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So many storylines at play in Friday's Syracuse-Vermont match-up. The game is personal for Cuse fans, who want revenge for the sting of the '05 Tournament. For Kris Joseph, the game is personal too, yet, for entirely different reasons. That Maurice Joseph fellow lining up against Kris on Friday? That's his older brother.
"It crossed my mind, obviously, but I didn’t think it would happen,’’ Maurice Joseph said of the matchup against his brother’s team. "I didn’t think we’d be a 16 seed. I thought we were a 15. When I saw they were a No. 1, I didn’t think we’d get a chance to play them.
Asked if he anticipated going one-on-one against his brother, Maurice replied, "It doesn’t matter whether I get matched up or not, I’m going to guard him. We’re going to have to guard each other. I mean, they play that zone, but I’m going to have to guard him a little bit, at least.’’
Interestingly enough, Joseph is also the biggest threat that SU will be lining up against, after two-time America East Player of the Year Marqus Blakely. Joseph is 2nd in scoring (14 PPG) and is the team's go-to assassin for three-point shooting. We all know what a hot hand from three-point range can do to the zone.
Kris agrees with his brother that he'd like to get a match-up against one another, at least for a little while:
"He will probably be guarding someone like Andy," Kris Joseph said. "I wish we played man for a few possessions because I would guard him full court."
"I’m going to have to use my big-brother intimidation to get in his head a little bit, but he’s a tough kid,’’ Maurice Joseph said. "I’m proud of how far he’s come as a player and I’m proud of how he’s grown as a young man and I’ve told him all season how proud of him I am. And now? It’s a showdown, I guess.’’
Bro...do you wanna have a catch?