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GREENSBORO, N.C. — As Benny Williams was getting shots up before Syracuse’s game against Wake Forest, with his headphones bumping music connected to his phone that laid on the team’s bench, he realized something was off.

He couldn’t make a shot.

So when he launched his first 3-point attempt of the afternoon early in the first half, he didn’t expect it to fall. Williams was surprised when it dropped through the net. And from that point on, Williams didn’t miss much at all. He hit two more 3s — including one with a minute left that put Syracuse up 74-72 — and finished with a team-high 18 points and 11 rebounds, his second double-double of the season.

But Wake Forest hit two more shots, with Daivien Williamson’s 3 over Williams’ hand winning the game, and ending the Orange’s season in what will forever be remembered as Jim Boeheim’s last game as head coach.

Instead of celebrating one of his best performances of an up-and-down sophomore campaign, Wililams sat in the locker room after the game, describing how the loss felt through tears and deep breaths.

“It’s over,” Williams said. “I wish I could’ve made a play on that last play for us to win the game. I had to make that play. I feel like we lost because I didn’t make that play.”

But as teammate Justin Taylor noted, Williams was one of the main reasons Syracuse was even competitive with Wake Forest on Wednesday. The Demon Deacons contained SU’s scoring trio of Joe Girard III (nine points), Judah Mintz (7-for-21 shooting) and Jesse Edwards (12 points), forcing Williams and Chris Bell to carry more of the scoring load than has been expected of them all year.

Williams took over, leading the Orange with 10 first half points and looking comfortable on 3s, midrange jumpers and crashing the glass inside. He had a game-high five offensive rebounds, including one that generated a crucial and-one and tied the game with less than eight minutes left. As Williams pulled himself up after the shot dropped, he slapped the Greensboro Coliseum floor twice, let out a scream and nodded his head at his teammates.

Then, with Syracuse searching for the lead seven minutes later, Mintz drove inside off a pick-and-roll with Edwards, who drew two defenders. It left Williams wide-open a few steps from the top of the arc, and he drilled the shot — with no help from the rim — to put the Orange ahead.

That shot, Williams said, didn’t feel good. In fact, he thought it would be an air ball. He said it “just didn’t feel right.” But just like how he thought his warmup shots would translate to the game, Williams was wrong.

“This was a big stage, this was a big game, and I think he showed some of the things that he’s capable of,” Boeheim said. “And he can do that every night.”

Williams said he didn’t like how he played on Saturday against the same Wake Forest team. He knew the Demon Deacons would respond to Jesse Edwards’ 27-point performance by double-teaming the center, which would open up Williams for open shots inside and from midrange.

And that’s exactly what happened. Wake Forest double-teamed Edwards on the catch, and Williams had open opportunities. Early in the first half, Williams blocked Matthew Marsh from behind, and then drilled a 3-pointer from the left wing. As he ran back on defense, he screamed and clapped his hands. Combined with eight first half points from Bell, Syracuse took a two-point lead into halftime.

“When Chris is hitting shots, that’s more of an advantage for us. And when I’m hitting shots, same thing,” Williams said. “We know we’re gonna get points from Jesse, Judah and Joe, so when me and Chris show up, you can tell the difference. I don’t think we’re in the game if me, Quadir and Chris don’t show up today.”

Boeheim admitted postgame that he hasn’t been Williams’ biggest fan this season. The sophomore was expected to be a key member of this season’s team, but fell into Boeheim’s doghouse, ultimately getting benched at Virginia Tech in late January. Williams didn’t show up for Syracuse’s game against Virginia two nights later, taking what Boeheim called a “personal day” and lost his consistent spot in the starting lineup after that.

Williams said the biggest thing he learned this season was that he can do it — that he can play. Last year, he said he wasn’t even close to having the season that he wanted. He spent the offseason working on his body, and put up shots every day with now-head coach Adrian Autry. Williams’ shooting on Wednesday was what SU has seen in practice throughout the season, Taylor said.

While Williams has been inconsistent this season, Taylor said, he was “huge” for Syracuse on Wednesday. Boeheim has preached all season that SU’s forwards need to have a bigger offensive and defensive presence, Taylor said. Against Wake Forest, that finally emerged.

“That Benny is something we all expect,” Taylor said. “And what we saw today is a good sign moving forward.”

Williams said he wants to come back and prove he’s one of the best players in the country next season. Lots of offseason work will be needed to make that happen — and Williams knows that, saying that he wants to “become a man this summer.”

But whether that offseason growth will be on display at Syracuse next season remains to be determined. He said he wanted to see Boeheim return as head coach, but in any case, needs to talk with his father about his next move — either returning to SU or entering the transfer portal.

For now, Williams’ final memory of how this season ended will be his left hand flying toward Williamson’s shot. His 18 points and knock-down shooting couldn’t advance Syracuse’s season — and Boeheim’s career — to another day.

Published on March 8, 2023 at 6:38 pm

Contact Connor: csmith49@syr.edu | @csmith17_