ESPN Men's Basketball

For the next month or so, our friends at The Mag are previewing one high-profile school per day for their Summer Buzz series. For the sake of all that is synergistic, yours truly will be attempting the same, complementing each comprehensive Insider preview with some adjusted efficiency fun. Today's subjects? Butler and Syracuse. (For today's take on Butler, click here.) Up next? Georgetown.

2009-10's Syracuse season opened with a whimper. It ended with a Sweet Sixteen loss to Butler. But between those low lights -- an exhibition loss to the mighty LeMoyne Dolphins and an offensively dormant upset at the hands of an elite Butler defense -- the Orange were as consistently good as any team in the country.

A few months removed from that brilliant effort, it's easy to forget that most people didn't project Syracuse as a top 25 team, let alone a national title contender. The departures of Jonny Flynn, Eric Devendorf and Paul Harris made most onlookers assume the Cuse would go through the typical big-program standby year while coach Jim Boeheim's talented recruits figured out the Big East for themselves.

Of course, that's because we didn't know about Wes Johnson, the Iowa State transfer whom Boeheim oh-so-accurately predicted as a top 10 draft pick back when the rest of us were bleating, "Wes who?" Boeheim was right. Johnson was that good. And combined with the strong interior play of Arinze Onauku and Kris Joseph, the deadly accurate shooting of Andy Rautins, and the always-tricky 2-3 zone, Syracuse was very much a member of the elite.

With Johnson, Rautins, and Onauku gone, Syracuse loses its second Big Three in two years. But this time, most college hoops fans shouldn't be so eager to write the Orange off.

Why? Because the 2010-11 Orange could do the same thing the 2009-10 Orange did: Absorb talented, veteran losses, incorporate newcomers seamlessly, and enjoy yet another year at the top of the college hoops dogpile.

Much of that will come down to the play of Boeheim's much-touted newcomers. Seven-foot, 274-pound Brazilian Fabricio Melo -- heretofore and forever known as "Fab," which is about as awesome a nickname as you can ask for -- is the No. 1 center in the class of 2010. At this point in his development, Melo specializes in low-post scoring, meaning he could be the perfect replacement for the efficient Onauku.

Whether Syracuse can weather the loss of Johnson on the defensive end -- who led the Cuse in defensive rebounding rate last season and posted a 5.7 percent block percentage, second only on the team to bench forward Rick Jackson -- will hinge on whether Melo can shorten his learning curve considerably and use his size to dominate the middle of Syracuse's zone in year one.

Melo has been getting much of the Syracuse-related recruiting attention, but there's also Dion Waiters, the No. 2 shooting guard in the incoming class. According to ESPNU's scouts, Waiters is already an elite offensive threat who attacks the rim with impressive explosion and body control.

There are a few key stats the Orange must approximate if they want to have a repeat of last year's season. The biggest is shooting: With a team effective field goal percentage of 57.6, Syracuse was the second-best shooting team in the country in 2009-10. It wasn't hard to see why: Johnson and Rautins were hyper-efficient shooters from the perimeter, while Onauku and Kris Joseph pounded the ball inside and scored from under the hoop. (I'd love to see a highlight reel of baskets from four feet or less by Syracuse last year. Sometimes, watching the Cuse play felt like watching that reel.) That dynamic attack made Syracuse the eighth-most efficient offense in the country.

Melo should help where the latter is concerned. For the former, Syracuse's ability to stay versatile from the wing -- and to make a few buckets from beyond the arc -- will have to come by committee. Brandon Triche and Mookie Jones both shot a higher FG percentage than Johnson last season; Jones actually shot better than every other Orangeman save Onuaku. (Yes, including Rautins.) Triche and fellow backcourt mate Scoop Jardine appear poised to start together, with Jardine at the point and Triche in the Rautins-esque shooting combo role. If Waiters can provide shooting of his own, Syracuse should be able to keep their jump-shooting game in the same ballpark as last season's impressive effort.

