How Will Syracuse Compensate for the Loss of Eric Devendorf?

Syracuse guard Eric Devendorf, originally suspended for the entire 2009 spring semester, received a reduced sentence today after the University Appeals Board decreased the penalty portion of the original suspension.

Upon completion of 40 hours of community service, Devendorf can petition the university for reinstatement. But as of right now, he’s been immediately suspended from all school related activities, including Syracuse’s road game tomorrow with the Memphis Tigers.

Devendorf was initially suspended by the Syracuse Judicial Board as the result of an altercation with a female student on Nov. 1.  Devendorf’s lawyer, William Sullivan, felt the penalty handed down by the Judicial Board was too severe and filed an appeal on behalf of his client.

Should Devendorf complete his community service in a timely manner, it is possible he can return to school before the second semester begins on Jan. 12. If this is the case, the junior would miss only six games (four of which are Big East contests) and return in time for the Orangeto face their rivals the Georgetown Hoyas in Washington DC on Jan. 14.

In the meantime, a more pressing concern for Jim Boeheim and the rest of the Orange is how to compensate for the loss of one of their best players?

Junior Andy Rautins is the likely candidate to assume the starting shooting guard position. While Rautins doesn’t possess the foot speed or knack of driving to the basket that Devendorf does, his ability to shoot the three will aide in keeping defenses honest. 

In addition to his shooting, Rautins’ height and length (he stands 6’5”) will be an asset to Syracuse’s 2-3 zone.

When Rautins is out of the game, junior forward Paul Harris can slide into the 2-guard spot as well. Harris, with a much improved mid-range jump shot, spent the majority of last season manning the position after both Rautins and Devendorf were lost to knee injuries.

Syracuse’s two freshmen, Kris Joseph and Mookie Jones, will both be counted on to pick up the slack of providing depth from the bench.

The 6’7” Joseph has been a fixture in every game this season logging 17 minutes per contest. He’s versatile enough to slide into the small forward position when Harris plays the shooting guard.

Fellow frosh Mookie Jones stands to gain the most from Devendorf’s absence. Though he’s only appeared in five games, Jones averages almost 14 minutes. But where he can help the most is from behind the arc as he’s shooting 40 percent on threes.

To make matters worse, Mike Waters of the Syracuse Post-Standard reports that starting point guard Jonny Flynn will be a game-time decision on Saturday. Flynn injured his hip Wednesday in a game against Canisius.

Memphis defends their home court as well as any team in the country. Without Devendorf and now possibly with Flynn missing the game, too, Syracuse certainly has a tall task ahead of them.

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