Pittsburgh, PA- The Syracuse Orange overcame an ice cold first half and a poor shooting performance to outlast the Pitt Panthers 60-55 Saturday afternoon at the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh. Freshman reserve big Bourama Sidibe had a breakout performance for Syracuse, as he scored a career-high 18 points and pulled down 16 rebounds. Sophomore Tyus Battle was the other Orange player in double-figures with 14 points and five rebounds. Two Pitt players posted double-doubles in the game as Jared Wilson-Frame scored 18 points and collected 13 rebounds, while point guard Marcus Carr scored 16 points and dished out 12 assists.
Sidibe came into the game averaging just three points and three rebounds, but the 6-10 freshman showcased his potential against Pitt. Sidibe is a long and lanky athletic rim protector who challenges shots and finishes plays around the basket. He plays with a high motor and is an aggressive rebounder. Against Pitt, Sidibe was an efficient 6-of-8 from the field on mostly plays at the rim, but he was also 6-of-8 from the foul line. Sidibe blocked three shots and altered others.
Pitt guard Wilson-Frame has shouldered the load for Pitt many times this season. He logs a high number of minutes per game and is Pitt’s primary scorer, which often leads to numerous inefficient shooting games. Against Syracuse, Wilson-Frame was just 7-of-23 from the floor, including 3-of-13 from distance. He does play hard and with a high-motor, with some of his inefficiencies coming due to being one of the only true scorers Pitt has. Wilson-Frame used his strength and physicality to fight for rebounds, pulling down 13 today, including six on the offensive end. He also accumulated three steals in the game.
Syracuse sophomore Battle had a solid game for the Orange. The 6-6 combo guard is a long, athletic wing player whose strength is his slashing ability, but is a capable three-point shooter with good form on his jumper. Against Pitt, Battle was an efficient 5-of-10 from the field, including 2-of-6 from three and a long two with a toe on the line. He is a solid rebounder and has all the physical tools to be a really good on-ball defender at the next level. Battle excels in transition and also possesses a strong floater and in-between game.
Freshman point guard Carr posted his first career double-double putting up 16 points and handing out a career-high 12 assists. Carr did an excellent job finding gaps in the zone, getting the ball to the foul line area and either creating for his teammates or taking the mid-range jump shot. Carr possesses good court vision and passing ability but sometimes still struggles with ball security (3 TO vs. Syracuse). He is a solid three point shooter with good form and release. Carr plays a solid floor game and plays with high basketball IQ.
Syracuse will continue its road trip as they head to Atlanta to play Georgia Tech on Wednesday. Pitt will embark on a three game road trip starting in Miami, when they take on the Hurricanes on the same night.
This article was written by Nate Toth, a correspondent and scout for NetScouts Basketball. You can follow us on Facebook, or on twitter. We are looking for those interested in our basketball scout certification program. For information contact us and forward your resume.
