PLENTY OF JUICE
’Cuse outslugs Sun Devils to survive and advance
DAYTON, Ohio — After two hours of haymakers, Syracuse beat Arizona State in the NCAA Tournament’s First Four by doing something that, traditionally, has been a challenge for the Orange: Ask a mediocre freethrow shooter to make free throws.
Paschal Chukwa, a 63 percent foul shooter made two free throws late to give the Orange exactly as much cushion as they needed, defeating the Sun Devils 60-56 and advancing to the main draw, where they’ll dance with TCU in Detroit.
“Our offense struggles,” Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said of his 33rd NCAA Tournament team. “But I thought our defense has been good all year and that’s where we hang our hats, on the defensive end.”
Both teams just seemed sat- isfied to fight it out as the second half grinded on. Arizona State took a 41-39 lead and then Syracuse had five consecutive opportunities to tie or take the lead. Then the teams swapped 3s, and the Sun Devils hit two more back-to-back 3s to seize a 49-42 lead.
The Orange then went on a methodical 8-0 run to take the lead back on a three-point play by Oshae Brissett, and the Sun Devils answered with a Kodi Justice 3 for a 52-50 lead with 3:38 left.
“Usually we’re scoring 56 in a half, and we ended up with 56,” Arizona State coach Bobby Hurley said. “So there were limited possessions. It was a rock fight, and we just didn’t make enough shots.”
Arizona State broke out of the half looking sharp, Shannon Evans II knocking down a pair of 3s and Tra Holder a two to seize a 36-30 lead after a a tightly played first half.
This wasn’t just an evenly matched game across the first 20 minutes it was almost frighteningly so. Both teams were more than happy to launch 3s — some from the parking lot — and both struggled at the foul line, Syracuse missing five out of nine, Arizona four of seven.
Both teams looked to run when the opportunity pre- sented itself but neither could build off that.
The Orange did race to a 30-28 lead at the half behind 10 points from Tyus Battle and eight from Frank Howard.
Syracuse did pop to a fivepoint lead in the first half, Battle’s 3 giving the Orange a 21-16 lead with 7:07 left in the half. But Evans made a 3 and Romello White hit a couple of free throws.
“This team has to battle for everything,” Boeheim said. “We’re so challenged offensively. We got some stops and moved the ball and just hung on at the end, boy. It’s the way we’ve played all year. Arizona State is a great team and we had to make some plays to escape.”