SU Ends NCAA Run with Loss to Michigan

Saturday, April 6

Atlanta, GA

8:50 p.m.

Syracuse University

30-10

Michigan

31-7

SYRACUSE

MICHIGAN

Junior C.J. Fair led the offense with 22 points

4/6/2013 10:08:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Michigan 61, Syracuse 56 | Photo Gallery | Quotes | Post-Game Notes

ATLANTA, GA – Syracuse's season came to an end in the NCAA semifinal with a 61-56 loss to #10/11 Michigan at the Georgia Dome. Junior C.J. Fair led #16/18 Syracuse with 22 points, scoring more than 20 points for the eighth time this season. Senior Brandon Triche added 11 points, bringing his career scoring total to 1,564, which ranks 16th on SU's all-time list.

"That's all you can ask for in that situation, when you're down eight, to be able to make that kind of a move back," said head coach Jim Boeheim. "I was really proud of these guys, how they were able to do that."

Trailing 36-25 at the half, which was its largest halftime deficit of the season, the Orange fought back to cut the Wolverines lead to three, 48-45, on a Fair jump shot with less than eight minutes left in the game. Syracuse kept it close and got within one, 57-56, on a three-point field goal by James Southerland with 41 seconds left to play. Michigan closed the scoring, however, with two free throws and a field goal to secure the five point victory.

In the first half, Michigan opened the contest with a 7-2 run, but Syracuse used a five-point spurt to tie the score at 7-7 just five minutes into the opening frame. With the score knotted again at 9-9, Fair drained a pair of field goals to pull Syracuse ahead by five, 14-9.

With the Orange down by one, 15-14, redshirt freshman Trevor Cooney hit a three-pointer to put SU up by one before Michigan responded with a 9-0 run to build a seven-point lead, 24-17, with 6:31 left in the first half.

Syracuse shaved the advantage to four points, helped out by buckets from Triche and sophomore Rakeem Christmas, but a three ball from Michael Albrecht put Michigan up by seven, 28-21, with 3:50 left in the half. The Wolverines extended their lead to as much as 13 points, and led by 11 at the half, 36-25.