FSU basketball: Noles build brick house in loss against Syracuse

FSU basketball (5-3, 0-1 ACC) got off to a terrible start in conference play with a 63-60 loss against Syracuse (5-3, 1-0 ACC) Saturday afternoon.

The Noles used a strong defensive first half to build a 32-24 halftime lead. Syracuse shot 23 percent from the floor and 4 of 17 from the three-point line.

They also beat the Noles on the offensive boards to keep FSU basketball within striking distance. The Noles shot 42 percent in the first half but were only 1 of 13 from the three-point line. Caleb Mills led the scoring with 11 points.

The second half saw Syracuse adjust with their zone defense and went on an 11-0 run to take a 40-37 lead with 12:41 remaining. It was a combination of offensive rebounding for Syracuse and FSU missing shots. The Noles were 2 of 23 from three-point land midway through the second half, and Syracuse began to make shots that opened up a 10 point lead with 7:17 remaining.

The Noles cut the lead to one point with 43 seconds remaining and got a steal with under 20 seconds remaining, but Anthony Polite turned the ball over, trying to do too much. The Noles had a chance to tie at the buzzer, but Caleb Mills missed a three-pointer.

It was an abysmal second half of shooting for the Noles, and I wonder why they continued to settle for three-pointers when they couldn’t snuff one the entire day? They didn’t attack the basket until around the five-minute mark, which is evident with FSU only shooting 16 free throws in the game.

Syracuse shot 35 percent overall, 9 of 30 three-point shots, and was 10 of 13 from the free-throw line. FSU shot 35 percent overall and finished 4 of 30 from three-point land. This game was simple, an awful day of shooting and shot selection for the Noles. FSU basketball will be back in action Sunday, December 12th, at noon against South Carolina.