The Syracuse Orange started their journey in the NCAA tournament with a first-round matchup against the San Diego State Aztecs. What was marketed as a defense affair turned into an offensive showcase for Buddy Boeheim. He dropped a game-high 30 points as the Aztecs couldn’t figure out the zone, leading to a 78-62 win for the Orange.
Defense ruled the first minutes of the game with both teams trying to formulate a game plan on offense. Syracuse’s 2-3 zone invited San Diego State to shoot threes, but the Aztecs couldn’t capitalize on their early looks. The Aztecs used their strong man defense to force isolation plays and bad shots from the Orange.