Syracuse Basketball: Buddy Boeheim is absolutely spectacular in ND win
By Neil Adler
Syracuse basketball junior shooting guard Buddy Boeheim notched a career-high in points scored on Saturday afternoon, and the Orange needed every one of them in mounting a stellar comeback against Notre Dame inside the Carrier Dome.
The ‘Cuse (13-6, 7-5), if I can be blunt here, really couldn’t afford to lose this Atlantic Coast Conference clash at home versus the Fighting Irish (9-11, 6-8), a solid team that has an under .500 overall record but has also dealt with a really difficult schedule.
The Orange is still on the outside looking in as it pertains to the 2021 Big Dance, and besting Notre Dame doesn’t move the needle all that much. However, if Syracuse basketball had fallen to the Fighting Irish on the Hill, that could have proven a dagger for the ‘Cuse.
Instead, the Orange showed a ton of grit, heart and toughness in storming back from 20 points down in the second half to stun Notre Dame. Over the final 17 minutes or so, Syracuse basketball outscored the Fighting Irish, 40-12, to escape with a 75-67 triumph in Central New York.
Syracuse basketball guard Buddy Boeheim picked a prime day to have a career performance.
Front and center in the ‘Cuse comeback was Boeheim, who has had a bit of an up-and-down season to date. As the Orange conquered Notre Dame, Boeheim finished with a career-high 29 points.
Per statistics on ESPN.com, Boeheim logged 36 minutes and connected on 10-of-19 from the field as a whole, as well as 6-of-10 from beyond the arc. Simply wonderful.
According to a press release on cuse.com, Boeheim’s 29 points are the most in an encounter for an Orange player during the 2020-21 campaign. His six 3-pointers are one off his career-high, and Boeheim has reached ninth place in Syracuse basketball program history for career 3-pointers made.
As the Orange attempts to re-enter the conversation for an invite to the upcoming March Madness, the ‘Cuse will travel to Durham, N.C., for an ACC collision on Monday night versus a surging Duke group. Boeheim will need to keep this kind of play going if Syracuse basketball hopes to knock off the Blue Devils on the road.
Jim Boeheim, Buddy’s father and the head coach of the Orange, noted in his post-game Zoom call with media members after the victory over Notre Dame that his son led the ACC in 3-point field-goal percentage and 3-point field-goals made per game a stanza ago.
What it really boils down to is Buddy Boeheim getting open looks from deep. He’s hitting probably around 50 percent from 3-point land on open attempts, Jim Boeheim said.