Syracuse's second-half heroics brought the home team to overtime, but they fell to St. Bonaventure 60-57 in overtime on Friday.
Following the comfortable win Tuesday against Buffalo [10], Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim wanted to continue the team's winning streak, playing its third game in six days. The game went back and forth to start with neither team able to break away.
The best player of the first half was on the visiting Bonnies in Jaylen Adams [11]. The junior guard scored 21 points in the first half, where St. Bonaventure were leading at one point by 10 points. However right before half time, junior guard Frank Howard [12] scored a three pointer to cut the lead to seven.
Syracuse began the second half slow, which allowed St. Bonaventure to increase its lead. The three point shot would not fall consistently for the Orange. However, similar to the Georgetown game [13], they clawed their way back. With Tyus Battle [14] struggling to get going, Howard and Oshae Brissett stepped up in multiple ways. Brissett had 15 points and 13 rebounds, while Howard led the Orange with 19 points and six assists.
Marek Dolezaj proved to be a defensive and offensive threat again, grabbing consecutive offensive rebounds during a play down the stretch, giving Syracuse a chance to cut the lead to a one possession game. His 10 total rebounds is a career-high for the Slovakian forward, who played 27 minutes.
Syracuse did not tie the game until there was less than a minute left. Syracuse center Paschal Chukwu [15], who played 32 minutes, got fouled after making a shot and made his free throw. Syracuse's defense did a good job stopping Adams in the second half, and he needed to pass up on the final shot for the Bonnies, which was missed. Boeheim used his final timeout to draw up a play, however missed close range shots meant Syracuse would be in their second overtime game in the last three.
In overtime, Dolezaj grabbed a basket to regain the lead, however St. Bonaventure drew fouls and made their free throws. Syracuse had offensive possessions go to waste, including an offensive charge called on Dolezaj. Syracuse were down three with seconds remaining, but a corner three from guard Howard Washignton [16] was blocked and the game was finished.
Syracuse's final non-conference game is against Eastern Michigan on Dec. 27 in the Carrier Dome.
