The Syracuse basketball team lost their mojo in a 64-50 loss to the South Carolina Gamecocks. What went wrong and how can they fix it?
As the crowd began to fill the Barclays Center, it was evident that this was no neutral site. It was a sea of Orange in Brooklyn on Saturday afternoon as the Syracuse basketball team fell to the South Carolina Gamecocks, 64-50. The loudest the Syracuse fans got during the game was when the Orange cut their deficit to four- that’s the kind of game it was for Syracuse.
South Carolina got off to a fast start with a 6-0 run and never looked back. In fact, the Orange didn’t hold a lead at any point during the game. This was an incredibly poor offensive game for the Orange, as they shot a meager 31% from the field (14-44). Not only did they struggle to convert field goals, they struggled from the charity strike as well, making just 16-26 free throws. Compare that to South Carolina, who shot 45% from the field and converted 14-19 free throws. All game, they struggled to create their own shot and get open looks.
The most notable flaw in the game on Saturday was the turnovers. Syracuse managed to turn the
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ball over 17 times. In fairness to the rest of the team, 11 of then came from Tyler Lydon (6) and John Gillon (5). While six is still too many for Lydon, at least he can make the case that as the best player on the team, a few are expected. Gillon, on the other hand, has to be more careful with the ball. In 28 minutes, he finished with three points and five turnovers — not the production that Jim Boeheim is looking for.
Yes, Lydon probably turned the ball over more than he should have, but he was also the main source of offense for the Orange. He led the team with 18 points, 7 rebounds, and was able to hit three 3-pointers. Overall, he played a good game. It would be nice to see him score more in the paint, but my guess is that he will progress as the season unfolds.
While Syracuse probably should have won this game, South Carolina deserves a lot of credit. They were efficient on offense and really exposed the 2-3 zone. They forced turnovers in key situations and out-rebounded the Orange 37-30. The most telling statistic of all is the points in the paint, which South Carolina dominated 30 to 8.
Orange fans shouldn’t hit the panic button just yet. It is still very early in the season and if you can recall, the Orange had a bad loss to St. Johns last season and still made it to the Final Four. It’s a long season and I’m confident that Jim Boeheim will make the proper adjustments needed to succeed.