Jim Boeheim saw a new Tyler Ennis on Monday. One he hadn’t seen before in Syracuse’s first three games or two preseason exhibitions this season, its four-game Canada tour in August or even in practice at all since he arrived this summer.

Boeheim saw Ennis make bad decisions.

“I think Tyler really struggled tonight,” Boeheim said. “Before he was just playing and making the play. Now he’s thinking that I’m going to go and shoot, and it wasn’t there.”

Ennis made just 1-of-8 shots in No. 9 Syracuse’s narrow 56-50 win over St. Francis (N.Y.) on Monday. He missed his only 3-pointer as well as two crucial free throws with the game tied 40-40 and 7:40 left on the clock. The same point guard who was widely described as the anti-freshman showed he still has some growing to do.

“He has not made those plays, at all, in practice or this summer,” Boeheim said. “Now he’s doing things that you would expect a freshman to do.”

Still, despite his struggles through the majority of the game — lowlighted by an air ball jumper with 48 seconds left in the first half — Ennis delivered one of SU’s bigger baskets with a layup that tied the game at 40-40 1:49 prior to his missed foul shots.

And C.J. Fair, who shot just 2-of-13 himself, said Ennis’ shot selection wasn’t bad. He just missed a lot of shots he usually made.

“He was attacking the rim,” Fair said. “He’s missing some shots he’d normally finished, but that goes with just getting your feet under you and just connecting the plays. He didn’t have the best game, but he didn’t play bad.”‬

There are plenty of games left in Ennis’ freshman season, and Boeheim said every first-year point guard he’s had has gone through games like this.

“Michael Carter-Williams went 3-for-17 more than a couple times,” Boeheim said. “That’s just what happens.”

Published on November 19, 2013 at 2:50 am

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