RALEIGH, N.C. — While Syracuse struggled to shoot Wednesday night in a 73-58 loss at North Carolina State, their more glaring issue continues to be the play at the center position. It’s front production has doomed Syracuse and hurt its offense. The role has become a revolving door during tight games and losses, with frequent substitutions but infrequent points.

Syracuse’s (17-8, 8-4 Atlantic Coast) loss to NC State (18-7, 6-6) at PNC Arena revealed, again, what an ineffective center means, and how big-man ineffectiveness can drag on a team. Especially one that doesn’t shoot well on a given night — its offense shot just 35 percent from the field and 20 percent from deep. SU’s starting center, senior Paschal Chukwu, couldn’t find a way in which he could affect the game — or earn minutes — as the Orange’s offense struggled to stay in the game.

Last season, the tallest player in Syracuse program history was one of the country’s top shot blockers, averaging 2.5 blocks per game. He averaged nearly seven rebounds and 5.4 points per game — far from a double-double machine but a significant contributor. Throughout most of this season, and in Wednesday’s loss, he’s been a veteran who hasn’t played up to his potential. His scoring, blocks, assists, free-throw percentage and field-goal percentage are all down from a year ago.

Against the Wolfpack, he scored two points and grabbed two rebounds in 10 minutes.

“Offensive rebounds,” Chukwu said when asked what’s holding him back. “The pick-and-roll sometimes helps, sucks up the defense. But tonight, I don’t know, we weren’t shooting well and our shots were contested. So for me, when I was in there, I wasn’t in there long, but I tried to set picks, then roll and get a rebound for a second-chance basket.”

The second possessions came seldom, though — the Orange totaled only seven second-chance points. When Chukwu was on the floor, he hardly touched the ball. Late in the game, while senior point guard Frank Howard dribbled around the left wing, he hollered toward Chukwu. The center jogged up to the top of the key and set a screen, then rolled. But because NCSU’s gameplan centered on packing the paint, the roll option didn’t open.

The Wolfpack scheme depended on help defense and clogged driving lanes, Chukwu said, because they knew SU’s not a potent interior team. In turn, NC State could contest shooters on the outside. When the shooters have off nights, like Wednesday, the root of the issue runs back to the interior.

“Teams can defend the perimeter and leave down low so open because we’re not a threat down there,” Chukwu said. “It’s not looking like we can be a threat there.”

Over his last three games, Chukwu has three total points. Since conference play began, he’s reached double-figures twice. The first — a 10-point, 18-rebound outburst at then-No. 1 Duke — came because he crashed the boards and dominated the Blue Devils bigs on the glass. He got scoring chances on putbacks and capitalized. He finished his shots up close. And he defended, picking up three blocks.

Chukwu couldn’t put a finger on what he can do to try to replicate those numbers, other than to crash the board and roll on ball screens. He said it’s that simple.

“We’re not good in the middle,” SU head coach Jim Boeheim said last month. “And you have to get some offensive rebounds … we really don’t have that ability to score around the basket.”

Last March, Chukwu showcased that he’s capable of scoring a few baskets per game. His teammates know he can. But for extended stretches, he’s forced his teammates to try to pick up the pieces.

Published on February 14, 2019 at 1:49 pm

Contact Matthew: mguti100@syr.edu | @MatthewGut21