A quick take on Syracuse’s 78-71 loss to its long-time rival Georgetown on Saturday afternoon:
WHAT HAPPENED: After Jonathan Mulmore hit a 3-pointer to put Georgetown up 67-60 with 2:41 left, Syracuse made it a one-possession game after Tyler Lydon’s basket with 1:07 on the clock to pull SU to within 3. But a questionable charge call on John Gillon after a Georgetown turnover stalled SU’s momentum, and Georgetown was able to close out the game at the free throw line.
» Related: Syracuse and Georgetown deserve a new, compelling chapter
ANALYSIS: Syracuse dropped another game against a Power 5 team, and if the NCAA Tournament were to start today, the Orange would almost be on the outside looking in. Syracuse’s defense still continued its struggles, with Georgetown shooting over 47 percent from the field despite 18 turnovers. Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim also hasn’t quite settled on his rotation, with Gillon making his first start of his SU career. It helped somewhat, with the Orange putting forth a better offensive effort than it did against UConn, but the Orange couldn’t find a sustained offensive burst in the second half.
HERO: Lydon finished with a career-high 29 points, missing just one of his 13 shots. For Georgetown, LJ Peak and Rodney Prior combined with 43 points.
ZERO: An old bugaboo for the Orange came to haunt them today, as SU missed nine free throws. The Orange didn’t much from Frank Howard, who shot 2-6 and finished with four assists, but also six turnovers.
WHAT’S NEXT: Syracuse has a quick turnaround, hosting Eastern Michigan on Monday at 7 p.m. at the Carrier Dome.
For more Syracuse coverage, Like our Facebook page and follow us @TheJuiceOnline.
