Syracuse Basketball: Orange's Keys to Continue Winning Through Maui Invitational

For the second time in as many games, the Syracuse basketball team had an opportunity to seal a win from the free-throw line. And just like the last game, Jerami Grant, a 46 percent shooter from the charity stripe coming into Monday's game, calmly hit two from the line to put the game out of reach.

Syracuse knocked off Minnesota 75-67 in the Maui Invitational, so the Orange will move on to play California in the semifinals Tuesday night. Should the Orange make it past the Golden Bears, Baylor or Gonzaga could be waiting in the finals. Both schools are ranked in this week's USA Today coaches poll.

There were certainly some positive signs from Syracuse's play Monday night. But as the competition ratchets up, the team will have to continue to play at a high level to be crowned champions of Maui. Let's take a look at a few keys that will help Syracuse keep winning in the sun.

Making Freebies

More often than not, teams are going to have to make free throws to cement victories in a tournament setting. If you don't make the opposition pay when it puts you on the line late in an attempt to extend the game, it can come back to bite you. Just ask John Calipari and Derrick Rose. Rose and his Memphis teammates squandered the 2008 title because they couldn't make free throws down the stretch.

In Monday's contest with Minnesota, Syracuse sank 22 of its 27 free-throw attempts. That included six in a row in the last 46 seconds to stave off the Gophers' comeback bid. Through the first four games of the season, Syracuse shot 62 percent from the line. The 82 percent shooting clip Monday night was definitely a big factor in the outcome.

In a win-or-go-home tournament setting, there will be few, if any, blowouts. Syracuse undeniably has the talent to win in Maui and beyond, but the Orange will have to earn every victory. After an excellent performance from the line against Minnesota, the players should be confident they can continue to close out games when they need to.

Feeding the Big Man

DaJuan Coleman had another monstrous game in the middle for the Orange. His stat line (nine points, four rebounds, two blocks and a steal) isn't eye-popping, but he put up those numbers in just 16 minutes.

Coleman's deficiencies on defense still keep him from seeing more minutes, but he is a force on the offensive end when he is in. He is by far the most aggressive center for the Orange, and he hauled in three offensive rebounds against Minnesota. He also moved actively on offense and carved out space underneath, which forced Minnesota to foul him to prevent an easy dunk.

Coleman had six attempts from the line Monday night, which may not seem like much. However, his presence in the middle goes a long way in helping Syracuse win by attrition. Even if Coleman misses some of his free-throw attempts (3-of-6 against Minnesota), those fouls will add up on the opposition's front line.

Let's say Coleman snags an offensive board with around 10 minutes left in the first half. If he gets hacked on the way back up, that could be the third foul on the other team's starting center, which would likely send him to the bench. With a starter out until probably the four-minute mark, Syracuse's opponent will be at a distinct disadvantage inside. That will give Coleman, along with C.J. Fair, Jerami Grant and others, more room to operate in the paint.

Overmatched players will foul more. More fouls just mean more free throws for the Orange. And we've already covered how those can contribute to Ws.

Coleman doesn't need to be the focal point of the offense. He doesn't even need many plays run for him. But his play in limited minutes proves he deserves to be out there for longer stretches.

Defense

This is something we covered earlier, but for the Orange to make it through Wednesday in Maui, the defense can't take a night off. Minnesota's 19 turnovers allowed Syracuse plenty of opportunities to score, and continuing to turn takeaways into easy buckets will help the Orange offense get into a groove.

Coleman has gotten the attention as the defender who can improve most, but when the opposition gets looks at the doorstep, it isn't always his fault.

Syracuse's 2-3 zone sometimes morphs into something of a 4-1 look with all the attention being paid to three-point bombers. The wing players often cheat up toward the three-point line to help defend the perimeter, leaving the man in the middle alone to defend below the free-throw line. That creates plenty of opportunities for cuts along the baseline, which forces the defense to scramble to rotate back, lest they give up a layup.

With the defense in disarray, some deft ball movement can lead to dunks or open threes on the opposite wing.

It will take some time for Jim Boeheim's boys to get used to playing with one another on defense. The Orange are still formidable on that end, but improvements on subtle aspects like rotation can take the D to the next level.

Good Looks

This is mostly just an in-case-you-missed-it situation, but shots like this monster dunk by Fair will always help the winning cause. See you on SportsCenter, C.J.