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After two seasons at Marquette, Symir Torrence decided to come back home and play for a Syracuse Orange team that he grew up watching. However, his first season with the Orange wasn’t a warm welcome for the Syracuse native.
Season Recap:
In 13 minutes per game, Torrence averaged 2.6 points and 2.9 assists per game. He shot 41 percent from the field and 37 percent from behind the arc but on less than one attempt per game.
Don’t be fooled by the stats. Toward the end of the season, Torrence showed encouraging signs that he and fellow junior guard Joe Girard could perhaps start together in the backcourt next season. While Girard is more of a scoring guard, Torrence is more of a game manager who prefers to pass first and shoot second which makes the two guards complementary with one another.
On March 10th, Torrence played his best all around game during the Quarterfinal of the ACC Tournament against the Duke Blue Devils in which he scored 7 points, grabbed 6 rebounds and dished out 11 assists. Under the bright lights of Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY; Torrence showcased his ability to control the game despite not putting up flashy stats. Although the Orange lost that game, his performance was encouraging and is something he can take into his senior season.
Next Steps:
As good of a game manager as Torrence is, he seems reluctant to shoot. In three seasons of college basketball (Syracuse and Marquette combined), Torrence has only attempted 68 three pointers and made 17 of them (25 percent). In a day and age where guards are encouraged to shoot more, he has over twice as many career assists (170) as shots from behind the arc.
Torrence also has yet to score 10 points in a game in three years of college basketball but that could change next year if he spends the offseason improving his shot and looking to score more often rather than always having a pass first mindset.
Overall, Torrence’s style of play is more than what meets the eye but a more assertive approach will do wonders for him next season.