73 - 64 Syracuse wins their fourth straight game behind a combined 40 points from Joe Girard and Cole Swider
Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
A win is a win, right?
Syracuse extended their three-game win streak to four after beating the Boston College Eagles at Conte Forum 73-64. The Orange were led by a combined effort from Joe Girard and Cole Swider, who finished the contest with a combined 40 points, shooting 47.6% on 10-21 from the field and 61.5% on 8-13 from distance.
Syracuse finished as a team shooting 39.3% on 24-61 from the field and 45.8% on 11-24 from beyond the arc.
Following the opening tip, both teams couldn't establish a consistent rhythm for the first two minutes of the game, missing multiple shots, a consistent theme throughout the first half of the contest.
Girard got on the board first for the Orange connecting on a jumper from the mid-range. Shortly after, Buddy Boeheim followed making a jumper of his own to put Syracuse up 4-1 after five minutes of play.
BC’s Quinten Post connected on a lay-up for the Eagle's first field goal six minutes into the game after shooting 0-7 to open the contest. A Jimmy Boeheim three-pointer however put Syracuse up 9-3, although both teams got off to an ugly start tonight offensively.
However, things started to pick up for both teams after the Eagles connected on two shots in back-to-back possessions. Syracuse countered with another Buddy Boeheim mid-range jumper only for Brevin Galloway to make a pull-up shot inside the arc, trailing the Orange 11-7.
Coming out of a time-out nine minutes into the game, Jimmy Boeheim made a tough basket through contact to pick up a foul and the basket. The Eagles came back off a DeMarr Langford basket inside the arc, cutting Syracuse’s lead 13-9.
11 minutes into the game Jesse Edwards picked up his second foul, and Jim Boeheim substituted him out for Frank Anselem.
From there, Swider began to find his stroke in the latter part of the first half, connecting on back-to-back threes. After two consecutive baskets from the eagles, Symir Torrence connected on a jumper to put Syracuse up 21-13 with 6:17 left in the opening half.
Coming out of a Syracuse timeout, BC’s DeMarr Langford connected on an alley-oop from Jaeden Zackery only for Buddy Boeheim to score seven consecutive points in less than two minutes. Swider also got in on the fun connecting on his third three of the game, Syracuse leading 32-20.
The Eagles tried to cut Syracuse’s lead to single digits, but Jimmy Boeheim connected on a lay-up to put the Orange 34-24 at the end of the first half.
Syracuse finished the first half led by Buddy Boeheim and Swider combining for 23 points on 50% shooting from the field and beyond the arc. As a team, the Orange shot 40.6% on 13-32 shooting from the field and 46.2% on 6-13 from distance. The Eagles were led by Quinten Post, who scored 10 points on 5-8 shooting. As a team, the Eagles only shot 30.6% on 11-36 from the field and a dreadful 6.7% on 1-15 from distance in the first half.
Syracuse opened the second half with a Buddy Boeheim turn-around jumper from the baseline to put the Orange up 36-24. Following another Eagle’s alley-oop. Jimmy Boeheim made a tough shot in the paint for his 9th point of the game.
Makai Ashton-Langford connected on his first three of the night, only for Girard to make his first three of the night putting Syracuse up 41-29. Jesse Edwards then committed his third foul of the contest and got pulled barely three minutes into the second half for Benny Williams.
Jimmy Boeheim subbed out in favor of Anslem after committing his first foul of the game. Anslem connected with his first basket of the game shortly after with contact to draw a foul and the extra basket.
Siwder then scored his 13th point of the game off a mid-range jumper leading to the Eagle's first timeout of the half with Syracuse leading 46-33 with 15:36 left in the half.
Following a Benny Williams free-throw and another Cole Swider, the Orange extended their lead to 15 at 50-35. Following BC’s Jaeden Zackery first made three of the game, Syracuse went cold for missing multiple shots leading to Syracuse’s second timeout of the half with 11:46 left to play.
Girard came out of the time out connecting on his second three of the game off an assist from Swider to put the Orange up 53-38. The Eagles countered with a three of their own, only for Cole Swider to connect on his 5th three of the game, Syracuse now leading 56-41.
The Eagles scored 4 straight until Anslem threw down a mean dunk. The Eagles then connected from distance followed up by a post hook from Jimmy for his 11th point of the game.
With less than five minutes to play, the Eagles cut Syracuse’s lead to single digits, trying to not let this game slip past them, going on a 14-6 run over nearly five minutes. However, a big-time three and four free throws with less than two minutes to play from Joe Girard silenced the Eagle's home crowd. The Eagles kept fighting onwards, but it was too little too late, another pair of free throws from Girard closed out the game for the Orange.
Final Stats:
Cole Swider and Joe Girard led the Orange in scoring with 21 and 19 points each. Buddy and Jimmy Boeheim scored 14 and 11 points. Syracuse shot 39.3% on 24-61 from the field and 45.8% on 11-24 from beyond the arc.
Up Next:
Syracuse will see the floor next versus the Virginia Tech Hokies Saturday night at 6 PM EST at Lane Stadium, looking to extend their winning streak to five.
