Syracuse struggles in 72-52 exhibition loss to UConn

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Syracuse began the McNamEra in an exhibition contest with UConn at Mohegan Sun Arena on Tuesday, but the Orange’s first showing under Gerry McNamara ended in a 72-52 loss. 

Despite a competitive defensive effort in the first half, the Orange struggled to find an offensive rhythm. Both teams opened with suffocating defense, forcing turnovers and limiting the high-percentage looks. With 14:52 remaining in the first half, the teams were tied at four, with neither offense able to get going. 

Syracuse also found itself without two key offensive options. Mark Morano was unavailable due to a leg injury, and starting guard Aiden Tobiason left the game less than two minutes into the first half with an apparent right leg injury. 

For the entirety of the game, Syracuse had little success trying to force the ball inside. UConn’s defense was difficult to penetrate and the Orange spent much of the shot clock passing along the perimeter before forcing a difficult shot. 

This pressure continued to disrupt Syracuse in the first. With eight minutes remaining in the half, the Orange had tallied just three field goals without recording an assist. Every possession began to feel like a hard-fought battle for the Orange.​​ The Huskies used a 9-0 run to create some breathing room before Syracuse responded with a seven-point run of their own to tie the game at 13. 

Freshman guard Ryan Moesch brought a spark off of the bench, constantly pushing the pace from one end to the other. 

There were stretches where the game was incredibly close despite the consistent offensive struggles for the Orange. That was largely due to the sheer volume of fouls the Huskies committed. UConn kept sending Syracuse to the charity stripe, and the Orange kept making the most of those opportunities, converting nine of 10 free throws in the first half. Unfortunately, the trend would not continue as the Orange hit only nine of 18 attempts from the line in the second half. 

The second half of play brought more of the same for the Orange. Syracuse continued to struggle offensively, never really finding a rhythm. UConn capitalized on several turnovers and second-chance opportunities. The Orange were surprisingly quiet on defense, the lack of communication may be indicative of a lack of chemistry, or just a defeated team at that point in the game. 

UConn led 44-33 with about 13 minutes remaining and managed to extend that advantage to 57-40 with just over seven minutes to play. 

Sadiq White Jr. led Syracuse with 17 points but only grabbed one rebound. UConn’s Na’jai Hines scored 17 points and grabbed eight boards. Hines was unstoppable and the difference between the team’s frontcourts was on full display. 

6’0 Moesch continued to shine on the glass, leading Syracuse in rebounding late into the second half. When asked what that said about the performance of his big men, McNamara pointed to Moesch’s positioning during rebound battles between the larger players. 

“I thought Ryan did a pretty good job of getting that cleanup area,” McNamara said. “I thought he pushed the pace for us well tonight. We’ve just got to be a little more efficient in the open court.”

The Orange were showing signs of discouragement down the stretch, White attempted to energize his teammates during a huddle under UConn’s basket, but anyone could tell that the Orange had all but given up. 

McNamara praised his leadership and attitude, and recalled White’s message to the team late in the second half. 

“I think his exact quote was, ‘If you’re going to give up, don’t even bother being in this huddle” said McNamara

The first competition of the season showcased the gaps in Syracuse’s offense against such a formidable opponent. 

“I think we’re far, far away from our full offensive identity,” McNamara said. 

The Orange have just under three weeks to iron out all the kinks that showed up in this game before the regular season. Syracuse continues exhibition play on Sunday when they face Gerry McNamara’s former team, Siena at MVP Arena.