It’s been a week since Syracuse’s lack of execution down the stretch cost the Orange a chance at a non-conference home win against Georgetown.
Today in Brooklyn, the Orange was a complete and utter embarrassment in a 87-60 loss to Maryland.
How bad, you ask?
Syracuse didn’t have more made field goals than turnovers until 6:14 left in the second half.
The Orange didn’t look prepared for Maryland’s defense despite knowing that the Terps are one of the best defensive teams in the country. Syracuse had no problem handing Kevin Willard’s squad live-ball turnover after the live-ball turnover.
The Terps are already one of the best teams in the Big Ten. They don’t need help, but it is Christmas, and Adrian Autry’s bunch was in a giving mood.
Maryland led 43-17 at the half in front of a crowd that sometimes sounded like a home crowd.
Anyone with common sense knew replacing Jim Boeheim would be tough. Boeheim’s superpower was making Syracuse a destination, and he was so good at it that fans lost sight of how difficult that was.
Autry has a collection of players who look like they have no idea what the point of the offense is if there is one. At times, the offense seems clueless. Now and then, the Orange will run a set play, but they are one of the poorest perimeter shooting teams in the ACC, so unless they are getting downhill, it is literally hit-or-miss. Of course, more misses than hits.
Where does Syracuse go next? More importantly, does the program know what “next” even looks like?