There's no getting around the fact that Syracuse lost much of its attack this spring. Johnson was an NBA-ready talent with versatility to spare. Rautins, though prone to turnovers, was a hot shooter who kept the Syracuse offense humming. Onuaku made the most of his touches in the lane. All three did different things; all three contributed in big ways to the team's success.

But there's a sneaky little fact about Syracuse's efficiency profile: Three of the team's top four possession contributors return in 2010. Those three are Jardine, Triche, and Jones. All three will feature prominently in the new look Cuse, and all three have skill sets that can combine to make up what Syracuse lost in the backcourt departures of Rautins and Johnson.

Factor in a pair of top-level recruits, including one that should help shore up the loss of Onuaku in the post, and it would almost be surprising if Syracuse didn't succeed in the coming season. They may not be as good as last year's team. We might not be fitting Syracuse for a No. 1 seed come March. But none of Syracuse's personnel losses are devastating or irreplaceable, especially not on a team this deep and talented.

The Big Three is gone -- again -- but Syracuse can adapt. Boeheim's program is humming. Warning to the college hoops minds of the world: Don't leave Syracuse out of your top 25 this time.

Ohio State's Evan Turner continued his sweep of national player of the year awards by taking home the Wooden Award on Friday night in Los Angeles.

Turner spent the previous evening hanging out with Jimmy Kimmel, and on the nationally televised show, Kimmel managed to flash some knowledge by calling the Buckeyes star as Evan "The Villain" Turner.

That's the nickname that walk-on teammate and blogger Mark Titus famously bestowed upon Turner, who broke into a huge smile while sitting in the audience alongside Wooden Award finalist Wes Johnson of Syracuse.

"I'm going to say a prayer for you guys that neither of you winds up on the Clippers," Kimmel joked.

Both players laughed at that one, but Johnson, who hasn't yet announced his intentions, actually might be headed to the Clippers according to at least one mock draft.

Yes, The Associated Press has released its 2009-10 All-American teams, and there are few surprises on the lists. But that doesn't mean everyone is going to agree.

Anyway, since it's easier to just chew on a list, here's the first, second and third All-America squads:

First team

• John Wall, guard, Kentucky
• Evan Turner, guard, Ohio State
• Wes Johnson, forward, Syracuse
• Scottie Reynolds, guard, Villanova
• DeMarcus Cousins, forward, Kentucky

Second team

• James Anderson, guard, Oklahoma State
• Sherron Collins, guard, Kansas
• Greivis Vasquez, guard, Maryland
• Jon Scheyer, guard, Duke
• Da'Sean Butler, guard, West Virginia

Third team

• Greg Monroe, forward, Georgetown
• Cole Aldrich, forward, Kansas
• Damion James, forward, Texas
• Luke Harangody, forward, Notre Dame
• Darington Hobson, forward, New Mexico

It's worth noting that the All-American teams aren't lineup specific, even though that first-team starting five looks pretty well apportioned. Positions don't really matter, which is why the third team would probably beat the second team thanks to sheer size.

Anyway, those are three pretty good lists, if you ask me. Reynolds faded down the stretch and turned in an uncharacteristically quiet NCAA tournament performance, but he carried his team for much of the season, and I have no real problem with his inclusion. Others have already criticized DeMarcus Cousins' place on the first team thanks to Cousins' 23.5 minutes per game average, but so what? Cousins was so good that he didn't need to play more than that to change the face of every game he entered. He still averaged a double-double, and while it would have been nice to see what he could do with Wall's 35 minutes a game, Cousins was never that player. But he was still that good. (And assuming it was always Cousins' fault he wasn't on the floor more seems a little silly. Sure, Cousins had his share of foul issues, and there were plenty of times when he needed to put his temper back in the box. But Kentucky coach John Calipari also had Patrick Patterson and Daniel Orton on his front line, and you're not going to bench Patterson or ignore Orton no matter how good Cousins is. There are other, long-term considerations -- the NBA draft, how the program looks to recruits, etc. -- to be made there.)

