Syracuse Basketball: Top takeaways as ‘Cuse suffers dagger loss at Boston College

If Syracuse basketball wants to have any shot at potentially making the 2024 NCAA Tournament following a two-year absence, these are the kinds of games it needed to have.

The Orange, at Boston College on Tuesday night, looked for a regular-season sweep of the Eagles during the 2023-24 campaign.

Yet the Eagles went on a massive run toward the end of the first half and early in the second half, and Boston College scored an 80-75 victory over the ‘Cuse, buoyed by some strong shooting from the field and beyond the arc.

This, to me, is a dagger setback for the Orange. The Eagles (13-8, 4-6 in the ACC), entering this Atlantic Coast Conference contest, had an NCAA NET ranking of No. 90, representing a quadrant-two opportunity for Syracuse basketball.

After leading by as many as nine points in the first half, the ‘Cuse found itself down by 14 points in the second half. The Orange (14-7, 5-5 in the ACC) got within two points but couldn’t get over the hump.

My key observations as Syracuse basketball falls at Boston College.

•In the first half, the ‘Cuse built up a 20-11 advantage. The lead was seven points for the Orange when sophomore big man Maliq Brown picked up his second foul. Things then started to unravel for Syracuse basketball. The Eagles ended the first half on a 14-0 run to go up by seven points, and Boston College stretched its edge to 14 points, 49-35, by beginning the second half with a 7-0 run. That deficit was too large for the Orange to make up.

•Sophomore guard J.J. Starling continued his solid play of late, notching 18 points. Sophomore point guard Judah Mintz also chipped in 18 points, but he only attempted two free throws and missed both of them.

•Playing through foul trouble, Brown was good, tallying 15 points and seven rebounds, but he was 0-of-4 from the charity stripe.

•Junior forward Benny Williams contributed seven points, five boards and four steals. Sophomore wing Quadir Copeland had a nice outing, finishing with nine points, seven rebounds, seven assists, four steals and zero turnovers.

•Both teams were bad from the foul line. Syracuse basketball went just 7-of-14, while Boston College was 10-of-17. Candidly, if the ‘Cuse hit its free throws, it could have emerged victorious here.

•The Orange came into this league affair at No. 31 nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency via KenPom. Yet the Eagles hit on 60 percent from the field and 50 percent from 3-point land. Boston College, so far in 2023-24, has demonstrated that it is a strong shooting squad, but the ‘Cuse defense has to be better. Syracuse basketball, on the flip side, hit on 47 percent from the field and 35 percent from deep.

•In statistical categories, the Eagles led 37-27 on the glass, 27-20 in bench points, 3-2 in blocks, and 7-4 in fast-break points. The ‘Cuse, conversely, led 17-16 in assists, 21-11 in turnovers forced, 12-2 in steals, 18-10 in points off turnovers and 9-6 in second-chance points. Boston College and Syracuse basketball were tied at 36 in paint points.

•By prevailing on Tuesday evening at the Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill, Mass., the Eagles snapped an 11-game losing streak to the Orange. The ‘Cuse still leads its all-time series with Boston College, 58-27.

•Next up, Syracuse basketball hits the road again, facing Wake Forest on Saturday, Feb. 3. The tip-off is scheduled for 7:45 pm at the LJVM Coliseum in Winston-Salem, N.C., with television coverage on The CW Network.