Look, I’m not going to pretend this was a statement win. The opponent isn’t ranked, and Syracuse’s offensive rebounding still stinks—they gave up 14 offensive boards today. But a win is a win, especially in January. This team is young, and learning to close games is a skill they desperately need before March.
The real takeaway? Judah Mintz is becoming a star. He finished with 22 points, 6 assists, and 4 steals, and he didn’t just score—he controlled the pace when everything got chaotic. (I’m starting to think he has ice in his veins, but also maybe a little bit of crazy.)
Syracuse basketball falls 2 games below .500 in 77-73 loss to Pitt
Also, let’s give a slow clap to Maliq Brown. He only had 8 points, but his defense was a brick wall—two blocks, three steals, and he made the opponent’s best player miss six straight shots in the second half. That’s the kind of grit that wins tournaments.
The vibe in the Dome
I wasn’t there in person—stuck at work, naturally—but my cousin texted me that the student section was electric during the final minute. Even from the grainy Twitter clips, you could feel the relief. (There’s a difference between a normal win celebration and a “we almost messed that up” celebration. This was the latter.)
Coach Red Autry looked exhausted in the post-game interview. He said, “We’re still figuring out our identity.” Translation: we have talent, but we also have a bad habit of forgetting how to pass. (Story of every young team, right?)
