Illinois Throttles Syracuse Men’s Basketball 73-44

John Dales: Sometimes just not your night. And that was the case for Syracuse men’s basketball tonight in Champaign as the Orange fell to the Fighting Illini 73- 44.One of the biggest culprits was Joe Girard going scoreless. The senior put up zero points on 0-3 shooting in 20 minutes. And after the contest, his head coach said he’s just gotta start playing better.

Jim Boeheim: And he’s not really stepping up to do other things besides shooting. He’s not doing the other things, so that’s a problem. You know, he’s a senior. If he has no confidence now, then he shouldn’t be playing.

Coleman Hawkins: Girard is a good guy who can really get it off.We didn’t really allow that. We didn’t allow him to get going. But other than that, guys are kind of more catch and shoot guys. So just being there on the catch, kind of making them think more, get into that press, speeding them up a little bit more, it’s all part of affecting that game. Contesting shots, we don’t want to give open threes to guys like Girard or anybody like that. So it comes with the press and just comes with our defense.

JD: The fans who packed into the arena tonight had plenty to cheer about.One thing in particular, though a Illini big man Coleman Hawkins finishing with triple double on 15 points, ten rebounds, and ten assists. And next up for SU is more of the same. Notre Dame big man Nate Laszewski and the Irish come next on Saturday. Until then, reporting from the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois, I’m John Dales Citrus TV.