Syracuse (9-6, 1-1 Atlantic Coast) got its first ACC win of the season with a 70-55 defeat of Miami (11-3, 1-1). The Orange picked up its first victory over a major-conference opponent on Wednesday night in the Carrier Dome after allowing more than 90 points in two of its last three contests.

Here are superlatives from the game.

The Big Moment: Syracuse’s 18-5 second-half run

Midway through the second half, the Orange nearly fell apart. After holding a 40-30 lead, Miami came back and cut the deficit to just one at 43-42. Over the next five minutes, SU exploded on a 18-5 run that won it the game. The momentum started to shift when Andrew White hit back-to-back 3s to get the lead back to 10 points. Orange head coach Jim Boeheim pumped his fists after each. Tyler Lydon then hit a 3, dunked and hit a jumper. SU needed a big second-half spark to finish off the game and it got it.

Stud: Andrew White

White continued his marvelous season with another impressive performance against the Hurricanes. He opened the game with a mid-range jumper on the first possession and hit another 2-pointer two possessions later. He’s been trying to diversify his scoring inside the arc in addition to behind it. He finished 7-of-13 from the field with four 3-pointers and a game-high 22 points.

Dud: Frank Howard

For the first time this season, Howard didn’t start. He didn’t play for the first 19 minutes of the game as John Gillon manned the point guard position. It’s the first time this season against a strong opponent that Gillon received the majority of minutes at the point. After the Orange’s last game, a 15-point loss to Boston College, head coach Jim Boeheim slammed his guards. Gillon provided a boost to the lineup and that came at Howard’s expense.

Highlight: Tyler Lydon’s block with SU up, 45-42

After making a layup, Lydon tipped a lob into the low post and prevented an easy basket. Miami still collected the loose ball, but Lydon blocked Ja’Quan Newton’s ensuing layup attempt. The play kept Miami at 42 points amid Syracuse’s dominant 18-5 run.

Lowlight: Dejan Vasiljevic’s 3-pointer to pull Miami within one point

Miami’s Dejan Vasiljevic entered the game shooting 40.7 percent from behind the arc. He pulled the Hurricanes within one, at 43-42, before the Orange broke the game open. Vasiljevic finished with six 3-pointers and his most thunderous forced SU to take a timeout as he yelled trotting off the court.

Published on January 4, 2017 at 9:02 pm

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