Syracuse comes close but not close enough to upsetting No. 24 Florida State
By AJ Myers|@ajmyerstv
TALLAHASSEE, FL – With 4:28 remaining in the fourth quarter in Thursday night’s matchup between Syracuse and No. 18 Florida State, SU guard Dyaisha Fair knocked down her typical miraculous three-pointer. The three from Fair made it a two-point game and placed the Orange in an ideal spot to upset the Seminoles on the road.
A timeout followed Fair’s three. Syracuse would come out of the timeout and never score again. SU was provided with opportunities to score courtesy of great defense. However, the five on the floor would fall short on layups and jump shots. FSU would capitalize on their chances, and with 48 seconds left in the contest, Erin Howard knocked down a dagger three-pointer. Syracuse (16-11, 7-9 Atlantic Coast) falls short to No. 24 Florida State (21-7, 10-5 Atlantic Coast) 78-65.
Syracuse looked like they would not be able to keep the game close. In the opening stanza of the contest, the Cuse fell behind 8-2. However, like all season, Dyaisha Fair’s scoring would keep the Orange in striking distance. Fair, who played all 40 minutes, finished with 19 points. Alaina Rice also had a massive night for the Orange. The senior finished with 17 rebounds and nine points, and five assists.
Florida State had its duo shine throughout the game. Point guard Ta’niya Latson was in complete control of the Seminole’s offense providing 19 points. Latson would mirror Fair excellent ball handling and acrobatic shots. Makayla Timpson dominated down low for FSU. The sophomore had 17 points and 14 rebounds.
Besides the head-to-head matchups, Florida State had a massive advantage in bench production. FSU had 22 points, thanks to their reserve players. SU only saw eight points provided by their bench. Baskets scored were not the only deciding factor from the bench. Only one Florida State starter played more than 30 minutes, unlike Syracuse, who had four starters play over 30 minutes. Throughout the game, FSU would go on bursts of runs thanks to tired SU legs.
After the Orange’s second loss in the last five days, Syracuse will play their final home game this Sunday against Miami. The Hurricanes are 4-1 in their last five games. Tipoff is at one o’clock.
amyers08@syr.edu | @ajmyerstv
