BLACKSBURG, Va. — Virginia Tech had decided its fate long before this moment. The Hokies live and die by the 3-point shot. Covered or not, Virginia Tech continually launches the ball from long range. 

As the final seconds ticked down, the Hokies stayed true to form and Syracuse was waiting for it. Landers Nolley II caught the ball well beyond the arc and Elijah Hughes flew from the backside of the defense, flashing a hand in Nolley’s face. From straight away, the ball clanked off the rim and into the hands of Marek Dolezaj. Syracuse’s season had life. 

“We lost against V-Tech (Jan. 7)  and Notre Dame (Jan. 4) because of the shooters and at the end of the game they made some tough shots,” Syracuse forward Quincy Guerrier said. “And now because of our defense, they were not able to make those shots in the game.”

Syracuse’s defense wasn’t all good. The Hokies shot 15-37 on 3-pointers and scored 41 second-half points in a near comeback. But a once-16 point lead for the Orange (11-7, 4-3 Atlantic Coast) provided a buffer for Syracuse to show its growth against Virginia Tech (13-5, 4-3). Behind Buddy Boeheim’s 26 points and 17 from Hughes, the Orange defeated VT, 71-69, on Saturday in the Cassell Coliseum.

If the woes through nonconference play were to be forgotten, it started with road conference wins. The Orange hadn’t won against a Quadrant-I opponent before the new year, but finally did last Saturday in the same state — a win over then-No. 18 Virginia. 

This game, like last week’s win over the defending national champions, wasn’t circled as a win prior to the season. The last time these two teams met, Virginia Tech won by four in the Carrier Dome. The Hokies entered Saturday fourth in the ACC. They shoot 37.4% from beyond the arc. More than 40% of their scoring comes from 3-point land. Against the Orange, that emerged through 45 points from 3 on 40.5% shooting. 

So the task was tall and just two weeks prior Syracuse had blown a nine-point lead to prove themselves unworthy of the win. But Saturday in Blacksburg was different. 

This time, when Hughes fell quiet and Syracuse’s offense can often fall quiet, Buddy ripped off 18-straight first-half points. This time, when Syracuse needed scoring late in the game, Guerrier finished an and-1 opportunity. This time, when the game was on the line, Syracuse contested a 3-pointer and forced a miss. 

“We’re getting better as a team from where we were in the beginning of the year,” Boeheim said. “Actually, a lot better than the beginning of the year. But our defense is better.”

After shooting 5-of-16 against Virginia a week ago, Buddy couldn’t miss in the first half against VT. It started with a 3-pointer and some dribble drives to the hoop. Then a pull-up jumper. The sophomore guard shook his head and yelled that the Hokies couldn’t cover him, just as he did against Virginia. 

Over the next stretch of play, Buddy proved himself right. He hit from near the hoop, around the free-throw line, a step inside the 3-point line and a step behind it. One play, he caught the ball in transition before setting his feet. It didn’t matter, and neither did the man in his face. He simply couldn’t miss. 

Even as Buddy eventually slowed down, as much as one can in a 26-point performance, the Hokies couldn’t catch up. In settled situations, Syracuse’s defense denied immediate passes, something it emphasized in practice, players said. When the ball went into the high post, Bourama Sidibe or Dolezaj closed on it. Guards blocked outside passes to the corner. 

It was part strong defense and part missed opportunities that limited Virginia Tech through the first half of the game. On back-to-back possessions, the Virginia Tech crowd counted down the shot clock, begging their Hokies to make a move to the basket before the shot clock ran out. The desperation 3-pointers didn’t fall. 

But when they turned to makes — and Boeheim threw his hands at the court in disgust more often — the game started to slip from Syracuse.

Eleven days after the game in the Carrier Dome, the Hokies were close to completing the comeback once more. Nolley II’s 3-pointer from well beyond the line sent the crowd into hysteria. Virginia Tech worked the ball around the zone, repeatedly finding enough room for 3-point shots or layups inside.

In the final moments, though, with Nolley II well behind the arc once again, Syracuse was different. Hughes stepped out. The shot didn’t fall. 

“We’ve grown up these last couple games,” Buddy said. “Just being able to close games is the biggest thing.”

After stumbling through the first half of the season and pleading for growth, Syracuse has shown it. And for now, the Orange are garnering the results they desperately need.

Published on January 18, 2020 at 2:15 pm

Contact Josh: jlschafe@syr.edu | @Schafer_44