The Syracuse Orange only trailed the Louisville Cardinals by seven points at half. Just 13 minutes out the half, they trailed by 27. The Orange’s usual issues compounded with excessive turnovers and the recent trend of hero shots in their final chance to pitch a last-ditch NCAA Tournament case through a high-profile road win.
Buddy Boeheim’s struggles continued against heavy ball pressure on SU’s screens. Joseph Girard III scored early and faltered late, with 10 misses in the contest. Jim Boeheim lost his cool after Quincy Guerrier’s drive to the rim failed to draw a foul.