With a second suffocating performance at the East Regional, No. 4-seeded Syracuse shut down No. 3 Marquette 55-39 Saturday to earn coach Jim Boeheim his fourth trip to the Final Four — and first since a freshman named Carmelo Anthony helped win the 2003 NCAA championship.
This is one of the most impressive coaching jobs that Boeheim has had in his 37-year career. If you had asked Jim Boeheim that same question (and gotten a non-sarcastic response), he would’ve probably agreed with you.
On this his 50th anniversary of attending Syracuse as a student, serving as an assistant coach then head coach, he’s been part of all four of the school’s Final Four appearances, one each decade since the 1970s (1975, 1987, 1996, 2003).
Limiting the No. 1-seeded Hoosiers to their lowest output of the season while forcing 19 turnovers and blocking 10 shots, fourth-seeded Syracuse used Michael Carter-Williams’ 24 points to upset Indiana 61-50 on Thursday night and reach the East Regional final.
Syracuse was much more physical than Indiana and advanced with a 61-50 victory. The Orange’s 2-3 zone frustrated Cody Zeller and the Hoosiers, who shot 33 percent from the floor. Michael Carter-Williams led the way with 24 points to help set up a rematch with Marquette in the Elite 8.