Syracuse Basketball Rewatch: Malachi Richardson helps the Orange shock Virginia in the Elite 8. Here is our full look back.
Syracuse basketball has had many classic games throughout its history. Some of the most memorable can be found on Youtube.
Today’s rewatch comes from one of the most improbable comebacks in NCAA Tournament history. Syracuse has a history of big comebacks in the Tournament, ask Oklahoma State. What made the comeback so remarkable, Easter night in 2016, was the opponent it came against.
Virginia played 37 games that season. Only nine different halves the Cavaliers gave up 40 points. Syracuse scored 47 in the second half. Virginia was already known to have an elite defense but they never failed to score 30 when their opponent scored 40.
So when you’re down 16 to Virginia in the 2nd half, twice, you have no chance to come back. Syracuse did and punched their second Final Four trip in four years.
This iconic matchup took place on March 27, 2016. If you’d like to rewatch this game as well it can be found here.
The 10th seeded Orange took down Dayton, Middle Tennessee State, and Gonzaga to get to this iconic matchup.
The observations from a rewatch of (10) Syracuse vs (1) Virginia, 2016 Elite 8.
The Freshman
This game was the guarantee that Malachi Richardson was going to be a one-and-done guy at Syracuse. Richardson was the star of the show especially in the midst of the Syracuse run. With only 2 points in the first half and not hitting his first field goal until 11:42 left in the game.
While the first 28 minutes were not so impressive in the box score, everyone just remembers what he did to spark the Syracuse run. Richardson was not the lone freshman that made an impact. Tyler Lydon might not have propelled himself to the top of draft boards with this performance but there was no doubt he would follow suit someday.
Lydon was the Orange’s second-leading scorer in the second half. Tyler hit Syracuse’s first two threes of the game and collected three throughout. The most famous three he hit came in the first half after losing his shoe.
Lydon offered an inside-out scoring punch, added even more on the defensive side. Splitting time from the wing and center of the Syracuse zone he was the premier shot-blocker in the 2016 NCAA Tournament. Lydon totaled 20 blocks in the NCAA Tournament run including five against Virginia.
Richardson and Lydon were key cogs in Syracuse coming back in the second half. But the next observations come from the hall of famer on the bench, calling the right shots.
Coach Jim Boeheim’s halftime and in-game adjustments.
Virginia scored immediately to start the second half. The Orange were down 16 and had to find answers quickly, especially on the offensive end. What the Orange looked to do, was take the ball to the basket.
Syracuse took inside shots on their first five possessions with their only jumper leading to an offensive layup. Syracuse also drew three fouls on Virginia and converted all four of their attempts at the line. This was a theme for the second half. After only drawing four fouls in the first-half the Orange were the aggressors in the second half.
Attacking Virginia allowed them to put points on the board with the clock stopped and eventually put the game away. Going 16-for-18 at the charity stripe, a historical weakness became a strength.
Defensively the Orange adjusted as well. Everyone remembers the press. With 9:16 remaining the Orange turned it on after a Tyler Roberson dunk that cut the deficit to 13. From this point on Virginia shot 3-for-12 with four turnovers and eight points.
Why did the press work so well?
Virginia was overwhelmed and sped up. They could not handle the pressure. But it wasn’t just the press. Before Syracuse put on the press they began to trap on the wings limiting the shot clock on Virginia, forcing them to expend energy, and score in a way they haven’t been forced to all season.
Virginia had six turnovers in the half to Syracuse’s zero. Syracuse took averages and ran with them. Virginia averaged 25.5 field goal attempts and 4.6 turnovers a half. Syracuse sped them up to 28 field goals and six turnovers.
Coach Boeheim went to his full bag of tricks against Virginia.
He played the long game before implementing the next part of his plan, each coming just at the precise moment. He pushed each button from attacking Virginia from the inside, to the traps, to fullcourt press to trusting a freshman to lead them in the form of Richardson. Even when the defensive player in the ACC Malcolm Brogdon took on the challenge. Coach Boeheim orchestrated the comeback to move the Orange on to the Final Four.