Other than that, some might complain that Harangody was included on the third team. Harangody was injured for the most successful patch of Notre Dame's season after all, and he returned just in time to play a key role in his team's first-round tournament loss to Old Dominion. But at the risk of getting too sappy, Harangody deserved some recognition for his outstanding career, and if that means a slightly suspect inclusion on the third-string All-American team, so be it.

What about you, commenters? Any issues with your 2010 All-Americans?

Three things to watch is a quick preview of the NCAA tournament's second weekend. It is exactly what it says it is.

Thursday games in Salt Lake City: No. 5 Butler vs. No. 8 Syracuse, 7:07 p.m. ET and No. 6 Xavier vs. No. 2 Kansas State, 9:37 p.m. ET

Thing One: Jacob Pullen vs. Jordan Crawford. If you thought last week's matchup was a challenging one for Kansas State's guards, welcome to the Sweet 16. This week, the Wildcats will face one of the hottest players in all of college basketball, Crawford. (If they manage to contain Crawford and beat Xavier, Kansas State will likely be awarded with the honor of trying to guard Andy Rautins and Wes Johnson, which, yikes. But let's focus on the Sweet 16 for a second.) Crawford averaged 27 points in his first two tournament games against Minnesota and Pittsburgh. At Indiana, Crawford was a paragon of potential without much polish; in his second year since transferring, he's turned that potential into a complete offensive game. He's nearly impossible to stop. Then again, we would have said the same thing about BYU's Jimmer Fredette, who spent much of the season having his way with opposing guards only to be contained by Pullen in the second round. Pullen pulled double-duty in Kansas State's win, defending Fredette on one end and contributing an efficient 34 points on the other. Pullen v. Crawford. It sounds like a Supreme Court case. Instead, it's one of the best guard match ups you'll see all tournament. Don't miss it.

Thing Two: Hey, man, slow down. If Butler has any hope of beating No. 1-seed Syracuse in Thursday's early game, they have to slow the ball down. Like, big-time. The Bulldogs don't much care for a fast-paced game anyway -- they average 64.8 possessions a game, good for 275th in Division I -- and this proclivity for sloth could mitigate some of the Bulldogs' other disadvantages. The last thing Butler will want to see is Syracuse's long zone getting into passing lanes, creating turnovers, and getting easy buckets. Or, almost as bad, getting lots of long rebounds and run-outs into the secondary break. Rautins loves the secondary break. The goal for Brad Stevens' team is simple: Get the ball into the middle of the zone. Don't turn it over. Get genuinely open looks from outside. Make them. And, for the love of Hinkle Fieldhouse, slow down.

Thing Three: Fortunately, this sort of slow pace will be a little bit more advantageous for Butler with Arinze Onuaku still out of Syracuse's lineup. Butler's task is hard enough. With Onuaku out of the middle of the lane, that slow-it-down-and-get-it-inside strategy looks a little bit more viable; with Onuaku in the game, Syracuse is more than happy to play a bruising half-court style, and as good as Matt Howard is, it's hard to imagine him staying step-for-step with a healthy Arinze for 40 minutes.

But that's at all! Here's one bonus bold prediction from the West: Jordan Crawford has an off-night, going 6-for-24ish from the field, and Kansas State takes a surprisingly easy win on their way to the Elite Eight. What? I'm totally counting that as bold.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- There was a point this season when Wes Johnson couldn’t even pick up his laptop. His hand, injured in a fall at Providence, was swollen and sore to the point of uselessness.

When he went up to shoot, he could barely feel the ball in his hand. When he went to practice, there was more he couldn’t do than he could do.

Note to the teams heading to Salt Lake City: His hand is all better now, thanks.

Johnson scored a career-high 31 points on 11-of-16 shooting and added 14 rebounds to lead an 87-65 humiliation of Gonzaga usually reserved for first-round games.

