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Virginia collapses during second half, falls to Syracuse in Midwest Region final Virginia collapses during second half, falls to Syracuse in Midwest Region final
(about 2 hours later)
CHICAGO — Anthony Gill handed out high-fives on the sideline as his teammates gathered during a timeout, urging Virginia to stay calm as everything around the Cavaliers fell apart. Syracuse’s Malachi Richardson had just scored again, with less than four minutes to play, to extend Syracuse’s lead to six amid a stunning turn of events in the second half of Sunday’s Midwest Region final in the NCAA tournament. CHICAGO — As the Virginia men’s basketball team sat grappling with the harsh reality that it had let its chance at the program’s first Final Four berth since 1984 slip away in stunning fashion in the second half of the Midwest Region final Sunday, each of the Cavaliers’ key players reverted to the poise he had exhibited all season.
Minutes later, the 10th-seeded Orange completed a 68-62 upset of the top-seeded Cavaliers, whose bid for a first Final Four appearance since 1984 suddenly disappeared along with their 16-point second-half lead. Malcolm Brogdon, in lieu of a speech after the top-seeded Cavaliers’ 68-62 loss to No. 10 seed Syracuse, reveled in the personal connections he had made in his five years at Virginia. The senior went around the Cavaliers’ locker room at United Center and told each teammate how much he meant to Virginia basketball and to Brogdon himself. Virginia Coach Tony Bennett, tasked with eulogizing the most promising season Virginia has had in years as well as his five seniors’ collegiate careers, leaned on his faith. He cited what he believed to be an old church song.
Richardson’s layup with 3 minutes 27 seconds to play had capped a remarkable 25-4 run for the Orange over a six-minute stretch that turned Virginia’s 54-39 lead with under 10 minutes to play into a 64-58 deficit. “It says weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning,” Bennett recited. “We will have some tough nights because you’re so close you could taste it, but absolutely, joy will come in the morning for what these guys have established for Virginia basketball.”
Virginia finished its season 29-8, while Syracuse became the first No. 10 seed to advance to the Final Four in tournament history. The Orange will face the winner of Sunday’s late game between North Carolina and Notre Dame in Houston on Saturday. Bennett will relive what could have been later. He’ll watch tape to try to understand how Virginia succumbed to Syracuse’s press and the pressure of the moment to suffer a stunning loss after leading by 16 early in the second half and 15 with less than 10 minutes to play.
The game began to turn when Syracuse utilized an effective full-court press to get Virginia out of its rhythm. Cavaliers senior guard Malcolm Brogdon, who had 21 points in Virginia’s eight-point win over Syracuse back in January, was handcuffed all night and limited to 12 points on 2-for-14 shooting. Junior guard London Perrantes scored 18 points on six three-pointers to pace Virginia, and Gill and Mike Tobey each added 10 points. Bennett’s squad was cruising to a win before the Orange pulled off a remarkable 25-4 run over a six-minute stretch that turned Virginia’s 54-39 lead into a 64-58 deficit.
Richardson led four Syracuse players in double figures with 23 points. Michael Gbinije and Tyler Lydon each scored 11, and Tyler Roberson had 10. “It happened quick,” junior guard London Perrantes said, shaking his head. “I couldn’t tell you how it happened. It just hurts.”
Virginia led 35-21 at halftime — thanks in large part to five three-pointers from Perrantes in the first 20 minutes — and stretched the lead to 16 on its first possession of the second half, but couldn’t weather an onslaught led by Richardson. The Cavaliers made just four field goals in the final 10 minutes of the game. The Orange grabbed seven of its 12 offensive rebounds in the second half. The Cavaliers finished their season 29-8, while Syracuse (23-13) advances to face North Carolina in Houston on Saturday, the first No. 10 seed to advance to the Final Four in tournament history.
Earlier, consecutive three-pointers from Perrantes sparked a 19-2 run in the first half that helped the Cavaliers gain the edge at intermission after starting 0 for 5 from the field. Perrantes made four of his five first-half threes wide open from the top of the key, and for much of the half Syracuse’s offense struggled on the perimeter as well. The Orange scored 12 of its 21 first-half points in the paint and had made just 1 of 9 attempts from three-point range before heating up in the second half. The game began to turn when Syracuse switched from its familiar zone — effective at handcuffing Brogdon to that point but not the Cavaliers’ other scorers — to a full-court press to get Virginia out of its rhythm. The Cavaliers went nearly six minutes without scoring at one point.
Brogdon, who had 21 points in Virginia’s eight-point win over Syracuse in January, was limited to 12 points on 2-of-14 shooting. Perrantes scored 18 points on six three-pointers to pace Virginia, and Anthony Gill and Mike Tobey each added 10 points.
“When they threw that press on us, we didn’t really handle it in the best fashion,” Gill said. “We got a couple turnovers that really wasn’t what we do. . . . We couldn’t keep them out of the lane, and it’s just something that U-Va. basketball doesn’t pride itself on, and that’s what happened tonight, and that’s how they were able to get back into the game.”
Brogdon made two free throws with 26 seconds left to pull Virginia back within two, but after Tyler Lydon made 1 of 2 free throws for Syracuse, Devon Hall missed a potential tying three-pointer on the next possession and the Orange iced the win at the free throw line.
Malachi Richardson led four Syracuse players in double figures with 23 points. Michael Gbinije and Tyler Lydon each scored 11, and Tyler Roberson had 10. The Orange beat Virginia on the glass and had 12 offensive rebounds, including seven in the second half.
“We fully understand that it was our game to win and we just gave it away,” Gill said. “We fully understand that.”
Dissection of the loss quickly turned into praising Virginia’s senior class, which Bennett has long credited with building the foundation for Virginia’s success over the past few years. The Cavaliers have won 112 games over the past four seasons, tying a program record for a four-season span, and Brogdon ended his tenure as the toast of the ACC after winning both the league’s player of the year and defensive player of the year awards.
“It is difficult,” Brogdon said, “but at the same time, you start to reminisce. You start to remember all the good times you’ve had, and you start to realize how special these guys sitting next to you and on the court with you, how much they mean to you, how much your coaches mean to you, how much you’ve learned from them, and just how much you’ve enjoyed your experience and your college career.
“Sometimes we get caught up so much in playing the game, trying to win every game, being so focused — I’m a very locked-in guy, rather than just smelling the roses — and now we can smell the roses. We can enjoy what we’ve established.”