Syracuse 2-3 zone defense struggled in first half against Drexel, adjusted in second

Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports The Syracuse Orange men’s basketball team struggled to close out to Drexel’s shooters in the first half of Sunday night’s contest before coming back to win 75-60 in the second half. The Dragons, coming off an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2021, were one of the better shooting teams in the country last year. Drexel shot 37.1% from distance last season, or 40th in the country in that percentage.

So it’s of little surprise that Drexel came into Sunday night’s contest looking for outside shots against a taller Syracuse team. The Dragons worked the ball into the high-post to exploit the crevices of the 2-3 zone. They forced the Syracuse centers to commit while…