Somewhere lost in the magical madness that was Syracuse’s 91-89 overtime win over Duke on Feb. 1 — the same game Jim Boeheim called the greatest in Carrier Dome history — was a grave tactical error.

The Blue Devils featured Amile Jefferson and (gulp) Marshall Plumlee in the high post.

Yes, Duke was playing for the 3-point shot and both were capable of finding open shooters. But neither big man even attempted to attack the paint. Oftentimes they would catch the ball, back to the basket with no one behind them, and not even turn around.

With Jabari Parker buried on the baseline and Rodney Hood on the wing, Duke passed up easy points and took pressure off the SU centers by making its offense entirely 3-point focused.

“The middle of the zone breaks the whole defense,” Parker said after the game. “I think I can do a better job when I play against it next time.”

Unfortunately for No. 1 Syracuse, next time is at Cameron Indoor Stadium, and the Orange is coming off its first loss to seven-win Boston College on Wednesday. On Saturday at 7 p.m., SU faces No. 5 Duke, which enters the rematch riding a four-game winning streak and a three-week resonating period since the first matchup. That should be long enough for Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski to develop a revamped offensive strategy.

If Duke cycles the ball through Parker in the high post, the Orange centers — who played well off Jefferson and Plumlee — would be forced forward. And for a Syracuse team playing its worst basketball of the season, that would likely spell loss No. 2.

Placing Parker in the center of the zone would not only open up the same passing lanes that Pittsburgh’s Talib Zanna and Boston College’s Ryan Anderson have exploited twice this season, but also put a depleted group in position to body up one of the best playmakers in the country.

Parker finished just 6-of-16 for 15 points in the first matchup — his second-lowest scoring output in the last month.

He was often trapped on the block by Baye Moussa Keita or Rakeem Christmas, and picked up his fifth foul — albeit a debatable one — when he elbowed Christmas on the right block with 1:42 to play.

“It’s a good growing experience for him,” Krzyzewski said after the game.

Throughout the season, SU head coach Jim Boeheim has almost dared opposing teams to shoot from the outside.

But when teams have been able to — see: Boston College twice, Villanova, Virginia Tech and Duke — the Orange zone has extended its guards and wings.

And few teams have been able to counter. But those who have have put themselves in position to win.

Zanna did last on Feb. 12, racking up 16 points and 14 rebounds. And Anderson did on Wednesday, helping hand the Orange its first loss of the season with nine points, 14 rebounds and four assists.

Parker would be able to do that, and more.

“They’ve got shooters at every position,” SU forward C.J. Fair said, “and as a forward, you’ve got to play an area. You’ve got to play the wing, to the corner, to the short corner. So you don’t want to overcommit to one player, but you don’t want to not give that player enough attention.”

Parker saw minimal time in the high post during the first matchup, but with extensive minutes inside the lane and the cast of shooters that kept Duke in the first matchup, the Blue Devils would crumple SU’s 2-3 zone.

For a struggling Orange team, a versatile Parker camped out in the middle of its defense would be a nightmare.

Stick Jefferson on the baseline as a cutter and let the 40-percent club — Rasheed Sulaimon, Rodney Hood, Andre Dawkins and Tyler Thornton — do what they do best.

It was shocking that Krzyzewski and the Blue Devils didn’t make that adjustment coming out of halftime on Feb. 1.

There’s no way he’ll miss that one again.

Stephen Bailey is the sports editor at The Daily Orange where his column appears occasionally. He can be reached at sebail01@syr.edu or on Twitter at @Stephen_Bailey1.

Published on February 20, 2014 at 3:08 am