Syracuse Orange Squeeze Past Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Purcell Pavilion
In a closely contested battle at Purcell Pavilion, the Syracuse Orange edged out the Notre Dame Fighting Irish with a final score of 62-61. The Orange's season record now stands at an unmentioned number of victories and defeats, while the Fighting Irish's record also remains undisclosed.
The game was marked by numerous lead changes and ties, indicating a tightly matched contest between the two teams. The Syracuse Orange started strong in the first half, putting up 35 points against the Fighting Irish's equal effort of 35 points. However, in the second half, both teams saw a decrease in scoring; Syracuse managed to add only 27 points to their tally while Notre Dame fell short by one point with 26.
The Syracuse team showcased efficient shooting from inside the arc with an impressive field goal percentage of approximately 48 percent and converting about 63 percent of their two-point attempts. Their prowess in scoring within the paint was evident as they racked up a total of 34 points from that area. Despite struggling beyond the arc with just three made three-pointers on an approximate shooting percentage of 17 percent, they compensated for it through their performance elsewhere on court.
Defensively, Syracuse stood firm as well; they pulled down a total of 30 rebounds—22 defensive and five offensive—and recorded seven steals throughout the game. Their ball-handling skills were also on display as they maintained possession effectively with only four turnovers compared to Notre Dame's ten.
On offense, assists played a crucial role for Syracuse who distributed well among teammates leading to successful baskets; they finished with fourteen assists which contributed significantly to their overall scoreline. Additionally, capitalizing on turnovers proved beneficial for them as they scored thirteen points off those opportunities provided by Notre Dame’s mistakes.
Notre Dame did not go down without showing their strengths though; they out-rebounded Syracuse with thirty-seven rebounds—twenty-three defensive and ten offensive—and had slightly better free throw accuracy at around eighty percent compared to seventy-five percent from Syracuse. They also made eleven three-pointers which kept them within striking distance until the very end but ultimately fell short by one point.
As fans look forward to future games after this nail-biter encounter between conference rivals, attention turns toward upcoming matchups where each team will seek improvement and victory.
The next challenge for The Orange will be against Oakland Golden Grizzlies at JMA Wireless Dome located in Syracuse NY on December sixth at six PM Eastern Time Zone (ET). Fans eager not to miss any action can tune into ACC Network channel six hundred twelve where this anticipated matchup will be broadcasted live.