In a game when the Orange were squeezed playing without Arinze Onuaku and relying heavily on six guys, Johnson played all 40 minutes.

“Yeah, I think it’s fine now,’’ Johnson said with a grin when asked about his hand.

That’s almost as critical a bit of news as the status of Onuaku’s leg injury.

The Syracuse nation has been obsessed with Onuaku’s leg since he injured it in the Big East tournament quarterfinal against Georgetown. The Orange faithful should have been more concerned about Johnson’s ability to return to form since late February.

Johnson is on the eve of becoming a very rich man in the NBA, and it's rare that a national championship team doesn’t have a star on its roster.

North Carolina had a roster full of them in 2009. Ditto Kansas in 2008, Florida in 2007 and 2006, North Carolina in 2005, and Connecticut in 2004. In 2003, of course, Syracuse had Carmelo Anthony.

As well as all the parts working together for Syracuse, they work a whole lot more effectively when Johnson plays as he did against the Bulldogs.

Only Blake Griffin (30 points, 14 rebounds, 80 percent shooting against Syracuse, and 33 points, 17 rebounds, and 70 percent shooting against Michigan in 2009) has had a more productive NCAA tournament day since 2000.

“If he hadn’t had this injury, he would be up at an even higher level now than he is,’’ Jim Boeheim said. “He was playing at a really high level and getting better. That just took him right back down for eight games. He’s just getting back.’’

Back at just the right time, too.

The Orange will need everything Johnson can give over the next two weeks. With a short turnaround here -- Syracuse plays Thursday in Salt Lake City -- it would seem a long shot that Onuaku will be ready to go. He hasn’t practiced yet and Boeheim talked about the importance of getting freshman DaShonte Riley even stronger in the next week.

Syracuse can win without Onuaku -- just ask Gonzaga -- but the Orange has to win differently.

The porous Zags’ defense allowed the Orange to shoot 54 percent from floor and nail 12 3-pointers, the most by a Cuse team in NCAA tournament history.

Syracuse can’t count on that happening every night.

What might happen, though, is the 38 points the Zags were able to score in the paint. Rick Jackson got smacked with his third foul with 9:53 left in the half, pushing Riley into duty. He performed admirably, but he is hardly the anchor that Onuaku is, and it would be unfair to expect him to be. The freshman played in 125 minutes in the regular season.

“That never would have happened; (Arinze) doesn’t allow that to happen,’’ Boeheim said. “He controls that paint area. They were able to overcome it because we shot the heck out of the ball. If we don’t shoot the heck out of the ball, then those points down there are really going to hurt you.’’

Unless the Cuse can wish upon their star.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Some quick observations from a second-round game that looked a heckuva lot more like a 1-16 first-round game (somewhere Vermont is smiling for giving Syracuse a tougher game than the Zags).

• Kentucky's dismantling of Wake Forest was impressive, but in my book, this was even more impressive. Playing with essentially five guys and a little bit of DaShonte Riley, Syracuse completely humiliated Gonzaga. Smoked 'em offensively, schooled 'em defensively. If anyone thought the injury to Arinze Onuaku took the Cuse out of the national championship derby, I'm guessing they're rethinking that now.
• The fact that Wes Johnson is back to his old self is far more significant than the status of Onuaku's leg. Not to discredit the importance of Onuaku, but Johnson at his best means a lot more in the grand scheme of things for the Orange. And the way he played today -- 31 points on 11 of 16 shooting, 4 of 6 from the arc and 14 rebounds in 36 minutes -- should send out a flare to everyone else left in the bracket.
• The Orange only go six deep without Onuaku but five of those six can dominate the game at any time. They practically took turns against Gonzaga -- Johnson to start, Brandon Triche midway through the first half, Andy Rautins to begin the second. Sprinkle in a little Scoop Jardine, Kris Joseph and Rick Jackson and you realize just why this team is so hard to beat.
• I'll be curious to see if Onuaku can play in Salt Lake City. That regional begins on Thursday and Onuaku hasn't practiced since injuring his leg against Georgetown more than a week ago. Do the Orange absolutely need him? Apparently not. Would it be good to have him when you push into the second weekend? Absolutely.
• As for Gonzaga? Well the band was fun. Seriously, this is a team that can be fun to watch offensively but also is a team that was absolutely run out of the gym by Duke. Shouldn't be terribly surprising this happened. The Zags don't play enough defense which means when they can't shoot -- and they couldn't have scored with a ladder to the hoop against Syracuse -- they can't win.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- A few halftime observations from an entertaining and fast-paced early game here at the HSBC Arena.

