Syracuse goes from bubble to Sweet 16
One of the last teams invited to dance, Orange tops Michigan State to advance
A bubble team with a 50-50 chance of playing in the NCAA tournament a week ago, Syracuse is in the Sweet 16.
The Orange used their vaunted 2-3 zone to frustrate Michigan State and got just enough offense from their core three to beat the Spartans 55-53 in Sunday’s down-to-the-wire second-round game in Detroit.
Syracuse guard Tyus Battle sunk a step-back jumper with 47 seconds left to give the Orange the game’s key basket. He then drained two free throws with six seconds left to help seal the win. Battle finished with 17 points.
Down 52-49, Michigan State’s All-American, Miles Bridges (11 points), had two chances to tie the score in the closing seconds but missed on two good-look three-point attempts. The heavily-favored Spartans (30-5) missed their last 13 shots and scored just five points (all free throws) over the last 5:41.
“It’s probably the saddest I’ve ever been in my life,” Bridges said.
Frank Howard (13 points) fouled out for Syracuse with 6:39 left, eliminating one of the top scorers from an already-limited offensive team. No matter. The Orange locked in on defense and scored just enough to steal the win.
They thrive on their zone. Despite making only one of eight three-pointers and being outrebounded 51-30, the Orange held Michigan State to 25% shooting.
“No one plays zone like we do,” Oshae Brissett said. “We’re always moving, and we challenge every shot, so teams never get easy looks against us.”
Battle, Howard and Brissett combined for 45 of the Orange’s 55 points, while point guard Cassius Winston paced Michigan State with 15.
Syracuse (23-13) also beat Arizona State in the First Four in Dayton and knocked out No. 6 TCU on Friday. The Orange were considered one of the last bubble teams in the field of 68 by the NCAA selection committee.
Michigan State dropped to 7-11 alltime against Syracuse. Tom Izzo and the Spartans have lost the past five to Jim Boeheim since beating the Orange in the 2000 Sweet 16 at the Palace of Auburn Hills.
And for the first time in the Izzo era, the Spartans failed to make the Sweet 16 for three straight seasons.