LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Both teams lost rhythm on offense for stretches. Both teams played lockdown defense for stretches. Both teams had a chance to come away with a win in a one-possession game down the wire.

It’s how Syracuse’s matchup with Louisville at the KFC Yum! Center played out a year ago, with the Orange getting the best of the Cardinals in the end. And it’s how SU’s visit back to Kentucky on Saturday went as head coach Jim Boeheim and his team edged No. 1 Louisville 70-68.

Though the Orange and UofL didn’t shoot a dismal 34.4 and 34.7 percent from the field as they did in 2012, defense stole the headlines in another heated battle. Louisville’s full-court press and swarming matchup zone gave Syracuse fits all day, but the Orange made a few more plays with the game on the line to take down the favored home team.

The late-game comeback by Syracuse was set up by its trademark 2-3 zone, which stymied the UofL offense and kept the Cardinals out of their press for much of the second half.

“All you got to do is pick up the stat sheet and see we shot 29 percent so you don’t get the press on,” Pitino said

The brutal second-half shooting performance gave Syracuse hope despite trailing for nearly 15 minutes of the final 20. The Orange put together a 9-0 run with more than seven minutes to play to turn a 62-57 deficit into a 66-62 lead just three minutes later.

Louisville missed four field goals and three free throws during the run to leave the door open to an Orange comeback. SU made the most of the opportunity, converting two free throws and executing on four straight possessions to take a four-point lead – its largest of the second half.

The offensive run – made up of a Michael Carter-Williams drive, 3-pointer and assist to Jerami Grant – was something hardly seen out of SU in the first 33 minutes of action. Carter-Williams had labored up the court with Louisville’s guards harassing him in its well-known full-court press.

The pressure defense led to eight turnovers by Carter-Williams and 16 by SU overall. But the press also threw off Syracuse’s offense when it did get into its half-court sets.

“We had a hard time not so much breaking the press but being comfortable and actually knowing what to do with the press,” Triche said.

With the zone keeping Louisville off the board, Syracuse, and specifically Carter-Williams, finally found a comfort zone offensively.

But fittingly, defense was the deciding factor in the final minute with Louisville leading by one. Carter-Williams came up with a steal and took it the length of the court for a two-handed dunk to give SU a 69-68 lead with 23 seconds left.

With the game still up for grabs, he then took the ball away from UofL center Gorgui Dieng in the final seconds to seal the win. Just as Dion Waiters did with his steal in the closing seconds of the one-point win a year ago.

“Last year, same thing, last play and we stole the ball and we stole it here,” Boeheim said. “Two steals to end the game. Unbelievable.”

Published on January 20, 2013 at 4:03 pm

Contact Ryne: rjgery@syr.edu