Virginia holds Syracuse hoops to fewest points since WWII
It was a tough day at the office for Jim Boeheim's squad.
Not only was Syracuse unable to secure a season-opening victory against No. 11 Virginia, but the defending national champions bullied the Orange offense to a degree seen only once in the septuagenarian coach's lifetime.
Securing the road win by a score of 48-34, Virginia held Syracuse to the program's lowest points total since 1945, according to ESPN Stats & Info. Temple beat Syracuse 49-31 on Feb. 21, 1945 - barely three months after Boeheim was born.
Syracuse junior Elijah Hughes tallied a game-high 14 points on 4-of-14 shooting. Boeheim's son, sophomore guard Buddy, added seven. The seven other Syracuse players who saw floor time combined for 13 points.
Three Cavaliers reached double digits in points, led by senior forward Mamadi Diakite with 12.
Overall, Syracuse shot 23.6% from the floor - including 17.2% on 29 attempts from beyond the 3-point arc - compared to 40.8% shooting by Virginia.
It wasn't long before observers began putting the futility of Syracuse's offense into historical context:
How long has it been since Syracuse scored under 34 points in a game? Take a look: pic.twitter.com/kAgR9WnL4s
— Daily Orange Sports (@DOsports) November 7, 2019
After the loss, Boeheim was critical of what he labeled "money grab" scheduling, which pitted his squad against a tough ACC opponent to start the season.
In his press conference after falling to Virginia, Syracuse Head Coach Jim Boeheim spoke about the early scheduling due to the new 20-game ACC schedule. "You never want to play these league games early. It's stupid, it's a money grab." #OrangeEmpire pic.twitter.com/RUw7eI8Kcw
— Spectrum News CNY/S.Tier (@SPECNewsCNY) November 7, 2019
Boeheim and Co. will have a chance to even their record at 1-1 next Wednesday, with Colgate coming to the Carrier Dome.