Boeheim’s Army lost 88-71 to Herd That, a Marshall alumni team, in the TBT Quarterfinals. This wasn’t just an average loss – the 17-point defeat tied the biggest in BA history. So what went wrong for Boeheim’s Army?
A Disastrous Third Quarter
There’s no other way to put it: the third quarter lost Boeheim’s Army this game. BA lost to HT 34-13 in that period. That’s a 21-point deficit. The scores of the other quarters totaled to a 58-54 Boeheim’s Army advantage, but the third period erased that.
Herd That dominated every aspect of the game in the third quarter. They outshot Boeheim’s Army 62% to 28%, hit six three-pointers compared to BA’s one, and out-rebounded the SU alumni squad 16-6.
The star of the show was Herd That point guard Jon Elmore. He scored 11 of his 17 points in the third quarter, including three triples.
A Slow Start From Grant Riller
Guard Grant Riller has led the offense all tournament for BA. He’s scored the most points in each game, averaging 25 points per contest. That wasn’t the case against Herd That. While the College of Charleston product still scored a team-leading 15 points, it came too late and not efficient enough. Seven of his points were scored in the fourth quarter, when BA was already in a double digit deficit. Even worse, he shot 31% from the field, down from over 57% in the previous three games.
Rebounding Issues
Entering the quarterfinal round, Boeheim’s Army was a top ten rebounding team in the tournament. That trend stopped against Herd That. BA was out-rebounded 42-30, and especially struggled on the defensive glass. Boeheim’s Army grabbed just 22 boards on that end, which allowed for plenty of second chances for Herd That. The Marshall alumni squad tallied 13 second chance points compared to BA’s two.
What’s Next?
It’s time for another year-long wait for Boeheim’s Army fans. 2024 rosters will likely start to be announced next June, with The Basketball Tournament starting in July.
