Syracuse surrenders perfect start at home to Florida State

Syracuse was doing so well for so long. 

SU men’s basketball lost to Florida State 85-69 on Tuesday behind poor shooting from the three-point line and questionable coaching decisions that allowed FSU to score inside. 

Syracuse was in front with less than ten minutes to go in the second half, when Florida State took the lead against a small Orange lineup. What Syracuse lacked in height, it failed to make up for in shooting, hurting the team down the stretch in the first home loss of the season. 

Sophomore guard Judah Mintz put up a game-high 28 points. Mintz and his backcourt partner, sophomore J.J. Starling, were the only Syracuse players to score 10 points or more. 

Still, the backcourt tandem – and Syracuse as a whole – failed to move the ball against FSU’s defense.

“We knew this game was gonna be predicated on a lot of iso ball,” Starling said postgame. “Don’t get me wrong, there were times we could’ve drove and made a kick out, but we just didn’t make those plays.”

SU started hot – a Mintz layup put the Orange on the board less than a minute into the contest. After a subsequently muted passage of play led to the first media timeout of the game, the Orange squad patiently stood on the court for the Seminoles to come out of their huddle. 

Whatever was said in the FSU huddle, it worked. Seven quick points capped by a Cam Corhen athletic catch and layup put Florida State on top 7-6.

Just a few minutes later, a hero’s welcome was in order for sophomore guard Quadir Copeland as he checked into the game after his Sportscenter-Top-10-worthy buzzer-beater against Miami. The sophomore did not quite have the first half he was looking for, getting two fouls and being subbed off after just one minute.

In an uncharacteristic outing, Mintz also struggled during the first half.

The guard struggled from the free throw line early on, ending the first half shooting just 4-of-9 from the charity stripe. When he came out of the tunnel to begin the second half, Mintz had fixed his free throw woes. Four quick free throws put SU up 46-39 at the 16-minute mark.

It was here when things started to fall apart for the Orange.

To start the second half, Florida State began to use a full court press against Syracuse, forcing turnovers and making the Orange ball handlers uncomfortable. The press helped gain some momentum for the Seminoles.

“When they started pressing and tried to make stuff happen… we kinda got out of character,” Autry said

A 6-0 FSU run tied the game at 48 before Autry made a head-scratching – and game-changing – decision.

Up two points, Autry employed a lineup of Mintz, Starling, sophomore guard Kyle Cuffe Jr., Copeland, and junior forward Benny Williams against a lanky Seminoles team. Autry explained his decision, saying, “I was just trying to see if I could get a group out there to get some stops.”

Six minutes later, SU was down 65-60. 

In that time span, Florida State scored just one basket from outside the arc. The Seminoles took advantage of Autry’s small lineup to score quick baskets inside. Conversely, Syracuse was smothered by the height of FSU’s lineup – and shooting woes never let the Orange get back in the game. 

Shooting just 1-for-14 from behind the three-point line, SU desperately chucked up long-range attempts to try and erase the deficit it had quickly found itself in – it didn’t work.

“When shots aren’t falling, it just kind of drains you a little bit,” Starling said.

As the game came to a close, the wheels began to fall off for the Orange. A 20-point Seminoles lead sent Orange fans streaming out of the stands as Syracuse hopelessly watched the clock hit zero. 

For SU, this loss ends its perfect home record and provides a troubling outlook for March.

To restore some postseason hope, Syracuse will need to win its next home match against NC State, on Saturday. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.