Syracuse Basketball Gets Win Over Charlotte

The Syracuse basketball team took on Charlotte at 2:30 pm in the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas.

Going into the game, there was no doubt that Syracuse had the advantage. But after three close games against mid-majors, no one was sure what to expect. Would Syracuse come out passive as they had in the first 3 games? Would they be able to pull away from a team they clearly outmatch athletically?

The answer to those questions was a mixed bag. Syracuse flew out to a huge early lead in the first half. It was a constant blur of action, as Syracuse consistently got out on the fast break and found wide open shooters. Gbinije scored 16 first half points, including nailing four 3-pointers. Cooney got off to a hot start as well, scoring 15 in the first half and draining three more 3s on his own.

Tyler Lydon had an excellent half as well, scoring nine points including one 3, and also grabbing 4 rebounds and getting 2 huge blocks. Syracuse led 50-27 at the half.

The second started off very rocky for SU, as Charlotte went on a 9-0 run to cut into the lead. At one point early in the second, it was down to 12 before Syracuse responded in a big way. Richardson, Gbinije, Cooney, and Lydon continued the three point barrage, each hitting one in the second half.

Lydon continued his brilliant play at both ends, recording another handful of blocks, a few outstanding rebounds, and holding down the center of the zone quite admirably in the defensive set. In one sequence, he got position for an offensive rebound and got the put back. Charlotte tried to run it down the court to respond, but Lydon got position down low and drew the charge. It was a play that exemplifies his incredible hustle and tenacity.

Even with the threes dropping again in the second half, Charlotte just wouldn’t go away. Thanks to some terrible transition defense and inability to cover the middle of the zone on the fast break, Charlotte crept back into the game. They got it to just a nine point lead with under 2 minutes to go, but that’s as close as they got.

In the end Syracuse won the game 83-70. While the phrase “a win is a win” is definitely fitting, there are some serious question marks with this team. They are continually being out-hustled on the boards and to the loose balls. Another scary issue for the Orange, today at least, was their transition defense. They were repeatedly torched in the second half and it’s what got Charlotte back into it.

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In the end, Syracuse won and there were some positives to take away. Syracuse shot the ball very well from the outside, going 14-28 from 3-point land. They were one 3 away from tying their all-time record of 15 set in 2007 and took solid shots all game.

Gbinije looked NBA ready. Aside from hitting 6-8 from three, he was the catalyst that made the whole team go. He finished with 26 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks, and a steal.

Tyler Lydon also looked outstanding all game. He ended up with 18 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 assists, and 8 blocks. Yes, that’s right, I said 8 blocks. He was 2 boards and 2 blocks away from a triple double in his fourth college game. Wow.

So while the game might have been closer than we would have liked, Syracuse pulled it out and now advance to take on the winner of the UConn vs Michigan game. That game is on later today. The semifinal against the winner will be played tomorrow and will air on ESPN.

Check back later tonight for more coverage of the team and some in-depth analysis of the win over Charlotte.