Syracuse Basketball: A fabulous ND game, but a setback that still stings

Syracuse basketball competed in its closest contest to date in the 2019-20 campaign, but unfortunately, a thrilling ending did not go the Orange’s way.

Entering its affair with Notre Dame before nearly 20,000 fans inside the Carrier Dome on Saturday afternoon, Syracuse basketball had either won or lost every one of its encounters in the 2019-20 term by double-digits. The ‘Cuse bucked that trend versus the Fighting Irish, however, Syracuse fell just a tad short in an 88-87 defeat.

Without question, this result is a tough pill to swallow for the Orange (8-6, 1-2), a relatively young crew that journeyed through the non-conference slate minus a signature success. Notre Dame (10-4, 1-2) isn’t currently a heavyweight opponent or even a top-25 outfit, yet the ‘Cuse certainly possessed a juicy occasion to start off the new year on a positive note as the Atlantic Coast Conference calendar kicks into high gear.

For Syracuse to consider sniffing a post-season invite, whether that’s the Big Dance or the NIT, it must grab a bunch of league triumphs, and the Orange’s battle against the Fighting Irish represented a sorely missed opportunity.

That the ‘Cuse allowed almost 90 points, at home, and still could have emerged victorious is undeniably frustrating. It also speaks to exactly how awesome this duel ultimately proved.

Syracuse and Notre Dame each connected on the same number of field goals and 3-pointers. The sole difference between glory and sadness is that the Fighting Irish made one more free throw. That’s it. One gosh-darn shot from the charity stripe!

The Orange, in the waning minutes of this nerve-wracking event, held a three-point edge and could have stretched it to a two-possession advantage. But Notre Dame, a scrappy group, wouldn’t go away.

The Fighting Irish stroked a huge – and awfully difficult – make from deep to tie things up, the ‘Cuse put forth several rough offensive trips, and Notre Dame would eventually manage to escape the Hill with a massive road conquest.

I have no doubt that the bevy of Syracuse fanatics believe that the Orange choked down the stretch. That’s non-sense.

Both squads performed admirably, delivering terrific offensive showings. What doomed the ‘Cuse is that the Fighting Irish crushed Syracuse in a pair of key statistical areas – points off of turnovers, as well as second-chance points.

The Orange roster displayed a few encouraging signs, despite getting beat. First and foremost, the ‘Cuse didn’t get blown out. It’s pivotal for Syracuse’s slightly inexperienced line-up to engage in these sorts of tight meetings, regardless of the final score. That builds character and grittiness.

Additionally, five guys notched double-figures in points, and that kind of balance is crucial. The Orange shot lights out from 3-point land, shared the ball with precision, and didn’t commit an outrageous amount of mistakes.

If the ‘Cuse can shore up its 2-3 zone and continue to work on its rebounding, then Syracuse will find itself squarely in the thick of many ACC clashes, with the next one coming for the Orange this Tuesday night, when the ‘Cuse hosts Virginia Tech.