The Syracuse Orange basketball team fell to Kansas by a final score of 71-60 on the second day of the Player’s Era Festival in Las Vegas. The Orange dropped to 0-2 on the event.
In an offensive slog, Kansas
(5-2) bested Syracuse (4-2) by limiting the Orange to a season-low 20-63 shooting (32%), including 7-30 from three (23%). The Jayhawks beat up Syracuse on the glass, winning the rebounding battle 49-29. Free throws were once again problematic for the Orange as the team shot 13-23 from the line.
Tre White led the way for Kansas with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Flory Bidinga also had a double-double with 13 points and 14 rebounds. Tyler Betsey once again led Syracuse in scoring with 12 points on four threes. JJ Starling finished with 10 points and five rebounds while William Kyle had nine points and nine boards.
After Syracuse jumped out to an early lead behind Nate Kingz, The Jayhawks reclaimed the lead at the 17:22 mark in the first half and led the rest of the way. Kansas led 34-25 at the half.
Syracuse kept the game close throughout but went down double-digits with four minutes to play. The Orange cut it to seven with 1:14 to play but that was as close as Adrian Autry’s team would get. Syracuse couldn’t get the stops down and scores necessary down the stretch to get within two possessions.
To the takeaways:
Emotional hangover
This Syracuse team came out flat on the second day of the tournament. One has to wonder about an emotional hangover after such an intense, emotional battle the previous night. With a sweltering showing in overtime against No. 3 Houston less than 24 hours prior to the Kansas game, the challenge of trying to cool it all down and get ready to compete at the same level of intensity the next day would be understandable.
That’s not an excuse as much as it is a trouble to be bargained with. Kansas, while not in an emotional heater in the first game against Notre Dame, was also playing its second game in as many days. The Orange just couldn’t seem to muster the level of consistent intensity to compete at a high-level against the Jayhawks.
Sadiq White brought the energy at times but for much of the game it looked as if Kyle was a one-man wolfpack.
Ball security good; Half-court offense? No so much
Kansas isn’t a turnover-forcing team and Syracuse did a good job of taking care of the basketball in this game. The Orange had just two turnovers on the night. The downside? Syracuse couldn’t get much of anything going on offense.
Syracuse struggled to get open looks and the offense it did generate aren’t what you would call rhythm shots, especially from the outside. The Orange shot 7-30 from the three. Without Betsey’s shooting the team shot 3-20 from range (15%).
Credit to Kansas, a top 15-team defensively, for making things difficult. But there were plenty of stagnant offensive possession’s in the halfcourt on Syracuse’s behalf.
Board patrol
Syracuse may have kept things respectable on the glass against Houston on Monday night. But Syracuse got waxed on the boards against Kansas — a so-so rebounding team. The Orange didn’t do itself any favors by missing so many shots. But it’s not like Kansas had a great night shooting the ball, either.
Kyle had nine rebounds himself but didn’t get much help. Nate Kingz has been a good rebounder on the season but failed to get one rebound against Kansas. White had just two rebounds from the forward spot. Meanwhile, Kansas had four guys with seven rebounds or more.
No matter how you slice it, it’s going to be hard to win any game getting out-rebounded by 20.
