Despite the efforts of Maliq Brown and Quadir Copeland, Syracuse basketball failed to move past the Eagles on the road.
There were points where it seemed that Syracuse basketball might just make a comeback, but the hole they dug themselves into was just too much for them to handle. At the end of the competition, Syracuse lost 80-75 against BC.
The Orange were no match for the intense defense of Boston College, who outrebounded them by 10. The Eagles were also able to take advantage of some confidence-altering runs that left Syracuse stunned.
This counts as a Quad 2 loss for the Orange, not helping their tournament resume by any means. The Eagles, however, should be celebrating an impressive victory over their ACC rivals; one that hasn’t happened since 2018.
Takeaway #1: Boston College had 21 turnovers
It’s shocking how any team could win after turning the ball over 21 times, but the Eagles found a way to do just that. At times their play looked sloppy, including bad passes and mishandling of the ball.
The fact that they shot so well is what helped them. They went 60% from field goal range, 50% from three-point range, and knocked down 59% of their foul shots.
This was their best shooting performance of the season, but it was no surprise that Claudell Harris was the one who led them there. Syracuse head coach Adrian Autry said postgame that Harris’s shooting was the difference between this game and their last game against the Eagles.
Forcing 21 turnovers could be a real win for the Syracuse defense, but allowing a team to beat you after that is more defeating by itself.
Takeaway #2: Maliq Brown and Quadir Copeland made a major difference
In the first half, we saw Brown play pretty well, but after picking up two fouls early, he was forced to the bench. This is where Syracuse started to struggle and Boston College went on a 21-0 run.
In the second half, Brown made his return and shot the lights out. You could instantly see a difference in the game and attitudes on the team when he was in. Without the assists from Copeland though, it might have been an even bigger struggle.
Copeland had seven assists, a lot of them going to Brown early in the second half when it seemed as if Syracuse was ready to take back the game. Coach Autry pointed out postgame how integral these two were in those moments.
“I thought Quadir really got us going. He hit really nice passes to Maliq late when he was rolling,” said Autry.
However, it wasn’t enough to cover up for poor free throw shooting and lackluster defense.
Takeaway #3: Foul shots hurt the Orange
59% from the line is not a number that will help you come back in games, and it was proven Tuesday night by Syracuse. Maliq Brown and Judah Mintz were the worst offenders, both going 0-for-4 and 0-for-2.
Mintz seemed frustrated that the referee’s calls were not going his way. This is a guy who lives off of driving to the bucket and getting free points. Unfortunately for him, the refs won’t always be on your side.
Coach Autry mentioned the poor foul shooting multiple times postgame, even commenting on how it could’ve saved them down the stretch.
“We got fouled and if we would’ve made those foul shots, you stop the clock, you start making a comeback…it’s just a different game,” said Autry.
This is the second game this season where the free throw line has caused issues for the Orange. In games that come down to the wire, it’s extremely important to make those big shots at the end, and I’m sure this won’t be the last time this season that the Orange are put in this situation.
Next up for Boston College: vs. Florida State (Tues., Feb. 6 – 7 p.m.)
Next up for Syracuse: at Wake Forest (Sat., Feb. 3 – 7:45 p.m.)