A quick take on Syracuse’s 96-81 blowout loss to Boston College on Sunday afternoon:
WHAT HAPPENED: With the score tied at 10 with just under 14 minutes left in the first half, Boston College went on a 12-4 run to take a 22-14 lead just three minutes later. That would prove to be the only surge the Eagles needed. For good measure, a 16-5 run in the second half gave BC a commanding 62-44 lead with 14:58 left, and the Orange suffered another humiliating loss to an opponent who had not had an ACC win since March 7, 2015.
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ANALYSIS: The 33-point blowout loss to St. John’s was not a fluke. This Syracuse team has serious deficiencies that may not be fixed at all this season. The most glaring problem all season has been a Swiss cheese zone that has been carved up repeatedly by high-major opponents. Once again, SU couldn’t defend the 3-point line, surrendering 16 triples, while allowing the Eagles to shoot 57.1 percent from the field. On offense, the Orange has not been able to move the ball with any continuity against tougher competition, and that was once again the case on Sunday. The Orange combined for just 12 total assists, with its floor general, Frank Howard, going 1-6 from the field and just three assists.
HERO: Ky Bowman was a one-man wrecking crew, shooting a lights-out 7-8 from 3-point land to finish with 30 points. Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim shuffled his lineup again, inserting Taurean Thompson at the starting center position, while benching Dajuan Coleman the whole game. Thompson responded with another double-digit game, posting 14 points.
ZERO: It sounds like a broken record (because it is), but SU got nothing from its point guards. Howard and John Gillon combined for 3-16 shooting from the field and six assists.
WHAT’S NEXT: Syracuse comes home to host Miami on Jan. 4 at 7:00 p.m.
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