Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our sports newsletter here.

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Something needed to change for Syracuse in the second half. SU faced a 41-30 deficit after 20 minutes, as it was plagued by persisting struggles.

The Orange got off to a slow start, struggling to hit 3-pointers and failing to embark on a run. After barely squeaking by Le Moyne, Colgate and Youngstown State across its first three games, Syracuse allowed Texas to shoot 61% from the field in the first half.

At first, it looked like the Longhorns would punch SU in the mouth after their lead grew to a game-high 16 points less than two minutes into the second half. Instead, ignited by an intensified defensive effort, the Orange slowly chipped into UT’s lead.

While Syracuse (3-1, 0-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) failed to complete a second-half comeback in its 70-66 loss to Texas (4-1, 0-0 Southeastern Conference), its defense took a major step forward. The Orange forced UT to shoot 10-of-30 from the field in the second half en route to scoring just 29 points. This helped SU allow a season-low 70 points and nearly overcome its double-digit deficit.

“I think it was the first time that we really locked in and played defense,” Syracuse head coach Adrian Autry said postgame. “And I thought that was the difference in the second half.”

Throughout most of the first half, the Orange played a 2-3 zone — the first time they’d done so this season. While it was program legend Jim Boeheim’s staple, it’s something Autry — who is in his second year as SU’s head coach following Boeheim’s 47-year tenure — hasn’t displayed much.

Still, he said the matchup against Texas was the right time to utilize it because of its explosiveness. Additionally, Autry said he wanted to give the Longhorns different looks. After SU fell behind 9-0 to start the game, Autry called a timeout. The Orange began exclusively playing a 2-3 zone for the remainder of the first half.

“It was the first time we did it this year, and I think that definitely kept them off balance a little bit,” SU forward Jyáre Davis said of playing zone.

While the zone initially gave the Longhorns fits, as they went scoreless on four straight possessions following Syracuse’s adjustment, they slowly found a groove again. Much of Texas’ damage in the halfcourt came from moving the ball across the top of the key before getting the ball to the paint.

From there, UT created looks by cutting across the baseline or freeing shooters beyond the arc. This steadied the Longhorns’ double-digit lead throughout the half, as they took an 11-point advantage into the locker room.

To begin the second half, Syracuse tweaked its defensive scheme. Instead of showing a straight 2-3 zone, the Orange initially showed man. Then, the secondary defenders adjusted into a zone while the primary defender remained in man.

But after Chris Bell overcommitted to Texas’ leading scorer Tre Johnson — who only shot 4-of-18 from the field — handing Chendall Weaver a wide open 3 that gave UT a 16-point lead, SU’s man defense became firmer. The Longhorns failed to score on six of their next seven possessions.

“Man (defense) is really what helped us get back into this game,” Syracuse guard J.J. Starling said.

Though the Orange’s defense began getting stops in bunches, they still trailed 50-37 five minutes into the second half. However, an Eddie Lampkin Jr. mid-range off the glass gave SU life.

Jaquan Carlos’ defensive effort built off Lampkin’s shot. The Hofstra transfer, who struggled drastically guarding the perimeter in Syracuse’s first three games, picked up Julian Larry near halfcourt.

As the graduate student dribbled beyond the timeline, Carlos set his feet before taking an elbow to the chest. He drew a charge. This allowed Lampkin to bully his way inside before converting on an and-one.

Following Lampkin’s free throw, the Orange continued applying tight on-ball pressure defensively. Again, Carlos guarded Larry near halfcourt, forcing the Longhorns to kick the ball outside. Ze’Rik Onyema tried setting a screen to free Larry. But it resulted in UT’s second consecutive turnover, as Onyema was called for an illegal screen.

On the other end, Lampkin slammed home his seventh straight point. All of a sudden, SU trailed just 50-44 at the 13:37 mark. It forced Texas to call a timeout.

“We played the gaps way better than what we’ve been doing,” Lampkin said of Syracuse’s defensive effort.

Though UT instantly answered with an easy dunk out of the timeout, the Orange’s defense continued racking up stops. The Longhorns embarked on an over three-minute scoring drought, allowing Syracuse — which had been playing from behind since the first points were scored — to pull within one.

Despite seeing its deficit slip to 56-52 at the under-eight minute timeout, SU continued chipping away. Anchored by four straight Starling points and the guard’s defensive pressure on Johnson, the Orange tied the game 56-56 with six minutes remaining. Beyond the freshman’s 14 misses from the field — 10 of which came in the second half — he turned the ball over five times.

“I just was (an) aggressive defender,” Starling said of his matchup against Johnson. “I used my length trying to bother him. I didn’t let him dribble easily or get to the spots.”

Down the stretch, both teams traded points. But ultimately, spearheaded by making timely free throws, the Longhorns prevailed. The result isn’t what Autry was looking for. However, his team showed themselves something they needed to see — a stout defensive performance.

“They got it on film now that they can do it and it can be done,” Autry said of Syracuse’s defense. “We just got to keep building on it.”

Published on November 22, 2024 at 12:19 am

Contact Justin: justingirshon@gmail.com | @JustinGirshon