If it was an issue with Hakim Warrick in the lineup, it’s definitely an issue without him – rebounding.

Syracuse probably won’t be tested on the glass tonight at 8 against Bethune-Cookman in the first round of the Coaches vs. Cancer Tournament at the Carrier Dome. Nor Wednesday against the winner of tonight’s St. Francis-Cornell at 6, assuming the Orange defeat the Wildcats this evening. But it remains a crucial phase of the game that is sure to take center stage soon enough.

Largely thanks to Warrick’s scoring ability, SU compiled an 11-5 record in the Big East last season despite being out-rebounded by its conference opponents. The more telling statistic, though, is SU was short in the rebounding margin in six of its seven losses last season, with the exception being the Orange’s 60-57 loss to Vermont in the first round of the NCAA Tournament when the Orange couldn’t hit any shots.

But a dominant inside presence like Warrick has yet to emerge this season. Warrick led the team with 21.4 points and 8.6 rebounds per game last season. Syracuse’s second-best rebounder in 2004 to 2005 – guard Jose Pace – graduated as well. Pace grabbed five rebounds a game with an uncanny knack to find the ball despite his small frame.

That means this season the burden primarily falls on the two starting big men – forward Terrence Roberts and center Darryl Watkins, two players who have never been relied on to carry a team in any phase of the game.

‘I know with Hakim gone now my role is to go out there and rebound a lot,’ Roberts said. ‘But it’s different now. Coach (Jim Boeheim) has been talking about playing a lot more people off the bench. But it can’t just be on the big guys, guys like Louie (McCroskey) coming in, who’s a great rebounder.’

In the two exhibition victories last week over Saint Rose and LeMoyne, though, Roberts and Watkins struggled to pull down rebounds. Part of the issue was foul trouble in the second game, but even so, there have been unlikely sources hitting the glass for the Orange so far – guard McCroskey and forward Demetris Nichols. Each led the team in one of the games.

Though he was pleased with their performances, Boeheim expressed unease about rebounding this season following the Orange’s 94-54 win over LeMoyne on Thursday.

‘We’re small still, especially once Terry and Matty (Gorman) get out of there, we’re playing with a small lineup for a large part of the game,’ Boeheim said. ‘That’s something that concerns me. Arinze (Onuaku) did a pretty good job on the boards. But Louie is probably our best rebounder. He goes and gets it better than anybody. But that’s an area we have to improve on.’

McCroskey may try to fill the void left by Pace’s absence. Though McCroskey is a much better shooter than Pace, both are 6 feet, 5 inches and neither are a No. 1 scoring threat and look to help in other ways.

‘I just watched what Josh Pace would do,’ McCroskey said. ‘He had a real nose for the ball. Last year, I would have gotten a couple of more rebounds, but he was there.

‘It’s just an instinct. It’s not something you can practice. When I play, I try to box out, but it’s just a matter of me wanting the ball.’

Thanks to foul trouble on Thursday, Onuaku played the most minutes of any big man, grabbing eight rebounds in addition to scoring 11 points. With Roberts still feeling the effects of banging his right knee in the exhibition opener last Tuesday, Onuaku has been a surprise addition to the Orange rebounding corps.

‘That’s what coach told me,’ Onuaku said. ‘They haven’t had a freshman come in built like this in a long time, so I feel like that’s my job, especially to help on the boards throughout the whole season.’

It will be an area to watch all season for the Orange. Syracuse allowed opposing teams second chances on many occasions with offensive rebounds. The 2-3 zone defense allows for open shots from the outside, meaning defensive rebounding is critical. Now without Warrick, it is an even more important phase of the game and becomes more of a team-wide burden.

‘If guys come in and help me and Darryl with the rebounding we should be fine,’ Roberts said.

Published on November 6, 2005 at 12:00 pm