On a night where not much went well for Syracuse on the basketball court, there was a lot went well for freshman forward Benny Williams. A former top-40 recruit, Williams posted career-highs with 14 points and 6 rebounds in 30 minutes of action against Duke.
It was the most—and best—he’s played in a Syracuse uniform and with the Orange in need of athleticism to battle Duke’s front-court, Williams delivered. Perhaps the advice of a former star Syracuse forward made a difference before tip-off.
“Honestly, D-Nic [Demetris Nichols] told me at shoot-around I had nothing to lose, everything to gain.