Being up by 15 points is never a bad thing. Except maybe for Syracuse. Just ask Jim Boeheim:
“It was probably the worst thing to happen to get up 15. If we hadn’t played well and we were up four or five, they probably wouldn’t have done that, but that’s what they had to do at that point to go after it, and that was exactly what I would have tried to do, and that’s what they did, and they’re good at it.”
SU’s 45-29 lead became Louisville’s advantage 56-48 in one of the most dramatic see-saw swings in the history of this incredible tournament. It was a ridiculous 10 minutes where the Cardinals couldn’t miss, forced Syracuse into a million mistakes, and the erratic, rushed, undisciplined Orange offense returned from a three-and-a-half game hiatus.
Give the Cards credit. They’ve been a very good team all season, and can beat you with elite guard play, suffocating defense, and bulk down low. But the Orange also killed itself with an inability to keep composure and make good decisions. The press got inside SU’s head, James Southerland had to head to the bench with 4 fouls, and the Orange offense looked like it had spent the day in midtown drinking for the St. Paddy’s parade.
Michael Carter-Williams was errant. Brandon Triche missed shots. CJ Fair bricked. SU’s sloppy handle, led to transition points for UofL, and the Orange again deteriorated into iso/hero ball. It’s too bad. The storybook was writing itself. The Garden was absolutely bananas for the first 25 minutes of game action. The din of the pro-Orange crowd was piercing. As Southerland rained 3’s, and Syracuse built its lead, the noise sounded like a monsoon hitting a tin roof, amplified through an echo chamber. It was thrilling.
Syracuse rising from the dead after a putrid final five games, to race through the final Big East Tourney (as we know it) and hoist the trophy? Maybe it was a little too much to ask. What three wins, including over NCAA teams Pitt and UConn, did was stabilize SU’s quickly falling stock. Now the Orange are comfortably on the 4-seed line, instead of worrying whether it would face the most dangerous 12-seed in the round of 64.
It was also a chance for Syracuse to get its mojo back. Triche and Southerland had been drilled by the critics during the late season swoon. Both played poised (outside of the final 10 minutes vs. UofL), and made big shots. Baye Keita ripped some huge rebounds, Trev Cooney hit important buckets, and Boeheim was far more engaged than the regular season.
Orange Nation was dreading Selection Sunday last week. Now it’s a welcomed sight. Louisville’s press sent SU’s head spinning, but it gave us all hope this won’t be such a short stay in March.
Posted: D.A.
10 responses to “Cardinal Sin: Huge Syracuse Lead Disappears Under Louisville’s Frantic Press”
Double points up to double point blow-out was embarrassing!! Players left after the double digit lead and the coaching did too!! Good bye BE and time to move forward!! MCW to NBA??? We all have a shot at the NBA then!!
The game of basketball isn’t even basketball anymore. Especially when Louisville and Georgetown play. It is much more of a grab, hold and push fest, doesn’t even resemble basketball anymore.
Referees need to be held accountable for what this game has turned into.
I have never see more instances of 2 defenders’ hands on an offensive player, which is supposed to be an instant foul BTW, in my entire life.
Same garbage in the Ohio State game last year with Aaron “I probably could be whistled for a foul every time down the court” Kraft. He should be called then!
Refs need to start getting fired for the deterioration of this game.
i couldn’t beleive the lead that was lost. the refs called everything on syracuse.
@Cuseonly, agree completely. They could have called Russ and Siva for a foul every time up the dam court. Did SU blow huge lead yes but thanks to bullshit calls like Hancock jumping into a defender to get 3 shots or the phantom elbow. The refs had a huge hand in decideing the outcome of the game last night. I don’t know what it is but SU seems to get the short end of the stick when it comes to poorly called games in recent yrs from OSU elite 8 game last yr all the way back to the over an back call that got SU knocked out in the 2nd rd to last last night….always something.
Here’s another thing to consider guys when SU had to take Southerland out of the game with 4 fouls Su had no 3-point threat in the game and L’ville made Su try to drive to the basket with everyone waiting in the paint for them to drive. If Su goes anywhere in the Tourney Southerland needs to be on the floor he is their only 3-point threat. Without Southerland from 3 this team has no chance.
@AJ –
Southerland in or out wouldn’t have mattered either way. They were going to grab, push and hold him too and not get anything called and he would have missed shots as a result.
The funnier thing was that Louisville was doing all the fouling and all the calls were going against us which I find ridiculous.
Good riddance Big East clown league.
i wasnt disagreeing with the other things but w/ SOutherland on the floor SU had a better chance to win than w/o him
Stop blaming the refs…refs will always be inconsistent, for both teams…
That was by far our worst 15 minutes this season (barring opening of 2nd half at DC). If you cant toughen up and keep your composure when the other team makes a run, which you knew they were, then we had no business being on the court. We became instant pussies once they started pressing and you can blame ourselves.
When teams press, you gotta break the press to get a layup, not jut to break it and bring it back out. Thats when Louisville 3000% quicker guards then us will get to us. Because of our pouting and complaining, we let Louisville set the tone and the refs had no business calling fouls for us.
I will blame the refs as they were a huge reason why SU lost. I did not say they were the only reason we lost.
Listen to Payton Siva describe their press after the game. It is “controlled chaos” where they “hack and swipe at hands and arms” not even targeting the ball. He also said the refs could call fouls every time down the court when they press.
Refs should be calling those “hacks and swipes” every time along with all of the body contact. All of L’Ville’s guards would have fouled out in the first 6-7 min of the 2nd half. Only then will this “garbage ball” that is played these days end.
Watch a Jay Bilas interview on the subject like yesterday’s and tell me I am wrong as I share his same views.
I dislike the refs just as much as the next…I’m saying were weak and have had the same turnover problems the whole season, it can’t be ONLY the refs