WHAT HAPPENED: After a Tyus Battle 3-pointer with 12:23 left gave the Orange a brief 41-40 lead, Dejan Vasiljevic drained consecutive 3-pointers to give Miami the lead that it had held through most of the game. The Orange would pull to within one with just over four minutes left and within two with 12.1 seconds left, but could never retake the lead, and SU remained winless in the ACC Tournament.
» Related: Tyus Battle discusses potential second season at Syracuse: ‘I think I’m staying’
ANALYSIS: Now, a nervous few days will follow. According to ESPN’s Joe Lundardi, Syracuse was in the NCAA Tournament regardless of today’s outcome. But according to others, like Jerry Palm, Syracuse needed a win against Miami to clinch one of the final at-large bids. Syracuse’s resume is all across the board with losses to Georgetown, St. John’s and Boston College, weighed against wins over then-top 10 teams Duke, Florida State and Virginia. If SU does in fact miss the tourney, it will be because of losses like these.
HERO: Andrew White and Tyus Battle constituted most of the SU offense, accounting for 36 of SU’s 57 points.
ZERO: When John Gillon has been good, Syracuse has been as good as anyone in the country. When he has been off, like he was in a 3-9 shooting performance against the ‘Canes, SU has looked pedestrian. Tyler Lydon continued his backslide in SU’s offense. Though he finished with 11 rebounds, he also only had five points.
WHAT’S NEXT: Syracuse will have its fate revealed on Selection Sunday. Will it sneak into the tournament like it did last year? Or will a trip to the NIT be on the horizon?
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