Ryan Moesch’s second college game looked a lot more like the version Syracuse needs.
After a rough debut on Monday, the freshman guard bounced back Thursday night as the Orange rolled past Central Connecticut State, 102-49, at the JMA Wireless Dome. The win pushed Syracuse to 2-0 under new head coach Gerry McNamara, and it came with a broader sign of progress: nine different players scored, with Moesch among them for the first time in his collegiate career.
That matters because his first outing was a grind. Against New Haven, Moesch finished 0-for-8 from the field, though he did hand out five assists. McNamara didn’t sugarcoat it afterward, saying in the postgame press conference that he thought Moesch played "terrible."
This time, the freshman guard looked far more comfortable. Moesch finished with six points, seven assists, three rebounds and two steals, giving Syracuse a steadier presence in the backcourt and a much cleaner all-around line.
McNamara’s tone changed, too.
"I told him the other night. I thought he played terrible from what I expect from him.
I recruited the heck out of that kid. There is no one who believes in him more than me.
Except himself. Ryan Moesch is a confident young player....he makes everything go, he pushes pace, once he starts scoring you have an elite player."
Moesch logged 27 minutes, the most on the team Thursday, and that usage says plenty about where Syracuse wants this to go. McNamara is clearly giving him room to grow, and Moesch’s speed with the ball gives the Orange a different gear than Garwey Dual.
The passing is already there. The ability to get downhill is already there.
If the scoring starts to come along with it, Syracuse gets a much more dangerous guard. And with more depth, the Orange give themselves a better shot once ACC play arrives.
Syracuse returns to action Monday night against Indiana. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. ET.
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Even with Clemson missing four offensive starters and failing to score an offensive touchdown, Syracuse still came up short in an 18-13 defeat, which makes the takeaway for Angeli even starker. The Orange needed steadier play from the position to cash in on a defense that was giving them chances, but instead the night turned into a harsh reminder of how thin the margin can be against a veteran opponent. [Read more 🡒]