Syracuse faces top-seeded Indiana on Thursday in the Sweet 16 in Washington, D.C. The Hoosiers spent much of the season ranked No. 1 in the nation while the No. 4-seed Orange was up and down for much of the year. The Daily Orange had a chance to ask Indiana Daily Student columnist Michael Norman about this year’s IU team:

The Daily Orange: Indiana finished the year ranked third in the nation in scoring (80 ppg) and third in 3-point percentage (41.1 percent). How do you think the Hoosiers will handle SU’s 2-3 zone with so many weapons on the perimeter?

Norman: Overall, I think the Hoosiers will be able to have success against Syracuse’s 2-3 zone because of the ball movement and penetration that IU gets. One of the strongest tools that IU possesses is the ability to get dribble penetration with Yogi Ferrell, Victor Oladipo and Will Sheehey off ball screens from Cody Zeller and Christian Watford. I think that if IU can get a lot of penetration off the dribble, passing lanes will open up and perimeter shooters like Jordan Hulls, Watford and Sheehey will get open looks.

The D.O.: Syracuse hasn’t seen a big man like Cody Zeller all season. What makes him tough for opposing teams to handle, and what has been the key to slowing him down?

MN: The hardest thing to account for when playing against Cody Zeller is his ability to get out in transition against teams. His transition game is remarkable for a 7-footer. Not only is he faster than most big men, he has unbelievable instincts when running in the open floor.

Teams that have had success guarding Zeller have done it by physically beating him down, preventing him from running in transition and by forcing him to catch the ball below the block.

The D.O.: In addition to Zeller, Victor Oladipo emerged as a star this season. Who do you think he’ll match up with defensively and how important has he been to the Hoosiers’ run?

MN: Who Oladipo will match up with is a great question because it is not as cut-and-dry with Syracuse as it is with other teams that IU has played. If you look at how Oladipo stacks up against Syracuse’s players physically, my initial answer would be to say that he will guard Brandon Triche because both are about the same height and weight.

But the thing that makes Oladipo unique is his ability to guard guys that are taller, longer or heavier than he is. For this reason, I see Oladipo matching up with Michael Carter-Williams for the majority of the game. You might disagree, but to me, Carter-Williams is more important to the success of Syracuse’s offense because he can score and set up other players.

The D.O.: What is the biggest individual matchup Indiana will be focused on defensively? Is there an SU player who could give them problems Thursday night?

MN: As I alluded to in the previous answer, I think Michael Carter-Williams might present the toughest matchup for Indiana. Carter-Williams has the tools to give any team nightmares, but the thing that I expect the Hoosiers to take advantage of is his inconsistency. When IU has gone up against some of the best scorers in the nation, the Hoosiers have allowed these guys to get points, but nothing comes easy. They force these guys into taking a lot of shots that can stop an opponent’s offensive flow.

The D.O.: Three years ago, Indiana went 10-21. Now, this year’s senior class is leading a No. 1 seed and one of the favorites to win the national title. How did that dramatic change, from such a low point to now, happen in the program?

MN: There’s a number of factors that play into why Indiana has been able to go from that 10-21 season to where we are at now. You obviously can’t overlook the addition of Cody Zeller. Besides all of the things he brings to the court, people can’t account for how much he has changed the Hoosiers because it’s not just his impact on the court that matters. Essentially, he made it “cool” to be a Hoosier again, which led to other prospects wanting to come.

The D.O.: What do you think is the key for Indiana to advance to the Elite Eight? What would SU have to do to pull the upset?

MN: Personally, I think the biggest key for IU’s success in the Sweet 16 will come down to how much dribble penetration the Hoosiers can get to hopefully collapse the defense to free up shooters along the perimeter. After that, IU will need to knock down shots. Sounds like an easy task, but Syracuse’s zone allows nothing to come easy.

If Syracuse can eliminate easy transition baskets and force the Hoosiers into consistently playing a half-court offense, I think Syracuse’s length and quickness can give IU trouble.

Published on March 28, 2013 at 2:16 am

Contact Ryne: rjgery@syr.edu