The last thing Syracuse needed to do going into tonight's game was give Indiana State some bulletin board material. Looks like Kris Joseph went ahead and did it anyway...
"When I saw we were playing Indiana State, I knew they weren’t a team full of athletes,’’ Joseph said. "The first thing I thought about was probably a bunch of white boys that could shoot. So we're going to have to extend the zone. We know that much. We're going to have to extend the zone and keep a high hand out on their shooters.’’
I mean, he's not wrong. But, you know, let's not provide those white shooters with any further reason to do what they're so good at.
"I guess that is a pretty popular stereotype,’’ Indiana State’s Aaron Carter said. "But I guess me and Jake (Odum) would like to prove that stereotype right tomorrow, you know.’’
Joseph does seem to have a little more pep in his step heading into this game. He also fully expects to become the leader on the court that we all expected him to be this season.
"Teams in the Big East have been scouting me for two years. So it was a little harder to get what you wanted out of your offense – what I wanted out of my individual game," he said Thursday. "I think it’s going to be a little harder to guard me now because (teams) don’t know as much about me. I think it’s going to be a lot easier to get what I want to get from my offensive game."
Very well, then. No excuses, Kris.
Tons of video and interviews after the jump...