Syracuse’s lackluster year ends with 86-69 ACC Tournament loss to SMU
Syracuse has a 49-48 record, including a 4-31 record in Quad 1 games, across Adrian Autry’s tenure. Courtesy of The Atlantic Coast Conference
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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Adrian Autry looked at the scoreboard, shook his head and briefly sat back down on the bench. After Donnie Freeman failed to box out and was called for a foul before Jaron Pierre Jr. made two free throws to extend SMU’s lead back to 15, the late-game Syracuse run was a distant memory.
Opposed to standing like he was for most of the game, Autry sat back down on the bench and watched Freeman miss another jumper. His star forward then fouled out on the ensuing defensive possession.
There was still time on the clock, but the Orange’s season — and likely Autry’s position as their head coach — were over.
No. 14 seed Syracuse (15-17, 6-12 ACC) lost 86-69 to No. 11 seed SMU (20-12, 8-10 ACC) in the first round of the ACC Tournament. In a potential make-or-break Year 3 for Autry, the Orange registered their second consecutive losing season. The defeat ends SU’s season, which will mark its fifth straight campaign missing the NCAA Tournament — its longest spell in over five decades.
If this is the end for Autry, he finishes his SU tenure with a 49-48 record, including a 4-31 record in Quad 1 games.
The Orange’s second-best win — via the NET Rankings — of the regular season came when they defeated the Mustangs 79-78 behind a game-winner from Nate Kingz on Feb. 14. However, SU couldn’t replicate that success in Charlotte, which dropped its record to 1-11 in Quad 1 games this season.
Even with Kingz stepping up with a tied-for-game-high 25 points and Tyler Betsey adding 15, everyone else on the Orange struggled drastically. Meanwhile, SMU’s Boopie Miller starred with 25 points, and the Mustangs outscored SU 33-27 from 3-point range and won the rebounding battle 44-31.
For much of the first 25 minutes, Miller was the Mustangs’ only form of consistent offense, especially from beyond the arc. Then, a Corey Washington triple at the 13:44 mark gave SMU its first lead in double-digits, 54-44. While four points from Kingz got the Orange back within single digits, Pierre — who began the game 0-of-8 from 3 — drew nylon to get the lead to 11.
It was the start of a 12-0 “kill shot” run, which included Pierre making another two triples. By the time Kingz halted the run with a layup, the Orange faced a 69-50 deficit with 8:22 remaining.
The final nail in SU’s coffin fittingly came in the second half — like it has all year — after playing, all things considered, well in the first half.
Though Syracuse struggled in the early going, trailing 14-10, it embarked on a 9-2 run to take a 19-16 lead at the 12:24 mark after turning to a lineup featuring Naithan George, Kingz, Betsey, Sadiq White Jr. and Freeman. The small-ball lineup provided a blend of shooting and athleticism that the Orange lacked all season. However, it hurt their rebounding and interior defense, which allowed the Mustangs to retake the lead midway through the half.
Despite SMU building its lead up to a first-half-high 29-23 with 5:35 remaining, a similar small-ball lineup — this time with William Kyle III replacing White, who was in foul trouble — helped Syracuse cut its deficit to 39-38. Throughout the first 20 minutes, Kingz (17) and Betsey (nine) combined for 26 points while making all six of SU’s 3s.
Out of the break, Autry reverted to the Orange’s starting lineup, and they were outscored 12-4 in the opening five minutes of the second half. Six of those points came from two Miller 3-pointers, while four came off second-chance points. Facing a 51-42 deficit, White and Betsey replaced the duo that SU built its team around in Freeman and J.J. Starling — the duo combined for nine points while shooting 4-of-15 from the field.
While the lineup helped the Orange stay afloat, the Mustangs — one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the country — began heating up from deep. A plethora of triples from Pierre, who finished with 21 points, sparked the run to all but put the game away.
A pair of 3s from Betsey and an alley-oop to White sparked a 9-0 SU run to cut the score to 74-63 with 4:35 to go, but it never got within single digits. A Freeman 3 trimmed the score to 76-66 at the 3:14 mark, but Pierre answered by draining his fifth triple.
From that point, SU was outscored 7-3, sealing the end of its season. As Miller dribbled the clock out, all Autry could do was stare before the final buzzer sounded.
The season is over. Now, the program faces some of the biggest questions in its history.
