Syracuse’s run to another NCAA Championship came to an end Saturday night as they were defeated by the Michigan Wolverines 61-56.
After a sluggish first half that saw Syracuse facing their biggest halftime deficit of the season 36-25, Syracuse crept back into the game thanks to CJ Fair. During a span in the second half, Fair scored 8 of the Orange’s 10 points. Fair finished the game with 22 points and 6 rebounds.
The pivotal play of the game came with just 19 seconds remaining, and with Syracuse trailing 58-56. After Trey Burke of Michigan made 1 out of 2 free throws, Brandon Triche drove the ball the length of the court looking to tie the game with a layup. But as Triche made his way towards the basket, Michigan’s Jordan Morgan stepped in front of him to take a charge. With the charge call Triche fouled out of the game and finished the game with 11 points. It was a bitter way for the collegiate career of Triche to end as no player in Syracuse history has started in more games.
After the foul on Triche, Syracuse fouled John Horford sending him to line foul line where he missed the first free throw but made the second making the score 59-56.
Following the free throw attempts, Syracuse still had a chance to tie the game with just 15 seconds remaining. But Trevor Connor missed on an ill-advised two point shot that was rebounded by Michigan’s Tim Hardaway Jr. who passed the ball to Caris LeVert, who passed to Jordan Morgan for a dunk that ended the game.
It was a painful way for the Orange to lose, as they were looking to advance to the Championship game ten years after winning it back in 2003.
“I thought we got off to a really bad start defensively in the first half,” Boeheim said. “We just didn’t have the movement that we’ve had, and Michigan took advantage of it. Our offense was not good in the first half or the second half. Second half, we got our defense going a lot better, and got back in the game in spite of our offense.”
Syracuse’s defense was effective in holding Michigan’s leading scorer Trey Burke to 7 points. But Michigan defense was just as effective, as they held Michael Carter Williams to just 2 points.
This was Syracuse’s last game as a member of the Big East as they will become part of the ACC next season, and hopefully be playing in one more game than they did this season.