CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – Louie McCroskey never argued the move.
Sure, Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim’s decision ended McCroskey’s streak of 16 straight starts and sent the former St. Raymond’s stud to a substitute’s spot for the Orange.
Yet if anything, McCroskey encouraged last week’s change, which put point guard Billy Edelin into the starting lineup. And so far, the switch seems to have energized McCroskey to climb back toward stud status.
“[McCroskey] told me he’d be happy coming off the bench,” Boeheim said at a press conference earlier this week. “I think it released the pressure on him. I think he’s better.”
The coach spoke late Monday night, minutes after McCroskey’s best game of the 54 he had played for the Orange. Although his team lost, 68-64, at home to Pittsburgh, McCroskey, in his second game as a reserve, set career highs in minutes (32), points (18) and rebounds (seven).
Now comes the hard part for the lanky sophomore guard – reproducing the results. Another chance came last night, when he and the Orange visited Big East-leader Boston College in a clash of the conference’s top two teams.
Monday’s point production proved McCroskey can serve as an additional option in an SU offense dominated by seniors Hakim Warrick and Josh Pace and junior Gerry McNamara. But the evening also restored some of McCroskey’s confidence, an item he needs to play consistent ball.
“It’s always been there,” he said. “When you don’t hit shots, you begin to question things a little. It’s just a matter of getting comfortable again.”
That comfy feeling returned minutes into Monday’s game, when McCroskey pump-faked a Pittsburgh defender and drove for a layup. The hoop started a personal run of seven points in 31 seconds.
Despite missing his last four shots of the night, McCroskey drew praise from his coaches, along with accompanying comfort and confidence.
“Louie came in and had a tremendous game,” Boeheim said. “We needed somebody to come in and pick it up. He made some shots and made some good plays.”
Of course, Syracuse’s need for another scorer remains among its biggest issues. Besides the veteran troika of Warrick, Pace and McNamara, no Orange player has averaged more than seven points per game this season.
Syracuse coaches recruited McCroskey, scheduled to come off the bench again last night, to fit such a role.
He erased some doubt about his readiness Monday, his best game as a collegian. The rest of the winter, starting last night, he’ll try to turn those highlights into habits.
“It was good to see the hard work I’ve done pay off,” McCroskey said. “I made some shots, started to feel good, and I hope that can happen a lot more.”