Sports SUmmary: Men’s hoops suffers heartbreaking loss to UNC, puts tournament eligibility in danger

Sports SUmmary: Men’s hoops suffers heartbreaking loss to UNC

Tennis begins season on high note.
Published: January 26, 2023
Syracuse's Judah Mintz (center) attempts to hold the ball away from North Carolina defenders during an ACC men's basketball game on Tuesday, January 25, 2022, at JMA Wireless Dome.
Syracuse's Judah Mintz (center) attempts to hold the ball away from North Carolina defenders during an ACC men's basketball game on January 25, 2022 at the JMA Wireless Dome.

Syracuse men’s basketball suffered a back-breaking loss to North Carolina on Tuesday Night. After storming back from being down 56-46 to take a 68-66 lead with less than 90 seconds to play, a turnover by guard Joseph Girard III led to a Pete Nance lay-up for the go-ahead basket for the Tar Heels.

The loss for the Orange was not only devastating because it was an opportunity to jump up to fourth in the ACC standings, but it also was another blown opportunity for head coach Jim Boeheim and company to display to the selection committee that they should be one of the 68 teams in march to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. 

While the Orange will have a chance to get back on track on Saturday against a struggling Virginia Tech squad, the team now faces a stretch where five of their next eight games will be on the opponents’ stomping grounds, and their three home games are against teams all with better records than them.

Syracuse women’s tennis commences season on a two game win streak

SU Tennis’ season has started on the right side of the court so far, defeating their first two opponents, New Jersey Institute of Technology and Boston University by a score of 13-1. 

The team will continue their dominant play on Friday against fellow Upstate New York foe Cornell.

Women’s basketball has largest losing streak of season

After starting the year 13-4, Syracuse women’s basketball is currently in a rut, losing their last three games, the most consecutive games they’ve lost all year. During this span, the team has shot under 36% in all contests and is averaging less than 20 points per game of their season average. 

While the losing streak has set the team back in the standings, the defense is staying somewhat steady, only giving up roughly two more points per game than their season average. Notre Dame and Duke, two of the teams that SU lost to, have been juggernauts the entire season and have lost a combined four games all year.

The Orange have a great opportunity to turn the page this week with a two game homestand against Virginia, who currently have a 3-6 conference record, and Louisville, who SU looks to get revenge after a 86-77 loss earlier in the year.

Syracuse's Alaina Rice (25) and Albany's Morgan Haney (15) fight for a loose ball during a women's basketball game on Tuesday, December 20, 2022, at JMA Wireless Dome.
Syracuse's Alaina Rice (25) and Albany's Morgan Haney (15) fight for a loose ball during a women's basketball game on Dec. 20, 2022 at the JMA Wireless Dome.

Syracuse ice hockey player nominated for major honor

Orange ice hockey forward Sarah Thompson is one of the 15 nominees for the 2023 Hockey Humanitarian award. The award is one that commends athletes for not only the way they help their team on the ice, but also how they contribute to the community. Thompson, a junior, has helped children no matter their background have an opportunity to play hockey through her Sticks Together program.