Chris Jones suspended as Cards face Syracuse
As the University of Louisville prepares to renew its old Big East rivalry with Syracuse, it will do so without starting point guard Chris Jones.
Jones was suspended for an unspecified violation of team rules. U of L coach Rick Pitino said he could not comment on the matter, and freshman Quentin Snider is expected to start in Jones's place.
Jones is a key cog in Louisville's rotation and averages 13.6 points per game. His suspension, for now, is one game.
The last time the University of Louisville and Syracuse squared off, it was a significant part of Louisville's run to the 2013 national title.
U of L, then on a nine-game winning streak, routed Syracuse on national television in the Big East tournament championship game at Madison Square Garden. From there, the Cardinals won six more games and captured coach Rick Pitino his second NCAA crown.
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Wednesday's meeting between the teams is nowhere close to that level of importance, but it rekindles the fierce rivalry that once existed between two of modern college basketball's powerhouses. It also brings back memories, many good and some bad, for Pitino.
"Syracuse has always been a tough place to play for anybody," he said, before labeling Syracuse as one of the two ACC opponents that worried him when the schedule was released.
"Because of their zone – we're not a great pass-and-catch team. I was overly concerned with their defense."
Pitino is one of the few coaches in over the years who has figured out a way to beat Syracuse's patented 2-3 zone, which is always packed with tall, lean, athletic defenders who challenge shots and play fast.
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His U of L teams are 9-4 against Jim Boeheim's Syracuse squads, and they'll be favored to win again on Wednesday. But you wouldn't guess that the way Pitino talked about his team this week, or if you watched Louisville's surprising 74-65 loss to NC State.
Louisville (20-5, 8-4 in the ACC) shot 32.8 percent and looked nothing like the top-10 team it was at the time, then dropped to 12th in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches polls on Monday.
"That was the only game of the year where I was really disappointed with the team," Pitino said. "You've got to have your defense. There's going to be a night when you're not shooting well."
In years past, Louisville has had success against Syracuse because of good shooters and sharp passers, Pitino said. Luke Hancock and Russ Smith could make shots over Syracuse's zone, and big men like Gorgui Dieng could deliver quick, incisive high-low passes to teammates for easy baskets.
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But the 2014-15 Cardinals have to work to score points, and they have to figure out a new way to generate extra scoring chances as their turnover creation decreases by the game.
Pitino said Monday that he'd do two things to expedite that process: Play skilled-but-skinny freshman 7-footer Anas Mahmoud more, and substitute out any U of L player who doesn't pass the ball to All-American forward Montrezl Harrell if he's open.
"I've got to start to play him," Pitino said of Mahmoud, "and live with his weaknesses."
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Mahmoud and company will be matched up against a Syracuse team that has no postseason to play for.
The Orange (16-9, 7-5 in the ACC) imposed a self-ban on the ACC and other postseason tournaments as punishment for an ongoing NCAA investigation. It'd be hard to guess that was the case considering the way Syracuse played in an entertaining 80-72 loss to Duke on Saturday.
"People keep asking, 'Why do you think Syracuse is playing so hard when they can't make the tournament?'" Pitino said on his radio show. "Well, that's exactly why they're playing so hard: This is their tournament."
All that means the Orange should be juiced for another Louisville-Syracuse and Pitino-Boeheim showdown. The two Hall of Fame coaches have a long history, dating back to when Boeheim hired Pitino as an assistant in 1976.
When Syracuse left for the ACC before the 2013-14 season and the old Big East broke up, it wasn't clear if that history with Louisville would continue. But it will, and Wednesday's game will be a fun reminder of that.
"We've just got to be ready," Pitino said.
Reach U of L beat writer Jeff Greer at (502) 582-4044 and follow him on Twitter (@jeffgreer_cj).
TODAY'S GAME
NO. 12 LOUISVILLE AT SYRACUSE
7 p.m., Syracuse, N.Y.
TV: ESPN Radio: WKRD-790 and WHBE-680.