Tuesday, November 30
Syracuse, N.Y.
7:00 PM
Indiana University
6-1,0-0Big Ten
110
at
112
Syracuse
4-3,0-0ACC
1
2
OT 1
OT 2
F
Indiana
33
55
9
13
110
Syracuse
49
39
9
15
112
Indiana Falls to Syracuse in Double Overtime
11/30/2021 10:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Sometimes, you refuse to lose.
Sometimes, if you're the Indiana Hoosiers, on the verge of a road blow out defeat, you find a way.
That it didn't produce a victory Tuesday night at Syracuse's Carrier Dome, that overcoming 25 turnovers was just too much in a 112-110 double-overtime loss, didn't diminish the effort.
"We kept fighting," coach Mike Woodson told Voice of the Hoosiers Don Fischer during the post-game radio show. "We made great plays coming down the stretch to get into the overtime. They just had the final play that cost us, or we'd probably still be playing."
A game that featured 10 ties and eight lead changes came down to the final eight tenths of a second, when Syracuse's Joseph Girard made two free throws to snap a 110-110 tie created by Miller Kopp's three free throws seven seconds earlier.
"Everyone in there is a fighter," forward Trayce Jackson-Davis said. "We're not going down unless we're swinging."
Jackson-Davis played to his All-America status with 31 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks. Not even a bruised knee suffered late in regulation could sideline him for long.
"We knew when we went over there that he had just banged knees," Woodson told Fischer. "That was a relief. He was able to go out for a few minutes, regroup and come back for us."
Kopp, who played 48 of a possible 50 minutes, scored a career-high 28 points with four three-pointers. Parker Stewart added 20 points with six three-pointers. Race Thompson had 17 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists.
Three Hoosiers fouled out -- Xavier Johnson, Rob Phinisee and Stewart.
IU (6-1) lost for the first time under Woodson. That included last August's pair of exhibition victories in the Bahamas.
"It's a great group of guys who like to compete," Woodson told Fischer. "They're a little down right now. It's the first loss we've had since we've been together as a unit."
He paused to consider what was next -- Saturday's Big Ten opener at home against Nebraska.
"We have to put this one behind us, learn from it and get ready for Nebraska," he told Fischer.
Syracuse (4-3) arrived with losses in three of its last four games, and a vulnerable defense despite its fearsome 2-3 zone reputation. Still, it surged to a 49-33 halftime lead.
In the second half, IU went offensively simple, defensively nasty and thrived. It won the next 20 minutes, 55-39.
At one point, it made 10 straight shots and 12 of 13.
It was almost enough.
"This team has been fighting since we got together," Woodson told Fischer. "We had our chances, but they made the final play to secure the win."
In the first half, Buddy and Jimmy Boeheim rocked the Hoosiers with their shooting. The Orange staggered IU with their defense.
Indiana, playing its first road game, took the first-half hits and, in the second half, delivered some of its own to obliterate an 18-point deficit.
It was almost enough.
"I thought the zone affected us in the first half," Woodson told Fischer. "We acted like we hadn't seen a zone.
"In the second half, we came out and we settled down. We were more comfortable in the zone and made basketball plays."
IU couldn't overcome Syracuse's 33-11 edge in points off turnovers, although it came close by making 11 of 27 three-pointers.
"Teams will continue to play zone (against us)," Woodson told Fischer. "We can't hide from it. It's in college basketball.
"We've been shooting the three a lot better of late. My concern is the turnovers. The unforced turnovers we had in the first half were ridiculous. We have to stay away from that."
Then there was the IU defense, which entered the game rated among the nation's best.
"We couldn't stop them," Woodson told Fischer. "That's disappointing. We've been playing so well as a unit on defense. They had their way."
The Boeheim brothers sparked Syracuse to a 15-5 lead before the Hoosiers battled back behind Jackson-Davis, Kopp and Stewart.
The Orange pushed ahead 38-24. Five straight Hoosier points helped. Missing the front end of a one-and-one did not.
When Jackson-Davis missed a lob dunk and Syracuse followed with a three-pointer and a pair of free throws, the Orange had a 47-29 lead with a minute remaining.