• Mark Few ought to forbid his guards from shooting. Flat-out say no. They are 2 of 9 from the arc and absolutely failing miserably at penetrating the Syracuse zone. After working patiently to get the ball inside to Robert Sacre and Elias Harris to start the game, the Zags are launching jumpers to the sheer joy of the Orange. All this while Rick Jackson sits on the bench with foul trouble.
• The Zags have 20 points to Syracuse's 16 in the paint. It's a clear advantage that worked well early and is the only way Gonzaga will get back in this game. The Bulldogs need to try and force Jackson into his fourth foul.
• Credit DaShonte Riley. He's not exactly art in motion but the little-used freshman stemmed the tide ably while Jackson hit the seats. He has an assist and a steal, and yes, a few mistakes, but the Orange aren't any worse for it.
• Wes Johnson looks like the guy who made jaws drop in November/December. The electrifying soon-to-be draft pick has 15 points, shooting with the kind of confidence he showed before a hand injury made everything so difficult. The Zags don't have anybody who can guard him but have done a poor job of even trying, leaving him wide open for three 3-pointers.
• A little defense wouldn't be a bad thing for the Bulldogs, either. Syracuse is torching the Zags with 60 percent shooting from the floor and 50 percent from the arc. No way no how Cuse loses when it shoots like that.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- A quick glance at the two second-round games on tap here Sunday:

Syracuse vs. Gonzaga

Key to the game: How Gonzaga handles the Syracuse zone will be critical. The Zags are an excellent shooting team, connecting at nearly 50 percent from the floor. They shot well against Florida State, one of the top defensive teams in the country, in the first round. But FSU isn’t Syracuse. Beating the zone requires patience and a willingness to make the extra pass every single possession.

“The only way you’re going to beat that thing, the teams that have done that, have stepped up and made shots,’’ coach Mark Few said. “We won’t go away from that. I think all of our guys will be key tomorrow.’’

Player(s) to watch: Robert Sacre and Elias Harris. How the big men play for Gonzaga will be critical. Without Arinze Onuaku, Syracuse will roll out a considerably smaller lineup, which should give the Zags an advantage. The two big men could wear out or foul out Rick Jackson, forcing little-used freshman DaShonte Riley into serious minutes. But even more, the two bigs will need to be effective inside to crack the Syracuse zone. Their ability to double-up on Florida State – each had 13 – opened the game up for the Bulldogs.

Who has the edge: This could be a lot closer than people think but I believe the Orange, even as squeezed as they are without Onuaku, will win this one. They are capable of getting up and down when they need to, but can always call on their zone defense as a neutralizer. Besides, who from Gonzaga is going to handle Wes Johnson?

Missouri vs. West Virginia

Key to the game: Whenever Missouri takes the court, its pressure is always the key. The Tigers scored 20 points off turnovers against Clemson and 22 on fast breaks. Because Missouri is so good at not making mistakes itself -- it boasts the second-best turnover margin in the country -- limiting errors is critical. West Virginia can’t get baited into playing at the Tigers’ frenetic pace and absolutely has to keep the game in the halfcourt.

“We’re going to need everybody to help,’’ WVU coach Bob Huggins said. “They use their bench, so we’re going to have to use our bench. We understand that. But the other thing, in all honesty, timeouts in this tournament are about an hour and a half, so you have a lot of time to catch your breath.’’

