Syracuse, N.Y. - That Paschal Chukwu has changed the way opposing teams attack Syracuse this season is inarguable. Virginia coach Tony Bennett, who knows a little something about defense, described the Orange basketball center as the "key" to SU's zone defense. Jim Boeheim keeps describing Chukwu as crucial to the moving puzzle pieces of the zone.
Chukwu's progression on the offensive end continues to ebb and flow. At times, he displays the ability to seal his man, catch the ball and dunk with a skill befitting his 7-foot-2 size. At times, he entices defenders to bottle him up inside by putting the ball on the floor as a sort of sacrificial basketball offering to the smaller players who surround him.