With just five minutes left in regulation, Syracuse Men’s Basketball and No. 6 Virginia had 57 points apiece. The Orange were in premier position to pull off a season-defining win, but things changed in a hurry. The Cavaliers went on a 7-1 run to go up by six, and that was too much for SU to overcome in a 67-62 UVA win.
“We played easily the best game we played all year,” Head Coach Jim Boeheim said postgame. “We had a lot of open shots, you’re not gonna beat Virginia if you shoot 3-15 from three.”
Benny’s No-Show
Before the game started, reports of Benny Williams’ absence from the Dome broke. The sophomore forward came off the bench for the first time on Saturday night against Virginia Tech and took what Boeheim called a “personal day” on Monday. Williams is expected to return to practice later this week.
Maliq Brown started for the second straight game and, in the absence of Williams, played all 40 minutes. The Virginia native had 8 points and 7 rebounds on 4-5 shooting.
“He’s solid, plays defense, finishes around the basket,” Boeheim explained. “He’s a really solid player.
Jesse’s Late Blunder
LISTEN: For the second time today, Symir Torrence found Jesse Edwards for a Syracuse slam. @JacobMorrisTV and @JohnEadsIV had the call.
— WAER Sports (@WAERSports) January 31, 2023
🎙️ @waer883, https://t.co/BG0Q3sGq3P pic.twitter.com/90HraZhvDS
Syracuse center Jesse Edwards had 14 points and 7 rebounds in the defeat. As good as that stat line may look, it was overshadowed by one play late. With SU down two, The Flying Dutchman was whistled for an offensive foul with one minute left in regulation. Edwards had played all 39 minutes up to that point, but that infraction was his fifth foul. In came Mounir Hima for the first time all game, and UVA forward Jayden Gardner nailed a jumper in the Duquesne transfer’s face on the ensuing possession. It was the fifth time this season Edwards has fouled out; the Orange are 0-5 in those contests.
The Big Picture
After Monday Night’s loss, Syracuse is 13-10, 6-6 in ACC play, and 0-5 in Quad 1 games. The Orange have lost three straight games for the second time all season, and their tournament hopes are becoming more dire by the minute. If the NCAA net rankings went unchanged for the rest of the season, SU would have three more chances to pick up that elusive Quad 1 victory.
Our next broadcast of SU Athletics is on Saturday, and it’s a doubleheader. First up, Syracuse Men’s Lacrosse opens its 2023 season against Vermont. The Orange and Catamounts square off at 1, join us for a special hour-long McClurg Team Countdown to Faceoff at noon.
After that, Syracuse Men’s Basketball has a rematch with Boston College. The Orange and Eagles last met inside the Dome on New Year’s Eve, and SU won 79-65. Gametime from Chestnut Hill is set for 5:00 on Saturday, our coverage begins with McClurg Team Countdown to Tipoff at 4:30.