Player to watch: Joe Mazzulla. He doesn’t start at point for the Mountaineers, but for the past three games he has logged more minutes than Truck Bryant. He’s a steadying presence and West Virginia will need every bit of his calm against the Tigers’ pressure. In a high-intensity Big East tournament title game, he played flawlessly, dishing out seven assists in 29 minutes. He didn’t commit a single turnover. He’ll need all of that and more against the Tigers.

Who has the edge: Tough call here but I’ll lean toward Mizzou (slightly). The Tigers played with perfectly contained freneticism against Clemson and could really be disruptive against a West Virginia team that doesn’t have great ballhandlers to begin with.

BUFFALO -- Here’s a quick look ahead to the first-round games here at the HSBC Arena:

Morgan State-West Virginia

Key to the game: Morgan State is hoping to avoid the 28-point beatdown Oklahoma put on the Bears in last year’s NCAA tournament first round. In that game, Morgan State had the MEAC player of the year and defensive player of the year. Could be a tall order against an angry (wanted the No. 1 seed) West Virginia team.

Player to watch: Da’Sean Butler. Seriously, if you have to ask you missed New York. The buzzer-beating king is a one-man highlight reel. Gritty and tough, he’s worked his way into a star.

Who has the edge: Gonna go out on a ledge and give the advantage to the Big East Tournament champions.

Clemson-Missouri

Key to the game: Both teams play the same sort of pressing style, but the Missouri Tigers do it more efficiently. Mizzou is second in the nation in turnover margin at plus-6.7. Clemson, in the meantime, coughs it up nearly 15 times per game.

Player to watch: Trevor Booker. How productive Clemson’s big man is will determine the winner. Missouri is without Justin Safford (ACL) and Laurence Bowers is playing with a balky wrist, which limits the Mizzou Tigers’ frontcourt considerably.

Who has the edge: Mike Anderson has continually overachieved in his career. Oliver Purnell has never won an NCAA tournament game in his career. Edge, Tigers. Missouri Tigers.

Gonzaga-Florida State

Key to the game: Pace. The Seminoles are one of the best in the country defensively, holding teams to just 37 percent shooting from the floor and 60.2 points per game. Gonzaga likes to go, shooting 49 percent from the floor and averaging 77 points per game. Who’s style wins?

Player to watch: Matt Bouldin. If the Bulldogs’ scoring machine -- he’s seventh on the all-time list -- can get hot, the Seminoles could be in trouble.

Who has the edge: Tough commute for Gonzaga and a tough matchup for a team that likes to score.

Syracuse-Vermont

Key to the game: Vermont’s basketball moment came against Syracuse. To repeat the magic, the Catamounts are going to have to stay in it from the beginning, especially against an undermanned Syracuse team. An early hole in the first 10 minutes? Over.

Player to watch: Wes Johnson. The player of the year candidate finally looked like himself again in the Big East Tournament. Saddled for much of February with a hand injury, he couldn’t even pick up his laptop at one point. If Johnson is on, the Orange are too.

Who has the edge: Even without Arinze Onuaku, this is a mighty tall order for Vermont. I’d argue that the Catamounts are a pretty good 16 seed, but not good enough for the ultimate Cinderella moment.

NEW YORK -- Lacking a crystal ball, Dr. Irving Raphael wasn’t terribly interested in making a prediction about what an MRI will reveal on Arinze Onuaku’s right knee on Friday morning, but the Syracuse team doctor was cautiously optimistic.

“He’s in a lot of pain right now but the X-rays were negative,’’ Raphael said. “He’s had problems with his knees before. We won’t know until we look in there but I think the key here will just be rest and the trainers taking good care of him.’’

That may not be the answer Syracuse fans are looking for right now but considering how bad things looked when Onuaku went down, it’s about as good as the news can get.

