The Syracuse Orange (18-0, 5-0) hung the second loss on the Cincinnati Bearcats this afternoon. UC is now 16-2, 3-2 in the Big East. UC started off incredibly slow, falling behind 18-3. They used 9 first half triples to close out on the Orange as the first half advance, 4 by Dion Dixon. There was a scary moment when Kris Joseph hit his head on the floor. He didn’t return. Yancy Gates also suffered an ankle injury, and didn’t really play the second half.
UC started the second half off by falling behind by 20. Yeah, just like Villanova. The offense didn’t score until I think the 13 minute mark. The Bearcats had nothing really going on offense at all. Dixon hit a couple of 3s with UC down 17 to get it to 11, but then Rashad Bishop threw a very ill-advised alley oop pass that ended with a turnover. Justin Jackson one upped him by getting a technical after a UC foul. That was a 3 point possession for the Orange, who they got a steal and a lay up to pretty much ice it.
UC was 7-31 shooting 2 pointers. They were 11-28 from 3, despite making only 2 in the second half. They were a horrible 5-11 at the free throw line, and were pounded on the glass, before catching up late. Dion Dixon led the Bearcats with 18, all threes, while Sean Kilpatrick had 11. Rick Jackson had another double double for Syracuse, getting a team high 15-11. Scoop Jardine and Brandon Triche both had 11, Jardine had 7 assists.
It was just a bleh performance for UC. In their second big test of the season, the Bearcats played pretty average. They got very hot from deep to get the game tight, but that was unsustainable offense. They started the second half missing shots and that was it. The road gets no easier from here. UC goes to Notre Dame next, in what is now a gut check game. I think that’s the game where we find out if UC is going to be someone in the Big East. We’ve found out they aren’t elite, now it’s time to see if they are on the next level. Here’s hoping.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
