The frustration is starting to pile up in Syracuse, and it’s not just coming from the bench. After letting a double-digit first-half lead slip away in a narrow 76-74 home loss to Virginia Tech on Wednesday, the Orange walked off the court to a chorus of boos echoing through the JMA Wireless Dome. The message from the fans was clear: something’s got to change.
Syracuse has now dropped two straight games in ACC play, following up last weekend’s overtime stumble at Boston College with a game that felt all too familiar. The Orange (12-7, 3-3 ACC) looked in control early, up by seven at the break, but couldn’t hold off a second-half surge from the Hokies. It’s a tough pill to swallow for a team that had won three of its first four conference matchups and seemed to be building momentum.
Head coach Adrian Autry didn’t sugarcoat it.
“I understand their frustration. Everyone is frustrated,” Autry said postgame.
“We'll get refocused and we'll go out there and we'll fight. That's one thing - these guys are going to fight.”
That fight will need to show up quickly, as Syracuse gears up for another home test on Saturday, this time against a Miami squad that’s also looking to shake off a recent slide. The Hurricanes (15-4, 4-2 ACC) come in licking their wounds after back-to-back losses - a 69-59 defeat at Clemson and a narrow 65-63 home loss to rival Florida State. That loss marked Miami’s 15th in their last 16 meetings with the Seminoles.
For Syracuse, the key will be getting their top scorer, Donnie Freeman, back on track. Freeman had been a consistent force in ACC play, dropping 18 or more points in each of his first five conference games. But on Wednesday, the Hokies made life difficult for the freshman standout, who shot just 3-for-14 from the field and finished with a season-low 10 points.
Autry remains confident Freeman will bounce back.
“We’ve got to bounce back,” Autry said. “We’ve got to live this, learn from it and move forward.”
Miami’s dealing with its own version of growing pains under first-year head coach Jai Lucas. The Hurricanes came out hot in conference play, starting 4-0 and riding the wave of a 10-game winning streak. But as Lucas pointed out, college basketball seasons are full of peaks and valleys - and right now, they’re in a bit of a valley.
“I’ve got to get the team where we have been,” Lucas said. “We had a little bit of a run going… and now we have to get out of it.”
One bright spot for Miami has been freshman forward Shelton Henderson, who led the team with 18 points against Florida State. Henderson also knocked down both of his three-point attempts, signaling a growing confidence in his perimeter game - something that could be a difference-maker as the Hurricanes try to regain their rhythm.
“I work on it every single day,” Henderson said. “I just have to shoot them and they’re going to fall when I shoot the right shots at the right time.”
Saturday’s matchup is shaping up to be a battle between two teams trying to rediscover their identity. For Syracuse, it’s about protecting home court and giving their fans something to rally behind. For Miami, it’s a chance to stop the bleeding and prove that their early-season success wasn’t a fluke.
Both teams have talent. Both have something to prove. And both are desperate to get back in the win column.