The big man got twisted with Georgetown’s Greg Monroe going for a rebound under the Georgetown hoop and lay in agony on the floor. Onuaku eventually left the court under assistance and went directly to the locker room, with Big East asociate commissioner Dan Gavitt escorting Onuaku’s parents right to the locker room soon after.

Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim labeled the injury a "strain," but Raphael clarified that the injury was to Onuaku’s quad tendon, a problem that has plagued the senior his entire career. Onuaku missed his sophomore campaign after undergoing surgery on his left year.

Last year he played on a rapidly deteriorating and fraying quad tendon in his right knee. Surgery this summer alleviated the injury but took him out of conditioning commission.

Onuaku will fly home with his team in the morning and have the MRI in Syracuse.

“Just seeing him go down like that, it was hard to see,’’ Wes Johnson said. “It was especially hard for me because he’s my roommate.’’

No one in the Syracuse locker room was terribly interested in imagining an NCAA tournament without Onuaku.

“We’re only thinking positive things right now,’’ Scoop Jardine said.

When pressed players and coaches said with resolve that they had the makeup to continue without Onuaku if necessary.

“These aren’t the kind of guys who are going to fold or back down,’’ associate head coach Mike Hopkins said. “If he can’t go, they’ll use it as motivation.’

For the Orange, Onuaku’s injury comes with an especially cruel twist in timing. The quarterfinal game against Georgetown marked the first time that Johnson felt right since injuring his hand against Providence on Feb. 2. Unable to even pick up his laptop, he played in games when he could barely feel the ball in his hands.

Finally with ice, rehab and time Johnson fell back into his player of the year stride on Thursday, scoring 24 points.

“We’ve handled adversity before,’’ said Andy Rautins, who had his own bout, missing all of 2007-08 with a knee injury. “We covered for Wes with his hand. If he can’t play, I think we’re more than capable of stepping up without him.’’

NEW YORK -- After a few avert-your-eyes games on the first two days of the Big East tournament, Georgetown and Syracuse have revved the energy in the building. What this game lacks in defensive intensity it more than makes up for in entertainment. Bodies are flying all over, shots are going up in rapidly and no lead is safe. Good stuff.

Here's a few things to keep an eye on when the second act begins:

• Neither coach can be terribly pleased with the defense. Syracuse is shooting 59 percent and Georgetown 48. I expect both teams to come out with more intensity on that end of the floor when play resumes.
• The Cuse has been entirely too sloppy The Orange has turned the ball over 11 times, leading to 16 easy buckets for Georgetown.
• Georgetown has done a terrific job getting inside the Syracuse zone but has been less effective shooting over it. The Hoyas have matched Syracuse for points in the paint with 18 but have struggled to shoot just 3-of-11 from beyond the arc, compared to 6-of-11 for the Orange. I am curious to see how Jim Boeheim adjusts defensively to plug the gaps and if the outside shooters can get rolling for Georgetown.
• Wes Johnson finally looks like a player of the year candidate again. Stymied with a hand injury, he's been less dominant in recent weeks. Today he has 12 points at the break. He is demanding the ball and is really active on the offensive end. Can he keep it up in the second act?
• Credit Greg Monroe for keeping active in the game, even when he is not scoring a bunch. He only has four points, but has dished three assists and four rebounds. Usually when Monroe isn't a factor in the first half, he has a big second half. We'll see how it plays out this time.
• The bench could be a critical factor here. Georgetown doesn't have much of one. Syracuse, on the other hand, has one of the best in Scoop Jardine and Kris Joseph. The duo already has 17 combined.

SYRACUSE -- A few thoughts as the deafening noise takes a little time off here in Orange County.

-- Scoop Jardine and Kris Joseph ought to split any sixth man of the year award given out this year. The two, who have been sensational the entire season, have injected energy and aggressiveness to the Orange. Jardine has pushed the tempo and has 12 points. Joseph has attacked the rim and has added nine plus seven boards.

