San Diego State Basketball needs Matt Mitchell and Jordan Schakel to beat Syracuse

1. Shoot the ball well

The first important counter in battling Syracuse’s 2-3 zone defense is capitalizing on the strength of one’s shooters – Easier said than done, more often than not. Don’t get me wrong, San Diego State has several play-makers. Let’s start with the obvious one – Matt Mitchell. Mitchell has averaged 15 points and 5 rebounds per game, earning Mountain West Player of the Year honors, all the while enduring an injury that saw him miss a few games mid-season.

Mitchell is explosive and can take over any game in an instant (See his 35 point-effort against the BYU Cougars earlier in the season.) If keyed in on, however, he will need offensive help. Enter Jordan Schakel.

Jordan Schakel is a sniper for the Aztecs: He averages 14 points per game, shooting 46% from behind the arc, and 90% at the free-throw line (according to sportsreference.com.) Opponents often attempt to force his shots, with varying success. Terrell Gomez is another capable shooter for San Diego State. The 5’8″ guard averages 8.0 points per game and is a huge offensive threat from anywhere on the court.

We can expect to see a lot of ball movement for the Aztecs in facing Syracuse’s zone defense, and it helps that starting point guard Trey Pulliam is an experienced, unselfish, and skilled ball-handler who can both score and pass the ball well. If the Aztecs can keep their bigs involved, the game will tip in San Diego State’s favor.

Junior center Nathan Mensah has been the X-factor for this SDSU team, and when he gets hot, he can be hard to contain. Fellow big Joshua Tomaić has shown flashes of promise in several games, but he will have to avoid foul trouble.

The Aztecs must shoot well and keep everyone involved. Again, this is easier said than done. For the Orange, if they can limit Matt Mitchell’s scoring, Jordan Schakel’s shooting, and Nathan Mensah’s involvement, the Aztecs will have fits.