CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Staving off a .500 record in mid-January, Syracuse (9-7, 2-3 Atlantic Coast) ended a two-game losing streak against No. 18 Virginia, the reigning national champions, 63-55, in overtime. A back-and-forth defensive battle featured ugly transition basketball and tight half-court defense. Joe Girard III led the Orange with 19 points. Kihei Clark – as he did the last time these two teams played – guided the No. 18 Cavaliers (11-4, 3-2) with 13 points, nine assists and six rebounds.

The first time Virginia and Syracuse met in Virginia’s John Paul Jones Arena in 2007, the Orange won. Fourteen years later, the Orange did it again. Here are three takeaways from Saturday’s matchup. 

3 > 2 

For as stout as Virginia’s number-one ranked defense is, per KenPom.com, its offense leaves much to be desired. The Cavaliers feature a strong interior presence with Mamadi Diakite and 7-foot-1 Jay Huff, but a lack of 3-point shooting cost UVA in the first half. Clark hit one three from the logo with no one around him, and he cashed another from the wing late in the frame. That was it. 

The Cavaliers went two-for-11 from deep in the first half. Their 3-point shooting only slightly improved in the second, finishing five for 28. Most of the shooters had apt-space, as the Orange routinely denied the entry-pass into the high post. Two momentum 3s for Virginia brought the game within one with 15 minutes left, the Orange previously up seven. 

In a game when buckets came at a premium, Syracuse’s 12 total 3s kept it close. Hughes and Girard ran two-man games for space ahead of Virginia’s pack-line. Then, in the final minutes, two open missed 3s by Virginia gave SU life. In overtime, Hughes, Girard and Buddy nailed a 3 on consecutive possessions for a seven-point lead. The Orange bench sprawled onto the court, SU head coach Jim Boeheim punched the air and Hughes flexed. SU would hit two more, emptying the crowd with each make. 

Still standing 

After a highlight-reel fast-break dunk by Elijah Hughes put Syracuse up seven a few minutes into the second half, the UVA student band cued Elton John’s “I’m Still Standing.” The crowd, mostly silent after Hughes slam, perked up. The lower bowl of fans stood and willed the Cavaliers. 

A few minutes later, they were given something to cheer for. Two momentum-shifting 3s brought the game within one and center Jay Huff capped an 8-0 run with a lay-in. Orange head coach Jim Boeheim called a timeout to halt the run. It didn’t work. A pair of two-point field goals made it a 12-0 run, Virginia now leading by five, Boeheim called another timeout in the midst of a six-and-a-half minute scoreless run for SU. 

A few timely misses from the Orange and a few misplaced passes gave Virginia its opening. While both defenses settled in the following minutes, neither could pull away in regulation. The Orange pulled away with their three late 3s, giving them a marquee win to prop their ailing season on. 

Foul trouble 

Like in the Barclays Center games against Oklahoma State and Penn State, SU’s frontcourt slipped into foul trouble. Bourama Sidibe and Marek Dolezaj each had four fouls with 15 minutes left. Boeheim turned to his bench, playing Quincy Guerrier — who totaled three personals in the first half — and Jesse Edwards for the latter’s first minutes in the new year. 

In the first half, despite the infractions placing starters on the bench, Syracuse maintained a rebounding advantage. But during Virginia’s deciding second-half run, white jerseys boxed out, flipped the rebound differential and took control. 

Published on January 11, 2020 at 6:25 pm

Contact Nick: nialvare@syr.edu | @nick_a_alvarez