Syracuse basketball recently closed out 2022 with a win and began 2023 in the same manner, as the Orange got a game-high 28 points from senior shooting guard Joe Girard III and squeaked by Louisville in an exciting Atlantic Coast Conference encounter on Tuesday night at the KFC Yum! Center.
It wasn’t pretty by any means, but the ‘Cuse managed a 70-69 victory over the struggling Cardinals, and that outcome gives Syracuse basketball two straight wins. The Orange has also triumphed seven times in its last eight affairs, with a massive road test looming this coming weekend in Charlottesville, Va.
On Tuesday evening, the ‘Cuse (10-5, 3-1 in the ACC) and the Cardinals (2-13, 0-4) engaged in a thrilling contest that included numerous runs by each squad, featured a ton of turnovers, and came down to the final few seconds in Louisville, Ky.
Girard was terrific. He hit on 4-of-8 from beyond the arc and was super clutch from the charity stripe, where he connected on 10-of-11, including several critical made free throws near the end of this meeting.
Additionally, Joe Girard III added seven rebounds, three assists and two steals, although he did have five turnovers. Freshman point guard Judah Mintz tallied 16 points, while senior center Jesse Edwards compiled 12 points, 11 boards and four blocks. Mintz and Girard each played 40 minutes.
Syracuse basketball, in escaping Louisville, was led by senior shooting guard Joe Girard III.
For all the heat that Girard takes on social media by a contingent of Orange fans, he was pretty darn good in the team’s victory at Louisville. Granted, he’s inconsistent at times, but so is basically everyone on the Syracuse basketball 2022-23 roster.
Versus the Cardinals, though, he made a handful of really pivotal shots from the field and also from the free-throw line. Without this output by Joe Girard III, I don’t think that the ‘Cuse would have won this ACC clash.
Even still, the Cardinals had a chance to prevail at this contest’s conclusion during a frenetic and nerve-wracking series of events. Girard hit two free throws to put the Orange up by three points. Louisville countered with two at the charity stripe to make it 70-69.
Syracuse basketball inbounded the ball to Mintz, but as he was driving down the floor, he slipped and fell. The Cardinals gained possession and boasted an opportunity to put up the winning bucket, however, the ‘Cuse knocked the ball away. Time ran out.
With this result, the Orange notched its second road triumph so far in ACC competition. Granted, Louisville isn’t a good team at this juncture in 2022-23. But any win by the ‘Cuse away from the Hill in league play is great as Syracuse basketball attempts to put together a resume that perhaps could warrant post-season consideration down the line.
Both squads shot well from 3-point land. The Orange was plus-15 points from the charity stripe, and that to me was the deciding factor in this game. As has often been the case in 2022-23, the ‘Cuse was outrebounded by its opponent, and Louisville got a bunch of second-chance points.
Moreover, this encounter was truly sloppy throughout, as the Cardinals committed a ridiculous 21 turnovers. Syracuse basketball wasn’t much better, committing 15 miscues of its own.
With this victory, the ‘Cuse moves to 12-19 overall against Louisville. I didn’t get a super warm and fuzzy feeling about the Orange’s performance versus the Cardinals. That being said, a win is a win, especially on the road.
Up next, Syracuse basketball will again play outside of the friendly confines of the JMA Wireless Dome. This Saturday, Jan. 7, beginning at 5 pm on the ACC Network, the ‘Cuse will square off with No. 11 Virginia at John Paul Jones Arena.
That conference collision will provide Syracuse basketball with a golden opportunity to pick up a signature victory against one of the ACC’s premier teams.