Despite losing in just its second game of the conference tournament, Syracuse took a step forward.
Freshman Buddy Boeheim scored a team-high 20 points in a come-from-behind win over Pittsburgh, while Elijah Hughes nailed five 3s. Oshae Brissett strung together arguably his best second half all season against Duke and Frank Howard’s season-long slump was put on hold with 28 points that same night.
More importantly, it all happened without SU’s star player: Tyus Battle.
Battle had suffered a sore back after taking a hard fall late against Clemson on March 9, and he missed a week of practice and Syracuse’s conference tournament.