Freshman guard Tamar Bates came off the bench to hit a much-needed basket. Kopp added a pair of free throws. Still, the Hoosiers trailed 49-33 at halftime. Their 13 turnovers resulted in 16 Syracuse points.
Kopp had 10 points. Jackson-Davis had eight points and six rebounds. Stewart also had eight points.
The Orange shot 8-for-16 from three-point range and 58.1 percent overall.
The Hoosiers needed a big five minutes to open the second half to give themselves a chance.
They got it.
Stewart hit three three-pointers in the first four minutes. Syracuse missed six straight shots. IU closed within 52-45.
The Hoosiers kept pushing. A Kopp forged a 58-58 tie with 11 minutes left. A Kopp three-pointer put the Hoosiers ahead 63-60.
They were on the verge of a huge comeback victory.
Then the turnovers returned. The Orange regained their shooting stroke. A 21-9 surge boosted them to an 81-72 lead.
Then Jackson-Davis got hurt.
The Hoosiers battled.
Then Jackson-Davis returned.
The Hoosiers battled.
Stewart's three-pointer with 4.7 seconds left IU trailing 86-85.
Syracuse made two free throws for a three-point lead, then fouled guard Khristian Lander. He made the first free throw, intentionally missed the second. Jackson-Davis rebounded and made both free throws to force overtime, at 88-88.
With the first overtime period tied at 97-97, IU had a chance to win it, but couldn't get off the shot in time.
In the second overtime period, Jackson-Davis scored four straight points for an early Hoosier edge. Syracuse responded with eight straight points.
IU fought back.
The Orange took a three-point lead in the closing seconds, but fouled Kopp on a three-point attempt. He made all three free throws for the 10th and final tie before Syracuse's Girard made the two winning free throws.
"If we play like we did in the second half," Woodson told Fischer, "we should be fine."
Or, as Jackson-Davis tweeted in the aftermath, "Learning experience. We will be back and better. Onto the next. Love this team, and program."
IUHoosiers.com
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Sometimes, you refuse to lose.
Sometimes, if you're the Indiana Hoosiers, on the verge of a road blow out defeat, you find a way.
That it didn't produce a victory Tuesday night at Syracuse's Carrier Dome, that overcoming 25 turnovers was just too much in a 112-110 double-overtime loss, didn't diminish the effort.
"We kept fighting," coach Mike Woodson told Voice of the Hoosiers Don Fischer during the post-game radio show. "We made great plays coming down the stretch to get into the overtime. They just had the final play that cost us, or we'd probably still be playing."
A game that featured 10 ties and eight lead changes came down to the final eight tenths of a second, when Syracuse's Joseph Girard made two free throws to snap a 110-110 tie created by Miller Kopp's three free throws seven seconds earlier.
"Everyone in there is a fighter," forward Trayce Jackson-Davis said. "We're not going down unless we're swinging."
Jackson-Davis played to his All-America status with 31 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks. Not even a bruised knee suffered late in regulation could sideline him for long.
"We knew when we went over there that he had just banged knees," Woodson told Fischer. "That was a relief. He was able to go out for a few minutes, regroup and come back for us."
Kopp, who played 48 of a possible 50 minutes, scored a career-high 28 points with four three-pointers. Parker Stewart added 20 points with six three-pointers. Race Thompson had 17 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists.
Three Hoosiers fouled out -- Xavier Johnson, Rob Phinisee and Stewart.
IU (6-1) lost for the first time under Woodson. That included last August's pair of exhibition victories in the Bahamas.
"It's a great group of guys who like to compete," Woodson told Fischer. "They're a little down right now. It's the first loss we've had since we've been together as a unit."
He paused to consider what was next -- Saturday's Big Ten opener at home against Nebraska.
"We have to put this one behind us, learn from it and get ready for Nebraska," he told Fischer.
Syracuse (4-3) arrived with losses in three of its last four games, and a vulnerable defense despite its fearsome 2-3 zone reputation. Still, it surged to a 49-33 halftime lead.
