The first four matchups between Syracuse and Duke were as exciting as they come, and part 5 did not disappoint. The Orange went to Tobacco Road and beat Duke in a thrilling 64-62 win over the Blue Devils.
And what a win it was for the Orange. A back and forth affair, SU finally took the lead around 9 minutes to go in the ball game and would not give up the lead. It took some tough work at the end, with the Orange missing some free throws and allowing a few too many offensive rebounds to feel comfortable, but in the end, a win is a win for the Orange. And a win at Cameron is more than just a win for any team that comes here.
This is just the kind of win Syracuse needed, after dropping games early to Wisconsin, Georgetown and St. John’s, the Orange needed and got a statement win at Cameron. Ken Pomeroy of KenPom.com told me last year that a win at Cameron is a “golden ticket” for bubble teams looking to make the tournament. As of now the Orange is squarely on the bubble, and this win could be the reason SU gets into the Tourney.
On the court, Tyler Roberson played the game of his life, snatching 20 rebounds, including more than 10 on the offensive side, he added 14 points for good measure. Michael Gbinije got the win at Cameron that he said he was hoping for after Saturday’s win at Wake Forest, remember of course that Gbinije is a former Dukie himself. Amazingly, Trevor Cooney, Malachi Richardson, Gbinije and Roberson all scored 14 points to lead the way for SU, and Tyler Lydon was the only other SU player to score, dropping in 8 of his own. All around, an incredible team effort from the Orange.
There is no overlooking just how big this win was, and how big a win it is going forward for the Orange, and it took a great performance from everyone.
POSTED BY: Seth Goldberg