-- Red-hot from the arc to start the game, Villanova has become too reliant on its 3-point shot. The Wildcats, who opened 4-of-5, finished 5 of 18. That's way too many 3s. They need to get back to penetrating the zone as Corey Fisher did to start the game and they also need to push the ball again. Villanova doesn't really run much of a half-court offense and struggles when forced into one. The Cats managed just two field goals in the final 11:31, surrendering a 9-point lead.

-- Syracuse can't afford to get complacent here to start the second half. Villanova almost assuredly is going to mount some sort of charge and the Orange -- which has been known to let a lead or two slide -- needs to be ready for it. The Orange also would do well to get its two best players involved. Wes Johnson, maybe still bothered by his hand, hasn't been a dominant presence at all and Andy Rautins, swarmed the entire half, hasn't been able to contribute either. The two have taken four shots apiece and have a quiet eight points.

SYRACUSE - Greetings from the Carrier Dome where I am amazed at how many different ways a person can wear orange.

This place is teetering on the brink of on edge, I'd say. Downtown has been buzzing all day and now the buzz is building inside. Even the seats never before sold for basketball - the ones where you can't see - are starting to fill up.

Here are a few things worth watching tonight when the frenzy ends and the game begins:

• Does the Orange crush continue? Already today the squeeze is on: Tennessee upset Kentucky and Oklahoma State stunned Kansas. Is it the upstate New York citrus' turn?

• Can Villanova use its dribble penetration to break the Syracuse zone? In Scottie Reynolds, Corey Stokes and Maalik Wayns the Wildcats have the speed to get up the court as well as the strength to get inside. To win, they're going to have to really push the ball and work on dribbling and kicking to guys on the wings.

• How will Wes Johnson play? The player of the year candidate has been slowed by a hand injury in recent weeks and his numbers reflect the injury. He hasn't topped the 20-point plateau since late January. But if Johnson is feeling healthier and stronger, watch out. He's an absolute matchup nightmare Villanova. The Cats don't have anyone with the size and strength to match his inside-outside game.

• Will Rick Jackson and Arinze Onuaku dominate inside? The Syracuse big men bring more height and heft to the floor than anyone that Villanova has to offer and could give Antonio Pena a heap of trouble... especially foul trouble. But for Jackson and Onuaku to take over the game, the Orange backcourt is going to have to get the ball to them. Can they get past the Wildcats is the real question?

• Finally how will Villanova handle the atmosphere? The Dome will set an on-campus attendance record tonight, breaking the mark set in the Gerry McNamara lovefest/goodbye in 2006. Can the Wildcats, who have been steady away from home all year, handle this atmosphere? It will be tough but remember this: in that McNamara game, Villanova was the opponent. And the Cats won.

WASHINGTON D.C. -- Syracuse clearly isn't interested in yet another tight game. The Orange have blown the doors off Georgetown in the first half, putting up more points (44) in the first 20 minutes than anyone has this season against the usually stingy Hoya defense.

Syracuse is shooting a blistering 54 percent from the floor and has been impressive in mixing up the way it's getting its buckets. It's been a 20-minute reminder of just why this team is good enough to win a national championship. Andy Rautins -- all but shut down by Louisville -- got things rolling with 10 quick points, but when Georgetown started concentrating on the arc, the Orange dished inside to Rick Jackson or Wes Johnson drove to the hoop.

Georgetown, on the other hand, looks completely vexed by the Syracuse zone. The Hoyas have taken 10 free throws but Greg Monroe is responsible for all but two of them. That's because Georgetown has been taking low percentage shots and barely challenging the Orange inside. The Hoyas have only four points in the paint to 14 for Syracuse. Monroe has taken just one field goal. Mix in Austin Freeman's rough start (2-of-9) and it doesn't bode well for the Hoyas.

I'm curious to see if Syracuse, which has squandered big leads before, keeps its foot on the gas pedal in the second half or if Georgetown, which has been a second-half team all season (averaging 40 points in the second half to 33 in the first), will make this interesting.