Syracuse Looks to Rebound Against Virginia Tech After Painful Overtime Collapse
After a gut-punch of a loss on the road, Syracuse basketball returns to the JMA Wireless Dome with something to prove. The Orange, now 12-6 overall and 3-2 in ACC play, will host Virginia Tech (14-5, 3-3) on Wednesday night in a matchup that suddenly carries significant weight for both teams jockeying for position in the middle of the conference standings.
Tip-off is set for 9:00 p.m. Eastern on the ACC Network.
Let’s not sugarcoat it: Saturday’s overtime loss to Boston College was a stinger. Syracuse came in riding a three-game winning streak, having won five of their last six, and looked like a team starting to find its rhythm. But after falling 81-73 in OT to a BC squad that had yet to win a conference game and carried a shaky NET ranking, the Orange’s NCAA Tournament hopes took a serious hit.
Turnovers Tell the Story
The biggest culprit? Turnovers - and a lot of them.
Syracuse coughed it up 18 times, and Boston College made them pay, turning those mistakes into 22 points. That’s not just a stat line - that’s the difference between walking off the court with a win and walking off wondering what just happened.
Freshman guard Naithan George had a rough outing, finishing with seven turnovers and just two assists in 31 minutes. He also struggled to find his shot, going 2-of-8 from the field. Forward Donnie Freeman added another seven turnovers of his own, though he did post a strong double-double with 18 points and 14 boards.
The bright spot? Nate Kingz.
The veteran guard was electric, pouring in 27 points on a hyper-efficient 8-of-12 shooting, including a scorching 5-of-6 from beyond the arc. He kept Syracuse afloat for much of the night and nearly carried them to a win.
Letting It Slip Away
Syracuse led for the majority of the game - over 75% of it - and held a seven-point edge with under three minutes remaining. But just when it looked like they might escape with a win, the wheels came off. Boston College rattled off five quick points to cut the lead to two, and with less than 20 seconds left, Freeman missed the front end of a one-and-one that could’ve all but sealed the game.
Instead, BC’s Donald Hand drilled a clutch three from the top of the key with seven seconds left to tie it at 64. On the ensuing possession, George turned it over again, and the game went to overtime. From there, it was all Eagles - they scored the first six points in the extra frame and never looked back.
Despite shooting 44% from the field (compared to BC’s 41%), winning the rebounding battle 40-38, and outscoring the Eagles in the paint 36-32, Syracuse couldn’t overcome the turnover issues and some costly missed free throws (14-of-22 on the night).
Looking Ahead: Hokies in the Dome
Now comes a chance to bounce back - but it won’t be easy. Virginia Tech rolls into town at 14-5 and looking to build momentum of their own.
The Hokies took the last meeting between these two teams in a 101-95 shootout last season in Blacksburg. But the last time they played in the Dome, Syracuse handled business with an 84-71 win behind a 29-point performance from Judah Mintz.
Virginia Tech hasn’t won in Syracuse since the 2019-20 season.
The Orange are slight favorites this time around, with the line sitting at Syracuse -3.5 and the over-under set at 151.5. ESPN’s matchup predictor gives the home team a 67.8% chance to come out on top.
For Syracuse, this game is more than just another conference clash - it’s a chance to reset the narrative. A win would help stabilize their postseason outlook and get them back on track after a deflating loss. But to do that, they’ll need to clean up the turnovers, stay composed in crunch time, and continue leaning on their top playmakers.
All eyes will be on the Dome Wednesday night. Let’s see how the Orange respond.