With just eight seconds left in the game, Truck Bryant jacked up a three-point shot that missed the mark. West Virginia center Deniz Kilicli grabbed the missed shot and what happened next is what is ruling the talk in the college basketball world. As Kilicli went up for a layup to tie the game, Syracuse’s Bayne Keita blocked the shot after it already hit the backboard in what appeared to be a clear goal tending violation to everyone. That is, everyone except the refs.
“I just watched the replay. I don’t think it was a goal tend. I know it was,” Mountaineers Coach Bob Huggins said.
The Mountaineers (15-7, 5-4) had one more chance to win the game, but the Kevin Jones shot from behind the arc just missed the mark. In what was a back and forth game throughout, No. 4 Syracuse (22-1, 9-1) held on for a 63-61 win at the Carrier Dome.
“Our kids played their hearts out,” said Huggins. “We didn’t execute well enough at the end. KJ’s look wasn’t very good and Truck’s was a little bit better, but it wasn’t good enough either.”
The largest lead of the game by either team was six points, which Syracuse took as the second half started. Thanks to two three-pointers by Bryant, the Mountaineers were able to tie the game back up. The two teams kept up the fast paced action as they would trade the lead back and forth thanks to three pointers and free throws. Eventually, the game would be tied at 61 as All-American candidate Jones would hit a three from the corner. Syracuse’s Brandon Triche would wind up hitting the game-winning free throws and seal the victory for the Orange.
Syracuse found themselves without standout center Fab Melo for the third straight game thanks to academic issues. In their first game without Melo, the Orange lost their first game of the season to Notre Dame. If not for the controversy at the end of the game, the Orange could have possibly stared defeat in the eyes for the second time without him. The loss of Melo was noticeable as Syracuse was out rebounded by West Virginia by an astonishing 21 rebounds, 41-20 at home. The young Mountaineers struggled with the Syracuse classic 2-3 zone as they committed 17 turnovers.
“Syracuse’s length bothered us,” said Huggins.
Leading the way for the Orange was Triche with 18 and Kris Joseph with 13. The Orange struggled from behind the arc shooting only 4-of-20.
Jones once again led all scorers with 20 points making it his seventh straight game with 20 or more points and his 14th game of the season with 20 or more. Bryant, who shot 6-of-29 from the field in his previous two games, added 12 points on 4-of-11 shooting. Gary Browne also added 11 points for the Mountaineers.
Syracuse Coach Jim Boeheim was impressed with the Mountaineers performance on the road in front of the largest college basketball crowd of the season, 28,740.
“You knew West Virginia was going to come back like this,” said Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim. “They’ve been a good road team the whole year. They wiped Kansas State and they should have beaten Baylor in the tournament. They won by 20 at Rutgers; they just had a bad game the other night (against St. John’s). Everyone does that at one time or another in this league. They’re tough; Kevin (Jones) played great and that’s what he does every night.”
After dropping two straight games, the Mountaineers will look to right the ship Monday night as they host rival Pitt in the hard floor version of the “Backyard Brawl” on ESPN.
Photo Credits: All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks Photo
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