Syracuse Basketball: How Can Ron Patterson Help the Orange off the Bench?

The Syracuse basketball team's rotation doesn't have many players. At most, the Orange can go seven deep; eight if Rakeem Christmas gets into early foul trouble and Chinonso Obokoh has to play.

But head coach Jim Boeheim mostly plays six players, with Ron Patterson relieving Kaleb Joseph if the latter adds some gray hairs to Boeheim's head. As the season was getting underway, we thought Patterson could be a three-point threat off the bench for the Orange.

But at least for the remainder of this season, that won't be the case.

To say Patterson has had a cold shooting touch would be an understatement. He's thrown up so many bricks, Boeheim could make an addition to his house. Of the 48 threes Patterson has launched this season, only eight have fallen. That's a scorching 16.7 percent.

After the Orange's comeback win against Virginia Tech, Boeheim had seen enough. In his post-game press conference, via Mike Waters of Syracuse.com, Boeheim said, "I can shoot 15 percent right now. I'm 70 years old."

Patterson got the message. He told Waters, "I'm not shooting no more. Never again." Patterson added that Boeheim told him if he shoots a three, he is coming out. It makes sense, because Patterson is having one of the worst shooting seasons ever for the Orange. 

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Even if Patterson won't be shooting from deep anymore, the Orange still need him to contribute going forward. They can't survive with just five players this year, so they need Patterson to impact the game in other ways. The question is, how can Patterson help his team?

Lock It Up

Despite being one of the team's worst shooters, Patterson is one of the better defenders for Boeheim. He's only 6'2", but according to Waters' story, he has a 6'11" wingspan. He's an athletic and aggressive defender, so he can combine with Trevor Cooney, who is fourth in the ACC in steals, to create a formidable duo at the top of the zone.

As usual, the Orange are prone to giving up the three-point shot. Patterson can use his length and athleticism to challenge shooters on the perimeter and create turnovers when opponents try to attack off the dribble.

Joseph still has some trouble finding his assignments in the zone, so when he comes out, it will be Patterson who takes his place. If Patterson locks in on defense, he can make it easier for the Orange to get stops. 

Be Active on Offense

Even if he won't be shooting threes, it would be beneficial if Patterson could contribute a bucket here and there. So where will the shots come from if they won't be behind the arc?

Firstly, Patterson can keep moving on offense and probe the defense for openings. With Cooney running the baseline trying to get open for threes, Patterson can move in the opposite direction. It can confuse the defense and help get one of either Cooney or Patterson open.

Against Pittsburgh, Patterson found some space along the baseline on cuts to the basket. If he catches his opponent napping or ball-watching, he can get to the rim with ease. Christmas is a willing passer from the high post, so he can easily find Patterson on the baseline.

And if Patterson is wreaking havoc on defense, it can create transition opportunities. Boeheim told Waters how else Patterson can help the Orange.

"He's got to play half-court basketball and make plays and get the ball to Rak and penetrate and kick."

Chances are the Orange won't be relying on Patterson for any more threes this season. But if he can be aggressive on defense and active on offense, he can still give the Orange a lift off the bench. If he has success, it can give him confidence to shoot heading into next season.