracuse -4000 / Detroit +2000
Legendary Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim can do something Monday that only Mike Krzyzewski and Bob Knight have done before. Boeheim has 899 wins and can get #900 as his 9-0 Syracuse Orange take on the 6-4 Detroit Titans, coached by Ray McCallum.
Detroit has played a tough schedule so far with losses at St. John’s 77-74, Miami-(FL) 77-62, Pittsburgh 74-61, and Bowling Green 70-65. The Titans have quality wins at home over Drake 85-79, Toledo 79-73, and Saturday against Akron 80-73. Detroit is undefeated at home and winless on the road. Detroit won the Horizon League tournament last year, and lost to Kansas by 15 in the second round of the NCAA tournament. The Titans have won 4 straight games. Detroit is 2-5 ATS this season and only one game had a total. It went over the total.
Syracuse has wins over San Diego St 62-49 (on an aircraft carrier in San Diego), and at Arkansas 91-82. Those are the only two road games so far for the Orange. Syracuse also has home wins over Wagner, Princeton, Colgate, Eastern Michigan, Long Beach St, Monmouth, and Saturday against Canisius 85-61. All home wins are by 20 points or more. The Orange are 6-0 ATS and the total is 2-2 this season.
Syracuse leads the series 4-1, including the last meeting in 2010 at home 66-55. Detroit won the first meeting in 1961, but Syracuse has won 4 straight games in the series.
Detroit is outscoring teams 78-71 this season. The Titans are 38th in scoring nationally. Detroit is shooting 42% from the field and 36.4% from 3 point range. The Titans make 70.9% of their free throws. Detroit averages 35.6 rebounds per game and gives up 32.8 to opponents. Titan opponents are shooting 46.8% from the field and 41% from 3 point range. The Titans are #321 or worse in both categories out of 347 Division I teams. Detroit averages 14 assists, 10 steals, 4 blocks, and 12 turnovers.
Coach’s son Ray McCallum, Jr averages 19.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.7 steals a game. Jason Calliste averages 13.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.6 steals a game. Nick Minnerath averages 11.7 points, and 6 rebounds a game. Doug Anderson averages 10.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.9 blocks a game. Juwan Howard, Jr. averages 9.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1 steal a game. Evan Bruinsma and P.J. Boutte make up the rest of the rotation. The only two players over 6-9 play less than 7 minutes a game in McCallum’s up-tempo style.
Syracuse is outscoring teams 85-57 this season. The Orange are #3 in scoring and #18 in points allowed. Syracuse is shooting 47.5% from the field and 33.7% from 3 point range. The Orange make 65.7% of their free throws. Syracuse averages 45.7 rebounds per game and allows 31.3 to opponents. Syracuse is second in rebounding nationally. Orange opponents are shooting 33.1% from the field and 27.3% from 3 point range. Syracuse is #1 in opponents’ field goal percentage and #24 in three point defense. The Orange average 19 assists, 12 steals, 9 blocks and 14 turnovers a game.
Brandon Triche averages 15.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. James Southerland averages 15.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.2 blocks per game. Michael Carter-Williams averages 12.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 10.8 assists, and 3.7 steals a game. C.J. Fair averages 11.7 points, 6.9 points, and 1.6 steals a game. Rakeem Christmas, DaJuan Coleman, Trevor Cooney, Baye Keita and Jerami Grant make up the rest of the rotation. Coleman averages 6.8 rebounds a game to lead the team. Keita averages 5.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks a game.
Detroit is 5-1-1 ATS against Big East teams, 3-1-1 in Monday games, 5-12 after a straight up win, 7-18-2 in non-conference games, 1-3-2 in road games after 3 or more straight home games, 2-6 after a cover, and overall, 5-16-1 against teams with a winning percentage above .600 and 1-4 in road games.
Syracuse is 6-0 ATS in non-conference games, and overall, 5-0 after a straight up win, 4-0 at home and after a straight up win of 20 points or more, 8-3 in Monday games, 8-17 at home against teams with losing road records, 2-6 after a cover, and 1-5 against Horizon League teams.
Coach Boeheim shouldn’t have to wait long to get his 900th win. Detroit doesn’t match-up well with Syracuse. The Titans score a lot of points, but their defense is lacking. Syracuse has the advantage in ever category on offense and defense. The Orange should win this game handily.
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