Orange Defense Limits Hokies In ACC Opener

Sunday, December 31

6 PM

Syracuse University

(12-2) (1-0)

Virginia Tech

(11-3) (0-1)

Virginia Tech

Syracuse

Photo by: Michael J. Okoniewski

12/31/2017 7:44:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Cuse TV: Highlights Cuse TV: Jim Boeheim Press Conference Cuse TV: Player Interviews Box Score (PDF)Jim Boeheim Quotes - Virginia Tech Buzz Williams Quotes Photo Gallery

SYRACUSE, N.Y. –
Syracuse (12-2, 1-0 ACC) held Virginia Tech (11-3, 0-1 ACC), the Division I leader in field goal percentage, to just 18-of-52 from the field (.346) and out-rebounded the Hokies, 39-26, in a 68-56 victory in the Carrier Dome.

Oshae Brissett posted 19 points and nine rebounds to lead the Orange. Junior Frank Howard and sophomore Tyus Battle each finished with 17 points and redshirt freshman Matthew Moyer recorded 11 points and 13 rebounds.

The win gives the Orange its sixth win in the last seven matchups against the Hokies.

How it was Decided
With Syracuse clinging to a 3-point lead, an 11-0 run increased the advantage to 14. The Orange used four-straight points from Brissett, a bucket by Howard, a dunk from Moyer and a Battle 3-pointer to obtain a 45-31 lead with 11:31 to go. Virginia Tech was unable to trim the deficit to any lower than 11 during the remainder of the game.

Game Summary
Neither team built a lead larger than four over the first 12:27. Howard knocked down a 3-pointer to give Syracuse an early 9-7 advantage, Virginia Tech answered with a jumper and the Orange drained three shots from the foul stripe to gain a three-point advantage.

A 10-0 Syracuse run opened up a 27-16 lead with 3:29 remaining in the half. Howard and Battle knocked down back-to-back jumpers and then the pair knocked down one 3-pointer each. The Hokies made a 3-point field goal but Howard hit another trey and Battle added a jumper to give the Orange a 32-19 halftime lead.

Brissett converted an early layup and the Hokies answered with four-straight buckets from beyond the arc to trim the Syracuse lead to three.

Syracuse held a 58-44 lead with 5:36 remaining and Brissett made a layup and Battle hit a jumper to extend the lead to 18. The Hokies answered with a layup and Battle and Moyer followed with two points each to give the Orange a 20-point lead, their largest of the night.

Numbers of Note
The Orange shot 48.9 percent (23-of-47) from the field and 85.0 percent (17-of-20) from the free-throw line while holding Virginia Tech to 34.6 percent (18-of-52) from the field.

The Orange starting five combined to score 64 of the 68 Syracuse points on the night. Marek Dolezaj scored the other four points, in a reserve role.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker led the Hokies with 19 points. Justin Bibbs and Justin Robinson added 10 points each for Virginia Tech.

What's Next
Syracuse plays its first game of 2018 at Wake Forest on Wednesday, Jan. 3. Tip-off at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum is scheduled for 7 p.m.