A 1996 graduate of Syracuse University, Jim has reported on Syracuse sports for the Syracuse University Alumni Club of Southern California on nearly a decade. He has also written a fantasy basketball column published by NBA.com. He currently resides in Syracuse.
Michael Gbinije hit a spinning floater in the lane with less than a second left to give Syracuse a comeback 72-70 victory over Virginia Tech on Tuesday night.
For 36 minutes and change, Syracuse played #13 North Carolina tightly, but wilted late as the Tar Heels closed the game by outscoring the Orange 19-11 in the final 3:29 to pull away for a 91-83 win in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Syracuse did not hold the lead in the final 38 minutes of the game and still had a chance to win in the end, but failed to, in large part because they once again could not make free throws.
Freshman point guard Kaleb Joseph came into the season with high expectations. The two young men who played the point before him for Syracuse both left early after just one season of starting for the Orange and both were first round picks in the NBA draft.
Saturday afternoon, Syracuse’s seven-game win streak ended with a thud. Or, to be more correct about it, a series of thuds, specifically ones made from a basketball hitting the backboard or rim before falling harmlessly away.
Sunday night at the Carrier Dome, Syracuse used a 14-4 first half run to blow open their conference home opener against Florida State and never let the margin get closer than nine points after that, cruising home with a 70-57 victory.
Rakeem Christmas sank a pair of go-ahead free-throws with 12 seconds left in regulation to lift the Syracuse Orange to a 46-45 decision over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in an ACC battle at McCamish Pavilion.