Syracuse hoops loses to Colgate for the first time in 59 years

Colgate stuns SU men's hoops in early season loss for Orange

Joe Girard III's 27 points not enough to overcome the Raiders' ability to outmaneuver the Orange's zone defense.

Story by Riley Utley / Photos by Gavin Liddell

Published: November 20, 2021

Jessie Edwards fends off Colgate players whiile Jimmy Boeheim watches on in the Orange's Nov. 20, 2021, loss in the Dome.

For the first time since 1962— head coach Jim Boeheim’s first year as a student at Syracuse— the SU men’s basketball team lost to Colgate. Outscoring Syracuse 100-85, Colgate brought the Orange’s 54-game win streak over the Raiders to an end Saturday night.

“A big win to get in the Carrier Dome for any team in the country, but for us, it’s been however many decades since our program’s been able to do it, since ’62,” Colgate head coach Matt Langel said. “It’s something these guys will remember forever.”

The game came down to defense and rebounds. During the first half, it became clear that Colgate was lethal from behind the arc and that the Raiders were not afraid to take shots from that position. Two of Colgate’s guards, Nelly Cummings and Jack Ferguson, shot 6-13 from three — the team shot 41.9% from behind the arc.

“We’ve all got to play better,” Boeheim said. “Everybody has got to play better. This isn’t one guy or two guys the whole team defensively has to be better. Obviously, we have to rebound better.”

Colgate was also able to work off 44 rebounds. 19 of which were offensive, while Syracuse had 34 total, 12 of them offensive.

Coach Jim Boeheim challenges a call in the Orange's Nov. 20, 2021, loss in the Dome.

Though the Orange got off to a hot start and led by 17 at one point, things took a turn during the first half as Colgate began hitting threes. By the end, The Raiders had made 32 of its 70 field goals. Syracuse hit 28 of its 64 field goals, and while they didn’t play bad offensively, the defense ended it for them.

“It’s tough for us when they have four or five shooters in at a time,” Joseph Girard III, a guard for SU said. “They’re a really well-coached team and they move the ball a lot. They executed their game plan really well and we just didn’t figure it out.”

Syracuse and Colgate players go after the ball in the Orange's Nov. 20, 2021, loss in the Dome.

Syracuse's Jessie Edwards goes for dunk early in the Orange's Nov. 20, 2021, loss in the Dome.

The offense for the Orange was the high point of its game. Girard ended with 27 points and eight assists, and Buddy Boeheim accumulated 19 points. However, Colgate had more players that were able to score. Four Raiders finished in the double digits and three more had nine points each.

“We played pretty well offensively for the most part. It was strictly a defensive game. Period,” Boeheim said.

Over Thanksgiving break, the Orange will travel down to the Bahamas to take part in the Battle 4 Atlantis. Its first game will be against VCU on Nov. 24 at 5 p.m.