Syracuse continues unlikely run
Syracuse forward Oshae Brissett celebrates after his team defeated Michigan State in Detroit on Sunday. After barely making cut, Orange beat Wolverines to advance to Sweet 16
DETROIT— Syracuse barely got into the NCAA Tournament, getting the 68th and final spot.
The Orange have earned the right to keep playing in college basketball’s showcase. And, no one will be excited about facing that zone defence.
Tyus Battle had17 points, Oshae Brissett scored 15, and 11thseeded Syracuse zoned Michigan State out of the tournament, 55-53 on Sunday to advance to the Sweet 16.
“No one plays zone like we do,” Brissett said. “We’re always moving — and we challenge every shot — so teams never get easy looks against us. That’s why nothing surprises me with our defence.”
Syracuse (23-13) will face second-seeded Duke (28-7) on Friday in the Midwest Region semifinals.
Playing in his hometown with a chance to add another highlight-reel shot to this year’s NCAA Tournament, Cassius Winston missed an opportunity to win the game for the thirdseeded Spartans with a shot from about 45 feet just before the buzzer.
“It’s one of those shots you shoot as a kid,” he said softly. “I just came up short.”
The Spartans came up short, long and wide all afternoon and didn’t make a basket in the last 5:41.
The Orange forced the Spartans (30-5) to settle for threepointers all afternoon and it worked brilliantly in a duel between Hall of Fame coaches. Michigan State took a school record 37 shots beyond the arc, making just eight.
“The last couple of jump shots they threw up, they weren’t in the ballpark,” Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim. Syracuse has won three straight since being sent to Dayton for the First Four as what the selection committee chairman acknowledged was the final team to receive an at-large bid. In low-scoring games, the Orange beat Arizona State in Dayton and TCU in the first round.
They overcame playing three games in five days and essentially playing a road game, matching up with Michigan State about 75 miles from its campus with green-and-white clad fans packing the stands.
As poorly as Michigan State shot, it had chances to escape with a victory.
Miles Bridges missed a three with a chance to tie with 11 seconds left and teammate Joshua Langford missed a put back, but Syracuse turned the ball over with 7.9 seconds left.
The Orange fouled intentionally to avoid giving up a gametying 3 twice in the closing sec- onds and the Spartans made two pairs of free throws to pull within a point both times.
“We’re always going to foul in those situations and it’s always worked for us,” Boeheim said. “I’ve seen too many guys when the guy makes a 3 and it goes into overtime.”
Bridges’ college career likely is ending with a performance he would like to forget.
“It’s probably the saddest I’ve ever been in my life,” Bridges said.
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo acknowledged he expects Bridges to go pro. The sophomore star, who turned a chance to make millions in the NBA this season, was held scoreless for much of the first half and finished with11 points on 4 of 18 shooting, making just 3 of 12 shots.
“Bridges is a great player, but we wanted to make him shoot from the outside,” Boeheim said.
Winston scored 15 points for the Spartans.