Every time we think Syracuse basketball can’t get more disappointing, it hits a new low.
After its 77-75 loss to SMU on Tuesday, in a game where the Orange led by as many as 12 points and went into halftime with a 44-36 advantage, Syracuse is 12-18 on the season. The Orange have lost five of their last six games, and while the team has managed to clinch a spot in the ACC tournament, it’s unlikely they’ll make any noise during it, barring a miracle.
Lucas Taylor and Chris Bell: A
Six players scored in double-figures for the Orange against SMU, but the most impressive performances came from Lucas Taylor and Chris Bell. Syracuse’s struggles from the three-point line have been well documented, but Taylor shot 3-of-4 from deep, while Bell hit three of his five attempts from beyond the arc.
Thanks to Taylor and Bell’s shooting, the Orange made five more three-pointers than the Mustangs, one of the few times this season where Syracuse has outperformed their opponent from deep. Their efficiency from the field wasn’t enough to seal the win, but if the Orange are going to have any chance of advancing in the ACC tournament, this type of shooting is what Syracuse desperately needs.
Turnovers: D+
Same old, same old. While it wasn’t the only reason they lost this game, Syracuse again had problems taking care of the ball, and ended the game with 12 turnovers. Out of the nine players who suited up for the Orange against the Mustangs, seven had at least one turnover. That’s unacceptable.
As currently constructed, Syracuse is far away from being a contender, but ball security has to be more of a priority moving forward if it wants to win games. SMU scored 16 points off Orange turnovers, and considering the rest of the team’s flaws, giving its opponents easy opportunities in transition is the last thing Syracuse needs.
Late Game Execution: F–
With this year’s team, no lead is safe. The Orange led 63-51 with 10 minutes remaining, but SMU inevitably started to chip away at Syracuse’s lead, and they had no answer for the Mustangs down the stretch. Many will point to head coach Adrian Autry as the problem, but there’s only so much Autry can do from the sideline.
Yes, Autry hasn’t made the necessary adjustments, Head coach Adrian Autry is expected to return next season, but plenty of fans have called for his firing, and at this point, it’s not hard to see why. Yes, Autry can’t force his players to make winning plays, but the adjustments he has made aren’t getting through to players.
Autry told his players before SMU hit the game-winning tip-in to crash the glass and box out, but instead, the Orange left a Mustang wide open to get the rebound. This season has been an unmitigated failure for Syracuse. While Autry deserves some of that blame, it’s also on the players to take up some of that responsibility and acknowledge their shortcomings.