In the second half, IU went offensively simple, defensively nasty and thrived. It won the next 20 minutes, 55-39.
At one point, it made 10 straight shots and 12 of 13.
It was almost enough.
"This team has been fighting since we got together," Woodson told Fischer. "We had our chances, but they made the final play to secure the win."
In the first half, Buddy and Jimmy Boeheim rocked the Hoosiers with their shooting. The Orange staggered IU with their defense.
Indiana, playing its first road game, took the first-half hits and, in the second half, delivered some of its own to obliterate an 18-point deficit.
It was almost enough.
"I thought the zone affected us in the first half," Woodson told Fischer. "We acted like we hadn't seen a zone.
"In the second half, we came out and we settled down. We were more comfortable in the zone and made basketball plays."
IU couldn't overcome Syracuse's 33-11 edge in points off turnovers, although it came close by making 11 of 27 three-pointers.
"Teams will continue to play zone (against us)," Woodson told Fischer. "We can't hide from it. It's in college basketball.
"We've been shooting the three a lot better of late. My concern is the turnovers. The unforced turnovers we had in the first half were ridiculous. We have to stay away from that."
Then there was the IU defense, which entered the game rated among the nation's best.
"We couldn't stop them," Woodson told Fischer. "That's disappointing. We've been playing so well as a unit on defense. They had their way."
The Boeheim brothers sparked Syracuse to a 15-5 lead before the Hoosiers battled back behind Jackson-Davis, Kopp and Stewart.
The Orange pushed ahead 38-24. Five straight Hoosier points helped. Missing the front end of a one-and-one did not.
When Jackson-Davis missed a lob dunk and Syracuse followed with a three-pointer and a pair of free throws, the Orange had a 47-29 lead with a minute remaining.
Freshman guard Tamar Bates came off the bench to hit a much-needed basket. Kopp added a pair of free throws. Still, the Hoosiers trailed 49-33 at halftime. Their 13 turnovers resulted in 16 Syracuse points.
Kopp had 10 points. Jackson-Davis had eight points and six rebounds. Stewart also had eight points.
The Orange shot 8-for-16 from three-point range and 58.1 percent overall.
The Hoosiers needed a big five minutes to open the second half to give themselves a chance.
They got it.
Stewart hit three three-pointers in the first four minutes. Syracuse missed six straight shots. IU closed within 52-45.
The Hoosiers kept pushing. A Kopp forged a 58-58 tie with 11 minutes left. A Kopp three-pointer put the Hoosiers ahead 63-60.
They were on the verge of a huge comeback victory.
Then the turnovers returned. The Orange regained their shooting stroke. A 21-9 surge boosted them to an 81-72 lead.
Then Jackson-Davis got hurt.
The Hoosiers battled.
Then Jackson-Davis returned.
The Hoosiers battled.
Stewart's three-pointer with 4.7 seconds left IU trailing 86-85.
Syracuse made two free throws for a three-point lead, then fouled guard Khristian Lander. He made the first free throw, intentionally missed the second. Jackson-Davis rebounded and made both free throws to force overtime, at 88-88.
With the first overtime period tied at 97-97, IU had a chance to win it, but couldn't get off the shot in time.
In the second overtime period, Jackson-Davis scored four straight points for an early Hoosier edge. Syracuse responded with eight straight points.
IU fought back.
The Orange took a three-point lead in the closing seconds, but fouled Kopp on a three-point attempt. He made all three free throws for the 10th and final tie before Syracuse's Girard made the two winning free throws.
"If we play like we did in the second half," Woodson told Fischer, "we should be fine."
Or, as Jackson-Davis tweeted in the aftermath, "Learning experience. We will be back and better. Onto the next. Love this team, and program."
Team Stats
IND
Syr
FG%
.551
.493
3FG%
.407
.382
FT%
.742
.794
RB
46
31
TO
26
12
STL
6
18
Game Leaders
Pts
31
FGM
11
3FGM
0
FTM
9
Pts
28
FGM
9
3FGM
4
FTM
6
Pts
20
FGM
6
3FGM
6
FTM
2
Pts
17
FGM
8
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's BasketballForward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
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