Syracuse Basketball Makes Splash In Home Win Over Miami

The Syracuse basketball team finally got its signature win of the season. The team gelled and Jim Boeheim made some interesting decisions.

The Syracuse basketball team finally put it all together in a convincing and much-needed 70-55 victory against a surging Miami squad.

After getting crushed on Jan. 1 by a Boston College group that hadn’t secured an ACC triumph in nearly two years, the Orange (9-6) shot lights out versus the Hurricanes (11-3), one of the premier defensive units in the country.

I can’t stress the importance of this outcome for SU, its first conference conquest. There’s the awful BC defeat. The 33-point home drubbing to St. John’s, the biggest in head coach Jim Boeheim’s 41 years as head coach. The five non-conference setbacks, also the worst in Boeheim’s tenure.

This season seemingly slipping away, the ‘Cuse on Wednesday night faced off on with a UM outfit riding a seven-game winning streak. Syracuse had yet to come out on top when clashing with a Power 5 program.

But now, it has. Clearly in desperation mode, the Orange might have taken a pivotal step toward perhaps saving its 2016-17 campaign, at least in the short term.

SU connected on 57 percent of its attempts from the field, 42 percent from 3-point range and 86 percent from the charity stripe. Miami, meanwhile, made just 39 percent from the field, along with 42 percent from 3-point land and a paltry 20 percent from the free-throw line.

For the evening, Syracuse held a slight edge in total rebounds, assists, steals and blocks.

Graduate transfer Andrew White III paced the Orange with 22 points and a team-high 10 boards. Sophomore Tyler Lydon, on a tear of late, tallied 20 points and 7 rebounds. Senior Tyler Roberson, who is picking up positive momentum, chipped in 9 points and 6 boards.

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Both White and Lydon shot 7-of-13 from the field. Roberson made 4-of-5.

Boeheim used his fifth different starting line-up of the year, with fellow grad transfer John Gillon inserted for sophomore Frank Howard. Though he committed 5 turnovers, Gillon also contributed 8 points and 11 dimes.

The SU point guards have mightily struggled in recent weeks. However, if Gillon can rely on his quickness to boost the tempo, while keeping his mistakes at bay, that will prove unbelievably critical moving forward.

"“At point guard, I think we need to go with someone for a while,” Boeheim said in his post-game press conference. “It’s tough when you’re looking over your shoulder … I think (Gillon’s) been a little better. A little better.”"

I expect Howard, who logged one minute, to continue seeing his playing time diminish. However, should Gillon get careless with the ball, which he is prone to do, Howard may get some run.

Will he handle this demotion okay? I’m not convinced. In Wednesday night’s pummeling of the Hurricanes, players on the ‘Cuse bench emitted excellent energy. Except for Howard, that is.

Since four of Syracuse’s eight primary scholarship guys are new to the roster, Boeheim has tinkered with his rotations more than usual. Against Miami, he started Gillon, White and Lydon, as well as freshmen Tyus Battle and Taurean Thompson.

Thompson, though, picked up two quick fouls in the first half, and he barely got into the game after that. Senior Dajuan Coleman, like Howard, registered one minute.

Save for Thompson, the other starters each nabbed a minimum of 39 minutes; Roberson had 35 minutes, the most in a long while for him.

As Syracuse.com’s Jason Murray noted via Twitter, the line-up of Lydon, Roberson, White, Battle and Gillon was +21. The remaining three line-ups were -6.

One of the Orange’s glaring flaws is its defense, but SU shored this up, to a certain extent. Guys looked less lost out there. Fewer instances where they appeared out of position. So much more determination, grit and hustle. They got 50/50 balls. Honestly, they busted their tails.

"Said Boeheim: “We’ve been using the same defense for 41 years; it’s not like we changed something this week. We were more active.”"

I believe that a markedly better defense resulted in a more confident offense. One game is a small

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sample size, but Boeheim may have found the six guys that best suit him (apologies to Coleman and Howard).

Our boys also demonstrated resolve. About mid-way through the second half, Miami sliced a 10-point deficit to one. I anticipated another Syracuse choke. Yet SU responded with an 18-5 outburst to put the contest away.

The Orange exercised its heart in steam-rolling the Hurricanes, much to the delight of 17,393 frenzied fans. The Carrier Dome rocked. Electric and loud.

Just what the entire Central New York community needed.

Maybe it was just our day. Case in point: in both halves, White had 3-point attempts bounce around on the rim, and then fall through the hoop.

"“It’s one game,” Boeheim said. “We’re happy to get it.”"

Syracuse looks to capitalize on its newly acquired mojo when it tips off with nemesis Pittsburgh on Saturday, Jan. 7. Hey, at least Orange-killer Jamie Dixon is gone.

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