Instant Juice: Syracuse 58, Wisconsin 66 (OT)

roberson
Syracuse lost for the first time this season
roberson
Syracuse lost for the first time this season

A quick take on Syracuse’s 66-58 loss against Wisconsin in the Big 10/ACC Challenge at the Carrier Dome on Wednesday evening:

WHAT HAPPENED: Nigel Hayes’ layup plus a foul with just over two minutes left broke a 55-55 game in overtime. On Wisconsin’s ensuing possession, Ethan Happ’s dunk gave the Badgers control of the game as the Orange went cold in the extra frame, shooting just 1-9. Syracuse appeared to have control of the game late in the second half, with Michael Gbinije burying a 3-pointer with 3:14 left to give SU a 52-48 lead. But Bronson Koenig tied the game on a 3-pointer two minutes later to send the game to overtime.

» Related: Syracuse needs more consistency from Trevor Cooney

ANALYSIS: For the second straight game, Syracuse was badly beaten on the boards by a bigger team, with Wisconsin collecting 16 offensive rebounds and owning a +26 margin. Part of that was due to Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim electing to go with a smaller unit in the second half, starting Tyler Lydon over Dajuan Coleman at center, and subbing in Kaleb Joseph when needed. Coleman didn’t play at all in the second period or overtime. A smaller lineup didn’t lead to better shooting, though, with the Orange shooting just 35.7 percent from the field, 7-24 from downtown and 11-20 at the free throw line.

HERO: Wisconsin’s big men—Happ, Hayes and Vitto Brown—dominated SU. They combined for 47 points and 35 rebounds. Michael Gbinije led SU with 19 points, five assists and five rebounds, but was just 1-4 from the free throw line.

ZERO: Tyler Lydon, the ACC’s reigning Rookie of the Week, came in shooting nearly 60 percent from downtown. But went 0-3 from distance and fumbled a potential game-winning dunk with 10 seconds left in regulation.

WHAT’S NEXT: A date with an old flame. Syracuse travels to Washington, DC, to take on Georgetown on Saturday for a 1 p.m. tip. This time, they will meet as non-conference opponents for the first time since the formation of the Big East.

For more Syracuse coverage, Like our Facebook page and follow us @TheJuiceOnline.

Avatar photo
About Wes Cheng 2907 Articles
Wes has worked for Rivals.com covering the New York Knicks, as well as for Scout.com covering Syracuse athletics. Wes has also been a contributing writer for the South China Morning Post (Hong Kong), for SportsNet New York (SNY) as a news desk writer covering all of New York professional sports, and reported on the NBA and MLB for the New York Sportscene. A native of Long Island, New York, Wes graduated from Syracuse University in 2005 with a degree in journalism. Contact him at wes[at]sujuiceonline.com.