Syracuse fielded a young squad in 2017-2018 with juniors
Frank Howard and Paschal Chukwu, sophomore Tyus Battle, and freshmen Matthew Moyer
and Oshae Brissett the starters. Fellow
freshman Marek Dolezaj, Bourama Sidibe and Howard Washington completed the bulk
of the playing time.
A young squad is unlikely to have many players moving up
significantly in the all-time career categories, but there were some things to
note.
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| Tyus Battle |
Tyus Battle became the 62nd player to score 1,000 career points; how now has 1,097 points.
He is 55th all-time. If he scored 700 points again next year
he could move up to 13th and surpass Rony Seikaly. Frank Howard entered the top 100, and is now 93rd
all-time with 734 points. Barring injury
he should easily get to 1,000 points next season.
Ohae Brissett’s outstanding rebounding effort his freshman
year put him well into the top 100 career rebounders at Syracuse. He is tied
for 70th all-time with Andy Rautins with 327 rebounds. Paschal Chukwu is also in the top 100, with
281 career rebounds, placing him 85th all-time.
Frank Howard has moved himself up the charts, and is now 18thall-time in assists with 351. He needs
only 88 assists to move all the way up to 8th all-time. Battle is also in the top 100, at 71st
on the list with 134 assists.
Battle is 17th all-time in three point shots made
with 137 made shots. He should move up
to around 5th all-time next year.
Howard is 29th with 87 shots made, and Brissett is 37th
with 55. Considering any player who has
ever made a three point shot makes the top 100 list, Geno Thorpe comes in 75th
(with 4), Adrian Autry Jr, Marek Dolezaj and Howard Washington are tied at 83rd
(with 2), and Matthew Moyer is tied at 92nd (with 1).
Paschal Chukwu is 21st all-time in blocked shots with 105. Brissett is 56th with 29, Dolezaj
58th with 28, Bourama Sidibe 74th with 20, Howard 76th
with 19, and Battle 81st with 15.
Frank Howard is 38th all-time in steals with
123. Battle is 51st with 98,
Brissett 87th with 43, Dolezaj 95th with 30, and Chukwu
96th with 29.
The Orange also had several notable individual season
accomplishments.
Battle’s 712 points and 19.2 ppg were the most since Hakim
Warrick scored 726 with 21.4 ppg in 2004-2005.
Brissett’s 327 rebounds were the most since Rick Jackson had
360 in 2010-2011. Brissett’s 8.8 rpg was topped by Rakem Christmas in 2014-2015
with 9.1
Chukwu’s 91 blocked shots were the most since Darryl Watkins
had 112 in 2006-2007. His 2.5 blocks per
game was equaled by Rakem Christmas in 2014-2015.
Brissett’s 174 made free throws were a freshman record, and
the most by any Orangeman since Jonny Flynn made 180 in 2008-2009.
Tyus Battle set a school record for minutes played with
1,443; Howard has the 2nd
most all-time with 1,422 and Brissett is 4th all-time with
1,411. Jonny held the previous record
with 1,418 in 2008-2009.
On the downside, Oshae Brissett led the Orange with a 33.1%
three point shooting percentage. That was the lowest percentage ever for a team
leader, breaking the mark set by Lawrence Moten back in 1992-1993 with 33.6%. Brisstt's effort was the 60th best 3 point shooting season for Syracuse out of 74 players who qualified. Howard was 63rd and Battle 64th.
Tyus Battle is only the third Syracuse player to be named
All-ACC First Team. The other two were Rakeem Christmas in 2015 and C.J. Fair
in 2014.
A few oddities too about the 2017-2018 Orangemen. They were
widely reported throughout the season to have the tallest team in the NCAA. The
starting five: Howard 6’4”, Battle 6’5”,
Moyer 6’8”, Brissett 6’8”, and Chukwu 7’2”.
Reserves Dolezaj 6’9” and Sidibe 6’10” definitely helped that average. The shortest regular player on the squad was
Washington at 6’3”.
Coach Jim Boeheim won his 1,027 game as a head coach for Syracuse, and was involved in 1,218 wins for Syracuse basketball as a player, assistant coach and head coach. He won his 50th ACC game. He coached in his 33rd NCAA tournament.
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