Tyus Battle’s Game-Winning Three Beats Clemson 82-81

By Kevin Ryans CLEMSON, S.C.— Tyus Battle had struggled all game long. With seven seconds left on the clock and Syracuse down 81-79 to Clemson, the freshman had only made one shot on the evening. But that didn’t deter the guard from nailing a game-winning three-point basket at the buzzer as the Orange knocked off the Tigers 82-81.

After Tyler Lydon tied the game at 79 with a pair of free throws, Clemson Junior Donte Grantham hit a 15-foot shot to put Clemson up by two with seven ticks remaining.

Then with time winding down, John Gillon rushed it up the court and gave it to Lydon at the top of the key. Lydon drove to the right side bringing in two defenders and leaving Battle wide open for the three, which was nothing but nylon.

For the third straight game, the Orange staged a comeback in the second half. The tigers were up by as many as nine in the second frame and as many as 12 in the contest. With less than eight minutes to go, Syracuse trailed 70-61.

Needing a spark, the Orange went to its pressure defense. The tactic worked. Syracuse was able to get within one point at the four-minute mark.

Then Battle sealed the deal with the three-pointer, his fourth, fifth and sixth points on the night.

SU is now on a five-game win streak its longest of the season. Beforehand the Orange’s longest winning streak was four games, which was at the beginning of the season.

Battle on the night shot two-of-seven from the field. The freshman said after a night of struggling, something had to give.

“I thought it looked good,” Battle said. “I didn’t make a lot of shots the whole entire game, so I was like I had to make this one to have all that stuff forgotten.”

Syracuse heads back north to Pennsylvania where it’ll take on Pittsburgh Saturday February 11^th.