The ball swung from Tyler Lydon to Tyus Battle to Andrew White. Syracuse’s three best offensive weapons each touched the ball. When it landed in White’s hands in the right corner, all he had to do was what he does best.

With the scored tied at 68, White delivered his final and most important 3-pointer of the five that he made Tuesday night against Wake Forest. After the ball swished through the net with 1:23 left, the Orange grabbed a lead it would never give up.

“It was perfect ball movement,” SU head coach Jim Boeheim said of White’s game-winning 3.

The Demon Deacons were forced to take a timeout as Syracuse’s bench players flooded onto the floor. White’s been the Orange’s go-to player all year, but never more than on Tuesday night when he scored a season-high 27 points.

SU (12-9, 4-4 Atlantic Coast) got back to .500 in ACC play by skating by Wake Forest (12-8, 3-5) with an 81-76 win in the Carrier Dome. White went 6-of-15 from the field, 5-of-11 from behind the arc and a perfect 10-for-10 from the free-throw line. Throughout much of this season, Syracuse has relied on him to carry the offense. Against the Demon Deacons, his 27-point performance helped SU escape with the win.

“When he plays his game, he was knocking down shots,” Lydon said, “… and overall just staying aggressive, which is what we needed.”

After the crucial 3-pointer, White also hit two free throws with nine seconds remaining to expand Syracuse’s lead from one to three. He had already hit six from the charity stripe, a testament to his ability to drive the lane and draw fouls. Boeheim said White can still improve rounding out his game and getting to the basket, but his performance was a step in the right direction.

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MORE COVERAGE 

• Graphical breakdown of Syracuse men’s basketball’s 81-76 win over Wake Forest
• Syracuse comes back in second half to beat Wake Forest, 81-76, and stop 2-game losing streak
• The Final Word: Beat writers discuss Syracuse’s 81-76 win over Wake Forest
• What we learned from Syracuse’s 81-76 win over Wake Forest

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While White was a key piece in the Orange’s win, he cost SU a possession with just under six minutes to play. Off a John Gillon defensive rebound, White ran the floor in transition. He attacked the rim and elevated for a layup. But a Wake Forest defender stepped in his way, fell backward and drew the charge. White turned around, tilted his neck back and looked at the replay, like many fans in the Dome.

Then fans jeered. Boeheim threw his arms up and down while yelling at the referee. Syracuse Director of Athletics John Wildhack banged his hand into the seat next to him in frustration. SU and Wake Forest were tied at 61. White needed to redeem himself.

Boeheim said White has grown more patient. With defenses playing him tight of late, that’s his only option. Opponents are all over him unless he finds a way to get free.

“I play off of guys. I try to space (the floor),” White said. “I try to find ways of getting myself open.”

Jessica Sheldon | Staff Photographer

Before the game, Wake Forest head coach Danny Manning mentioned White as a player who does most of the “heavy-lifting” for the Orange.

“White has come in and given them something that they needed this year,” Manning said on Monday. He didn’t know at the time that White would score the game-winning basket against his squad a day later.

Many times this season, White has pieced together stellar performances for naught, as SU racked up nine losses in its first 20 games. But he’s continued to score from where he’s expected to: behind the arc.

It’s a spot he and those around him have become accustomed to. Against Wake Forest, he stepped up again. And with the game on the line, he was exactly where he’s always been: behind the arc and ready to shoot.

“I’ve always put that responsibility (to hit 3s) on myself. …. They know where I am. It’s just playing the role and I’m happy to be in that position.”

Published on January 24, 2017 at 11:42 pm

Contact Paul: [email protected] | @pschweds