A season of disappointment continues for Syracuse basketball. It’s been a decade since the Orange had been swept by Pitt, but the list of reasons this season has been one of the worst in recent memory just keeps getting longer. The Panthers beat the Orange for the second time, as Tyler Roberson (facial cut) and Trevor Cooney (back) missed extensive time in Syracuse‚Äôs 65-61 loss the Dome Saturday. Roberson finished the game with 7 points and Cooney went scoreless. Neither player should miss any time in the future according to Jim Boeheim.
Even with the injuries, SU kept the game close and with under a minute to play had a chance to take a lead with Pittsburgh up by just one, 61-60. Rakeem Christmas set a moving screen on that possession however, and the Panthers closed the game out from there.
The Orange trailed for the entire afternoon after starting 1/14 from the field. Postgame Boeheim criticized SU’s first ten minutes, saying it just wasn’t good enough.
Every time SU would cut into the Panther’s lead, Pitt’s Chris Jones had an answer. The Panther guard hit a three pointer at the two and a half minute mark of the game to put his team up 60-51. He finished 7/10 from the field for 19 points. Pitt coach Jamie Dixon said he was impressed by Jones’ performance and called him the team’s best shooter despite coming off of the bench.
Syracuse may have lost, but the team did receive key offensive production from Ron Patterson and BJ Johnson, two players who have struggled offensively all season. The pair combined for 20 points in the game including shooting 4/5 from beyond the arc. The 20 bench points were the most SU has had since the Chris McCullough injury. Boeheim said that these two were the only reason the Orange was in the game.
This was the first time Pitt has swept Syracuse since the 2004-2005 season. With the loss, the Orange falls to 17-10 on the season.
Syracuse’s schedule does not get any easier as the team travels to South Bend to play #10 Notre Dame followed by a trip to Durham to face off against the #4 Duke Blue Devils.
Posted: Connor Morrissette
