Syracuse entered Thursday afternoon firmly in the NCAA tournament bubble conversation but the Orange weren't given any favors as they faced Virginia in the ACC tournament quarterfinals.
The pair of ACC powers sat tied at 69-69 with just under 10 seconds remaining as the Cavaliers inbounded the ball ahead of halfcourt. Point guard Kihei Clark dribbled into the lane, collapsing the defense before he kicked the ball out to Reece Beekman on the perimeter. Beekman rose up and fired from the right wing, drilling the triple as Virginia advanced to the tournament semifinals.
Thursday's loss could be more consequential than simply eliminating Syracuse from the ACC tournament.