FSU Basketball: Noles hold off Syracuse to win 78-73

FSU Basketball hosted the Syracuse Orangemen on Senior Day at The Tuck.

1st half

The Noles got off to a good start defensively, pressuring the ball and fighting through ball screens well. However, they blew wife open layup and a chance to convert on a couple of second chance opportunities.

Rough start for both teams offensively as both teams hard trouble finding the basket due to a combination of good defense and just missing shots.

The score was 1-0 Syracuse at the 15:47 mark.

Xavier Rathan-Mayes got the Noles on the board with a three pointer at the 14:47 mark. It was a defensive struggle the first eight minutes, but things started to heat up with the Noles scoring in inside and taking a 12-8 lead at the 10:50 mark.

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A fast break layup by Malik Beasley pushed the FSU lead to 16-10 with just over 9 minutes remaining.

FSU basketball doing a great job of attacking the Syracuse zone at the top of the key while playing solid defense on the other end of the floor.

However, Syracuse was able to put together a nice 6-0 run to close the lead to 21-20 forcing Leonard Hamilton to call a time out at the 5:55 mark.

It was a one point game around the two-minute mark, but Syracuse hit back-to-back three and FSU turned the ball over three consecutive times to allow Syracuse a five point lead with 49 seconds left in the half.

Syracuse scored a layup with 12 seconds remaining, but FSU basketball scored at the buzzer on a Xavier Rathan-Mayes three pointer. Syracuse led 35-31 at the half on 56 percent shooting with 11 turnovers.

2nd half

FSU basketball got off to a good start with a Malik Beasley three pointer to cut the lead to 35-34, but Syracuse answered with a three of their own.

Beasley with another three and a layup to give the Noles a two point lead at the 18 minute mark.

Coach Hamilton got a technical foul called arguing a traveling violation at the 17:21 mark. It shouldn’t have been called travel upon review.

The call seemed to zap the momentum FSU basketball had and Syracuse promptly scored on back-to-back dunks to tie the game at 44-44 at the 14:58 mark.

FSU basketball was able to score in transition on three consecutive possessions to push the lead out to 51-44 with just over 13 minutes remaining.

Michael Gbinije keeps Cuse in striking range as he hit a long-range three pointer to cut the lead to 53-49.

A Syracuse three pointer tied the game at 9:14. The long-range shooting of Syracuse kept them in the game, but the Noles responded nicely with a 6-0 run to make the score 61-55 with 7:43 left.

A Terrance Mann fast break dunk pushed the lead to 66-59 with 5:14 left for the Noles biggest lead of the game.

Noles pushed the lead to 10 with 2:21 left in the game, but Micahel Gbinije cuts the lead to 71-64 on a transition layup with 1:36 left.

A turnover by Dwayne Bacon gave Syracuse life with 1:21 remaining and leading 71-66. Syracuse made two free throws to cut the lead to 71-68, but Michael Gbinije fouls Malik Beasley in transition with Beasley making both free throws.

Syracsue wasted no time coming down to score, cutting the lead back to three with 45 seconds remaining. Malik Beasly scored on an errant shot by Dwayne Bacon, but Gbinije took the ball coast-to-coast for an and 1 play. FSU basketball led 75-73 with 32 seconds remaining.

Syracuse,’s Gbinije fouled Xavier Rathan-Mayes to foul out and send FSU to the charity stripe. Rathan-Mayes made one of two from the line with 22 seconds remaining.

Syracuse missed a long three pointer and FSU secured the long rebound and kicked it out for a transition layup to seal the game.

FSU defeated Syracuse 78-73.

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