Syracuse Men Finish Home Slate with a Win

Syracuse men’s basketball wrapped up their home slate with a win over Virginia Tech, taking down the Hokies 84-71. They’ll end the regular season with a 14-2 record in the Dome.

Syracuse’s offense looked electric, shooting 61.3% from the field during the first half. Judah Mintz scored 16 points in the first alone. Virginia Tech struggled to find a response and the Orange headed into halftime with an 18-point lead.

But in the second half, Virginia Tech found the momentum they needed. After trailing by as much as 21 in the second half, the Hokies eventually narrowed the Orange’s lead to 7, making 57% of their shots to get back into it.

Coach Autry called a timeout with 7:30 to go. Mintz said the coaches reeled them in, knowing the squad needed to stay poised to win the game.

“We just needed to calm down,” he said. “Emotions started running a little high. But we settled down a bit, got back into the game.”

The Orange looking to put an end to the Hokies’ rally. Photo by Jalyss Agosto.

When they re-entered the court, a switch had been flipped. An ensuing dunk from Maliq Brown kickstarted a scoring run for the Orange. They rediscovered their defensive groove and outscored the Hokies 24-8 as the clock expired.

Syracuse also made 100% of their free throws, the best they’ve been from the line all season. Mintz went 8 of 8 from that line, ending the day with 29 points and six assists in what could potentially be his final game in the Dome.

Coach Adrian Autry had high praises for his squad after the game, saying it was one of the best outings he’s seen from them all season.

“I think our chemistry is getting better,” he said. “They understand what we’re trying to do. It’s easy to guard plays, but hard to guard concepts. Everyone wants to see plays, anybody can guard plays. But can they play basketball? That’s what this offense is all about – space, and letting players play.”

Syracuse is now 19-10 overall this season. They’ve won four of their past five matchups, reinvigorating conversations about the team making the NCAA tournament. Syracuse looks to keep their win streak going in Louisville on Saturday.